Copper Watering Can: How is THIS an improvement???

So, I just got the copper watering can as my first upgrade thinking it would be like in Harvest Moon where it quickly waters the three spaces in front of you. Nope. Instead it has to be "charged" (taking as long as just clicking on three nearby spaces). Worse instead of watering the three spaces you're facing (in front and at 45-degree angles), it waters the space in front of you and two spaces in a direction that's often unpredictable, even with "Show targeted tile" on (sure, it highlights the three targeted tiles-when it's too late to cancel): often my character will spontaneously turn 90 or even 180 degrees to water the entirely wrong tiles. This can be controlled to some extent by watering in lines, but that's not the most efficient way to do it since you need to keep running around instead of standing in one place and watering the surrounding tiles. The only improvement is that it doesn't need to be refilled as much, and that's counteracted by the fact that you're constantly having to run around to ensure you water in the right direction.

In contrast, the regular watering can lets you stand in the middle of a 3x3 area and quickly click all nine tiles, and is MUCH faster than three uses of the copper can (even if it goes in the right direction).

Net result: Same energy cost as the original watering can, 50-100% MORE time spent watering crops, and a TON more stress since you need to make sure you're positioned just right to avoid watering in the wrong direction. If I could pay Clint 2000g to return it back to the normal can I would do so in a second.

My advice: Learn from my mistake. Spend your first set of copper bars on a pickaxe or axe and don't upgrade your watering can until you can get at least gold.

And here's hoping a future update makes the copper watering can actually useful, by letting you use it as quickly as the regular can (it doesn't need the charge animation, as though it has to be "balanced" versus the unupgraded can; an upgrade should be a strict improvement) and fixes the Octodad-style controls (or at least fixes the "show targeted tile" option to show all tiles and not just the first one).


EDIT: I guess to make this more productive: does anyone have any tips on how to use the copper watering can that would make it actually better than the regular watering can? I want to say that it's not as completely worthless as it appears (surely, it would have been fixed by now if it was), but I can't see any way to get better use out of it. And sure, if you moved to each individual tile before watering it with the regular can, the copper can would be an improvement, but I can't have been to first person to figure out how to use the regular can to rapidly water a 3x3 area while standing in the middle of it (it should be second nature to anyone who's ever played Harvest Moon or similar games).

 

During the copper pail, i changed my crops outlook into 3x3 (or 3xn, where there is no limit on the vertical grid) instead off filling the whole fields. It is so i can quickly water 3 of my crops on both sides with one click from path in between, eliminating the need to walk over crops one by one.

Needless to say, i remodel the field again into 5x5 or 5xn grid with iron pail.

Eventually i covered whole field, without any path in between, when i finally have my gold and iridium pail.

 

That might work, although it's too late for this season (already planted a bunch of blueberries). I suppose I could treat my field (which is planted solid within the scarecrow's AoE) like this and then water the "path" afterwards. How do you ensure you water them in the right direction (instead of, say, watering the first crop in the row and the two crops above it)?

 

Haha,I have the same problem (facing direction and watered crops),but I don't care about it to much.
To be fair, in many Harvest Moon games you also have to charge the tools (Back to Nature, more friends of Mineral Town, Tree of Tranquility, all Rune Factory parts,...).
It's just a bit easier to target.

The only advice I have is to take it easy. In my opinion it isn't that much of a problem. It's a bit annoying, but it's bearable.

 

That right there is exactly why it has to be charged in SDV. The game is essentially ConcernedApe's tribute to Back to Nature.

 

While the investment may or may not appear to pay off here, when you can water 3x3 or 5x1 spaces in the same time at later upgrades, you'll appreciate it.

 

I'll be honest...I've never upgraded my watering can. >u<

Everything is watered by sprinklers now, there's just no reason.

 

It's a copper watering can just wait until you upgrade it to another one.

 

When you use it enough you learn to predict how you need to be positioned. Sometimes I can get several rows without moving. (Once you get iridium can/sprinklers it's pretty painless).

 

The thing is, when you charge up the copper can, you water 3 squares while using one charge of water. It will be a small nuisance to position yourself correctly, but you will save up time going to the pond or well less times than you would need to by watering one by one.

 

You can actually water 24 crops from one spot using the copper watering can. 9 to the north, 9 to the south, 3 to the west and 3 to the east. Not sure if you actually have water enough for 24 crops, but that's the range it can cover from one single spot.

It's a pretty big improvement.

 

Slimes. You can house slimes and build a walled area that lets you water their basin from a distance. This way, the slimes can still get around the wall and drink all they want, while you stay safe.

 

Actually, the slimes don't need to be able to reach the water to drink it. Funny game logic, but it's true. I had my troughs all fenced off so I could get in to water more easily, and the slimes still made slimeballs and drank the water.

 

Do they make slimeballs even if water isn't placed out? Because I discovered that the water vanished at the end of day, whether slimes were present or not (since I built my Home for Wayward Slimes before stocking it).

 

I think if you don't refill the water, they won't. I have a bunch of slimes outside right now and they're breeding like crazy, but not a slimeball to be seen.

 

Slimes don't make slimeballs if you don't water them, no. I never watered my slimes, didn't see the point because they bred like rabbits anyway. Never even knew slimeballs were a thing xD
So I was quite surprised when I then saw a youtuber get a slimeball after he watered his slimes regularly.

 

So it sounds as though the room's script checks to see if water is present, but not whether the slimes can reach it. Interesting. Thanks for the information!

 

To be honest it could be much worse. I haven't really found holding it in to be a problem. When you upgrade its more about efficency than actual speed especially if you have a lot of crops to water.

 

I have many iridium sprinklers on my farm but upgraded the watering can to see what happens. And found it pretty cool.

If you don't have enough sprinklers on your farm it sure helps you water your crops quickly. For me the watering can turns obsolete when you manage to craft quality/iridium sprinklers.

 

unless you are watering crops like cranberries which, if planted on day ONE, will have a last harvest on the LAST DAY!
sprinklers only water every morning, so it still pays to upgrade your watering can to facilitate your watering on the very first day!