I want to hear your most controversial Opinion about Stardew!

I also love all the characters, faults flaws and all. Their complexity adds to the game and sense of place.
Demetrius bothered me when he dragged me into his marriage conflict, hurting Robin's feelings over the tomato fruit thing. But what Demetrius doesn't know is I have a better understanding of what's a fruit and what's a vegetable. It's kegs and preserve jars! Tomatoes make juice not wine. Pickles, not jam. In Stardew Valley the processing machines know!
 

FairyRing

Farmer
My new controversial opinion is that all the people defending all the residents of Pelican Town aren't giving me enough credit for doing it first. 😉😁
You inspired everyone and you were first! here it is :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

My opinion: The people around here that believe, for whatever reason, that any citizens of Pelican Town (except Morris) are bad people are wrong. Everyone in SDV (besides Morris) is a lovable delight, a person that would never knowingly hurt another person. This especially goes for Haley and Pierre, two people that I think receive the most undeserved hate. I mean, ffs, people are more willing to forgive Shane than either of them it seems, and that's the hardest sell for me... and not because I think him being an alcoholic is worse than being shallow or greedy, but because he tracks mud around the house.
 
My hot take:

Pelican Town is pretty messed up, and no one is entirely innocent. It's the sort of setting that would make for a fantastic sitcom, with constant nonstop drama all over the place. Pierre neglecting his wife, who has an affair with the wizard that results in Abigail. You've got Linus basically freeloading on Robin's backyard and basically acting like someone who fell into the 'Sovereign Citizen' prepper tripe. You've got Pam, the town redneck alcoholic and at a minimum verbally abusive to her daughter, you've got her daughter who is desperately seeking a way out of that home environment without giving up on the kids. You've got a veteran return home in Season 2 that has some serious PTSD and people are unable to understand this and what it means. No one is 'clean'.

And that's what I like about it. This isn't simply some Leave It To Beaver idealized community, it's got its warts and its drama going on. It's got at least partially fleshed out characters (although they do tend to stereotype tropes, probably because the whole game was made by a single guy and even CA doesn't have enough hours in the day to create a novel-length backstory on each character) that have character flaws that are understandable given their environment. If anyone's ever seen the movie Pleasantville, I think you'll get what I mean. There's issues under what is a nominally sanitized community, which gradually become more noticeable as the player becomes integrated into the community.

He could've simply given us something like Harvest Moon, where even the grumpy characters are morally idealized, instead he gave us something a little less perfect, a little less idealized, a and a little more... messy. For which I am quite grateful.
 

450735

Planter
I see what you mean, but I would also be annoyed if someone didn't appreciate my dark room or didn't kiss me after we both know that I am in love with them
I guess my complete inability to read between lines has carried over to SDV (that plus going polyamorous, and not caring much for Haley in the first place).

Demetrius bothered me when he dragged me into his marriage conflict, hurting Robin's feelings over the tomato fruit thing.
Especially considering he's a freaking biologist. He should be able to know when a tomato is a fruit and when it's a vegetable and that everything is relative, but I guess he spends more time in his lab than the kitchen :hmm:

On another topic entirely, and I'm not sure how controversial it really is, but among the bachelor/ettes, I've always felt like the boys have stronger and more distinct personalities than the girls, who all feel kind of shallow and archetypal. Not saying that dislike them or that they're all similar, but I don't find the gals as interesting, and my feelings towards them tend to be much more neutral than towards the guys, where I have clear "I (do not) like you" opinions.
 

hexnessie

Farmer
All in all, I find it refreshing that we all hate different characters. Like, there are no universal hates (go away Morris) and everyone has their pet peeve and their favorite wrongly-hated character they want to defend.

As a very controversial disclosure, I must say I don't care much for Penny. She's both a bit bland and kinda... conservative? Like she wouldn't approve of any lifestyle that is not "married with kids, and the kids take front center position in your life". I'm scared to tell her I don't want kids, so I try to avoid her 8-star event...
 
On another topic entirely, and I'm not sure how controversial it really is, but among the bachelor/ettes, I've always felt like the boys have stronger and more distinct personalities than the girls, who all feel kind of shallow and archetypal. Not saying that dislike them or that they're all similar, but I don't find the gals as interesting, and my feelings towards them tend to be much more neutral than towards the guys, where I have clear "I (do not) like you" opinions.
I'm not the only one who noticed it!?!? The boys just seem more interesting to me. I wouldn't marry them, as I am straight as a rod, but I do feel a bit of regret that the girls just seem more bland to me. I mean, Elliot is just so cool, why can't we have a bachelorette like that?
 

Elenna101

Farmer
I guess my complete inability to read between lines has carried over to SDV (that plus going polyamorous, and not caring much for Haley in the first place).



Especially considering he's a freaking biologist. He should be able to know when a tomato is a fruit and when it's a vegetable and that everything is relative, but I guess he spends more time in his lab than the kitchen :hmm:

On another topic entirely, and I'm not sure how controversial it really is, but among the bachelor/ettes, I've always felt like the boys have stronger and more distinct personalities than the girls, who all feel kind of shallow and archetypal. Not saying that dislike them or that they're all similar, but I don't find the gals as interesting, and my feelings towards them tend to be much more neutral than towards the guys, where I have clear "I (do not) like you" opinions.
Huh, I find that the boys are... not bland, exactly, but I tend to be less interested in them than the girls. (I'm bisexual IRL, so that's not a factor.) Like, if I list the characters I'm most interested in marrying in order, it goes Leah, Haley (there's my controversial opinion), Sebastian, Abigail, Penny, maybe Shane if his room weren't a disaster... There's nothing specifically wrong with the male characters (well, except Alex's sexist comments at low heart levels), they just don't catch my interest.

(Also, yeah, someone really needs to tell Demetrius that the botanical and culinary definitions of "fruit" are different, and thus a tomato can be botanically a vegetable and culinarily a fruit, and Robin is clearly using the culinary definition as she wants to cook it.)
 

hexnessie

Farmer
(Also, yeah, someone really needs to tell Demetrius that the botanical and culinary definitions of "fruit" are different, and thus a tomato can be botanically a vegetable and culinarily a fruit, and Robin is clearly using the culinary definition as she wants to cook it.)
I kinda felt it was supposed to be a harmless joke on his part, a play on the fact that tomato can be both, depending on context. I've seen people being given cauliflowers after "Honey, I got you flowers!".

Then there's homes like mine, where we ate sliced tomato with sugar for dessert. (Best. Thing. Ever.)
 

CrazybobC

Sodbuster
I kinda felt it was supposed to be a harmless joke on his part, a play on the fact that tomato can be both, depending on context. I've seen people being given cauliflowers after "Honey, I got you flowers!".

Then there's homes like mine, where we ate sliced tomato with sugar for dessert. (Best. Thing. Ever.)
See, I've pulled this harmless joke before. My parents asked me to get fruits for dinner and I brought tomatoes. I don't think either robin or demetrius were in the right here. I feel like they both were a lot harsh on one another. I dislike how they make you choose which one you side with. It's not my deal. This is your argument. 😂
 

LRangerR

Local Legend
You are not wrong...

I only managed to go through both of the Robin/Demetrius arguments (tomato and efficient use of hardwood) ONCE. From then on, I skip it. I just don't want to take sides, it's like watching your parents argue!
And people wonder why Seb wants to move out. Too much neuroticism under one roof, what with his sister in the mix too. I don't think he hates his parents, i think he's just ready to move on.
 

MRight

Planter
Anyone else feel like dwarves and Stardrop are from the same planet? I think it would make sense for dwarves to be used to the strange feeling of Stardrop and that would make them feel better in in the mines instead of on the surface. Also I think Stardew Valley (the location) could have been a mountain they lived in but was blown up by their own (Mega) bombs so they hid underground, and humans (if that’s what the villagers are!) settled there. Also the two dwarves you can meet are brothers
 

adamtalakom

Sodbuster
I don't know if this is controversial or not, but I feel like the backstory for the player is extremely lacking. Maybe I still haven't seen all of it but as of right now, it's pretty disappointing. All the townspeople have some sort of backstory you can learn about, but nope, not the farmer.
 

FarmerJoJo

Planter
I don't know if this is controversial or not, but I feel like the backstory for the player is extremely lacking. Maybe I still haven't seen all of it but as of right now, it's pretty disappointing. All the townspeople have some sort of backstory you can learn about, but nope, not the farmer.
For many of us, that is the beauty of the game. We develop our own backstory for the farmer and use that to drive game play. One of my current saves is a 'Cottage Core' farmer, seeking a simpler and more beautiful life in Stardew Valley. She doesn't go to Skull Caverns very often. (and yes, is wooing Elliot) I've been thinking about a more driven, darker farmer character for my next play. Haven't completely come up with that backstory/personality yet.
 
For many of us, that is the beauty of the game. We develop our own backstory for the farmer and use that to drive game play. One of my current saves is a 'Cottage Core' farmer, seeking a simpler and more beautiful life in Stardew Valley. She doesn't go to Skull Caverns very often. (and yes, is wooing Elliot) I've been thinking about a more driven, darker farmer character for my next play. Haven't completely come up with that backstory/personality yet.
That's what I say. In my main save I have the heroic yet a little bit reckless Lilan who just wants to give others freedom while in the joja save ai have Victoria. Her older sister who got the letter instead and Victoria wants to expand joja's reign.
 

Odin

Moderator
Staff member
I don't know if this is controversial or not, but I feel like the backstory for the player is extremely lacking. Maybe I still haven't seen all of it but as of right now, it's pretty disappointing. All the townspeople have some sort of backstory you can learn about, but nope, not the farmer.
Based on comments from ConcernedApe, this is intentional so that your character can be "you" or whoever you want to be, rather than someone with an existing story. I don't think you're the only one that wishes the game was different in this regard, but I think this is probably a controversial one or at least pretty close to it!
 
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