Field Stones - specifically the orange ones

[StoneTheCrows]

I've just bought a new field and typically it was full of rocks. They showed on the map as orange. Checking back through the forum no one seems to know what orange means, other than they might be 'medium-sized'.

So: field had just been harvested (potatoes). I tried a stone picker but it had no effect (wouldn't collect stones).

I mulched the field. Stones still showing orange. I tried the stone picker, but again no effect.

I ploughed the field. Part way through ploughing I happened to open the map. On the ploughed part of the field the stones now showed as red. On the unploughed part they were still showing orange.

Conclusion: ploughing turned orange stones red.

My theory about the colours:
1. Yellow - treat field with roller.
2. Red - treat field with stone picker.
3. Orange - field untreatable in it's current state.

So what I'm saying is colour doesn't represent stone size but rather the process to follow for treating a field with stones.

[reider]

If you have any you cannot get rid of then try painting them with grass. Finally plough or cultivate them.

[RomeoLimaEcho]

But I think color means qty, yellow = less, red = much, not sure.
Stones only pop out just after plowed or cultivated, after then stone picker works.

[Tiger313]

It's something I would class as a bug, and it should be fixed. Whether they fix the mechanism or the text in the stone picking help section, that's up to Giants Software. But leaving it like this is rather lazy of them, because it clearly isn't working as advertised.

@Reider: You CAN get rid of the orange ones, but it requires you to plough the field, which in turn turns the orange rocks red. Which is annoying, since in the Help section in-game, under Improving yield > Stone picking, it clearly states that "All stones, no matter the size, can be collected with a stone picker, and sold at a debris crusher." No one is talking about "you have to plough the field first", it's either roll or pick.

@RomeoLimaEcho: No, stone colour is stone size, according to Giants Software. With yellow being small stones, which you can roll into the field, orange being medium sized rocks and red being large sized rocks, both of which should be picked. But currently you cannot pick the orange ones, so you have to plough the field first, even if it doesn't require ploughing.

[Decriptus]

I've also had this issue. The fields that are purchased that have existing stones are unpickable, you need to plow or cultivate to make the stones yours. I'm guessing they coded it the same way as contract straw or something similar

[Rasping rabbit]

I found when I tried soon after release that you can only pick stones when the field is in a certain state, generally after plowing/cultivating. After seeding for example you can roll the stones in, but I couldn’t pick them up with a stone picker.

[humbe]

Sounds like a bug that you can't pick them up. Different activities make different sized stones.. I think maybe subsoiling create medium ones. Pretty sure I have picked up medium stones at some point in the game.. But as suggested above, maybe it's a bug related to buying a field already having stones, and the stones not counting as "yours" before you have worked the land.

Stones are annoying, so currently I'm using a direct drill to avoid using cultivator that creates stones..

On the other hand, the stones don't do much at all.. They just make your vehicles paint condition worse faster, but that gets down to nothing in no time anyhow, and way too expensive to repaint it, so you just get to steady state a bit faster..

[Mwal]

All they affect is paint? If rocks are ruining the paint on you’re planter or cultivator you might be using it upside down haha

[humbe]

All they affect is paint? If rocks are ruining the paint on you’re planter or cultivator you might be using it upside down haha

As far as my testing went some time ago, all they effect is paint condition, yes.. Though, I dislike seeing them, so I feel I need to clean up anyhow..

[Mwal]

Seems like a weird way to implement damage as they’re much more of a threat mechanically, I’ve never not picked them so I guess you learn something new every day

[Earnest Pea]

My theory about the colours:
1. Yellow - treat field with roller.
2. Red - treat field with stone picker.
3. Orange - field untreatable in it's current state.

So what I'm saying is colour doesn't represent stone size but rather the process to follow for treating a field with stones.

Just bought a new field which showed orange state for field stones. Recalling your post, I was concerned that might involve some extra work. I decided to give the stone picker a shot first, though. Cleared the field of stones without a problem.

This is a map that I started before the most recent patch. I'm not sure if starting a new map would behave differently. Could it be that you've got a mod conflict?

I also had a brief look at the tutorial page for stones. Giants list them as small, medium, and big.

NOTE: Just noticed that your post is an older post. Feel free to ignore this.

[strauts6]

I've just bought a new field and typically it was full of rocks. They showed on the map as orange. Checking back through the forum no one seems to know what orange means, other than they might be 'medium-sized'.

So: field had just been harvested (potatoes). I tried a stone picker but it had no effect (wouldn't collect stones).

I mulched the field. Stones still showing orange. I tried the stone picker, but again no effect.

I ploughed the field. Part way through ploughing I happened to open the map. On the ploughed part of the field the stones now showed as red. On the unploughed part they were still showing orange.

Conclusion: ploughing turned orange stones red.

My theory about the colours:
1. Yellow - treat field with roller.
2. Red - treat field with stone picker.
3. Orange - field untreatable in it's current state.

So what I'm saying is colour doesn't represent stone size but rather the process to follow for treating a field with stones.

There are no bugs here, reason why you were not able to pick them is because field has to be plowed or cultivated state,