New Users Guide for Gifting

It would be useful if new users got some guidance on gifting. Just something I wish I would have known when I was at lower levels.

Now that I'm at a higher level, I feel bad about not returning all the landing lamps, radio transmitters (I have 177), fuel supplies and air conditioners (73) that I get but I'm beyond the need for those things and have too many already. I don't want to return them and encourage people to continue sending them.

So, here it is.

We're all limited to sending only 20 gifts per day but many of us have well over a 100 friends. So you need to be clever when it comes to sending gifts otherwise you'll be sending more than you get back.

When gifting items for flights, look for people who are at a similar level and are probably looking to receive the same things.

• If, for example, you want items to complete level 5 flights, it's probably best not to send these items to people who don't have a level 5 runway yet.
• If you want items to complete level 2 flights, don't send them to users who are at level 30+ because they likely have 100s and are looking for items for level 5 flights. If these people get more than 20 gifts a day, they are less likely to return yours.

When gifting items to complete buildings

• don't send to people who haven't attained a high enough level to construct or upgrade the building - more than likely, they won't be able to gift it back to you. You can find out what level a building need when you view the item in the store.

When it comes to items for major quests

• Send items to friends who are in the highest levels. They are more likely to be working diligently to achieve the tasks for the quests and will return these items more readily than those people that aren't completing the tasks.

 

[Aero]

I will put this in guide section.

 

[Uncle Mans]

I'd add a few thoughts:

To get the right gift:
1. Update your signature frequently to get what you need.
2. #1 means log in to the forums - what you needed in December shouldn't be exactly what you need in February.
3. Read the post about having the same picture here and either a real/fake facebook account.

To give the right gift:
1. Recognize which neighbors are from the forums and check what they need. I am sure in my earlier days of the game, I was guilty of giving gifts that I needed rather than what someone else might have needed. Lesson learned on my part. It was also while I was a lurker here...so if you are lurking, join.
2. I don't have a real #2. #1 is work, so maybe have a text file with the people you have as neighbors and what you last gave them. If you see my list on the iPad trading, you'll notice it is (or should be) alphabetically. So, while a little OCD, it helps me find you all. Just wish GI would fix username and let me sort alphabetically!!

 

[Chloe11111]

So, while a little OCD, it helps me find you all. Just wish GI would fix username and let me sort alphabetically!!

Ah ha. Mine is in excel so I can sort on different things

 

[mel]

Special tip: if the item you receive is not on your own gift list, a send back won't send back the same item', but the item at the same spot of your list! Many people still don't know that it's working like this.

 

[Helen Elizabeth]

It would be useful if new users got some guidance on gifting. Just something I wish I would have known when I was at lower levels.

Now that I'm at a higher level, I feel bad about not returning all the landing lamps, radio transmitters (I have 177), fuel supplies and air conditioners (73) that I get but I'm beyond the need for those things and have too many already. I don't want to return them and encourage people to continue sending them.

So, here it is.

We're all limited to sending only 20 gifts per day but many of us have well over a 100 friends. So you need to be clever when it comes to sending gifts otherwise you'll be sending more than you get back.

When gifting items for flights, look for people who are at a similar level and are probably looking to receive the same things.

• If, for example, you want items to complete level 5 flights, it's probably best not to send these items to people who don't have a level 5 runway yet.
• If you want items to complete level 2 flights, don't send them to users who are at level 30+ because they likely have 100s and are looking for items for level 5 flights. If these people get more than 20 gifts a day, they are less likely to return yours.

When gifting items to complete buildings

• don't send to people who haven't attained a high enough level to construct or upgrade the building - more than likely, they won't be able to gift it back to you. You can find out what level a building need when you view the item in the store.

When it comes to items for major quests

• Send items to friends who are in the highest levels. They are more likely to be working diligently to achieve the tasks for the quests and will return these items more readily than those people that aren't completing the tasks.

 

[Helen Elizabeth]

Chloe11111

have sent you a friend request

 

[Uncle Mans]

Ah ha. Mine is in excel so I can sort on different things

I like your style. I wasn't sure how Excel would paste into a forum, but that might be something I try real soon!

 

[tdv]

@Chloe11111 - Sad to say I don't complete agree with some of your statements.... and the way the game is played it is not so straight forward at all...

Only things that can be said for sure is: (and stated by others already here)

• Do not send a gift to a neighbour if they have not asked for it - it is just a waste of a gift and they may not send it back to you (if they do it might be something useless to you as it may not be the same item you sent in the 1st place)
• When a neighbour gifts your something - just don't send in return - please take the time to check what they have asked for. Just because a promo is taking place does not mean everyone in your neighbour list requires pruning shears or old lanterns... (they might not be taking part in the promo)
• Make sure your signature is upto date - The person gifting is not psychic and just looking at your level or airport gives them no idea what you require... A level 5 hanger can house a turbo prop and they might be going for all the stars even though they have reached level 32. - you can not see their stars in the game.
• Just because a person has a level 5 runway does not mean Landing Lamps is useless to them... many promo's bring in destinations at those lower levels.
• Plan ahead... just because you are at level 19 getting stars does not mean you have to only ask for level 19 items - you can stock up on level 32 items as well...
• Do not be selfish and say you will only accept neighbours of your level or higher... everyone has to start somewhere... and in fact if someone is already at level 35 (or 40) there is a very good chance they will have multiple jumbos and a load of coins stashed up.... so gifting items to them is necessary but not critical... Whereas neighbours who are struggling to even get 80K together - let alone have the luxury of being able to sell jumbos and buy turbo props or jets at will don't necessarily rely on your deicer or flight catering (they have the money and capability to build 6 flight caterings)
• If you need a specific item - try to look in the daily thread and find someone what has it and request it - you might get luckly and be offered it by someone...
• Some neighbours might be happy just to be able to click and visit your city for items rather than expect a gift from you.

To Keep it simple...

• Have a sensible username, initials that match your forum name is good, "allbrac pls", "Dispa console pls" is just pointless and make it very hard for the neighbour to know who the hell you are...
• Keep your signature updated
• Please add an avatar (see the guide to create a dummy FB account)
• Only send items they have asked for
• Send in return does not mean you are sending the same items back!!!
• Tag or PM neighbours if they are not sending what you have asked for or sending you some unwanted item
• Try to help some of the up and coming lower level players... they are really the people who need the most help...
• Try to plan forward and see what all you can stock up before the upgrade...
• Utilise the daily gifting thread - the whole point of it is to make gifting effective - playing forward is one way of helping each other out

ok that will do from me...

 

[Helen Elizabeth]

tdv

I spend a long time gifting as I:

Make a list daily to see whose turn is it for gifts
Check on their signature if they need anything urgent
Write down who I sent to & what as this helps when I receive a gift from username.

The game has been so much more fun for me since having neighbours and joining the forum

 

[Chloe11111]

@Chloe11111 - Sad to say I don't complete agree with some of your statements

Excellent. It would be a boring world if we agreed on everything.

I think my philosophy has come from 6 months of buggy software that doesn't allow me to see most user names - making it difficult/impossible for me to "purposely" send gifts to anybody consistently because all I see MOST of the time is "username" and a game level that may or may not be correct.

Yesterday morning, I saw everyone's user names. Today, as I go through my "gifting" regime, I check the forum and see what people need, then go look for all the names in my friend list and all I see is username, username, username, Aero Osc beacon, username, username, username. Maybe a few others. Of 170ish friends, I see 10 actual names.

Aero, how much did you pay GI to always ensure your name showed up

 

[tdv]

I am sure one thing we are completely in agreement with - GIS SUCKS (as much as we like AC)

they would not have a clue on how to code some software - let alone have a QA team to test and release!!! what a joke..

Yes I totally understand your fustrations - I have been playing almost a year now... Started in Fab last year.... Username issues, unable to visit, collections that cannot be completed, the list is endless...

This is one of the reasons I have stayed on (among others) to try to help people out who are helping others...

Currently I find most android players appear as their in-game name - most iPad players turn into username and iPhone seems to be a hit or miss....

 

[Bali Hi]

tdv

I spend a long time gifting as I:

Make a list daily to see whose turn is it for gifts
Check on their signature if they need anything urgent
Write down who I sent to & what as this helps when I receive a gift from username.

The game has been so much more fun for me since having neighbours and joining the forum

I think Happy Helen got the basics right.
Newbies should be on the right track if they stick to this.

++ Make your gift count by sending your neighbours what they need ++.
-- The worst thing to do is send special (aka "useless") items and hoping it will be returned --
If in doubt, send passengers or fuel because even advanced players need them.

 

[Friso]

Chloe11111 is more my style I gift to players who have an item listed in their username, and if they haven't (or because of bugs it still says *name*'old lantern') I try to think of items I would want at their level/experience.

tdv is more for the daily thread checking player who puts more time into the gifting process. To be honest I don't check the daily trading that often , I know.. I'm a bad bad neighbour haha. I do not often send items people do not request for in their username, only once in 1 or 2 weeks to show I'm not such a bad neighbour after all

 

[Chloe11111]

I'd be happy to check the daily gifting thread if it would do me any good. But it doesn't help. I see, for example, that TDV2 needs passengers. So I look for that name in my list and can't find it because of the buggy software. I can only guess which of the 150 usernames he might be. So right now, I have to gift to the ones I recognize and fall back on my rules for the remaining of the 20 gifts per day.

I always return jumbo flight items and quest items.
I NEVER return passengers because I always expect I got passengers because somebody returned a gift of mine.

 

[Red Fox One]

@Chloe11111 - Sad to say I don't complete agree with some of your statements.... and the way the game is played it is not so straight forward at all...

Only things that can be said for sure is: (and stated by others already here)

• Do not send a gift to a neighbour if they have not asked for it - it is just a waste of a gift and they may not send it back to you (if they do it might be something useless to you as it may not be the same item you sent in the 1st place)
• When a neighbour gifts your something - just don't send in return - please take the time to check what they have asked for. Just because a promo is taking place does not mean everyone in your neighbour list requires pruning shears or old lanterns... (they might not be taking part in the promo)
• Make sure your signature is upto date - The person gifting is not psychic and just looking at your level or airport gives them no idea what you require... A level 5 hanger can house a turbo prop and they might be going for all the stars even though they have reached level 32. - you can not see their stars in the game.
• Just because a person has a level 5 runway does not mean Landing Lamps is useless to them... many promo's bring in destinations at those lower levels.
• Plan ahead... just because you are at level 19 getting stars does not mean you have to only ask for level 19 items - you can stock up on level 32 items as well...
• Do not be selfish and say you will only accept neighbours of your level or higher... everyone has to start somewhere... and in fact if someone is already at level 35 (or 40) there is a very good chance they will have multiple jumbos and a load of coins stashed up.... so gifting items to them is necessary but not critical... Whereas neighbours who are struggling to even get 80K together - let alone have the luxury of being able to sell jumbos and buy turbo props or jets at will don't necessarily rely on your deicer or flight catering (they have the money and capability to build 6 flight caterings)
• If you need a specific item - try to look in the daily thread and find someone what has it and request it - you might get luckly and be offered it by someone...
• Some neighbours might be happy just to be able to click and visit your city for items rather than expect a gift from you.

ok that will do from me...

tdv : You are just so right, and I like your way of gifting. Several of your points are just spot on. Like me, I'm not updating and thus I don't need the pruning shears. I am now at level 31, but I don't have any of level 5 stuff like runway, hangar, terminal, planes. In fact I still need lots of flight items like Fuel Supply, Fuel Hose, etc. Even now I need 1 Dispatcher Console (gonna request this from you in the Daily Gifting thread), and need Landing Lamp to go to Bali to get one. Still saving up coins to upgrade and expand.

 

[Suresh]

A big to Chloe11111 Uncle Mans Happy Helen tdv Bali Hi mel for giving their input for this thread. I am sure new members would find this thread extremely useful. I too will share my experience so far.

I joined this forum 2 months ago. But i was a visitor for few more month before i joined. So i was not lost when i joined. This is my 5th attempt at AC and i didn't wanted to re-start again so i finally joined I too like many of you maintain a spreedsheet of neighbours detail, gifts received and sent out. This daily takes about 30 minutes but this time is well-spent. This forum has made playing AC much more easier and fun-filled. (Althought the lastest buggy updates has taken some fun out )

A few tips for new members:
* Maintain a excel sheet detailing all your neighbours, their forum and in-game name. Also gifts sent and received with dates.
* Post detail of your gift sent by you in trading thread and tag members.
* Regularly update your signature with your current needs.

 

[Aero]

I wish I would have found this site a long time ago, but it is still very helpful and reliable. I am just about to buy the level 5 control tower and I know I will need the following items for completion of the building: transmitter, insulation, projector and server rack. If anyone can send these, it would be greatly appreciated. I ALWAYS send gifts back to those who send to me. I plan on updating my signature tonight to show what I have to send out as gifts. Thanks again!!

Good that you like it here
But for needed stuf... Go to daily trading thread! There is everybody busy with exchanging gifts

 

[LAX]

Sorry, definitely a newbie error!!! I will delete the post and put it in the correct area.

 

[Uncle Mans]

Excellent. It would be a boring world if we agreed on everything.

Love that statement.

(Regardless of what you guys actually disagreed on!!!)