Improvements for the Museum Collection quest

[tomaO2]

First off, it's a little confusing to know what items you need to collect. Total items required are all the ones listed in your mineral and artifact collections, so that is a pretty clear way to tell, if you realize that this is the case, but I was going by another number. The number of spaces that were left over on the collection board. This led me to believe I needed more items than I actually did. I had been holding back an item because I was under the impression that I would not be able to rearrange the items after the collection was complete, so I was just waiting, and waiting, until I finally gave up tried finding out what I was missing, only to realize I had everything already.

This leads me to the second issue. Not being able to rearrange items around when you aren't donating something. This gives a false impression that you are stuck with the arrangement when it is complete. This is actually false, but if I hadn't read the museum information, I would have assumed it was true. Even when the collection is complete, you are not given any indicators that you have the option to change things around. The pad you are supposed to click on to do this has been there from the start, so why would I be clicking on it after 200 hours of playtime. Gunther should, at least, mention that you can do this, and how, or maybe an arrow appears over the pad to make you want to click on it. SOMETHING. I would suggest that you make it a dialogue option, rather than clicking on that item. Honestly, I don't think this should be a reward for completing the collection. You should just have this option from the start.

EDIT: This is actually not an issue. The rearranging feature does not work when carrying a donatable item. At the same time though, people do carry around donatable items at times, like I did, so this detail can stop you from thinking you are able to use the feature.

Speaking of rearranging. I'd like to be able to scroll around a little more. When I zoom out to maximum, I still can't see the entire board because the inventory is blocking spaces. If I could scroll more downward, then I would be able to get a full view. I mean, I can access every square, but it's annoying to be forced to scroll around when my screen is big enough to see all the spots at once.

On top of all of that, give me the option to take something back. there are SEVERAL items that you actually need for stuff. If I give a dinosaur egg to the museum, only to realize I can hatch it, and now I have to wait until I get another one... that is REALLY frustrating. When the collection is complete, then, yes, no takebacks, but before that point, what does it hurt to give players the option to take an item back?

 

[PoppyForPenny]

I do play on iPad which has lots of small differences, but, I can rearrange the museum display any time. ls that not same on all platforms?

 

[imnvs]

I do play on iPad which has lots of small differences, but, I can rearrange the museum display any time. ls that not same on all platforms?

It is available on PC, and tomaO2 acknowledged that, though the way he started off that section was a bit misleading. The issue is that it is not made clear that you can. For the longest time I believed I could only rearrange when donating something, so if I didn't have anything to donate I didn't understand that I could actually still rearrange the collection. It is done at the notepad on the counter next to Gunther, but there is no indicator visually or through direction, not even a hint, that you could do so. It took me quite a long while to figure that out.

 

[tomaO2]

From the wiki:

Museum - Stardew Valley Wiki

The Museum can be found in the South-East corner of Pelican Town, south of the Blacksmith.

stardewvalleywiki.com

Only a single copy of any particular item may be donated. Items can be rearranged in the donation interface, or by clicking Gunther's desk once the collection is complete. Donated items may be examined by right-clicking on them.

I didn't just take the wiki's word for it though. I actually made a new account, got 3 items, donated, and tried to use the rearrange feature, but I couldn't get it to work. I then deleted it.

I just tried again with my original 40 hour account from when I first bought the game just now though (in retrospect, I'm not sure why I did a new account when I had this one), and it does work, as Imnvs said... Maybe I tested this wrong?

Anyway, my assumption was that I couldn't move museum items until I had completed the museum collection. I guess this wiki article needs to be changed then.

I think I also need to do another test of this with a new account. I don't understand how I didn't get it to work last time. That was a major screw up on my part.

EDIT: Made a new account, and got two artifacts. Donated it. No. I was right, I can't rearrange items yet. Donating second item. Testing rearranging feature again. It works now. Hmm.

My gut is telling me that the block was the fact that I was carrying an artefact at the time. Restarting day. I dig up ONE artefact. Wait for the museum to open (really want a time skip function for situations like this) Donate. Test rearranging feature. It works.

Mother Fugging game. You can't use the rearrange feature if you are holding an item you can donate in your inventory? UGH, that explains so much. The reason it must not work is due to the inventory being open when you click on the rearrange feature. I always had an artefact on hand so I could use it to access the donate item screen. Even when I was testing the with the new account, I had three items and only donated two of them, doing this was such a habit. I just picked the item up, put it in inventory and then moved things around. It was clunky but I thought this was the only way I could do it.

 

[imnvs]

Yeah, if you've completed the collection, talking to Gunther from across the counter puts you into the rearrange option. Before that (and I did double check on a save where I didn't have the complete collection), though, the notepad allows me to rearrange.

I haven't triple-checked with a new save, mostly because the only new save I have is a MP save, and the wife is busy with other stuff. I don't want to play a MP save without my farmhand, you know? (And the save is, seriously, Spring 2 Year 1, so I have nothing to donate. I'd have to find something.)

 

[tomaO2]

When I click on Gunther all he says is "the museum looks amazing! Thanks again for all your help". I still need to click on the notepad beside him to get into the rearrange mode. I use the PC steam version. In case that is the cause of the difference.

 

[imnvs]

Perhaps that was another thing I was lead to believe but which was incorrect. I didn't double check if clicking on Gunther opened up the rearrange option for a completed museum. (To be honest, I don't rearrange much.)