Options, maps, PDA | The basics Farming Simulator 2013 Guide

Last update: 11 May 2016

To make the work easier, we have been given two devices to our disposal: the map of the whole area and a personal digital assistant (PDA), which help us gain information on the surroundings, our fields, their state and utilization, vehicles in our possession, weather, prices of agricultural produces and finances. Below is a short description of the available options.

By pressing ESC we gain access to four windows: Description, Settings, Map View, Select Equipment. The first one repeats the info we were given while loading the game. The second one allows us to change the settings of the game, i.e. speed up or slow down time (we can also do it by pressing 7 or 8) - further details as to how it affects the game can be found in the Cultivation - Grains section. Other options are used rarely and serve to adjust the game to our needs.

The next window - Map View - is one of the most important in the game. It not only allows us to view the whole map of Hagenstedt, but also displays our fields (green), what plants we grow on them and their current status. Thanks to this we can easily determine which crops have ripened and require cutting, or which areas are ready for another sowing. At the bottom there is a button we can use to toggle between the plants and their growth status, allowing us complete control over the field.

The last window is used to locate all vehicles in our possession. We can easily see that the few starting tractors are placed in remote locations - the cow and sheep pastures and eggs selling station mentioned earlier. Three filters allow us to display particular machines. The most interesting, however, is the last option: it allows us to transport any machine to the starting location. Select Reset the next chosen vehicle/implement and then click the icon of the vehicle on the map - it will be transported to our machinery fleet in an instant.

The personal digital assistant (PDA) is displayed by pressing the I button; the same button is used for browsing between the categories. Press 9 to flip pages within a selected tab.

The first page displays our closest surroundings; press 9 to zoom out a little.

The next page shows the weather for the following days. It's particularly important for collecting potatoes - you won't be able to use certain machines during heavy rains, so make sure to check the weather beforehand and wait with the sowing if needed.

The third page is a list of prices in several stations on the map. It displays names of the products, price per unit, trend, and a presumptive increase in the demand for certain crops (indicated in green; the details are on the last page).

The fourth page refers to our finances and displays the profit and loss balance up to two days back.

The last page contains various statistics concerning the silos, our animals or the current playthrough. These data are particularly important for farmers dealing in animal husbandry.