Fatboyslimjim
Greenhorn
Humans have been hunters and gatherers since the age of time, and since SDV already has gathering/foraging skill, why not add hunting as a skill too?
Before man learned how to farm, they learned to hunt and gather. This would be a cool expansion to the game that would make running a farm complete imo.
New weapons:
Guns/Bows/Crossbows
Similar to how the slingshot works, With the power of the Junimos, you’ll be able to humanely hunt wild animals you see around SDV. From the Raccoons and Opossum pestering your crops, or the coyotes and wolves threatening your livestock, or the wild animals you encounter in the Hallowfoot woods; Any wild animal is now “hunt-able.”
These weapons will not be usable in town.
They have a chance to drop from any creature just like melee weapons do, and you can also now purchase them from the adventures guild.
New Animals:
🫎 
Wild Animals
Wild animals have a chance to appear anywhere now, and only on wilderness farms where these pesky wild animals will appear on your farm. But even without a wilderness farm you can still encounter wild animals in the Cindersap Forest, or Deep Woods, Calico Desert, or maybe even on the beach, Ginger Island, or in the mountains. Basically anywhere but in town.
You’ll be able to hunt these animals to harvest their meat for food and fur for clothing and other craftables (like a mounted head decoration for your trophy room). Other drops like bones and other items (wolves tooth, bear claw, etc) can also drop and be used to craft new items.
Wild animals will not attack, you cannot fight them in hand to hand combat. Missing a shot or getting to close will cause them to flee and disappear.
The Act of Hunting
Hunting will consist of having to shoot your gun/bow/crossbow at an animal from a safe distance. The closer you get, the higher the chance the animal gets spooked and flees. The object is to get as close as you can, without startling the animal for an easy shot. The higher your skill, the closer you can get without the animal fleeing. The closer you can get, the higher % chance for a kill. The farther away you are, the lower the chance of a kill, improved by skill level of course.
Missing a shot will cause the animal to run or flee. Higher the skill, the less likely chance this will happen, allowing for multiple shot opportunities.
Plenty of options to get creative for level 5 and 10 perks as well.
Ammo and weapons can get upgraded just like a fishing rod and bait can be upgraded.
Contrarily, instead of hunting, players who don’t want to hunt can choose instead to take photos of the wild animals which the mechanics would work on the same basis as hunting. Closer you get, the better the picture, but the higher the chance of the animal running.
New Zone:
Hallowfoot Woods
East of town over the river valley via the “rickity bridge” hidden near the museum, unlocked after supplying 500 pieces of wood to Marlon and Gil.
It’ll be a zone similar to the volcano where you don’t have to look for ladders, instead just walk through the forest. Minimal mining required here, you’ll need a gold level axe to get anywhere. Big logs, stumps, and trees will block most paths.
There is no level ceiling like the mines, but similar to how the skull cavern works, the levels are limitless, and luck/chance increases exponentially the farther you get. The big change/ difference is that you can use the tent anywhere inside. Carrying campfire materials are highly recommended. Would have to be strategic here for long multiple day trips to travel light, and cook your own hunted food as needed.
The goal here isn’t just to hunt. Every level has a chance to be a treasure floor, like in the skull cavern, but it’ll instead be an abandoned camp.
New monsters, new drops, new materials, all would keep people coming back day after day.
The biggest draw of this new zone would be to finally see Bigfoot. Each level has the slightest chance to encounter 1 special level that has the infamous elusive Bigfoot. He’s not huntable, only taking a picture of him is allowed and would yield an achievement and a cool unlockable.
Closing thoughts
I understand hunting may not be as on brand with the cute-sy theme of the game, but I think CA would be able to pull this off. There can be a cutscene with the Junimos and (perhaps a new character) who explains how the Junimos are in charge of keeping the forests of SDV in balance and now hunting is apart of life, and crucial to the ecosystem. The weapons would be more whimsical than imagined, and can even use darts or special junimo bullets to lower the grotesque nature of shooting and killing wild animals.
Before man learned how to farm, they learned to hunt and gather. This would be a cool expansion to the game that would make running a farm complete imo.
New weapons:
Guns/Bows/CrossbowsSimilar to how the slingshot works, With the power of the Junimos, you’ll be able to humanely hunt wild animals you see around SDV. From the Raccoons and Opossum pestering your crops, or the coyotes and wolves threatening your livestock, or the wild animals you encounter in the Hallowfoot woods; Any wild animal is now “hunt-able.”
These weapons will not be usable in town.
They have a chance to drop from any creature just like melee weapons do, and you can also now purchase them from the adventures guild.
New Animals:
🫎 Wild Animals Wild animals have a chance to appear anywhere now, and only on wilderness farms where these pesky wild animals will appear on your farm. But even without a wilderness farm you can still encounter wild animals in the Cindersap Forest, or Deep Woods, Calico Desert, or maybe even on the beach, Ginger Island, or in the mountains. Basically anywhere but in town.
You’ll be able to hunt these animals to harvest their meat for food and fur for clothing and other craftables (like a mounted head decoration for your trophy room). Other drops like bones and other items (wolves tooth, bear claw, etc) can also drop and be used to craft new items.
Wild animals will not attack, you cannot fight them in hand to hand combat. Missing a shot or getting to close will cause them to flee and disappear.
The Act of Hunting
Hunting will consist of having to shoot your gun/bow/crossbow at an animal from a safe distance. The closer you get, the higher the chance the animal gets spooked and flees. The object is to get as close as you can, without startling the animal for an easy shot. The higher your skill, the closer you can get without the animal fleeing. The closer you can get, the higher % chance for a kill. The farther away you are, the lower the chance of a kill, improved by skill level of course.
Missing a shot will cause the animal to run or flee. Higher the skill, the less likely chance this will happen, allowing for multiple shot opportunities.
Plenty of options to get creative for level 5 and 10 perks as well.
Ammo and weapons can get upgraded just like a fishing rod and bait can be upgraded.
Contrarily, instead of hunting, players who don’t want to hunt can choose instead to take photos of the wild animals which the mechanics would work on the same basis as hunting. Closer you get, the better the picture, but the higher the chance of the animal running.
New Zone:
Hallowfoot WoodsEast of town over the river valley via the “rickity bridge” hidden near the museum, unlocked after supplying 500 pieces of wood to Marlon and Gil.
It’ll be a zone similar to the volcano where you don’t have to look for ladders, instead just walk through the forest. Minimal mining required here, you’ll need a gold level axe to get anywhere. Big logs, stumps, and trees will block most paths.
There is no level ceiling like the mines, but similar to how the skull cavern works, the levels are limitless, and luck/chance increases exponentially the farther you get. The big change/ difference is that you can use the tent anywhere inside. Carrying campfire materials are highly recommended. Would have to be strategic here for long multiple day trips to travel light, and cook your own hunted food as needed.
The goal here isn’t just to hunt. Every level has a chance to be a treasure floor, like in the skull cavern, but it’ll instead be an abandoned camp.
New monsters, new drops, new materials, all would keep people coming back day after day.
The biggest draw of this new zone would be to finally see Bigfoot. Each level has the slightest chance to encounter 1 special level that has the infamous elusive Bigfoot. He’s not huntable, only taking a picture of him is allowed and would yield an achievement and a cool unlockable.
Closing thoughts
I understand hunting may not be as on brand with the cute-sy theme of the game, but I think CA would be able to pull this off. There can be a cutscene with the Junimos and (perhaps a new character) who explains how the Junimos are in charge of keeping the forests of SDV in balance and now hunting is apart of life, and crucial to the ecosystem. The weapons would be more whimsical than imagined, and can even use darts or special junimo bullets to lower the grotesque nature of shooting and killing wild animals.
