More Precision Farming Qs

[LittleWatt]

The RTK building. It’s supposed to make AI workers more efficient. Use all the harvester header, no overlap on seeding, etc. Is it possible that the RTK building is actually causing my helpers to leave long strips of unseeded field? I’ve noticed when making the turn around on fields the overlap is perfect, then they make a steering adjustment and leave a strip. Sometimes it’s just small, other times it’s the length of the run.

Or is this just in the game. I’ve only played with PF so I’m not sure.

[Preble 818]

I’m getting strips now too on our server but I hadn’t yet associated it with PF. Makes sense as a possibility though. The workers definitely work better with it though at least to me so still worth having. Even in huge fields it doesn’t seem like a huge yield loss in comparison to better efficiency. That’s what I’m going with though I’m absolutely not doing without PF

[LittleWatt]

I’ll definitely stay with PF. I might forego the RTK as a test. What’s also strange is the AI will work the unmarked fields of meadow as flawlessly as they can work fields with curves and odd shapes. No lines in the fields.

[Preble 818]

Nice I hadn’t tried that. I’m definitely curious as to what you find when you take the RTK out now that you’ve played with it a while if you decide to report back on that.

[deerefarm]

You're not wrong, the RTK building causes combines to leave strips of unharvested crops in the field and often leads to gaps in other procedures like rolling and mulching. Other times the lines match up perfectly, it all depends on how well the implement was programmed. For example the JD 45ft header is pretty precise and is definitely improved by the RTK station. That is there is no overlap and it doesn't leave gaps in crops. However the 50ft Header was already programmed to be pretty precise, meaning there was little overlap in the first place, however with the RTK I find that it often leaves gaps in the crop being harvested. Nothing major just small strips of unharvested crop, but it's enough to mess with the field.
I did away with the RTK station a little while ago and have had no problems with gaps since then. So depending on what you're running you're best to forego the RTK station and avoid the gap.
Essentially implements that were converted over from FS19 benefit from the RTK station as they had some overlap built into them. However implement that were designed for FS22 had less overlap built into their XML file and are pretty accurate without the RTK station. Makes sense??

[Preble 818]

Yea that does make sense lines up with what we’ve experienced on our server for sure. I still kind of like the efficiency regardless of the skips but with the other equipment we’re using besides the JD header we don’t get skips so that makes a difference. We like to run a decently big farm on console and depend on helpers a lot so we’re at their mercy

[johnlinden]

Looney Farm Guy on YouTube has tested all PF equipment. Take a look at the results.

[LittleWatt]

You're not wrong, the RTK building causes combines to leave strips of unharvested crops in the field and often leads to gaps in other procedures like rolling and mulching. Other times the lines match up perfectly, it all depends on how well the implement was programmed. For example the JD 45ft header is pretty precise and is definitely improved by the RTK station. That is there is no overlap and it doesn't leave gaps in crops. However the 50ft Header was already programmed to be pretty precise, meaning there was little overlap in the first place, however with the RTK I find that it often leaves gaps in the crop being harvested. Nothing major just small strips of unharvested crop, but it's enough to mess with the field.
I did away with the RTK station a little while ago and have had no problems with gaps since then. So depending on what you're running you're best to forego the RTK station and avoid the gap.
Essentially implements that were converted over from FS19 benefit from the RTK station as they had some overlap built into them. However implement that were designed for FS22 had less overlap built into their XML file and are pretty accurate without the RTK station. Makes sense??

Makes sense. I thought it was a field at first, then I noticed all fields had lines in them. What was really strange was the unmarked meadow fields on Erlengrat. Those fields had no lines in them. Granted I had to stay close because those fields are like ink blots. But the only misses were dips and locations that just couldn’t be reached without rounding a corner. So I watched. The line up was fine then it wasn’t. The helper made a steering adjustment. So I’ll take down a building. All my maps are in winter now so I’ll have to wait and see.

Good to know I’m not crazy. Well, at least regarding the RTK station.

[LittleWatt]

Looney Farm Guy on YouTube has tested all PF equipment. Take a look at the results.

I’ll take a look, thanks.

[LittleWatt]

Interesting tests by LooneyFarmGuy. Time and product usage was nearly identical, certainly not enough to matter in a time drain like Farming Simulator. And those differences aren’t enough to make up the cost of the RTK placement for a considerable amount of time. Oddly, Driver53 also did a test and saw significant time differences.

But while I’m here…what about the “must plow” crops? Does it actually need done. I’m prepping for a huge corn focused run on Westbridge Hills. I’ve already decided stones would be disabled. Until a mod for consoles becomes available to significantly change the stone harvest, I’m in no way picking stones off those large fields after every harvest. I could turn off periodic plowing but I don’t think that’s impacts corn, potatoes, and sugar beets.

[PrincessJessi84]

Its funny to me. I have been playing since launch and managed to avoid almost every single bug. I'm pretty sure the only real difference between me and players who experience a higher number of bugs is hired help. I never use it. Seems like this is another to cross of the list of "cant duplicate, report closed"

Seriously, I'm only partly serious. I know there are a lot of causes for various issues but I have managed to avoid most of them simply by doing the work myself.

[LittleWatt]

I’m not sure it’s actually a bug. I think it’s just game design limitations. There are other things I’ve noticed with AI function. When you send them on a drive, they drive like the other AI drivers except for two things: vehicles and speed. User vehicles aren’t the same coding as the Traffic, but the helpers drive them this way. This is why they can’t seem to navigate the narrow roads with barricades going up and down the Alps. You can set your watch to the Helper Is Blocked warning and you find them driving up the barricade. The same happens when managing roundabouts. They don’t navigate it like it should be done because they’re not in AI vehicles. Simply watching them you can predict what is going to happen. Traffic cars are unmovable and are on rails. Tractors aren’t. But the Helpers try driving them this way. The turns are way too late, which leads to impacts with trees and railing. Reading the field is altogether a different beast. You can actually watch them read the field. Fields that aren’t square cause major issues. And rhomboid shaped fields are fearsome. If the help makes the turn on the end, and the field isn’t within range, because if it’s shape, the AI has finished the job. The distance calculations are correct but the field is missing thus job done. The only way I found to combat this is to square off the ends that aren’t square. Not just do a pass or two, but actually square off the ends.

From my understanding this version has a new game engine. Well, it’ll take some time to iron out these issues.

[PrincessJessi84]

Same engine with a mostly fresh coat of paint. It would take a big part of their ENTIRE budget and probs 5-10 years to produce a new engine that's even capable of doing what the current engine is. And using a different engine like unity won't work because unity doesn't support the features that make fs what it is.

[Tranceformer81]

But while I’m here…what about the “must plow” crops? Does it actually need done. I’m prepping for a huge corn focused run on Westbridge Hills. I’ve already decided stones would be disabled. Until a mod for consoles becomes available to significantly change the stone harvest, I’m in no way picking stones off those large fields after every harvest. I could turn off periodic plowing but I don’t think that’s impacts corn, potatoes, and sugar beets.

As far as I'm aware, plowing doesn't have an affect on PF score as you can direct drill after plowing and still get full tillage score.

As for yield penalty for plowing, I don't know. I plow after every harvest so I don't have to deal with weeds.

[LittleWatt]

I don’t think you loose points for plowing, but you don’t get points either. Might lose yield bonus for not plowing? I’ll have to test this. I’ll have to read the PF patch notes again to see if anything ties into plowing.