No Special Drops from clicking thought bubbles

Yup, sure does.

Well, it's almost the end of July and it's not fixed here.

Well, I'm now engaged with a staffer at EA, who is explaining the 'probabilities' of getting drops and any specific item I might be seeking.  He still isn't [yet] getting the point - that some of us are getting no drops at all, or at least a minimal number.  Since the Omega upgrade to the game, I've been getting 1-3 drops in the first few minutes of play each day, and then nothing for the next 12 hours!  As I'm sure you all know, a typical day's play used generate 6-8 items and often more..

I've therefore been logging all my city bubbles for the last couple of days, to validate what I'm seeing/getting, every time I play [at random times throughout the day].  All on UK time, BTW.

29 Jul, 0815 ... 1 drop from first 2 bubbles.  NOTHING from the next 68 bubbles [0900-2030]

30 Jul, 0745 ... 1 drop from first 2 bubbles, 0805 1 drop from 2 bubbles, NOTHING from the next 40 bubbles [out for most of the afternoon, but 0745-2000]

31 July, 1000 [Late  start, it's Sunday] ... 1 drop from the 10th bubble, over ~5 minutes, 1 more drop from the 12th bubble at 1005, and drop #3 at 1010.  

So it seems I get 1-3 drops in the first few minutes of play each day, followed by nothing.  As we rely on drops to provide Expansion, Storage, Beach, Mountain and Dr. Vu items, it's clear that any further City development [for me, and others] is impossible.  A shame - almost reached level 60, 2.34m population, 31 Epic and 8 Omega buildings.

I'll email that data to EA and see if they will accept that there is, actually, a problem for some of us ... and whether they have any interest in fixing whatever it is that's killed our game!

Extract from my email to EA ...

"Let’s take another perspective … if I accept your randomisation argument, I now get 2 drops a day. They are, presumably, spread across Expansion, Storage, Beach, Mountain and Dr. Vu. So … my cheapest Expansion will require 14 x 3 Items = 42. At 1 or 2 a day, call that 21 days. BUT there are other Items too - another 4 categories. So, assuming a random but fair distribution, that 21 days becomes 21 x 5 = 105 days. How many years will it take me to expand my City, Beach, Mountain, Storage and Dr. Vu? Those numbers are now ridiculous! Something is wrong!"

I play for a couple of hours each day split into 4 or so chunks.

I can advise that at that rate and over the last 7 to 8 days I have had NO drops from clicking ANY thought bubble. Am guessing that's about 15 pointless clicks a day.

Furthermore I think its now 3 days since I saw any type of beach expansion unit turn up in the store and other expansions are now equally as rare.

Days past I was able to expand land, beach or mountain over about a week  - mixed between random drops and trade purchase. Its taken me about 5 week to get 2 beach expansions and the 2nd one is still only about 50% gathered. This must be widespread as global trade used to pop up pretty often with folks selling 5, 10 or more land expansions. Very rarely see that now.

This has all gone seriously south since the omega update. Sure the Neomall throws up the odd occasional one but at current rate it would be years , seriously, to open up all land. I'm now at point where a new beach section needs 21 of each of the 3 beach items.  

If it had been like this when I started the game would have been binned pretty quick. Sad state of affairs.

Availability of Beach, Mountain and Expansion items at GTHQ is hardly surprising, I suggest.  Everyone is trying to expand, either on the original territory or the new 10% addition.  Supply and Demand rules now ... until the last 'upgrade' all these items provided me with a ready source of income, as my City already occupied all the territory available!

However, I'm still just getting 1 or 2 items with the first clicks of the day, followed by nothing for the next 50-70 clicks.  So any form of 'expansion' is a complete fantasy.  I just potter around trying to get Omega properties developed, and hope to eventually reach my 2.5m population [2.369m now, so I'm getting close], at which stage I shall sadly quit playing.  

As with Sims 1/2/3 and various expansions and spin-offs over the last 15+ years, EA eventually breaks their games through their determination to keep endlessly upgrading [without adequate Beta testing, it seems].  Still, it's been fun while it lasted.

I am on tab E. Just spent two hours on global trade and by going to various cities received many items from 1 metal to dozer and vu items.went home to receive more items in quick order. Have to watch as bubbles will disappear if not used. Good luck

Well, I got quite excited on 9 August ... yessss, upgrade to version 1.14.6.46600  That will be the one that solves the lack of own-City 'drops'.

Silly me.  Same old.  One or two drops in the morning, still nothing for 50+ clicks for the rest of the day.  So any chance of expanding into those new areas is just a dream.  Over the last few weeks I've managed to acquire 4 dozer blades, 2 Exhausts and 1 Wheel ... I only need 14 of each to be able to expand by one Zone.  I'll see you in 2018 and let you know how I got on!

So now, with every single lot in my Level 60, 2,37m City completely filled, I have to demolish buildings to make space for Omega stuff, leading obviously to a population decline every time I do it 😞

Welcome to OldJersey, the Broken City.

Is this still an issue for people? I just got to level 18 and cannot get enough Dozer parts to expand or enough vu parts to take part in that assignment. One or two drops early in the day only. 😞

Going to run out of land and interest pretty quickly.

Thanks for that input - exactly the same problem, it seems.  I feel your frustration!

However ... finally i seem to be getting a few drops through the day.  I've been on vacation [in the uSA] so not playing a lot, but I've been getting up to 5-7 drops a day.  The curious thing is that they are almost only Expansion and Storage items ... no Beach, Mountain or Vu items, although I get given the chance to buy Vu from my only [and crazy expensive] Maxis Manor.  With a bit of luck, after about 3 months, I may soon be able to expand by ONE square.

So, for me, there seems to be a bit of improvement - but it's still not right.

(Edit = iPad, Lvl 61, 2.5m+ population and all the original expansion spaces filled at "OldJersey"