Stardew Valley thread! I had no idea this existed until one of people I subscribe to on YouTube started a LP of it. It has eaten my brain in the best way. I have a happy little life forging and fishing and a happy little farm that's not too much effort to run, I am being friends with everybody and giving regular offerings to the local spirits. I really like Penny but not quite enough to commit to her, it's a huge decision. (There's Maru and Abigial and Sam and Elliot...)
It does seem pretty soothing. I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing and have not yet managed to greet everyone.
It's SO CUTE! I like how it's like Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town, but MORE. I also like the touches of gritty modern realism - it feels like it really means something that my character is ~escaping the trials of modern life~ since I actually got to SEE the soul-crushing job they were working at, and see the effects encroaching even on this idyllic little town. Also, there's Elliot. *fans self*
There's a couple more touches of ~gritty realism~ once you get to some of the later friendship scenes. spoilers just in case: Spoiler It's pretty clear that Penny is living in a trailer with her unemployed alcoholic mum, and her whole thing is pretty sad. But then you learn that the reason Alex is living with his grandparents is that his drunken abusive dad vanished and his mom died. And in Spring of Y2, Jodi's husband (the father of Sam and Vincent) comes back from The War with That Other Country We've Been At War With, with a clear case of PTSD. I kind of like that the idyllic country life is available to all, even people who've had Bad Shit happen to them.
Bought this today thinking "I really need to do something other than play Pillars of Eternity for 6-8 hours per day." It's been 22 days. How am I going to find a partner for the Flower Dance. What's the most aesthetic way to lay out my farm. Why is the mine full of bees. How do I make friends. Jodi wants a fish to cook, well I need that fish to please the forest spirits Jodi, pick something else.
also apparently you don't have to marry the opposite gender? i can be happy lesbians with someone? yes please, finally. may be wrong about that, i haven't looked much into it, just watched lps. but goshhhh i hope so :D :D :D edit: YESSSSSS bless the creater ahahaha
Ha i've been playing for days! I mentioned it in the status thing here on kintsugi when i got it. good shit. also yes, you absolutely can be hella gay. (i'm totally gonna marry Maru damn it. i got six hearts already and it's almost winter. I WILL WIN HER LOVE DAMN IT)
Here's a thing I came across yesterday when trying to figure out how to best lay out my farm - Stardew Valley Farm Planner. You can drag and drop buildings, structures, and trees, and 'paint' in where you want crops and flowers and pathways to be. It also shows the scarecrows' radius of effectiveness so you can best plan out where to put them. It shows a completely cleared farm area so you'll have to take into account yourself the various debris your farm has, but it's still super helpful, even if you're like me and don't like to plan too much.
This game is cute, and there's so much to do, and so many ominous touches to the backstory, but I just found out Spring crops dry up on the first day of Summer, and I'm a little put out. All that kale...
That is, unfortunately, one of the things Harvest Moon-like games do. I wish the game had made it a little more obvious for newcomers.
@Mercury Re: Your most recent Tumblr post- is it about the fishing minigame, because that shit is impossible.
I've spent the past 20 years getting good at various types of video game. I've got a "try something with controls-observe output-adjust input-repeat" cycle wired right into my brain (I think it's repurposed the circuits for "remembering people's birthdays and anniversaries"). I can tell exactly what the minigame wants me to do. And what it asks for is stupid bullshit.
IT IS TOTALLY ABOUT THE FISHING MINIGAME. I'm not great at reflex games to begin with, but that one!!! I loathe it with a passion. THAT'S THE KIND OF ATTITUDE I LIKE TO SEE.
That is not a reflex minigame. The controls are not nearly responsive enough and the changes in direction are random and untelegraphed. That is a *luck-based* minigame.
It's halfway through summer year 1 and I just cracked 5 hearts with Sebastian. Everyone else I know nothing about, but that tends to be how it goes for me in games like this, haha. I got no time for friendships, I have mining and fishing and forgetting to take care of my farm chores to do, dammit.
Oh shit, it only took ten thousand years but I finally caught a sturgeon!!!! But seriously, I like that there's an actual fishing minigame instead of the usual "just tug the line" thing from Harvest Moon, but I'm so bad at it.