New player, need help...

[oofurry]

Hi everyone!!! I am kinda new to this game. I haven't played a whole lot of RPGs, so I am not very...skilled.

I'm curious if anyone has some tips for beginners who want a thriving town!! I don't know where to begin. I know there are quests to fulfill but...how to you best attain new resources for your land? Is farming the best way to make money?

Also, why is fishing so hard?! I don't think I am understanding how to fish, or maybe I'm just really bad at it. You just pick a button and press it so the bar aligns with the fish? Is that right? If so, WHY I AM SO BAD AT IT?

And people don't really hold conversations...or am I not talking enough?

They are really putting you to work in this game! Or am I just playing it wrong?

These are my questions...any tips would be much appreciated. Thank you!!

 

[Helbrig]

Hello iv played a few times and it all really depends on your style if you wanna make the most money you should look into planing for alot of kegs which require oak resin.the first month your gonna need to make as much cash before the 12th which will be when u can buy strawberry seeds or you should focus on cauliflower is the most profit for least amount planted but takes about 13 days to grow.
the game is very easy theres no real end game so you have time to learn how you want to set up if youre just playing the original with no mods id spend the first year just getting your layout set up and the oak resin saved up as it takes awhile

quest wise theres not much they do other then provide some cash and friendship points

community center wise the most annoying will be the fish even i hated fishing to the point i downloaded a mod to remove it though i waited till i got the achievement for the fish.

 

[Njin]

Fishing Can be hard at first but it gets easier you'll have enough easy catches to start you leveling up and by the time you leveled up you will have figured it out better .. some fish will almost always get away. And most feel they are bad at it at first. and yes you just want that fish to stay within or next to the green bar and just tap it fast as the fish rises and stop taping as it lowers, short taps if is just "floating" .. tons of guides out there for money if that's what your after but farming is a good way, save some money for the egg festival to get you some strawberries they can make you some good money going into summer.. grow a little of everything.. save a little of everything you find.. Conversations with NPCs will be very brief but as you give gifts and talk to them a bit they will say more and gift you important things.. You will want to do all sorts of things to level your player and make resources easier to gain.. with money level up your bag and tools, watering can and pickaxe are probably the first things you'll want to upgrade.. And lastly you can do absolutely everything there is to do at your own pace you can grind the farm or mines or you can sleep through the day if you want stardew valley is a sandbox you can play it however you wish. It is a wonderful game it can be grindy if you play that way but it can also be very relaxing. My best tip would always be to have fun and explore and make sure you pack some food for the mines and head home by 12:30 if your out late.. Have fun:)

 

[Jayamos]

Also helpful for fishing: zip down to Willy’s and pay him 25g for the Training Rod. Bigger bar, you only catch easier fish, so you can quickly get in the practice necessary to get the hang of it. Some experienced players do this every time until they are at fishing level 4 or so. It made all the difference for me.

Some people like to get certain goals done as fast as possible, some like to make tons of money, others like the role play aspect, others do themed farms. I like to try out different styles on different farms. You can play it however feels good to you. I agree, the best thing is to just explore, try the different aspects of the game, see which you enjoy the most.

 

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Some basic advice:

* Your watch-word should be 'infrastructure'. There's an upper limit on how many crops you can maintain in a given day based on your ability to water them, which drains your stamina. Improved Sprinklers, which require gold and refined quartz, will water every tile around them, passively, every morning. At which point your only limitation on growing crops is the first day of the season clearing and planting and on the number of sprinklers and scarecrows you have.

* Along with that, preserves jars and kegs are used to refine raw produce into something more profitable. So if you want more money, properly prepare produce for prodigious profits!

* Fishing minigame is tough for new players. The Training Rod does two things: First, more difficult fish are entirely uninterested in it and won't even show up, and second the bar is larger, giving you more leeway. This will help you get used to the minigame. Fishing can be enormously profitable IF you are good at it. But it does takes some practice to become proficient.

* Different crops have different growth times and different profit margins. Some can even be harvested multiple times per season! Planting something like a Cauliflower in the final week of Spring will lead to disappointment, given it will never fully mature before the end of the season when it vanishes.

* Foraging can be a way to get some early game cash or even food. Those onions south of your farm can keep you going. When Salmonberries start growing, they are also an excellent source of stamina and health.

* Mining is going to be an important part of what you do, especially if you want those sprinklers. Gold won't start appearing until mine level 80+. Slowly but surely wins the race, every five levels, an elevator will open up to permit fast travel to that level. So taking five levels a day will get you down eventually. Generally speaking, avoiding fights tends to be better, but sometimes they are unavoidable.

 

[oofurry]

Some basic advice:

* Your watch-word should be 'infrastructure'. There's an upper limit on how many crops you can maintain in a given day based on your ability to water them, which drains your stamina. Improved Sprinklers, which require gold and refined quartz, will water every tile around them, passively, every morning. At which point your only limitation on growing crops is the first day of the season clearing and planting and on the number of sprinklers and scarecrows you have.

* Along with that, preserves jars and kegs are used to refine raw produce into something more profitable. So if you want more money, properly prepare produce for prodigious profits!

* Fishing minigame is tough for new players. The Training Rod does two things: First, more difficult fish are entirely uninterested in it and won't even show up, and second the bar is larger, giving you more leeway. This will help you get used to the minigame. Fishing can be enormously profitable IF you are good at it. But it does takes some practice to become proficient.

* Different crops have different growth times and different profit margins. Some can even be harvested multiple times per season! Planting something like a Cauliflower in the final week of Spring will lead to disappointment, given it will never fully mature before the end of the season when it vanishes.

* Foraging can be a way to get some early game cash or even food. Those onions south of your farm can keep you going. When Salmonberries start growing, they are also an excellent source of stamina and health.

* Mining is going to be an important part of what you do, especially if you want those sprinklers. Gold won't start appearing until mine level 80+. Slowly but surely wins the race, every five levels, an elevator will open up to permit fast travel to that level. So taking five levels a day will get you down eventually. Generally speaking, avoiding fights tends to be better, but sometimes they are unavoidable.

Ahh, this is all such great information!!! Thank you for taking the time to explain this to me!! I have gone in with a new strategy since making this post, and it's made me enjoy the game a lot more!!

 

[Godkin]

Difficulty in the first thing or when trying something new is normal. With time, you will get used to and feel the moment of each fish, maybe even able to guess the type of fish just from their reactions and movements.

Hard work never betrays, even though right now it may feel like it betrays your dreams. But always remember, behind every challenge and obstacle you face, there are valuable lessons and experiences that will help you grow and develop. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Outerslar]

If you haven't already bought the training rod from Willy then that can be very useful it only lets you catch low level fish, but it gives you a level 5 fishing bar. so I would recommend buying that before you begin fishing.