New Player questions for 'unusual quest'

[Tinks]

HI

I've just got Switch OLED for xmas and ordered Stardew Valley. (due tomorrow!) I've never played it before...I've read a bit about it and watched some YT videos but am have difficulty finding answers to some questions for the way I plan to play the game.

My idea is...my character is me in a parallel universe trying to find 'my family' within Stardew Valley (who most represent them either by looks or the characters interests) who have all got different names and in different families in this universe....and bring us all together by friendships, being roommates or employing them as a 'farm hands'.

As some of the information/video's I've seen were made over a year go in some cases (or are describing the original game) I wondered if anyone can answer these questions of the newest version/update? These questions all apply to single player mode only.

1) Is there an option yet to live with a NPC in a platonic relationship? (eg so I could live with them as parent/child or sister/brother on our farm without marrying them') ..not just the little black blob thing...the 'human NPC's too? ...and change their names to match our family?


2) Can you influence NPC's to encourage them to get together with someone if you don't? eg..Penny is already friends with Sam..I read online somewhere that if you don't have a relationship with either of them they will dance together at a festival...would they live together if I built Penny a house? ...on my farm..so we could all be on the same farm- Penny and Sam look most like a younger version of my parents (who died many years ago...doing this for grief processing/therapy purposes so pls be kind with your comments!) plus I want the chance to do up the caravan too! :)

3) Is there a 'Help Penny' Quest on the newest Switch version? (to build her house without marrying her)

3) Can I hire NPC as farm hands in single-player mode yet to get us all living on the same farm together?

Thanks :)

 

[Ereo]

No, you can't have NPCs move in platonically.

No, their relationships are static.

Yes, you can upgrade the trailer for Pam and Penny independent of your relationship with them.

No, you can't hire NPCs, only other players can be farmhands.

Sorry, the game is very free in your own development, but NPCs always follow the same path.

 

[Tinks]

No, you can't have NPCs move in platonically.

No, their relationships are static.

Yes, you can upgrade the trailer for Pam and Penny independent of your relationship with them.

No, you can't hire NPCs, only other players can be farmhands.

Sorry, the game is very free in your own development, but NPCs always follow the same path.

oh thats a shame I thought it was one of the more modern farm sim's after reading they allowed same sex relationships..thought I'd be able to live with Penny as 'mother/daughter or friends, so she could still 'marry Sam' if I didn't choose either of them for marriage.

what do you mean by 'the game is very free in your own development'?

 

[Tinks]

Maybe it would be easier to pick 'a married couple' as parents to visit as friends.... which NPC's are NOT one's the player can marry but already married in game and you can make a friendship with them both?

btw I tried googling this but it keeps misunderstanding me and just giving me the llist of the one's the player can marry which is not what I'm asking!

 

[Ereo]

I mean the game is a sandbox game, and you can do whatever you want. You could try everything, only go fishing, date everyone in town or get married, etc.

But the NPCs are not developing in that sense, they stay static in their relationships (maybe with some exceptions where they are less close with friend when they get to like you) unless it is with you.

 

[imnvs]

Hold up. Back up a moment. There actually is one "person" that can move in platonically.

...but it'll be a stretch to have this person considered a relative, being a completely different species.

 

[Tinks]

Hold up. Back up a moment. There actually is one "person" that can move in platonically.

...but it'll be a stretch to have this person considered a relative, being a completely different species.

If you mean the little black blob like creature I'm not talking abut that..I mean the human NPC's. Can't believe the developers didn't even think about an option to be able to have an NPC who you're trying to build a friendship with ..to be able to sleep over at each others houses etc or live together as room-mates??

 

[Phate4569]

HI

I've just got Switch OLED for xmas and ordered Stardew Valley. (due tomorrow!) I've never played it before...I've read a bit about it and watched some YT videos but am have difficulty finding answers to some questions for the way I plan to play the game.

You can make multiple save files. Honestly I'd suggest just playing the game as is your first time. The whole game has it's own story and lore that doesn't really mesh well with what you are talking about. Just enjoy the game for what it is without any preconceptions or playstyle plans, otherwise you are going to miss out on what is actually quite a rich world.

Then once you've figured out how to play the game, and have enjoyed the existing lore you can go back and make a new farm and play however you want.

 

[Giant Octopodes]

oh thats a shame I thought it was one of the more modern farm sim's after reading they allowed same sex relationships..thought I'd be able to live with Penny as 'mother/daughter or friends, so she could still 'marry Sam' if I didn't choose either of them for marriage.

what do you mean by 'the game is very free in your own development'?

For what it's worth it definitely is one of the more modern farm sims, at this point I think it's fair to call it the source of the modern farming sim renaissance as its success and popularity has inspired multiple other games. That being said, the inspiration for this game, Harvest Moon, as well as what many consider to be its most polished competitor, Animal Crossing, also do not at all support the concept you're referring to, despite being AAA titles with full development teams. In fact in the relationship aspect, as with most aspects, they're just outright inferior. It is possible of course that a game exists which supports this concept, but if one does I've not personally come across it and am not aware of it. Sorry I don't have better news regarding this, the 'non-romantic roommate' or family member concept is just not one which has been significantly fleshed out in this genre to my knowledge.

That being said, one of the many ways this game rocks is that it supports modding better than most, and I strongly suspected that this area would be one that someone had explored. I searched for a bit and found this, which appears to be what you're looking for, assuming you're playing on PC:

Stardew Valley Mod Allows for Platonic Partnerships | TechRaptor

A new mod for Stardew Valley allows for the option of aromantic relationships with the game's potential marriage candidates.

techraptor.net

It's not perfect, but it's pretty close. Plus, if you're so inclined, you can always modify it or create a new mod which does what you're looking for, if you have the requisite skills or are willing to develop them. For what it's worth if you do end up making or contributing to a mod which lets you get NPCs married to other NPCs I know it would be Very well received, as multiple others have indicated wanting something like that. I hope that helps, and welcome, both to the game and to the forum! I hope you enjoy and find what you're looking for.

Edit: Just reread and saw you're on the switch. Sadly the Switch version doesn't support modding, that's not a decision made by CA, the developer of the game, it's a fundamental design conflict with the way Nintendo runs their business, which is to say no mods on any games ever. Not saying you should get a PC just to play Stardew Valley with mods, but yeah on the Switch version the chance of mod support ever being a thing is unfortunately zero.

 

[Tinks]

For what it's worth it definitely is one of the more modern farm sims, at this point I think it's fair to call it the source of the modern farming sim renaissance as its success and popularity has inspired multiple other games. That being said, the inspiration for this game, Harvest Moon, as well as what many consider to be its most polished competitor, Animal Crossing, also do not at all support the concept you're referring to, despite being AAA titles with full development teams. In fact in the relationship aspect, as with most aspects, they're just outright inferior. It is possible of course that a game exists which supports this concept, but if one does I've not personally come across it and am not aware of it. Sorry I don't have better news regarding this, the 'non-romantic roommate' or family member concept is just not one which has been significantly fleshed out in this genre to my knowledge.

That being said, one of the many ways this game rocks is that it supports modding better than most, and I strongly suspected that this area would be one that someone had explored. I searched for a bit and found this, which appears to be what you're looking for, assuming you're playing on PC:

Stardew Valley Mod Allows for Platonic Partnerships | TechRaptor

A new mod for Stardew Valley allows for the option of aromantic relationships with the game's potential marriage candidates.

techraptor.net

It's not perfect, but it's pretty close. Plus, if you're so inclined, you can always modify it or create a new mod which does what you're looking for, if you have the requisite skills or are willing to develop them. For what it's worth if you do end up making or contributing to a mod which lets you get NPCs married to other NPCs I know it would be Very well received, as multiple others have indicated wanting something like that. I hope that helps, and welcome, both to the game and to the forum! I hope you enjoy and find what you're looking for.

Edit: Just reread and saw you're on the switch. Sadly the Switch version doesn't support modding, that's not a decision made by CA, the developer of the game, it's a fundamental design conflict with the way Nintendo runs their business, which is to say no mods on any games ever. Not saying you should get a PC just to play Stardew Valley with mods, but yeah on the Switch version the chance of mod support ever being a thing is unfortunately zero.

Thanks. I have got Animal Crossing, had it on a Switch Lite with a small island so I'm aware of its limitations and it being frustratingly difficult to transfer across to the new switch. I thought I'd just be able to save it to a memory card then put that in the new one.

I don't have a windows PC nor the technical ability to do what you suggested!...I do wish I did! I would have created my own game! I saw a videoon YT showing how one person made all this game which I found really impressive and bought a copy from Argos! (due to be delivered tomorrow).

I have been watching video's on the characters back stories. Penny just reminded me of my mum and her love of children and I like her routine and her being a teacher. I will just have to make my character into a young virtual version of my dad then he can go court her and marry her again..lol! (that was my plan B). It would have been nice to be able to change her name ...think I read you can change your own characters name and gender half way through by visiting a wizard or something!...not that I want to, but don't understand if can do that with main character why you can't with the NPC's or at least the one you choose to marry? . or choose a nickname just for the one you married/in relationship with? ...like in AC when some characters say they'd like to give you a nickname can they call you 'bestie'or 'love' or something etc ...opens it up for a NPC to become .. bro, sis, pa, someone's nickname etc.... instead of love, sweetheart, darling etc

Maybe in the future they have plans to do more with the children you have? For them to grow up..abit..at least to an age to be more useful around the farm!!! ...choose which one is born first?

Also I thought with the villagers names maybe they could have an option to be changed at the very beginning where your character first meets them in the game and they can say "oh Hi I'm_______ " etc and thats your chance to change their name then if you don't like the one given? ...from then on it has to stay that name for the rest of the story and the characters background story stays the same?

Anyway yes I intend to enjoy the game..I chose it cos it would be a good one to play in handheld mode by myself (offline once it had been updated) doing a bit at a time when I got chance..may dock it to big TV to set up my character and to see the farm layouts clearly and decide what I want where!

Thanks for your help, to everyone who has answered too!

 

[Tom]

Your idea to make your farmer a younger version of your dad marrying Penny sounds like a good plan that will work well with Stardew Valley.