A Life on the Eight-bit Farm

Kayla Schindler- Section 6- Final Blog post “If you're reading this, you must be in dire need of a change. The same thing happened to me, long ago. I'd lost sight of what mattered most in life... real connections with other people and nature. So I dropped everything and moved to the place I truly belong.”

— Grandpa's Letter

         Whenever I feel overwhelmed by what the college life has to offer (or really what it forces upon me), I turn to look at the simpler things in life. I dream, of multiple occasions, of running off into the vast unknown, where I build a house and live off the land. Then I remind myself that I paid a ton of money to get my college degree and proceed to throw those thoughts out the window. Even with my dreams of wanting to sing on a big stage somewhere, I still question sometimes “Is this really what I want in life?” and in thinking that I spiral into a manic/depressive episode for a week trying to reaffirm that this is what I want. While in that state, however, I play a little game called Stardew Valley. Stardew Valley is a farming simulation game with a role-playing element mixed in. The game is a good stress reliever, while also a nice little life lesson in an eight-bit format. Stardew Valley was created by ConcernedApe (his real name is Eric Barone) after he had problems with the well-known series Harvest Moon. Stardew Valley was his answer to the shortcomings of Harvest Moon, adding in elements like combat to bring a more well-rounded game into the spotlight. 

The story begins with the main character (aka you) finding the hustle and bustle of the big city and your corporate job becoming too much, sucking the joy out of living. In a moment of truly giving up, you open a letter that your Grandpa gave you just before he passed on, reading that he has given you his farm. Taking this opportunity to break free from the hold of a busy lifestyle, you move to Stardew Valley, a tiny town with a small community just on the edge of the Gem Sea. After that, the rest of the story is up to you. The main goal of the game is for that player to slow down and enjoy the life they want to live. Another great aspect of the game is the non-playable characters. Now they are just NPCs, but they also have stories and some that are pretty close to what people deal with in real life. Most of the NPCs battle their own types of depression or whatever it is that they have to face. This reminds me that every person I meet has a story and that what they go through might not be so much different from me. A fun part of the game is that you can help the NPCs out, by giving them some advice. Some of the NPCs don’t know what to do with their lives, but they also learn how to grow from their fears. It reminds me that it’s okay to not know what I want to do now because I can always change later. 

The game also has interesting features, like a health bar that gives you a certain amount of energy, lots of side quests, and the best part, a whole lot of farming. These features also teach me in interesting ways. The health bar reminds me that I need to remember to take care of myself and that I can’t work constantly or I’ll tire myself out. It’s important to take care of the body that I have, and not abuse it in a way that makes me semi-useless later on. The side quests remind me that although there is so much to do, I can take my time and do it. Prioritizing my needs first and the needs of others second remind me that I’m just as important as everyone else. Doing what I like first should be a top priority, and helping people afterward is just a really nice bonus. And the last bit is farming, which reminds me to take care of what I have. This goes back to the taking care of myself part, where I remind myself to be thankful for what I have. I need to take care of what I own, and in doing so, I find out what I really like to do.  The last little bit of the game is my favorite part, which is doing what makes you happy. Life isn’t worth living much if you're not happy living it. Remember to enjoy the little things that make you smile is what makes life worth living.

Stardew Valley is a fun little game that reminds me to live life, while you still can. To find your own happiness in life, when you feel exhausted by the modern world. To connect with people, to grow into the person you wish to be, and above all, to do what makes you truly happy.

Quiz Questions:

1. What kind of game is Stardew Valley?

2. What is the creator's actual name?

3. What game was it based off of?

4. Who gives you the farm?

Discussion Questions:

1. In what way do you think this game is helpful to the people who play it? Or do you think that it's not helpful at all? If so, why or why not?

2. What ways do you find to be helpful to you when you hit a low moment?

3. Do you ever panic or wonder about what it is you really should be doing with your life?

4. Do you think a videogame has the ability to actually help you through hard situations?

(Some videos if you want to watch them):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w7gKAYvx90&t=270s (Opening Scene of the Game)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yObd9zJFf9E (107 Facts About Stardew Valley)

Also the links to my two comments:
https://cophilosophy.blogspot.com/2019/04/philosophy-behind-why-i-and-many-others.html?showComment=1556331840328#c6585039040082610829  (Sam Lawless)
https://cophilosophy.blogspot.com/2019/04/economic-inequality-and-post-secondary.html?showComment=1556331182728#c4345104436053744313 (Nolton Woods)