Farmcon 2021 and a lot of news about the new Farming Simulator 22

The three-day Farmcon 2021 event is over. During that, we learned a lot of news from Farming Simulator 22.

About God Where do you start? During the three-day event dedicated to Farming Simulator 22, we learned about the new map, details of the new game engine, the mechanism of seasons, production, construction and new things to breed. Let’s start with the game engine. Visually, the game has seen a significant improvement. A new tissue-creation technology has been used to create materials called Parallax Occlusion Mapping. This technique consists of two steps. The first is to reduce a 3D element to a 2D texture, a bit like assembling geometric models in math lessons. The second step is to overlay the elevation map, which will give the depth of the 2D image.

In the game, this is noticeable in the texture of the ground and the wheels, which look more realistic. In addition, it allows for a more accurate presentation of the grain. Now the wind can move individual sections of the field, giving a more realistic impression. The giants literally managed to give them life. Vehicle models have also been improved, more precisely their animations. For example, pneumatic booms on trailers now unfold like in real life, section by section, not all at once.

The second huge change concerns the audio engine. This has also undergone a major transformation. Let’s start with the tractors themselves. Much of the conference was devoted to how the engine sound changes with gear selected, the weight of what we pull behind us and the surface. The sounds in the cabin are now significantly better than in the previous parts. It is directional and more detailed. The keyboards squeak, the seat makes noise, the wipers have a characteristic rubber squeak on the glass. Other sounds in the game are not forgotten. Eventually the sound of cutting trees will sound after they are cut down. The machine will have the proper sounds of hydraulics, metal rubbing, and the like. In addition, they will be different depending on the direction of the procedure being performed. So we hear a different set of sounds when you unlock the device, and a different set of sounds.

Game changes

It’s all great and affects the realism of the game, but it’s not something that makes me run to buy the game. I thought so, after the first trailer and first blog posts. Some visuals and integrated seasons mood (more on that in a moment). Three days into the conference, I changed my mind.

The game will finally get the option to switch gearbox from automatic to manual. I don’t know how this function will work on consoles. During the presentation, the commander played the console, but unfortunately said that the manual gearbox was too difficult for him and did not show how this mechanism looked in practice.

seasons

We know about the introduction of seasons into the game from the first trailer. What is offered appears to be identical to what the mod offers today. Well, even the interface is confusingly similar. For those who have never dealt with this situation. Seasons will bring seasons to the game instead of eternal summer. In winter, nothing grows and we have to remove the snow from the farm. We can’t plant grain when we want to. The same goes for assembly. This adds another element of complexity to the game and adds variety to it. We can be sure that introducing this mod as part of the game will reduce bugs, especially with snow on the roofs.

Produce

Factories in the game aren’t new either. For some time now, modifications have allowed us to build buildings that transform our products into another. Thus it gives us another source of income and another item to play with. Now production paths will form the basis of the game, thus unifying this mechanism. Operating the factories themselves is simple. There are different points of sale on the map. After purchasing it, we can not only sell our products in it, but also can convert it into other products. For example, in the mill, we can turn the grain into flour, which will appear on the pallet. We can sell flour or buy a bakery and turn it into bread. Some factories will have more than one recipe to make, for example, the bakery in question may also produce a track. This does not require one product, it requires many. We will also be able to build factories on our farm.

Greenhouses will also change. Now they will not bring passive income, but we will actually get products from them, such as strawberries.

building

The construction mechanism has been completely rebuilt. We’ll get a new interface that’s supposed to be easier to use. The creators promise a very rich list of buildings (including Polish producers) and decorations to be erected. There is also a new tool for building fences and more. Just draw the line and bloom the fence. No more section-by-section setup. In the same way, we will also grow new fruits for the harvest: olives and grapes.

new pills

Olives and grapes are two of the three new fruits in the game. The third is sorghum, and the process of sowing and harvesting will not differ from other demolitions. As I said before, grape and olive bushes will be “planted” on the slate of the building, leaving enough distance between them for a tractor to drive. Weeds should be removed from the space between the bushes and planted.

new map

New Farming Simulator means new maps. As far as I wasn’t mistaken, this time we’ll start with three: European, Alpine, and American. The latter was presented during the conference. Elmcreek, because that’s the name of this fictional website. This time there will be no ocean, town and mountains. The map is largely harmonious, flat, and in a mid-state style.