Casual on and off player's rant.
I honestly can't tell you when I started playing, but I honestly enjoyed the idea of a casual farming game as someone who played mainly Clash of Clans (and still do). The main reasons why I would drop the game was usually boredom, which happens to me a lot with mobile games including Clash.
But trying to get back into this game is such a chore for a few main reasons that I am absolutely positive have been talked into the dirt at this point. But I'll shout into the void anyways.
The main gameplay loop of hay day IS enjoyable. I really like thinking about planting crops that I need -> making sure animals are fed ->producing what is necessary for requests -> and then making any backlog products after.
On the surface the gameplay loop is super tight, relaxing and overall fun as a casual farming game.
But... oh boy does it have problems.
Let me just get to the point.
Dairy in this game is an absolute joke. I see people all the time talk about getting 2-3 alt accounts just to keep up. Why is this the norm? Why is keeping up with hay day more of a full time job than clash of clans of all games? I feel like people just pass over the fact that optimal play in this game requires baby farms to feed your main. And I am incredibly disappointed everytime I come back to the game to see that there hasn't been a single solution.
Also, the newspaper. As soon as town mats and ores unlock for you... stop opening the newspaper. This has been an unresolved problem forever and is another thing that is frustrating everytime I come back to this game.
Products that your farm desperately needs? Nope.
Expansion materials to speed up the grind? Nope.
Ores... ores... ores... maps... ores...
You get the point.
And this is another part of the game where people will tell you "Just make a baby farm". Again, why is this a necessary part of the game that people just lay down and accept?
Now on to my last point.
Wheating.
In a game that seemingly is supposed to be played 4-5 times per day maximum, the game sure does expect you to sit around for HOURS AND HOURS to grind expansion mats, silo and barn upgrades, and saws/axes. I did see that they are offered as boat rewards and truck orders. But 1-2 3x material choice chests is simply a ridiculous slap in the face when you need hundreds and hundreds of materials.
Again, a casual farming game is more grindy and tedious than Clash of Clans is. Let that sink in.
I would just like SOMETHING... ANYTHING at this point. Another dairy perhaps. An overhall of the newspaper. Please just anything man. The game could be sooo good, but it just falls right on its face.