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John Deere American Farmer - The Game
Thanks to GameSpot for its story discussing the new release of agriculture-themed PC videogame John Deere American Farmer, "the first game to be licensed by agricultural equipment manufacturer Deere & Company", which "charges players with establishing and maintaining a successful farm." The official videogame site has much more information on this Harvest Moon-esque value-price PC title with a great box cover, noting the player must "overcome bug infestations, unpredictable weather and disgruntled employees", all the while "purchasing and controlling authentic John Deere branded equipment - tractors, combines, planters, cultivators and more."
These guys buy their 3d engines from Destineer Studios, who made the Halo engine. Guess it could be one kick ass tractor game.
Does it require you to take a 260-mile trip across state border on a Jon Deere lawn mower/small tractor to visit your brother you haven't seen for the last ten years?
This sounds just like Warcraft, but without fighting, more base management and rednecks instead of orcs. ;)
Y'all be insulted now, ya hear?
I'd play it, as long as it's not a mere excuse for John Deere promotion.
The way I see it, gameplay could consist of a real simulation of the farming business/activities or a simple "make money so you can buy a kickass tractor which in turn will be the equivalent of a 4X powerup".
No sig
Looking at the game feature is appears to be missing a couple of important items you would have to deal with:
1. GM crop protestors attempting to destroy your crops whilst wearing fake biohazard suits (do you get these people in the US?)
2. Travellers setting up their caravans on your land, leaving rubbish around & allowing their dogs to attack your livestock. (is this another UK thing?)
Yep. If it had these, I'd buy it right away!
Steve
This would be a childhood dream come true. Spending the summer on my Grandad's farm in NW Georgia. I just wish you could choose other tractors like my GD's Allis Chalmers Model C Maybe there could be a side game where you have to run the piglets out of the corn field and the only way you can tell where they are is by watching the tops of the 6 ft corn move. Scary thing is I am not joking.
Bad Panda! No Bamboo for you! In matters of importance ACs will not be responded to. Want to say something critical,OK
Sounds maybe a bit like SimFarm... My girlfriend was just playing it tonight, too. Fun old game.. old... Gosh.. I remember when it was a modern game! Wow..
Hexy - a strategy game for iPhone/iPod Touch
You know, the one where you have to use your families collection of John Deere 9mm's to protect from Globalist Food Corporations hell-bent on using their genetic 'sciences' to control plant growth and maximize profits while forcing the 'average american farmer' to bend over and take their perfect bug-killing irreproducible corn right up the Deere-y Air, whether they like it or not ...
Yup. Thats a game I'm excited to play^H^H^H^Hwaste my life away at...
; -- the corruption of government starts with its secrets. a truly free people keep no secrets. --
Do the John Deere products break down often, as they do in real life?
And don't tell me I'm wrong about them doing that. My grandfather has a farm and constantly has to have work done to his tractors.
Not a Twitter sockpuppet... but I wish I was.
I noticed it has livestock. Does it get into all the icky details of raising livestock that would be inappropriate to describe in detail on slashdot?
...and disgruntled employees
I've had enough of this, I'm going Agricultural on yo' ass!
Brocklesby Park Cricket Club
before Caterpiller gets into the action? I am really supprised that none of the auto manufacturers have not put out their own games. I mean, you buy a mini van and it comes with a tv screen now, and some of them come with playstations... so how far is it for General motors, or Ford to use some of thier profits to create a game to go with the car...
I guess the one down side could be that they will want to keep everything proprietary just like their on board computer diognostics...
Good for Deer, anyone know if the option gun rack on their utility 4 X 4's comes loaded in the game for "killin' them there gaters"? or shotin' up some dinner?
flinging poop since 1969
GM crop protestors attempting to destroy your crops whilst wearing fake biohazard suits (do you get these people in the US?)
You're kidding, right?
These people are everywhere, dude - they're like cockroaches.Or what you might call "frogs"...
[PS: You don't s'pose that's genetically modified corn in them thar Taco shells, do ya'?]
Manage a farm, or even two, while fighting to maintain subsidies that will ensure that your alfalfa is profitable.
Fun for the whole family!
If moderation could change anything, it would be illegal.
I'm not into farming or anything like it, but I think a tractor farming game is way over due.
I don't think he was used to playing sim games.
Anyways, I honestly can't see this game ever having any commercial success. It looks like it is destined to become one of those bargain sub $20 Wal-Mart games. Farming doesn't attract mainstream gamers.
____________________________________________
nothing.can.stop.me.now
Oh my gawd, it's the "Virtual Reality Yard Work Simulator" from the Simpsons:
http://www.snpp.com/episodes/5F08
Homer: Ooh, ooh, I want to see Lobster Boy and Shrimp Girl!
Lisa: I want some fried sugar!
Bart: I want to go to the Yard Work Simulator.
Marge: But when I ask you to do yard work... [Marge sighs heavily]
Still, I'll consider getting it for my dad.
Amateurs discuss tactics. Professionals discuss logistics.
while it's possible that this game could turn out to be a lot of fun (I'm not betting on it), I doubt it will be able to capture the quaint feeling of the harvest moon games.
While Harvest Moon involved farming, the game was more of a life sim than a farming sim. Growing crops was not inherently challenging, and wasn't intended to be. Instead the challenge came from balancing work, socializing, and recreation. Planting enough crops to be able to pay for that new house edition, or buy a horse, while still having enough free time to go fishing, collect wood, explore the forests and mountains, and chat with the towns people.
The game gives a real feeling of deep down satisfaction and contentment when you finally get that special someone to marry you, have a child, and are running a smooth farming operation while having time to spend with your spouse and child, and getting to attend the fairs and festivles and visit your friends in the town.
Somewhat offtopic, I would love to see a MMORPG version of Harvest Moon, where there would be 1 town for every 30 or so people, and you could travel between towns. People could farm or run other businesses and the players would be the townsfolk.
Famous Last Words: "hmm...wikipedia says it's edible"
I see CmdrTaco posed for the box cover.
Invalid Checksum. Retrying.
...does it has a scenario where you must protect your smokin' hot daughter from random traveling salesmen whose cars had broken down near your farm?
The game features a virtual benefit concert by Willie Nelson and John Cougar Mellencamp when your farm tanks and the loan payment comes due.
Political correctness is the newest form of slavery.
What aspect of farming does it simulate? The "getting up before the sun to do mindless chores"? The "growing corn because the government pays you to" part? The "having to sell the family farm to the huge agribusiness" part? The "paying Monsanto through the nose every single year for GM seeds"? The "getting an arm caught in a thresher"? The "doing unnatural things to livestock so that profits are maximized" part?
I'm really annoyed by the advertising embedded in everything today, but at least this game is honest about it. But by using a real brand, they blow away the suspension of disbelief for me. The only thing I think would make a less fun computer game than my job is a fake farming job.
But hey, that's just my rant.
It doesn't even makes sense to have a video game about it
:)
If you didn't mention the second paragraph it may have been modded funny
.
It's a good idea for a mod:
John Deere: South American Farmer.
In which you:
Plant weed and poppies etc.
Micromanage an underworld economy
Let your goons compete in drug filled c0nd0m eating competitions
Negotiate with other drug lords with the possibilty of major injuries!
Stop Governmnent troops from burning your crops
Stop Delta Force from planting laser designators on your sheds.
Charter tractor transports into Mexico, no plane for me ive got me a Deere!
My Uncle thought it was entertaining when people thought he was a "dumb redneck". He had a law degree, realtor's license, taught courses at the university, ran his own farm, owned a bunch of real estate, and always seemed to have several successful part-time businesses in operation. He may have looked like a redneck, but he was one of the smartest businessmen that I've ever known.
Mea navis aericumbens anguillis abundat
HAHA Farmers are Teh Stup1d HAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!
"overcome bug infestations, unpredictable weather and disgruntled employees"
They forgot, 'and incredibly boring gameplay'
E.
Never rub another man's rhubarb - The Joker
Is that in the game?
But seriously in terms of ease of use vs serious simulation I think the Harvest Moon series has it hands down.. I can sit there for hours just tending my farm and raising chickens not to mention its got some action and RPG elements tacked on for good measure.
Great Game!
"Slashdot, where telling the truth is overrated but lying is insightful."
okay, so I downloaded it, blatantly pirating of course, and tried it out.
Having grown up on a farm, I noticed there were many concepts totally missing.
I.e. manure management (and the ability to use manure as fertilizer), custom cropping, equipment RENTAL, pig farrowing, etc.
The next problem is that the game is so damn limited in terms of what you can buy and what you can do it is repetitive in under an hour. Wow! I can get a slightly bigger tractor! and 4 different leisure activity items which can't even be used!
The game is too limited to be fun.
Sim Farm was funner.
You just know this is exemplifying the trends the corporations are pushing in farming - you need to own $500K worth of equipment to even start, you need to be a million in debt to the bank, and lots of chemicals and fertilizers are the best solution to crops!
--- ask me about nihilism, I will have nothing to tell you.
You cab allready ask for a free copy of the Toyota Prius demo of Grant Turismo 4.
It also happenes to be the only way you can play GT4 on an stock PS2 right now till the full game comes out in November.
The Demo though is quite boring, and only worth maybe an hour of gameplay at most.
You just know this is exemplifying the trends the corporations are pushing in farming - you need to own $500K worth of equipment to even start, you need to be a million in debt to the bank, and lots of chemicals and fertilizers are the best solution to crops!
Darn, hadn't I spent my mod points already, you would have got an "+1 Insightful"!
Excellence: Moderate (mostly affected by comments on your karma)
Game description
Demo download
The Tlog - a technology blog
I have been trying to remember that movie for years now . . . the ending, when it comes, is wonderful. Now, just to ruin it for people (trust me, you don't want to wait for the movie to finish, it goes slower than the tractor-literally) he meets his brother, they say goodbye, and the credits roll.
this should be an online game. they take the best people from it and hook them up to actual tractors, and then fire all the farmers. all the work gets done, no extra pay.
to the extreme!
word!