What does Hay Day mean to you?

I find it really interesting when people talk about how much they play Hay Day, and also when some people get upset about things that happen to them and others don't understand.

So indulge me and this might be interesting. Is Hay Day just something you dip into sometimes? Is it like a pet that has to be tended? Is it more like a child that needs constant attention? Could you live without it if it was withdrawn tomorrow?

And how do you think your emotional involvement (or absence of) affects how you play?

To answer my own question, I can get quite emotionally invested in it if there's a task I've got on, like if I've hired Tom for diamonds, but when there's nothing going on I can easily forget about it. I think the effect that has on my playing style is that I'm quite casual and my progress is fairly slow - if I wake up in the morning and I've not loaded up the sugar or dairy it's not the end of the world.

But I think it fulfils an important role in my life right now - it's switch off time. As soon as I put my daughter to bed and collapse on the sofa, I look forward to tending to the farm for a little while.

My true answer lays somewhere in between

"I spend a LOT of time in Hay Day - real life gets in the way" because I've certainly felt like life gets in the way, but I only spend as much as I can and sometimes actually CHOOSE to do something else, lol

and

"I tend my farm regularly each day and feel attached to it" because I DO tend it regularly and am somewhat attached to it, but not sure how strong that attachment is. I'd hate to lose my game and all the progress I made, but in the end it's the daily playing that I enjoy, so I'd probably survive. ;)

Edited to add:

I DO agree it's a relaxing switch from my daily grind...have a stressful job so it's nice and peaceful at the farm.

I play once or twice a day

I tend it regularly, though not constantly as I did in the first couple of months. I do try to keep the dairy and sugar mill going at all times but don't wig out (too much) if they stop. I love it because it means that I no longer have "down time." When I'm waiting for tea water to boil, I farm. (I could do the dishes, but...WHY?) After I play fetch with the dog, I farm. And when I'm taking a break from real life, I farm.

I'm not obsessed. I promise, I'm really not. NO, REALLY.

I'm constantly farming and home life is being neglected because of my addiction. Bad, I know. Hopefully I'll get bored with it soon and won't mind leaving it alone some of the day. I can't see me leaving machines not running or animals needing attention though. Sheesh. Slap me now. :rolleyes:

When I'm home, my farm is constantly in my hand. I used to be able to put it aside while waiting for boat items to be produced, but now that I am part of such a lovely, sharing, caring, chatty neighbourhood, I find my boat arrives without my realising it, and before that last item is ready, because I am engrossed in a conversation with my cubby mates. Oops! Thank goodness I've started work as this brings an enforced separation and lets the real world in for a while! :) (Doesn't keep me off the forum, though.)

I have grown quite attached to my farm, actually...

I started it out to kill idle time and now, it seems like I need more time to tend my farm... although, it is relaxing...

I spend alot of time on Hay Day, but it never gets in the way of real life, or rather, I don't let it. As much as I love the game and I'm extremely hooked onto it, it doesn't affect me emotionally as it does for some people (based on some posts I've seen on the forum). At the end of the day, it's just a game I play for fun and relaxation, to escape the stresses of real life.