Keep losing interest.

[Apples]

Every time I make a new save I find myself playing the game less and less the closer I get to winter. I typically make a new save and play normally with a heightened rate of play during the fall season (I love it to no end.) and basically drop the game entirely when I get close to winter or when I'm in winter because of how boring it is.

I love this game a lot. In the first few days of having it, I played it more than an average work week. Now I've forgotten this game existed until recently when my friend got a switch for Christmas and asked me to play.

I initially thought to myself every time I boot up the game is 'It's hard to believe that only one person made this absolutely amazing game.' I would turn to Stardew Valley if I was feeling down or needed an escape from the world around me. There's a lot I have done with this game but I find it hard to stay on the game every time I boot it up.

I just want to enjoy this game again is what I'm trying to say. I love it. I love everything about it from farming, fishing, relationships, everything. I miss it but I find it so hard to actually sit down and play it. This isn't me just venting, it's a cry for help. I want to find my interest in this game again. I don't feel like I can lose something that was an escape from the real world as powerful as this.

 

[qaija]

How far have you progressed in the game? I'm going to make a wag that you have never been to Ginger Island yet, which, if true, means you are still very much at the beginning stages of a game. And I guess this only because in all the games I have played (at least one dozen, maybe two), once I have access to Ginger Island, winter is my favorite season because there are no seasons there so I am able to spend all my time there. I confess I am a bit confused by your post because of this....

 

[PoppyForPenny]

I wonder what you're not doing in winter that is making it seem boring? Between fishing, mining, and my wild seed crops, I find the entire winter very busy, and very profitable.
One of my favorite winter activities is digging for snow yams and winter roots. Sometimes I will dig up Robin's entire yard or the whole beach! In addition to crafting wild seeds, you can pop those winter roots in the seedmaker to get winter wild seeds to plant.
Also the first winter is the perfect time to upgrade your coop, barn, or house. I usually plant a lot of trees so I can spend the winter gathering large amounts of wood. I also tap lots of trees, which keep producing syrup throughout winter.
I also plan very carefully to get the greenhouse repaired by the end of fall. That way I can work on my sprinkler layout and purchase seeds before the first day of winter.
Winter is actually my favorite season in the game! The ice festival, night market, and feast of winter star are so cool. It's super fun!
And of course, you could just keep going back to bed and sleep the whole winter if you want!

 

[Jayamos]

I have yet to get to Ginger Island but I really enjoy the change of pace in winter. It’s the time I can get the farm organized so things flow the way I want them to, plus it’s an easy time for upgrades of all sorts. And I like the music. The money can be harder early game and I do have to switch up my routine, but that’s part of the fun and challenge. It helps a lot to plan ahead for whatever winter activity suits your play style, then it becomes “I get to do X in winter.” I agree with @PoppyForPenny, there’s tons to do, it’s just a question of deciding your priorities.

 

[MogBeoulve]

Winter is also a great time to build friendship with your coop and barn animals, especially if you are like me and prefer to let them roam around all over the place (and therefore can never find them all reliably). I also like to rearrange/redecorate, since I'm not growing tons of crops.

 

[Apples]

I wonder what you're not doing in winter that is making it seem boring? Between fishing, mining, and my wild seed crops, I find the entire winter very busy, and very profitable.
One of my favorite winter activities is digging for snow yams and winter roots. Sometimes I will dig up Robin's entire yard or the whole beach! In addition to crafting wild seeds, you can pop those winter roots in the seedmaker to get winter wild seeds to plant.
Also the first winter is the perfect time to upgrade your coop, barn, or house. I usually plant a lot of trees so I can spend the winter gathering large amounts of wood. I also tap lots of trees, which keep producing syrup throughout winter.
I also plan very carefully to get the greenhouse repaired by the end of fall. That way I can work on my sprinkler layout and purchase seeds before the first day of winter.
Winter is actually my favorite season in the game! The ice festival, night market, and feast of winter star are so cool. It's super fun!
And of course, you could just keep going back to bed and sleep the whole winter if you want!

Its more 'This is repetitive'

I try fishing and planting wild seeds and stuff like that it's just that winter is the most lackluster season imo and it really kills my interest every time it rolls around.

 

[Apples]

I have taken these responses into account and I'm gonna try to get back into stardew valley this weekend. I honestly forgot how good of a game it was.

I wish my friends would play with me.

One leaves the call the moment it's brought up

Another friend's game doesn't work period.

 

[Ereo]

Its more 'This is repetitive'

I try fishing and planting wild seeds and stuff like that it's just that winter is the most lackluster season imo and it really kills my interest every time it rolls around.

If you really don't want to play in winter sleep through it and start playing in spring!

 

[nicodeux]

You could also spend the whole winter season on Ginger Island and do all your farming there as you can grow any crop you want on the island farm.

 

[MissDandy]

I personally look at winter as the time to catch up on all the stuff that needs to be done to reach bigger goals, whatever that may be for you. You can set goals for yourself that aren't mandatory in the game, but seem fun to you. Like maybe you want to decorate your house a certain way with items that are hard to get. Maybe you want to fill a whole shed with kegs to see how much gold you can rack up. Maybe you even are trying for Perfection. Whatever it is, winter can be a great time to do all that collecting, gathering and getting friendship points with the villagers while the farming seasons are too busy for all that.

 

[FilthyGorilla]

Try branching out on things to do, attempt to get better at things you haven’t tried in a while or have never tried at all.

Maybe set up a small or large challenges for stages in the game or the save file as a whole to keep you interested

 

[jedgell233]

When Im not out slinging seed to the soil, feeding my livestock, or gathering forage, especially when the cold breath of winter reaches my neck... I'd venture into the mines.

How deep does the caverns go? There are legends told but many are not sure exactly what lies deep within or even if there is a bottom!

But a grand adventure it is, and it will keep you traveling further deeper while battling slimes, bats, and other creatures I couldnt even find words to describe that these farming eyes have seen. And the treasures! Ah yes.. makes the winter cold a little less frosty and before you realize, spring is calling ever closer.

 

[Farrow]

I've been in this state before with all my favorite games, I used to just stop playing but when it came to giving up subnatica, I couldn't. I searched for ways to reinvigorate my love for the game, then I discovered self-imposed challenge runs. And especially for sandbox games like subnatica minecraft and stardew the limits can be as easy or hard as you want them to be. Almost always Makin stardew more of a puzzling challenge to solve and it feels great when you get past an obstacles because your playing in a way you'd never done before. My first challenge for stardew was only profiting off of stuff I didn't pay for, so for a while it was only forage, then I got a seed maker and started to raise my farming level to make more and more money a eventually I was playing a only profit game. It was the most fun I'd had to that point and now I'm constantly pushing the limits of what I can do and I have a blast because I almost never play it the same way twice cause I can't. Sorry for the ramble but I hope this helped.

 

[SuperChouette]

What is it about winter that demotivates you? What makes it lackluster specifically? The scenery? The low variety of crops if you have no greenhouse?

I hope you are able to get back into the game to your heart’s content.

 

[Rhiannon]

I understand how you feel. I used to not care for the winter largely because I hate winter in my real life. In SDV I have used that time for many of the same things others have mentioned:

• Redesign the farm if needed
• Spend more time in the mine or skull cavern
• Work on things I don't normally have time to do like cooking and shipping items needed for 100% completion
• Work on relationships with the town's people

One thing I do to keep focused is to keep a list of things I need/want to do. I am working towards 100% completion so I made a list of what I needed to get there. One item was to cook all recipes at least once. So last winter, I did just that.

As for co-op play, I personally don't want to rely on anyone else for my play. I find this game FOR ME is better playing solo.

 

[Illusive Blue Chicken]

Winter is also a great time to build friendship with your coop and barn animals, especially if you are like me and prefer to let them roam around all over the place (and therefore can never find them all reliably). I also like to rearrange/redecorate, since I'm not growing tons of crops.

I second this. You can definitely find things to keep you busy. For me it was tending to the ducks and chickens as well as building friendships. It’s not the most glamorous season IMO but it does force you to slow down from the other three seasons. I would LOVE if there was an ice rink, sledding or something of an activity that popped up In winter. Anyway, I don’t think you’re alone in feeling how you feel. One time I slept every day in winter to get to spring

 

[FilthyGorilla]

When Im not out slinging seed to the soil, feeding my livestock, or gathering forage, especially when the cold breath of winter reaches my neck... I'd venture into the mines.

How deep does the caverns go? There are legends told but many are not sure exactly what lies deep within or even if there is a bottom!

But a grand adventure it is, and it will keep you traveling further deeper while battling slimes, bats, and other creatures I couldnt even find words to describe that these farming eyes have seen. And the treasures! Ah yes.. makes the winter cold a little less frosty and before you realize, spring is calling ever closer.

Probably not the point but the end of the caverns is the integer limit minus 120 levels for the mines.

The quarry is simply built into the caverns, it counts as level 77667 or something like that with 6’s and 7’s

 

[jedgell233]

Probably not the point but the end of the caverns is the integer limit minus 120 levels for the mines.

The quarry is simply built into the caverns, it counts as level 77667 or something like that with 6’s and 7’s

Not the point at all . I don't know how far this person has gone with the game and didn't want to be technical and throw out spoilers for them which is why I wrote my response in the perspective of the farmer of Stardew Valley.

 

[Randoplants]

If you really don't want to play in winter sleep through it and start playing in spring!

I do love the option to just keep going back to bed, and nothing bad happens

 

[Rhiannon]

I understand how you feel. I used to not care for the winter largely because I hate winter in my real life. In SDV I have used that time for many of the same things others have mentioned:

• Redesign the farm if needed
• Spend more time in the mine or skull cavern
• Work on things I don't normally have time to do like cooking and shipping items needed for 100% completion
• Work on relationships with the town's people

One thing I do to keep focused is to keep a list of things I need/want to do. I am working towards 100% completion so I made a list of what I needed to get there. One item was to cook all recipes at least once. So last winter, I did just that.

As for co-op play, I personally don't want to rely on anyone else for my play. I find this game FOR ME is better playing solo.

I'm replying to my own self as I thought of something else to add. I like having a self sufficient farm. As the years go on, I am able to propagate my own seeds. Winter is a good time to get ahead on this. I use around 8-10 seed makers and start feeding my Spring crops through first making sure I have enough seeds to get me through the upcoming season. To me it's very stratifying to finally get to the point of having an entire season's worth of seeds ready to go way ahead of the upcoming season.