I dont like the Ravenport map, but not for the same reason as most....

[Dastardly Daemon]

In my case, I dont mind the "run down" look. I realize that not all rural places in America look like this, but lets face it, my fellow Americans. There are some places that do.

No, I dont mind the choice of design aesthetic. I have an issue with all the other aspects of its design...

Compare it to felsbrun: starting farm is the best place (in both cases, since nearly EVERY other field is a poor place to build at) is centrally located. Raven port is in the corner, further away from everything.

Felsbrun, roads are wider, easier to navigate. Ravenport, narrow roads.

Felsbrun LOOKS better (not just "cleaner") and more vibrant.

Felsbrun trees are tall and skinny, easy targets for the tree harvesters. Ravenport is chock full of trees that cannot be harvested by the tree cutters, instead telling the player "tree is incompatible". Only the much shorter, much skinnier trees can be cut down with the machines, which seems a waste, when those same trees are the ones that would be ideal for a simple chainsaw.

Ravenport is TOTALY lacking in viable building sights with the exception of the starting farm location, which itself has a massive fenced in area in the DEAD center the player can do NOTHING with.The rest of the fields and property available is almost ENTIRELY on sloped, hilly, or rocky land, making structure placement VERY expensive at best, or impossible at worst. To be fair, Felsbrun doesnt have many great options either, but there are at least a few properties with some building space, especially field 15.

In addition, the starting farm in Ravenport has only 3 small fields, compared to Felsbrun's 2 modderate fields. Easily more profit to be had there.

Ultimatley, Ravenport just feels....lazy, by comparison to Felsbrun, in its overal design. I mean, I dont think ANYONE living there even has electricity! Why, do you ask? Take a look. Felsbrun? powerlines. The Mexican Mod map? powerlines. Ravenport? NO powerlines. There are electric poles around, sure, but there are NO lines connecting any of them.

I dont mind the design aesthetic, I mind that the overal desing is lazy.

[Eep²]

German developers = German map preference?

Felsbrun also has more loose logs lying around that can be picked up and sold. In Ravensport, I've only found loose logs around the starting farm.

[BlackHillsHntr]

What Mexican map are you referring to? If it's Estancia Lapacho that is South American. Get your geography reviewed my fellow American. Also, I'm not having much of a problem starting out on Ravenport. The key to small fields is using the right crops. I have one with Sugarcane and the other 3 fields are one of the same crop. Sure it takes a bit to get the farm going, but I am ready to buy some more fields now and just expand day by day. The power lines or lack of are noticable but definitely not affecting my farming. Also have two horses that will get me 100k soon. Then I will gradually buy more. Where I grew up we had to drive a ways to sell grain. We didn't have our farm smack dab in the middle of grain elevators and stores. We were essentially in a corner so to speak. So Ravenport is not totally unrealistic and just because the farm placement isn't to our advantage doesn't make it a bad map.

[🚦AlphaDiode🚦]

Just sell all the starter crap equipment, buildings and everything if on easy and move. You can even sell off the land plots for a nice chunk of change. Buy the equipment you want, the land you want and relocate. That's what I did.

[Silky Rough]

Originally posted by AlphaDiode™:

Just sell all the starter crap equipment, buildings and everything if on easy and move. You can even sell off the land plots for a nice chunk of change. Buy the equipment you want, the land you want and relocate. That's what I did.

You could start on Farm Manager. Same thing.

[brian_va]

its almost like they realized a week or so ago that they needed to make a second map for release. obviously i know thats not true, its just that it lacks the polish the german map has.

[🚦AlphaDiode🚦]

Originally posted by Silky Rough:

Originally posted by AlphaDiode™:

Just sell all the starter crap equipment, buildings and everything if on easy and move. You can even sell off the land plots for a nice chunk of change. Buy the equipment you want, the land you want and relocate. That's what I did.

You could start on Farm Manager. Same thing.

True except you start with less cash and sell prices are lower. Even on easy, it will take many many hours to be able to afford all the different equipment types, crops, animals, buildings and experience everything the game has to offer. I played the last two on hard and never got as far as I really wanted to even after a very long time but some people like it that way nothing wrong with that.

[Silky Rough]

Originally posted by AlphaDiode™:

Originally posted by Silky Rough:

You could start on Farm Manager. Same thing.

True except you start with less cash and sell prices are lower. Even on easy, it will take many many hours to be able to afford everything and experience everything the game has to offer.

I didn't know prices were lower but how much do you get back if you sell everything?

You start with $1.2m in cash on FM.

[🚦AlphaDiode🚦]

Originally posted by Silky Rough:

Originally posted by AlphaDiode™:

True except you start with less cash and sell prices are lower. Even on easy, it will take many many hours to be able to afford everything and experience everything the game has to offer.

I didn't know prices were lower but how much do you get back if you sell everything?

You start with $1.2m in cash on FM.

If you sell everything and max out the bank loan you end up with just over 2 million in cash. A bit more if you if harvest the starter crop and sell.

[Maestros]

I'm in love with Ravenport aesthetics but i have to say.

I hate the fact that there is not a single point i can build a decent looking farm with a passion.

I was looking forward to playing this game just because of the freedom it promised to build my own farm the way i wanted it to be, and have all my animals close by not scattered across the map.

I was really looking forward to it, and that BS with those slopes that not only make the cost multiply by 2 at best, but also make the overall result look so ugly its unbelievable.

And somehow i doubt they will ever fix that. Such a disapointment from such a great game :(

[Silky Rough]

Originally posted by Maestros:

And somehow i doubt they will ever fix that. Such a disapointment from such a great game :(

But that's because of the map you've chosen. They can't "fix" Ravenport so you can have all your buildings in a row. That's a complete redesign. Why would they?

The EU map allows for what you want. So does the mod map Estancia Lapacho. As will many more maps as they come onstream.

[Maestros]

Originally posted by Silky Rough:

Originally posted by Maestros:

And somehow i doubt they will ever fix that. Such a disapointment from such a great game :(

But that's because of the map you've chosen. They can't "fix" Ravenport so you can have all your buildings in a row. That's a complete redesign. Why would they?

The EU map allows for what you want. So does the mod map Estancia Lapacho. As will many more maps as they come onstream.

No, that's because the map is poorly designed.

[Moosedawg]

Originally posted by CobraCommander:

massive fenced in area in the DEAD center the player can do NOTHING with.

I can't agree with you more on this one - I absolutely HATE that junkyard right in the middle of the farm that's unable to be deleted! It's terrible looking and in the way! I wish it were a placeable that you could delete. Also, I hate that none of the buildings (other than the sheds) can be used for anything. The barn should at least be a straw sell point!

[LarryA]

2 Cents worth. Ravenport start location dont feel like is a issue. Like the challenge. Piles of discarded items in the centere of the start location. Scrap steel comes in handy when doing implement repairs. Planted trees around that area. Hardly notice it. Cut down all of the trees and expanded all three fields made two fields. Plenty of room for a large cow, sheep or horse pen. Terrain tool comes in handy. Large hay barn, house and 4 implement sheds. Vehicle repair shop, Fuel tank and steam washer. Plenty of short cuts from the start locations to other map areas. No power lines reduces the amount of system load for lower end systems.

The map has a very good theme.

[Harag]

I've never even played either of the two maps that came with the game as I went straight into a moded map, but i've seen lets plays of Ravenport so understand the issues...

Quick question - Landscaping (I've not used it yet) but can you use that tool to get rid of items like the junk that is on the land you own? If you lower the land under the junk what happens?

[Arcticspyder]

Originally posted by Harag:

I've never even played either of the two maps that came with the game as I went straight into a moded map, but i've seen lets plays of Ravenport so understand the issues...

Quick question - Landscaping (I've not used it yet) but can you use that tool to get rid of items like the junk that is on the land you own? If you lower the land under the junk what happens?

No unfortunately you can't remove the junk.