Stardew Valley, the iconic farming simulator developed by ConcernedApe, has captivated players with its charming visuals, relaxing gameplay, and rich depth. The game encourages exploration, creativity, and careful planning, but getting the hang of the game’s systems can be overwhelming for beginners and even intermediate players. In this guide, we’ll provide a step-by-step breakdown of how to succeed in Stardew Valley, covering everything from setting up your farm to building relationships and unlocking hidden features.
Getting Started: Choosing the Right Farm Layout
When you first start a new game in Stardew Valley, you are given a choice between five different farm layouts. Each layout has its own unique benefits and challenges, so it’s important to pick the one that aligns with your playstyle.
Standard Farm
The Standard Farm layout is ideal for beginners. With lots of open space, it’s perfect for players who want to focus on growing crops and raising animals. The flat terrain allows you to easily plan and organize your farm.
Specialized Farms
Other options include the Riverland Farm, which provides more opportunities for fishing, and the Forest Farm, which has unique foraging spots and hardwood stumps. If you prefer combat, the Wilderness Farm spawns monsters at night, while the Hill-top Farm is suited for mining.
Spring 1: Starting Your Farm
Once you’ve chosen your farm, you begin on Spring 1 with 500 gold and 15 parsnip seeds. The first few days are critical for setting up a good routine that will serve you throughout the game.
Plant Your First Crops
On the first day, use your hoe to till the soil and plant your parsnip seeds. Make sure to water them every day. Parsnips grow quickly, and once they are ready to harvest, you can sell them for a small profit and reinvest the gold in more seeds.
Clear the Farm
While waiting for your crops to grow, spend some time clearing your farm of rocks, weeds, and trees. This will create more space for future crops and animal buildings while also providing you with essential resources like wood and stone.
Managing Energy Efficiently
In Stardew Valley, your actions—whether chopping wood, fishing, or mining—consume energy. It’s important to manage your energy efficiently, especially in the early game when resources are limited.
Energy Restoration
Eating food restores energy, and items like spring onions or field snacks can be harvested or crafted early on to keep you going. Make sure to always have a snack on hand to avoid running out of energy before the day is done.
Upgrading Your Tools
As you progress, you can upgrade your tools at Clint’s Blacksmith Shop to make them more efficient. For example, upgrading your pickaxe makes it easier to mine, while upgrading your watering can reduces the amount of energy spent watering crops.
Making Money: Early Game Income Strategies
Generating a steady income early in the game will allow you to invest in better tools, seeds, and farm buildings.
Fishing for Profit
Fishing is one of the most reliable ways to make money in the early game. Some of the most profitable fish appear in spring and can be found in different bodies of water. For instance, fishing in the ocean or rivers may yield fish worth hundreds of gold.
Foraging and Selling Goods
Foraging is another great way to make money. Each season offers unique forageable items that you can sell for profit. The Salmonberry Season in Spring (around Days 15-18) is an excellent opportunity to collect berries that can be sold or used for energy.
Building Relationships with NPCs
Forming relationships with the various NPCs (non-playable characters) in Pelican Town is a significant part of Stardew Valley. Gifts, conversations, and completing quests for villagers will increase your friendship with them, unlocking new dialogues, events, and rewards.
Gift Giving
Each NPC has likes, dislikes, and favorite gifts. Giving them an item they love will drastically improve your friendship level. Pay attention to birthdays—gifts given on a character’s birthday have an even greater impact. For example, giving Mayor Lewis his favorite hot pepper on his birthday will significantly boost your relationship.
Attending Festivals
Throughout the year, Stardew Valley holds several festivals that bring the town together. Attending these events allows you to interact with villagers, win rewards, and build friendships.
Expanding Your Farm with Buildings
As you accumulate wealth, you’ll want to expand your farm by constructing new buildings like barns, coops, and silos. These structures will enable you to raise animals and store resources.
Raising Animals
Once you have a coop or barn, you can begin raising chickens, cows, and other animals. These animals will produce eggs, milk, wool, and other items that can be sold or used for crafting. Make sure to keep your animals happy by feeding and petting them every day.
The Importance of the Silo
Before investing in animals, you should build a silo to store hay, which is used to feed your livestock. Cutting grass on your farm with a scythe will automatically deposit hay into your silo.
Mining: Unlocking Resources and Combat
Mining is a critical part of Stardew Valley’s progression system. The mines located north of the Carpenter’s Shop offer valuable resources such as stone, ore, and gems. However, the mines are also home to dangerous creatures that you must fight off.
Entering the Mines
The mines have different levels, with increasing difficulty as you descend. Early levels focus on gathering copper ore, while deeper levels provide iron and gold, essential for upgrading tools and crafting advanced items.
Combat and Defense
To survive in the mines, you will need to upgrade your weapons and armor. Use the Adventurer’s Guild to purchase better gear as you progress deeper into the mine’s floors.
Unlocking the Community Center Bundles
One of the main story arcs in Stardew Valley is restoring the Community Center by completing various bundles that require specific items. These items include crops, fish, foraged goods, and artisanal products.
Planning Ahead for Bundles
Some items required for Community Center bundles are only available in specific seasons. Planning your farming and foraging schedule accordingly will prevent you from missing critical items that could delay your progress.
Completing Bundles for Rewards
Completing bundles unlocks powerful rewards like the Greenhouse, which allows you to grow crops year-round, and the Minecarts, which significantly reduce travel time.
The Power of Artisanal Goods
Crafting artisanal goods such as cheese, mayonnaise, and wine is one of the most profitable ways to generate income. Once you’ve raised animals or harvested fruit, you can process these raw materials into higher-value goods.
Building Kegs and Preserves Jars
Invest in building kegs and preserves jars, which allow you to turn raw ingredients into products like jam, wine, or beer. These artisanal goods fetch significantly higher prices at market.
The Importance of Fruit Trees
Planting fruit trees early on will yield valuable fruit during each season. Once harvested, fruits can be placed in kegs to make wine or in preserves jars to make jam.
Unlocking the Greenhouse and Late Game Farming
The Greenhouse is one of the most valuable structures in Stardew Valley. Once unlocked by completing the Pantry Bundles, it allows you to grow crops in any season, which opens up incredible farming potential.
Maximizing Crop Production in the Greenhouse
You can plant any crop in the Greenhouse, regardless of season. This is particularly useful for high-value crops like ancient fruit and starfruit, which can yield enormous profits when grown year-round.
Creating a Late-Game Farming Strategy
After unlocking the Greenhouse, you can shift your farming focus to high-value crops and artisanal goods. This strategy will ensure that you have a steady flow of income for purchasing endgame items and upgrades.
Conclusion: Mastering Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley is a game of balance, patience, and strategic planning. From setting up your farm and forming relationships to unlocking hidden features and mastering combat, each decision impacts your journey toward a thriving farm and a flourishing community. By managing your time, resources, and relationships, you can unlock the full potential of Pelican Town and create the farm of your dreams.
