Virtual Villagers 4:
The Tree of Life Walkthrough and Strategy Guide
We have just finished a massive walkthrough guide for
Virtual Villagers 4: The Tree of Life. This guide will provide all you need to help you get the most from your experience with the latest Virtual Villagers game. Be warned: This guide does contain spoilers, so proceed with caution and as a last resort!
Windows:
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Also available: Developer's Edition
Mac OS X:
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This walkthrough for Virtual Villagers 4 is broken up into four sections:
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A step-by-step strategy guide through the game, from beginning to end
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A technical section devoted strictly to things like the stew recipes, collectibles, etc.
Actual solutions will be hidden by spoilers.
1. General Information
If you've played any of the Virtual Villagers games before, some things are the same and some have changed.
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Learn the controls! There are some changes and new editions to the control structure, so familiarize yourself with them. The most useful control to learn is the new detail "camera" located at the bottom right of the screen. You can use this to quickly locate any individual on the island. Click on the right arrow (when the screen is blank) and it goes to the youngest tribe member. Continue to click the right arrow and you will scroll through your villagers from youngest to oldest. As each one comes up in the "camera", the game will zoom to that person. This is especially helpful when trying to find children quickly. Click on the left arrow (when the screen is blank) and you will go to the oldest person in the tribe. Continue to click and you will cycle from oldest to youngest. You will notice that all controls have migrated to the bottom of the screen, allowing for wider vistas of the lovely Island of Isola.
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Watch your levels closely! At the top of the screen are the totals of your population, your food supply, and your current tech points. Screenshot of overview of controls
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Plan carefully! Choose your beginning villagers wisely, the success of your tribe depends on it.
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Learn the double collect trick! To double collect an item with children do as follows: once you spot a collectible or mushroom, find the nearest child. Pick the child up and pause the game (with the space bar). Drop the child on the collectible and go find a second child. Pick up the second child and go back to the object. Once you are hovering over the object (and the first dropped child) hit the space bar to unpause and quickly drop the second child right next to the first. If done properly and the timing is right, both children will run away with the same object. This is invaluable in bolstering food supplies when collecting mushrooms, and in gaining tech points when collecting other collectibles. WARNING: do not drop a child directly onto the other, this will cause them to drop the item and go off for a jumping contest. Make sure that the children are side-by-side.
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Collect Ruthlessly! Mushrooms can mean the difference between life and death to your tribe in the early stages, and the boost in tech points from collectibles allows you to purchase necessary second stage technology quickly. Children are also handy to collect the herbs for stews as they will bring them to the lab quickly.
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Watch for sparkles! Mushrooms and collectibles produce faint white sparkles, which enable them to be spotted more easily.
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Cross Train Ruthlessly! Some tasks will require villagers with more than one skill, and it is helpful to be able to quickly shift your workforce from one task to another if necessary.
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Learn to Navigate! You can move around the area in several different ways. (1) Left click on the ground and drag, this will move the visible area around. (2) Use the number keypad: the area is broken into roughly 9 grids, corresponding to the numbers on the keypad of your keyboard. The bottom row of numbers (1, 2, and 3) cover the "south" area, the middle row of numbers (4, 5, and 6) cover the "middle" area, and the top row of numbers (7, 8, 9) cover the "north" area. The number keypad is an easy way to quickly look for collectibles. (3) Use the detail "camera". Use the right and left arrows of the camera to select a villager and the screen will zoom to where they are. The detail "camera" will not work if the game is paused. (4) Use the overall map. Use the map button on the controls to get a bird's eye overall view of the area. From the map click on the area you wish to go and it will zoom to that area.
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Don't pick up a villager that is busy unless it is absolutely necessary! If you pick up a villager that is in the process of a task or is carrying something, they will drop the item and it will be lost. They will also "forget" what it is they were doing.
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Children under the age of 14 will not work, except for picking up mushrooms and collectibles! Once they reach age 14 you can put them to work, but they won't be fully "adult" until age 18. That means if a story time for the children is going on, the 14-17 year olds will drop work and attend. Villagers cannot have children until fully "adult", i.e. the age of 18.
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Based on their parentage, some children will be born with a little bit of skill in some areas. Children can also be "trained" somewhat by using the nursery school.
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Nursing mothers will not work until the baby is 2 years old! So be careful about getting the women pregnant. With no one farming a tribe can easily starve.
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Don't forget to take off the parenting preference if you are going to leave the game! If you forget and leave a male villager on parenting, you may wake up to a tribe that has doubled or more in size, or one that has starved from too many people and not enough food.
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The game continues even when it is turned off! Virtual Villagers 4 plays in "real time", which means things will still happen even when the game is closed. Remember this if you're going to be away for a while.
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Choose your time settings wisely! Playing in "fast" mode live is fun, but if you're going to be gone for a while consider switching to "Normal", "Slow", or even "Pause". If something goes wrong, you can come back to a dead village and have to start over again.
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Do not mess with your computer clock to "fast forward" the game! Not only can this mess up other things on your computer, it can create havoc within the game. Trying this can result in a dead tribe, or problems with regenerating crops like the blackberries.
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The weather is your friend! Yes, rain and fog are annoying and tend to hide things, but they are extremely useful. When it rains, mushrooms pop out at a much faster rate, allowing more food collection. When the wind blows off of the ocean, it brings the fog. It also causes the wind flutes to blow, and they cause collectibles to show up more frequently.
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Fire is your friend! A fire not only keeps your villagers warm and cuts down on illness, it is necessary for several tasks, such as tool-making.
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I ain't afraid of no ghost! Yes, you will see ghosts. Never fear, they are there to help. For more on ghosts see the section on collectibles for the Mausoleum.
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Don't forget to set work preferences for your villagers! For instance, if you want someone farming, make sure to check the farming preference. Villagers without preferences set will often wander around and do their own thing.
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You can choose the hut locations! When the foundation for a hut shows up, you can pick it up and move it to a place of your choosing (within reason). Look closely at the outline of the foundation, green means an area that the hut can be built in, red means you can't build there. Choose locations wisely: try not to impede frequently used paths, such as those from the blackberries or fruit trees to the food hut.
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Use children as temporary healers! If a villager becomes sick before you have a hospital to train doctors, find the nearest child, set their preference to healing, and drop them on the ill individual. Keep doing this until they heal the villager.
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Watch where people go! Children (and adults) will often wander off to look at "interesting" areas of the island. These areas are usually important.
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Fly around the island! Pick up a child and hover him/her over various interesting areas and watch the text that shows up in the control screen. Do this with adults as well, to identify certain items and hotspots that are important to the game.
2. Strategy Guide
Getting Started (basic food and shelter)
Choose Your Team
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You will pick the five members of your new village from a large pool of hopefuls.
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A good basic strategy is to pick a balance of men and women, with at least one child.
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If you are going to be playing with the tutorial on, it's better to not choose a nursing mother, as the tutorial has you produce a baby. Nursing mothers do not work, so be careful about breeding early on.
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Try for a mix of talents. It's good to have one person with building skills, one with farming skills, and one with research skills.
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This strategy guide is based on four adults (one a nursing mother) and one child.
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Don't pick all of one gender. With no way to produce children, your village will die of old age.
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Experienced players might like to go with something more challenging, like all children.
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Younger is better. Until you can afford third level medicine, your villagers will start becoming elderly in their 50's or early 60's and die earlier.
On the Island
Start a Fire
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Your villagers will appear on an area covered by large, flat gray rocks. There's the food bin at the bottom of the gray rock area. Just above (or north) of the food bin is a black circle, this is where your fire will go.
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North of the black circle is a pile of wood. Drop an adult on the wood pile.
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Also north and a bit east of the black circle (just to the left of the wooden staircase going up the cliff) is a small patch of dry grass. Drop an adult on the patch of grass.
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Once both grass and wood have been placed in the black circle drop an adult on them to make a fire.
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Screenshot of location of firewood, grass, food bin, and fire area
Puzzle 1: "Cutting Tool"
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South and slightly to the east of the food bin (on the beach) is a large fish skeleton. Drop an adult on the skeleton and they will use the bones to make three cutting tools. Once the tools are made they will deposit them in the science lab.
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You can store up to six sharp tools in the lab.
Food
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Find the blackberry bush on the south west part of the island, below the science lab, to the left of the wooden bridge that leads to the lab. Set your designated villager's settings to farmer and drop them on the bush to collect blackberries while you are waiting for the sharp tools to be made.
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Once the sharp tools are made, pick up the farmer and drop him/her on the sharp tools in the lab. They will use one of the tools to collect a large amount of blackberries at once.
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Use the other two tools in the science lab to collect more blackberries.
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At the same time, search for mushrooms with the child.
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Continue making tools and using them to collect blackberries until you have at least 250 in the food bin. At this point the other villagers will stop worrying about food and stick to their tasks.
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Once you have at least 250 in the food bin, drop your farmer on the berry bush and let them harvest in the usual manner.
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If you have a fourth adult who is not a nursing mother, put them on the bush as well until the food count reaches 400.
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Continue to look for mushrooms with the child.
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Once you reach 3000 tech points buy second level food production to maximize the food from the berry bush and the mushrooms.
Getting Started in the Lab
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Find your designated researcher, set their preferences, then drop them on the larger of the two tables in the lab (west side of the island).
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If you have a fourth adult that you've been using to get food, switch them over to research and get them started in the lab.
Construction
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While your farmer is getting berries, find your designated builder.
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There will be two "foundations" on the ground, one a regular hut, one the "honeymoon" hut (for villagers to discuss having children).
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Place the foundations where you would like them to be built, then place your builder on the "honeymoon" hut foundation. That's the one with the flowers.
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Once the "honeymoon" hut is built take your builder to the top of the cliff on the north east side of the island.
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You will notice a cascading waterfall coming down the rocks, then taking a sharp turn and falling over the cliff.
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Where the water takes a sharp turn is an obstruction. Place your builder there to start clearing the obstruction.
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Once both your scientist and builder have reached adept status, switch their jobs, moving the builder to research and the researcher to building.
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When the blockage is cleared and the water surrounds the tree, move the builder to the regular hut and have them start building.
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When the hut is done, and you still haven't gotten construction level 2, drop your builder onto the piers and have him/her repair them.
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Once your berries are gone, move your farmer over to research.
Solving Early Puzzles
Puzzle 2: "Stream"
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At this point you should have one builder, one farmer, and one (or two) researchers working.
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Hopefully you have at least one villager who is both an adept scientist and an adept builder.
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Take a look at the water flowing around the tree. Notice that it is falling down a hole rather than flowing through the rest of the scene.
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At the base of the cliff, where the waterfall used to be, is a chevron shaped stone that looks like it would plug the hole.
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Find your villager who is both an adept builder and an adept scientist, and drop him/her on the stone.
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Your villager will plug the hole, and the water will now flow through the pool beside the lab and down towards the blackberry bush.
Puzzles 3: "Boiling Water" and Puzzle 4: "Soap"
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Puzzle 3 is boiling water, puzzle 4 is making soap. You can kill two birds with one stone by boiling water to make soap.
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To boil water: you first need to bring water to the kettle in the lab. At the cliff are two sets of bowls, one set at the top of the cliff is for fresh water, one set at the bottom of the cliff is for salt water.
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At the bottom of the bridge to the lab, just to the left of the bridge, is a pile of stones. If you hover an adult over these stones they see "blackened" stones.
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Drop an adult on these stones and they will carry one to the fire.
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Wait a while and the stone will glow red, indicating that it is ready.
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Drop an adult on the red hot stone in the fire and they will carry it back to the lab, but only if there is water in the pot.
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To make soap: at the base of the bridge to the lab (to the left of the "blackened" stones) is a white flower. Hover a child over it and they will call it a "soapy smelling" plant.
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Use a child to collect three of the white flowers and bring them to the lab. The child will place the flowers on the smaller lab table.
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Once the flowers are collected have an adult get salt water using the lower set of bowls.
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Once the pot has water, have an adult bring a stone to the fire.
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Drop an adult on the red hot stone in the fire and they will bring it to the lab.
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Once the water is boiling you will get puzzle 3. Immediately drop an adult on the small lab table where the white flowers are.
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The adult will add the flowers one at a time and make soap.
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When the water disappears from the pot, drop an adult on it and they will stack the soap on a nearby rack.
Puzzle 6: "Frogs"
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Requires Puzzle 2 (the stream) to be complete.
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Below and to the right of the stairs going up the cliff is a large palm tree.
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Notice that when it rains this area fills with water, and frogs start jumping around.
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Once puzzle 2 is complete, wait for it to rain.
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When it rains and the puddles appear, drop adults in it to catch frogs and move them up to the stream.
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Repeat until about 6 frogs have been rescued.
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The frogs will now live in the stream underneath the tree.
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Solving this puzzle will also make the tree slightly healthier.
Keeping Your Tribe Alive
Puzzle 7: "The Pit"
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To get the next food source you need level 2 construction.
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Once you get level 2 construction your builder (or builders) can unearth the fire pit (puzzle 7).
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At the bottom of the screen there are two palm trees with large yellow fruit.
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Near them is an area that is covered in rocks.
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Drop your builder (or builders) on the area to remove the rocks.
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Once the rocks are removed, it is a multi-step process to activate the pit.
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First use a nearby adult to move a stone to the fire.
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Once the stone is hot drop an adult on it to move it to the pit.
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Immediately get another stone on the fire.
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You need to get 4 red hot stones into the fire pit.
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Between the blackberry bush and the bridge to the lab is a banana tree.
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As soon as all 4 stones are in the pit immediately drop an adult on the banana tree to put leaves on the pit.
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Once the pit is activated you can move your farmers to the fruit trees.
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Warning: although this is an unlimited food source (the trees never run out), it is labor intensive (the fruit needs to be picked, then cooked, then transported). Also, only a limited number of farmers can work the trees at the same time. Therefore, this food source can only sustain a tribe so far.
Growing Your Tribe
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After you've secured the second food source you can slowly grow your tribe. Try not to go above 15 members.
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Don't keep too many women nursing at once or you risk the food supply.
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Have your builders finish the second hut and repair the piers (if not already done).
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If you have level 2 science build the clothing hut. It is necessary for several puzzles.
Middle Puzzles
Puzzle 5: "Butterflies"
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At the bottom of the stream, just below the blackberry bush, is a dry plant.
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Once you solve puzzle 2 (the stream), the plant will begin to recover.
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Several hours after puzzle 2 is solved, the plant will fully recover and turn green.
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Drop an adult on the plant to cut the leaves.
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The adult will get covered in sap (you will see green smoke rising from the villager).
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Once this happens butterflies will appear.
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Slowly move the villager to the Tree (the big tree), making sure that the butterflies are following.
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Once you reach the tree, drop the villager on the tree.
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The villager will wipe the sap on the tree and the butterflies will stay.
Puzzle 8: "Cloth"
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This requires the clothing hut be built and sharp tools in the lab.
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On the cliff wall to the left of the staircase is a pulpy vine growing up the cliff.
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Once the clothing hut is built, drop an adult on the pulpy vines.
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The adult will go to the lab, get a tool, cut the vine, and bring three samples back to the lab.
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Cooking time!
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Have an adult fetch salt water for the pot.
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Once the pot has salt water have an adult heat a stone and bring it to the lab.
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When the salt water is boiling drop an adult on the table with the vine samples.
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Once the cooking is done drop an adult on the pot. The adult will take the pot out to a flat rock by the ocean and pour out the pulp.
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When the pulp is poured, keep dropping adults on it to make the cloth (10 times).
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When the cloth is done the adult will take it to the clothing hut for storage (3 bolts of cloth).
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You can store up to six bolts of cloth at the hut.
Puzzle 13: "Prune the Tree"
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Requires level 2 dendrology, cloth, soap, and sharp tools.
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When you have all the requirements, drop an adult on the diseased branch of the tree.
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The villager will go and get cloth to bind the branch.
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Once the branch is bound and braced, drop the adult on the sharp tools in the lab.
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The villager will go and get a sharp tool to remove the branch.
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Once the branch is removed the stump will have black spots.
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Drop the adult on the soap in the lab to clean the black spots.
Puzzle 14: "Honor the Tree"
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Requires at least 20 villagers.
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You need to brew a special stew to have the villagers honor the tree.
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The recipe for the stew is: fresh water, sweet plant + sweet plant + sweet plant.
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Once the stew is brewed you have to move fast. Drop every single villager (adult and child) on the stew to eat it.
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Once they do, they'll take stew to the tree and honor the tree.
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To get the credit you need to have 20 villagers kneeling at the tree at the same time.
Later Puzzles
Puzzle 9: "Nursery School"
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Purchase level 3 Learning.
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The foundation for the nursery will appear after you purchase level 3 learning. Move the foundation where you wish to place it and drop your builders on it to start construction.
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Once constructed you can drop an adult onto the nursery and they will teach the children.
Puzzle 12: "Fishing Nets"
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Requires level 2 construction, cloth.
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If you haven't already, drop builders on the piers to repair them.
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Once repaired, drop a builder on the piers again. The builder will get cloth to string line between the piers and the rocks.
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Keep dropping a builder on the piers until the nets are repaired (make more cloth if necessary).
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Once the nets are repaired, drop farmers onto the piers to retrieve the fish.
Puzzle 10: "Five Stones"
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Clearing the moss off of the five stones below the pool.
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Requires fishing nets repaired, fish caught, two children, one adult.
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Once the fishing nets are repaired, watch as the farmers bring back the fish.
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When that happens crabs will appear on the beach to the right of the cliff staircase.
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However, the crabs move really fast.
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Pick up a child and hover over the beach area until a crab appears.
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Drop the child on the crab. The caption will read "distracting the crab".
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Quickly find another child and drop it on the crab. Now both children are dancing around the crab and the crab slows down.
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Grab an adult and drop it on the crab. The adult will pick up the crab and take it to the mossy stones beneath the pool.
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One crab will clear one stone, so this must be repeated 4 more times.
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Once all the stones are clear, drop an adult on one of the stones to hear the story of the tree.
Puzzle 11: "Grand Feast"
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This puzzle requires a tricky bit of timing, the ability to heat rocks, some children, several adults, and a lot of luck.
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Time to make another stew.
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Have the children collect the herbs for the stew: soapy + spicy + sweet.
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Have an adult bring fresh water to the pot.
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Start heating a stone.
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Move the stone to the pot to boil the water.
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Immediately drop an adult on the table to make the stew.
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Once the herbs are in you must do several things at once: drop an adult on the food bin to bring food to the stew, drop an adult on the fruit trees to bring fruit, drop an adult on the blackberry bush, drop an adult on the pier to bring a fish, and drop a child on a mushroom (this is where luck comes in).
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If you can get all the ingredients (herbs, food, fruit, berries, fish, mushroom) into the pot before it stops boiling, then drop an adult on the pot to taste the stew. This triggers the grand feast.
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If you can't get all the ingredients in before it stops boiling, you'll have to empty the pot and start again.
Puzzle 15: "Purify the Tree"
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Requires: level 3 dendrology, soap, the nursery or an adept parent.
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Drop an adult on the hole in the base of the tree.
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It will say that it requires someone "clean of body" to heal the tree.
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Drop an adult on the soap rack in the lab.
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The adult will put soap into the pool and suds will appear.
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Drop an adult into the sudsy water and wait for them to emerge.
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Make sure that there are no children at the base of the tree.
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When the adult emerges he/she will have white sparkles.
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Drop the sparkling adult on the hole in the tree. It will say that it requires someone "clean of mind".
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At this point drop a random adult into the nursery to move all of the children there.
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Take your sparkling adult to the wind flutes and hover him over the area. When you see "an area to meditate" drop the villager there.
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Wait for the villager to finish meditating. Make sure that no child or adult disturbs the meditation.
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Now the adult will be sparkling white and gold.
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Make sure no one is at the base of the tree, and drop the sparkling adult onto the hole.
Puzzle 16: "Decorate the Tree"
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Requires: 3 bolts of cloth, hummingbirds, healthy tree, several children.
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In the lab, below the main table, are three boxes with old braids in them.
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Drop an adult onto one of the boxes. The adult will take the braid out to the stone where they manufacture cloth.
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Once the braid is laid out drop an adult on the braid. The adult will go get cloth to repair the braid.
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When the braid is repaired you need to wait for a hummingbird to show up (hummingbirds will appear when the tree is three steps above nearly dead).
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When a hummingbird appears, follow it and see which flower it sets down on.
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When the hummingbird flies away, find the nearest child and drop it on the flower.
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Keep dropping the child until it plucks the flower. Once it does, find more children and drop them on the flower (6 in all). You have to move fast, while the flower is still good.
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The children will carry the flowers to the braid and start making the lei. The sixth child will add a flower, then take the garland and decorate the tree.
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Repeat the entire process (braid, repair, hummingbird, flowers) two more times for a total of three garlands.
3. Recipes, Technologies, and More
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Stews
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There are three herbs to make stews with: the soapy plant (white flowers, below the lab by the bridge), the sweet plant (yellow flowers, just above the lab), and the spicy plant (orange flower, to the left of the tree of life). The only other item to use is the pulpy vine, and it makes cloth.
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As a general rule, stews to be eaten are made with fresh water, manufactured items (soap and cloth) are made with salt water.
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You must have three herbs to make a stew.
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The hot rocks don't stay hot for very long, so once the water is boiling make the stew immediately.
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Edible stews require three herbs, fresh boiling water, and food from the food bin. The only exception is the grand feast stew.
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This is a spreadsheet of all stew recipes and their effects.
Virtual Villagers 4 : Stews -
Collectibles
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The collectibles are not just a fun side quest, they are actually incorporated into the game.
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When the wind flutes blow (when mist comes in from the ocean) collectibles appear. A complete collection of wind flutes adds 5 to your max population and causes many collectibles, especially rare ones, to appear when the mist blows in.
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When the mausoleum collection is complete, your max population goes up by 5, and ghosts of dead villagers will appear to point out rare collectibles.
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When the lab collection is complete, max population goes up by 5 and researchers earn tech points more quickly.
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When the fish scale collection is complete, max population goes up again. Completion is also supposed to make the golden fish appear in the nets, but I had golden fish appearing before my collection was complete.
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Technologies
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You start with level 1 in all technologies.
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Science technology levels 2 and 3 increase the amount of tech points your researchers earn. Level 2 also makes the clothing hut foundation appear.
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Dendrology level 1 allows the frog rescue, level 2 allows the branch pruning, and level 3 allows the hole to be repaired.
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Medicine level 1 allows your villagers to live to their early 60s, level 2 to their late 60s, and level 3 to their 70s and beyond. Level 3 also allows the construction of the hospital, where you can train doctors.
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Learning technology increases the rate at which the villagers learn. Level 3 allows the building of the nursery school where you can train children.
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Construction technology level 1 allows you to build the honeymoon hut, the first hut, clear the debris at the waterfall, and repair the piers. Level 2 allows the second hut, the clearing of the fire pit, and the construction of the ropes from the piers to the rocks. Level 3 allows the third hut and repairing the nets.
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Food technology has nothing to do with the production of food (that is dependent on construction technology). Food technology increases the yield of food gathered. Level 2 adds 50% to the yield, level 3 doubles it.
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Gray mushrooms: level 1 = 6 food points, level 2 = 9 food points, level 3 = 12 food points.
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Red mushrooms: level 1 = 35 food points, level 2 = 52 food points, level 3 = 70 food points.
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Blackberries: Initially yield 9 or 10 food points, eventually settles down to 2 food points. Level 1 = 2 food points, level 2 = 3 food points, level 4 = 4 food points. Harvesting blackberries with the sharp tools = 40 food points.
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Tree fruit: level 1 = 3 food points, level 2 = 4 food points, level 3 = 6 food points.
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Regular (purple) fish: level 1 = 4 food points, level 2 = 6 food points, level 3 = 8 food points.
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Golden fish: level 1 = 8 food points, level 2 = 12 food points, level 3 = 16 food points.
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Crabs (after used to clear moss): level 1 = 35 food points, level 2 = 52 food points, level 3 = 70 food points.
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4. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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Why do I see more collectibles in the mist?
The wind flutes play when the mist rolls in, and they cause more collectibles to appear.
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Where do I find the collectibles?
The wind flutes, lab equipment, and mausoleum collectibles appear everywhere, from the cliffs to the southern edge of the screen. The fish scales only show up in the tidal pool.
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My tribe is starving! How do I get more food?
If you can't afford the technology for more food products, make sure you have at least 1 and preferably 2 children. Children can gather mushrooms for extra food points.
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I boiled the water and added the herbs, why is my stew unfinished?
The final ingredient to be added is food from the food bin.
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I added berries to the stew and it didn't work, what did I do wrong?
You shouldn't add food directly from the source, except for the grand feast stew. All other stews require food from the food bin only.
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Why are the ghosts appearing?
Those are the ghosts of dead villagers, and they are benign, helpful ghosts. They appear to point out rare collectibles.
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Where are the esteemed elders like in the previous games?
The only title a villager can earn besides master in a craft is scholar, which is mastery in all 5 vocations.
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Where did these hummingbirds come from?
Once the tree gets to a certain stage of health (3 levels above nearly dead), the hummingbirds appear to pollinate flowers needed for puzzle 16.
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What's with these orange birds?
Nothing, they're just pretty background decoration.
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Why do these frogs appear only when it rains?
They're in a bad place, and need to relocate. See puzzle #6 for details.
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Why can't I move this stone to plug the hole?
Moving the stone requires a villager who is both an adept builder and an adept scientist.
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Will any of my stews blow up?
No.
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They say this stew is too salty, what did I do wrong?
You used salt water instead of fresh. Edible stews should be made with fresh water only.
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I tried to make cloth/soap but it turned into a stew! What did I do wrong?
You used fresh water instead of salt. Manufactured items require salt water to make.
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What do I do now that I've solved all the puzzles?
There are nearly 80 trophies to earn as well.
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Can I catch the crabs for food?
After you've solved puzzle 10, yes.
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Do I need crabs for the grand feast?
No, you need blackberries, tree fruit, fish, mushrooms, and food from the bin.
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How do I train builders after all the construction projects are done?
There are two ways, (1) place them on the regular huts to repair them, or (2) use them to keep the blockage clear at the top of the cliff. Debris will still accumulate up there, and it can reblock the stream if the builders don't keep it clear.
Virtual Villagers 4 - All Puzzles
Puzzle 1 (knife)
Creating a cutting tool.
Requires: lit fire, adult villager.
South and slightly to the east of the food bin (on the beach) is a large fish skeleton. Drop an adult on the skeleton and they will use the bones to make three cutting tools. Once the tools are made they will deposit them in the science lab.
Puzzle 2 (stream)
Making the stream flow properly.
Requires: 1 adult villager who is both an adept builder and adept scientist.
Use the builder to remove the blockage at the upper part of the stream.
Take a look at the water flowing around the tree. Notice that it is falling down a hole rather than flowing through the rest of the scene.
At the base of the cliff, where the waterfall used to be, is a chevron shaped stone that looks like it would plug the hole.
Find your villager who is both an adept builder and an adept scientist, and drop him/her on the stone.
Your villager will plug the hole, and the water will now flow through the pool beside the lab and down towards the blackberry bush.
Puzzle 3 (pot)
Boiling water.
Requires: lit fire, adult villager.
To boil water: you first need to bring water to the kettle in the lab. At the cliff are two sets of bowls, one set at the top of the cliff is for fresh water, one set at the bottom of the cliff is for salt water.
Drop an adult on either set of bowls to bring water to the lab.
At the bottom of the bridge to the lab, just to the left of the bridge, is a pile of stones. If you hover an adult over these stones they see "blackened" stones.
Drop an adult on these stones and they will carry one to the fire.
Wait a while and the stone will glow red, indicating that it is ready.
Drop an adult on the red hot stone in the fire and they will carry it back to the lab, but only if there is water in the pot.
Puzzle 4 (soap)
Making Soap.
Requires: lit fire, salt water, soapy plant + soapy plant + soapy plant, adult villager, child villager (optional).
To make soap: at the base of the bridge to the lab (to the left of the "blackened" stones) is a white flower. Hover a child over it and they will call it a "soapy smelling" plant.
Use a child or an adult to collect three of the white flowers and bring them to the lab. The child will place the flowers on the smaller lab table.
Once the flowers are collected have an adult get salt water using the lower set of bowls.
Once the pot has water, have an adult bring a stone to the fire.
Drop an adult on the red hot stone in the fire and they will bring it to the lab.
Once the water is boiling immediately drop an adult on the small lab table where the white flowers are.
The adult will add the flowers one at a time and make soap.
When the water disappears from the pot, drop an adult on it and they will stack the soap on a nearby rack.
Puzzle 5 (butterfly)
Bringing butterflies back to the tree.
Requires: Puzzle 1, Puzzle 2 (cutting tools and stream).
At the bottom of the stream, just below the blackberry bush, is a dry plant.
Once you solve puzzle 2 (the stream), the plant will begin to recover.
Several hours after puzzle 2 is solved, the plant will fully recover and turn green.
Drop an adult on the plant to cut the leaves.
The adult will get covered in sap (you will see green smoke rising from the villager).
Once this happens butterflies will appear.
Slowly move the villager to the tree, making sure that the butterflies are following.
Once you reach the tree, drop the villager on the tree.
The villager will wipe the sap on the tree and the butterflies will stay.
Puzzle 6 (frog)
Frog rescue.
Requires: Puzzle 2 (the stream), adult villagers, rain.
Below and to the right of the stairs going up the cliff is a large palm tree.
Notice that when it rains this area fills with water, and frogs start jumping around.
Once puzzle 2 is complete, wait for it to rain.
When it rains and the puddles appear, drop adults in it to catch frogs and move them up to the stream.
Repeat until about 6 frogs have been rescued.
The frogs will now live in the stream underneath the tree.
Solving this puzzle will also make the tree slightly healthier.
Puzzle 7 (fire pit)
Activating fire pit.
Requires: level 2 construction, lit fire, builder, farmer.
At the bottom of the screen there are two palm trees with large yellow fruit.
Near them is an area that is covered in rocks.
Drop your builder (or builders) on the area to remove the rocks.
Once the rocks are removed, it is a multi-step process to activate the pit.
First use a nearby adult to move a stone to the fire.
Once the stone is hot drop an adult on it to move it to the pit.
Immediately get another stone on the fire.
You need to get 4 red hot stones into the fire pit.
Between the blackberry bush and the bridge to the lab is a banana tree.
As soon as all 4 stones are in the pit immediately drop an adult on the banana tree to put leaves on the pit.
Once the pit is activated you can move your farmers to the fruit trees.
Puzzle 8 (shirt)
Creating cloth.
Requires: Puzzle 1, level 2 science, clothing hut built, adult villager(s).
On the cliff wall to the left of the staircase is a pulpy vine growing up the cliff.
Once the clothing hut is built, drop an adult on the pulpy vines.
The adult will go to the lab, get a tool, cut the vine, and bring three samples back to the lab.
Cooking time!
Have an adult fetch salt water for the pot.
Once the pot has salt water have an adult heat a stone and bring it to the lab.
When the salt water is boiling drop an adult on the table with the vine samples.
Once the cooking is done drop an adult on the pot. The adult will take the pot out to a flat rock by the ocean and pour out the pulp.
When the pulp is poured, keep dropping adults on it to make the cloth (10 times).
When the cloth is done the adult will take it to the clothing hut for storage (3 bolts of cloth).
You can store up to six bolts of cloth at the hut.
Puzzle 9 (drum)
Building nursery.
Requires: Level 3 learning, builder(s).
The foundation for the nursery will appear after you purchase level 3 learning. Move the foundation where you wish to place it and drop your builders on it to start construction.
Once constructed you can drop an adult onto the nursery and they will teach the children.
Puzzle 10 (stones)
Clearing the moss off of the five stones below the pool.
Requires: Puzzle 12 (fishing nets repaired), fish in the nets, two children, one adult.
Once the fishing nets are repaired, watch as the farmers bring back the fish.
When that happens red crabs will appear on the beach to the right of the cliff staircase.
However, the crabs move really fast.
Pick up a child and hover over the beach area until a crab appears.
Drop the child on the crab. The caption will read "distracting the crab".
Quickly find another child and drop it on the crab. Now both children are dancing around the crab and the crab slows down.
Grab an adult and drop it on the crab. The adult will pick up the crab and take it to the mossy stones beneath the pool.
One crab will clear one stone, so this must be repeated 4 more times.
Once all the stones are clear, drop an adult on one of the stones to hear the story of the tree.
Puzzle 11 (platter)
The Grand Feast.
Requires: Puzzle 12 (fishing nets repaired), lit fire, one child, several adults, blackberries, tree fruit, fish, mushroom, food from food bin.
This puzzle requires a tricky bit of timing, the ability to heat rocks, some children, several adults, and a lot of luck.
Time to make another stew.
Have the children collect the herbs for the stew: soapy + spicy + sweet.
Have an adult bring fresh water to the pot.
Start heating a stone.
Move the stone to the pot to boil the water.
Immediately drop an adult on the table to make the stew.
Once the herbs are in you must do several things at once: drop an adult on the food bin to bring food to the stew, drop an adult on the fruit trees to bring fruit, drop an adult on the blackberry bush, drop an adult on the pier to bring a fish, and drop a child on a mushroom (this is where luck comes in).
If you can get all the ingredients (herbs, food, fruit, berries, fish, mushroom) into the pot before it stops boiling, then drop an adult on the pot to taste the stew. This triggers the grand feast.
If you can't get all the ingredients in before it stops boiling, you'll have to empty the pot and start again.
Puzzle 12 (pier)
Repairing the fishing nets.
Requires: Puzzle 8, level 2 construction, cloth (6 - 8 bolts), builder(s).
If you haven't already, drop builders on the piers to repair them.
Once repaired, drop a builder on the piers again. The builder will get cloth to string line between the piers and the rocks.
Keep dropping a builder on the piers until the nets are repaired (make more cloth if necessary).
Once the nets are repaired, drop farmers onto the piers to retrieve the fish.
Puzzle 13 (branch)
Pruning the diseased branch.
Requires: Level 2 dendrology, Puzzle 8 (cloth), Puzzle 4 (soap), and Puzzle 1 (sharp tools).
When you have all the requirements, drop an adult on the diseased branch of the tree.
The villager will go and get cloth to bind the branch.
Once the branch is bound and braced, drop the adult on the sharp tools in the lab.
The villager will go and get a sharp tool to remove the branch.
Once the branch is removed the stump will have black spots.
Drop the adult on the soap in the lab to clean the black spots.
Puzzle 14 (worship)
Honoring the tree.
Requires: Lit fire, at least 20 villagers.
You need to brew a special stew to have the villagers honor the tree.
The recipe for the stew is: fresh water, sweet plant + sweet plant + sweet plant +food.
Once the stew is brewed you have to move fast. Drop every single villager (adult and child) on the stew to eat it.
Once they do, they'll take stew to the tree and honor the tree.
To get the credit you need to have 20 villagers kneeling at the tree at the same time.
Puzzle 15 (hole in the tree)
Removing the corruption from the hole in the tree.
Requires: level 3 dendrology, Puzzle 2 (the stream), Puzzle 4 (soap), the nursery or an adept parent.
Drop an adult on the hole in the base of the tree.
It will say that it requires someone "clean of body" to heal the tree.
Drop an adult on the soap rack in the lab.
The adult will put soap into the pool and suds will appear.
Drop an adult into the sudsy water and wait for them to emerge.
Make sure that there are no children at the base of the tree.
When the adult emerges he/she will have white sparkles.
Drop the sparkling adult on the hole in the tree. It will say that it requires someone "clean of mind".
At this point drop a random adult into the nursery to move all of the children there.
Take your sparkling adult to the wind flutes and hover him over the area. When you see "an area to meditate" drop the villager there.
Wait for the villager to finish meditating. Make sure that no child or adult disturbs the meditation.
Now the adult will be sparkling white and gold.
Make sure no one is at the base of the tree, and drop the sparkling adult onto the hole.
Puzzle 16 (flowering tree)
Decorating the tree.
Requires: Puzzle 8 (cloth), 3 bolts of cloth, hummingbirds (tree must be three levels above nearly dead for hummingbirds to appear), healthy tree, adult, several children.
In the lab, below the main table, are three boxes with old braids in them.
Drop an adult onto one of the boxes. The adult will take the braid out to the stone where they manufacture cloth.
Once the braid is laid out drop an adult on the braid. The adult will go get cloth to repair the braid.
When the braid is repaired you need to wait for a hummingbird to show up (hummingbirds will appear when the tree is three steps above nearly dead).
When a hummingbird appears, follow it and see which flower it sets down on.
When the hummingbird flies away, find the nearest child and drop it on the flower.
Keep dropping the child until it plucks the flower. Once it does, find more children and drop them on the flower (6 in all). You have to move fast, while the flower is still good.
The children will carry the flowers to the braid and start making the lei. The sixth child will add a flower, then take the garland and decorate the tree.
Repeat the entire process (braid, repair, hummingbird, flowers) two more times for a total of three garlands.
WHERE CAN I FIND THE pulpy vine?
The pulpy vines are to the left of the longer bridge, above the fire. There's also vines below the science area. Not those. If you hold your villager over them, they will say something like "sees pulpy vines".
How can I add berries to the stew (Puzzle 11: The Grand Feast) when I'm out of BERRIES ???!!
[Wait for them to grow back. They do grow back slowly. Set your farmers on a different food source for the time being. -Jay]
How do you make it rain? I think I missed it...
Help! I still have the Grand Feast to finish. I did it exactly like it said in the spoiler (fresh water - 3 different herbs - blackberries - tree fruit - fish - mushroom - food) but it still tells me that the stew is unfinished.. what do i do?
Is there a way to train a doctor without healing sick people?
Marybell -
Rain is a random event, there's no way to make it rain.
Stephanie -
You are missing food from the food bin. Fresh water, 3 different herbs, food from the food bin, blackberries, tree fruit, fish, mushroom is the recipe.
JIGuest -
If you have level 3 medicine you can build a hospital that trains doctors.
how can i catch a fish ? please help..
HELP me...
i dont understand what does it mean by "hummingbirds (tree must be three levels above nearly dead for hummingbirds to appear)".....[i just left puzzle 16 to solve]..
i do follow a purple colour birds and try to pluck the flowers..but they say those flowers has not yet bloomed..
HELP me...
i dont understand what does it mean by "hummingbirds (tree must be three levels above nearly dead for hummingbirds to appear)"....
[i just left puzzle 16 to solve]
i do follow a blue bird and try to pluck the flowers but they said the flower has not yet bloomed..why?
Well, without knowing about the grand feast stew, I've put one of each of the herbs in and I kept adding food. Now that I know it wants specific things, it's a little too late. The stew keeps saying it's unfinished, and no one will taste it. Is there any way to empty the pot so I can make other stews in the meantime?
In the stew recipe for the feast, you need to add two plates of food from the storage hut, not one.
Stephanie:
On the recipe for the stew for the feast, you need to add two plates of food from the food storage hut, not one.
(If this is a double post, sorry... my first one didn't appear to me).
I did put the food from the food bin.. i put everything it's still not working.
In order to empty the cauldron you must go to the small pit near it, place a villager on it it will empty after that
to catch a fish you must have built the cloth hut, then you cook a stew with the pulp vine, place a villager on it, add salt water, when it's done your villager will take the pot near the piers and put the stew on the rock, have it prepare the cloth ten times.
the cloth is placed in the clothes hut, place a farmer on the pier he will go to the hut take the cloth and make a net to catch the fish. about 8 cloths needed for the 2 nets
sorry have the builders do the job and the farmers after that to catch the fish....
YAY! finally finished the grand feast. Thanx for the help!! I had to put 2 of all the food.
In the spoiler for puzzle 12 it says that you need level 3 construction. I just finished this puzzle with only level 2 construction, so no need to wait for level 3.
how can i cut the pulpy vine? i placed an adult villager near it, he saw it but he says that he doesn't know what to do.
i already have a cutting tool.
I think you need to upgrade something first. Do you already have the clothing hut?
When I was trying to do Puzzle 7 my villagers would try and "stack" the hot rocks which would make it so I would have to get more 'cause though they'd heated and carried 2 rocks to the pit, they'd tried to put the rocks in the same place so it only counted as one.
Is this a glitch or are my villagers just unintelligent?
Tezmara - mine did the same thing at first, but keep sending villagers with rocks over and eventually you will fill all 4 corners.
Kay: what it means by, "Three levels over nearly dead", simply means have the tree be alive. If you go into the tech menu, there should be a level for the life of the "Banyan tree" as the children in VV4 call it. that would mean it has to be at the fourth level of life.
Sushi: Well. There should be a "deep well" in the science area near the pot. If your pot is full, just drop one of your villagers onto it and they will empty the pot.
bASEL: In order to catch fish, you must first finish:
Puzzle 8
Needed: Puzzle 1, adult(s), clothing hut built, level 2 science
To Do:
1. On the cliff under the tree of life, there should be an area of "Pulpy Vines". Drop a villager there.
2. Once the adult is done with the process of bringing three samples the the lab, "It's Cookin' time!" Use salt water in the pot.
3. the adult cooking will take the pulp to the flat rock by the ocean.
4. When it's poured, keep dropping adults (10 times) on it to make the cloth. The adult will then take it to the clothing hut for storage.
Then you must have level 3 construction and builders.
Puzzle 12 (repairing the fishing nets)
1. If you haven't already, drop builders on the piers to repair them.
2. Once repaired, drop a builder on the piers again. The builder will get cloth to string line between the piers and the rocks.
3. Put on more builders to quicken. Once repaired, drop farmers onto the nets to catch fish.
Here's something neat I just learned. After you solve puzzle 10 you can keep catching the crabs in the same way, but the adult will take it to your food bin for 70 food!
Kay: what it means by, "Three levels over nearly dead", simply means have the tree be alive. If you go into the tech menu, there should be a level for the life of the "Banyan tree" as the children in VV4 call it. that would mean it has to be at the fourth level of life.
Sushi: Well. There should be a "deep well" in the science area near the pot. If your pot is full, just drop one of your villagers onto it and they will empty the pot.
bASEL: In order to catch fish, you must first finish:
Puzzle 8
Needed: Puzzle 1, adult(s), clothing hut built, level 2 science
To Do:
1. On the cliff under the tree of life, there should be an area of "Pulpy Vines". Drop a villager there.
2. Once the adult is done with the process of bringing three samples the the lab, "It's Cookin' time!" Use salt water in the pot.
3. the adult cooking will take the pulp to the flat rock by the ocean.
4. When it's poured, keep dropping adults (10 times) on it to make the cloth. The adult will then take it to the clothing hut for storage.
Then you must have level 3 construction and builders.
Puzzle 12 (repairing the fishing nets)
1. If you haven't already, drop builders on the piers to repair them.
2. Once repaired, drop a builder on the piers again. The builder will get cloth to string line between the piers and the rocks.
3. Put on more builders to quicken. Once repaired, drop farmers onto the nets to catch fish.
Kay -
If you look in the tech section, you will notice that there are 6 levels of health for the tree of life. It starts out at the first level, nearly dead. Then it moves to dying (2 levels), then gravely ill (3 levels). Once you get one more level above that then the hummingbirds appear, and yes, they are purple. Follow one to the flower. When it is done, wait a minute, then start dropping kids. It takes a minute or two after the hummingbird is done for the flower to be at its "peak" for picking. Just keep dropping kids until they start picking the flower.
Sushi -
Halfway between the cauldron and the soap rack is something that looks like a large drain. Drop an adult on that and they will empty the cauldron so that you can start over. You can also quit out of the game and go back. When you go back into the game you will notice that the cauldron is empty.
orbar07 -
To cut the pulpy vines it is not enough to have the cutting tool, you also need to have a completely built clothing hut. You get the foundation for the clothing hut after you purchase level 2 construction.
Jatris -
Yes, you can catch crabs for food after you've used them to solve the puzzle. They count for 70 food if you are at level 3 farming. Basically, they count the same a the red mushrooms.
I've tried everything to get the water fall to work. I can't seem to get anyone to move the stone and plug the water..can anyone help. I've done what they say..help!!!
@ actionlady
You need adept builder and adept scientist in one person (adult). Than you can plug the stone after the debris was clean.
My villagers simply to take the tree fruit! They shake it down, and then leave it there! Why????
Bella: If you make sure your villager remains selected while it's performing an action (in this case shaking the tree), then you will see a message appear whether they were successful or not. If they were not successful, it should give you a clue as to why not.
In the case of the tree fruit, it will say that this fruit needs to be cooked.
You need to prepare the earthen oven for the tree fruit to be harvested.
I can't seem to get any adults to teach at the nursery? you said just drop an adult but they shake their head and say not enough skills?
Miranda -
Try someone who is a master in a skill.
I am enjoying your games very much. I have 1 question. What skills do you need to have an adult to teach? I drop an adult on the nursery and it says you don't have enough skills.
Libby -
See my reply to Miranda above.
How do you build the clothing hut? All the puzzles require me to have it, and I can't work out how to! Also, can you complete the important puzzles with the trial version? By important I mean like cutting off the corrupted branch, fixing the corrupted hole, decorating the tree, etc.
I dropped my master scientist, master farmer but none of them worked XD
about the nursery, my tribe has already built it but why do i not get a trophy?
what does mean in the trophies part: "Banking on the future" - You had Schoolar teach in the nursery school? Adept parent can teach in the nursery school. What is the "Schoolar teach"?
Teachers probably have to be adept in several skills. I went with an older villager who was a master scientist and adept in farming, building and parenting and she worked out great as a teacher.
Another villager, master scientist and adept builder didn't have enough skills.
Still another, master scientist and adept builder and adept parent did.
Also, parenting may be a necessary skill.
Libby -
After some experimenting, you need someone who is a master in at least one skill, and someone who also has two adepts in two other skills.
Nicholas -
The foundation for the clothing hut should appear once you buy level 2 science. When the foundation appears just drop you builders on it and they will build the clothing hut.
Nicholas -
I don't think you'd be able to complete all the important later puzzles with just the trial version.
Lydia -
Is the nursery 100% built? Have you had an adult teach in it? If so, this may be a bug in your game. You can contact Last Day at Work's technical people to see if there is a fix.
Nurik -
A scholar is someone who has mastered all 5 fields (master farmer, master builder, master scientist, master doctor, and master parent), and they are very hard to produce. If you can get someone to scholar before they die of old age, have them teach at the nursery school and you will get the trophy.
I put the adult on the pulpy vine and it said the flower is not in full bloom yet. Is it normal? so i have to wait right? thanks
I had a female villager that was only used as a parent. Once she got to the age of 50 (the age where they stop having children) I moved her to research and changed her preference. When she reached the age of about 64 I put her preference back to parent so that when she died she would die as a master parent. I went through the usual thing of having to stop her from doing her parent thing on occasion while she was researching.
I turned the game off for about an half-hour, came back and saw that she had a baby at the age of 65!! Is there not an age limit for having babies in VV4 or is this just a random glitch?
Troy -
There could be a couple of reasons for this. First, you may have missed the pulpy vine and hit one of the flowers. When you hover the adult over the vine, make sure the caption shows that he/she sees the pulpy vine. Second, you won't be able to cut the pulpy vine unless you have (a) cutting tools, and (b) the clothing hut built.
Val -
I had the same thing happen to me, apparently the baby age limit is not there in VV4, at least in the version we are playing.
help!..
i cant solve the butterfly puzzle..
the butterfly is following the villagers, however when i drop them in the tree, the villager doesn't wiping the sap in to the tree.
How do i slove this?
Faurien -
Make sure you're dropping the villager at the right place on the tree. Hover your villager over the roots on the left side of the tree. When you see a caption that says something about dry bark, drop the villager there.
where exactly are the"cliffs"?
hi. i've finished all of the puzzles and won so many of the trophies. but i still haven't found all of the collectibles. they just don't appear. i need one in each of the collectibles. how can i finish those collectibles? is there a clue?
I have been trying and trying to make the leis.
I have all technologies mastered and the only puzzle left is decorating the tree. I make the braid, wait for the hummingbird but when i drop a child on the bloomed flower, they do nothing. I drop them on the flowerm says "nothing" every time up until the flower is no longer in bloom?
I want to know where the keystone is in puzzle 2 . i cant find it help me please.
[The keystone is the rock at the bottom of the cliff where the water falls over before all the debris is cleared from the stream. -Jay]
Erica -
The cliffs are in the upper right area of the island, where the waterfall is at the beginning.
Betbet -
Collectibles show up randomly, there's nothing you can do to force them to show up. However, collectibles show up a lot during the fog, so make sure to pay attention when it gets foggy.
Nancy -
Make sure before you drop the child that they are seeing a beautiful flower before you drop them.
I have tried dropping the child when it says "sees a beautiful flower" and still nothing. Maybe I just have some strange glitch in my game...
I have also tried dropping several children on the humming bird's flower, but it comes up with 'flower in full bloom' but can't get a child to pick it? Is there some other solution please?
@ginnyp
I think Libby's asking which particular skill(s)? Did you mean master at ANY skill?
Nancy -
Well, it can take a minute after the hummingbird has left for the flower to be ready, you just need to keep at it. Watch the children as you drop them. If they just stand there with hands on hips, the flower is not ready. When the flower is ready they will begin to kneel down and pick the flower.
Shelley and Nancy -
Is your braid repaired and ready to go? If it is not, you can drop the kids on the flower until doomsday and they won't pick it. Also, do you have dendrology level 3?
John F. -
The combination of skills doesn't matter, as long as they have at least 3. I tried it with someone who had 4 masteries but no parenting experience, and it worked just fine. So parenting is not a reqirement.
After reaching level 3 of Learning and building the school I dragged a master parent on the school to start lessons.But it said "not enough skills" I did it with other adults and other masters (builder,science,healer etc) Is this walktrough wrong or is it a bug?
Piapia -
You need someone with at least a mastery in one skill and adept in two other skills. In other words, someone with at least 3 different skills to teach.
Are the fish scales all different colors?
Hi, I have all puzzles except Honorong the tree. Does anyone know how to do it? Many thanks.
Hi,
I have only one more puzzle to solve. How do I honor the tree? Does anyone know how to do it?
Thanks
Antique1944 -
Yes, all the fish scales are different colors, or different shades and textures.
Carola -
To honor the tree:
Requires: Lit fire, at least 20 villagers.
You need to brew a special stew to have the villagers honor the tree.
The recipe for the stew is: fresh water, sweet plant + sweet plant + sweet plant +food.
Once the stew is brewed you have to move fast. Drop every single villager (adult and child) on the stew to eat it.
Once they do, they'll take stew to the tree and honor the tree.
To get the credit you need to have 20 villagers kneeling at the tree at the same time.
I was wondering how do you go about getting nursing mothers when the only female you have doesnt become a nursing mother no matter how often she goes into the hut with a male villager?
Simmy -
You must have to keep trying with your female. Don't wait for them to go into the hut, just keep dropping her on a male until you see the population go up, indicating that she is finally pregnant.
While working on the Grand Feast, I found out that you can try again with a second rock.
Before I could add food(from the food bin), my stew got cold.
Instead of starting everything over, I heated another rock and boiled up the unfinished cold stew again, added the food, and solved the puzzle.
So don't worry too much about adding everything in the pot very fast :)
i don't know how to boil the water
HELP! I can not get a villager to meditate. Does it have to be a specific person? I can get them clean of body but no luck at all with meditation. Some help would be appreciated! Thanks everyone!
Brittani, I couldn't get the villager to meditate at first either. I kept dropping her and dropping her until eventually she did it, but it took quite a few tries....but, by then she was no longer clean of body, so after she was thru meditating, I had her take another bath, then I was able to drop her onto the tree and she purified it.
Brittani -
To get the villager to meditate you need to find the right spot (screenshot) and also make sure that there is no one else up there, no kids or adults. Draw all the kids to the nursery first, and pull any other adults out of the area. You'll know it worked when the person sits down and a rainbow appears above their head. While they are meditating make sure that no one interrupts them, so keep a close eye out for kids or adults trying to get to the area.
Anuki -
To boil water:
You need to have water in the pot first. Over by the cliffs are two piles of bowls, one at the top of the cliffs for fresh water, one at the base of the cliffs for salt water. Drop an adult on one of those bowl sets to bring water to the pot in the laboratory. Once the water is there find an adult and drop them on the pile of rocks that are just at the base of the bridge to the lab (blackened rocks). The adult will take the rock to the fire to heat it. Wait a bit, the rock will turn red while in the fire. When it turns red, drop an adult on it and they will take it back to the lab and drop it in the pot. That will boil the water.
I have completed the second hut with level two construction but I still don't have a clothing hut. What am I doing wrong?
Dani -
You need level 2 science to get the foundation for the clothing hut.
do you have to constantly keep removing the debris from the river?
or does it go away?
JIGuest -
Debris will keep piling up, so you need to have someone remove it every once in a while. If you don't, it will eventually block up the stream again.
hi guys. first off i want to clarify that i have no intentions of advertising everyone to cheat....this is a spoiler site right??? i have discovered a way to get unlimited food and tech points!!! first off i only recommend you try this AFTER finishing the game and i'd be more then happy to show you how by e-mailing me =) below is a picture just to show you =) ENJOY AND HAVE FUN!!!!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v282/smurfette808/vv4.jpg
For puzzle 11,
the grand feast, it doesn't matter if the water gets cold. I just reheated it by dropping in another hot rock and continued making the feast.
I'm having problens with the Puzzle 14. I make the recipe with fresh water and 3 sweet plants and didn't happens anithing. The game only show me the same message: "The stew is unfinished" or something like "you need something more nutriticious".
What can i do???
Sorry abaout the bad english.
Okay sensazian I'm interested, but I don't know your email address. Can you post instructions using the Spoiler tags?
Diego Ribeiro -
You need to add food from the food bin as well. All edible stews need food to complete them.
I can't seem to complete Puzzle 5. Which tree is it exactly? I keep dropping my villager on the one next to the blackberry bush. I have tried this many times and nothing is happening. Please help. Thanks.
JIGuest: For Puzzle 5, it's the BIG Tree you need to move the villager to.
JIGuest -
That would be the Tree of Life, the big tree at the upper part of the scene. The one near the blackberry bush is a banana tree, and is only good for the fire pit puzzle.
Please can anyone tell me how you can go fishing?
I tried, and tried, but can't to fishing.
And got stuck with everything that needs fish
Please
dijlian -
See puzzle 12 in the above walkthrough for how to repair the fishing nets. Once the nets are repaired and fish are being caught, just drop a farmer on one of the piers and they will start retrieving fish.
the puzzle 2 is hard i drop the scientist and the builder and nothing whats is help me please!!!
Can anyone help me with the clothing puzzle.
I have the cutting tool and I have built the clothing hut a while ago but when I drop a villager on the vines it says 'sees pulpy vines' and then carries on doing what they were before I selected them. Does it have to be a villager with particular skills?
jhdfgjsdafs -
You can't use two people. You need one person who is both a builder and a scientist.
jhdfgjsdafs -
You need to have a villager that is BOTH a Scientist, AND builder. Also, they need to be an Adept in both.
I've just finished the puzzles I only went to level 3 on the school and tree bits everything else was level 2 and only 22 villagers. And I completed it in a day! One hint no one tells you about is moving ur computer forward... as you can do in all the games! quit your game and forward your computer time and you get your food and tech points up! you should only forward it no more than 6 hours ahead.... and once you quit the game again you can forward it or put it back you don't lose what've got but you must go back into the game after you forward the time!
thanks!!!
ugh im on day 6 playing and have not seen a stone mausoleum piece drop since the second day. I have all but one piece and im starting to wonder if i built stuff over where those pieces normally drop. i mean i dont expect rares all the time but i havent seen ANY - no common, no uncommon -- nothing... Anyone else having this problem -
and before anyone asks ive been very vigilant looking all over for collectibles - playing with it a few hours a day and always on pause when im not watching it...
cmc9908 -
We don't recommend messing with the computer clock to advance the game. Not only can it cause problems with other programs on your computer, it has been known to cause weird glitches in the VV games themselves, mostly with food renewal rates.
Never mind, I have to make the braid. sorry!
I have a nursing adult who is nursing a baby for about 3 days. According to the status she will be nursing for 123 mins, howcome the baby is not growing or turning into a child?
I have read through the spoiler to solve the decorate the tree goal. The first lei was done fine. The second lei is still lying on a rock because my kids refuse to pick the flowers even though the hummingbird has come and gone and the flower is in full bloom. I have dropped the same child 20+ times and then tried another 14 times before the flower was no longer in bloom. I've done this three times (every time a new hummingbird comes) and still cannot get kids to pick anymore flowers.
Has anyone else had this problem or is this a glitch of some sort? Restarting the game does not help.
khai -
If a nursing mother won't drop a baby, this is a glitch that can be caused by messing with the computer (or phone) clock. You should contact the vendor where you purchased the game to see of they have a fix.
Figment Of Your Imagination -
Has the lei been repaired? Try dropping an adult on the lei and see if they repair it, then try with the kids and the flowers. If that doesn't work, you may have a bug.
I do applogize if this question has already been answered. How do I get my villagers to actually pick up the "blackened rocks"? I have dragged several of my villagers over until it says they see the rocks, but when I drop them they either do nothing or start collecting firewood.
Little Tips
Puzzle 11: The Grand Feast (Accomplishing it in one go)
To accomplish the Grand Feast stew in one go, do the following:
1. (DO THIS SIMULTANEOUSLY): Get an adult to fill the pot with fresh water; Get 3 children collect the 3 herbs (soapy, spicy, sweet); Get another adult heat a rock.
2.(DO NOT GET AN ADULT TO DRAG THE HEATED RED ROCK TO THE POT YET) Anticipate the appearance of a mushroom and once it appears, drag an adult to the heated red rock in order to boil the water.
3. Once the WATER IS BOILING, pause your game and drag 5 DIFFERENT ADULTS to add the following to the pot: 3 herbs(on the table), Blackberries, Hard Fruit, Fish, & Food from the food bin. AT THE SAME TIME, drag a CHILD to the mushroom.
4. Resume your game and wait until every ingredients is added to the pot. Then get an adult to taste the stew.
***When you are trying to make the Grand Feast stew and your pot went cold, DON'T START ANOTHER STEW. Just heat another blackened rock. Once heated, drag it to your pot, then add the the ingredients that you were unable to add.
Use of Hummingbird After Completing Puzzle 16 (Decorating The Tree)
When you see the hummingbird after you've completed decorating the tree, follow it. Once it leaves, drag as many children you have to its chosen flower and they'll pick the flowers, which will earn you 200 tech points EACH.
How to make a MALE MASTER PARENT faster
1. Change his preferred skill to parenting (Check the box beside parenting).
2. Use a female that is above 50 years old (menopausal age).
3. Repeatedly drag the male over the female. (You're doing it right when the action says 'Going Indoors')
4. Do step 3 until he becomes a Master Parent
Michelle Lin Brickner - Oh, you must be talking about the blackened rocks near the pulpy vines and firewood. The blackened rocks you need are those near the bridge and white flowers.
Why are some of the children that I picked for my tribe looking for their mommies/daddies?
Hey. I dragged my builder over to the debris blocking the stream, but the debris keeps building back up. Help?
I can't find the bowls for the water
Quick way to get tech points.
requirements: Hummingbirds on island. Wait for hummingbird to go to a flower. Drop a child or adult onto the flower to take a flower to the lab. You gain 250 tech points for each flower. I'm not sure if you have to have leis completed first, though.
how do you get the clothing hut and fix the piers
Desperate.
I'm trying to make cloth. I've cut the pulpy vines, put them in the pot, they're cooking.
That's the problem. They've been cooking for nearly 2 hours. The rock keeps getting cold so I keep having to add another hot rock. Every time I click on the pot, It says 'An unfinished stew is cooking.' I've added more pulpy vines every now and then, it just keeps cooking. Someone please help. IT WON'T FINISH...
Dakota Boring -
Have a look at Puzzle 8 under Strategy Guide Middle Puzzles in the walkthrough above the comments. It gives instructions about making the cloth. There is also another portion of the walkthrough call All Puzzles.
I have the trial version on my Android phone. Is there any way to complete the honoring the tree puzzle? My max population is 9 people... Its the only thing i haven't done...
Ashley Ferris Brown -
Unfortunately, you need 20 people to honor the tree, so if you want to complete that puzzle you need to have more people.
Well then, i might as well just uninstall the game if i can't finish it. Completely ridiculous...
How do u get the people to grab the pulpy vine if your playing the lite version on the game
owhary1969 -
You might want to have a look at Puzzle 8 in the walkthrough above the comments.
owhary1969 -
Your people will grab the pulpy vine when you drop them on it, just like they will harvest the other special plants.
I can't cut the pulpy vines!
I have tools in the lab, and the clothing hut, and level 2 construction but I can't cut them!
Anybody have any ideas?
Are there any "tricks" to having villagers master parenting?
So I have no kids right now, and my people are getting old and I have the FREE version so there is a population limit. Should I kill off one of my less useful older woman (she's a parent..) so that my younger woman can have a baby? If so, whats a quick way to kill off indivisual villagers....
umm dont change ur clock 24hrs ahead unless u have lots of food.... they all die...
Okay. I have level 3 Dendrology. I placed an adult in tree hole and it saiid....pure of body. Then I put soap in pond and it got soapy. But when I drop any villager in, they sometimes run away or just resume their normal routine. I am no getting ANY silver sparkles! What now?
My villagers kept having boys and my only living female is to old to breed, 61, is there any way to fix this or have I lost
Some answers to common questions:
� The having-babies-over-50 thing is definitely a glitch. I had a seventy-four-year-old lady who was nursing, and the baby died with her�don't think that was supposed to happen, LDW.
� Collectibles, island events, and twins and triplets are all RANDOM OCCURANCES. There's nothing you can do to make them happen.
� To pick up the keystone, you need an adult who is an adept builder AND scientist, not one who is a builder and one who is a scientist.
� For the flower-picking problem, you should follow the hummingbird and watch it pollinate. Then drag a child OR an adult�it doesn't have to be a child�on to the flower. They will pick it and bring it to the lei (but make sure you repaired the lei already, otherwise the villager will just see a beautiful flower). You can usually get multiple flowers from one pollination, so drag several several villagers at a time to the flower. They're like the stews�they stay pollinated for a short time, and in that time you can get unlimited uses until it stops being pollinated.
� Cutting the pulpy vines is tricky. Make sure the villager is seeing the vines, and then drop them on to the rocky cliff with the vines on it. Next to it won't do the trick�you have to drop them right on top, and it will take numerous tries.
Hope I answered some questions :)
Amberry,
I would guess she is dead, but she's not in the mausoleum because there was no body for the other villagers to bury.
Tips:
-Build the fishing nets as soon as you can. Put most of your villagers on 'farming' for a day or two, and you'll never have to worry about food again.
-Don't stay at the maximum population for longer than you need to. A population of 30-50 villagers is easiest to maintain, and you'll still have enough people to get tasks done quickly.
-Have about half of your people research and the other half farm for a day or two. When you come back you'll have practically unlimited food and enough tech points to buy all the levels and then to change all your villagers' outfits.
-When a kid gets stuck in the tree, let them get out by themselves.
-When you find the book on the beach, take it to the lab.
-As tempting as it is, don't become reproducing machine immediately. Take it slow�the less villagers there are, the more control you'll have.
-Fish scales only appear at low tide, unless the mausoleum collection is complete and a ghost is pointing one out.
-Other collectables appear most often in fog.
-Mushrooms, especially rare ones, show up the most after rain.
-Laundry can only be washed when the river is completely unblocked.
-To catch a crab:
Hope these help a bit :)
How do you catch gold fish?
Do babies count as a legitimate villager when trying to honour the tree? I have a population of exactly 20 and one of those is a nursing mother. I had them all contemplating the tree but it refused to give me the achievement. Is this a glitch or do I need to try again when the child is weaned?
I put a rock under the lit fire but it won't heat! What's wrong
I'm trying to do the last puzzle - the hummingbird comes and stops in a flower , after it goes away I drop my child there but it says 'flower in full bloom!" And the child runs off I keep doing this ( although not letting child run off in between) but the flower goes back to not being in bloom - what can I do to finish this puzzle?
For those wondering how to make a parent teach, All you have to do is make sure the adult is at least an adept in 3 skills.
Can anyone help with how to increase healing? I have a billager who has mastered all but healing!!! Is it something that comes with the hospital??
lilbabyangel2101 -
Gold fish come randomly, usually after you've finished finding all of the fish scales for the fish scale collection.
Elliet Morgan -
No, nursing babies do not count when honoring the tree. You need 20 mobile villagers to honor the tree.
zadrloveralecx -
When you place the rock in the fire, does it just stay gray or does it turn red after a while?
arfaabutt -
The child will not be able to pick the flower if the braid is not repaired and ready to receive flowers. Have you moved the braid to the rock and repaired it with cloth before trying to pick the flowers?
Nicole Caddaye - Yes, the hospital is where they can train at healing. In order to get them to become master healers, set them to healing and drop them on the hospital. They will then start training.
I have no women left (actually there is one but she is an elder so yeah... basically no women), I read at the virtual villagers site, that you can add threw several Island events, more villagers to your tribe... How do I do that?
(Here is what they say exactly: There are only males (or females) left in my tribe. Is there any hope for this game?
There are several different Island Events that can bring new villagers to your game, so it's never hopeless until all of your villagers have died.)
Adamantia Guevara -
An island event is a random thing that happens in the game. You may have noticed them popping up every couple of hours. Random things can happen like you can gain or lose food or tech points. There are a couple of those events that can help, like folks from your original island arriving on a raft, or a barrel of babies washing up on the shore. However, these events are completely random, and you cannot make them happen. The odds are, your village is going to die and you'll have to start over, but you can always hope that one of those random events pops up and saves it.
hi...i want to ask..
my villager has 9 people and i already solved puzzle 10 (the mossy rock), and now my game crush..i can't open it.. what wrong with my game?
please, help me with this problem.
When I tried to drag an adult villager on to the pulpy plant it only said it was not in full bloom yet :O what am I supposed to do now?
Are you sure you're at the right time to be cutting the pulpy vines? You might not have everything you need for that puzzle yet.
Oh my gosh!!!! I was using an elder female, 61 years old, as a teacher and had set her priority to parent and left the game for a bit. I came back to her with a baby!! Hoping she will live to finish weaning baby!! I only have stage 2 medical. Not enough points to buy stage 3. Crazy!!!
I quit getting new collectibles a long time ago I will never finish the game :(
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