In the latest Stationeers farming update, the developers have completely overhauled the crop system as well as made a few quality-of-life changes for players to enjoy.
Being that the game is a base-building farming sim, it's fitting that this major update changes the way that crops not only grow, but the conditions they will grow in. The growth time for all plants in-game has been increased, some of which have been increased quite significantly according to the devs. Tomatoes and Pumpkins now take a whopping 12 days to fully grow, while Potatoes will still grow within one day. This is where the growing conditions come into play; certain plants will take longer to grow in certain environmental conditions and vice versa.
Plants now have a broad range of different genes that will affect the plant. Once grown, each plant will pass down its genes to the next line of seeds and fruit, meaning some may have a small genetic mutation. Plant genes are affected by multiple factors, the main one being the environmental conditions the original seed was grown in. One example of this would be if the player were to miss a few watering cycles for the plant, the next generation may need to be watered less due to genetic mutation.
A plant sampler and analyzer have also been added to check these different genes, which allow players to grow the "perfect" plant. Using the Plant Sampler, players will of course take a sample from one specific crop, and then plug that sample into the Plant Analyzer. After a short waiting period, players will be given an in-depth breakdown of the genetics of the plant they sampled. This allows for the player to ensure that the next round of crops is only cultivated with the best and most genetically perfect seeds possible. If you want to check it out, it's available on Steam right now.
