In researching some of the most popular Stardew Valley mods available today, I found myself overwhelmed by the sheer variety of changes that could be made to the game. From the introduction to new game items and mechanics to more blatant game-breaking cheats, players are afforded seemingly unlimited freedom to change the game to fit individual interests.
That being said, I must sheepishly admit that I personally didn’t care to change how to play the game. Instead, I took a look at a clothing mod that did nothing else but change some of the visual aesthetics present in Stardew Valley. Surprisingly, I found that this mod helped me establish a deeper and more immersive connection to the game than virtually any other mod could.
The “Seasonal Outfits” mod, indeed, is quite self-explanatory: visual changes are introduced to each of the character sprites based on the current in-game season. The mod establishes five different seasonal scenarios: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter Inside, and Winter Outside. For each scenario, there is a corresponding outfit for each character: Spring and Summer are characterized by short sleeves and tank tops, while Fall and Winter Outside see the emergence of beanies and heavy coats. At least one of the seasonal outfits for each character is the character’s vanilla outfit, though some minor changes have been made to ensure continuity across all of the new sprite additions. Outfits are also designed for special events such as the Flower Dance and Spirit’s Eve festivals, which incorporate a more formal theme.
At first glance, this mod seems like a superficial addition to a game rife with potential for more compelling and interactive changes. Yet, through this mod I see the chance to increase player engagement that does not rely on the editing of established game mechanics. As a player that derives most of my enjoyment from NPC interaction and the development of relationships between my character and the villagers, I found that this subtle change definitively affected the way that I viewed each villager. In my observation of the consistently darker, muted hues worn by Sebastian, I felt that I gained a better grasp on his “rebellious loner” personality. In Emily’s distinct yet dashing outfits, I developed a deeper admiration of her passion to make her own clothing. Through observation of their more conscious and unique stylistic choices, I felt that I was able to empathize with these characters just a bit more.
In examining the mod as an independently released addition to the game rather than an official change by the developers, I was intrigued by the idea that other players of the game worked to critically examine how Stardew Valley characters would solve the problem of dressing for the seasons. Embedded in the origin of an NPC’s newfound scarf or beanie were modders that played Stardew Valley and made their own interpretations of how each character would approach the issue of dressing for the winter. In making this distinction, I found comfort in the fact that behind the mod’s development, there were real people who enjoyed Stardew Valley. Furthermore, they were willing to bestow their own thoughts and opinions of its characters into the game as a mod in order to more fully bring them to life.
Though the mod may only take a small step towards realism (after all, in the real world the changing of seasons doesn’t equate to a single outfit change), I found that this change greatly improved my immersion within the game. This was largely due to the ability to view NPCs as more than just an artificial game entity with which to give gifts and increase friendship points. Through the minor change of incorporating multiple thoughtfully developed sprites per character, my interaction with Stardew Valley’s NPCs moved beyond the confines of developer code and an advancement of game progress. Instead of coming to accept villager interactions as little more than a cold articulation of automated dialogue, I saw the villagers more so as what they represent: people with unique tastes, personalities, and passions. And, of course, immaculate fashion sense.
