This is such a basic function of the game it should not require turquoise i.e. quetzl feathers.
To collect and set production in 1 city takes 16 clicks. Multiply that by whatever number of cities you have and it gets ridiculous. It is no longer play, it's work! There is enough drudgery in our daily lives without this. It is a pain collecting even every hour, let alone every 10 minutes, hence production suffers.
As for the quetzal feathers, the price is ludicrous. If you wanted 10-minute production, it would cost 60 turquoise every hour. (More as your production time decreases through research of astronomy).
I have quit playing other games where the basic functions proved too onerous if I didn't pay for shortcuts.
I do realize you need to make money, but do it with real perks, not basic functions.
1-click resource collection and production
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This would be great and I completely agree with you that it becomes a chore and I just stop playing some servers as I just cannot be bothered to collect resources from 5 + cities
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More than a click I think that automatic production without harvests would give more mobility to the game and in fact what most annoying is to be every time harvesting I am completely agree on this point.
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Personally I like the way resource is produced. Its not the first game that I have played that had this. But as someone said. Having more cities make you want to puke when collecting res. It gets stupid and not enjoyable before long. 8+ cities.. well at this point its turning against the game.
Feathers should be basic function at this point.