Farming simulator 21 release?

[Achtung Baby]

I'd love an automated hired helper too, but there's not a cat in hell's chance that you could make a believable worker do everything autonomously.

Take for example combining. Mount a header on a trailer, drive it to a field. Open the gate. Drive header trailer onto the edge of the field. Drive the combine into the field. Attach header. Turn around and start harvesting.

Parts of it will be possible. Actually all of it is possible, but only in a recorded sense in a completely static world, which FS isn't.

For simple jobs such as ploughing or carting that should be possible*, and something I'd like to see at some point, but for more complex jobs I really can't see it for many years, probably with some form of learning AI. Only at that stage could you start thinking about proper employees rather than hired helpers.

* The unmentionable game can already do it, and I'm sure GIANTS could to it much better. The difficult bit is doing it with enough intelligence for it to work on complex and detailed maps - not at all easy.

They really need to have auto combine built into the game, modders can only do so much. I can't remember the similar mod used for tractors( AI vehicle extension? ). But yeah, if some of the simple jobs could be done by the AI I'd be grateful. You can get away with it on the maps Giants released, but with the mod maps an auto combine just gives up even before the first loop.

[Achtung Baby]

Just for curiosity, here's a chart from Steam which shows the usage of players since it was released. It appears there was a spike in popularity with a couple of the early DLCs.
https://steamcharts.com/app/787860

As for the future of FS, consoles will be the determining factor. 45% of FS19 sales were PC... no doubt that may be less in the next version.

[this_is_gav]

Obviously those stats only account for those playing on Steam, which might be a fairly small selection of results to analyse considering at least four alternative ways of buying FS19 on PC. Then you've got consoles, where the pattern and play style could quite easily be different.

It's fair to say that play time goes down on this sort of game though. Even hardcore fans can get bored of the game over a long period - that's the nature of any game with no end goal and fairly slow play style. That's why it's important for GIANTS to keep improving and making each game more interesting to keep players coming back for more. That's especially important for the presumed FS22 given FS19's mixed reception and at least three year gap between them.

[HighestTree]

Players arw already getting tired of 19 and it hasn't even reached the usual 2 year cycle yet and you think a 4 year cycle would help?

You realism lovers seem to forget or ignore the fact not everyone wants a "Day In The Of Farmer Brown Simulator" game. Nothing wrong with arcade style.

This is true. On console, at least, it seems the majority of sessions are kids without seasons and with a lot of unrealistic mods. Personally, I'm satisfied with the depth of seasons as a mod.. plus, it's built and maintained by GIANTS developers.

People keep talking about Mud Runner, but I've never played it... Does it even have buildings in it?

EDIT: A developer of the seasons team corrected this. It's developed and maintained by one GIANTS dev with the help of non-affiliated devs. I was wrong.

[Mobias]

People keep talking about Mud Runner, but I've never played it... Does it even have buildings in it?

Snowrunner is the much improved sequel to Mudrunner and yeah its got small towns and its really a very detailed world now compared to FS. There's a lot Giants could learn from it including the visual and art style which is what I'd really like to see FS become more like in the future. Also, the way the mission structure works could be brought over to FS quite well I think. Its now got a lively modding community including for vehicles and maps.

The way the deformable terrain works in the game is superbly well done, its what the game is all about really, its incredibly detailed. It clearly takes a lot of processing power to achieve but if FS-22 could have a toned down version of it it would work amazingly well in the game. Even if it was just confined to the field areas. The game also has a full day night cycle and nicely down weather effects. All in all its really what Giants should be aiming for I think.

You can see it in action here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1_ty7esAnI&t=115s

[HighestTree]

People keep talking about Mud Runner, but I've never played it... Does it even have buildings in it?

Snowrunner is the much improved sequel to Mudrunner and yeah its got small towns and its really a very detailed world now compared to FS. There's a lot Giants could learn from it including the visual and art style which is what I'd really like to see FS become more like in the future. Also, the way the mission structure works could be brought over to FS quite well I think. Its now got a lively modding community including for vehicles and maps.

The way the deformable terrain works in the game is superbly well done, its what the game is all about really, its incredibly detailed. It clearly takes a lot of processing power to achieve but if FS-22 could have a toned down version of it it would work amazingly well in the game. Even if it was just confined to the field areas. The game also has a full day night cycle and nicely down weather effects. All in all its really what Giants should be aiming for I think.

You can see it in action here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1_ty7esAnI&t=115s

Just got MR on Game Pass and wow. Would already love to see some of these features on FS.

Leaning out of the window in first person?
Deformable terrain?
Slippery mud?
Winches?

Farming Simulator could be something totally different lol

Edit: although steering is far superior jn FS

[blue_painted]

People keep talking about Mud Runner, but I've never played it... Does it even have buildings in it?

Snowrunner is the much improved sequel to Mudrunner and yeah its got small towns and its really a very detailed world now compared to FS. There's a lot Giants could learn from it including the visual and art style which is what I'd really like to see FS become more like in the future. Also, the way the mission structure works could be brought over to FS quite well I think. Its now got a lively modding community including for vehicles and maps.

The way the deformable terrain works in the game is superbly well done, its what the game is all about really, its incredibly detailed. It clearly takes a lot of processing power to achieve but if FS-22 could have a toned down version of it it would work amazingly well in the game. Even if it was just confined to the field areas. The game also has a full day night cycle and nicely down weather effects. All in all its really what Giants should be aiming for I think.

You can see it in action here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1_ty7esAnI&t=115s

I will have to try Snowrunner -- I've played both versions of Mudrunner but it seemed rather silly to go crawling through mud, swamps and forests just to carry a few muddy logs.

[HighestTree]

I will have to try Snowrunner -- I've played both versions of Mudrunner but it seemed rather silly to go crawling through mud, swamps and forests just to carry a few muddy logs.

Agreed. So far, MR is a pretty terrible game with a few awesome features I personally wouldn't mind seeing in FS

[theSeb]

Players arw already getting tired of 19 and it hasn't even reached the usual 2 year cycle yet and you think a 4 year cycle would help?

You realism lovers seem to forget or ignore the fact not everyone wants a "Day In The Of Farmer Brown Simulator" game. Nothing wrong with arcade style.

This is true. On console, at least, it seems the majority of sessions are kids without seasons and with a lot of unrealistic mods. Personally, I'm satisfied with the depth of seasons as a mod.. plus, it's built and maintained by GIANTS developers.

People keep talking about Mud Runner, but I've never played it... Does it even have buildings in it?

It’s built and maintained by 1 giants developer and 3 (sometimes 4) other people who are not affiliated with Giants.

[Mobias]

I never got into Mudrunner but Snowrunner is much, much better. Much better visuals and the game world is just generally better looking and immersive. All that being said its a bit of a one trick pony and I can only really play it in small doses before becoming a bit bored. It can be massively frustrating at times. So much as I think there's lots FS could learn from it its also a bit of a lesson in what not would work too. I could imagine getting your tractor stuck in mud all the time a bit frustrating for those that don't want ultra realism. Like I said though they could tone down that aspect of it a bit so the mud effects are really even only there for visual immersion rather than being the backbone of the whole game, like it is with Mudrunner an Snowrunner.

[CowsGoMoo]

Players arw already getting tired of 19 and it hasn't even reached the usual 2 year cycle yet and you think a 4 year cycle would help?

You realism lovers seem to forget or ignore the fact not everyone wants a "Day In The Of Farmer Brown Simulator" game. Nothing wrong with arcade style.

This is true. On console, at least, it seems the majority of sessions are kids without seasons and with a lot of unrealistic mods. Personally, I'm satisfied with the depth of seasons as a mod.. plus, it's built and maintained by GIANTS developers.

People keep talking about Mud Runner, but I've never played it... Does it even have buildings in it?

It’s built and maintained by 1 giants developer and 3 (sometimes 4) other people who are not affiliated with Giants.

How does a giants developer maintain a third party mod? What am I missing?

[Drmattymd]

This is true. On console, at least, it seems the majority of sessions are kids without seasons and with a lot of unrealistic mods. Personally, I'm satisfied with the depth of seasons as a mod.. plus, it's built and maintained by GIANTS developers.

People keep talking about Mud Runner, but I've never played it... Does it even have buildings in it?

It’s built and maintained by 1 giants developer and 3 (sometimes 4) other people who are not affiliated with Giants.

How does a giants developer maintain a third party mod? What am I missing?

One member of the Realismus team was hired by Giants after seasons was released for fs17

[theSeb]

This is true. On console, at least, it seems the majority of sessions are kids without seasons and with a lot of unrealistic mods. Personally, I'm satisfied with the depth of seasons as a mod.. plus, it's built and maintained by GIANTS developers.

People keep talking about Mud Runner, but I've never played it... Does it even have buildings in it?

It’s built and maintained by 1 giants developer and 3 (sometimes 4) other people who are not affiliated with Giants.

How does a giants developer maintain a third party mod? What am I missing?

He applied for a job after we won the contest since he was finishing his studies. There are other mods on the mod hub also made by other Giants employees. Not sure what you are missing or hoping to find

[Alagos]

Would have just responded with "In his spare time"

[theSeb]

Well I guess I should also mention that maintaining the mod at this point in time takes roughly 0 hours per week