Stardew Valley

[ShneekeyTheLost]

So, this game. It's done by Chucklefish, which already has set a pretty high standard for game releases of entertaining time-consumers, and this is yet another in that line worthy of notice.

This game is one of those that you can really spend way more time than you anticipated. You take a break, and suddenly find it's been four hours. This is encouraged by the daily save feature, and the fact that while there's plenty to do, each task typically has a significant time involved in getting accomplished. Fortunately, you don't have to babysit many of these processes, so it's not necessarily a grind, but keeping up with everything can suck you into playing for longer than you intended.

The basic premise is that you're a corporate cubical jockey who got tired of his work-a-day world and takes his grandfather's present of a farmstead out in the country somewhere as a way of re-envisioning himself and making a new life for himself.

The game revolves around your character managing his farm, although you are quickly sucked into the community you just joined. Relationships with your various community members is a key portion of the game. You also have a mine that is quickly unlocked that you can explore and garner resources from. As your farm grows, you gain the ability to not just plant crops, but also manage animals which produce various products. Each season has its own crops which can grow, and there is little more frustrating of seeing your potential bumper-crop wither and die because the season changed before they could blossom. Each season has its challenges and rewards and also has its holidays which have special events that you can participate in.

Limiting your ability is an actual endurance meter. Unlike many video game heroes, you cannot simply run around and do all the things and never get tired. Using any tool is going to cost some endurance. So large tasks like tilling a field can quickly deplete your endurance, particularly in the early game. Various edibles can restore endurance. Fortunately, you're a farmer, it's kind of your job to grow various edibles. The other limiting factor is the actual clock. You don't run particularly fast, and the map is surprisingly large, so it can take some time to get around town. There's only so much you can get done in a single day. Time management can, at times, be very necessary.

At one point in the game, a new building unlocks which requires specific resources to upgrade for various rewards. This is the central quest of the game, and is going to require some planning ahead to keep up with it.

Some tips for the starting newbie farmer:

* Early game, you are looking at cost versus return versus time. Cauliflower is probably going to be the most 'optimal' cash crop as far as profit per crop, however Green Beans are far cheaper and have close to the same results, ending up in a far higher return on investment. So for your first few crops, green beans are good to get yourself started. The fact that they produce continuously over the season means you're going to get a steady influx of cash, which can really help. However, the profit margin from green beans depends on how early you plant them in the month, so the sooner the better.

* Pay attention to how long it takes crops to grow. Each 'season' consists of 28 days. So, for example, Cauliflower, which takes 12 days to fully mature, should only be planted in the first half of the month, otherwise it might not have time to grow. Green Beans, however, grow in 10 days, then produce every 3 days. So, if you plant on day 1, you get a total of 7 harvests (day 11, 14, etc), but if you plant on day 10, it won't mature until day 20, and you'll only get three harvests. Anything that produces over time are going to have higher return on investment the earlier they are planted.

* Some plants are planted on a Trellis, which cannot be walked through. Do not plant them in a block, or you won't get to the middle ones.

* Some plants have a chance of producing a large crop, so DO plant them in a block (Cauliflower, Melon, and Pumpkin) which will yield double results. Not a guarantee, though, so don't count on it.

The wiki can be found here (http://stardewvalley.wikia.com/wiki/Stardew_Valley_Wiki) and is an invaluable resource. This game does have some 'guide dang it' moments.

[Hiro Protagonest]

So, this game. It's done by Chucklefish, which already has set a pretty high standard for game releases of entertaining time-consumers, and this is yet another in that line worthy of notice.

Considering how Starbound went, that's a warning for me. Thankfully, I saw glowing reviews and I love this genre (plus, it seems kinda challenging in the time management, something which up-to-date Harvest Moon and Rune Factory games don't have). I'm just waiting for it to go on sale so I can use this gift card I have with ~12 dollars on it. >_>

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Considering how Starbound went, that's a warning for me. Thankfully, I saw glowing reviews and I love this genre (plus, it seems kinda challenging in the time management, something which up-to-date Harvest Moon and Rune Factory games don't have). I'm just waiting for it to go on sale so I can use this gift card I have with ~12 dollars on it. >_>

It's only $12 on Steam...

Early game, time and endurance management are a high priority, since you are needing to really stock up on a lot of resources and get cash crops into the ground in as short a time as possible. Later on, you learn how to space things out so you don't have to do everything all at once. Except plant, of course. First day of each season is always a day for hustling, and this actually gets worse as you progress and you have more seeds to put into the ground on the same day to maximize yield.

I liked Starbound, it was basically an improvement over Terraria, but I suppose YMMV.

[Winter_Wolf]

I must ask this, because I'm curious: what's with the popularity of virtual farming? I'm being serious here. I've been on active farms and helped out with food bearing gardens. I don't grasp the appeal.

[Hiro Protagonest]

I must ask this, because I'm curious: what's with the popularity of virtual farming? I'm being serious here. I've been on active farms and helped out with food bearing gardens. I don't grasp the appeal.

What's with the popularity of virtual combat? Why are the ruins of Stalingrad and the beaches of Normandy so popular in video games, when in reality they were brutal massacres for all sides involved?

Well, because video games reflect reality, but they're not an accurate mirror. Combat in gameplay is a matter of skill, knowledge, and improvisation. Sure, some games might occasionally remind you of the setting you're in, but when you go into a shooter (Metro 2033), turn-based tactics (X-COM), or grand strategy game (Hearts of Iron), it's often an almost clinical test of your skill.

So what does this mean for Stardew Valley? It means it's not real farming. It means it's using something other than war or chaos as its main draw. It's a relaxing game where your grand goals are to marry someone you like and see a ghost.

[Winter_Wolf]

I could've done without the first two paragraphs, but you did answer my question in the end. Also, see a ghost?

Where I'm coming from is basically the pov of "I play games with lethal combat because I like killing stuff," or "I play SimCity because I want to play god for a while." So really "get hitched (and see a ghost)" is the kind of logic I get. Really, a ghost you say?

[Hiro Protagonest]

I could've done without the first two paragraphs, but you did answer my question in the end. Also, see a ghost?

Where I'm coming from is basically the pov of "I play games with lethal combat because I like killing stuff," or "I play SimCity because I want to play god for a while." So really "get hitched (and see a ghost)" is the kind of logic I get. Really, a ghost you say?

Well, the ghost is what evaluates you on your progress. This is a staple of Harvest Moon games, though Rune Factory replaces it with a plotline (and 3 is pretty much the only one to not have a typical JRPG plot).

"I will return at the end of the third year" - Grandpa's gravestone.

[Antonok]

Picked this game up a bit after it came out. While it's overall a fun game that I've been enjoying, I do have a few issues with it.

The big issue is the end game. Once year 2 it's there's not really anything new and it becomes mostly a repetitive grind. Sure you get a few new crops, and there's a couple things you can only get in year 2 (finishing the Community Center for example).

That's also issue #2. Some of the things you need for the community center/collections are vague on how to get and very prone to RNG. Take the Maki Roll recipe for example. If you don't get it early on, you may never get it, thus preventing you from finishing the community center before the end of year 2.

Also REALLY hoping they add in some way to hire people to pick crops for you.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Farmer's Guide to Growin' Crops!

By season, here's some ideas on what to plant!

Year 1:

Welcome to being a Farmer! Your cash crops are pretty much 'anything you can get in the ground' at this point. Plus, you'll want a variety of crops for when the community center unlocks. Getting five gold-star cauliflowers would mean getting the gold star bundle by summer, but it's not strictly speaking necessary. But here's some ideas:

* Grean Beans are a very solid source of income, particularly when planted on Day 1. They're cheap, and they produce multiple times over the season, providing a steady supply of much needed income.

* Cauliflower is probably the highest cash-per-crop you can get access to right now. Grow it in a 3 x 3 for a chance of a huge cauliflower that will produce double. No guarantees, though.

* Potatoes can produce double output, making this a surprisingly good cash crop.

* Strawberries. Are, bar none, the best spring crop out there. However, you won't get access to it until half-way through the year, which is a bummer. For myself, I buy as many as I can when it becomes available in the Egg Festival, and plant them in Spring of the following year so I can maximize output. There IS, however, a trick that might encourage you to plant first-year, IF you can get yourself Farming level 9 before winter. Basically, there's a machine you can make called the Seed Maker which unlocks at Farming level 9 that can turn crops into their respective seeds. However, this involves seriously grinding Farming throughout the year, which is going to be very difficult.

* Blueberries are *THE* cash crop. By a long measure. However, you're going to want to make sure you have enough of the other crops to make your Summer Bundle.

* Melons are grown in a 3 x 3 for a chance to grow a huge melon. You're really going to want at least five gold melons, and they take 12 days to mature, so you only have a single re-plant. If you didn't get the 5x gold cauliflowers, missing this means not unlocking the greenhouse until year 2, which will hurt you since the greenhouse is the only way to grow crops over the summer.

* Hops produce daily, so even though their per piece yield is low, you make up for it in volume. Plus, once you get brew barrels, you can brew it up into Pale Ale at 300 a pop! Potentially even more profitable than blueberries, but it requires a significant investment in brew barrels since it takes around two days for a single ale to brew. Sell the gold and silver star hops, brew the rest.

* Wheat is used for one of the bundles, so don't neglect it. Just don't plant it near the other crops since you have to use a scythe to harvest it, and the scythe is an area-effect tool and can destroy other crops by accident. It can also be brewed into beer.

* Corn is also able to be used for the gold-star bundle for your greenhouse and can start being planted now. It keeps producing through the fall, one of the few crops to cross seasons, so a few stalks won't be a bad idea. It is theoretically possible to get all of your star bundles done by the end of summer this way, however you'll still need fall crops bundle for the greenhouse.

* Rare Seeds, if you have managed to obtain any from the vendor, are your best bang for your buck, but have a very expensive outlay.

* Cranberries are your go-to cash crop for the season. Don't forget everything else you'll need for the bundle.

* Pumpkins are in your gold-star bundle. If you didn't pick up five gold cauliflower, this'll be your last chance before winter and your only opportunity to pick up the greenhouse before winter settles in. Plant in 3 x 3 for a chance of a huge pumpkin.

* Grapes are cheap and produce decent results. While not as profitable per plot as Cranberries, they have the highest return on investment (cash received for cash outlay), so can be valuable to a farmer hurting for cash. If you did upgrades just before fall, and find yourself strapped at the beginning of the month, this isn't a bad choice.

* Fairy Rose. I mention this because while its product sucks for profit, it does make the most expensive honey. So if you have invested in beehives, having one nearby can make them FAR more profitable.

Nothing grows in the winter unless you have your greenhouse up. If you do, then Cranberries would make the most out of year-round harvesting until you start getting into Ancient Seeds. Strawberries would also not be bad if you want to get them started in the greenhouse now.

Year 2 and onward:

Strawberries carried over from last year and any ancient seeds are going to be your main cash crops. Other than that, whatever else you want to plant for gifts.

Any ancient seeds you get, plus blueberries and anything you want to grow for brewing or gifting.

DO NOT plant any Ancient Seeds in the fall, unless they go in the Greenhouse. Any Rare Seeds, and Cranberries are your main cash crops plus anything else you want to grow for gifting or event purposes.

Time to get Ancient Seeds going in your Greenhouse. By the end of Winter, you should hopefully have this whole place filled.

[Fri]

I must ask this, because I'm curious: what's with the popularity of virtual farming? I'm being serious here. I've been on active farms and helped out with food bearing gardens. I don't grasp the appeal.

Well, an amusing anecdote. I had a friend who was training to be a surgeon, and you know what she did to relax?

Play Trauma Center DS :smallbiggrin:

[Rising Phoenix]

I've spent...way too much time on this game...

TAKE THAT JOJA! Take your effing capitalism away from my SUPERIOR MAGICAL capitalism. AHem....just completed all the bundles in the the community center. Thank you RNJesus

In the final year and I have way too much cash. Animal products really aren't worth it imo. I have just filled my greenhouse with Star Fruit. at 750 gold at normal quality they make excellent wine and preservatives. Silver and gold ones sell for ridiculous amounts of cash.

Were do you get ancient seeds?

I also need to unlock the horse...

Edit: Maki roll is sold in the saloon. It's not rng prone at all. Well a little it may take a while to get some seaweed.

[Antonok]

Were do you get ancient seeds?


RNG Artifact. I've gotten them randomly in the mine and digging up the worms on the beach, which winter is the best season to hunt for those it seems.

[Legoshrimp]

RNG Artifact. I've gotten them randomly in the mine and digging up the worms on the beach, which winter is the best season to hunt for those it seems.

Once you get the seed maker they can drop them. Although I am not sure how efficient that actually is. When I looked at sell price I think it is more cost effective to sell silver+ seeds then use the seed maker, but it doesn't have a chance at dropping ancient seeds. It is unlocked at farming level 9 so it might be a while.

It looks like it is a .05% chance. Probably one of the berry bushes is the best to farm them. Also I could be missing a much better way to farm them.

[Antonok]

It looks like it is a .05% chance. Probably one of the berry bushes is the best to farm them. Also I could be missing a much better way to farm them.

Yeah, it's best to just farm the worms or fish and get lucky with the treasure chests.

Also you can get a seed maker from the dye bundle (bulletin board) in the community center.

[Legoshrimp]

Yeah, it's best to just farm the worms or fish and get lucky with the treasure chests.

Also you can get a seed maker from the dye bundle (bulletin board) in the community center.

idk I have gotten way more ancient seeds from the seed maker then any other method.

It probably depends on what stage of the game you are at though. I have been using 216 farming spaces + the green house (120-6) for a while.

[NEO|Phyte]

the green house (120-6)

You're using six farmable tiles for sprinklers? That's inefficient!
http://i.imgur.com/5IcxfwD.jpg

[Legoshrimp]

You're using six farmable tiles for sprinklers? That's inefficient!
http://i.imgur.com/5IcxfwD.jpg

I had no idea you could place sprinklers on the sides :o I will have to redesign.

[Rising Phoenix]

I had no idea you could place sprinklers on the sides :o I will have to redesign.

Ditto! But first I have to get the iridium sprinklers.

So I just got Penny's field day event
The one were Vincent casually comments that his brother -Sam- and her climbed into a tree together... Which promptly made Penny angry and probably gave my farmer pause too considering that Sam and they are married... Sam will be getting an earful tonight about this whole jealousy 'thing'. :smallbiggrin:

I hope this game gets a generations aspects to it at some stage, maybe as DLC, were the town continues to evolve past the three year mark.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

I found an ancient seed by doing the seed maker. Made up like five of them and started tossing in blueberries until it happened. I had like 160 of them outside, and they produce 2-3 a pop, so it eventually happened. Didn't even take much of a loss, either, considering how much blueberry seeds cost vs the actual blueberries. Got it Summer of Year 2. Actually ended up getting it before my greenhouse unlocked because of the artisan bundle.

Also, once you get Ancient Seeds and a Seed Maker, since Ancient Fruit produces fruit every week, You can rapidly (geometrically) increase your number of ancient fruits planted.

[Legoshrimp]

New patch
http://steamcommunity.com/games/413150/announcements/detail/820027557812026939
Highlights:
more/changed dialogue with spouses and their families.
fruit trees level up every year.(up to gold)
Charcoal Kiln now twice as good.
lightning rods are more important, it seems like they have made changes for lightning to be more likely to target fruit trees.

Something that is useful for people who aren't using the wiki as much. The last two hearts are now greyed-out for marriage candidates until you give them the bouquet

Probably the biggest change to me: max level friendships no longer decay.
I think I might actually go for maxing out all friendships if I start playing again. Although basically all that I have left is achievement hunting if I don't want to restart. Maybe also playing around with slimes and making my farm look good.

Possibly the actual best change: Added another digit to the shipping menu money counters. :smalltongue:
For like 5 seconds I was a bit worried the game didn't handle sending over 100k worth of goods at once.

[Rising Phoenix]

Welp I got the max possible evaltuation by the end of year two and I didn't even realize...

Just sold all my animals...They're really not worth the effort outside of bundles...Guess i can focus on adventuring...or I can give the game a break while I wait for DLC... Or I can start a new game...

My biggest item on my wishlist for this game is a generations aspect. AKA your main character dies and you play as one of the kids etc. That would be cool.

Ecotourism and the ability to hire staff would also be welcome.

[nooblade]

I liked Harvest Moon enough I'd probably like this too. I've played through to the egg festival. Wish there were in-game calculator and wiki to help.

Not a fan of fishing right now but maybe it gets better with more skill and maybe I can learn to click right for it. I really don't like the bouncing thing it sometimes does with your green bar.

When does it become worthwhile to eat the skill bonus foods I wonder? I would really like to only experience fishing through something that makes it easy like that. It looks like for farming or mining the skill bonuses only reduce fatigue cost.

Is foraging spring plants and then crafting seeds from them useful? It looks like they turn into random crops, like parsnips.

Is my math right on parsnips? You can plant three bunches of parsnips in the time you could grow one bunch of cauliflowers. Say use 400 gold on 5 cauliflowers vs 400 gold on 20 parsnips. The 5 cauliflowers sell for 950 after 12 days. The first 20 parsnips sell for 700 gold, which you can use to buy 35 parsnips. After 8 days (this is a Tuesday?), you sell the 35 for 1,225 gold and can buy 61 parsnips. Plant those and after the same 12 days you can sell those 61 for 2,135 gold. That's a lot of energy spent watering but the compounded math happens and also it sounds like you would get more experience in farming, which is probably the way I want to play rather than foraging or fishing, which may make more money for the energy. Maybe potatoes would be better. Or maybe the random high-quality sales work make it work different.

[Antonok]

Not a fan of fishing right now but maybe it gets better with more skill and maybe I can learn to click right for it. I really don't like the bouncing thing it sometimes does with your green bar.
It doesn't really get much better, but the bar does get bigger depending on skill and what bobber you use. Just have to get the hang of the clicking.


When does it become worthwhile to eat the skill bonus foods I wonder? I would really like to only experience fishing through something that makes it easy like that. It looks like for farming or mining the skill bonuses only reduce fatigue cost.
Aside from health/energy restore, the only foods I bother with are ones that increase luck and speed, the former being necessary for finding iridium ore easier, and the latter for getting thru the mines quicker.


Is foraging spring plants and then crafting seeds from them useful? It looks like they turn into random crops, like parsnips.[quote]
Mixed seeds can be planted in any season to grow into any plant from that season, wild seeds are season specific but can grow into any plant. It's just RNG what plants you will get.

[quote]Is my math right on parsnips? You can plant three bunches of parsnips in the time you could grow one bunch of cauliflowers. Say use 400 gold on 5 cauliflowers vs 400 gold on 20 parsnips. The 5 cauliflowers sell for 950 after 12 days. The first 20 parsnips sell for 700 gold, which you can use to buy 35 parsnips. After 8 days (this is a Tuesday?), you sell the 35 for 1,225 gold and can buy 61 parsnips. Plant those and after the same 12 days you can sell those 61 for 2,135 gold. That's a lot of energy spent watering but the compounded math happens and also it sounds like you would get more experience in farming, which is probably the way I want to play rather than foraging or fishing, which may make more money for the energy. Maybe potatoes would be better. Or maybe the random high-quality sales work make it work different.

For spring, parsnips or strawberries are the top money makers as far as return per seed value. Also once you start making the better sprinklers watering only becomes a 'do once when you plant' thing since sprinklers auto water once a day.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Not a fan of fishing right now but maybe it gets better with more skill and maybe I can learn to click right for it. I really don't like the bouncing thing it sometimes does with your green bar.

When does it become worthwhile to eat the skill bonus foods I wonder? I would really like to only experience fishing through something that makes it easy like that. It looks like for farming or mining the skill bonuses only reduce fatigue cost.There's a mod for that.


Is foraging spring plants and then crafting seeds from them useful? It looks like they turn into random crops, like parsnips.Not... really.


Is my math right on parsnips? You can plant three bunches of parsnips in the time you could grow one bunch of cauliflowers. Say use 400 gold on 5 cauliflowers vs 400 gold on 20 parsnips. The 5 cauliflowers sell for 950 after 12 days. The first 20 parsnips sell for 700 gold, which you can use to buy 35 parsnips. After 8 days (this is a Tuesday?), you sell the 35 for 1,225 gold and can buy 61 parsnips. Plant those and after the same 12 days you can sell those 61 for 2,135 gold. That's a lot of energy spent watering but the compounded math happens and also it sounds like you would get more experience in farming, which is probably the way I want to play rather than foraging or fishing, which may make more money for the energy. Maybe potatoes would be better. Or maybe the random high-quality sales work make it work different.

Yes and no. Yes, you *CAN*, however you're going to run yourself out of endurance trying to keep that 61 plot hoed and watered every day. Potatoes deliver multiple returns, so they aren't bad. Green Beans are a pretty consistent supply of cash. They keep producing more green beans every three days without needing to re-plant, meaning their monthly yield is actually pretty darn decent. Just remember they plant on a Trellis which means you can't walk through them.

Strawberries are, of course, the number one best crop, however you can ONLY get them from the egg festival, and by that time, the season is half done. My advise: keep the strawberry seeds for the next year.

[nooblade]

I am actually getting the hang of fishing! Or I'm really lucky the last dozen or so. Income from fishing seems to be pretty good actually, so maybe parsnips are a trap.

Maybe I'll give fishing a go on the normal difficulty before trying that mod.

[Antonok]

I am actually getting the hang of fishing! Or I'm really lucky the last dozen or so. Income from fishing seems to be pretty good actually, so maybe parsnips are a trap.

Nah. Crops aren't a trap. They'll be the main money maker in year 2 after you level farming up and get the cash and quality boosts.

There will be plenty of fishing downtime later. Specifically in winter.

[Triaxx]

I did actually see a bit of a reason to plant some foraging seeds. Mangled Pork on Youtube was trying to complete the spring foraging bundle and had stupidly used the two daffodils he'd found. And spent several episodes trying and failing to find more. Only to have a half dozen sprout out of the random seeds he'd planted.

Do the better tools use more stamina for their extended reach abilities? IE does 3x1 watering can use the same energy as manually watering 3 spaces?

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Do the better tools use more stamina for their extended reach abilities? IE does 3x1 watering can use the same energy as manually watering 3 spaces?They would use more than manually watering one space, but less than watering 3. Also, upgraded tools carry an inherently less endurance cost to their use.

[nooblade]

Yes and no. Yes, you *CAN*, however you're going to run yourself out of endurance trying to keep that 61 plot hoed and watered every day. Potatoes deliver multiple returns, so they aren't bad. Green Beans are a pretty consistent supply of cash. They keep producing more green beans every three days without needing to re-plant, meaning their monthly yield is actually pretty darn decent. Just remember they plant on a Trellis which means you can't walk through them.

Strawberries are, of course, the number one best crop, however you can ONLY get them from the egg festival, and by that time, the season is half done. My advise: keep the strawberry seeds for the next year.

I don't trust the green beans. I feel the need to do more math. And of course please correct me if I have something wrong at any point.

Do you get 6 harvests or 7 out of them? If you plant on the 1st, your initial harvest is available on the 11th and it re-grows every 3 days. It sounds like you barely don't get the 7th harvest. The wikia (http://stardewvalley.wikia.com/wiki/Vegetables) says your profit is 180 g, so that indicates (180+60)/40 = 6, so 6 harvests, the last one being on the (10+3*5=) 25th day of growth. So it doesn't actually grow on the planting day? By the 28th day, it's the first of the next month?

24 days of growth for a parsnip patch gives 15*6=90g, so parsnips are certainly not good for energy efficiency over the whole month. I might still like the farming experience and the compounding cash though, if energy is to spare. And the crop bundle needs high quality parsnips, no? Do you get the greenhouse early, like the first winter?

If you were to grow potato or cauliflower instead though? 24 days gives 4 potato or 2 cauliflower for the same energy, and quicker. The 2 cauliflower profit for 190g and the 4 potato at least (80-50)*4 = 120g, more like (100-50)*4 = 200g with the chance of extras being x1.25. Although the potato doesn't compound as much as the parsnip it's still the 2nd fastest early crop. Plus you get an extra day. Sounds like parsnips wouldn't fit in there if you only get 27 days of growing.

So it doesn't look good for green beans. Do you get experience for every regrown bean harvest? That might be worth something. Maybe they craft into something nice? Does fertilizer work better for them?

How long does fertilizer last anyway?

[Rising Phoenix]

I don't trust the green beans. I feel the need to do more math. And of course please correct me if I have something wrong at any point.

Do you get 6 harvests or 7 out of them? If you plant on the 1st, your initial harvest is available on the 11th and it re-grows every 3 days. It sounds like you barely don't get the 7th harvest. The wikia (http://stardewvalley.wikia.com/wiki/Vegetables) says your profit is 180 g, so that indicates (180+60)/40 = 6, so 6 harvests, the last one being on the (10+3*5=) 25th day of growth. So it doesn't actually grow on the planting day? By the 28th day, it's the first of the next month?

24 days of growth for a parsnip patch gives 15*6=90g, so parsnips are certainly not good for energy efficiency over the whole month. I might still like the farming experience and the compounding cash though, if energy is to spare. And the crop bundle needs high quality parsnips, no? Do you get the greenhouse early, like the first winter?

If you were to grow potato or cauliflower instead though? 24 days gives 4 potato or 2 cauliflower for the same energy, and quicker. The 2 cauliflower profit for 190g and the 4 potato at least (80-50)*4 = 120g, more like (100-50)*4 = 200g with the chance of extras being x1.25. Although the potato doesn't compound as much as the parsnip it's still the 2nd fastest early crop. Plus you get an extra day. Sounds like parsnips wouldn't fit in there if you only get 27 days of growing.

So it doesn't look good for green beans. Do you get experience for every regrown bean harvest? That might be worth something. Maybe they craft into something nice? Does fertilizer work better for them?

How long does fertilizer last anyway?

Assuming you have something growing on the tile- fertilizer lasts for one whole season.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

I don't trust the green beans. I feel the need to do more math. And of course please correct me if I have something wrong at any point.

Do you get 6 harvests or 7 out of them? If you plant on the 1st, your initial harvest is available on the 11th and it re-grows every 3 days. It sounds like you barely don't get the 7th harvest. The wikia (http://stardewvalley.wikia.com/wiki/Vegetables) says your profit is 180 g, so that indicates (180+60)/40 = 6, so 6 harvests, the last one being on the (10+3*5=) 25th day of growth. So it doesn't actually grow on the planting day? By the 28th day, it's the first of the next month?I think you do end up with 6 harvests from Green Beans, however the advantage here is passive growth. Successive growths are at no additional charge, whereas everything else has initial seed cost investment. This is what causes it to creep ahead in terms of profitability over the month.


24 days of growth for a parsnip patch gives 15*6=90g, so parsnips are certainly not good for energy efficiency over the whole month. I might still like the farming experience and the compounding cash though, if energy is to spare. And the crop bundle needs high quality parsnips, no? Do you get the greenhouse early, like the first winter?You need 5x gold-star parsnips. For that, grow some. Once you get them, don't bother with any more.


If you were to grow potato or cauliflower instead though? 24 days gives 4 potato or 2 cauliflower for the same energy, and quicker. The 2 cauliflower profit for 190g and the 4 potato at least (80-50)*4 = 120g, more like (100-50)*4 = 200g with the chance of extras being x1.25. Although the potato doesn't compound as much as the parsnip it's still the 2nd fastest early crop. Plus you get an extra day. Sounds like parsnips wouldn't fit in there if you only get 27 days of growing.Cauliflower, if planted in a 3 x 3 formation, can produce a large cauliflower for double output. If this happens, it is by far more profitable than potatoes. Otherwise, potatoes edge out ahead.


So it doesn't look good for green beans. Do you get experience for every regrown bean harvest? That might be worth something. Maybe they craft into something nice? Does fertilizer work better for them?Remember, five of the six harvests come at no additional cost. So you are looking at far lower initial layout for your profits, which is of keen interest in your first spring. With every successive harvest of parsnips or potatoes, you have to pay for the seeds. For green beans, you just have to keep it watered.


How long does fertilizer last anyway?

The entire season, which is another reason Green Beans are nifty. Put down basic fertilizer, plant green bean. The bonus chance of silver or gold star significantly increases yield as you have more chances of getting results from said fertilizer.

Once you get sprinklers, green beans are entirely passive. Just come in and collect the yield, giving you time and endurance to do other things while you passively earn cash. Basic sprinklers are pretty easy to get, and can handle four green beans per each.

It's the time more than the endurance, though. You're wanting to do All The Things as fast as you can. Not having to wait for the store to open at 9 AM, buy seeds, re-plant... by that time you've blown half your day.