Last week, I encountered probably the most hilarious yet useless mod in Stardew Valley ever – the Tomato is a Fruit mod. Simple as you think it is, it turns tomatoes into the fruit category.
Though the mod has as poorly as only 390 downloads and 23 likes until the moment I write this blog, its discussion section offered rather insightful comments that drove me towards new contemplation over the significance of mods in the gameplay experience. Supporters are taking a firm fruit-stand in the “Is tomato fruit or vegetable” rivalry, passionately declaring that “Ignorance is believing a tomato is a vegetable. Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting a tomato in a fruit salad. Inspiration is turning a tomato into salsa instead.” There are also players who want further “revision” of the game, such as lemurkat, who suggested the creator change the rhubarb into vegetable, too: “It’s definitely, not even slightly a fruit. Except in this game.” People seem to get serious about the game in a way they regard controversial matters in the real world.
Monster follow, and we should run. An example where a player’s common sense is used in the gameplay.
Gamers do integrate their common sense in reality into their gameplay experience – we know well to use the axe to chop down the trees instead of using the fishing rods, and we understand why the club weapon type creates more significant damages but slow down our speed. In a certain way, common sense helps us progress into the games with intuitions, for the games themselves are designed and programmed by human beings with experience in reality as well.
However, for different reasons, digital games do not inherit every bit of real-world properties. Most of the time, the game alters laws in reality for the players’ more comfortable experience in games. In Stardew, the playable character, farmer, wouldn’t get even a bit tired running around town for the entire day; and the dogs and cats stay alive though you only give them water, to be honest, maybe at most once a week? These changes all seem hilarious, but the game wouldn’t be “fun” to players anymore without such alterations. Some changes to real-life facts can also be confinements to limit the game’s space. For example, although having two hands with 10 fingers, a farmer can only wear 2 rings at a time; we can’t swim in the seas, ponds, and lakes in Stardew Valley, either; farmer always faints after 2:00 am (which most UChicago students won’t do). However, some players still feel such confinements troublesome or simply want to explore the game in a more realistic framework. Therefore, mods that allow you to wear 10 rings at a time (“Wear More Rings”) or swim in Stardew’s waterbody (“Swim”) are made.
The “Swin” mod enables player to swim in Stardew Valley’s water.
Many Stardew Valley players claim one of the primary reasons they are attracted to the game is that it takes them away from reality, allowing them to take a break from the stress. However, from the number of downloads of the above mods, we can see that some players still want to incorporate some realistic properties into Stardew Valley through individualistic modding of the game. With every player starting with the same original Stardew Valley game, to some players creating a new “game about game” based on their unique expectation of their game experience and even perception of reality, Stardew’s varied modding allows players to internally express and explore their thoughts and opinions, whether through “Tomato is a Fruit” or “Better Balanced Crafting Recipes.” The excitement of finding an interesting application of reality matters into the game can add significantly to the game experience. Taking a step further, such free integration of reality and virtuality is also a charm of Stardew’s emancipation from reality. With NexusMod in hand, you’re the boss, not Joja or even ConcernedApe. Indeed, isn’t it freedom that you can just say, “hey, I think that my son is staying at home for too long. Let me download a mod where he follows me into the town to buy groceries!”
With “Child to NPC” mod, your child follows you out of the house.
References:
“Better Balanced Crafting Recipes.” Nexus Mods :: Stardew Valley, https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/7420?tab=files.
“Child to NPC.” Nexus Mods :: Stardew Valley, https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/4568.
“Swim.” Nexus Mods :: Stardew Valley, https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/6326.
“Tomato Is a Fruit.” Nexus Mods :: Stardew Valley, https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/4520?tab=posts.
“Wear More Rings.” Nexus Mods :: Stardew Valley, https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/3214?tab=images.
