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."

Comments

3D Engine

[BrookHarty]

These guys buy their 3d engines from Destineer Studios, who made the Halo engine. Guess it could be one kick ass tractor game.

Re:3D Engine

[Anonymous Coward]

These guys buy their 3d engines from Destineer Studios, who made the Halo engine. Guess it could be one kick ass tractor game.

That, or it could be the ultimate redneck FPS... John Deere Hunter.

The Straight game

[InsaneCreator]

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?

Cool

[Senator Bozo]

This sounds just like Warcraft, but without fighting, more base management and rednecks instead of orcs. ;)

Re:Cool

[MoonFog]

and rednecks instead of orcs

The difference is.. ?

Re:Cool

[Quill_28]

You must live in the city.

Farmers are not rednecks. Rednecks are not farmers.

Most farmers don't think that getting drunk every weekend is fun.

Most have family, kids, and could work your butt off any day of the week.

The list and differences go on.

Cool, but.....

[Steve Cox]

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

Re:Cool, but.....

[Inda]

As for the dogs - well I wouldn't be too surpised if something similar happens in the UK - farm owners will generally own shotguns to protect livestock from foxes etc.

I spent the first 18 years of my life in a British farming village. Farmers would shoot dogs that were harassing sheep regularly (once or twice a year). The locals, often Londoners in their weekend homes, would complain to deaf ears. I know a single sheep was worth hundreds of pounds to the farmer - they had no qualms about shooting them.

I wouldn't be so quick to be disrespectful to the travellers... They removed 2 trees from my garden for 200 GBP last year. Most people wanted 400 GBP. What they did with the trees afterwards is anyone's guess (stuck them in a farmer's field is my guess).

Childhood dream come true

[Hungus]

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.

SimFarm

[BigZaphod]

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..

Re:Farm simulator

[Ford Prefect]

Nah, they need to tailor it to match the discerning tastes of today's online FPS player.

Behold - l33t f4rm3r!

Jump into your nitro-boosted tract0r and race round the generic post-apocalyptic countryside idyll, chasing off campers with your laser shotgun! Powerups, headshots and sh33p await those who can master the 'g1t 0rf m01 l4nd!!1' gameplay! Collect the EU-subsidy Quad-bike Damage and obliterate your evil foes the supermarkets - and maybe, just maybe, capture control of the elusive c0mb1ne h4rvest0r, and win the game!

Ahem.

tract0r!!1

How long will it be...

[howman]

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?

Farmer 2: Dept of Agriculture

[Bluesman]

Manage a farm, or even two, while fighting to maintain subsidies that will ensure that your alfalfa is profitable.

Fun for the whole family!

My thoughts

[Jediman1138]

I remember years ago when I was 5, I discovered SimFarm for our Mac Classic and bought it because I lived on a farm and thought my dad was the greatest guy in the world. I remember showing it to him the first time and he said it was harder than actual farming.

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.

____________________________________________

Simpsons Did It!

[Bravo_Two_Zero]

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.

Re:How realistic?

[hoggoth]

> Does it get into all the icky details of raising livestock that would be inappropriate to describe in detail on slashdot?

I've read descriptions of people having sex with livestock here on Slashdot. So I am wondering what sick detail you could possibly be talking about that is worse than that. I thought I had a sick imagination, but congratulations dtfinch, you've stumped me.

yeah...

[Rage Maxis]

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!