Where is Farming Simulator headed, Arcade, Simulation, or Both?

[BostonJohnny1226]

Good thread BB and thanks for all you have done for us AND FS.
I found all the points you brought forth very interesting and point on. Now my answers and other thoughts. I, like you just want Giants and others to think about the game and where it has come from and where it will go.

1. No, they will cater more to the arcade gamestyle.

2. Yes, I think it will happen due to a lack of mods. More to come on that.

3. No. I think most people just want to play and depend on others for the mods. Some people might be intimidated trying to use GE and some may become quickly frustrated using it. Then I'm sure there's some who spend more time modding than playing the game.

4. NO NO NO!!!!

I think first, one has to ask--What truly is a "mod". Because someone edits the speed of a vehicle or reskins it, changes the capacity of a trailer or combine or has moved something on a map, have they made a "mod"? NO! The likes of CoursePlay, Seasons, GPS and maps based on real world locations are true mods. If it weren't for mods, I really wouldn't be playing this game.

Giants and other game companies are strongly focusing on console games and shying away from pc. But, aren't all mods made on a pc? No pc=no mods. As pc players leave, so will the mods and as the mods stop coming out, the game and series will die out. Honestly answer this: how long would you play FS without mods of any kind, just strictly vanilla?

With FS19 now being out for about 2 months, I'm still a little disappointed with it. But, as always, they're relying on modders to turn it around and that's a shame!

My many thanks to the true modders of FS: BulletBill, Stevie, OxygenDavid, Blueweb, DajNet (PleasantValley), Marhu, SomethingOnMyShoe2 and the few others who make mods that are well thought out, released with few errors (then quickly fixed). It's YOU who have made this series what it is!

[Ritchie]

I think this view that modders make the game is a little arrogant and disrespectful to the game developers. Then again there seems to be a general lack of respect, empathy and general common decency from a lot of people these days.
I'm not saying that modders don't do fantastic work, but without the game and support of Giants in the first place there would be nothing to mod for. A little more respect for everyone and what they contribute to this being a game, we all enjoy, would not go amiss imho.
It's early days with FS19 so none of us know what is planned with new DLC's etc. and what folk are cooking up for mods to utilise the new features of the game. It will be interesting to see what everyone's views are at the end of 19's life as I think it's really too early for all this doom and gloom predicting the end of the franchise.

[thumbwiz]

I think this view that modders make the game is a little arrogant and disrespectful to the game developers. Then again there seems to be a general lack of respect, empathy and general common decency from a lot of people these days.
I'm not saying that modders don't do fantastic work, but without the game and support of Giants in the first place there would be nothing to mod for. A little more respect for everyone and what they contribute to this being a game, we all enjoy, would not go amiss imho.
It's early days with FS19 so none of us know what is planned with new DLC's etc. and what folk are cooking up for mods to utilise the new features of the game. It will be interesting to see what everyone's views are at the end of 19's life as I think it's really too early for all this doom and gloom predicting the end of the franchise.

"A little more respect for everyone and what they contribute to this being a game"
Given your suggestion, Id suggest everyone pay respect to the customers who played at release. Those customers are responsible for testing and reporting issues, and being somewhat patient waiting for patches. To those customers, who paid full price and were not able to fully enjoy what they bought, I offer my respect.

[Ritchie]

And I respect your right to have your own opinion Thumbwiz. See, wasn't that nice

[JWE75]

Based on people complaining about "where is money mod?!" "where is Claas?!" etc. The game is unfortunally heading towards arcade game. Giants have the pressure making kids happy and game more easy to play... I hope they will divide the game clearly for two options = realistic simulation and other could chose arcade mode if they just want to play the game wo farming requirements.

[BulletBill]

@Ritchie

I have to disagree with your point Ritchie about modders being arrogant with regards what impact they have with Farm Sim. If It came across like that I apologize, that was not my intention.

I was merely stating a fact that a large majority of players would cease to play Farm Sim for very long without any mods.

It's true that GIANTS are good in letting the game be modded, as to there support beyond that, well it varies massively. But overall is not that much, which to a point you can understand as it takes resources away from building the game.

However just because GIANTS allow us to mod the game isn't done out of the goodness of there hearts. It's a valid business strategy. GIANTS make a stable platform base and modders cater to as many players personal preferences as possible. They do that because it has kept the game series going for 10 years+.

But many decisions are made with no thought about the impact it will have on modding, which in turn directly affects the games success.

Also this is not a "doom and gloom" topic. But a reality of what is happening in the general community right now. I get many correspondence from many areas of the FS community and I see similar concerns to the ones I've mentioned previously.

I would rather something be put in place or thought about now than wait until its too late.

At the end of the day we all have a common interest and that is for a Farm Sim game to continue.

[Ritchie]

I wasn't referring to modders but rather those that say "modders make this game" seemingly without any acknowledgement of the work that Giants do.
None of us here, as far as I'm aware, are party to what discussions Giants have internally and what they have planned so making assumptions on their motives is just guesswork in my view. That's all I was trying to say.

[BulletBill]

Yes I can understand why statements like that seem a bit thoughtless. Perhaps they don't mean them in quite such a simplified way.
In reality GIANTS need modders, and modders need GIANTS support.

[Ritchie]

As with a lot of things posted on here, it's easy to misinterpret what is being said or meant.
I think Giants have already acknowledge that they could communicate better to the community and to that end they are trying to recruit more personnel to better manage this. I would hope that this includes better support for modders too as they are obviously a key aspect of the games continuing success.

[chedly_farms]

I believe a person's point of view determines were they believe a franchise is headed.

I think the direction of farming simulator is heading in a good direction of being neither an arcade game or a simulator. It's meant to be fun, and to put a label on something takes the freedom away from allowing it to go were it could be most enjoyed.

To answer your 2nd question honestly depends on how you look at the franchise. (When I say Franchise, I want to say Shane Douglas, see how many people understand that, lol) but back to my thought, if you dislike where 19 went, then you think all things are headed south. If you enjoy 19, your pumped about where the franchise is headed.

Now when it comes to mods, I think the fact that you are a modder, you'll tend to know more about that community than most of us outsiders. But let me try to offer a point of view from an artist, as I'm a graphic designer as a career (going 22 years strong).

I'm a console player and bought the DLC for Kuhn and Big Bud from 17. I would have bought Ropa but I dislike root crop farming.

Your 3rd and 4th questions are under the assumption that existing modders will stop modding because the feel the game is going "down the tubes." I don't think modders will stop. You will always have dreamers/artists wanting to show the world what they can do. And with a huge new audience that 19 brought in with huge sales as it's proof. A portion of that are destined to be artists and maybe turn into modders in a matter of time.

And here is the thing I have learned in the graphics/design business, every good artist started off as a bad artist. Some people saying that mods are stuff because of how they look undercut the future of what that modder can bring to the table. Every mod should be appreciated even if it isn't liked. Constructive criticism should never be mean spirited or an attempt to belittle a person. Criticism should be offered in a way that affectionately encourages the artist to build a better product. My reason for that is artists/modders are a different breed. Our art is a part of us. We put our love of what we do into what we produce. Belittling the product, belittles us.

Basically what I'm saying the true way to pay an artist is with appreciation. Appreciation more into the effort because all art is in the end subjective. I've seen people belittling mods, they even go as far to say some mods are stuff. I've even seen existing modders do that to up and coming modders, that should know better. And I would say the Farming Simulator fandom is better off without those people.

*edit* I probably went on more about my point with appreciation of mods than I should have, but it is a valid point.

However with that point over, you will always lose people as fandoms grow. Some people move on in life, but as that cycle happens and as the saying goes with every door that closes, another opens. And there will be some people thinking I think I can do "this" and if there is a need or an opening, will probably give it a go. I've learned I'm not no better of an artist than anyone else, I can't do anything someone else cannot do. Meaning there will always be someone ready to fill in the ranks.

[Jagtractor]

Good topic.
The simulation or arcade is a tricky subject as many have stated here. If you get to far into simulation it becomes like work and i play to escape my work life and what i can or can't do at work. If it was a full bore simulation, i probably wouldn't buy it. If i had to pressure wash the entire tractor down to the inch. I would turn that option off. But i have been around enough to know to do that. New players (and that's what they want) might not realise that option exists until its too late and they've moved on or they've retuned the game cause "its not what they were expecting/promised"

NOW.
They could still make the physics, weather, hp, weight of vehicle, sounds, growing cycles, maps, look and feel more realistic. Without alienating one side or the other. Even the ground response in the game is a good idea, and a step in the right direction. But it is also wrong. A little tractor is going to bounce around in the field yes, but a big combine or trackor does not move like that (weight/physics)

Farm sim has come a long way but at the same time it hasn't. I look back at 13 and see what they have added to the game to make it more realistic or better gameplay. And truth be told it's not much. We have more equipment (which is awesome) and some more crops (also good). But what else.? Why do tractors still feel like they are floating magically over the roads? I hate the reverse rotation effect on the tires. Why for some reason are pedestrian cars actually 1 million ton death tanks that not even the apocalypse could budge off the road. I don't want to grand theft auto collision them off the road. But maybe i sometimes do. Why do round bales roll infinitely down the tiniest of hills? Why does a 500hp tractor slow down to a crawl going up a simply incline?

Sometimes even the look of a game can play on realism and that's what I wish they would focus on more than the actual realistic.....ness of the options. I can always make/force myself to play more realistic and modders help with that as well. But when the game doesn't look realistic (not graphically but the physics) then that's where I get frustrated.

[W1der]

I wont elaborate to much ...
Just want to bring my 50 cents to this!

I started out playing the game (FS15) like an "arcade" game.
Over time I learned more about farming and got my hands on controllers / mods that made the game more realistic ...

Now I crave realism, but I am also lazy ...
I would like to see a hard core realism mode where all the "realism settings" are locked including realistic physics that forces me to "drive accordingly" ...

[BreadedVirus]

I would like to see a hard core realism mode where all the "realism settings" are locked including realistic physics that forces me to "drive accordingly" ...

[BreadedVirus]

Yes I can understand why statements like that seem a bit thoughtless. Perhaps they don't mean them in quite such a simplified way.
In reality GIANTS need modders, and modders need GIANTS support.

[Corstaad]

I'm convinced they don't have direction at the moment. The economy was massively changed and they cant seem to understand what they've done. Basically they decided to cherry pick realistic modeling and its made anything that's not crops out of balance. Like they allowed creative development within the game economy and forgot to make some sort of changelog. They need some sort of direction on this as the game doesnt have the same flow that FS17 did.