Seasons 19 WIP Updates (PC release 24/07)

[blue_painted]

I've tried to read through parts of this thread and the blog. But will the fuel consumption be affected by seasons?

I would like to start being concerned by fuel levels. Just a thought since the repair function is revised.

I really hope so - doesn't seem right to repair my tractor twice for every one time I refuel it.

[marlowc]

I've tried to read through parts of this thread and the blog. But will the fuel consumption be affected by seasons?

I would like to start being concerned by fuel levels. Just a thought since the repair function is revised.

I really hope so - doesn't seem right to repair my tractor twice for every one time I refuel it.

Haha - I know what you mean, its crazy isn't it. Playing the vanilla game I've often traded in a tractor with some of the original tank of fuel left .
The trouble seems to be that both Giants, and Realismus are more concerned with accurate simulation than gameplay/game balance. The fuel consumption rates are supposedly authentic in terms of hours run, and power used, but they produce a dull gaming experience don't they.
Giants are apparently recruiting a Gameplay Developer for the team, so perhaps we'll start to see the game aspects given more priority over authentic simulation at last .

[Doc3d]

I've tried to read through parts of this thread and the blog. But will the fuel consumption be affected by seasons?

I would like to start being concerned by fuel levels. Just a thought since the repair function is revised.

I really hope so - doesn't seem right to repair my tractor twice for every one time I refuel it.

Haha - I know what you mean, its crazy isn't it. Playing the vanilla game I've often traded in a tractor with some of the original tank of fuel left .
The trouble seems to be that both Giants, and Realismus are more concerned with accurate simulation than gameplay/game balance. The fuel consumption rates are supposedly authentic in terms of hours run, and power used, but they produce a dull gaming experience don't they.
Giants are apparently recruiting a Gameplay Developer for the team, so perhaps we'll start to see the game aspects given more priority over authentic simulation at last .

I would hope for the opposite as I really don’t see the base game as anywhere near realistic, thus it is slanted heavily towards “game”. My hope is that they focus LESS on game and more on realism. I agree with the fuel consumption tho, but this can be somewhat adjusted in game settings. It still doesn’t compute given the possibility to harvest a new crop almost every day, yet the same tractor runs forever (this isn’t authentic tho, is it? If fuel consumption was based on the same speed as crops grow, you would have to refuel every 10 minutes. Not sure that is what you want either)

The only plausible solution would be to slow down the gameplay, much like seasons is doing, and voila, you have a more authentic representation

[blue_painted]

I don't know where to draw the line for realism, but as far as fuel goes what I'd like to see is the consumption relate to the work done, not the time it took: so if my combine uses 15 litre per hectare and I cut Field 40 on Oakfield, abour 16 hectares, then I want my combine to consume 240 litres (figures from t' web ) -- about half a tank on the Claas Mega 208. This would make the litres/hour look screwy when I run at 5x reali-life speed, but my argument is that covering 16ha still costs as many litres fertiliser or spray regardless of how fast my game-clock is running.

I did start trying to make a script mod for this on FS17 but that pesky RL got involved.

[marlowc]

I don't know where to draw the line for realism, but as far as fuel goes what I'd like to see is the consumption relate to the work done, not the time it took: so if my combine uses 15 litre per hectare and I cut Field 40 on Oakfield, abour 16 hectares, then I want my combine to consume 240 litres (figures from t' web ) -- about half a tank on the Claas Mega 208. This would make the litres/hour look screwy when I run at 5x reali-life speed, but my argument is that covering 16ha still costs as many litres fertiliser or spray regardless of how fast my game-clock is running.

I did start trying to make a script mod for this on FS17 but that pesky RL got involved.

I 100% agree with you on this one. Fuel used should definitely be related to the job done, not the actual hours run. Given the much higher speeds ingame as opposed to RL, of combines for example, it's obvious to most people that basing fuel used on hours run won't be right.

[marlowc]

I don't know where to draw the line for realism, but as far as fuel goes what I'd like to see is the consumption relate to the work done, not the time it took: so if my combine uses 15 litre per hectare and I cut Field 40 on Oakfield, abour 16 hectares, then I want my combine to consume 240 litres (figures from t' web ) -- about half a tank on the Claas Mega 208. This would make the litres/hour look screwy when I run at 5x reali-life speed, but my argument is that covering 16ha still costs as many litres fertiliser or spray regardless of how fast my game-clock is running.

I did start trying to make a script mod for this on FS17 but that pesky RL got involved.

100% agree with you on this one. Fuel used should definitely be related to the job done, not the actual hours of play. Given the much higher speeds ingame as opposed to RL, of combines for example, it's obvious to most people that basing fuel used on hours run won't be right.
Getting the balance between authenticity, and gameplay is diabolically difficult isn't it, but it's crucial to the long term success of the game. Concentrating too much on simulation, or going towards an "arcadey", unrealistic feeling game will ultimately lose the top spot to C***** & C**** and other farm games.
(Strange bit of censoring just there. I couldn't put the farming game that we all know - it was changed to Command & Conquer )

[Beastbubba]

The fuel usage is fine just the way it is. Just because your working with very little land shoulden't make fuel disapear for no reason.

It would become a much bigger complaint when you got big fields and had to refuel 5 times just to do 1 job...

[Shambala12]

The fuel usage is fine just the way it is. Just because your working with very little land shoulden't make fuel disapear for no reason.

It would become a much bigger complaint when you got big fields and had to refuel 5 times just to do 1 job...

It's called balance. For example, people will only fill up on a tank of fuel every 1-2 weeks when hedge cutting (7 days week running 12 hours easy) but if you were to do the same amount of hours, let's say plowing, youd need to fill up much earlier. The fuel usage should change with the rpm and gear just like it does irl, not the time running

[wombles]

Hmm fuel is a hard one to get right, for game play. I think what makes it look worse is the maintenance clock drops quicker than the fuel gauge.

[Aholz89]

I get that vehicles and equipment working hard will often result in unforseen repairs and such , I just personally feel that the fuel consumption is a bit off in the base game.
A tractor working a plow will consume a whole lot of fuel.

There is fuel trailers, diesel barrels, fuel pumps, fuel stations... just a shame that I rarely need them.

Thats why I hoped since they made some modifications to the repairs that they also did some adjustments to the consumption.

[masneoquil]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but in Seasons 17, you only have to repair the vehicles. The tools doesn't need repair and instead, maintenance gets deducted each day.
If they copy that from Seasons 17, it will work the same way.

[Guil]

There was no daily maintenance with seasons in fs17.

[masneoquil]

There was no daily maintenance with seasons in fs17.

Ho ok.
What I wanted to say is that they replace the need to repair tools.

[TheCanadianJD]

There was no daily maintenance with seasons in fs17.

"The machinery upkeep system has been changed and is now based on real data for the operating costs of agricultural machinery. By using this mod you will pay a low daily interest and tax as basis for the machinery upkeep. In addition you will be required to do maintenance twice a year or every 30 engine hours for any motorised machinery to avoid an increase in machinery upkeep."

Straight out of the Seasons 17 manual, there was a daily interest, or maintenance as most would call it, for all implements. It would still get deducted at the end of each day, Realismus just tweaked the numbers. So there was a daily cost, Seasons just specifically called it interest instead of maintenance.

[Eische]

I don't know where to draw the line for realism, but as far as fuel goes what I'd like to see is the consumption relate to the work done, not the time it took: so if my combine uses 15 litre per hectare and I cut Field 40 on Oakfield, abour 16 hectares, then I want my combine to consume 240 litres (figures from t' web ) -- about half a tank on the Claas Mega 208. This would make the litres/hour look screwy when I run at 5x reali-life speed, but my argument is that covering 16ha still costs as many litres fertiliser or spray regardless of how fast my game-clock is running.

I did start trying to make a script mod for this on FS17 but that pesky RL got involved.

Fuel usage is the same, regardless of the time speed factor your are using. I just did the test while cultivating the same field twice using time speed factor 1x and time speed factor 15x. There is no difference in fuel consumption (I checked the vehicles.xml after each run)

According to the XML files description for fuel usage, the number given there is relevant for max load at max rpm. In case of the Claas Mega 208 it is 70Liters/hr. Please consider, that usally combines in game are not running at max load at max rpm. This would be the case, when the ground speed goes down (driving up a hill for example).
I did the test and bought the same tractor (JD 8345R) twice. The helper was using the Amazone 8m cultivator (400HP) on Felsbrunn field 30 (has steep slope) and I was following using a tedder (40HP). The helper speed was going down to 9kph climbing up the hill, while i was experiencing no loss in speed.
As I was following the helper, you could say we both spent the same time on the field.
I checked the vehicles.xml afterwards: for cultivating 14L diesel was used. For tedding 8L diesel was used. So my conclusion is, that the fuel usage system is working fine. It just seems to be the case that combines have plenty of spare power for the headers and are only running at max load at quite steep slopes. I guess Giants used real life numbers for the fuel usage in the XML files. But the game mechanics especially for combines are not really working. In reality you would push a combine close to its power limit even on leveled ground. If this would be the case in game, you will not be able to go up certain slopes anymore.