Field Contractors V1.3

Field Contractors V1.3

Field Contractors adds a system for hiring contractors to perform work on your fields.

Instead of renting machinery, assembling your own equipment setup, and using standard in-game AI, you can select a field, the type of work, and the execution mode, then hand the task over to a contractor. The cost depends on the field area, the type of work, and the selected mode.

Work Modes:
Express — 10 in-game minutes — +50% surcharge
Fast — 30 in-game minutes — +40% surcharge
Medium — 1 in-game hour — +25% surcharge
Slow — 3 in-game hours — +10% surcharge
Real Contractor — work is performed using actual machinery on the field

In the first four modes, the work completes automatically after the specified in-game time.
The “Real Contractor” mode uses actual machinery and standard in-game AI. For standard tasks, the machinery spawns in the game world, travels to the selected field, performs the work, and returns.

Before starting, a GPS configuration window opens where you can select the working width, number of headlands, work direction, and other parameters. A suitable machinery setup is automatically selected based on the chosen working width. On large or complex fields, route calculation may take a few seconds.

Large machinery may struggle on small fields, narrow roads, or difficult access points. If the equipment gets stuck or cannot start working, cancel the order and select a smaller working width. If necessary, traffic can be disabled in the game settings.

Fields:
Standard, modified, expanded, and player-created fields are supported. Merged fields may be detected as a single work area, while multiple separate fields on the same plot can be selected independently. The mod detects the field’s state and displays available and required tasks.

Supported tasks:
– Cultivation
– Plowing
– Sowing
– Sowing with fertilizer
– Solid and liquid fertilizer application
– Herbicide application
– Liming
– Weeding
– Hoeing
– Rolling
– Harvesting
– Harvesting with straw collection
– Cultivator plowing (requires “CultivatorPlowing” mod)

Harvesting:
Available in all modes. The mod calculates the estimated crop yield and prompts you to select a compatible storage facility on your farm with sufficient free space. Capacity is reserved for the active job and released if the job is cancelled.

In Express, Fast, Medium, and Slow modes, the harvested crop is transferred directly to the selected storage facility upon completion.

In “Real Contractor” mode, the combine harvester and header appear directly at the field. The harvested crop is automatically transferred to the selected storage facility, so no trailer or manual unloading is required. If there is a temporary lack of space, harvesting pauses until capacity becomes available.

“Harvesting with straw collection” is available for suitable crops, but only in “Real Contractor” mode.

Cultivator Plowing:
If the “CultivatorPlowing” mod is installed, a separate job using specific cultivator setups becomes available. This works only in “Real Contractor” mode, and the cost is calculated the same way as for standard plowing. Without the additional mod, the job is visible but cannot be ordered.

Saving:
Active jobs are saved along with the game and resume after loading. For “Real Contractor” mode, the necessary job, route, and harvesting data are restored.

If a job is cancelled before work begins, the full cost is refunded. Once started, the return path depends on the work already completed.

Compatibility and limitations:
– Standard and modded maps
– Additional crops on compatible maps
– Modified, expanded, split, or merged fields
– Compatible with “MultifruitSeeders” and “LimeSpreaders”
– “CultivatorPlowing” supported as an optional additional mod
– Multiplayer not supported

“Real Contractor” mode uses the standard in-game AI, so the outcome depends on the map, field shape, roads, obstacles, and machinery dimensions. Compound setups (e.g., tractor + implement + implement) are not supported.

The mod has been tested on standard and several modded maps; however, it is impossible to verify every combination of maps, machinery, and mods.

If you encounter an error, unusual AI behavior, or a compatibility issue, please report the map, field, selected task, mode, and machinery used.

V1.3.0.0
Fields:
– Reworked the detection of merged, expanded and player-created fields.
– Increased the field size limit. Large merged fields should no longer be incorrectly split into several areas after approximately 32 ha.
– Improved the detection of merged field numbers and their actual boundaries.
– Fixed the handling of parts of fields passing through special/non-purchasable land.
– If a field was expanded or joined with a neighbouring field during an active contract, the existing contract is now correctly detected for the entire new work area.

Quick Modes 1-4:
– Improved the application of work results on merged and custom fields.
– Standard field sections and areas added by the player are now processed as one job.
– The preparation of large fields is distributed over the contract duration to reduce the load on the game.
– On large created or significantly expanded fields, processing may continue for some time after the estimated time has elapsed. Do not rush to cancel the job—wait for the completion notification.
– A high game-time acceleration does not always speed up this processing, as it is performed in stages to prevent freezes and severe FPS drops.

Equipment and GPS:
– Improved the detection of the actual working widths and configurations of equipment.
– Added a selection for the tractor’s maximum engine configuration.
– Accelerated the preparation of equipment presets, working configurations and available widths after loading the game.
– Fixed the initial focus of the GPS window on the working-width selection.
– Temporary GPS equipment is no longer displayed on the standard map.
– Added flashing beacons when contractor equipment travels from the shop to the field.

Other:
– Fixed fertilizer application, the rolling state and several work availability checks.
– Improved the field preview, map zooming, and the saving and restoring of active contracts.
– Additional stability and compatibility fixes have been made.
– Saved contracts from version 1.2.0.0 are supported. However, due to significant changes in the detection of expanded and custom fields, it is recommended to complete active contracts before updating.

Precision Farming and multiplayer support are not planned for now. They may be added later.
I try to check all changes whenever possible, but it is impossible to test every mod map, piece of equipment and combination of mods. If you encounter an error, please report it and, if possible, specify the map, field, selected job, mode and equipment.