Alcoholism

[Farmeralexis1]

Shane and Pam are characters that stay at the bar drinking all day. It’s heavily implied that they have problems with alcohol, if not full-blown alcoholism. Currently one of Shane and Pam’s favorite items is beer, and you can give it to them to increase your hearts.

I feel guilty giving them stuff to enable their addictions. Is it ok if the mods made it impossible to give alcoholics drinks?

thanks!

 

[LRangerR]

They like other things as well. It's up to you, and it's your choice as a player what you decide to give them. I feel that by taking away that player choice, you are taking away a part of the game, and eroding the very nature of what a game id itself.

 

[Zen_the_Ogre]

They like other things as well. It's up to you, and it's your choice as a player what you decide to give them. I feel that by taking away that player choice, you are taking away a part of the game, and eroding the very nature of what a game id itself.

It's also implied that penny may be using poppy tea (opium) as a coping mechanism for her mom's drinking behavior. As given her cooling skills you know she ain't making muffins.

Poppy tea - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Freizeitfarmer]

As far as I am with LRangerR and Zen_the_Ogre regarding option of choices I also think it would be nice to have a story for helping people in town. I would like to see a possibility to get Shane and Pam abstinent or giving Kent self-esteem. Some other mentioned similar suggestions already.
On the other hand many here like to have more realism. And fixing all broken lifes (or even trying) is not very realistic...

 

[Ereo]

Shane's heart event kinda suggest he is getting help and getting better. For role-playing purposes, I don't give him beer after that...

 

[Pluffy]

giving Kent self-esteem

Don't you mean Clint? I've made that mistake too, on my reddit account.

 

[LRangerR]

It's also implied that penny may be using poppy tea (opium) as a coping mechanism for her mom's drinking behavior. As given her cooling skills you know she ain't making muffins.

Poppy tea - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Lmao, when does it ever imply that? I've seemed to miss that one.

As far as I am with LRangerR and Zen_the_Ogre regarding option of choices I also think it would be nice to have a story for helping people in town. I would like to see a possibility to get Shane and Pam abstinent or giving Kent self-esteem. Some other mentioned similar suggestions already.
On the other hand many here like to have more realism. And fixing all broken lifes (or even trying) is not very realistic...

To be fair there are multiple paths along the game where Pam gets helped out (i can think of 3 off the top of my head), but while Shane kinda wants to stop drinking, I don't think Pam would ever stop drinking. At any rate, something like that would need to be written in in order for it to happen, and while I'd like to see it in the main game, it seems like it would make a better mod.

 

[CryogenCrystals]

I have to say, I appreciate reading such considerate and socially conscious thought about the game regarding character's wellbeing. That's just plain nice, kudos to you for engaging this way. One of the beautiful things about having situations in a game that are somewhat close to life, is we get to experiment with how we choose to approach stuff with a freedom we don't usually get in real life. In my mind, any approach someone wants to test is okay, and I kind of agree that mods might be the fun of this in the sense that I'd guess it would allow for much more freedom and many different approaches. This is making me think of moving my game to mod even though I have tended to be a bit purist in my gameplay so far (maybe this is common for a noob such as myself).

 

[LRangerR]

I have to say, I appreciate reading such considerate and socially conscious thought about the game regarding character's wellbeing. That's just plain nice, kudos to you for engaging this way. One of the beautiful things about having situations in a game that are somewhat close to life, is we get to experiment with how we choose to approach stuff with a freedom we don't usually get in real life. In my mind, any approach someone wants to test is okay, and I kind of agree that mods might be the fun of this in the sense that I'd guess it would allow for much more freedom and many different approaches. This is making me think of moving my game to mod even though I have tended to be a bit purist in my gameplay so far (maybe this is common for a noob such as myself).

I don't think so, I'm usually a purist myself, and tend to only play the default version of the game (what kids call "vanilla" these days, but i don't like that term for some reason). Even so, there are certain times when mods could be appropriate, and other times even when they should be encouraged. But just as you said, mods are effectively an "experiment with how we choose to approach stuff with a freedom we don't usually get". And I've always felt that the "how" and "why" of mods are more important than the "what", as the "what" can easily become lost in fantasies. So, again, similar to how you said, how you approach mods is important, and it's for these reasons and many others that I stick to the default versions of games, generally.

 

[imnvs]

This is making me think of moving my game to mod even though I have tended to be a bit purist in my gameplay so far (maybe this is common for a noob such as myself).

Okay, I'm far from being a noob (my showcase threads should prove that). I wouldn't say I'm one of the elite powergamer/min-max sorts, and I know very little about modding and editing save files and all of that... and I'm basically still a purist. I don't judge folks that want to use mods to alter their game. I use the predictor and manipulate the RNG as a result. I just don't want to use mods because of the complications they can introduce, especially as you add more of them, as they interact with each other. The game's just more reliable without mods, and that's important to me for reasons.

For that reason, I typically just adjust my play... and as they start expressing interest in bettering themselves, I simply stop giving them booze and call it a day.

 

[CryogenCrystals]

Nice, you both have excellent points. I too don't like to judge anyone's gameplay or gameplay choices. I agree, these choices and style are unique to each of us and aren't meant to fit everyone else they are meant for us. IMO, there is no wrong approach to gaming, there is only the approach that is right for each person at any given time, and this can shift. That's where the fun lies I think.

I see the allure of nerding out on mods for learning and experimentation's sake, so that I'm not borking a perfectly good game lol. So, for me, my "good" or "quality" game (or games) would continue to exist on mobile with no mods for convenience, and if I wanted to mess with mods for the sake of learning and experimentation (unorthodox background), the technologist side of me is generally the jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none experimenter and investigator lol... I would pop it into Linux, give it a spin, screw something up bad and likely break it lol... but have had fun doing it lol. I think youre right, being a noob doesnt necessarily equate an approach. Rather as a noob, it is typically most comfortable for me to stick to a "vanilla" game at first until I have a good grasp on mechanics. When I get the urge to muck around more and feel more confident in my Stardew knowledge, then it might be time to inadvertently break stuff before going back to my natural approach of prioritizing my game running well above the other stuff (having a non-modded game) heheheeh.

In short, I feel it is possible to have it both ways
Thanks for the great discussion on this!

 

[Freizeitfarmer]

Don't you mean Clint? I've made that mistake too, on my reddit account.

No, I do mean Kent - but maybe it's more a kind of depression. But you are right, Clint has (also) a problem with self-esteem.

 

[Pluffy]

No, I do mean Kent - but maybe it's more a kind of depression. But you are right, Clint has (also) a problem with self-esteem.

It's more PTSD, in my opinion.

 

[LRangerR]

I think part of what's troubling Kent is that it's kinda like the opposite of abandonment issues. Kinda like "abandoner" issues, where he feels he's let his kids down sometimes by leaving them alone for so long, and other similar stuff.

 

[Lew Zealand]

I think there's more going on in Kent's head than anyone else in SDV except maybe the Wizard. Definitely PTSD from war with the Gotoro Empire and as LRangerR said, missing out on some of his kids' lives. He clearly made the choice to fight for their way of life but that came with it's own compromises. I guess it'd be nice to see some more growth there, as Kent still has a lot of time with Vincent before he grows up and Sam turned out pretty well, if a bit of a layabout. Maybe he could see a mental health professional NPC from Zuzu City at Harvey's clinic once a week or month and he would slowly improve over time, with that dialog being replaced with something more involved in the community. That'd be a nice easter egg/progression for the people here playing for 5 or 8 years or longer. But it would also be tied to the Farmer continuing to interact with him.

Same goes for Pam and Shane's alcoholism except I don't think we get much of Shane's background, why he's ended up dependent on booze. I always assumed Pam was because her husband left them but then I may have cause and effect backwards on that one. I have 10 hearts with both but it's been a while and don't remember if their dialog up to that point spells anything out directly, I think there were only inferences. Not married to Shane yet but maybe more comes out after 10 hearts?

All I know is I love the look on his face when it's raining and he says "This weather makes me thirsty." He's very suspicious of... the weather.

 

[LRangerR]

All I know is I love the look on his face when it's raining and he says "This weather makes me thirsty." He's very suspicious of... the weather.

Lol. Maybe he just wishes it was raining beer. Or maybe he just really doesn't like rainy days and it puts him into a regression mood.

 

[hothortonch]

Shane also likes hot peppers and pizza, so you don't have to give him just beer. Maybe if you give him chickens and eggs more often, he'll be happier? Although I think the situation here is that when you give a man a "fish," he's more likely to eat it, the man needs a tool, that is, a "fishing rod." Although Shane has a job and he rents cheaply, his aunt helps him. He could have tried starting his own business. But it's easier for him to drown his perceived sorrow in beer. He definitely needs a rehab https://fherehab.com/learning/online-aa-meetings/. I don't like people like that in my life either. There's always a way to get out of victim mode.

 

[Kurachi84]

My father was alcoholic, but the older he became, the less he drank.
The last times he drank beer, it was just 3 bottle of low alcohol % beer, so he liked it, but didn't get drunk anymore.
He even told me "I can't drunk as much anymore, i keep it at 3 bottles.", and i know what he drank before he his kids XD
So they could just have 1 a day, as you can only give 1 a day... without mods.
Many ex-alcoholics are still taking one or a few, as they still like it, but don't get addicted anymore.

I give Pam Parsnips gold quality, and buy Shane beer, and in Summer i grow him some peppers.
So Pam gets none, while Shane only gets them in Spring.

I guess we gotta work with what we have, and i see Stardrop Saloon always sells Pizza, so you can start buying Shane those.
You can Roleplay by getting Shane Pizza, so you won't encourage him to drink more Beer.
I think it would be better if Shane's Love for Beer would go, and it becomes a Like after the rain event with him. Just for the taste, not the habit.
Pam may be able to handle 2 more Beer a week, as she's older and probably stronger physically... kinda used to it by now, i think.

I guess using mods on PC would be best, as you'd just remove the Love gift for your own feelings.
I think this game is to make you feel better, so adding on to that, would increase that effect.
If someone can and will make such mod, ask them to make Beer a hate gift, as Pam and Shane could not even like the taste, and only use it to drink away their problems.

Hope i helped a bit by giving my opinion on it, hope you'll find a nice way to deal with it. :)

 

[EllaBaileq]

I understand how you feel. I can't stand alcohol because of my father's addiction to it. He was constantly drunk and did foolish things: one time he drove drunk to the other side of the country, and another time he sold his car and lost money. He was not aggressive and never hurt his family, but he caused many problems. He didn't want treatment and didn't acknowledge the problem until his health problems began. After his liver transplant, he quit drinking completely and regularly attends a support group https://www.theluckiestclub.com/join-community

 

[imnvs]

I understand how you feel. I can't stand alcohol because of my father's addiction to it.

Your bias is understandable, I assure you. I've known several folk with the same attitude/bias, and I don't fault you for it. The idea, here, though is talking about changing things... and I find my behavior is what I can control the easiest, so like I said before, I just don't give them alcohol.