New Line of Game Simulators Focused on Relaxation Than Thrill

Video games are entering a state of transition. The arrival of new media such as virtual and augmented reality are changing the way games are played. However, unseen competitors are in the horizon. Enter the world of video game simulators.

Douglas Heaven from New Scientist explained in a column that simulators such as Farming Simulator 17 is ushering a new genre of video gaming. Unlike other simulators that depend on goals and time-oriented skills, these simulators are "relaxing."

The game, an exclusive from Giants Software, has players play as farmers managing a plot of land. They start with little land and a few machines as they plant, tend, and harvest crops. Soon, they get the option to raise livestock and, together with their crops, earn money to buy more land and more machines.

Heaven explained it takes him an hour to harvest all of his crops, which his character does by driving at a walking pace from one end of a field to another around 20 to 30 times. It may seem boring for others, but for him, it's "fun." Most of all, it's relaxing.

The game still has its strategic elements. Farmers have to manage how they spend on fields, fuel, and fertilizers. They also have to carefully assess when to trade your beaten-up tractor for a new one. There are loans and investments available as well. However, he affirmed that at its heart, the game is in itself about the routine.

He said this may be a bit weird for some players. Others may be too used to shooters or winning against opponents. But when someone plays simulators, they just tend to whatever it is they have to do.

Farming Simulator and its compatriots often take the top sales charts of games in U.S. and Europe. In 2009, Zynga's FarmVille had hooked several players to tend cartoon crops. And this may be for good reason.

Unlike racers that let you take awesome cars for a spin, Farming Simulator has a ton of real machines to be used. Trucks and tractors of a wide variety could be selected and bought depending on your needs. Mike from the Truck Simulators Reddit explained a lot of people find these games appealing to relax.