

Unable to find a satisfactory replacement, Barone began to create a game similar to the series, stating that his intent was "to address the problems I had with " and that "no title in the series ever brought it all together in a perfect way".

Stardew Valley originally began as a modern fan-made alternative to the Story of Seasons series, as he felt the series had gotten "progressively worse" after Harvest Moon: Back to Nature. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, Barone incorporated many elements of the region into the gameplay and art. Looking to improve his computer skills for better job prospects, he came to the idea of crafting a game which would also pull in his artistic side. In 2011, Barone had graduated from the University of Washington Tacoma with a computer science degree but had not been able to get a job in the industry, instead working as an usher at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle. Stardew Valley, originally titled Sprout Valley, was created by American indie game designer Eric Barone under the alias of ConcernedApe. Later in the game, players can restore a greenhouse and an island that can grow any crop regardless of the season. The game uses a simplified calendar, each year having four 28-day months that represent each season, that determines which crops can be grown and which activities can be beneficial. Food is also a source of replenishing health and energy, which allows the player to complete more tasks in a given day. The player can consume food that grants certain buffs that are useful in certain activities and situations. All of these activities must be metered against the character's current health and exhaustion level, and the game's internal clock. Completing multiple bundles grants players access to new areas and game mechanics, such as a desert. Completing bundles rewards players with various items, including seeds and tools. Players can take on various quests to earn additional money or complete specific collections of materials (called "bundles") to restore the town's Community Center or pay certain amounts of money to complete JojaMart bundles. Players can also engage in fishing, cooking, crafting, and exploring procedurally-generated caves with materials and ores to mine or creatures to combat. After marriage, players may have the chance to have or adopt a child with their spouse. Players interact with non-player characters (NPCs) that inhabit the town, including engaging in relationships with them this can culminate in marriage, which results in the NPC helping the player's character to tend the farm. The farmland is initially overrun with boulders, trees, stumps, and weeds, and players must work to clear them to restart the farm, tending to crops and livestock to generate revenue and further expand the farm. Players may select from several different farm types, each with a unique theme and different benefits and drawbacks. At the start of the game, players create a character, who becomes the recipient of a plot of land and a small house once owned by their grandfather in a small town called Pelican Town. Stardew Valley is a farming simulation game primarily inspired by Story of Seasons, a series by Marvelous and previously known as Harvest Moon. Stardew Valley puts players in charge of running a farm, including growing crops and raising livestock. The game was a commercial success, selling over 20 million copies by 2022. Yasuhiro Wada, the creator of Story of Seasons, also praised the game for retaining the freedom that later entries of his series had lost. Stardew Valley has been cited as one of the greatest video games of all time, with praise directed towards its music, characters, and relaxing qualities. British studio Chucklefish approached Barone midway through development with the offer to publish the game, allowing him to focus more on completing it. He used it as an exercise to improve his own programming and game design skills. He was heavily inspired by the Story of Seasons series, with additions to address some of the shortcomings of those games. It allows up to four players to play online together.īarone developed Stardew Valley by himself over four and a half years. Stardew Valley is open-ended, allowing players to grow crops, raise livestock, fish, cook, mine, forage, and socialize with the townspeople, including the ability to marry and have children.
#Steam star dew valley windows
The game was released for Windows in February 2016 before being ported to other platforms. Players take the role of a character who inherits their deceased grandfather's dilapidated farm in a place known as Stardew Valley. Stardew Valley is a simulation role-playing video game developed by Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone.
