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 few of the larger options the replace would introduce, teasing a competition and a few new dialogue, however kind of left it at that for a very long time. Within the week main as much as at the moment’s launch, they did share a handful of spoiler-free strains from patch notes every day. These seemingly minor technical modifications had been met with raucous acclaim from the Stardew group, however they had 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 rather a lot 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” competition 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 extra “environmental ‘occasion’ in summer time.” All festivals (aside from the evening market and Desert Pageant) may also now have map and dialogue modifications after each second yr.
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 vital new function: 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 out there for gamers in the beginning of the sport. There’s additionally a brand new “mastery system” that’s accessed by a wholly new space, so add that to the rising checklist of sudden new additions in Stardew’s 1.6 replace.
One of many updates ConcernedApe offered final week was that gamers would be capable of section by their loving pets (who typically blocked their paths) a lot faster in 1.6, but it surely seems that wasn’t the one adjustment pets had 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 canine to undertake. Pets whom gamers present plenty 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 canine.
One of many earlier guarantees made about 1.6 was that it could function new dialogue, and I can now affirm a metric ton of it’s been added to Stardew. NPCs now have customized present 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 modifications:
- 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 actual place somewhat than a set level based mostly on the zone you’re in.
- An entire host of latest gadgets have been added, however there are merely far too many to fairly checklist right here.
- There are 4 new house 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 can apparently result in an entire new facet 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 way meatier than anticipated, and to even name it an replace or a patch is downplaying the dimensions of the factor. It actually is actually DLC or an enlargement, and one which not solely over-delivers when it comes to content material, however appears to shine the sport off and make a slew of modifications 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 growth on Haunted Chocolatier (and ports the replace over to different platforms)
If you wish to see the astonishingly lengthy patch notes in full, yow will discover them right here. Now in case you don’t thoughts, I’m going to take a seat down and at last spend a while taking part in Stardew Valley after writing about it for every week straight.
