Non-binary option

[Anxious_gay99]

Add a non-binary option when you’re creating your character, so the NPCs use they/them pronouns. I am loving this game, but I feel a bit uncomfortable when the NPCs don’t use my preferred pronouns. I would love to see this option, thank you for your time!

 

[McBuggykinz]

This sounds like it would be an easy fix! Non-binary characters should be able to use either locker room in the spa too :)

 

[Odin]

This sounds like it would be an easy fix! Non-binary characters should be able to use either locker room in the spa too :)

Considering they/them is a plural pronoun unlike he or she (she is, they are), and considering Stardew is available in something like a dozen languages, this is far from a simple task. I don't want to make it sound like I don't think it should be added, I think this would be a great addition, but very rarely are features as simple to implement as they might initially seem :)

 

[McBuggykinz]

Considering they/them is a plural pronoun unlike he or she (she is, they are), and considering Stardew is available in something like a dozen languages, this is far from a simple task. I don't want to make it sound like I don't think it should be added, I think this would be a great addition, but very rarely are features as simple to implement as they might initially seem :)

Good point! Maybe a mod would be more feasible (for now).

 

[Odin]

Good point! Maybe a mod would be more feasible (for now).

Looks like it just supports English, but I did find one on Nexus: https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/722

 

[nimravidae]

Considering they/them is a plural pronoun unlike he or she (she is, they are), and considering Stardew is available in something like a dozen languages, this is far from a simple task. I don't want to make it sound like I don't think it should be added, I think this would be a great addition, but very rarely are features as simple to implement as they might initially seem :)

hi, they/them as a singular pronoun has actually existed longer than 'you' as a singular pronoun in english and is not only used for plurality! depending on what languages stardew valley is in, there may not be gender-neutral alternatives; at least not in official dictionaries and such. i don't see why chucklefish couldnt reach out to genderqueer and nonbinary people from the various languages the game is translated to and work something out!

but yeah, i'm mostly here to second OP's suggestion; im nonbinary myself and i am extremely uncomfortable with both she/her and he/him pronouns. a better fix for this could be rather than selecting gender, just selecting 1+ pronoun options, as that would be the most inclusive and probably reduce the need to jump through hoops for languages without gender neutral pronouns.

 

[Odin]

Of course, there are many ways a feature like this could be implemented, and it would be great to see!

i don't see why chucklefish couldnt reach out to genderqueer and nonbinary people from the various languages the game is translated to and work something out!

That's certainly something that could be done! Although it would be ConcernedApe that would reach out (as the game's lead developer), Chucklefish are just the publishers of the mobile versions.

 

[PoppyForPenny]

I think there could be an "other" gender selection and just not have the pronouns at all, they could just say your name or farmer.

 

[sp0oky_me]

They may be able to put optional write-in boxes for pronouns like they do for the favorite thing that would appear if the non-binary option is picked. It would minimize the work needed and be inclusive.

 

[imnvs]

Oh, a non-binary thread I didn't comment on? Well, at least someone necro'd it so I could.

This would go a long way to make some feel included. It doesn't seem like a big addition, though I realize that it could be a bigger thing that it appears... but as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I would laud such an addition quite a lot.

 

[tomaO2]

I feel like giving players the ability to go into any locker room is a bit too controversial for a game like this and, if you go fully down the non-binary route, I feel like this would need to be added. In practical terms, it doesn't matter. Both are empty anyway, but there has been a lot of controversy with bathroom bill talk that really doesn't need to be directed this way.

There is also the issue of having kids. Apperently, that nonbinary nexus mod needs a second mod to do it. Lets see.

Pregnancy Role

People of all genders may or may not be able to become pregnant. This mod gives Stardew Valley farmers and NPCs the full range of possibilities.

www.nexusmods.com

If you need to hide or reposition the "Pregnancy Role" dropdown on the Skills tab and/or the Social tab detail page, you can edit this mod's config.json file. It will be created in the mod's main folder (Mods/PregnancyRole) the first time you run the game with the mod installed. These options are available:

• ShowPlayerDropdown: Set to false to hide the "Pregnancy Role" dropdown for the player on the Skills tab.
• PlayerDropdownOrigin: Set the X and Y values to pixel coordinates, relative to the top left of the game menu, where the dropdown should appear. Coordinates (0,0) mean that the position will be calculated automatically.
• ShowSpouseDropdown: Set to false to hide the "Pregnancy Role" dropdown for the spouse on the Social tab detail page.
• SpouseDropdownOrigin: Set the X and Y values to pixel coordinates, relative to the top left of the detail page, where the dropdown should appear. Coordinates (0,0) mean that the position will be calculated automatically.

...
Set to false? Set coordinates? I have no idea what that even means. This mod is really tiptoeing around the subject. If this mod is so worried about offending someone that it can't even use plain speak to explain how it works, it seems to me that implementing a similar change to the main release would end up causing more people upset/annoyed/confused about it than happy.

 

[imnvs]

Set to false? Set coordinates? I have no idea what that even means. This mod is really tiptoeing around the subject. Seems like implementing a similar change to the main release would be difficult to manage without upsetting someone if even this mod is so worried that it can't even use plain speak to explain how it works.

Coordinates are talking about where menus will appear in relation to your character or to an NPC. Pregnancy role set to "false" in programming speak means can't get pregnant. If both members of a marriage are set to "false" they adopt. If both are set to "true" they adopt. And let me reiterate, this isn't some "obscure wacky language to skirt the issue" sort of thing. This is seriously just because they are talking about settings, what the settings are called and what the options are.

 

[tomaO2]

Not sure what you mean by "where menus will appear", although the false/true but for pregnancy I get now, assuming the choice is specifically referring to whether the player character can personally get pregnant. Otherwise, I still don't know what this means. I'm pretty sure you could say it in a way that is less confusing, and doesn't need to use the word "coordinates".

How are you imagining new players will be given the option to figure out if they can have kids or must adopt? Cause the way it's written in that description is pretty confusing. You're going to need a more user friendly way of doing it than what I am reading in this mod description.

 

[imnvs]

I don't know enough about the mod, the mod's code or the game's code to say much more about the "coordinates" thing, but it could be in some menu when you click on someone, or maybe in the friendship tab, or maybe it's in some other advanced menu introduced by the mod. I don't really know. It's in reference to something else, obviously, because it is 0 pixels both horizontally and vertically from some origin point.

 

[Odin]

Set to false? Set coordinates? I have no idea what that even means. This mod is really tiptoeing around the subject. If this mod is so worried about offending someone that it can't even use plain speak to explain how it works, it seems to me that implementing a similar change to the main release would end up causing more people upset/annoyed/confused about it than happy.

You're misunderstanding what those instructions are for. Those are explaining how to adjust a specific bit of UI the mod adds to the game. The instructions are for people that need to modify the mod's files as a way to fix an issue, so they're going to be a bit technical. But they don't have anything to do with using or installing the mod. And they aren't related to the actual features the mods adds. Out of context, those intructions could be for any mod that adds a dropdown menu to the game's UI.

How are you imagining new players will be given the option to figure out if they can have kids or must adopt?

If non-binary farmers were added, the game could just drop the distinction of adoption vs pregnancy. After all, I don't think there's much need for the game to get into the specifics in a world filled with magic.

As for your point about the spa... CA could avoid the entire issue by just adding a third door in the spa for non-binary farmers. Keep in mind there are always multiple ways to implement features in a game!

 

[Norski]

Considering they/them is a plural pronoun unlike he or she (she is, they are), and considering Stardew is available in something like a dozen languages, this is far from a simple task. I don't want to make it sound like I don't think it should be added, I think this would be a great addition, but very rarely are features as simple to implement as they might initially seem :)

I personally don't think it should be added. But I will admit I'm pretty ignorant to how the non binary stuff works. And that all seems only recent, which is odd. People saying they're neither/non binary, I mean.

 

[Alfyna]

This is important to a lot of people, especially considering that SDV functions as a happy stress-escape for so many. I am 100% cognizant of how jarring and unpleasant it is for a non-binary person to be addressed by the wrong pronouns. I would be so happy for them to receive validation with an update like this.

I happen to play a dude in SDV for narrative RPing purposes, so I automatically get the adoption option because I romance Harvey, but I would also be 100% on board for an adoption option in a f/m couple as I happen to have sensitivities to that subject. All in all an update like this would be helpful to a number of groups.

 

[imnvs]

I personally don't think it should be added. But I will admit I'm pretty ignorant to how the non binary stuff works. And that all seems only recent, which is odd. People saying they're neither/non binary, I mean.

It doesn't matter if you are ignorant and don't understand. You don't need to. You just need to accept that people pick their own identities, accept that it is important to them and accept them at face value...

...and don't make things harder for them by denying them representation.

 

[tomaO2]

Okay, this is starting to get confrontational. Tone it down. Lets not do some big talking down to someone for saying he doesn't want a feature added. Any feature that is up for inclusion should be debatable. It doesn't become off limits because the subject matter is personal to you.

Anyway, it's not like the game would be letting people pick their own pronouns. At most, they/them would be added, so there will always be people not feeling represented.

 

[Ereo]

Okay, this is starting to get confrontational. Tone it down. Lets not do some big talking down to someone for saying he doesn't want a feature added. Any feature that is up for inclusion should be debatable. It doesn't become off limits because the subject matter is personal to you.

Anyway, it's not like the game would be letting people pick their own pronouns. At most, they/them would be added, so there will always be people not feeling represented.

How do you know what would or would not be added? I actually think letting the player pick is a more elegant solution. You can still pick they/them or he/him or she/her.

They/them doesn't exist in all languages, so a text box would be the easiest option.

I'm not non-binary, but it doesn't hurt me to have people included who are. So why shouldn't it be just because someone doesn't want it?

I can see there is technical difficulty, especially with many languages, and a lot of work with rewriting all dialogue. But the reason not to include someone should never because someone else feels offended.