# So I've found the SECOND most addicting game to exist on the internet. No, really. **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 14, 2016, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ive-found-the-second-most-addicting-game-to-exist-on-the-internet-no-really/765917 "2016-09-14T07:22:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 39
**Author:** ![Rhodes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhodes/32/273_2.png) [@Rhodes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhodes)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2018, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ive-found-the-second-most-addicting-game-to-exist-on-the-internet-no-really/765917/762 "2018-05-11T18:00:34Z")
Woohoo! I beat Spire IV! The first time I ever reached Z500 I cleared 5 rows of the Spire, and this was the second time. It took 49 hours: an afternoon to reach 495, then ran map 501, then ran Bionic 515 overnight “Tier First”. Around 24 hours in, I finally had the Dagger from zone 511. Kept running Bionic until I had all zone 515 equipment. Then on to zone 500, where I set my breed timer to an hour with all 5200 nurseries and waited for my full Magmamancer bonus. I’d overdone my Health - when I finally ran the Spire I was untouchable except with Corrupted Sharpness (not quit enough Fluffy to remove it completely). And then a night of grinding through rows 9 and 10, and probably 10 hours chipping away at the last Echo. There’s an Achievement for clearing it in 48 hours. Maybe in a couple weeks I’ll try again. I have Balance C2 active on this run, and I bet I could shave off a couple hours with a different challenge or with no challenge. ---
**Author:** ![Rhodes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhodes/32/273_2.png) [@Rhodes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhodes)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2018, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ive-found-the-second-most-addicting-game-to-exist-on-the-internet-no-really/765917/763 "2018-05-11T18:29:58Z")
> [@Rhodes](#): > > It took 49 hours: an afternoon to reach 495, then ran map 501, then ran Bionic 515 overnight **“Tier First”**. Around 24 hours in, I finally had the Dagger from zone 511. Kept running Bionic until I had all zone 515 equipment. Correction: Equip First, to get the highest tier Dagger in as few runs as possible. It would have take days with Tier First. ---
**Author:** ![Sofis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Sofis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofis)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2018, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ive-found-the-second-most-addicting-game-to-exist-on-the-internet-no-really/765917/764 "2018-05-11T23:36:55Z")
Well done! Sounds like you got a bit lucky to not meet any sharp enemies towards the end of the spire. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2018, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ive-found-the-second-most-addicting-game-to-exist-on-the-internet-no-really/765917/765 "2018-05-18T00:23:53Z")
Making my first forays into Magma now. Any advice for when I should start worrying about collecting Magmite instead of working on my population? Also, how much effort should I put into buying Magmamancers? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2018, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ive-found-the-second-most-addicting-game-to-exist-on-the-internet-no-really/765917/766 "2018-05-18T01:18:33Z")
I think you should do several runs gathering nothing but Magmite. Use it to buy Efficiency upgrades, which will increase housing per tick. When you’ve done that, you can start by gathering fuel, then switch when the tank is full. Don’t try to save Magmite, you’ll lose 30% on portal. In your first few runs through the magma, megamancers will only make a tiny difference. You have to wait 2 hours for them to take full effect, and they only add a few percent. As you progress, they become more and more useful. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ive-found-the-second-most-addicting-game-to-exist-on-the-internet-no-really/765917/767 "2018-05-19T16:07:35Z")
Still haven’t gotten past level 165. I keep doing Challenges. Am I wasting my time? ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ive-found-the-second-most-addicting-game-to-exist-on-the-internet-no-really/765917/768 "2018-05-19T17:16:07Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Still haven’t gotten past level 165. I keep doing Challenges. Am I wasting my time? I’m in a similar boat. I’ve had this running for many months now, have about 5.4M all-time helium with 45 portals, 266% extra damage from achieves, and perks set to Perky’s recommendation for level gain. I’ve done all the available challenges that don’t require days of micro-managing (e.g. “Life”). I still grind to a halt at around level 135, and even getting there takes 3-4 days. Getting to 145 took me over a week. It seems like I’ve been stuck at more or less this same state for at least two months, getting just incrementally better and collecting helium. But I see people here talking about getting to 500+ in an afternoon. At my current rate, I expect I’d be at that level in about a decade. I can’t help but think I’m missing some major advancement mechanism. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ive-found-the-second-most-addicting-game-to-exist-on-the-internet-no-really/765917/769 "2018-05-19T17:32:12Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > and even getting there takes 3-4 days You’re not portaling often enough. Do the dailies, and portal every day - even if that means portaling at level 90. You’re wasting a lot of time on incremental grinding. ---
**Author:** ![Sofis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Sofis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofis)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ive-found-the-second-most-addicting-game-to-exist-on-the-internet-no-really/765917/770 "2018-05-19T18:33:36Z")
Agreed. In the approaching two years I’ve been at this, I’ve done week-long runs exactly twice, and runs of length 3-5 days maybe 4 or 5 times. The vast majority of my runs have been one or two days long. They were two days long when I first started playing since there was a lot of micromanagement involved and having the trimps mind themselves during longer grinds optimised the use of my personal time, though not my progress rate. 🙂 Since unlocking enough automation that it’s practical, I’ve done mostly one-day runs. **Knowed Out** , I don’t know if that advice is applicable to your situation, but doing daily challenges is a good way of increasing helium gain. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ive-found-the-second-most-addicting-game-to-exist-on-the-internet-no-really/765917/771 "2018-05-19T19:31:37Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > You’re not portaling often enough. Do the dailies, and portal every day - even if that means portaling at level 90. You’re wasting a lot of time on incremental grinding. I’ll try that. What should I be spending my helium on? – all the “big” ones are up to the point now where they take multi-hundred-K helium investments to improve. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ive-found-the-second-most-addicting-game-to-exist-on-the-internet-no-really/765917/772 "2018-05-19T19:46:30Z")
Have you run the Challenge[sup]2[/sup]s yet? ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ive-found-the-second-most-addicting-game-to-exist-on-the-internet-no-really/765917/773 "2018-05-19T20:52:06Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Have you run the Challenge[sup]2[/sup]s yet? Some of them. Not a lot are doable at my level. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ive-found-the-second-most-addicting-game-to-exist-on-the-internet-no-really/765917/774 "2018-05-19T23:28:33Z")
All of them are doable. The trick is to run each one of them quickly. Stop as soon as it becomes a grind. Then move onto the next. You might only pick up about two or three percent from each of them, but after running them all that will give you a 45% boost. Then you can run them again. The boost will be enough to carry you further and increase your bonus. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ive-found-the-second-most-addicting-game-to-exist-on-the-internet-no-really/765917/775 "2018-05-20T08:02:44Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > I’ll try that. What should I be spending my helium on? – all the “big” ones are up to the point now where they take multi-hundred-K helium investments to improve. If you haven’t invested in Looting in awhile, keep in mind that that affects helium as well. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ive-found-the-second-most-addicting-game-to-exist-on-the-internet-no-really/765917/776 "2018-05-20T20:59:40Z")
So you guys are saying once it gets to a long grind, portal and take a Daily? Makes sense I guess. I just feel like I keep spinning into the definition of insanity. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ive-found-the-second-most-addicting-game-to-exist-on-the-internet-no-really/765917/777 "2018-05-20T21:44:25Z")
It’s only worth grinding if you are close to getting an Achievement or other bonus. If you’re at level 158, then grinding to finish 160 is worthwhile. If you’re at 162 then grinding to get to 165 is pointless. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ive-found-the-second-most-addicting-game-to-exist-on-the-internet-no-really/765917/778 "2018-05-21T09:34:33Z")
As I get into Magma, how should I deal with the loss of my Nurseries? I’ve only made it a zone or two in so far before portaling, because I’m focusing on magmite and helium at the moment. I feel like I should be firing my Geneticists to get my breed time back to 30 seconds, but that means shrinking my health even deeper in addition to the overheating effect. Should I be investing more in lumberjacks so I can build more nurseries? Or should I be pumping more of my helium into Power and Toughness? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ive-found-the-second-most-addicting-game-to-exist-on-the-internet-no-really/765917/779 "2018-05-21T14:03:42Z")
Early in the magma, you just have to accept the loss. When you get a bit further, don’t build nurseries at all until the last few zones. Only build as few as you need to stay fast. Save as many as you can for later. Only build more when you start to slow down. ---
**Author:** ![Sofis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Sofis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofis)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2018, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ive-found-the-second-most-addicting-game-to-exist-on-the-internet-no-really/765917/780 "2018-06-06T10:20:38Z")
4.8 is out! ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2018, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ive-found-the-second-most-addicting-game-to-exist-on-the-internet-no-really/765917/781 "2018-06-06T14:12:02Z")
That’s a \*lot \*of changes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ive-found-the-second-most-addicting-game-to-exist-on-the-internet-no-really/765917.md?page=38) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-ive-found-the-second-most-addicting-game-to-exist-on-the-internet-no-really/765917.md?page=40)