1. Farming Simulator 25
  2. News

Farming Simulator 25 News

Preview - New Crop: Rice & Long Grain Rice

Here’s the thing about rice in Farming Simulator 25: Not all rice is the same. There are two different types - long grain rice and what we just call “rice”. How about we take a closer look at the differences between them?


[h2]Rice Types[/h2]




Rice and long grain rice need different water levels, machines to sow and harvest, and seeds, of course. Long grain rice isn’t sown in water like the other one. Instead, the rice paddy for long grain rice gets flooded AFTER the sowing, not before. But let's start at the beginning!


[h2]Rice Paddies[/h2]




Both types of rice are planted or sown in rice fields (also called rice paddies) - that’s a special type of field deepened to allow for water retention. That's why you require open space on your land.

Via the build menu, you start the creation process. Instead of just placing down a field, you can shape it in any size or form.




[h2]Rice Greenhouses[/h2]




This one is optional - you can buy saplings at the dealership. Or you build a special greenhouse dedicated to cultivating rice saplings. If your agricultural ambitions rely on increased rice production, you should look at growing them yourself.




[h2]Planting & Harvesting Rice[/h2]


Here's the equipment you need to plant and harvest rice: You need a tractor, a cultivator, a specialized rice planter as well as a harvester, and a trailer. Some lime should also be in storage - but for the end of the whole process. Rice fields are pre-limed when you build them, which is why you don't need to apply it in the beginning.



Activate the water pump to flood the field, then plant the saplings. Since the rice planter will take care of fertilization, you don’t need an additional fertilizer spreader like with other crops.

The pump will automatically provide the correct amount of water. Just check your water pump daily to maintain the proper level, or you will lose seedlings and yield. All the water will be soaked up by the thirsty plants by the end of the growth cycle.



When the rice is mature, harvest it and decide whether to sell it, store it, or process it into products. To grow another batch of rice, apply lime to the field and cultivate the paddy after harvesting. Lime is only needed after a few harvests. Check the field info to see if it is needed!


[h2]Sowing & Harvesting Long Grain Rice[/h2]


With long grain rice, you don’t need any water to sow your plant just yet. Long grain rice is sown dry. Just fill your seeder with seeds and start sowing one row after another until the whole paddy is covered.



After that, you flood the rice field and need to maintain different water levels at different growth stages. Don’t worry, the pump will only allow just the right amount of water. Check your water pump daily to maintain the proper level. If you don’t, you will lose some of your rice saplings.



Once the plant is ready to harvest and has consumed all the fresh, yummy water, just head over to your harvester and hop in! Your standard combine with a grain header will do the job.



Sell it, store it, or process it further at select production plants. But we’re not done yet! To cultivate another batch of rice, apply lime to the field and cultivate the paddy with a cultivator.

[h2]Growth Stages[/h2]


[h3]Rice[/h3]


[h3]Long Grain Rice[/h3]


[h2]Coming Soon on the Blog: Maybe Goats[/h2]
[h3]Stay tuned![/h3]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2300320/Farming_Simulator_25/

Preview - New Crop: Green Beans

Green beans are delicious and nutritious. The pods, the seeds, everything is edible, if prepared correctly. Steamed, boiled, fried, baked, roasted - you name it. Throw them in a soup, roll'em up in bacon, or add them to your favorite fried rice recipe.

Because green beans are awesome, we add them to Farming Simulator 25. Starting November 12th, you can plant and harvest them on your virtual fields. Take a look!


[h2]Let's spill the beans[/h2]




Between April and June, it's green bean seeding time. With 280 liters of seed per hectare when spilling the beans on the field, you can expect a yield of up to 13,950 liters in return four months later.



Depending on economic difficulty, an average selling price of $2160 per thousand liters is offered after harvesting between August and November.

Of course, you can not only sell the beans, but deliver them to factories to process them. We'll take a look at new products and production chains another time.


[h2]... and harvest'em![/h2]


When summer draws to a close and Fall begins, your green beans will be ready to harvest. Using a specialized harvester, you bring the crop in. Oh, and look at that, OXBO offers just the right machine to do that - the BP2140e:




[h2]Growth Stages[/h2]


To identify which state your green beans are in, either take a look at the overview in the menu - or learn how to visually check them out. You know, like a real farmer. Here are the different stages of growth...




[h2]Do you know about spinach in FS25?[/h2]

More info in our spinach preview and the video below!
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]



Coming Soon on the Blog: A trip to Asia
Stay tuned!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2300320/Farming_Simulator_25/

Preview - New Crop: Peas

Peas are a symbol of their season, as they are among the first crops you can plant in Spring. That's why they represent renewal and growth in some cultures.

Also representing renewal and growth: Farming Simulator 25. So why not combine the both? Here's an open secret for you: Peas are coming to the game when it launches November 12th!


[h2]Pea Time![/h2]




In March or April, you take your seeder and put out about 250 liters of seed per hectare to look forward to a yield of about 9,600 liters in return.

With an average selling price of $3119 per thousand liters (depending on difficulty), you need to be ready to harvest in July and September at the latest.



[h2]When You Need to Pea Harvest[/h2]


Mind, that you need a specialized harvester for our green little friends - the OXBO EPD540E. It's a self-propelled pea harvester and fun to operate.



Of course you can not only sell the peas directly, but deliver them to select factories to start a production chain. Stay tuned for more information on new productions in the future!


[h2]Growth Stages[/h2]


See how the peas on your fields look. Spoiler: if it looks like the last one, it's game over for the season and your peas have withered.



[h2]Coming Soon on the Blog: Green Beans![/h2]
[h3]To be continued...[/h3]


https://store.steampowered.com/app/2300320/Farming_Simulator_25/

Preview: Water Buffalos + Interview with our Lead Character Artist

You like hoofed, ruminant mammals? Nice. We add water buffalos to the ensemble of farm animals. You've already seen them in past trailers and screenshots, but let's take another look at one of the new animal types for Farming Simulator 25. We also chat with Roman Pelypenko, our Lead Character Artist. Check the interview below. And don't forget to preorder!


[h2]Why Water Buffalos are Awesome[/h2]
[h3]Strong, But Low-Maintenance[/h3]






  • Water Buffaloes adapt to harsher environments: Hot and humid? No problem. That's why they feel at home in South/East Asia, for example. Ideal creatures to keep on our new, Asian map! In many cultures, they're also significant symbols for prosperity.
  • They're high-performance lawn mowers: Grass-eating animals? Not that special. Un-bull-ievable, but true: in Farming Simulator 25, your fields of grass will be cut by grazing livestock. Not just the water buffaloes.
  • They're valuable milk producers: Water buffalo milk is especially rich in fat, protein, and minerals, making it ideal for producing dairy products. Which you can, too.
  • They're social, gentle, and smart: Despite their size and strength, water buffaloes are generally gentle and social animals. They form strong bonds with their herd and handlers and often show a calm and docile temperament.



[h2]New Products & Productions[/h2]
[h3]Make Some Mozzarella![/h3]





Water buffaloes are mainly used to produce milk. You can of course also keep them for breeding and selling for a profit when dairy production is either not your thing.

But, as buffalo milk and mozzarella are in high demand, you might want to go for it and deliver the fresh milk to new production sites for processing.


[h2]Ba-Ba-Baby Buffalos[/h2]
[h3]How Cute[/h3]





By the age of 18 months, water buffalos are matured. That's when they start producing milk. And offspring. They also start reproducing, and tiny baby buffaloes will soon appear in your pastures. Look at how cute they are!



When you buy them from the local animal farmer, you can either get some fresh and cute water buffalos or strong and mighty ones. She can also give you some more information on how water buffalos are properly handled on your farm.


[h2]Bonus from Behind the Scenes[/h2]
[h3]Talking to Roman, Lead Character Artist[/h3]





Roman, walk us through your creative process when designing a new animal. How do you start? What are the key steps? Roman: The process begins with creating a comprehensive reference list from real-life animals to study their anatomy, behavior, and movement patterns in detail. Once this research phase is complete, we move on to crafting high-poly models using sculpting software like ZBrush.



The next step involves preparing a low-poly model with accurate topology, making it ready for the texturing phase.



In Substance Painter, we bake the intricate details from the high-poly model onto the low-poly version and begin painting the textures. At this stage, the model is complete, but the next phase involves bringing it to life through animation.



What kind of research do you do before starting to model an animal? What is important to keep in mind? Roman: Before we begin modeling an animal, it’s important to find good reference, and have a good understanding of the animal's anatomy. Since the sculpting is done by hand, it's easy to make small errors in such complex structures.

That's why we do multiple iterations of checking at each stage. To ensure accuracy, we carefully study every aspect, from the bone structure and muscle alignment and even the tiniest details, like the pores on the nose.




What challenges do you face when animating animals, especially when it comes to creating realistic movements?
Roman: Animation is a challenging process because it involves bringing a static model to life. The real test is making sure the animal's character shines through in the animation, allowing viewers to feel its personality and natural movements.



How do you ensure that the animal interacts correctly with other game elements, such as the environment or other animals? Roman: The game features a system developed to ensure animals interact correctly by keeping them within a defined space where they're aware of each other's positions.

What is an aspect that you are particularly proud of? What was unique or challenging about it?

Roman: I'm particularly proud of the final integration of the animals into the game. It's incredibly rewarding to see them evolve from initial concepts into living creatures with their own unique personalities.



https://store.steampowered.com/app/2300320/Farming_Simulator_25/

Weather Change: Twisters & Hail With a Chance of Fog (Preview)

In Riverbend Springs and multiple other locations around the world, the weather is predicted to change more often. As we look at darkening clouds in the sky, listening to the wind, the farmers closing in, one can notice clear signs that some weather is on the way.



An August summer night, local farmers and residents are encouraged to take general precautions. But first, learn more in the following weather report and don’t forget to pre-order Farming Simulator 25 - coming November 12th!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2300320/Farming_Simulator_25/

 
[h2]A Twister’s In The Air[/h2][h3]Farmers Feel It Everywhere[/h3]



On a glory night, where the children of tomorrow dream away, farmers might notice the winds changing. We're expecting a light twister to touch down in a few areas. It shouldn't be anything too severe, but it’s always wise to take precautions and secure any unroofed bales, just in case.



 
[h2]Hail Is Coming Down[/h2][h3]Bales Are Closing In[/h3]

Some hail is also predicted to hit. The good news is, after these brief disturbances, the skies will clear up, and we’ll see the sun shining brightly once again. This weather event will pass, and we’ll be back to calm and sunny conditions before you know it.




[h2]Watch The Crops[/h2][h3]The Trees & The Bales[/h3]

Once the storm passes, local farmers are advised to inspect their fields for any destruction and assess the impact on their crops. While twister fans may observe the weather spectacle from a safe distance, farmers cannot afford to be careless as all weather events bear the potential to destroy a portion of crops. 



In Riverbend Springs, we caught up with new-found farmer David, 36: “When all the other farmers were running around doing stuff to prepare, I did not think very much of it. I’m pretty new to all this, you know”. 

Having learned his lesson, the former white-collar worker lost about half of his crops on a rather tiny plot and all of his bales left out in the open. "Even my shed got damaged", he added, looking rather sad while proclaiming that mother nature added insult to injury. Relative to way bigger field sizes, other farmers got off lightly in comparison.



Meanwhile, the local lumberjack and forester of Riverbend Springs was not available for comment while tending to dead trees that were affected by the storm. "Some of us carry out essential duties. I must insist you grant me solitude while I tend to my fallen companions", he said in a grumpy tone, before adding: "I observed your cameraman indulging in refreshments. I strongly suggest you refrain from littering in the forest as you depart."


[h2]Watch The Sun Rise[/h2][h3]For Peace of Mind[/h3]

Instead, we got hold of retired farmer Walter, who shared his perspective on the recent weather changes. “Good weather always follows bad weather sooner or later,” says the 72-year-old farmer, reflecting on the shifting conditions. “Don’t know where all that thick fog suddenly comes from, though. Probably brought in with the Wind of Change.



When asked if he had any more farming wisdom to impart about the weather, Walter had a classic reply: “Let’s take a rain check.” We’ll be revisiting Riverbend Springs in November to see how the weather has impacted the local farming community. Maybe you want to visit yourself and ask the locals some questions.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2300320/Farming_Simulator_25/

[h2]Want More FS25? [/h2]

Want to know more about Farming Simulator 25? We bet you do. There are still a lot of things we have yet to reveal - so stay tuned for more in the weeks leading up to its release on November 12th. Check out our FarmCon presentations for more details!