forsythiafarmer
Greenhorn
This idea was inspired by discussion in another thread — what if Gus builds an inn on top of the saloon. This would allow for a one-time celebration (the grand opening), and it could introduce new characters that rotate through the years. For example:
For improving and maintaining friendship with these temporary characters, there are two possibilities:
- A botanist comes to check out the local flora and fauna in the Spring
- A mythologist occasionally comes by to study myths that originated in Stardew Valley
- A small team of archaeologists visits in the summer to dig for the artifacts that the area is so rich with
- A bookworm from a neighboring, smaller town stops by to visit the great Pelican Town library
For improving and maintaining friendship with these temporary characters, there are two possibilities:
- Weekly gift cap would increase relative to the frequency of their visits, so if someone visits less, their gift cap is higher
- Phones and sending mail are introduced to the game. You can pay a small fee to use a public phone inside the inn, and when you’ve saved enough, you can buy a phone for your house. You can talk with the temporary characters just like the permanent villagers, except over the phone. For gift giving, you can pay a shipping fee to mail them gifts up to 2x a week.
- Getting the bus up and running, if that’s how tourists will arrive. They could alternatively arrive by train or boat. Some tourists could also be unlocked based on game achievements, like fixing the bus.
- Triggering it in a certain year, after Gus has saved up enough money for the expansion
- SPOILER ALERT: In terms of Gus saving money, it could occur a specific amount of time after Gus’s heart event where Pam pays off her tab. With more consistent tab payments and a new farmer in town contributing further business, Gus can start saving up the money for this expansion.