There's no wrong way to play, there's never a rush to do anything.
As to what you can expect, the game will eat up a lot of time and be addicting at first. If you have obligations such as school and/or work, just be careful and try not to let the game take over.
Other than that, have fun. There's a Wiki for this game, it can come in handy, but you don't really need it.
\^ This.
Also, I recommend you avoid watching any Stardew content online, at least at first. It seems like a lot of people have their initial experience ruined because they watch people speedrunning and optimizing every second of every day in early game, only to get frustrated and quit because they feel like they're "playing it wrong" or "not doing well".
Just roll with the vibes and enjoy yourself! š„°
Honestly I'd say that was my problem when I first played. I had so much "paralysis by analysis." Youtubers even had conflicting advice.
I didn't start having fun until I decided to just play it however, even if it was "wrong", as long as it was just my own way. Then I started having a blast.
Just as it should be! :)
Don't get me wrong, it's great that people are out there doing the self-challenges and teaching tips and tricks and whatnot, I just wish they would advertise the "You don't HAVE to play this way" message a little more. š
For sure. I was so worried about making "mistakes" but I realized at some point that it's just choices - and as long as they were my choices, I could live with whatever happened.
And you can change your farm around. If you don't like something, you can remedy it. You're not stuck. It can all be customized again and again.
I like finding a middle ground where I have a pretty good understanding of āoptimalā and then play how I want but if I get stuck somehow or need an influx of cash, itās nice knowing āxā vegetable or āyā artisan good is where I can focus my attention.
Like little bursts of optimization.
I really wish I could play it for the first time again. I love min maxing, but that first playthrough was pure magic. Now I'm set in my wiki ways and I know everything (or almost everything), but I would give anything to wipe my memory and play it all over again. Might fuck around and get SVE so I can have a taste of lostness again. I know too much. Lol
Oh I very highly recommend giving SVE a try! Since we can't just pay a shrine to wipe our memories, SVE really does such a wonderful job of giving you a little bit of that first time Stardew magic feeling. š„°
that was the opposite for me! I picked up sv, got pretty simultaneously overwhelmed and underwhelmed and put it down for months, thinking it wasnāt for me. Then I saw LisstheLassā 100 days playthrough and saw how much to the game there was that I would have taken so long to find on my own (i was wrestling with turnips mostly, and the community center was out of sight, out of mind). Seeing someone so seamlessly skate through parts of the game that felt overwhelming, and seeing how much there was to unlock, inspired me to pick it up again and I havenāt put it down since.
So itās dependent on what helps you specifically get into a game! Youtube can be helpful to some people, and I definitely recommend LisstheLassā original stardew perfection series, as sheās pretty casual and realistic in her play style. Unlike the more analytical youtubers that I can totally see overwhelming new players
Definitely, everyone is different! And I don't mean to sound like I'm hating on Stardew content creators at all, because they definitely are a huge help and source of enjoyment for a lot of people, myself included!
I only wish more of them would reiterate more often that they are veterans of the game, and that the 'most efficient' way to play isn't necessarily the 'right' way, and that new players shouldn't compare themselves to any other players, new or experienced.
But either way, I'm always happy to see people enjoying they game, so I'm glad you watched them! š„°
If i could rewind time and play SDV for the first time id do this. Watching vids and searching best profit crops, how to get a specific item, etc kinda ruined my experience abit. I still really love the game
I started playing so I could play on a co-op farm with a friend who had been playing for awhile. Looking back I think they were a little frustrated at my laid back approach as compared to their "min-max" approach.
100%, the wiki can be incredible for NPC schedules, fishing seasons etc but can be a huge spoiler fest and the game is so good at teaching you all you need if you just slow down a bit.
This. Iāve had my experience with a few other games ruined via watching content online (eg. terraria, portal 2). Stardew valley has been as good as it has because I refrained from content online.
I think this is really good advice for any game tbh. When I first started Rimworld I watched a million videos about the most efficient ways to play and to set things up but got bored and stopped. When I came back to it I said F it and just played how I wanted to and figured things out as I went and it was a much much more enjoyable experience.
The first time I played I was in year 5 and the community center wasn't close to being done, my farm was filled with trees and debris, honestly I don't know what I was doing.
How much do the auto-petters cost?
EDIT: nm, found it on the wiki. Looks like you just give 50k for the petter and your soul for the Joja membership ;)
Oh, like you couldn't have told me 6 weeks ago when I bought it??
288 hours, 272 of them in the first 4 weeks. :P To be fair though, a whole lot of that was with the game paused and me browsing either the wiki or reddit :)
True that. I just started playing again when the update launched and somehow Iāve got 41 hoursā¦ as a working from home dad with an 11 month old not in daycare. š
why would you bring this up you monster š
this save file I've been somehow taking decor off tables and it's been so annoying putting them back lmao
another save file it's the rugs in my living room. got everything juuuuust right
and I click the rug
there goes another five minutes trying to set it up again lol
need a rug glue mod
Congratulations on your new physical copy of SDV. Those are cool.
There is no right way to play so play however brings you joy. (who started this silly single player meta anyways?)
Since it's your first Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons/Stardew game, here's one tip that veterans overlook. Seasonal crops will die when the season changes.
Go in blind or check out https://stardewvalleywiki.com/Getting_Started
At least the plants don't die if you forget to water them in Stardew Vallley. They just skip that day from growing bigger. In some other farming sims the plants die instantly of you forget to water them and it is not raining.
Unless thatās changed recently, they do die after several days of no watering, when I first started I would forget to water some crops and after a few days they just showed up all crusty and wilted and I had to scythe them away š„²
There is no right way to play.
Nothing you do in the game is a critical mistake. Even selling rare drops is recoverable at some point in a playthrough. The exception is the legendary fish but that is advanced gameplay.
Every one uses the wiki for something but making a game journal may be more fun.
I would recommend making friends with the villagers earlier rather than later.
Can confirm. Me and bf bought this last Tuesday and weāve played every chance possible!! To the point where he was like āthis is like work after a full day of work ā!! So we changed it up. He does whatever he feels like doing and I do whatever I wanna do.
This game is SO ADDICTIVE!!! Only warning g I can give. Otherwise, like everyone else said, play it how YOU want to play. I do strongly suggest sprinklers though
Are you playing co-op with kids to adjust time speed? I absolutely cannot play multiplayer without it, itās so stressful and frustrating since time NEVER stops in co-op, passed to many times because I was in a cutscene and despite being 9pm when it started I passed out by the time it was done. Absolute garbage. No issues with time speed mod, I tap a key to pause time whenever one of us gets a cut scene and have the general day length increased by 50% since it never pauses during fishing or when in menus like it does in single player. Also nice to be able to pause and go use the restroom.
Throw in Automate, UIinfoSuite2, Expanded, and a few other mods and itās šš¤š»perfect.
*take your time*
Things will be slow at first, *don't worry about it*, relax and have fun
Nothing is time locked and the year will come back around eventually, and you can play perpetually. I've seen anywhere between 14 to *70* year farms, you got *time*
You can't change your farm type or name.
About that last sentence of yours... I got stardew on a whim when it was on sale. I wasn't sure if it would be for me, so I wasn't very serious about naming things and now I'm well over 150 hours in on boat eggs farm. It's just some random Futurama joke that has become my beloved place with a ridiculous name
DO donate it! But wait till you get at least a second one. Otherwise you'll regret it. Same with dino eggs, though those are much easier to get.
Disclaimer: I love the museum, and it's always one of my top priorities when playing any game with a museum function.
that day i found two prismatic shards on 1.6 (monster book that doubles loot) from random slimes in Cindersap forest made me feel something new
"Damn I can donate one to the Museum AND get a Galaxy Sword ????? Poggs"
I got the digital version and I'm slowly realizing I really want this case. time to buy a physical copy for switch then lol
As someone who has clocked nearly 5k hours between switch and PC, there is definitely no wrong way to play!
I'm honestly baffled how I've accrued this many hours on a game. at this point I've spent more hours on this game than all my other games combined.
I find with each new save file I do things radically differently than the previous saves, just in terms of organization, even if I use the same farm type.
Also, I love QoL mods (and sometimes cheats lol) for my PC games, but I also like playing vanilla from time to time, which I'll do on switch.
I hope you enjoy!
You will mess up your new farm, and kind of hate a lot of choices you made, but will also weirdly love it and be unwilling to delete it.
Or is that just me?
Def not just you! My bf upgraded to a kitchenā¦ugliest house on co-op land. Now THATS our house. Until weāre back to spending 10k without a problem. It irks me every time we play ššš
If you choose Joja mart: auto petting machine for animals.
If you don't choose Joja mart: you have to pet every single animal everyday otherwise the quality of their product will decrease.
Note: I'm at year 2, I have 51 animals to pet each day š¤¬
Depending on what kind of person you are, you might get easily overwhelmed by all the stuff you can do. I think it can be helpful to make to-do lists and take notes of things your collecting, need for recipes, etc. but itās more than possible to just go at it raw
Unless you're absolutely overcome with anxiety about it, go in with no expectations and no help. Just experience year 1 on your own.
There will be plenty of time for optimized playthroughs if you decide you like the game.
iām big into the roleplay of it as a good way of not rushing, make youāre character and really get to know the people and the land in the game. grow the crops you like and worry about any in game goals as you want/they come up. like others have said thereās no right way to play as long as youāre having fun.
Stardew is extremely forgiving, so don't stress yourself out. Allow yourself to explore things at your own pace, click everything you're curious about, plant whatever you want, befriend whoever you want. If you think you messed up something, just restart the day.
Winter is great for decorating. Your animals can eat grass outside (not in winter or rainy days, you'll need hay). You can water your pet's bowl. Fishing gets easier with higher levels. Avoid placingĀ down fences without a pickaxe and axe on hand. Weeds can destroy things in your farm, clean them up with a scythe. You can press and hold some upgraded tools for better range. You can do the same thing to collect multiple crops and pet your animals. Have fun, you'll have time.
Use the wiki for stuff you come across this helped me greatly.
First 7 days is kinda scripted as you meet people and they give u stuff after u learn about the community center your pretty much not guided anymore.
Watch your energy bar. It's filled by sleeping and eating. Your bed time is midnight but at 2am u pass out.
There's no rush and no wrong way to play. So don't try to do more than 1-2 activities a day or you'll feel the time goes too fast.
The community center is very valuable bc u unlock stuff for each bundl you do. While your not timed the community center has seasonal crops it wants so you kinda have to know what's for what's season.
Lastly just enjoy the NPCs and talking, giving gifts, I found gift giving tedious so I used the wiki to find out what they liked.
Lots of good comments here. I think it's also important to take some time to listen to the different music as you're playing. CA put his *soul* into the game's music and it's certainly worth pausing for a moment to listen to a track play out, whether it's on the title screen, the game select screen, or really anywhere else. That swampy >! Volcano music !< just hits my ear in the most satisfying way, and there are so many good tracks that it's certainly worth listening to them all >! when you get the Jukebox!<
Thereās no rush to do anything in the game, I have over 400 hours on one save and Iām still finding new things, ALSO take your time naming things or else youāll be named PeePee and living on Farm Farm because you thought it was funny when you were 16
Don't blow all your money first year on decorations or outfit stuff focus on crops and wild seeds and you will have an easier time aside from that potential first timer misstep game is addicting fun and there's really no wrong way playing there's alot of freedom in what you can do and you can play with friends money van be shared or separate with friends play so have fun and o what you want. It's like harvest moon so if you were ever a fan of that franchise this will scratch that itch. :)
Just enjoy it
Talking to everyone once a day is good but give gifts if you want faster friendship you can look up what they don't like and give them anything else
That's some amazing art for the hard copy!
1st- I'd recommend getting up fishing as quick as possible. Great money maker for the beginning and annoying to learn so best to get it out of the way.
2nd- Fish @ farm & sell fish to sell box by house. Do this till $2k & get the better bag. Stay strong and do it all the way to $10k & you'll have full inventory. (Eta 2-2.5hrs/$12k)
Once you get the blue bag/full inventory space, doing anything else will be a breeze and you'll probably have like lvl 5 fishing.
I personally hit mines or go for a upgraded house & craft chests.
Expect a bit of a learning curve at first. Not sure about console, but I found learning the town, villagers, and controls to be kind of frustrating in the beginning (it probably didnāt help that I was playing on a trackpad haha). Donāt worry - like everyone says, nothing is time sensitive, so you have plenty of time to figure out all of these things! Soon youāll be able to rattle off your favorite townsfolkās loved gifts at a moments notice haha
i mean i got it yesterday bcuz i saw it has ducks and i love ducks. i got it at like 11:30 or 12:00 and played until 1:00 today i played from six thirty to 9:30 so u dont really need to expect anything other then u are gonna be obsessed with the game (after all those hours of playing the game i still dont have enough wood and gold for the big coop to finally get a duck and yes i spent over 2k at the shop when i saw i needed 150 stone and i cleared out my whole beach farm sand arl...)
Just play however you want. It is a huge game despite it being so simple. Personally I suck at figuring things out so I'm always looking at wiki for stardew on how to attain stuff
It's harder than you think, and it doesn't really tutorialize you. There's nothing wrong with checking the wiki if you have questions - it doesn't compromise the game at all. There's not much to "spoil," but there's a lot to learn. Nothing wrong with trying to stay blind and figure it all out yourself either, though.
Not sure anyone has mentioned it but since you are playing on Switch so you will be playing an āolderā version as the new update hasnt been released to console yet. So the wiki may be difficult to comprehend but at the bottom of every page will let you know for what version its for. Good luck!
It will be your biggest addiction for a while, a cozy thing that becomes part of your irl routine. Then you will feel a massive void once you finish it. Source: me as of today.
Prepare for a serenely relaxing experience you can in no way expect. Itās such a beautiful story, gameplay is excellent and you get to live out the dream of owning a farm and adventuring. You can fall in love with anyone and everyone. It might seem simple at first but as the complexity of growing and managing time and money and energy and relationships starts to build, donāt hesitate to take a deep breath and just enjoy it. The creator is STILL adding content years later that has only improved the game tenfold. I can recall playing it out the gate and the QoL changes only make it so so much grander. Enjoy. Many of us wish we could witness your journey thru your fresh eyes. Youāll (hopefully) begin to grasp why many players put hundreds of not thousands of hours into it.
There is no wrong or right way to do anything in this game, and it is nearly impossible to mess up at. You can play for money or athletics, or for friendships or the story. There are so many ways to enjoy it!
Yea, it's one of those games we're you can take it at your own pace, play how YOU want to play, and I feel like even if you don't 'beat' it it's still fun and enjoyableĀ
Man, I can't believe they still print those paper manuals for some games. I saw a video essay on/about Tunic recently and I guess the nostalgia of those is still fresh on my mind
Itās like old harvest moon meets old Zelda, the soundtrack is top notch, the dialogue can be hit or miss, but itās super fun and addicting. Multiplayer is super fun. I consider this game to be one of great value, and have purchased it on pretty much every platform I own that supports it.
Honestly, the biggest issue I have with my gameplay is I didn't look at the best way to set up the museum. I spent most of my night trying to figure out what I forgot to turn in as I was only missing 1 item on my list of items but had so many spaces left.... I cried a little when I figured out I didn't forget to turn anything in and now I have items I can't access and there's weird spaces left.
Always be aware of upcoming NPC birthdays and if you give favorite gifts on birthday it will really boost your relationship which will help you out especially if your interested in the marriage side to the game
https://preview.redd.it/v12qkewljv5d1.jpeg?width=938&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0289fb0f6bf25655e0917dc4403ed2b86125e3ca
The icon circled in the picture indicates if an item in your inventory or chest is needed for a place you'll unlock later in the game. When you're going through the items in your inventory keep an eye on it and it'll move a bit when you're hovering over something you can use there.
Also if you struggle with the fishing at the beginning, dont worry too much, it gets easier as you level it up.
I don't know if anyone else said this, but a lot of what you need to learn on a first play through comes from watching the TV every day, recipes, and necessary information. If you don't use the wiki, definitely watch the TV.
You have no time limit to complete things. If you want to spend an entire year fishing you can. If you want to spend a year just trying to figure out gifts for everyone you can.
If you use the wiki, it becomes a lot easier in the early game, as you'll know what to do and what you need to progress. Starting out stardew without any knowledge can be fun as well but way more time consuming as it'll feel pretty slow making money at the beginning without knowing how to do so.
Be prepared to play it like factorio, optimize every hour!
Is what I would like to say but there is no wrong way to play the game. You can as fast as you want or start growing crops on your second year, either way, play it the way you enjoy it!
Lots of people saying there's not a wrong way to play which is true but I'd recommend getting the pantry bundle done as soon as you can. I didn't do much farming the first two seasons because I hate manually watering crops but I'm paying for it now cuz I'm now in summer of year two and I'm still working on that bundle.
There is a very important piece of information regarding a certain object during the intro cutscene, do try to pay attention to that
Any and all eggs can be hatched at a certain point to get more eggs eventually, if you find a certain object this might make more sense
It may feel like time passes way too fast at first, and you donāt have enough time in a day to do everything you want/need to (at least thatās how I felt when I started playing), but donāt be afraid to take your time. Most things, with the exception of randomized and insignificant fetch quests, donāt really require doing things on a strict time limit. The length of each day and how much you can do in one is also something that you kind of learn implicitly just by playing through enough days.
Actually I think that you don't have to prepare yourself for something.
Open the game Without any thoughts and let it surprise you. After all there's no way to play Stardew Valley "wrong". :)
Good luck!
Omg does the physical copy have a booklet like the old days giving a run down of the game? I know its likely only a few pages but still. I miss games having booklets. Some of them would be 50 pages long. Now I just open it up and look at the disc/cartridge :(
As Iām one of others who just started playing this game, the key is just have fun!! You need no online speedy content for the first run, just relax and enjoy it.
You also can ask your friends to help you make money for smoother starting play by creating co-op save, e.g. for purchasing backpack, seeds, or having some advice and touring around the map, after that you can play it on your own. Thatās how my friends help me when I get started.
Remember, donāt be too rush, just play as you like because thereās no right or wrong to play this game. But if you really want to check on something, thereās a wiki for you to explore loads of stuff as well.
Most importantly, as I experienced, this game is so addictive!! If youāre the one with fixed schedules with school or work stuff, be careful with the time management, donāt let the game take over too much your sleeping timeā¦yep!! Itās my directed experience š¤£š¤£ and I wouldnāt recommend anyone to be like that
So, enjoy!! Hope you have fun playing the game šš
At first, itās overwhelming. Time goes by so fast, making money seems impossible, and fishing is hard af but hang in there because the more you play the easier it getsā¦literally because experience points makes things easier. I play on the switch with no mods. I stopped and started this game several times but I really didnāt want to give up on it and Iām glad I didnāt because Iām hooked now. Be prepared to look up a lot because the game leaves a lot of questions to be asked and sometimes when things do get explained it can be easy to miss. Alternatively, donāt put too much pressure on yourself to complete all the things in the same manner as others. Once you craft sprinklers the game pops off, money starts rolling in, and you can just cruise around town schmoozing it up with the town folk. Lastly, chip away at the community center when you can because the rewards you get from completing bundles help a lot on the farm. Good luck!
> Is there a ārightā way to play the game?
There absolutely is not, although you do miss out on an infinity of player made QoL tweaks and extended content by playing a console version.
You should expect to loose hundreds of hours.. but they are all completely worth itā¦
Look at the wiki to help on timings of crops/forageables and fish and just take each day as it comes! Enjoy! Iād love to play stardew for the first time again xxx
You can play exactly how you want; try to avoid others opinions on playstyles
There's no shame in starting over and trying out different forms until you find the one you like
Have you ever played other farm life games before, or is Stardew your first? The game works under the assumption that you've played games like Story of Seasons/Harvest Moon before in the first season, so the tutorial can be a little hands-off.
If you have a tendency to min/max, your in for a delightfully stressful ride.
In any case, have a few hours on hand the first time you try it. If you only play for an in-game day or two, you might get overwhelmed and discouraged. If you play for 5 in-game days, and just go for the starter quests, you'll have your first harvest, and a small dopamine rush.
There's no wrong way to play. If you go through two days of just fishing it'll go from frustrating to addictively fun/relaxing.
Take a single look on the Stardew wikipage on parsnips, just to see how crop growth time works, and know that any one-season crops that arent harvested on the 28th will be lost.
Oh, and don't try to do everything perfectly at once on your first play. Once you get the hang of it, you can always start a new farm. I played through spring 4 or 5 times before I actually got a 'long' run. I had loads of fun though every one of them, and have now played for hundreds of hours.
Oh, and if something goes terribly wrong, you can restart your day by exiting/reentering the game. It only saves when you end your day.
There are already a lot of comments that say to play it as you wish. If you have any problems with game's mechanics check out the official Wiki!
And this wonderful community š
expect to enjoy yourself, don't rush things
some things will unlock at a certain point in the game and there is no incentive to rush the hell for it. if you miss it (usually during your first year), there is always another chance to get it
slowly progress the game and take your time
Prepare to vicariously live your life through this game .. become obsessed .. fall in love .. find secrets .. and realise youre not the only one ā¤ļø
Always remember that there's always that one a-hole businessman who takes things for granted regardless if it's about his wife, daughter, or your good deeds to him.
There's no wrong way to play, there's never a rush to do anything. As to what you can expect, the game will eat up a lot of time and be addicting at first. If you have obligations such as school and/or work, just be careful and try not to let the game take over. Other than that, have fun. There's a Wiki for this game, it can come in handy, but you don't really need it.
\^ This. Also, I recommend you avoid watching any Stardew content online, at least at first. It seems like a lot of people have their initial experience ruined because they watch people speedrunning and optimizing every second of every day in early game, only to get frustrated and quit because they feel like they're "playing it wrong" or "not doing well". Just roll with the vibes and enjoy yourself! š„°
Honestly I'd say that was my problem when I first played. I had so much "paralysis by analysis." Youtubers even had conflicting advice. I didn't start having fun until I decided to just play it however, even if it was "wrong", as long as it was just my own way. Then I started having a blast.
Just as it should be! :) Don't get me wrong, it's great that people are out there doing the self-challenges and teaching tips and tricks and whatnot, I just wish they would advertise the "You don't HAVE to play this way" message a little more. š
For sure. I was so worried about making "mistakes" but I realized at some point that it's just choices - and as long as they were my choices, I could live with whatever happened. And you can change your farm around. If you don't like something, you can remedy it. You're not stuck. It can all be customized again and again.
I like finding a middle ground where I have a pretty good understanding of āoptimalā and then play how I want but if I get stuck somehow or need an influx of cash, itās nice knowing āxā vegetable or āyā artisan good is where I can focus my attention. Like little bursts of optimization.
I really wish I could play it for the first time again. I love min maxing, but that first playthrough was pure magic. Now I'm set in my wiki ways and I know everything (or almost everything), but I would give anything to wipe my memory and play it all over again. Might fuck around and get SVE so I can have a taste of lostness again. I know too much. Lol
Oh I very highly recommend giving SVE a try! Since we can't just pay a shrine to wipe our memories, SVE really does such a wonderful job of giving you a little bit of that first time Stardew magic feeling. š„°
Apologies for the question but what's SVE
Stardew Valley Expanded! It's a mod that adds some new content to the game :)
Thank you
that was the opposite for me! I picked up sv, got pretty simultaneously overwhelmed and underwhelmed and put it down for months, thinking it wasnāt for me. Then I saw LisstheLassā 100 days playthrough and saw how much to the game there was that I would have taken so long to find on my own (i was wrestling with turnips mostly, and the community center was out of sight, out of mind). Seeing someone so seamlessly skate through parts of the game that felt overwhelming, and seeing how much there was to unlock, inspired me to pick it up again and I havenāt put it down since. So itās dependent on what helps you specifically get into a game! Youtube can be helpful to some people, and I definitely recommend LisstheLassā original stardew perfection series, as sheās pretty casual and realistic in her play style. Unlike the more analytical youtubers that I can totally see overwhelming new players
Definitely, everyone is different! And I don't mean to sound like I'm hating on Stardew content creators at all, because they definitely are a huge help and source of enjoyment for a lot of people, myself included! I only wish more of them would reiterate more often that they are veterans of the game, and that the 'most efficient' way to play isn't necessarily the 'right' way, and that new players shouldn't compare themselves to any other players, new or experienced. But either way, I'm always happy to see people enjoying they game, so I'm glad you watched them! š„°
If i could rewind time and play SDV for the first time id do this. Watching vids and searching best profit crops, how to get a specific item, etc kinda ruined my experience abit. I still really love the game
I started playing so I could play on a co-op farm with a friend who had been playing for awhile. Looking back I think they were a little frustrated at my laid back approach as compared to their "min-max" approach.
100%, the wiki can be incredible for NPC schedules, fishing seasons etc but can be a huge spoiler fest and the game is so good at teaching you all you need if you just slow down a bit.
This. Iāve had my experience with a few other games ruined via watching content online (eg. terraria, portal 2). Stardew valley has been as good as it has because I refrained from content online.
I think this is really good advice for any game tbh. When I first started Rimworld I watched a million videos about the most efficient ways to play and to set things up but got bored and stopped. When I came back to it I said F it and just played how I wanted to and figured things out as I went and it was a much much more enjoyable experience.
The first time I played I was in year 5 and the community center wasn't close to being done, my farm was filled with trees and debris, honestly I don't know what I was doing.
Correct, even joining Joja is not wrong. Ignore the haters, they're just jealous that we can buy auto-petters.
How much do the auto-petters cost? EDIT: nm, found it on the wiki. Looks like you just give 50k for the petter and your soul for the Joja membership ;)
I spent way too much time on my first run through. It was a multiplayer game and weād sometimes play a season a day
Wow! That's impressive. Wow.
Oh, like you couldn't have told me 6 weeks ago when I bought it?? 288 hours, 272 of them in the first 4 weeks. :P To be fair though, a whole lot of that was with the game paused and me browsing either the wiki or reddit :)
Well said.
True that. I just started playing again when the update launched and somehow Iāve got 41 hoursā¦ as a working from home dad with an 11 month old not in daycare. š
Getting frustrated with rugs is normal.
That got fixed in 1.6 iirc Hang in there! The frustration will soon be a thing of the past!
Omg yay!! I play on switch and mobile so canāt waittttt
why would you bring this up you monster š this save file I've been somehow taking decor off tables and it's been so annoying putting them back lmao another save file it's the rugs in my living room. got everything juuuuust right and I click the rug there goes another five minutes trying to set it up again lol need a rug glue mod
Haha sorry :((( the way I got my bookshelves all nice yesterday and thenā¦
As a PC player, this has not been fixed in 1.6 š It's marginally better, but still frustrating.
Is there a mod that displays the size of rugs in the shop/catalog?
Congratulations on your new physical copy of SDV. Those are cool. There is no right way to play so play however brings you joy. (who started this silly single player meta anyways?) Since it's your first Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons/Stardew game, here's one tip that veterans overlook. Seasonal crops will die when the season changes. Go in blind or check out https://stardewvalleywiki.com/Getting_Started
At least the plants don't die if you forget to water them in Stardew Vallley. They just skip that day from growing bigger. In some other farming sims the plants die instantly of you forget to water them and it is not raining.
Unless thatās changed recently, they do die after several days of no watering, when I first started I would forget to water some crops and after a few days they just showed up all crusty and wilted and I had to scythe them away š„²
There is no right way to play. Nothing you do in the game is a critical mistake. Even selling rare drops is recoverable at some point in a playthrough. The exception is the legendary fish but that is advanced gameplay. Every one uses the wiki for something but making a game journal may be more fun. I would recommend making friends with the villagers earlier rather than later.
Not me selling all my wood my first play through, and then buying 30k worth at the end of year 1 on my second play thru š¬
Me doing the same with l my hay. My poor cows :(
It will consume your life
Can confirm. Me and bf bought this last Tuesday and weāve played every chance possible!! To the point where he was like āthis is like work after a full day of work ā!! So we changed it up. He does whatever he feels like doing and I do whatever I wanna do. This game is SO ADDICTIVE!!! Only warning g I can give. Otherwise, like everyone else said, play it how YOU want to play. I do strongly suggest sprinklers though
Are you playing co-op with kids to adjust time speed? I absolutely cannot play multiplayer without it, itās so stressful and frustrating since time NEVER stops in co-op, passed to many times because I was in a cutscene and despite being 9pm when it started I passed out by the time it was done. Absolute garbage. No issues with time speed mod, I tap a key to pause time whenever one of us gets a cut scene and have the general day length increased by 50% since it never pauses during fishing or when in menus like it does in single player. Also nice to be able to pause and go use the restroom. Throw in Automate, UIinfoSuite2, Expanded, and a few other mods and itās šš¤š»perfect.
This
*take your time* Things will be slow at first, *don't worry about it*, relax and have fun Nothing is time locked and the year will come back around eventually, and you can play perpetually. I've seen anywhere between 14 to *70* year farms, you got *time* You can't change your farm type or name.
About that last sentence of yours... I got stardew on a whim when it was on sale. I wasn't sure if it would be for me, so I wasn't very serious about naming things and now I'm well over 150 hours in on boat eggs farm. It's just some random Futurama joke that has become my beloved place with a ridiculous name
Reminds me of my first playthrough farm name: Good Farm Farm (I didn't know it would automatically put Farm on the end). The save has ~200 hours
Yeahā¦ mine is āPractice Farmā š©
my friend called me āhanbagā one time and thatās what i named my farm lmaooo
Dont be like me and donate your prismatic shard to the museum
*Don't be like me. DON'T donate your prismatic shard to the museum. Or your dino egg.
this.
DO donate it! But wait till you get at least a second one. Otherwise you'll regret it. Same with dino eggs, though those are much easier to get. Disclaimer: I love the museum, and it's always one of my top priorities when playing any game with a museum function.
My first dino egg became a dino, so it always gives dino eggs, which I can donate to the museum. I learned my lesson.
maybe I am just lucky but I am in my year 2 and have already found 4 prismatic shards! The first two in the quarry, the other 2 in the mines
How does it feel to be gods favorite?
that day i found two prismatic shards on 1.6 (monster book that doubles loot) from random slimes in Cindersap forest made me feel something new "Damn I can donate one to the Museum AND get a Galaxy Sword ????? Poggs"
I got the digital version and I'm slowly realizing I really want this case. time to buy a physical copy for switch then lol As someone who has clocked nearly 5k hours between switch and PC, there is definitely no wrong way to play! I'm honestly baffled how I've accrued this many hours on a game. at this point I've spent more hours on this game than all my other games combined. I find with each new save file I do things radically differently than the previous saves, just in terms of organization, even if I use the same farm type. Also, I love QoL mods (and sometimes cheats lol) for my PC games, but I also like playing vanilla from time to time, which I'll do on switch. I hope you enjoy!
I hope at some point you introduced mods!
You will mess up your new farm, and kind of hate a lot of choices you made, but will also weirdly love it and be unwilling to delete it. Or is that just me?
Def not just you! My bf upgraded to a kitchenā¦ugliest house on co-op land. Now THATS our house. Until weāre back to spending 10k without a problem. It irks me every time we play ššš
If you choose Joja mart: auto petting machine for animals. If you don't choose Joja mart: you have to pet every single animal everyday otherwise the quality of their product will decrease. Note: I'm at year 2, I have 51 animals to pet each day š¤¬
To be fair, you can still get auto petters the community center route. Itās just not as easy
How????????????
>!Skull cavern drops or golden mystery boxes!<
Depending on what kind of person you are, you might get easily overwhelmed by all the stuff you can do. I think it can be helpful to make to-do lists and take notes of things your collecting, need for recipes, etc. but itās more than possible to just go at it raw
Unless you're absolutely overcome with anxiety about it, go in with no expectations and no help. Just experience year 1 on your own. There will be plenty of time for optimized playthroughs if you decide you like the game.
Wow I didnāt know there was a physical version!
This was how I discovered the game (when I bought my switch!)
As a newer on pc, my biggest problem is the fishing mini game & wooing Elliott because of his expensive gifts. š
iām big into the roleplay of it as a good way of not rushing, make youāre character and really get to know the people and the land in the game. grow the crops you like and worry about any in game goals as you want/they come up. like others have said thereās no right way to play as long as youāre having fun.
Never rely on Marnie
expect to be humiliated and rejected at ur first flower dance
Stardew is extremely forgiving, so don't stress yourself out. Allow yourself to explore things at your own pace, click everything you're curious about, plant whatever you want, befriend whoever you want. If you think you messed up something, just restart the day. Winter is great for decorating. Your animals can eat grass outside (not in winter or rainy days, you'll need hay). You can water your pet's bowl. Fishing gets easier with higher levels. Avoid placingĀ down fences without a pickaxe and axe on hand. Weeds can destroy things in your farm, clean them up with a scythe. You can press and hold some upgraded tools for better range. You can do the same thing to collect multiple crops and pet your animals. Have fun, you'll have time.
Expect to play for long periods of time and then not touch it for long periods of time. Only to want to randomly play again. Rinse repeat
Wood is a necessity in later game. Be sure to plant the seeds asap if you don't want to wait for the trees to regrow!
Or go hard on earning cash and buy a vast stockpile from Robin in year one.
Use the wiki for stuff you come across this helped me greatly. First 7 days is kinda scripted as you meet people and they give u stuff after u learn about the community center your pretty much not guided anymore. Watch your energy bar. It's filled by sleeping and eating. Your bed time is midnight but at 2am u pass out. There's no rush and no wrong way to play. So don't try to do more than 1-2 activities a day or you'll feel the time goes too fast. The community center is very valuable bc u unlock stuff for each bundl you do. While your not timed the community center has seasonal crops it wants so you kinda have to know what's for what's season. Lastly just enjoy the NPCs and talking, giving gifts, I found gift giving tedious so I used the wiki to find out what they liked.
Lots of good comments here. I think it's also important to take some time to listen to the different music as you're playing. CA put his *soul* into the game's music and it's certainly worth pausing for a moment to listen to a track play out, whether it's on the title screen, the game select screen, or really anywhere else. That swampy >! Volcano music !< just hits my ear in the most satisfying way, and there are so many good tracks that it's certainly worth listening to them all >! when you get the Jukebox!<
A lot of wiki reading. Like, *a lot* of wiki reading.
Fortunately SDV's wiki is extra-hot great.
Stardew's wiki is defo SS Tier.
Always keep the barns and coops open.
Situational. The morning animal pats are a lot quicker if they're all in one place.
Thereās no rush to do anything in the game, I have over 400 hours on one save and Iām still finding new things, ALSO take your time naming things or else youāll be named PeePee and living on Farm Farm because you thought it was funny when you were 16
Wow I had never seen the cover art of SV. It's soo beautiful.
Here is one thing to expect you will think it is such a calming game and you will say it so calming but you will constantly be rushing and panicking
pierre being an ass.
Donāt marry Abigail just because thatās the first person you even remotely have contact with. She eats rocks.
Pain, suffering, and eternal torment
You're gonna love it.
Expect to be obsessed. I went in thinking I wouldn't be hooked. After under 2 months I'm on year 5
You should expect to have the time of your life ājust playing one more dayā
Wine is more profitable than god, and there is a market for dinosaur mayo.
An overwhelming hatred for Pierre.
Fun. You should expect fun.
Set a timer to go outside and touch the grass and see the sky. This game will suck you in and hours will pass by before you know it.
Don't blow all your money first year on decorations or outfit stuff focus on crops and wild seeds and you will have an easier time aside from that potential first timer misstep game is addicting fun and there's really no wrong way playing there's alot of freedom in what you can do and you can play with friends money van be shared or separate with friends play so have fun and o what you want. It's like harvest moon so if you were ever a fan of that franchise this will scratch that itch. :)
This game is a micro manage stress fest that is somehow relaxing because yes stress=relaxation hete
Hating watering and thanking the RNG gods for rainy days so you can go fishing. Then hating fishing because it's too hard.
OHH GOD I DIDNT KNOW IT HAD A PHYSICAL EDITION š¦ IT LOOKS SO GREAT
Just enjoy it Talking to everyone once a day is good but give gifts if you want faster friendship you can look up what they don't like and give them anything else
Time flies when playing and there's never a shortage of things to do!
Congratulations! I wish I could play for the first time again!
That's some amazing art for the hard copy! 1st- I'd recommend getting up fishing as quick as possible. Great money maker for the beginning and annoying to learn so best to get it out of the way. 2nd- Fish @ farm & sell fish to sell box by house. Do this till $2k & get the better bag. Stay strong and do it all the way to $10k & you'll have full inventory. (Eta 2-2.5hrs/$12k) Once you get the blue bag/full inventory space, doing anything else will be a breeze and you'll probably have like lvl 5 fishing. I personally hit mines or go for a upgraded house & craft chests.
Expect to have no life for a while, itās a great game and thereās always something to do
An insane amount of fun, story, and time management! Heart ache and happy endings!! Cute creatures!!
It is a very versatile experience.
getting so so so lost in the first couple minutes until you figure out the map
iām currently experiencing this frustrationā¦ i just canāt figure out the map š©
itās so disproportionate to the map they show you; took me a few in-game days to figure it out
Capitalism.
Willy doesn't like spaghetti. No matter how many times you do Saturday night spaghetti meals in the tavern.
Happiness
Play however you have fun Also that morris art is making me kick my feet and giggle oh my god š„ŗš„ŗ
Expect a bit of a learning curve at first. Not sure about console, but I found learning the town, villagers, and controls to be kind of frustrating in the beginning (it probably didnāt help that I was playing on a trackpad haha). Donāt worry - like everyone says, nothing is time sensitive, so you have plenty of time to figure out all of these things! Soon youāll be able to rattle off your favorite townsfolkās loved gifts at a moments notice haha
A wonderful and calm and exciting and fun experience š„¹
To have more crushes than you ever have before in a video game when seeking out a partner š¤£
i mean i got it yesterday bcuz i saw it has ducks and i love ducks. i got it at like 11:30 or 12:00 and played until 1:00 today i played from six thirty to 9:30 so u dont really need to expect anything other then u are gonna be obsessed with the game (after all those hours of playing the game i still dont have enough wood and gold for the big coop to finally get a duck and yes i spent over 2k at the shop when i saw i needed 150 stone and i cleared out my whole beach farm sand arl...)
a new favorite game
Joy 
JOJO mart is your best way out and best ending........
That box art is amazing
Good bye sleep.
Expect to be googling things. It's more fun if you don't but people just don't have that type of time anymore.
Just play however you want. It is a huge game despite it being so simple. Personally I suck at figuring things out so I'm always looking at wiki for stardew on how to attain stuff
Do not go into the skull cave unless you're prepared. You'll know when you get there
It's harder than you think, and it doesn't really tutorialize you. There's nothing wrong with checking the wiki if you have questions - it doesn't compromise the game at all. There's not much to "spoil," but there's a lot to learn. Nothing wrong with trying to stay blind and figure it all out yourself either, though.
Not sure anyone has mentioned it but since you are playing on Switch so you will be playing an āolderā version as the new update hasnt been released to console yet. So the wiki may be difficult to comprehend but at the bottom of every page will let you know for what version its for. Good luck!
Be prepared for weird mods when you search it on any platform
It will be your biggest addiction for a while, a cozy thing that becomes part of your irl routine. Then you will feel a massive void once you finish it. Source: me as of today.
Prepare for a serenely relaxing experience you can in no way expect. Itās such a beautiful story, gameplay is excellent and you get to live out the dream of owning a farm and adventuring. You can fall in love with anyone and everyone. It might seem simple at first but as the complexity of growing and managing time and money and energy and relationships starts to build, donāt hesitate to take a deep breath and just enjoy it. The creator is STILL adding content years later that has only improved the game tenfold. I can recall playing it out the gate and the QoL changes only make it so so much grander. Enjoy. Many of us wish we could witness your journey thru your fresh eyes. Youāll (hopefully) begin to grasp why many players put hundreds of not thousands of hours into it.
There is no wrong or right way to do anything in this game, and it is nearly impossible to mess up at. You can play for money or athletics, or for friendships or the story. There are so many ways to enjoy it!
Yea, it's one of those games we're you can take it at your own pace, play how YOU want to play, and I feel like even if you don't 'beat' it it's still fun and enjoyableĀ
That you're about to play one of the best games you'll ever experience
The best time of your life
Man, I can't believe they still print those paper manuals for some games. I saw a video essay on/about Tunic recently and I guess the nostalgia of those is still fresh on my mind
you will find a stardew in a valley
Itās like old harvest moon meets old Zelda, the soundtrack is top notch, the dialogue can be hit or miss, but itās super fun and addicting. Multiplayer is super fun. I consider this game to be one of great value, and have purchased it on pretty much every platform I own that supports it.
The time of your life! This game has so many possibilities and there is no right or wrong way to play!enjoy!!
Getting frustrated after losing the most valuable items in your inventory after dying
to have the best times of your life lmao
Donāt be afraid to consult the wiki. The wiki is how I survived
Only good things!
It's a very great game
Honestly, the biggest issue I have with my gameplay is I didn't look at the best way to set up the museum. I spent most of my night trying to figure out what I forgot to turn in as I was only missing 1 item on my list of items but had so many spaces left.... I cried a little when I figured out I didn't forget to turn anything in and now I have items I can't access and there's weird spaces left.
Always be aware of upcoming NPC birthdays and if you give favorite gifts on birthday it will really boost your relationship which will help you out especially if your interested in the marriage side to the game
https://preview.redd.it/v12qkewljv5d1.jpeg?width=938&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0289fb0f6bf25655e0917dc4403ed2b86125e3ca The icon circled in the picture indicates if an item in your inventory or chest is needed for a place you'll unlock later in the game. When you're going through the items in your inventory keep an eye on it and it'll move a bit when you're hovering over something you can use there. Also if you struggle with the fishing at the beginning, dont worry too much, it gets easier as you level it up.
Be prepared to be glued to your screen and lose all sense of real-world time.
I don't know if anyone else said this, but a lot of what you need to learn on a first play through comes from watching the TV every day, recipes, and necessary information. If you don't use the wiki, definitely watch the TV.
You have no time limit to complete things. If you want to spend an entire year fishing you can. If you want to spend a year just trying to figure out gifts for everyone you can.
If you use the wiki, it becomes a lot easier in the early game, as you'll know what to do and what you need to progress. Starting out stardew without any knowledge can be fun as well but way more time consuming as it'll feel pretty slow making money at the beginning without knowing how to do so.
~~Drop a voodoo doll in lava~~ ~~wait wrong game~~ actually right game
Get ready to find your new addictionā¦ thanks to the 1.6 update, I was finally able to break away from playing my switch šš
You're either disappointed with the work , or working to disappoint. The farm never sleeps.
hell
Be prepared to play it like factorio, optimize every hour! Is what I would like to say but there is no wrong way to play the game. You can as fast as you want or start growing crops on your second year, either way, play it the way you enjoy it!
Lots of people saying there's not a wrong way to play which is true but I'd recommend getting the pantry bundle done as soon as you can. I didn't do much farming the first two seasons because I hate manually watering crops but I'm paying for it now cuz I'm now in summer of year two and I'm still working on that bundle.
Endless joy, and way more math than you bargained for.
Purple undies and pierre hate
have you ever tried heroine? similar.
god fucking damnit the art style of the cover makes me want to live in SDV SO BADLY
Quality
The wiki is your best friend
whattt the boxart is so cool!! makes me wish i bought a hard copy
Not the new update, thatās for sure.
An unbelievable banger of a soundtrack.
Itās gonna consume your entire life.
There's definitely no right or wrong way. I would say that please check the TV everyday. You'll learn so much about the game from there.
There is a very important piece of information regarding a certain object during the intro cutscene, do try to pay attention to that Any and all eggs can be hatched at a certain point to get more eggs eventually, if you find a certain object this might make more sense
It may feel like time passes way too fast at first, and you donāt have enough time in a day to do everything you want/need to (at least thatās how I felt when I started playing), but donāt be afraid to take your time. Most things, with the exception of randomized and insignificant fetch quests, donāt really require doing things on a strict time limit. The length of each day and how much you can do in one is also something that you kind of learn implicitly just by playing through enough days.
It does my heart good to see a game coming with a booklet, something to excitedly read on the way home. I miss that being the norm!
Actually I think that you don't have to prepare yourself for something. Open the game Without any thoughts and let it surprise you. After all there's no way to play Stardew Valley "wrong". :) Good luck!
Omg does the physical copy have a booklet like the old days giving a run down of the game? I know its likely only a few pages but still. I miss games having booklets. Some of them would be 50 pages long. Now I just open it up and look at the disc/cartridge :(
Joy, just joy, I would love to play this game like I did when I played it for the first time
As Iām one of others who just started playing this game, the key is just have fun!! You need no online speedy content for the first run, just relax and enjoy it. You also can ask your friends to help you make money for smoother starting play by creating co-op save, e.g. for purchasing backpack, seeds, or having some advice and touring around the map, after that you can play it on your own. Thatās how my friends help me when I get started. Remember, donāt be too rush, just play as you like because thereās no right or wrong to play this game. But if you really want to check on something, thereās a wiki for you to explore loads of stuff as well. Most importantly, as I experienced, this game is so addictive!! If youāre the one with fixed schedules with school or work stuff, be careful with the time management, donāt let the game take over too much your sleeping timeā¦yep!! Itās my directed experience š¤£š¤£ and I wouldnāt recommend anyone to be like that So, enjoy!! Hope you have fun playing the game šš
Expect to dedicate all your free time to the valley
It is addictive at first, i did like three all-nighters for this game before i started playing less frequently
At first, itās overwhelming. Time goes by so fast, making money seems impossible, and fishing is hard af but hang in there because the more you play the easier it getsā¦literally because experience points makes things easier. I play on the switch with no mods. I stopped and started this game several times but I really didnāt want to give up on it and Iām glad I didnāt because Iām hooked now. Be prepared to look up a lot because the game leaves a lot of questions to be asked and sometimes when things do get explained it can be easy to miss. Alternatively, donāt put too much pressure on yourself to complete all the things in the same manner as others. Once you craft sprinklers the game pops off, money starts rolling in, and you can just cruise around town schmoozing it up with the town folk. Lastly, chip away at the community center when you can because the rewards you get from completing bundles help a lot on the farm. Good luck!
> Is there a ārightā way to play the game? There absolutely is not, although you do miss out on an infinity of player made QoL tweaks and extended content by playing a console version.
Mayor Lewis
You should expect to loose hundreds of hours.. but they are all completely worth itā¦ Look at the wiki to help on timings of crops/forageables and fish and just take each day as it comes! Enjoy! Iād love to play stardew for the first time again xxx
Expect to restart at least once because you learned something
Congratulations! Have fun exploring, there's no rush or wrong way to play! ... and it will take over your life :)
You can play exactly how you want; try to avoid others opinions on playstyles There's no shame in starting over and trying out different forms until you find the one you like
Honestly, a really nice gameplay loop that finally gets stale around hour 80.
Have you ever played other farm life games before, or is Stardew your first? The game works under the assumption that you've played games like Story of Seasons/Harvest Moon before in the first season, so the tutorial can be a little hands-off.
If you have a tendency to min/max, your in for a delightfully stressful ride. In any case, have a few hours on hand the first time you try it. If you only play for an in-game day or two, you might get overwhelmed and discouraged. If you play for 5 in-game days, and just go for the starter quests, you'll have your first harvest, and a small dopamine rush. There's no wrong way to play. If you go through two days of just fishing it'll go from frustrating to addictively fun/relaxing. Take a single look on the Stardew wikipage on parsnips, just to see how crop growth time works, and know that any one-season crops that arent harvested on the 28th will be lost. Oh, and don't try to do everything perfectly at once on your first play. Once you get the hang of it, you can always start a new farm. I played through spring 4 or 5 times before I actually got a 'long' run. I had loads of fun though every one of them, and have now played for hundreds of hours. Oh, and if something goes terribly wrong, you can restart your day by exiting/reentering the game. It only saves when you end your day.
There are already a lot of comments that say to play it as you wish. If you have any problems with game's mechanics check out the official Wiki! And this wonderful community š
An addiction
expect to enjoy yourself, don't rush things some things will unlock at a certain point in the game and there is no incentive to rush the hell for it. if you miss it (usually during your first year), there is always another chance to get it slowly progress the game and take your time
Fun. And probably raisins.
Prepare to vicariously live your life through this game .. become obsessed .. fall in love .. find secrets .. and realise youre not the only one ā¤ļø
vibes
Always remember that there's always that one a-hole businessman who takes things for granted regardless if it's about his wife, daughter, or your good deeds to him.
absorbing your life.
Stress.
this is hell 