Simplified Worker AI

[jeremyj621]

Let's set the "way back" machine to 2014, to a game called Professional Farmer 2014. I'm not sure if anyone here played that game when it was first released, but it featured a very simplified worker AI system. When you hired a worker to tend a field, whether plowing, cultivating, or harvesting, the work was done instantly, and the player paid a wage based on the size of the field. In fact, the player didn't have to own any machinery at all and could simply hire workers who would utilize their own equipment.

The reason I'm mentioning this is I'm reading a growing number of complaints about the worker AI in the game. The simplified method employed by PF 2014 removes the need for AI pathing which I think is causing so many issues with the AI workers in the game. So how would this work for FS? It deviates from tradition, I know, and removes some realism from the game, but it would help solve issues with AI workers.

[CoreyTr]

Well that would be something they could easily complete, and we all know they are not about to complete something.

[raran]

"The reason I'm mentioning this is I'm reading a growing number of complaints about the worker AI in the game."

Tends to be the bubble you're in nowadays. In my bubble the new AI is mostly applauded.

[this_is_gav]

Much of the functionality is already in the game. The console has commands to set fields to any states instantly, primarily for testing and debugging (and probably how non-owned field states change), but it would be relatively simple to adapt it to a working game mode with a GUI and calculating yield for harvests. It would be harder to get things like bales or silage I suppose (or anything without a dedicated storage facility) but I'm sure it would be possible.

No, for me the complaints isn't about simplifying the AI, it's about adding functionality (balers and forage harvester hired helpers and workers which can properly cart), complexity (more sophisticated AI pathing without them hesitating and glitching so much and more ability to find routes) and realism (realistic turns at end rows and combines not reversing through crops).

We want farm workers (employees) worthy of being able to call them that, which currently they aren't.

[raran]

Much of the functionality is already in the game. The console has commands to set fields to any states instantly, primarily for testing and debugging (and probably how non-owned field states change), but it would be relatively simple to adapt it to a working game mode with a GUI and calculating yield for harvests. It would be harder to get things like bales or silage I suppose (or anything without a dedicated storage facility) but I'm sure it would be possible.

No, for me the complaints isn't about simplifying the AI, it's about adding functionality (balers and forage harvester hired helpers and workers which can properly cart), complexity (more sophisticated AI pathing without them hesitating and glitching so much and more ability to find routes) and realism (realistic turns at end rows and combines not reversing through crops).

We want farm workers (employees) worthy of being able to call them that, which currently they aren't.

Basically Giants should employ the people behind Courseplay, Autodrive, GPS, VCA and Follow Me.

[this_is_gav]

I don't want any of them in game personally, not in their current guises. They'd be far too overwhelming for most players.

They need much of that functionality, but the AI should be programmed to work it out, not just follow paths.

I forgot headlands too, both harvesting/cutting before doing the middle, or in the case of ploughing/cultivating/drilling doing the middle first then finish with the headlands. That is an absolute must.

[Mwal]

It’s becoming apparent that that’s the problem though, with the simplicity comes the ai stupidity. I know auto drive and courseplay aren’t perfect but I have hundreds of incident free hours with tractors doing entire jobs without any input from me besides saying go, and that’s spanning multiple games. Plus the current version of courseplay is pretty simple to get to do field work and more user friendly than it has been in the past. Not saying it can’t be better or perfected but this game is confusing and always will be to people who are unfamiliar with ag or previous games. Your random first time player will likely figure out courseplays menus and operations before they figure out what most the stuff in the shops miscellaneous category is for, especially if they have prior gaming experience

[jeremyj621]

"The reason I'm mentioning this is I'm reading a growing number of complaints about the worker AI in the game."

Tends to be the bubble you're in nowadays. In my bubble the new AI is mostly applauded.

I'm not sure what bubble you're in, but I read the forums here and on Steam and I don't see much applause for the worker AI.

[jeremyj621]

Much of the functionality is already in the game. The console has commands to set fields to any states instantly, primarily for testing and debugging (and probably how non-owned field states change), but it would be relatively simple to adapt it to a working game mode with a GUI and calculating yield for harvests. It would be harder to get things like bales or silage I suppose (or anything without a dedicated storage facility) but I'm sure it would be possible.

No, for me the complaints isn't about simplifying the AI, it's about adding functionality (balers and forage harvester hired helpers and workers which can properly cart), complexity (more sophisticated AI pathing without them hesitating and glitching so much and more ability to find routes) and realism (realistic turns at end rows and combines not reversing through crops).

We want farm workers (employees) worthy of being able to call them that, which currently they aren't.

Yes, their functionality is, and has been for quite some time, limited. Next year marks the twentieth anniversary (is that right?) for FS. You'd think in that time worker AI would have been perfected, but sadly, it hasn't evolved as much as other aspects of the game.

[jeremyj621]

I should add some recent issues I had with workers on the Haut-Beyleron map: 1) I hired a worker to cultivate one of the starting fields, one with a diagonal edge instead of being a perfect square. The worker missed spots on the diagonal edge. 2) I hired another worker to fertilize the same field. He did so without problems. However, when he finished, he decided the adjacent field needed fertilizing as well and moved on to that one. It was OK I thought because that field needed to be fertilized as well. But when he finished THAT field, he decided to move on the next adjacent field which wasn't one I owned. The worker made about 1/2 a pass before realizing the field wasn't mine and finally said he was done.

This was after starting a new game with no mods just to test the worker AI. As you can see, a lot of work still needs to be done. Players shouldn't have to rely on mods such as Courseplay to solve game issues.

[DEERE317]

Much of the functionality is already in the game. The console has commands to set fields to any states instantly, primarily for testing and debugging (and probably how non-owned field states change), but it would be relatively simple to adapt it to a working game mode with a GUI and calculating yield for harvests. It would be harder to get things like bales or silage I suppose (or anything without a dedicated storage facility) but I'm sure it would be possible.

No, for me the complaints isn't about simplifying the AI, it's about adding functionality (balers and forage harvester hired helpers and workers which can properly cart), complexity (more sophisticated AI pathing without them hesitating and glitching so much and more ability to find routes) and realism (realistic turns at end rows and combines not reversing through crops).

We want farm workers (employees) worthy of being able to call them that, which currently they aren't.

Yes, their functionality is, and has been for quite some time, limited. Next year marks the twentieth anniversary (is that right?) for FS. You'd think in that time worker AI would have been perfected, but sadly, it hasn't evolved as much as other aspects of the game.

FS was first released in 2008 so it'd be the 15th anniversary.

[raran]

I should add some recent issues I had with workers on the Haut-Beyleron map: 1) I hired a worker to cultivate one of the starting fields, one with a diagonal edge instead of being a perfect square. The worker missed spots on the diagonal edge. 2) I hired another worker to fertilize the same field. He did so without problems. However, when he finished, he decided the adjacent field needed fertilizing as well and moved on to that one. It was OK I thought because that field needed to be fertilized as well. But when he finished THAT field, he decided to move on the next adjacent field which wasn't one I owned. The worker made about 1/2 a pass before realizing the field wasn't mine and finally said he was done.

This was after starting a new game with no mods just to test the worker AI. As you can see, a lot of work still needs to be done. Players shouldn't have to rely on mods such as Courseplay to solve game issues.

Even CP misses spots, i don't think you quite grasp the complexity of the calculations needed to be made. And if workers behave in such a way which you describe, it's usually a problem with the field definitions, not the AI in general.

[norfolk farmer]

Basically Giants should employ the people behind Courseplay, Autodrive, GPS, VCA and Follow Me.

I am more than happy for them too stay as mods after seeing what Giants version of seasons is.

[Rasping rabbit]

I am more than happy for them too stay as mods after seeing what Giants version of seasons is.

To be fair Giants never said seasons. They said Seasonal Growth and everyone assumed what they wanted and were then disappointed because they got seasonal growth, which was exactly what they were told they were getting.

[norfolk farmer]

I am more than happy for them too stay as mods after seeing what Giants version of seasons is.

To be fair Giants never said seasons. They said Seasonal Growth and everyone assumed what they wanted and were then disappointed because they got seasonal growth, which was exactly what they were told they were getting.

I realise what they said and never expected much from it, my point was that if any of the others became part of the game then they would not be what we have now.