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Farming Simulator 22 (2021)

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Released on November 22nd, 2021, Farming Simulator 22 is the latest iteration of the Farming Simulator series, not counting Farming Simulator 25, which isn't due out until November 12th of 2024. This may be the most extensive expansion of the game so far, with seasons supported natively, with the ability to play in genuine real-time, day by day throughout the year, as well as the ability to produce finished and semi-finished products via production chains. In line with the production chains, it is also now possible to purchase other businesses for this purpose, such as grist mills and bakeries.

However, another little-publicized feature of Farming Simulator 22 is its support for manual transmissions, allowing for a much more realistic driving experience. This mostly applies to tractors, of course, but it also applies to trucks, and by extension cars. Although no cars are included in the original game, it is possible to add them (in the usual bizarre American fashion, the only "cars" listed as such are trucks). These add on cars vary a lot in quality, mostly because it seems the Giants Software documentation isn't clear enough about how to implement the transmissions. Many of the add on vehicles are, in fact, undrivable, although to be fair the ones that I've featured in this video (without my corrections) are drivable, but flawed.

One other thing that I mention in the video, but don't get into, is that sound files seem to be very poorly implemented in this version of Farming Simulator, leading most developers to give up and use built-in sound files, with mixed results. It is at least the case that, in this version of the game, there are so many sound files built in that there are some choices. However, my favorite add on car, the AWM Beetle, has lost its authentic sounds from Farming Simulator 19.

However, the main topic of this video is how to correct, to a limited extent, the torque curves and gear ratios of the vehicles with manual transmissions to make them more drivable. I mostly utilize a Porsche 911 Turbo S as my test mule. This add on car is available from several sources, and is somewhat unusual among the add on Porsches for Farming Simulator in that it works already, albeit unrealistically. I haven't cited the developer because I'm not trying in any way to make them look bad. Some of the other Porsches (really most of them) are actually undrivable.

The Porsche 911 I've chosen is simply a good example of how the transmission settings in Farming Simulator can be improved, even if it is difficult to perfect the settings on non-diesel vehicles. It seems that, understandably, the Farming Simulator engine as of version 22 is optimized for diesel vehicles with heavy gearings. I also made a less successful attempt at correcting the gears and torque curve in the AWM Beetle, which already works in its existing form, but only with an automatic transmission, and arguably without enough power. I wanted to try adding a manual transmission because I'm so fond of the older version of the AWM Beetle for Farming Simulator 19.

Obviously, I haven't released any of these corrections to the public, as I don't have permission to release mods of mods. Instead, I'm releasing this video about how to improve the realism of the transmissions more generally. I'll be the first to admit my own work is flawed, as I'm laboring under the same disadvantages as other modders. As I say in the video, all of what I'm saying could prove irrelevant in Farming Simualtor 25, which is due out in November (see above), and which is said to use a completely new game engine, possibly with more versatility in what it can simulate.

As one final point, Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 makes a cameo appearance in this video, as I feel it illustrates the whole concept of gear ratios better than Farming Simulator. Indeed, Car Mechanic Simulator has a more technical focus, so in a way that's understandable.

I hope you all enjoy, and benefit from, this video. As I said, I don't know how relevant this will be once Farming Simulator 25 is out, but it will hopefully help along some corrections for version 22 in the meantime. Overall, I'm probably as much of a fan of version 22 as version 19, if not more so. I am also a fan of both mods featured in this video, whatever their current bugs, and hope to see them carried into the next version of Farming Simulator.