Upcoming West Coast map

[Smith Modding]

I know I wouldn't want to pay for mods. Yes I know how hard it is to make. It's difficult. But I wouldn't want to pay $2.99 for a mod, no matter how good. Maybe seasons. That's about it

[RODHA]

Honestly I would pay for mods. But as I said they should be DLC quality and of course not $2.99 for just 1 mod. Only packs can suffice any type of price tag I guess. This would also be a good contribution to the modders and a good way of giving them more motive. But still, people are so used to getting free content probably paid mods will never happen. At least not in the near future.

[ArizonaSnow]

I didn't think they could get big maps to work on console, or have Giants fixed the game so they can?

It's the map design that makes it look big, the road loops aro7nd and fields are irrgualy shaped

If the map has 80 fields they are either very small or it is a 4x map and the last I heard 4x maps don't work on the console or has the 2 errors that 4x maps have been fixed? I'm not trying to hate or anything I'm just wondering.

Also don't forget that Somethingonmyshoe2 said Rattlesnake Valley was coming to console at first and was being made so that it could come to console but had to be shelved because of the mysterious 4x map bugs. So just because the developers say it's coming to console doesn't mean it will, they may intend it to come to console but it just might get stuck in the testing phaze.

Don't get me wrong I would like this map to come to console but I am very skeptical that it will because of the size.

[summerrider]

As an aside, right now with the paid DLCs, people scoff at them. "Why would I pay for that", "I can get similar things for free", etc. So I do find it entertaining that if we had to pay for the mods, people would do that.

If you enjoy a mod, then donate to the maker of the mod. It's that simple. If you charge for "qualty" mods, less people will use them. (There is a case that the mod maker mike make more money this way, but I don't think that was an argument in this tread.)

With that I'm plan on going back to just reading this thread. Enjoy.

[Mobias]

Don't get me wrong I would like this map to come to console but I am very skeptical that it will because of the size.

BulletBill and OxygenDavid know what they're doing. I trust them, they're the best two map modders out there. Plus I'm sure Giants will go the extra mile helping them make this map work on console.

[Goose66]

It's been confirmed it's coming to console.

[1992Tadej1992]

Dont you think that the map was tested on the console?

[Goose66]

Indeed. All you youtubers doing the first looks we're using the console version !

[BulletBill]

Thanks for all your comments guys. It's interesting to see everyones opinions and some of you make some good points.

I don't know what's going to happen to Farming Sim in the future. As long as GIANTS are making a profit off it then they will continue to produce the game. However GIANTS took a big step this game version in not only working a lot closer with Modders but also starting the Modhub reward system. Now were not getting paid loads, but even a small reward is better than nothing. It also shows how much GIANTS understand how important the modding side of the game series is.

They also know that not everyone would pay for DLCs. I think the current mix of GIANTS DLCs and free mods works well.

I would like to point out to one commenter who doubted the claim of someone else who said they would gladly donate. That person already sent me a donatation for "Coldborough Park Farm" many months ago. So not everyone speaks empty wind.

I know I really appreciate anyone who sends me a donation as it shows just how much they appreciate all my hard work and effort.

As to the person who made out that map making is effectively just copy and paste.... mmm I agree with some mod maps that is true. However "The West Coast" has taken me 2.5 years to create. The feedback I've had from my testers is that it is the most beautiful map they've ever played on, I am very proud that they think that as all my testers are right fussy gits who are not easy to please. So coming from them that is high praise indeed.

I do not know even where to begin to try and explain just how many things I've altered over the base game for this map. For those who say they want this script, this mod, they want the map to do this and that. You do not understand how map making works.

We have to construct a map that is beautiful, interesting, full of detail, has all the base game functions, works error free, and most importantly runs smoothly on the majority of platforms. You can't just chuck as many addons to the map and see what sticks.

There are approx. 77,000 individually placed objects on the map. 99% of those have either brand new textures or edited ones. There are 6 individual farms each with there own speicalization and character right for that type of farm. There is also a whole countyside of detail surrounding the farms, including forests, towns, villages, road networks (including a dual carriageway), castle ruins, seaside beach and dock, lighthouse, scenic footpaths actually marked out, cottages and houses, realistic traffic variable speeds, sell points. Thats all before we get to adding in all the smaller details.

I am not sat in some fancy office studio making this stuff, my old PC is sat on a bookcase shelf in my kitchen, I have to move everytime my family wants to use either the sink or cooker. I had to learn how to use GIANTS Editor with no manual for the vast majority of it. I had to teach myself how to use graphic editing software.

On "The West Coast" alone I have spent somewhere between 1,250 and 1,500 hours creating the map. I have probably rebuilt every area 6x over until I was happy with it.

I have also spent long hours making sure everything blends together. Whether its crop textures and there distance textures. Lighting, tree, foliage, and model textures.
Then you have to start testing the map to see if it even works.
My testers have done an amazing job in giving me feedback on the map, which has helped me make it work better and have far better playability. I have had roughly 12 testers on this map for a whole month now. Every issue has been brought up and addressed down to a blade of grass out of place.

So when people donate to us modders they are showing that they understand and appreciate all the hard work and effort that goes into producing the mod for them to enjoy for FREE.
I don't expect anyone to have to donate though to show there appreciation, even just a heartfelt thank you message is much appreciated.

When was the last time you thanked a modder or rated his mod on Modhub? Or are you 1 of the self entitled crowd who believe that they deserve everything for free and have no need to show any appreciation?

Something to think about...

[Bungle]

I'm not sure if this will get me in trouble...... but you f*** rock!! Thank you!!

[BulletBill]

And just to clarifiy a few points.

This map IS COMING TO CONSOLE.

It is NOT A 4X MAP. Instead it is a default size map, but with every bit of the space used up, unlike many mod maps.

GIANTS do indeed reward modders if they upload there mods to Modhub. The reward amount varies depending on the type of mod and if what average rating it has.

[wickedset]

Wall said Bill, I was trying to put something similar together, after what some commenters said on here, but kept going over the top and couldn't submit them. You modders deserve any reward you get, and some, it's not easy and very time consuming to get things right and working together, I think it's also good you put it for the consoles as well.
Thanks for all you do.

[Weedy weed NL]

oke maybe i shouldnt say it it was just copy n paste maybe little hard to say despite the efford is putting in it.
but for a amateur yes it looks nice, but my point was that map makers need to be praised in heaven more...

dont get me wrong bullitbill but your map will be highly appreciated, people will play it like no other map, yes it is free like it should.
i make lot of things for games with modding for free because i like doing it, im one of the thousend people who works at a developer for games, thats where the effort is going in to.

so where can we people leave some appreciations for ya, and if i havent said so..thx for the map, and again for the effort.

[Smith Modding]

Bulletbill, thank you for your hard work. 2 and a half years is a really long time. Not sure if I'd have the patience But seriously, thank you. I can't wait to play this map

[BulletBill]

Thank you for your comments,

Personally I think the balance we have right now between GIANTS, DLCs, and the Modding community is about right.
As modders if we make a quality mod we get more reward money as more people will download it. Add on a few appreciative donations and that all goes towards helping us to carry on developing our mods and modding skills still further.

Also I forgot to mention "The West Coast" does have a particular feature that no other map, default or mod, has ever had in Farming Sim before.
The game has always had 2 types of textures for crops ingame. First you have the detailed diffuse texture which you see up close, then at a set point it blends into the distance texture. This helps save massively on FPS as rendering all the detailed plants takes a lot of CPU power.
However many modders like to alter the diffuse/detailed texture but forget to make sure the distance texture blends in, this looks stuff and awful in game as it just makes it obvious where the two textures change. It makes it look like a game rather real life.

Anyways all my crop and foliage textures have the distance textures blended as close as I can so that you hardly notice the change over. (FYI, some crops have up to 7 different distant textures for each growth stage, each one has to be changed)
However as default grass has no distance texture at all. Now we all know that when you mow a grass meadow in real life the grass color and hue is different. It is often more yellow and paler in color and hue. So ever since Fs15 we have had "cut grass" textures.
The problem was that there was no distant texture so cut grass looks fine up close but looks awful further out as it goes from yellow back to green again.
So after some thought I realized that it should be possible to make grass have distance textures. I worked out which coding it needed, but it still wouldn't work. So thanks to Marc @GIANTS he had a look at my coding and noticed one small line that needed its values altering, after that it worked!
So on "The West Coast" grass now has distance textures for all 3 growth stages. Whether the field is cut, mid growth, or fully grown, they all blend in with the distance textures. Also it is not a script so it will work on Console as well.
It might not sound like much of anything, but suddenly you have realistic grass meadows that you can cut and look great. Even if you drive off into the distance you can still see what state the grass meadow is, or wether there are still grass windrows on it. The effect makes grasswork so much more enjoyable.

Hopefully you will all think so to as well.

Apologies for the explanation being so long...