Farming Simulator 15, a realistic simulation game, recently arrived on Xbox One after launching on Windows and Xbox 360. Players manage a farm, performing numerous real-life tasks like planting and sowing crops and cutting and selling trees – all while trying to make a profit. I've been playing Farming Simulator 15 for a while now. Somehow, even though it doesn't involve killing or shooting anything at all, it's quite fun!
Money plays an important role in the game, as players need to earn lots of it to finance new machines and supplies that allow them to perform additional tasks. Several Achievements involve reaching financial milestones as well. Wouldn't it be nice if you could jump ahead a little, get all the money you need, and then just focus on whichever tasks you like without the bill collectors looming over?
Recent Farming Simulator games have a great money-making exploit that will bring the money in super quickly. Our strategy guide including a video explains just how to do it!
Before we begin
Note that this strategy involves leaving your Xbox One or other console of choice on for several hours at a time while you build up your fortune. You'll want to use a wired controller (such as the Xbox One Mini Series controller) or plug a wireless one into the console in order to prevent the controller from powering off and interrupting the game. Don't worry, the effort (and electricity) will pay off!
Getting started on the road to riches
The strategy works on either of the game's maps and any difficulty setting. You don't have to start a new game to do it; all you need is $125,000 (earned or borrowed) to get started. Still, for the sake of this guide we'll start from the beginning.
Start a new game. Select the map and difficulty of your choice. In our video, we go with Bjornholm on Easy. Once the game begins, press left or right on the d-pad to hop between tractors until you land in the one located closest to the shop. Drive it right up to the entrance for maximum convenience.
At the shop, head to the ATM. You'll find it to the left of the shop entrance on either map. Now withdraw money until you have at least $125,000. You could also get this money quickly by selling tractors, but that takes longer. Plus you'll want to keep one tractor at the shop so that you can warp to it whenever you resume your save file.
With $125,000 in hand, return to the shop front (a basket icon) and find the Placeables section in the top-right corner of the menu. Buy a Solar Collector and place it somewhere nearby that won't interfere with future farming activities. Solar Collectors generate $380 every in-game hour and require no supervision or maintenance.
Time travel
Now we game the system a bit by pausing and accessing the Settings menu. Turn the Timescale up to 120x to make time accelerate faster in-game. Also switch Plant growth and plant withering off so that everything doesn't run amok during your journey into the deep future. Save your game and exit the menu.
At 120x, every 30 seconds of real-time equate to one in-game hour. Thus, your new Solar Collector brings in $760 per minute without you having to do anything. That's helpful, but it's not enough. We want to buy five or so Solar Collectors to get the money train rolling.
Factoring in your farm's expenses, it should take about three hours to reach $125,000 again so you can buy your second solar panel. Just leave the game running with the screen off while you wait. Or you could set out and collect all of the hidden gold coins. The advanced timescale won't interfere with your searches, and you can get three Achievements if you find them all.
Return and buy a second solar panel, placing it next to the first. Now you're making $1,520 every minute! It should only take 90 minutes to afford a third Solar Collector. Keep checking back and buying panels until you have five or so panels.
Save intermittently! Whenever you need to turn the system off and come back to it, you can jump right back to the tractor you placed in front of the shop.
Investing in wind power
With an arsenal of Solar Collectors in your pocket, it's time to start thinking about wind power. One Wind Energy Converter costs $1,200,000 and produces $4,000 every 30 seconds.
With five solar panels producing $1,900 per half minute, it will take about six hours to afford a windmill. During this time, you should get the 'Noveau Rich' Achievement (have one million dollars) and 'Longplayer' (play for over 10 hours).
Come back and buy your first Wind Energy converter from the Placeables section of the shop. Combined with your five solar panels, you should now be making $11,800 per minute. It should take about two hours to earn another $1,200,000 and buy your next windmill. Repeat the process until you have five Wind Energy Converters.
Once you have five windmills, it's time to let the game idle until you earn ten million dollars. With five solar panels and windmills, you should be making $43,800 per minute. It will only take 2.5 hours to hit ten million! This gets you the $5 million Achievement and 'Pots of Gold' (ten million dollars).
Living the good life
Now that you're filthy stinking rich feel free to buy all of the best vehicles and equipment in the store. Better tractors drive faster, nicer trailers carry more cargo, etc. The sky is practically the limit. Turn the timescale and plant growth back to normal when you're ready to resume normal farming. Whenever you want to farm money instead of crops, just set time to fast-forward again.
But wait, why stop at ten million? You could always keep buying more Wind Energy Converters and multiplying the amount of money your energy business brings in.
To farm or not to farm
When you're not gaming the system, Farming Simulator 15 provides a fairly engrossing simulation experience. Pick any activity for which you own the equipment, and then get to work! Players can harvest wheat, mow grass, chop down trees, raise animals, and much more. Optional missions even give the game a structure beyond just building up an awesome farm.
Of course, the real fun comes from multiplayer. Teaming up with friends, dividing up tasks, and working together in a stress-free environment provides a relaxing and Minecraft-like experience. Up to six players can team up on Xbox One and PlayStation 4, with 16 on PC.
The one downside to multiplayer is nobody earns Achievements. That encourages people to stick to single-player instead of teaming up, which is silly. Giants Software needs to enable multiplayer Achievements via update or in next year's version.
If driving a variety of tractors, trucks, and other big vehicles and customizing your farm sounds like fun, Farming Simulator 15 is your game. You can always kill stuff in some other game!
Thus wraps up our first Xbox One strategy guide. Please watch both videos, leave a comment, and let us know if you find this guide useful!
- Farming Simulator 15 – Xbox One – $49.99 – Xbox Link – Amazon Link
- Farming Simulator 15 – Xbox 360 – $39.99 – Amazon Link
- Farming Simulator 15 – Windows and Mac – $29.99 – Steam Link – Amazon Link
