This guide is here to help you get started in the wonderful world of Stardew Valley. Here, you’ll find a few of the main goals you should aim for as you begin your journey.
Community Center: The Main Quest
The first goal is the Community Center. At the beginning of the game, there are some tasks to help familiarize you with the gameplay, such as planting seeds given by the mayor, harvesting crops, meeting all the villagers, building a scarecrow to ward off crows, constructing a coop, and more.
If it doesn’t rain on the fifth day of spring, walk from the farm to the town to unlock the main storyline. The mayor will introduce you to the Community Center, which is the game’s real main quest. Completing other tasks won’t affect the unlocking of subsequent areas and quests, but the Community Center has a significant impact and unlocks important content.
Minecart: Easy Task for Fast Travel
The first, Minecart is relatively easy to complete. After reaching level 80 in the mines, you can obtain all the necessary items, and completing it in spring will allow you to quickly travel to the mines and blacksmith, improving efficiency.
Vault and Desert: Unlocking New Features
The second goal is the Vault, which unlocks the bus stop and allows you to travel to the desert.
The desert map unlocks many new features. The desert cave in the upper left corner is the primary source of iridium ore, which can be used to craft crystalariums and iridium sprinklers or be turned into iridium bars to sell. The desert trader in the middle-right of the map offers exchanges for hard-to-get items. The Oasis shop in the lower-left corner sells high-profit crop seeds. The most lucrative crop in the game, starfruit seeds, can be purchased here. Unlocking the desert significantly improves the overall gameplay.
Greenhouse: Profitable Farming Year-Round
The third goal is the greenhouse, which has 120 plots of land for growing crops regardless of the season. Fertilized soil will never deplete, and crops with multiple harvests will yield infinite harvests, greatly increasing income. Brewing starfruit wine alone can bring in 116*3150=365,400 gold, making it easier to purchase items in the shop. Many things are only unlocked after completing the Community Center, so the first phase of the game is focused on completing it.
Magical Buildings and Ginger Island: Expanding Your World
After completing the Community Center, there are two parallel goals: magical buildings and Ginger Island. For those without Ginger Island, completing the Community Center leads to building magical structures. First, complete the wizard’s quest. Then, build the four obelisks for a total of 3 million gold and the warp totem for 2 million gold, greatly enhancing your mobility. Junimo huts can help collect crops, and the golden clock for 10 million gold is an important late-game symbol.
Ginger Island, introduced in version 1.5, enriches the game and enhances various aspects while reducing repetitive late-game activities. The Ginger Island farm is like a huge greenhouse, providing significant funds and accelerating income acquisition. You can even forgo planting crops on your home farm. The volcano dungeon strengthens your weapons and tools, increasing efficiency. The island merchant offers useful items like top-tier gems, and Mr. Qi’s walnut room has many powerful items and recipes. The Horse Flute can summon your horse, the Key To The Town grants access to town buildings, and the golden egg can hatch a golden chicken, among other things. Completing the Community Center and unlocking Ginger Island can speed up your accumulation of funds.
Collecting and Beautifying: Creating Your Dream Farm
Lastly, focus on collecting and beautifying. Complete the shipping collection, finish all monster kill goals for the Adventurer’s Guild, raise the affection of all villagers, cook every dish, craft every item, catch every fish, find all the golden walnuts on Ginger Island, locate all the star drops, and achieve 100% completion. In the meantime, feel free to decorate and beautify your farm.
Even after achieving 100% completion, you can continue playing the game. The overall direction of the game is as described, but the process and order can be explored and customized by each player.
Enjoy your time in Stardew Valley, discovering new things and forging your path as you build relationships, expand your farm, and embark on exciting adventures. Remember that the game is open-ended, So, take your time and create your unique Stardew Valley experience. Happy farming!