FS22: Elmcreek: The new US map
At this year’s FarmCon, you got to see more of Elmcreek, our brand-new map inspired by North FS22 American Maps landscape in the Midwest. In case you missed our in-depth presentation, you can watch it below to get even more excited about the release of Farming Simulator 22 on November 22nd!
Senior Level Designer Florian Busse from GIANTS Software explains how Elmcreek came to – where the inspiration was taken from, why the layout of the farm and fields are the way they are, and more! Find the most important facts and brand-new impressions below, too!
What’s different from Ravenport?
The most obvious difference compared to Ravenport, the US map in Farming Simulator 19: The flat landscape has no coastline. Instead, Elmcreek has a hidden canyon with a cave, which contains big rocks, embedded seamlessly into the landscape.
In the “flat” area, you’ll also notice slight increases and decreases in elevation. So you can drive under our railroad line, which goes straight through the land with its underpasses, and you can even drive over it when you come across the railroad bridge or some of the various other bridges on the map that go above rivers and streams.
What else is there to discover?
The focus of Elmcreek is on vast areas of farmland. It’s basically a large industrial area with some residential areas and businesses. There are still spurs of infrastructure reminiscent of a large town on the map. There’s a gas station, various small businesses, residential areas, even a baseball stadium, and a bowling center. But also, if you pay close attention, there are some spots to discover that are even special to the seasonal cycles in the game.
How does the farm layout look like?
We decided to place the farm in the middle of the map, so that players can spread out to all sides and have all the possibilities to create their own unique farm. To do this, we reduced the number of additional decorative buildings in the farm area and decided to make the buildings open and accessible. This way, you have more space for your own buildings, without those that you don’t need getting in your way.
Both the garage and barn interiors feature multiple levels. You can drive into the buildings and store your vehicles there. The barn can also be used as a storage room for pallets, big bags or other items you need for farm operations. Forklifts and other small vehicles will fit through most of the doors.
What about field shapes and sizes?
The fields may seem small at the beginning of your career. But remember: in the beginning, you won’t have much money. And the bigger the field, the higher the costs. In total, there are 81 predefined fields on Elmcreek, more than we’ve had before. But we still have the larger fields typical for the region. And as always, you will have the ability to merge or create fields at your own discretion. Use a plow with create fields enabled and use your imagination to create your own unique landscape in Elmcreek.
If you look at the map, you will notice that many various field shapes exist. Some have rounded off edges, some are shaped completely differently. This is to provide a more authentic alignment with the infrastructure and a believable embedding. That also means: You’ll have to be more efficient and do some additional things. You’ll have to cut trees, combine fields and adjust the field shape so that the helpers are of good help to you. You determine the best way for your farm to be efficient.
How does it work in multiplayer?
If you explore the map and go to its corners, you will see farms that you can use in multiplayer mode. They have the same layout concept as the starter farm, with small fields in proximity. The surrounding fields make them an ideal starting area with opportunities to expand later. You can, of course, build your own farms however you wish on any land that you own on the map.
