House Rules - Self Imposed Limits

[JuanDiolosa]

Hi, I've recently gotten into FS, and am having blast. So much so, that whenever I beg off on going out for the night with my friends, they tease me about how I need to get that hay off the field, or feed the cows. I just shake my head and mutter that I haven't figured out cows yet, and down my beer as I walk out, back to my house... to get that dang hay off the field.

Anyway, to the topic:
I'm just curious as to if there are any house rules, or limits you guys have in play, and what they are. Just to give me some ideas, really.

For example. I never start off in any other mode that Start from Scratch, and take no loans or lease equipment. On NML, I use only a portion of the the initial 500k - Depends on how large an operation I want to start off with. But on Midwest Horizons, I sell the starting equipment and zero out my wallet. From there, I do contract work until I can buy my own equipment. But, as there are no contracts on NML I usually just start doing forestry... with every intention of replanting... but after the 500th tree, I'm smoked and start another save.

I have the Multiple Contracts mod, and queue up contracts from the *same* person, if available. I do this because I use the initial borrowed tractor and implement to do all his work and don't borrow his other tractors - He wouldn't like me to use his stuff on someone else's field. Saves me money, and it at least sounds good to me. That's how I rationalize gaming the contract system.

I'd love to hear some ideas from you all, on what sort of pain.. er... limits you have for your games.

[JensChrDK]

Since I have to pick up the machine from the shop, and not a farm, I haven't got any issues using their equipment on other farmers fields.

Trying not to take out massive loans, not bigger than it can be paid back from the next harvest.

Playing on Brook right now, progress with getting new fields is a little slow, cuz they are MASSIVE and cost loads of money, so I'm taking it slowly and helping the other farmers

[fenixguy]

It depends on the map for me. I've played this game for more years than I'm proud to admit and starting from scratch over and over and over can sometimes get old. So I usually start on New Farmer and sell off everything then start how I want to.

My self-imposed rules are to play as realistically as possible, within reason. I don't run 30 mph through a field, I don't plant following a plow (need to disc first), I don't spread slurry or manue without cultivating it in before planting, I have never used a money-cheat, I will only play with seasons...

Of course, it's not a competitive game and real life is more important. If I get super bored or don't have time clearing off hundreds of bales with a front loader, I'll grab an autoloading trailer and finish up right quick. Stuff like that doesn't happen much.

[chedly_farms]

No driving faster than the traffic goes on roads. Drive 11mph/16kph in fields max. Feed cows only the amount they will eat everyday, I feed them first thing in the morning. Only store 1 type of crop per grain bin. No cutting through fields. Try for the most part to use equipment that is run in that area, but I do scratch my American itch from time to time on the Euro maps I enjoy. No obscene loans. No hired workers unless they are absolutely needed.

[fenixguy]

Chedly reminded me of a few things: I feed animals once per day, I don't cut through fields, I try to drive only on public roads and not cut through another farmer's land...

Some stuff I need to sort out on my current New Woodshire save: I have a lot of random stuff stored in a multifruit silo. Just extra stuff that I've dumped in there when I didn't have a good place for it. I need to get that out and use it for ONE thing, probably pig food. If I need a grain silo, I'll buy another one. I don't even own a combine at the moment so...

Again, it depends on what real life is doing at the moment as to how strictly I follow these "rules".

[blue_painted]

One rule I try to stick to: If I want the "big engine" version of a tractor I already have, I sell the small one and buy the new.

I'm happy for farms to run on huge loans -- that IS RL isn't it.

[JuanDiolosa]

One rule I try to stick to: If I want the "big engine" version of a tractor I already have, I sell the small one and buy the new.

I like this idea! But I always buy the big engines first.

[duncan_101]

not to "cheat" (much) with the subsidies sign
besides that be atleast slightly realistic by not having the biggest and baddest equiptment if i don't need it etc

[Jonhinkerton]

One of my peculiarities is that I try to operate farms at a tight margin. After a couple of years in seasons I get a decent idea of what the income/outlay looks like and take a loan with daily payments that will more or less break even with income over the course of the year, sometimes with a small budget for replacing equipment, sometime not, depending on how I feel about the equipment on the farm. I hate having a huge surplus on my simulation saves and farm expenses are way more than just buying inputs. I tend to be pretty quick to adjust money up or down with an eye on keeping a credible cashflow rather than following the game's outcomes. That's on simulation saves. I always have one save that is "arcade" where I am playing the game as a game and following the economy rules and processes from that point of view, which is refreshing sometimes as well. Those saves run out of steam though, while i can put hundreds of hours into my simulation maps.

[Ado239]

No subsidy, No easy economy, No engine upgrades (sell the small one to buy the big one), No soybeans (too easy to make money on), Depending on the map sometimes no selling silage, depending on the map i'll place a horsepower limit (eg: on shamrock valley i'm limited to 250hp), depending on the map i won't use trucks.

[JuanDiolosa]

These are all fairly similar to how I would like to play. Especially the point about having a surplus. I've recently played a few hours where I do nothing but contract work, including borrowing the equipment and I had so much cash I was able to purchase two medium tractors with cultivators. Only one day had passed in game, on 9-day Seasons - So, maybe extrapolated to 2 weeks IRL?

I dislike the grind as much as the rest of the majority (and it is, after all, just a game), but sometimes that feels like a little too much money. So I try to level the playing field in other ways, similar to a lot of the ideas expressed above.

Who knows? maybe in this sim world we live in, farm work pays 100x real life. Farmers are certainly worth it in my book. Or do contract dudes in real life get paid 15k to disc 25 acres? If that is the case, where can I sign up?

Regardless, back on topic: Seasons is a must for me. I don't think I would like it any other way.

[fenixguy]

Who knows? maybe in this sim world we live in, farm work pays 100x real life. Farmers are certainly worth it in my book. Or do contract dudes in real life get paid 15k to disc 25 acres? If that is the case, where can I sign up?

The way I look at it everything in-game is scaled. I truly don't want to work a 1,000-acre field in a video game. So I take the money it pays with no shame.

[JuanDiolosa]

ROFL, Touché, fenixguy. you just put it all into perspective.
I may be looking at it too literally. I come from an extensive DCS background in the simulator world.

[FarmBoss]

My most important house rule, when playing seasons, and with all the animals around, don't eat the yellow snow.

[TacoFarmer]

The only rules I have are
Have Fun
Eat Tacos
Farm On.