[Mod Suggestion] More RP Animations for the Farmer

[Darksall]

I'd like to suggest a mod (or framework) that adds more roleplay animations for the player character.

The game already has an emote wheel, so this could either expand that system or introduce a separate animation menu. The goal would be to let the farmer perform everyday actions that don't necessarily provide gameplay benefits but greatly improve immersion.

Some examples include:

• Smoking
• Reading a book
• Sitting on the ground or on chairs
• Lying down
• Drinking coffee or other beverages
• Sweeping the floor
• Jumping rope
• Stretching
• Playing a guitar or another instrument
• Looking at the sky
• Leaning against a wall or tree
• Whistling
• Warming up by a campfire
• Watching the rain
• Fishing while sitting on a dock
• Relaxing with crossed arms
• Looking at a map
• Writing in a journal
• Skipping stones at the river
• Holding an umbrella during rain
• Other everyday idle animations

We already see NPCs doing these kinds of things. For example, Sebastian can sometimes be found smoking, Elliott spends time writing, Leah creates art, and Sam plays the guitar. These little details make the NPCs feel alive, while the farmer often feels comparatively lifeless outside of normal gameplay actions.

Imagine you're waiting for furnaces to finish smelting, machines to process items, crops to grow, or you're simply relaxing after a day of work. Instead of just standing still, your character could read a book, sit down, smoke, stretch, play the guitar, or perform another idle activity. None of these actions need to provide gameplay advantages—they would simply make roleplaying and immersion much more enjoyable.

Personally, I think it would be even better if these animations were purely cosmetic. They shouldn't provide buffs or gameplay bonuses, since their purpose is to encourage roleplaying rather than optimization.

It would also be great if the system were easy to expand, allowing other mod creators to add their own custom animations in the future.

Some ideas that could make the animations feel even more natural:

• Animations that continue indefinitely until the player cancels them or starts moving.
• Automatically canceling animations when talking to an NPC, using a tool, entering combat, or performing another action.
• Context-sensitive animations, such as:
  • Leaning only when standing next to a wall, fence, or tree.
  • Sitting on the ground almost anywhere, but using a chair animation when interacting with a chair.
  • Warming up only near a campfire or fireplace.
  • Watching the rain only while it's raining.
  • Looking at the lake, ocean, or river when standing nearby.
  • Reading while sitting on a bench or indoors.
  • Relaxing on the farmhouse bed.

I don't know much about Stardew Valley modding, so I'm not sure how difficult something like this would be to create.

I've noticed that some animation-related mods can have compatibility issues with Fashion Sense, which many players use. If a project like this were possible, it would be great if it could work well alongside Fashion Sense and avoid animation conflicts whenever possible.

I know that might be technically challenging, but good compatibility with popular mods would make something like this even more valuable for the community.

I believe a framework like this could become a foundation for many future animation packs made by the community. It would make the farmer feel much more like an actual resident of Pelican Town rather than a character who only exists to complete gameplay tasks.