Giants Software tells us more about the upcoming Precision Farming Project mod. The previous post told us about the composition of soils and the need for the player to analyze it with a coring system hitched behind the John Deere Gator. We now know what this analysis will be used for.
PH values and nitrogen content
As we have seen, there will be, with this mod, four different types of soil (from sandy to clay). We can hope that depending on the structure, the player will be limited on the seeds to be planted. Anyway, 2 new variables will have to be taken into account: pH and nitrogen. Liming will finally be used for something!
Over time the soil tends to acidify. It will therefore be necessary to spread lime to raise the pH to approach neutral (7). As you can see in the screenshot below, the help window offers you to manage the quantity per hectare. A glance at the mini-map will tell you if you are spreading enough (or too much) lime.
For fertilization, the principle of operation is identical. We're just changing gear. It is now necessary to adjust the nitrogen content of the soil. Finally, the complete NPK system does not seem to have been retained and only nitrogen, the main component used by plants for their growth, comes into play. This is very good and it avoids having a too complex system like Cattle and Crops.
The economic impact
Of course all this additional work will directly impact the yields of your plots. The game becomes strategic, between time spent in the field or speed of harvest. We will have to find an between 2. In all cases, the gameplay will be significantly modified. Giants Software adds a preview, on the map, a counter, which you can reset, showing you the savings linked to your plot. All the costs are indicated there: fertilization, lime, labor, fuel, vehicle wear… with a total of the gains (or losses). In short, a really well thought out tool!
RTK, for more precision
The Giants Software blog post on precision farming ends with a note about the RTK system, the foundation of precision farming. It is noted that the workers will be able to take over the fertilization and liming provided that RTK beacons are positioned on the map. They take the form of a small station to be placed. Their coverage area is not yet specified.