Stardew Valley

hentzau · Post by **hentzau** » Tue Dec 13, 2016 12:54 pm

Ridiculously excited this is being released on console on Thursday. Biggest problem is that there are holiday events starting in both Overwatch and Destiny and my kids are going to be fighting over the XB1, probably not giving me any time to play.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Tue Dec 13, 2016 1:26 pm

This one has my interest but I'm afraid it ends up being pointless busy work a la Farmville.

I think it would be awesome for my daughter but she has shown almost no interest in it, while absolutely enthralled by Sims 3.

Lordnine · Post by **Lordnine** » Tue Dec 13, 2016 2:13 pm

GreenGoo wrote:This one has my interest but I'm afraid it ends up being pointless busy work a la Farmville.

I think it would be awesome for my daughter but she has shown almost no interest in it, while absolutely enthralled by Sims 3.

You can technically play forever but there is a guided narrative of sorts. The main goal is to complete the Town Center, which revolves around collecting specific items such as vegetables, minerals and crafted goods. Completing this took me about 1.5 in-game years. When you do, you get a nice little cut scene that is a fitting “end” to the game.

There are other little story chains as well based on collecting things, helping people out and who you choose to marry. One thing that may shock you as far as your daughter is concerned is that some of the humor is actually pretty adult. Nothing explicit mind you, but there is some definite PG content.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Tue Dec 13, 2016 2:54 pm

Like the Mayor's purple underpants. I was very

at that one.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Tue Dec 13, 2016 3:16 pm

She's playing the Sims, which has relationships, love interests, baby making and such. It's abstracted of course but it's there.

I appreciate the warning though and will take a closer look at it.

Suitably Ironic Moniker · Tue Dec 13, 2016 7:44 pm

They also added a mini quest involving the local magician that opens up after the town center is completed. There are a lot of little details to the game and events that occur if one goes looking for them, and the large varieties of activities can all be utilized to improve one's farm. It may seem really simplistic at first, but there are stories to be found in there.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 8:53 am

Agreed. It's a remarkably deep game for being what it is, with a lot to do. Pretty much the everything you do is a different class of minigame. You can take or leave any of it and just do as much as you want to do while completely ignoring the rest.

Relationship Management - Giving gifts to people in an attempt to get them to accept you, like you, and maybe fall in love with you, or get married.
Dungeon Combat - Fight through levels of dungeons looking for gems and items.
Fishing - Because ... fishing.
Farming - A good source of income, but can be time consuming.
Building - (Sort of) Collect resources and money to improve your home, modify your farmland, make roads, fences, etc.
Crafting - Taking resources to make more advanced resources or items for any of the other activities.

The 'Adult' humor is pretty tame, and if your kids are playing The Sims 3, there's really nothing here beyond that. Some hints and suggestions of odd behaviors and pre-marital sex (between older people).

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 11:35 am

That's good to hear.

I'm noticing a pattern in my own behaviour that while I enjoy these types of games, without a bigger picture I will lose interest in the blink of an eye. I don't have much of an imagination to create my own goals. I can feel that same tug in Don't Starve now that I can make it through the first winter fairly readily.

One day I will be completely hooked and playing for hours, the next day I'll abandon it and never look back.

Lorini · Post by **Lorini** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 1:07 pm

Getting it for Xbox tomorrow.

Cortilian · Post by **Cortilian** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 1:34 pm

Lorini wrote:Getting it for Xbox tomorrow.

Fantastic game! Well worth it.

Suitably Ironic Moniker · Wed Dec 14, 2016 10:13 pm

GreenGoo wrote:That's good to hear.

I'm noticing a pattern in my own behaviour that while I enjoy these types of games, without a bigger picture I will lose interest in the blink of an eye. I don't have much of an imagination to create my own goals. I can feel that same tug in Don't Starve now that I can make it through the first winter fairly readily.

One day I will be completely hooked and playing for hours, the next day I'll abandon it and never look back.

Well, these games aren't for everybody. Frankly, I look at shooters, especially multiplayer ones, and see little to no appeal to them. Same thing with most JRPGs, I do not possess the love for that genre, which I'm sure is an offshoot of my overall indifference towards most Asian cultures.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Thu Dec 15, 2016 12:33 am

I like builders and gatherers and crafting. It's just that I've come to realize that that aspect must be a means to an end for me, not the entirety of the gameplay, otherwise I wake up one day, wondering why I'm virtual harvesting yet another crop and drop the game.

I drop lots of games, but these kinds of games, when I'm done with them, make me feel like all my time playing them was wasted.

All these posts come off very negative but they are not meant to. I really enjoy games that involve starting with limited resources which you use to grow. It's just after many, many games that provide this mechanic, I realize I need to be growing towards something, rather than expanding for the sake of expanding.

Which is not to say that I need a strategy game or rpg wrapped in this mechanic, only that games like farmville have really put me off the kind of busy work that exists just to provide some content and gameplay. Planting seeds and harvesting them is no longer enough for me.

In any case, it sounds like my fears are unfounded.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Thu Dec 15, 2016 8:35 am

GreenGoo wrote:In any case, it sounds like my fears are unfounded.

Quite. You mention "a means to an end" - and in Stardew Valley, you're not really just farming for the sake of farming. Each of those sections I mentioned supports and lends to the others so you get something out of it in a kind of reciprocating loop.

Farming makes money, yes, but it also lets you make food in processor structures.
Food helps you in the caves, so you can fight better and go deeper, and can be very helpful in growing relationships.
Going deeper in caves rewards you with more exotic ores and more money, letting you craft better items.
Crafting better items opens up new parts of the world and new resources.
New resources are needed to make advanced buildings, which can simplify farming.

The relationship and fishing angles don't add much to the others - but you do sometimes get gifts from people who like you a lot, and fishing can be a nice diversion from doing too much of the same thing. There are also gobs of achievements to get in-game, so there's something for completionists to chase as well.

hentzau · Post by **hentzau** » Thu Dec 15, 2016 5:14 pm

I still suck at fishing...

Lordnine · Post by **Lordnine** » Thu Dec 15, 2016 5:54 pm

hentzau wrote:I still suck at fishing...

For me, the realization that I didn't need to click rapidly made fishing much more bearable. Click and hold is key. Do it enough to get your first rod upgrade and it's much easier. Bait is also well worth the price.

Fishing is a great source of income in the early game but once I completed the fishing section of the Town Center and got my farm automated (Sprinklers for the win!) I pretty much stopped it all together.

Frnk55 · Post by **Frnk55** » Thu Dec 15, 2016 10:40 pm

Never did get very far with this game. Sounds like a good game for tomorrow morning

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Tue Dec 27, 2016 11:27 pm

Boughten.

hentzau · Post by **hentzau** » Thu Jan 26, 2017 12:55 pm

My two chickens have stopped regularly producing eggs and I don't know why. They're both happy and fed...

Greybriar · Post by **Greybriar** » Fri Jan 27, 2017 8:00 pm

Stardew Valley is on sale for $11.99 U.S. at the Humble Store. This limited time offer will be gone in 02:18:00:57 -- which is midnight 29 January 2017 if I calculated it correctly.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Fri Jan 27, 2017 9:45 pm

The way you guys go on someone might think this game is fun or something. I guess Ill have to install it

Sepiche · Post by **Sepiche** » Thu Mar 09, 2017 12:09 pm

Just saw Stardew Valley got nominated for a Best Game Bafta!

FIREWATCH Development Team – Campo Santo Productions/Camp Santo Productions, Panic Inc.
INSIDE Development Team – Playdead/Playdead
OVERWATCH Development Team – Blizzard Entertainment/Blizzard Entertainment
STARDEW VALLEY Eric Barone – ConcernedApe/Chucklefish
TITANFALL 2 Development Team – Respawn Entertainment/Electronic Arts
UNCHARTED 4 Development Team – Naughty Dog LLC/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe

Firewatch was also excellent, but I gotta say it would be awesome to see a one man labor of love win out against what is mostly a bunch of AAA games from massive dev teams.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Thu Mar 09, 2017 12:50 pm

It is an outstanding game with remarkable appeal.

The only thing it's missing is the ability to board a shuttle at the end of Year Three with a handful of randomly generated settlers and randomly generate a new planet to settle, farm, and explore. I'd totally buy that expansion for this game if they ever made it.

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Thu Mar 16, 2017 11:50 am

I've heard hint of a Multiplayer update? Any truth to this?
(I'm only just now getting into this fun time suck, enjoying it)

wonderpug · Post by **wonderpug** » Thu Mar 16, 2017 12:18 pm

Unagi wrote:I've heard hint of a Multiplayer update? Any truth to this?
(I'm only just now getting into this fun time suck, enjoying it)

Yup, there was multiplayer announced for the Switch version, which will be a timed exclusive feature or something for console versions. The dev later confirmed the PC version will get the feature even earlier than the Switch.

They also say multiplayer won't be ready until after the summer, though.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Sat Nov 25, 2017 11:06 am

I very, very late to the game here - despite picking it up as part of a sale quite some time ago. Anyway, Now that I have a few hours into the game, I fully understand the praise. It took me about 40 minutes to get settled and start what I think is the story, but now that I have my bearings and that sweet crop money is rolling in I absolutely recommend it.

hentzau · Post by **hentzau** » Sat Nov 25, 2017 12:35 pm

Between my daughter, myself, the Xbox One and the Switch, we’ve now bought this game 4 times in our family. If the promised multiplayer is cross platform, we’ll be set.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Sat Nov 25, 2017 1:59 pm

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Sat Nov 25, 2017 11:06 am I very, very late to the game here - despite picking it up as part of a sale quite some time ago. Anyway, Now that I have a few hours into the game, I fully understand the praise. It took me about 40 minutes to get settled and start what I think is the story, but now that I have my bearings and that sweet crop money is rolling in I absolutely recommend it.

I started it awhile ago but it didn't grab me, but I didn't make it as far as you have.

I do plan on getting back to it, someday.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Sat Dec 30, 2017 10:38 am

I'm a video game widower. Never been on this side of the railing before.

I got the game as part of Wishmaslist and showed it to my wife on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day she asked to play. From that point until Friday night she put in 38.5 hours. Pretty impressive since the last game she played was Wii Sports.

She says she just reached the bottom of the Mine and is on Year 2. I have no idea what that means, but hope I get her back soon as the kids go back to school on Wednesday.

ColdSteel · Post by **ColdSteel** » Sat Dec 30, 2017 6:06 pm

I bought this a year ago and was excited to try it out because I'd heard so many good things. I went though the tutorial section and found out that it doesn't have save anywhere implemented. Instead, you can only save at the end of every day, which really bummed me out. I dropped it and haven't been back.

hentzau · Post by **hentzau** » Mon Apr 30, 2018 12:24 pm

Multiplayer Beta just released on Steam! Woot!

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Mon Apr 30, 2018 4:05 pm

Been playing this on the Switch since my daughter likes when I watch her play and she likes watching me play.

Fitzy · Post by **Fitzy** » Mon Apr 30, 2018 4:05 pm

I'm not sure I get the point of MP in Stardew. The dungeon diving was mediocre, maybe it'd be more fun with a buddy. I suppose teaming up on a farm might be interesting, though given the size of the maps, I don't see it. Maybe the maps are bigger? Threesomes and love triangles might be fun, but I think this is essentially an E rated game.

Honestly, I think I'm too much of an old, single player curmudgeon for this one. Or any MP. Hey you kids get off my server!

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Tue Sep 11, 2018 10:38 am

Tried this out multiplayer yesterday and it was an okay experience. It made clearing the first parts of the farmland easier and faster, and let us power down through 15 levels of the dungeon in one game day. We're sharing a quest log, though, as well as gold.

The map doesn't get bigger, and the 2-4 players get their own cabin in the farm plot, right in line with the main home. It simply turns a casual, zen game into a casual, easier zen game with a friend.

The only "harder" part is multiplying the money and resources needed for upgrades - adding x1 for each extra player.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Tue Sep 11, 2018 4:11 pm

The quest log is not quite the same. At least not entirely.

When I played with my daughter, I turned down the profitability to account for the increased productivity of 2 people instead of one. What I didn't take into account is the doubling of expenses like axes/picks/fishing rods etc.

It worked pretty well, but we were always short funds. Which is kind of good and motivating in it's way, if you can get the right balance between motivating and frustrating at least. We had the balance pretty close. I think I set it to "50% less profit" but I'm not sure.

I would never consider playing this with another mature gamer like myself. It just isn't that interesting an experience to share. However, playing with my Daughter was all kinds of awesome in the same way that having a make-believe tea party is awesome, but better, because video games make everything better.

Carpet_pissr · Post by **Carpet_pissr** » Mon Mar 01, 2021 2:21 pm

This has been on my wishlist for years, and just picked it up and started playing.

REALLY not my typical cup of game(y) tea, but somehow it’s hooked me.

I was mostly curious due to the absurdly high ratings and raves about this game, but also wanted to support a single dude that taught himself to code apparently to be able to make this game.

Fun stuff.

Also, Pam, you’re a bitch.

Carpet_pissr · Post by **Carpet_pissr** » Sun Mar 07, 2021 11:16 am

Anyone still playing this at all? I know it's old, but it takes me a LOONG time to get to even great games (like this one).

I'm totally addicted now, and I hate myself for it considering what type of game this is. At least it's not a passive/time ticker deal, that's right out.

The depth of this game is astounding, though. It HAS to be considered the top of its genre, and even genre breaking. If someone said it's a "farming simulator", I would have to at least strongly disagree. Similar to saying Civ V is like Risk, maybe.

Rumpy · Post by **Rumpy** » Sun Mar 07, 2021 3:40 pm

I think the closest it could be compared to would be Animal Crossing, but I don't even think that game has as much variety as this one.

wonderpug · Post by **wonderpug** » Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:04 pm

Rumpy wrote: ↑Sun Mar 07, 2021 3:40 pm I think the closest it could be compared to would be Animal Crossing, but I don't even think that game has as much variety as this one.

It's more similar to the Harvest Moon series and Harvest Moon's alter-ego Story of Seasons. Other games in the genre are Graveyard Keeper, My Time in Portia, and Rune Factory.

Carpet_pissr · Post by **Carpet_pissr** » Sun Mar 07, 2021 8:36 pm

Is my hyperbolic assertion about it being top of class in this genre wrong? (Serious q).

I have no idea what any of those other games are (except maybe Graveyard Keeper, though never played it). Also had no idea GK had even a fraction of this depth (to be compared against) or I would have looked at it long ago.

Sudy · Post by **Sudy** » Sun Mar 07, 2021 9:59 pm

I haven't touched it in a few years. I'm kind of curious about the multiplayer component, but I'm not sure if I can get Mrs. Nym interested as we only just started/burned out on Animal Crossing after Christmas.

I liked the stronger story element of SV, but was turned off by the in-game day/night cycle. I don't like having to manage my time in games like this... I get flashbacks to Shenmue. But maybe it's not quite as a I remember. FWIW, cycles tied to real time aren't always great either, as I'm a nighthawk/night shift worker and logging in to Animal Crossing at 03:00 when the NPCs are asleep is annoying.