Hi everyone!
It’s been a wild weekend for me. I had a booth at PAX West… my first time ever going to a convention, let alone exhibiting at one! It was really amazing to meet so many people who appreciate Stardew Valley. The vast number of positive interactions I had is hard for me to comprehend, and when I start to think about it I get really emotional. I am very grateful to have met you all.
Some highlights of the convention:
- All the people doing Stardew Valley themed cosplay! I met Abigails, Emilys, Gunther, Shane, Sebastian, Leah, Jas, Maru, and several people who were dressed as their own in-game characters! One person had a locket with a picture of Sebastian in it. Another came with a fiberglass rod. Sebastian gifted me a potato! Very fun.
- People who brought me their Stardew Valley art, home-made jelly, and gave me hugs.
- Funny Stardew stories, like the guy who found a catfish in the trash can after his friend spent many hours fishing for one. Also the guy who listens to the soundtrack while doing yoga, and all the people who expressed their interest in marrying Pam.
- People’s personal & heartwarming stories about how the game helped them get through tough times. Thanks so much for sharing with me.
At PAX, I had one of the new features of version 1.1 available to demo, and I’d like to tell you all a little more about it.
When starting a new character in version 1.1, you’ll be able to choose from five different farm maps (including the original map). Each map is based on a different skill, and includes unique gameplay opportunities that correspond to that skill. Here’s a rundown:
Riverlands (fishing) — Lots of water, and fishing is actually viable, unlike the other farm maps. It also looks really nice!
Forest (foraging) — Forage items spawn on the west edge of the map, as well as renewable stumps. There is also a unique type of weed that spawns on the farm.
Hill-top (mining) — Lots of cliffs. There is a mining area to the southwest where ores and unique geode-bearing stones will spawn.
Wilderness (combat) — Plenty of farming space, but monsters come out at night.
Everything else in the patch should seamlessly integrate into your existing save files, but to play the new maps you’ll have to start a new character.
There’s a few more things I need to finish for the update, but it should be ready soon.
Thanks again to everyone I met at PAX for the kind words and suggestions!
-Ape