Decorating farms vs actually farming - which side are you on?

I keep seeing people in Stardew Valley forums talk about how they spend 80% of their time making their farm look pretty and barely grow crops. That's fine if that's your thing, but I've been playing since 2017 and I think focusing too much on aesthetics takes away from the actual gameplay loop. My first farm was a mess of random decorations and I hit year 3 with almost no money because I kept buying furniture instead of seeds. But then I see these gorgeous farms with 50 kegs and perfect layouts that still make bank. So is the cozy part about making everything look nice or is it about that satisfying grind of planting and harvesting? I'm asking because my current farm is all efficiency and no decorations, and it feels boring. How do you balance the two?

3 comments

3 Comments

ninas6727d ago

Honestly it sounds like you're overthinking a game about farming. Lots of people enjoy making things look nice and that's okay, it's just a different way to play. Your old farm sounds pretty funny though, spending all your money on furniture and then wondering why you're broke in year 3. Balance is probably just doing what feels fun that day, not turning it into a chore.

grace_campbell27d ago

OOOF forget being broke in year 3, I had a save file where I spent my ENTIRE first spring buying wallpaper and flooring from Pierre. Didn't plant a single parsnip. I literally just walked around my empty house admiring the wood paneling like some kind of broke interior designer. At least your furniture was functional! Mine was just me accepting poverty for aesthetic. Balance is a myth in this game honestly, you either have a gorgeous farm and zero gold, or a chaotic mess and a million bucks.

pat_fisher2427d ago

Oh geez, I feel called out here because I absolutely did the same thing my first playthrough! Spent my entire first paycheck on that rustic wallpaper thinking I was going to have some cozy cottage vibe, but all I had was an empty room and zero seeds to show for it. My farmer was literally eating wild berries off the ground while admiring her fancy floors, like some kind of broke HGTV host who got lost in a video game. At least your furniture had a purpose, my wallpapers just sat there looking pretty while I starved. I guess the real balance is learning that you can't eat wood paneling, no matter how nice it looks.