Ranching

When a character owns a home in a village they will be given an animal pen. An animal pen can be populated with various farm animals.

Interacting & Feeding
Farm animals can be fed and interacted with to give great gains to both the player and the animal. Feeding and taking care of animals is simple, but not required.

To find out what an animal wants, a player can mouse over the animal with their cursor. Shortly after they will see a thought bubble appear above the animal’s head. This thought bubble will contain an image of what it is that the animal desires most.

To give the animal its request, a player can simply drag-and-drop the item from their inventory to the animal. The character will then begin performing the necessary action.

An animal can desire: When an animal is fed an item, that item will be taken away from your inventory.
 * Food: This can be fruit from gathering, crops from gardening, bugs, mushrooms, or water. The animal may request for a variety of things, so it is best to keep a few types on hand.
 * Lute: Sometimes an animal would like to hear a tune on the lute. Lutes can be purchased in the item shop, or in the tools tab from a vendor.
 * Brush: Occasional the animal would like a good brushing. Players can brush their animals with the animal brush.
 * Flute: At times the animal may like a high pitched energetic tune. Players should play it a tune on the flute to keep it happy.
 * Petting: To pet an animal, players can simply click on the animal. There are no tools or items required for petting.
 * Super Feed: Can be used if you don't have any of the above items.

Animal Shopping List
The animal shopping list is every rancher’s key to being prepared for their animal’s needs. The animal shopping list is located either through the sign behind the animal pen, or through the village tab (Shift + V).

The shopping list provides every rancher with the basic essentials of their animals. Not only does it automatically update with each new level gained, but it displays a collective list of what each type of animal needs so every rancher is prepared.

Animals will never ask for items that aren’t on this list!

By using the arrows on the window, players can check what items they’ll need in the near and far future, so they can have all of the necessary items arranged beforehand. If you need more information about a specific item, merely highlight or click the item for detailed facts.

Animal Names
All animals can be uniquely named on a PC platform. To name an animal players can open the ranching window by selecting the sign at the back of the animal pen. Once in this menu, a player can select their various animals and give them unique names.

All names must adhere to the naming conventions laid out in the terms of service.

Harvest Type
Just below the name of the animal will be text listing a material. This is the material that the animal will be producing during its next harvest.

Harvest Count
Next to the harvest type will be a number in parentheses; this number is the harvest count. The harvest count tells the player how much of the harvest material the animal will produce on its next harvest. Harvest count will be reset after every harvest, but will not degrade at any other time.

A harvest count can never go below two or above twenty.

Happiness
Every time that a player matches an animal’s request, happiness will be awarded to the animal. Happiness is displayed in the yellow bar just below the name of the animal. Like the harvest count, happiness can only go up; there is no way to reduce an animal’s happiness.

When an animal has reached a completely full happiness bar, the bar will be reset and the animal will be awarded two bonus harvest count. As a player continually makes an animal happy, the animal will in turn produce more material.

A happiness bar can reset a maximum of six times during a harvest cycle, which means through happiness an animal can produce an additional twelve items.

Multiplier
After granting animal requests, players will notice a large multiplier appear next to the animal’s name. This will be a large white number followed by an “X” in parentheses; this is the happiness multiplier. When a player continuously meets the demands of their animal, this multiplier will increase to a maximum of four. Every time that a player meets an animal’s request, the happiness gain will be multiplied by this bonus. Consecutively granting an animal’s request ensures that a player is gaining the maximum amount of happiness and harvests.

All animals’ multipliers can only be reset for two reasons:
 * After a harvest
 * After a failed request, (when a player performs the wrong type of action on the animal)

Harvesting
When an animal is ready for harvest, a new icon will appear while hovering over the animal, and the animal will not have any action requests. To harvest, a player needs to left click while that icon is showing. The character will begin the collection process and soon the harvest will be complete.

The various icons for harvest are:

Ham from Pigs

Fleece from Sheeps

Eggs from Chickens

Pelts from Boars

Unlike gardening, there is no way to speed up the total harvest time for an animal. An animal must complete its full harvest cycle before it will be ready for a harvest.

Harvest materials from farm animals will be affected by the setting ‘ Auto-Gather’

Ranching Skill Experience
Every time that a player interacts with a farm animal, they will gain experience in their ranching skill. This includes every time that a player feeds, interacts, or harvests from an animal. Certain farm animals and pen slots require a particular skill level of ranching.

A character will gain the most experience by feeding and performing actions.

Animal Leveling
Much like a character, a farm animal can level up. Every five-ten levels that an animal gains will result in an evolution. Each evolution will see the harvest from the farm animal increase to the next level material.

Animal Slots
All animal pens can have a maximum of nine animal slots. Any type of animal can be placed in anyone of the nine slots.

Animal slots are allotted as follows:
 * Three slots are given to the player at Ranching Skill level one
 * Three additional slots are given to the player at Ranching Skill 20, 30 and 40.
 * Three more slots can be purchased from the item shop. These slots do not have any sort of level restrictions.

The Kennel
The Kennel is a place where spare animals can be stored. While in the kennel animals are safe from harm, but will not grow, evolve, or level. Kenneling an animal will put their harvest cycle in stasis.

Malnourished Animals
When animals are not fed, brushed, or played with they will produce and grow at a very low rate. However animals will always produce the minimum quantity of harvest (two), and furthermore animals cannot die.

If a player chooses not take care of their farm animals, the absolute worst repercussions will be:
 * The character will be slow in leveling their Ranching Skill
 * The animal will be slow in leveling and evolving
 * The animal will produce a minimal amount of harvest material

Animal Types
There are currently four species of animals (sheep, chicken, pigs, boar), with sheep having two variations regular, and golden).