Virtual farming arrives in Free Realms

[Zardon]

Sony Online Entertainment's free-to-play, family-friendly MMO, Free Realms, has added virtual farming and agriculture.

Every member will now receive their own virtual plot of land, which players may keep clear of pests and weeds while plant and nurture crops. These crops can be harvested for coin and unique item rewards, and can be bred to produce hybrids through a Farm-O-matic machine. Players will also be rewarded for helping other farmlands and may purchase items in the Marketplace to help or expand their farming empire.

We took a quick peek at the farming system, which is available through each player's house. Free Realms offers a tutorial quest which has players pick weeds, lay down soil, and plant, water, and harvest seeds. The process is very similar to popular social farming games, but with the game's 3D interface and more work as players must visit a shed to obtain tools or explore the wilds to find seeds, and must switch between normal, planning, and tool modes while managing their farmland.

Unlike other aspects of Free Realms, farming isn't a job - instead of the player leveling up, their farm does, from one through twenty for members. Each level gives players more options to manage and grow their farm. Players can farm specific crops to fill requests at the Farmer's Market - available through a cart on the farmland - and can turn these requests in for a chance to spin a wheel for additional rewards.

Farming is an interesting addition to Free Realms, although players are still waiting hopefully for SOE to reintroduce Pet Training, one of the game's favorite non-combat jobs. With the game's recent release on the PlayStation Network, farming may pull in some new casual gamers, but whether it will encourage current players remains in question.