Waiting for a train to stop and take me to the big city...

[Xyrella]

Look at this poor guy, sitting alone on an empty train platform. He's thinking about his time in the big city called Zuzu. Of course, his old work was a pain, he had to escape and that deed of his grandpa for the farm in the valley was a chance. He enjoyed that life, met a lot of new people and worked hard for his farm and the community in Stardew Valley. He even worked harder for the community than the actual mayor, who only thinks about using taxes for golden statues of him. But also there's something... missing.

That old life in the big city wasn't only a pain. His mom still lives there, waiting for a visit of her son just to hug him and say some personal words about how proud she is. He also remembers the meals in the restaurant of the queen of sauce. There were all so delicious. When his father took him to the gridball stadium and the atmosphere there was so excited. And there's the big mall of Joja, full of nice items and discounts. He knows: working for Joja in the backoffice was a pain, but they sell a lot of good stuff. And also, there's the big train station with a lot of trains, running to different directions but not to Stardew Valley.

He knows from his grandpa: There was a train connection from Zuzu to the valley but it's not active for years. They said, with a ruined community center and nothing else Pelican town has to offer, a train connection isn't worth it. That's why he had to go by bus to the valley and that took much longer. But now it should be the time to reconsider the situation, he thinks!

The valley still has its festivals but only one is big enough for others to visit. But the valley now has a restored community center and a big movie theater. And a lot of potential with connections to the desert and an island. That might be enough for the mayor to talk to the persons responsible to reactivate the train connection from the valley to Zuzu. On the other hand, when we go the Joja way, Morris is interested to have a chance for the villagers to visit the big Joja mall and give the citizens of Zuzu a chance to see, how awesome the community development project of Joja works with that movie theater on top.

So this is my last wish for the game: have a use for the useless train station and have a connection to Zuzu after building the movie theater. No need for extra quests but with a chance to visit the "old farmer's life".

(I know, I suggested this a bit shorter in a post in the past and there are others suggested to have Zuzu but NOT with a train connection!)

 

[Zen_the_Ogre]

Just a small town girl
Born in a lonely world
She took a midnight train going anywhere
Just a city boy
Born in south Zuzu
He took a Midnight train going anywhere

 

[Xyrella]

Just a small town girl
Born in a lonely world
She took a midnight train going anywhere
Just a city boy
Born in south Zuzu
He took a Midnight train going anywhere

Journey - Don't Stop Believin'
Great track and I also don't stop believin' on this! ^^

 

[Laissez_Faire_Farming]

Maybe Lewis should take the blame for not funding to repairing or upgrading the train station.
He wasted the taxes on something else. – you know what I am talking about.

 

[Zen_the_Ogre]

Hey if no one else will I am. Chop the trees lay down a brick pavilion (at 2000 pieces made so far). Make faux kiosk maned by rarecrows. Using decoration potted trees. So far I got the bus stop with lighting and seating with sidewalks

 

[Laissez_Faire_Farming]

I would be interested to visit Zuzu City.
The equivalent to Skull Cavern, we could go to Zuzu Sewer. –maybe owned by Mr. Qi.

We have alligators and rats in New York City sewers!!!!!!

 

[Freizeitfarmer]

Having more areas to explore would be great!
Just to mention it, there are some similar suggestions and also some mods, like: https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/6183

 

[Xyrella]

I would be interested to visit Zuzu City.
The equivalent to Skull Cavern, we could go to Zuzu Sewer. –maybe owned by Mr. Qi.

We have alligators and rats in New York City sewers!!!!!!

Not every dangerous place has to be owned by Mr. Qi but city sewers could also be interesting. I could imagine that Joja owns a lot in Zuzu and are responsible for trash and trash eater in the sewers. ^^

Having more areas to explore would be great!
Just to mention it, there are some similar suggestions and also some mods, like: https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/6183

Interesting indeed but I'd prefer a vanilla solution for everyone.

 

[Laissez_Faire_Farming]

Joja owns everything. So Amazon....
At Zuzu city, we can visit a small tiny farmer's market competing with the Giant Joja corporation. – That one would be equivalent to Sandy's shop or Pierre's shop.
You can either buy their products or Joja. Maybe the Farmer could help Joja or the local Farmer to thrive in their business journey
–Just like in SV, you could choose Joja or the community center.

.

This is the Farmer's Market in NYC in Union Squares
Next to the Farmer's Market, their competitor is Whole Food owned by Amazon (which is similar to Joja)

Maybe, I am imagining that we should have a nice bar where we could meet the governor, Wellwick, the random black dude, the Living of land Host, The Queen of Sauce, and Painter Lupini. Also, we would be happy to meet a real-life Prairies King.

Also, Morris would be sitting in front of the desk somewhere in the Joja Corporation. Just like Mr. Qi, Morris would challenge you to go to the sewer to fight underground creatures and reach out to 100 level stairs. –in exchange for rare items.

 

[lilan castel]

At least 9 for my farmer the city was pain. She is disowned, she was bullied and joja tires to kill her. Even when she meets her friends they do it in the forest.

 

[Xyrella]

At least 9 for my farmer the city was pain. She is disowned, she was bullied and joja tires to kill her. Even when she meets her friends they do it in the forest.

That's why I mentioned that there's no need for any (endgame related) quests so the visit is optional. An event what could happen is that your best friend from school writes a letter, where he/she is euphoric to have a train connection now and that he/she will visit you every now and then. So maybe when you leave your house in the morning, your school friend is there and will stay in your house until evening. Meanwhile you can talk to him/her, invite him/her to the movie theater and so on (so like a spouse). That also could happen with your mom.
Another idea would be more numbers for your telephone to talk with your best friend and your mom in Zuzu while you are save in your house.

 

[lilan castel]

That's why I mentioned that there's no need for any (endgame related) quests so the visit is optional. An event what could happen is that your best friend from school writes a letter, where he/she is euphoric to have a train connection now and that he/she will visit you every now and then. So maybe when you leave your house in the morning, your school friend is there and will stay in your house until evening. Meanwhile you can talk to him/her, invite him/her to the movie theater and so on (so like a spouse). That also could happen with your mom.
Another idea would be more numbers for your telephone to talk with your best friend and your mom in Zuzu while you are save in your house.

Not with her mom. She is disowned.

 

[Laissez_Faire_Farming]

Not with her mom. She is disowned.

I understand that Lilan is suggesting an interesting idea.
Correct me if I am wrong, Lilan.
What I see is that the Farmer had bad past experiences. All her friends putting down her and even her mother. She has a good reason to leave Zuzu City to escape from stress and abuse.

In my opinion, it sounds really dark but interesting story development.

 

[Xyrella]

Not with her mom. She is disowned.

I understand that Lilan is suggesting an interesting idea.
Correct me if I am wrong, Lilan.
What I see is that the Farmer had bad past experiences. All her friends putting down her and even her mother. She has a good reason to leave Zuzu City to escape from stress and abuse.

In my opinion, it sounds really dark but interesting story development.

I think the game only gives a very short background story so many of us may have their own interpretation. Some may say that not only the work at Joja was a pain but also the social life in a big city. Our mom wrote us 4 letters since we left her about how she miss us and how proud she is. Maybe she felt guilty for some reasons that our childhood wasn't the best and we won't talk to her anymore. That could also be an interpretation.
As you see from my interpretation, I think that we had to leave because of Joja and we needed distance of that big city life. But time passed and you may think about the past and that not everything was bad. You miss something from the past and there's a chance to go back for a visit when you work hard for the community in Stardew Valley and let others see the good progress the valley made. The train connection is not one way. Villagers can visit Zuzu and citizens can visit Pelican town.

If you want to go back for a visit is your decision.
If you want to talk to persons from your past is your decision.
You don't have to but there's a chance for it.

For a visit from your mom, your best friend or else to your farm the solution could be that you first have to talk to them to invite them. If you don't want this, you simply don't talk to them.

 

[Laissez_Faire_Farming]

If you want to go back for a visit is your decision.
If you want to talk to persons from your past is your decision.
You don't have to but there's a chance for it.

For a visit from your mom, your best friend or else to your farm the solution could be that you first have to talk to them to invite them. If you don't want this, you simply don't talk to them.

I am trying to help Lilian. I think it is interesting to get our own narrative depending on the way you are playing.

 

[Laissez_Faire_Farming]

I think the game only gives a very short background story so many of us may have their own interpretation. Some may say that not only the work at Joja was a pain but also the social life in a big city. Our mom wrote us 3 letters since we left her about how she miss us and how proud she is. Maybe she felt guilty for some reasons that our childhood wasn't the best and we The train connection is not one way. Villagers can visit Zuzu and citizens can visit Pelican town.

For a visit from your mom, your best friend or else to your farm the solution could be that you first have to talk to them to invite them. If you don't want this, you simply don't talk to them.

By the way, I got a letter from my father. not mother. I agree that we never met our parents in the game.

 

[lilan castel]

By the way, I got a letter from my father. not mother. I agree that we never met our parents in the game.

And so do I.

 

[Xyrella]

By the way, I got a letter from my father. not mother. I agree that we never met our parents in the game.

And so do I.

Yes, my bad. When we are male, we receive letters from our mom and when we are female, we receive letters from our dad. I have both male and female farmer but my main is male. ^^
So maybe we can visit both or only one depending on our gender.

 

[Laissez_Faire_Farming]

I guess that sums up.
A family visit is a great idea.
Don't you think it is natural for your family member to ask you for a favor?
Because we are farmers, sometimes your parent asks you to bring some fresh vegetable or fruit from SV. – a quest could happen.

Then, you end up gaining one heart from your parents.

 

[Xyrella]

I guess that sums up.
A family visit is a great idea.
Don't you think it is natural for your family member to ask you for a favor?
Because we are farmers, sometimes your parent asks you to bring some fresh vegetable or fruit from SV. – a quest could happen.

Then, you end up gaining one heart from your parents.

Our parents could be divorced. That might be a reason, why we only received letters from our mom (when we are male) or our dad (when we are female) so the thing I mentioned before when I said "waiting for a visit of her son just to hug him and say some personal words about how proud she is" is that parent who wrote the letters to us. So it could be that our dad (when we are male) or our mom (when we are female) doesn't life in Zuzu because of the divorce so a family reunion is unlikely. Yes, I said, "maybe we can visit both" but there are so many possibilities and ideas I have...

I don't want any quests for Zuzu because I want to keep it optional to visit (would be bad for those who want to do every quest but not go to Zuzu) but your mom/dad could ask for a favor by only talking to you. That favor could be a loved gift so when he/she say "mmh... I'd really like to have some strawberries. I didn't have some good ones for a long time." so you know that strawberries is a loved gift.