Ranch Simulator hands you a run down family homestead in a forested valley and a blueprint book, then leaves you to rebuild it board by board. You raise chickens, cattle, pigs and horses, grow crops, sell milk and eggs at the General Store, and take an axe or a rifle into the woods for deer, bears and wolves. PCGamesN called it House Flipper meets Red Dead Redemption 2, which is a fair description of a game where you can spend an hour nailing planks and the next hour dragging a deer carcass to a truck.
Ranch Simulator: Build, Hunt, Farm features distinct areas with increasing difficulty. This guide covers every major location in progression order: what to do, what to get, and when to move on. For the step-by-step path, see our walkthrough.
Area Progression Order
| Order | Location | Difficulty | Key Rewards | Recommended Build |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Your Homestead | Day 1 onward | Starter handgun, build space, animal pens | Cattle and dairy |
| 2 | General Store | Day 1 onward | Animals, feed, ammo, all produce sales | Cattle and dairy |
| 3 | Hardware Store | Day 1 onward | Axe, crowbar, table saw, planks, paint | Chicken and egg operation |
| 4 | Gas Station | Once you own a vehicle | Fuel, jerry can refills, wolf encounters | Chicken and egg operation |
| 5 | The Lake | Once you own a rifle | Bear hunting, high value meat, pelts | Chicken and egg operation |
Your Homestead: Starting Area
The derelict family ranch you inherit, complete with the attic chest that holds the tutorial handgun and the ground you will fill with coops and barns.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Day 1 onward |
| Key Rewards | Starter handgun, build space, animal pens |
| Recommended Build | Cattle and dairy |
| Key Equipment | Crowbar |
What to Do Here
- Learn the basics of Blueprint book building. This is where you practice without heavy punishment.
- Collect starting resources and your first equipment upgrade.
- Clear all main content before moving to General Store.
- If you're struggling, read our beginner's guide.
General Store: Early Game
Livestock, feed and ammunition in, eggs, milk, meat and horses out. Chickens are 50 dollars, roosters are 250 and handgun ammo is about 40 dollars a pack.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Day 1 onward |
| Key Rewards | Animals, feed, ammo, all produce sales |
| Recommended Build | Cattle and dairy |
| Key Equipment | Crowbar |
What to Do Here
- Focus on mastering Livestock feeding and breeding. It's critical from this point on.
- Farm for Crowbar if you don't have it yet.
- Complete all objectives for maximum rewards.
- Prepare for the difficulty spike in Hardware Store.
Hardware Store: Mid Game
Tools, building materials and paint. The axe, crowbar and table saw all come from here, and it is the fallback when you run out of self cut planks.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Day 1 onward |
| Key Rewards | Axe, crowbar, table saw, planks, paint |
| Recommended Build | Chicken and egg operation |
| Key Equipment | Crowbar |
What to Do Here
- This is the main skill check. Bring an optimized build.
- Axe becomes accessible here. Prioritize getting it.
- Master Hunting deer bears and wolves for the boss encounters.
- Check our boss guide if you get stuck.
Gas Station: Late Game
The only refuelling point on the map for both vehicles and jerry cans. The stretch of road between here and the Hardware Store, near the bus stop, is a reliable wolf spot.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Once you own a vehicle |
| Key Rewards | Fuel, jerry can refills, wolf encounters |
| Recommended Build | Chicken and egg operation |
| Key Equipment | Axe |
What to Do Here
- Full build optimization is expected by this point.
- Axe should be your primary, fully upgraded.
- Vehicles and fuel mastery starts mattering here.
- Farm resources for the push into The Lake.
The Lake: Endgame
The flat open ground by the lake, between the neighbouring ranch and the Hardware Store, is where bears turn up most consistently.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Once you own a rifle |
| Key Rewards | Bear hunting, high value meat, pelts |
| Recommended Build | Chicken and egg operation |
| Key Equipment | Axe |
What to Do Here
- This is endgame. Best-in-slot gear and a perfected build are mandatory.
- See our boss guide for endgame fight strategies.
- The reward loop: clear content → upgrade → push harder content.
- Experiment with Hunter and trapper for variety once you've mastered the meta.
Exploration Tips
- Clear areas in order: Your Homestead → General Store → Hardware Store → Gas Station → The Lake. Skipping areas means missing resources you'll need later.
- Check every corner: Hidden caches and secrets are often in non-obvious locations.
- Match your equipment: Some areas favor different equipment types.
- Read the walkthrough: Our walkthrough provides exact progression milestones for each area.
- Don't rush: Clearing an area fully gives more resources than speedrunning two areas.
More Ranch Simulator: Build, Hunt, Farm Guides
- Ranch Simulator: Build, Hunt, Farm Ranch Simulator: Build, Hunt, Farm Overview
- Ranch Simulator: Build, Hunt, Farm Best Builds
- Ranch Simulator: Build, Hunt, Farm Tier List
- Ranch Simulator: Build, Hunt, Farm Walkthrough
- Ranch Simulator: Build, Hunt, Farm Beginner's Guide
- Ranch Simulator: Build, Hunt, Farm Tips & Tricks
- Ranch Simulator: Build, Hunt, Farm Weapons Guide
- Ranch Simulator: Build, Hunt, Farm Combat Guide
- Ranch Simulator: Build, Hunt, Farm Boss Guide
- Ranch Simulator: Build, Hunt, Farm Crafting Guide
- Ranch Simulator: Build, Hunt, Farm Classes & Characters
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