New Festivals, Options, And Fixes

Stardew Valley’s 1.6 replace is lastly right here—and it’s larger than any of us anticipated. The developer, Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone has been coy about a number of the larger options the replace would introduce, teasing a pageant and a few new dialogue, however roughly left it at that for a very long time. Within the week main as much as right now’s launch, they did share a handful of spoiler-free strains from patch notes every day. These seemingly minor technical adjustments have been met with raucous acclaim from the Stardew neighborhood, however they have been solely ever the tip of the iceberg. Now that the day has come, ConcernedApe has launched the total patch notes, and holy shit, is there so much occurring right here.

To start with, ConcernedApe lied. When he first made point out of 1.6’s new content material, he mentioned a single “main” pageant that was being added, which we now know is the three-day Desert Pageant that takes place within the spring after gamers repair the bus. What he failed to say was that 1.6 would additionally add two smaller fishing festivals, the Trout Derby and the SquidFest, in addition to further “environmental ‘occasion’ in summer time.” All festivals (apart from the evening market and Desert Pageant) will even now have map and dialogue adjustments after each second 12 months.

After teasing a bunch of smaller mechanical and bug fixes all through the week, ConcernedApe rounded off the 1.6 drip-feed with the announcement of a important new characteristic: the meadowlands farm kind that’d include “chewy blue grass.” This beginner-friendly farm kind, which begins gamers with a coop and two chickens, is now accessible for gamers at the beginning of the sport. There’s additionally a brand new “mastery system” that’s accessed by a completely new space, so add that to the rising checklist of surprising new additions in Stardew’s 1.6 replace.

One of many updates ConcernedApe supplied final week was that gamers would be capable to section by way of their loving pets (who usually blocked their paths) a lot faster in 1.6, however it seems that wasn’t the one adjustment pets have been getting. As of 1.6, gamers can now have a number of pets, which is useful as a result of the patch has additionally launched turtle pets in addition to new breeds of cats and canines to undertake. Pets whom gamers present a number of like to can now additionally give presents again to their house owners, and in return gamers can now put hats on their cats and canines.

One of many earlier guarantees made about 1.6 was that it might characteristic new dialogue, and I can now verify a metric ton of it’s been added to Stardew. NPCs now have customized reward reactions, dynamic dialogue in response to issues round them, customized dialogue when accepting the flower dance, and a few beforehand lacking dialogue has even been restored to the sport.

To run down only a few extra main adjustments:

• PC lobbies can now assist as much as eight gamers and stability has been improved throughout the board.
• The world map will now present your precise place somewhat than a set level based mostly on the zone you’re in.
• A complete host of recent objects have been added, however there are merely far too many to fairly checklist right here.
• There are 4 new dwelling renovations.
• A bookseller involves city twice a season now.
• Tweaks to Ginger Island, together with a world map of the placement and golden parrots to assist gamers discover the golden walnuts there.
• An enormous tree which is able to apparently result in an entire new aspect quest.
• Extra crops, together with carrots and broccoli.
• And a lot greater than I can match right here, y’all.

I believe it’s protected to conclude that the 1.6 replace to Stardew is much meatier than anticipated, and to even name it an replace or a patch is downplaying the dimensions of the factor. It actually is basically DLC or an enlargement, and one which not solely over-delivers by way of content material, however appears to shine the sport off and make a slew of adjustments for modders, who will guarantee the sport’s being labored on for the following a number of years whereas ConcernedApe strikes again over to full-time improvement on Haunted Chocolatier (and ports the replace over to different platforms)

If you wish to see the astonishingly lengthy patch notes in full, you will discover them right here. Now in the event you don’t thoughts, I’m going to sit down down and at last spend a while taking part in Stardew Valley after writing about it for every week straight.