Help I'm addicted to Stardew Valley!

Reading this thread having not played the game is like watching TV shows try to explain fake video games

This game does look cute but it's a massive time sink isn't it?

It is, but it's also a game which you can easily fit in between other stuff due to the game mechanics. A day in the game doesn't take long to play.

Quick to load too, so you can spend a spare 10 or 15 minutes playing it then pick it up later on.

Fade wrote:Reading this thread having not played the game is like watching TV shows try to explain fake video games

This game does look cute but it's a massive time sink isn't it?

Its not like Animal Crossing where you have to play every day to avoid missing in-game events so you can easily play it in short 15-30 minute sessions (you basically need to play through a single in-game day between saves).

You can however spend several hours at a time if you want.

Fade wrote:Reading this thread having not played the game is like watching TV shows try to explain fake video games

This game does look cute but it's a massive time sink isn't it?

It's not overly challenging, but there is combat and some puzzle elements. A lot of it is time/resource management as each day of course only lasts so long, which can also add challenge to certain parts of the game. In general the time sink is just from there being a lot to do in the game, having been updated several times since it first released. It has a very addicticve "just one more day" feel to it too. Would highly recommend if you're a fan of farming sims.

Combat is fairly light, I'm capable of managing it using just the mouse (via slightly janky onscreen controller).

Pretty much only use the swords though.

Couldn't really manage it in the similar Graveyard Keeper as its a lot more intense, same with the fishing.

I really should give this one last go before binning it off completely

Jezo wrote:It has a very addicticve "just one more day" feel to it too.

This is made all the more potent with the fact that the game saves at the start of each day, so I'm always hesitant to stop playing when there's a whole day out there just waiting for me - those crops aren't going to water themselves!

Very clever design.

Preezy wrote:

Jezo wrote:It has a very addicticve "just one more day" feel to it too.

This is made all the more potent with the fact that the game saves at the start of each day, so I'm always hesitant to stop playing when there's a whole day out there just waiting for me - those crops aren't going to water themselves!

With Iridium sprinklers they do.

So I'm in year 2 now and I at last have sprinklers
Aiming to go into the mines most days, level 105 presently

Building up a collection of ore so I can make more sprinklers,.got that income rolling in then i can start to think about moving into other areas.

I've owned this game for years but never played it properly until recently, furthest I'd got was summer year 1.

Mid-winter year 1 right now- I've got the biggest barn, a fishpond filled with super cucumbers, having my coop upgraded to deluxe, most of my tools are gold, community centre bundles are nearly complete and I'm making a steady 5K or so a day without any crops growing.

I'd just got my field sorted with quality sprinklers before winter hit. It was a complete gamechanger.

Memento Mori wrote:I've owned this game for years but never played it properly until recently, furtherest I'd got was summer year 1.

Mid-winter year 1 right now- I've got the biggest barn, a fishpond filled with super cucumbers, having my coop upgraded to deluxe, most of my tools are gold, community centre bundles are nearly complete and I'm making a steady 5K or so a day without any crops growing.

I'd just got my field sorted with quality sprinklers before winter hit. It was a complete gamechanger.

Blimey, how did you manage so much progress before the end of year 1? I only started even looking at the Community Centre as Summer was drawing to a close

Preezy wrote:

Memento Mori wrote:I've owned this game for years but never played it properly until recently, furthest I'd got was summer year 1.

Mid-winter year 1 right now- I've got the biggest barn, a fishpond filled with super cucumbers, having my coop upgraded to deluxe, most of my tools are gold, community centre bundles are nearly complete and I'm making a steady 5K or so a day without any crops growing.

I'd just got my field sorted with quality sprinklers before winter hit. It was a complete gamechanger.

Blimey, how did you manage so much progress before the end of year 1? I only started even looking at the Community Centre as Summer was drawing to a close

Constantly checking what I would need for the community centre and intentionally building my farm around that. Even then I didn't get enough gold quality parsnips for the bundle.

Memento Mori wrote:

Preezy wrote:

Memento Mori wrote:I've owned this game for years but never played it properly until recently, furtherest I'd got was summer year 1.

Mid-winter year 1 right now- I've got the biggest barn, a fishpond filled with super cucumbers, having my coop upgraded to deluxe, most of my tools are gold, community centre bundles are nearly complete and I'm making a steady 5K or so a day without any crops growing.

I'd just got my field sorted with quality sprinklers before winter hit. It was a complete gamechanger.

Blimey, how did you manage so much progress before the end of year 1? I only started even looking at the Community Centre as Summer was drawing to a close

Constantly checking what I would need for the community centre and intentionally building my farm around that. Even then I didn't get enough gold quality parsnips for the bundle.

Yeah makes sense I guess, I felt like I spent the first 2 seasons just kind of bumbling about re-learning the ropes after so long away, hopefully my second year will be more productive. I've also just wiki'd the super cucumbers, had no idea those were even a thing so I will definitely be trying to get some of them in my pond

This game

I've managed to complete the community center bundles by Summer year 2 a couple of times thanks to being lucky with what the travelling merchant was selling (rabbits foot and duck feather really early in the first year).

Current game is a little slower going but I haven't really been trying to do things quickly.

Preezy wrote:

Memento Mori wrote:

Preezy wrote:

Memento Mori wrote:I've owned this game for years but never played it properly until recently, furtherest I'd got was summer year 1.

Mid-winter year 1 right now- I've got the biggest barn, a fishpond filled with super cucumbers, having my coop upgraded to deluxe, most of my tools are gold, community centre bundles are nearly complete and I'm making a steady 5K or so a day without any crops growing.

I'd just got my field sorted with quality sprinklers before winter hit. It was a complete gamechanger.

Blimey, how did you manage so much progress before the end of year 1? I only started even looking at the Community Centre as Summer was drawing to a close

Constantly checking what I would need for the community centre and intentionally building my farm around that. Even then I didn't get enough gold quality parsnips for the bundle.

Yeah makes sense I guess, I felt like I spent the first 2 seasons just kind of bumbling about re-learning the ropes after so long away, hopefully my second year will be more productive. I've also just wiki'd the super cucumbers, had no idea those were even a thing so I will definitely be trying to get some of them in my pond

This game

I was idly fishing in the ocean and caught like 3 iridium super cucumbers in a row. It was crazy.

The fishing

I have zero judgements against anyone that uses mods to make the fishing easier.

Last time I abandoned Stardew years ago, I couldn't do the fishing at all but this run I nailed it on the first attempt.

Apart from the legendary fish, I think the fishing is fairly easy, even though I have to use a button under my chin for mouse clicks.

I don't usually start fishing properly until I can buy the fiberglass rod, that seems to make it a little easier.

I haven't even tried the fishing this time round, couldn't manage it at all on my first playthrough.

Preezy wrote:I haven't even tried the fishing this time round, couldn't manage it at all on my first playthrough.

Once it clicks, you can't unlearn it. As soon as the minigame starts, if you hold the fish button the catch square will go up, if you release it drops to the bottom. Try and keep the catch square on the fish. Some fish will oscillate around more than others. The catch square increases as your fishing level does.