DISCLAIMER: It's important to note that, despite the below tips sounding "complex" or "essential," the game itself is very lenient and forgiving. So it's perfectly viable to just go in blind and enjoy discovering the game for yourself. But if you want to be a tad more efficient building your farm, the below tips can help.
BEGIN THREAD:
Stardew Valley arrives on the Switch this week. While watching a trailer for the game, I saw a link to a video by GameSharkHD on 20 Things You Should Not Do In Your First Year, which made me realize that Stardew Valley has a lot of depth. There are some common mistakes that can eat into your time. You can still ultimately do everything, but there are simple tips to do things more efficiently.
So! I figured we could prep for the game by sharing some "first year" tips in this thread. I've written a summary of the video's contents below. I'm not sure I fully understand each point (an "evil-side dojo?"), but maybe the SDV vets can elaborate on each tip (and share their own).
20 Things To Avoid During The First Year:
1) DO NOT purchase the chicken coop when you first have the option. The chicken coop costs too much money and resources, and the chickens also require food. Buy the silo first!
2) DO NOT cut all the grass on your farm. Save most of the grass until you have the silo; then cut the grass, turning it into hay you can store in the silo. Free food for animals!
3) DO NOT cut down all trees when clearing your farm. Save a few of each of the different types of trees. You can place ”tree toppers" on them to produce all kinds of goods. Sure, you can replant trees, but it takes awhile for them to grow. Also, trees can generate wood when needed.
4) DO NOT sell all the seeds you get from the trees. You can use them to replant trees and to craft a recipe called "field snacks" that is a good energy source for your character.
5) DO NOT pull an all-nighter past 2 a.m. Your character will pass out. Also, avoid staying up past midnight since it will cause a decrease in your character's energy the next day.
6) DO NOT speed-run through the spring season. Focus on the community center right away, which will require some spring crops and spring forage items. Missing these will require a full year to try again.
7) DO NOT purchase the cheapest seeds, since their crops will not bring in much profit. Try to focus on buying the MPC seeds (Most Profitable Crops) such as cauliflower. These will create huge amounts of profit for your farm.
8) DO NOT buy speed grow or fertilizers for all of your crops. These cost a lot and will lose profit on most crops. Much easier to create fertilizer yourself. Only use it on multi-harvest crops such as green beans to generate most profit.
9) DO NOT craft sprinklers yet. It costs a lot of resources (iron and gold) to make them, which you won't have much in first year. Just save resources and water plants yourself.
10) DO NOT upgrade your watering can on a sunny or productive day. Wait until the weather is forecasted to rain, or use winter to do this.
11) DO NOT sell every single item you find or make; there will be a time when you'll need them, so store some away just in case.
12) DO NOT walk around town with a tool selected; you may accidentally use it and drain energy and pass out. The sword or scythe, however, won't consume energy.
13) DO NOT go mining on a ”bad luck" day — you will find no items to sell or ores you need. It's slow mining with bad luck. Mining on a "good luck" day will yield tons of items.
14) DO NOT go into the mines while carrying valuable items. Leave them in a chest. Dying or passing out in the mine will lose items in your inventory.
15) DO NOT sell every single gold-quality item you find (items marked with a star). You can show them off at a festival judged by mayor, which will mean higher chance to win.
16) DO NOT choose the Fruit Bat Cave. Takes a very long time to get one piece of fruit, and often the fruit is a low-value forage item. Choose the Mushroom Cave instead.
17) DO NOT check trashcans for items near an NPC. It will trigger them and you will lose friendship points.
18) DO NOT sell your ancient seed artifact found from mining or artifact worms. You can trade it to the museum for a recipe for ancient fruit, the most valuable and profitable crop in the game. If you sell it, it will take a very long time to find it again.
19) DO NOT join the evil side dojo. Don't fall for their lies. It will ruin your experience. Completing the community center yourself is much more rewarding.
20) DO NOT marry on the first year. No benefit to it in the early game.
Also, another excellent tip:
BEGIN THREAD:
Stardew Valley arrives on the Switch this week. While watching a trailer for the game, I saw a link to a video by GameSharkHD on 20 Things You Should Not Do In Your First Year, which made me realize that Stardew Valley has a lot of depth. There are some common mistakes that can eat into your time. You can still ultimately do everything, but there are simple tips to do things more efficiently.
So! I figured we could prep for the game by sharing some "first year" tips in this thread. I've written a summary of the video's contents below. I'm not sure I fully understand each point (an "evil-side dojo?"), but maybe the SDV vets can elaborate on each tip (and share their own).
20 Things To Avoid During The First Year:
1) DO NOT purchase the chicken coop when you first have the option. The chicken coop costs too much money and resources, and the chickens also require food. Buy the silo first!
2) DO NOT cut all the grass on your farm. Save most of the grass until you have the silo; then cut the grass, turning it into hay you can store in the silo. Free food for animals!
3) DO NOT cut down all trees when clearing your farm. Save a few of each of the different types of trees. You can place ”tree toppers" on them to produce all kinds of goods. Sure, you can replant trees, but it takes awhile for them to grow. Also, trees can generate wood when needed.
4) DO NOT sell all the seeds you get from the trees. You can use them to replant trees and to craft a recipe called "field snacks" that is a good energy source for your character.
5) DO NOT pull an all-nighter past 2 a.m. Your character will pass out. Also, avoid staying up past midnight since it will cause a decrease in your character's energy the next day.
6) DO NOT speed-run through the spring season. Focus on the community center right away, which will require some spring crops and spring forage items. Missing these will require a full year to try again.
7) DO NOT purchase the cheapest seeds, since their crops will not bring in much profit. Try to focus on buying the MPC seeds (Most Profitable Crops) such as cauliflower. These will create huge amounts of profit for your farm.
8) DO NOT buy speed grow or fertilizers for all of your crops. These cost a lot and will lose profit on most crops. Much easier to create fertilizer yourself. Only use it on multi-harvest crops such as green beans to generate most profit.
9) DO NOT craft sprinklers yet. It costs a lot of resources (iron and gold) to make them, which you won't have much in first year. Just save resources and water plants yourself.
10) DO NOT upgrade your watering can on a sunny or productive day. Wait until the weather is forecasted to rain, or use winter to do this.
11) DO NOT sell every single item you find or make; there will be a time when you'll need them, so store some away just in case.
12) DO NOT walk around town with a tool selected; you may accidentally use it and drain energy and pass out. The sword or scythe, however, won't consume energy.
13) DO NOT go mining on a ”bad luck" day — you will find no items to sell or ores you need. It's slow mining with bad luck. Mining on a "good luck" day will yield tons of items.
14) DO NOT go into the mines while carrying valuable items. Leave them in a chest. Dying or passing out in the mine will lose items in your inventory.
15) DO NOT sell every single gold-quality item you find (items marked with a star). You can show them off at a festival judged by mayor, which will mean higher chance to win.
16) DO NOT choose the Fruit Bat Cave. Takes a very long time to get one piece of fruit, and often the fruit is a low-value forage item. Choose the Mushroom Cave instead.
17) DO NOT check trashcans for items near an NPC. It will trigger them and you will lose friendship points.
18) DO NOT sell your ancient seed artifact found from mining or artifact worms. You can trade it to the museum for a recipe for ancient fruit, the most valuable and profitable crop in the game. If you sell it, it will take a very long time to find it again.
19) DO NOT join the evil side dojo. Don't fall for their lies. It will ruin your experience. Completing the community center yourself is much more rewarding.
20) DO NOT marry on the first year. No benefit to it in the early game.
Also, another excellent tip:
