Stardew Valley

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Suits
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Stardew Valley

Post by Suits »

Did a search but didn't see a thread, so thought I'd start one.

Anyone else have any experience with this ??

As soon as I saw it, like a moth to a flame, I was I drawn in by it's 16-bit glory and style.

Took me a long time to get to play it though, as originally it was only on PC by the time it was announced as coming for Mac, it was also coming to console, so I thought I'd wait for the console version as it seemed like a good sofa game.

Picked it up day one on Xbox One and jumped straight in.

I generally like farming sims, Harvest Moon on the SNES is OK, I enjoy Animal Crossing and I was always the dedicated farmer on our Minecraft servers, so an adventure, farming, dungeon crawler in the style of top down Zelda seemed too good to pass.

I've put about 20 hours into it so far and am midway through my first summer.

I find I'm running out of steam with it though, it doesn't feel like much of a game to me. It just feels a bit bland :( .

I've mixed up my farming, foraging, dungeon running and RPG chatting to try and find a hook that will excite me. It's just not.

I've even resorted to watching a few Let's Play's on YouTube to see if I'm missing something that will bring the rewards I seem to crave but I don't see it.

The only thing I appear to be taking away from this is the fact that it is such a beautiful game, which is not what I was expecting. It's such a shame from a personal POV, as I was so excited for it.

Anyone else tried this, have the same feeling as me, or found a way to find the satisfaction and drive that I seem to lack ?

:( :(
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Re: Stardew Valley

Post by hazeredmist »

I saw this game a few times, liked the look of it and actually went to buy it - then finally read the description and watched a video paying attention to more than it's graphical style, and was bitterly disappointed by the type of game it is. It's a genre I've never been interested in and can't wrap my head around sadly.
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Re: Stardew Valley

Post by Stanshall »

I got very excited by the prospect of it, there seems to be so much to do without the Animal Crossing style real life time limitations and so on but after clearing up some space, I just couldn't be arsed. It just felt like a genuine waste of time and I'm not sure why.
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Re: Stardew Valley

Post by Alex79 »

Seems like something I'd be more likely to enjoy on Vita than PS4. I am interested though, used to love Harvest Moon.
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Re: Stardew Valley

Post by gallo_pinto »

Alex79uk wrote:Seems like something I'd be more likely to enjoy on Vita than PS4. I am interested though, used to love Harvest Moon.
I'm totally with you. I heard on a podcast that it was coming to Vita and got really excited because it seems like a great portable game. But that podcast was wrong and it seems to only be coming to consoles. Maybe the Switch???
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Re: Stardew Valley

Post by Chopper »

I'm currently fighting the urge to buy it on console, having played through it earlier this year on PC. I think it was pretty much the only PC gaming I've done this year, which is regrettable.

I loved it, and had no issue with the gameplay goals that were presented to me - primarily upgrading my sprinklers so the farming part would be more time efficient :)

I restored the community centre and that kept me busy in the late game.

I'd never played a game of this type before, and was surprised that the gameplay loop was so addictive, while also being totally transparent (in that you knew exactly how you were being asked to spend your time).

The novelty was a major factor - as I say, though I loved it, I'm struggling as to whether I should get it on console. I've seen it all so getting it makes no sense, and yet...

Edit: I ended up buying it shortly after I wrote this post, and it's not doing it for me at all second time round - aaargh.
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Re: Stardew Valley

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So, after I bounced off this so hard back when it first came out on Xbox, I was drawn back to it when it was announced for the Switch.

Having played quite a bit of it before and knowing what it’s about, I was prepared for it this time and had a much better preparation for the tasks.

The portability of it on Switch is key this time round for me. Currently at the moment when I have access to the big TV I play Mario, then once that taken from me I resort to handheld mode and instantly Switch over to Stardew Valley.

I’ve put over 20 hours into it again and this time feel much more further along in my progress I feel. I spent pretty much the first three seasons setting up my farm, doing some mining and have almost ignored the relationship side of things – which I’ll leave to late late game I think.

I have chickens, three crop plantations, bee’s, scarecrows, fruit bats, a silo, jam maker, beer and bigger house.

Winter has just kicked in, so I’ve just had a look at the community centre storyline, to which I have applied myself quiet reasonably as I have had three seasons of hording and stockpiling the fruits of my labour. Literally.

It’s great on the Switch, better in every way I think compared to my time with it on the Xbox. I’m very much enjoying it this time round.

I’ve got my eye on Penny. Let’s hope she likes my Artisan Goods.

Image
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Re: Stardew Valley

Post by nickturner13 »

Interesting, didn't realise it was on the Switch! I enjoyed Harvest Moon on the PS1 and have had an eye on this for a while but never took the plunge.

Now I've got a Switch I might pick this up so I can play on the trains.
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Re: Stardew Valley

Post by Chopper »

That is one nice farm - the paving must have taken ages!

So are we saying that the magical properties of the Switch have once more turned a bad game into good? ;)

I would just be wary of leaving the relationship to last. I believe only one gift a week is accepted, so that could draw out the game a lot if it was the only thing you had left to do?

How is the fishing on Switch? I used a mod to make it easier on PC, but then of course it was a nightmare on console.
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Re: Stardew Valley

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nickturner13 wrote: November 10th, 2017, 1:34 pm Now I've got a Switch I might pick this up so I can play on the trains.
I tend to play it in long stretches but it would be cool for the train. Anything that doesn’t rely on quick inputs and reactions is cool for on the go I think, this is certainly one of those games
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Re: Stardew Valley

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Chopper wrote: November 10th, 2017, 1:35 pm That is one nice farm - the paving must have taken ages!

So are we saying that the magical properties of the Switch have once more turned a bad game into good? ;)

I would just be wary of leaving the relationship to last. I believe only one gift a week is accepted, so that could draw out the game a lot if it was the only thing you had left to do?

How is the fishing on Switch? I used a mod to make it easier on PC, but then of course it was a nightmare on console.
No, not at all, the paving was as simple as holding down place and walking. The placing guide option helped me a lot with misplacing things – once I’d found it in the display options and turned it on.

OK, coo, I’ll bear that I mind regards the relationships.

For me, the versatility of the Switch has allowed me to enjoy this much more than I came close to on my Xbox but No :lol: , the Switch won’t turn a bad game into a good one, it just puts it on a better plate :lol: .

Fishing is cool, it’s tricky, which makes in challenging but I have the gist of it now I think. More often than not I’m successful. I levelled up the other day too, or increased my fishing proficiency rather. What’s the deal with the treasure chests appearing every now and then in the fishing mini game – who do you snag those ??
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Re: Stardew Valley

Post by seansthomas »

I really don't get this game so far. Completed a whole season now and can see the charm in it, but I find it a struggle to ever want to boot it up. Hearing that people have lost days and seeing it so high on the charts is heartwarming but I feel like I'm missing out.

Will go back to it over Christmas maybe and try again...
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Re: Stardew Valley

Post by Alex79 »

I traded a bunch of games in the other day and mustered up enough for a £10 PSN card because I wanted to get this before it was out of the sale.

I've literally only put about an hour in so far, but enjoyed what I played. One thing I don't get though, is you spend a few minutes bashing rocks and chopping logs to clean up your farm right at the start, and then run out of energy so have to go to bed. Except it's only like 10am in the game. So you do five minutes work and that's your lot for the day? Just seems a bit weird, the energy system. Is there no way to rest without sleeping and fill the energy back up? Does the game end after a year?
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Re: Stardew Valley

Post by Chopper »

You can eat certain foodstuffs to give you more energy, but you don't have access to them right away. Plant plenty of
Spoiler: show
hops
once you get to whatever season they grow in. So yeah, early bedtime for a while.

Technically you're given a progress report at end of year 1 and the end of year 2 is what you are judged on as regards progress towards some bigger goals, though the game is open-ended.
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Re: Stardew Valley

Post by Suits »

Alex79uk wrote: December 2nd, 2017, 5:32 pm Is there no way to rest without sleeping and fill the energy back up? Does the game end after a year?
So, yeah, there is. You can eat to replenish energy and health. Things like fruit or vegetables will probably be your options so early on, although I think you may have the option to create a field snack - which is sap, pine cone and maple seed I think.

However, in the early days, yes, all manual tasks will be energy draining. It's a good way to encourage foraging and mingling with the town folk after your mornings labour. As the days pass, you'll become more effect at manual task though.

No, the game just keeps going and going from what I can tell. There is a certain task that only begins after the third year !!
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Re: Stardew Valley

Post by Alex79 »

Great, thanks both. I have this problem with games like this, that I keep restarting as I learn more things, to try to reach that perfect start type state haha. I've already restarted three times... :lol:
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Re: Stardew Valley

Post by Chopper »

:lol:

There's no need to sweat it really. It's a gentle game.

I would warn you to stay away from Factorio in the future if you have restart-itis.
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Re: Stardew Valley

Post by kintaris »

Alex79uk wrote: December 2nd, 2017, 8:58 pm Great, thanks both. I have this problem with games like this, that I keep restarting as I learn more things, to try to reach that perfect start type state haha. I've already restarted three times... :lol:
Oh I am so terrible at this as well. Cities Skylines is pretty much designed in a way to negate this behaviour by allowing you to restructure so organically... and yet I must have restarted that game about thirty times within the first hour of the city's life.

I had to stop playing Stardew personally because of this. After three or four hours I realised I would never be satisfied, and that just made me sad...
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Re: Stardew Valley

Post by Alex79 »

I'm loving it! Playing for 20 minutes in bed before sleep each night, one in game day. Tend to my crops, clear out a little of the farm, then fish and to the pub to chat with folk before returning home to bed. It's really relaxing before sleep!
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Re: Stardew Valley

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Alex79uk wrote: December 6th, 2017, 11:22 am I'm loving it! Playing for 20 minutes in bed before sleep each night, one in game day. Tend to my crops, clear out a little of the farm, then fish and to the pub to chat with folk before returning home to bed. It's really relaxing before sleep!
Almost exactly how I play it too man.

Although I tend to do more than 1 day, maybe a few.

I'm in to year 2 and settled into a good groove.

Once the Multiplayer update drops in the new year, I've a cracking strawberry wine you can have, along with some Honey, Mayonnaise and champion Gold star duck eggs :lol: .
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