The “NPC Map Locations” mod is pretty self explanatory. It displays the current location of each Stardew Valley NPC on the map. Unlike some other mods, it does not alter the game’s narrative or aesthetic. Yet, despite only making a small tweak, the mod fundamentally alters the goals of the game.
The first task when a player begins Stardew Valley is to greet all of the villagers. The quest shows that a major goal of the game is to get to know the characters. You slowly learn about their likes and dislikes, their homes, and their schedule. This process could take several in-game years, which mimics the real life experience of moving to a new community. With the NPC map, though, character’s locations are provided upfront without any investigation on the player’s part. It makes the social part of the game more efficient, lending more time for other aspects such as farming and mining.
The mod is not a critique of Stardew Valley so much as a different version of the game for a certain type of player. There is a contingent of players who rely heavily on the wiki. They can check it before taking any actions with consequences (i.e. giving gifts, choosing careers) and quickly learn information about the setting and characters. This method allows them to play a more ‘complete’ game and avoid a steep learning curve. The NPC map essentially incorporates part of the wiki into the game itself. The characters’ schedules are publicly available, so the mod just saves players from having to navigate away from the game to view them.
Personally, I try to avoid using the wiki too much– discovery is part of Stardew’s appeal for me. However, testing the mod did change the way I played. There have been times in the past where I turned down a quest because I wasn’t sure I’d be able to find the appropriate character soon enough. With the mod, that problem disappears. It is also helpful when loading a new farm. For example, greeting all 28 residents can be tiresome when I’ve already done it before in a previous game. Using the mod expedites the process and allows me to move on to the core of the game. While I am glad I did not have an NPC location map when I first started playing Stardew Valley, it is quite useful as a more experienced player.
Another interesting facet of the mod is that its maker redrew the map to make it more accurate. This calls into question why Stardew’s regular map is not entirely accurate. The creator obviously knows the correct layout, so the map must have a purpose other than being purely navigational. Perhaps it was an aesthetic choice, or he wanted to preserve some mystery. Regardless, it is another example of the mod slightly altering the goals of the game. The map becomes more functional, and there is less focus on exploration by the player. This is not a bad way to play Stardew Valley, just a different one. NPC Map Locations exemplifies how mods give players the opportunity to tailor their experience.
