Forum Discussion

Seasoned Veteran

2 years ago

Solved

How is the Prairie Grass Challenge Meant to Work?

I'm looking for an explanation of the Wild Prairie Grass Challenge game mechanics and what it does exactly? I'm currently only playing on one Lot with it turned on (it hasn't spawned any Grass yet ...

gameplay issue

flauschtrud
2 years ago
It's bugged... I created a bug report for it: https://answers.ea.com/t5/Bug-Reports/HR-Wild-Prairie-Grass-Lot-Challenge-does-not-work-if-you-harvest/m-p/12771562#M254838 You can click "me too" to have it get more attention.
From looking at the code I know that it is meant to spawn up to 10 grass objects (which would definitely be more challenging than just three) but the harvesting somehow seems to interfere with that.
And yes, the animals can eat from it which is more like a bonus, but I'm pretty sure it's also meant as a kind of weed challenge, but the way it's working (or not working) at the moment definitely prevents that.
Edit: Lol, I just saw you already answered on the bug report :D

flauschtrud

Seasoned Ace

2 years ago

It's bugged... I created a bug report for it: https://answers.ea.com/t5/Bug-Reports/HR-Wild-Prairie-Grass-Lot-Challenge-does-not-work-if-you-harvest/m-p/12771562#M254838 You can click "me too" to have it get more attention.

From looking at the code I know that it is meant to spawn up to 10 grass objects (which would definitely be more challenging than just three) but the harvesting somehow seems to interfere with that.

And yes, the animals can eat from it which is more like a bonus, but I'm pretty sure it's also meant as a kind of weed challenge, but the way it's working (or not working) at the moment definitely prevents that.

Edit: Lol, I just saw you already answered on the bug report :D

JuniperWhimsy

Seasoned Veteran

2 years ago

Thanks for the replies everyone. I know what the grass is there for (as in for horses to eat and to find collectibles etc), I just meant really why is it called a Challenge because at most I've seen others only have 3 patches of grass spawn on a lot over time and not more than that (or in my case none at all) which doesn't seem much of a challenge!

Thank you @flauschtrud for finding out that the challenge should be spawning 10 patches over time, that answers my question and would definitely make it more of a challenge to control. As you helpfully pointed out here and in your bug report, it would seem harvesting grass off lot seems to interfere with the challenge working which is a shame. Next time I start a save with the wild prairie grass challenge I will make sure not to touch the neighbourhood grass AT ALL! 😞

jpkarlsen
Hero (Retired)
2 years ago
@JuniperWhimsy
It uses the lot challenge system because otherwise they would have had to come up with another means of getting it to grow randomly on the lot
I don't know what the maximum number is on a lot but it is more than ten as a quick count on my 64x64 lot shows 12.
As I wrote it also depends on how much free space there is on the lot. A small lot with buildings that cover most will not have much room for them to spawn.
You can harvest all the wild grass you want. It will have no influence on how much you get on your own lot. There is not really a challenge in it as such but if you think there is too much or a plot you would like to use for something else you can simply uproot it. If there is free room it will later spawn in another place.
Notice that from you turn on this lot challenge it will take several days for the maximum number of grass to spawn with one or two days before the first spawns.
- flauschtrud
  Seasoned Ace
  2 years ago
  @jpkarlsen the grass that is system spawned (via the challenge) is limited to 10. But you can have more if it is grass that is placed directly via BB. The lot size doesn't play a role, but yes, it can only spawn on spots that are not built on.
  And it's just not true that harvesting has no influence. It shouldn't obviously, but I'm not the only person that has problems with it and the bug report already has a bunch of me toos. In my actual playing saves I never had any grass on my lots.
  And it could also be a kind of challenge if the grass uglifies your landscaping and you have to uproot it each day 😉 That's how I suppose it should work.
  The spawning happens every night at 5pm and you could get (theoretically) 2-3 grass objects per night (if it wasn't bugged).
  - jpkarlsen
    Hero (Retired)
    2 years ago
    @flauschtrud
    I have not planted any myself and so far I have counted 14.
    Move your Mods folder to the Desktop and delete localthumbcache.package. Then test the game in a new save.
    If it works now check for updates to your Mods and CC. Add it back a little at a time while testing until you have found all that are broken.