Management sims are about optimisation. They appeal to the perfectionist in all of us, but in most cases you can only make your city/farm/space colony so efficient before running up against the imperfections of nature. I’m encountering this right now in Anno 1800: there’s never quite enough room on the cliff behind my prospective pig farm to fit all five sties neatly.
You know the feeling, especially if you play Stardew Valley. So thank goodness there’s now a custom map for you that bends nature to your entrepreneurial impulses.
Aptly titled ‘Capitalist Dream Farm’, the map replaces the standard farm, and has been designed for maximum profits. It’s huge, with “tonnes of berry bushes”, and dedicated areas for crops and buildings. PCGN’s resident Stardew expert Kelly advises that “they’ve set up perfect placements for sprinklers and scarecrows, which is super important if you’re looking to make as much money as possible per season.” There are even invisible barriers in pens that animals can’t pass.
You can download the Capitalist Dream Farm from Nexus mods here. If you’re to make the most of nature’s artificially inflated bounty, you’ll want to check out our general tips for getting rich in Stardew Valley.
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To get a sense of how a ruthless corporate empire can flourish even amidst a twee agricultural fantasy, here’s a story of how Stardew Valley turned Laurence into a ruthless jam mogul. But if you’re a Stardew veteran who’s missing the “magical feeling” of your very first playthrough, there’s a mod for that too.
If you’ve yet to enjoy this near-endless open-ended rural RPG – developed by just one man, amazingly – here’s Stardew Valley on Steam. It’ll set you back just $14.99 (£10.99) and is rated 96% positive – well worth it if you enjoy management sims.