Farming Simulator 22 Mod Guide for New Players

The Farming Simulator 22 game has set its release date to 22 November 2021, which means that the title is just around the corner.

As with previous versions, 22 will also feature a heavy amount of different modifications that players are excited to try as soon as they can. Some of the most prominent FS22 Mods we can expect to see right off the bat include new maps, tools, objects, tractors, textures, and more.

Now, some players, particularly if they have not tried the franchise before, might feel like the idea of installing mods does not sound too good. There are examples of when a mod ruins the overall game performance and restoring it to the default state without removing and reinstalling the game can be impossible.

Having said that, Farming Simulator players will tell you that there are very few instances when a mod disrupts the gameplay. If anything, additional features enhance the experience. In addition, the next installment of the franchise promises significant improvements from the developers.

Performance Upgrades

Since GIANTS Software, the team behind the game, has a lot of experience developing Farming Simulator, it is to be expected that they will look to excel and make their games even better.

In the 22 version, players will find advanced texture resolution, which will reduce loading time and provide more flexibility to mod creators who like to work on polishing the details so that mods look even better.

DirectX 12 is also coming with Farming Simulator 22. Before, the game had DX11/OpenGL. More and more modern games are leaning toward DirectX 12 because this version lets developers manage resources that the game consumes, particularly concerning CPU.

DX12 means a lot for the modding community as well. Since it is easier to manage resources, the base game will not be as demanding, meaning that you can run more mods simultaneously and try high-demanding mods.

Other than performance upgrades, FS 22 also promises improved shadows, parallax occlusion mapping, and temporal anti-aliasing features that should give a big boost to the graphics. It might mean that having higher-quality textures in the base game will not force players to look for third-party modes to boost the graphics as much, and that will, once again, leave more room for other mods to install.

Mod Downloads

Since Farming Simulator and its modding community are so active, it should not come as a surprise to see that there is a plethora of different sources to find mods for the game. Some players stick to the official website managed by game developers. 

On the other hand, you do not need to stick entirely to the official website, particularly if you are looking for mods that are not present there. 

Like already mentioned, the popularity of the game encourages different modding communities to create their own sites and share mods with other players. Before you download a mod, though, there are a few rules of thumb to follow to avoid potential issues.

First of all, make sure that the source is legit. Read reviews and do not fall for fake feedback. Next, use antivirus software just in case and scan the mods before you install them. 

Mod Types

Once you find your source for downloading mods, you will encounter one of the three file types after clicking on the download button:

• .Rar files: compressed files that are similar to ZIP, except RAR is more versatile in the sense that it provides tighter compression, multivolume archives, and recovery options. After you download a Farming Simulator mod in the .rar format, you will need to extract its contents in the mod folder.
• .Exe files: the three letters are short for executable, and as someone who plays video games, you should be familiar with the file type. You click on it and install the mod after downloading it, though be sure to select the right category for the installation.
• .Zip files: One of the best things about mods in the ZIP file format is that you can download the mod and copy the file in the mod directory. There is no need to extract or install the file. 

Mod Installation

We already talked about different file types for the mods, and you should have a general idea of how to install them. However, there are a few other things to note so that players can avoid potential compatibility.

For one, check the necessary boxes to mods you would like to activate before you launch the game and start a new run or want to continue from a safe. 

If your game is in German, the mod folder names are different, so do not be surprised if you cannot see mods in what is supposed to be the default location.

Finally, remember that the more mods are active in the game, the longer it will take to load. And keep an eye on script mods because they are notorious for causing incompatibility issues.