Stardew Multiplayer Meetups

March 22, 2020 12:56 AM

As we self-quarantine, why not escape to Stardew Valley? This is a post to discuss the perfidy of Mayor Lewis, the struggle to fish and the delights of starfruit. Also, post if you'd like to form a multiplayer farm with other mefites (up to four per game).
posted by dorothyisunderwood to MetaFilter-Related at 12:56 AM (25 comments total)

*eats an amethyst*
posted by Pyrogenesis at 4:18 AM on March 22, 2020 [5 favorites]

I've only played the ipad single-player version, and would love to try the multi-player on Steam. Preferably with someone who knows how to f*&(#&$()#ing fish because I gave up entirely the current game and sold out to Jojo Warehouse rather than keep losing fish.

I am currently married to my sweet himbo, Elliot, keeping him well stocked with pomegranates and hair product. Last time round, I made everything pretty but kept accidentally picking flowers and driving myself nuts over placement, so now I'm going for a rustic cottage garden look.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 4:34 AM on March 22, 2020 [5 favorites]

Mayor Lewis: has enough $$ to commission a solid gold statue of himself, but can't afford to fix the bus - the only link between Stardew Valley and the outside world.

For my last game (ended a few months ago) I used the Stardew Valley Expanded mods. It was outstanding - like a whole new game. And it was seamless. If y'all played the vanilla version and figure you're done with it, I highly recommend giving it a try.
posted by Gray Duck at 6:40 AM on March 22, 2020 [6 favorites]

This is more Mrs. Fizz's forever game than mine, but I have made some progress on my farm. I finally got to the point where I was making steady income with my animals and all the eggs/mayo they were producing. That's where the mid-game hits its stride because you can finally start to afford some quality of life things. I'm not super into multi-player as this is a game that just works better in my mind when you're solo-ing and can just do your own thing.

One of the few good things about everyone staying indoors more is that you're seeing a lot of people really jump head-first into gaming and this is a game that I consistently mention when someone asks me, what should I play if they're just easing into gaming. My sister-in-law just got a Switch Lite and this was one of the first games she picked up and she's diving head first into it the way Mrs. Fizz does. I love watching people get excited by this game. We don't deserve how much time, effort and love Eric (ConcernedApe) put into this game. Happy Farming. And remember, pumpkins are like gold. Invest heavily in the autumn. :-)
posted by Fizz at 6:49 AM on March 22, 2020 [3 favorites]

Trying to avoid spoilers but really wishing I'd kept that first dinosaur egg I found instead of doing the usual artifact thing. So far unable to come up with a second one despite spending lucky days fishing with a magnet and treasure hunter, and looking for worm spots in the mountains.
posted by exogenous at 7:06 AM on March 22, 2020 [2 favorites]

I have a code? EJMPCN1FMDB to co-farm in Cabal Farm. I'm July with the small plot of parsnips out front. I just put in some beans and potatoes, yo.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 7:38 AM on March 22, 2020

Agreed about fishing on iPad. It's way more frustrating than it should be. For a game as widely praised as this one, they really messed up the fishing mechanic on such a huge platform. There's just nothing satisfying enough for the fishing mini game to be addictive as it should be. And it's weird, because everything else works so well.
posted by SoberHighland at 7:57 AM on March 22, 2020

exogenous, the new (v1.4) skull caverns have dinosaur levels. Still annoying and slow but the best way of getting the dino egg. It's a monster drop there.
posted by Pyrogenesis at 7:59 AM on March 22, 2020 [2 favorites]

To the folks playing on mobile/iPad: are you using a stylus? It makes fishing much easier. In fact the entire game is more playable on mobile if you use a stylus.

Another benefit to playing the mobile version of Stardew is utilizing the "auto attack" feature in the caves (you can change this in settings) so that you can do your mining in relative peace.

If anyone is fairly new to the game and wants pro tips, let me know. I have (embarrassingly? shamelessly?) invested easily over 2000 hours of my life into it, on both mobile and Switch, and love to talk shop.
posted by nightrecordings at 8:07 AM on March 22, 2020 [2 favorites]

Stardew Valley vs Animal Crossing
posted by nightrecordings at 9:11 AM on March 22, 2020 [2 favorites]

Fishing threw me at first on iOS, but it's totally doable. Don't tap like you're clicking a mouse - it's more of a rhythmic press.
posted by zamboni at 12:29 PM on March 22, 2020

gave up on it because of the fishing.
You don't need fishing? you can just not do it.
posted by Pyrogenesis at 1:09 PM on March 22, 2020

Fishing also gets easier as the Fishing stat goes up. Try completing the Crab Pot bundle, which you can do with beach foraging and a crab from the mines. The reward is three crab pots, which you can use to exercise the Fishing skill without ever playing the mini game.
posted by zamboni at 2:17 PM on March 22, 2020 [2 favorites]

Except Bait is a level two Fishing recipe, so that doesn’t quite work. Buy a Training Rod instead.
posted by zamboni at 2:26 PM on March 22, 2020

Kanata, did you know that getting a horse means you can ride to places much faster?
posted by Margalo Epps at 2:53 PM on March 22, 2020

the perfidy of Mayor Lewis

I really wanted there to be a quest where it is revealed that everyone knows Lewis' secret, and in the judgement free pansexual world of Pelican Town… nobody cares.
posted by zamboni at 2:55 PM on March 22, 2020 [1 favorite]

Kanata, did you know that getting a horse means you can ride to places much faster?

The other fast travel option that's probably available earlier than the horse, which requires a Stable, is finishing the Boiler Room bundles to unlock the Minecarts.
posted by zamboni at 3:00 PM on March 22, 2020

I'm on Year Three with one game, which I have played with an absolute bare minimum of interaction with the other townspeople, but I am rocking it with my egg and milk empire! I started a second game more focused on foraging and making friends and, uh. I guess everyone being mixed levels of likeable is very reflective of real life!

Also the fishing game actually makes me angry with how difficult it is, so as soon as I have enough executive function/brainpower, I'm installing a mod to make it easier and calling it a day.
posted by kalimac at 3:56 PM on March 22, 2020

Re: the impossibility of fishing on iOS, you can also grind out some improvement by just catching trash! Apparently it gets easier to fish as you level up. I have now caught two entire fish.
posted by ceramicspaniel at 5:33 PM on March 22, 2020 [2 favorites]

I bought it Thursday for my PC and ... it’s a little love/hate at the moment. I feel like the days fly way too quickly and I’m not making money fast enough. Possibly because years of Warcraft taught me that if I sell something I found, I will need it an hour later so I’m hoarding everything in chests.

But it’s so cute and I have a dog.
posted by kimberussell at 6:36 PM on March 22, 2020

Started a new game and first thing Dr Harvey did was tell me to wash my hands and cover my mouth when I sneezed. I am avoiding him now.
posted by arha at 11:55 PM on March 22, 2020 [4 favorites]

Perhaps you guys can help me with my problem: I really want to hatch a dinosaur egg, but I can't decide which of my chickens to give up to make room. Maybe it should it be Shimley -- but he's really happy today. What about Brella? But her little clucks are so cute! What do I do?
posted by ourobouros at 7:12 AM on March 23, 2020

Have you upgraded your coop so that it fits maximum birds/dinos?
posted by Margalo Epps at 8:10 AM on March 23, 2020

or get a second coop?
posted by exogenous at 8:13 AM on March 23, 2020 [1 favorite]

I installed the expanded Stardew mod and it's true, it's like playing an entirely new version of Stardew. I also added automatic fishing because I hate fishing so much and now it's a zen-like break, waiting for the nibble and watching the little animations. It's lovely to explore a 'new' Stardew town and people, and still have experience enough to play the way you prefer. I have already decided to marry either Olivia for her wicked cool setup or go back to my sweet himbo, Elliot. Maybe I'll install the polyamory mod!
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 4:18 PM on March 25, 2020 [3 favorites]