New Latvian-made farming game “Viensēta” recalls Draugiem.lv’s “Ferma”
A new online farming game, “Viensēta”, developed by the company isDEV, is available at vienseta.lv. It gained 1,000 registered players in its first 24 hours, and many commenters compare it to the once-popular “Ferma”.
A new online farming game called “Viensēta” (roughly “Homestead”) has been created in Latvia and is available at vienseta.lv. It is in some ways reminiscent of “Ferma” (“Farm”), a game that was hugely popular on the Latvian social portal Draugiem.lv. The project was announced on the social network Threads by its creator, who goes by Niks. According to him, 1,000 players registered during the first 24 hours. The game was developed by the company SIA isDEV and is not a revived version of the old “Ferma”, but a separate project.
What players can do
The game’s slogan is “Your own farmstead. Big plans. The neighbour’s apples.” Players begin by choosing a name for their farm and naming their dog. They can then buy seeds, plant a first crop and wait for it to ripen.
The game allows players to grow various field crops, fruit trees and berries, look after animals, grind flour and bake bread. Players can also clear land, obtain building materials and expand their homestead. They can get to know other village farmers, visit their properties, help with supplies and talk to other players in a virtual chat.
Users’ reactions
Many commenters expressed enthusiasm and recalled old memories. One woman wrote that she had been waiting for something similar for years. Others said they would try the new game too. There were sceptics as well: one user said “Viensēta” is not even close to the old “Ferma”, while another feared the game would take up a lot of free time. One commenter suggested making it available as a mobile app.
A reminder about “Ferma”
Draugiem.lv’s “Ferma” appeared on the portal in early 2010. After about six months it had more than 617,000 users. Players grew vegetables, milked cows, sheared sheep and built up virtual farms. In December 2013 it was announced that the game would be shut down, as the number of active players had fallen significantly and running it was no longer profitable. The game itself was built by the IT company apiEasy.com, while Draugiem.lv provided the platform.
Whether “Viensēta” will achieve similar popularity remains to be seen.
