The Farmer Was Replaced

Short Description

Program and optimize a drone to automate a farm and watch it do the work for you. Collect resources to unlock better technology and become the most efficient farmer in the world. Improve your problem solving and coding skills.

About this Game

Program a drone using a simple python-like language to fully automate various farming tasks that would otherwise be very grindy. Feel the satisfaction of simply pressing "execute" and watching your drone do all the hard work.

Farming earns you resources which can be spent to unlock new technology.

Unlike most programming games the game isn't divided into distinct levels that you have to complete but features a continuous progression.

Programming is done in a simple language similar to Python. The beginning of the game is designed to teach you all the basic programming concepts you will need by introducing them one at a time.

While it introduces everything that is relevant, it won't hold your hand when it comes to solving the various tasks in the game. You will have to figure those out for yourself, and that can be very challenging if you have never programmed before.

If you are an experienced programmer, you should be able to get through the early game very quickly and move on to the more complex tasks of the later game, which should still provide interesting challenges.

Although the programming language isn't exactly Python, it's similar enough that Python IntelliSense works well with it. All code is stored in .py files and can optionally be edited using external code editors like VS Code. When the "File Watcher" setting is enabled, the game automatically detects external changes.

Features

Program and optimize your own farming drone with a simple Python-like language.
Automate planting, watering, harvesting, and other repetitive tasks to let the drone do the grind for you.
Earn resources through farming and invest them into unlocking new technologies.
Experience continuous progression instead of fixed levels – your farm evolves as your code improves.
Learn programming step by step: the game introduces core concepts one at a time, making it approachable for beginners.
Tackle increasingly complex challenges that stay engaging even for experienced programmers.
Write code directly in the game or use your favorite external editor like VS Code – all scripts are stored as .py files.
Enable the optional File Watcher to have the game automatically update when you change your code externally.
Enjoy the unique blend of problem-solving, coding, and farming simulation in a colorful low-poly world.

About
Timon Herzog

Timon Herzog found his passion for making games when he was a teenager. In his free time he made many games in various genres and even released a small factory builder on Steam. Since he particularly liked the technical aspect of making games he went on to study computer science, where he got inspired to make a small programming game about farming. The game wasn't intended as a commercial project, but after it received great feedback, Timon decided to release it on Steam.

About Metaroot

Metaroot is a small publisher and marketing agency based in Zurich, Switzerland. The company has published the programming game “The Farmer Was Replaced”, the Tetris-like city puzzler “River Towns”, the steampunk auto-shooter “Airships: Lost Flotilla”, and the nature simulation game “Of Life and Land.”