"Once I reopen the book on Stardew, I always have a hard time closing it again"

“Once I reopen the book on Stardew, I always have a hard time closing it again because I always want to add more things, make it better, make it cooler, make people happy,” Barone said. “It’s exciting. Every single thing I’m adding, I’m thinking about how people are going to play this and talk about it and love it. It’s gonna be part of their experience. It could make a memory that they might cherish forever. That’s a special thing. It’s hard for me to not want to do that.”

  • nelsnelson [comrade/them, love/loves]@hexbear.netEnglish
    32·
    6 months ago

    As a software developer who loves lovable games, I am an enormous admirer of Mr. Barone and wish him the best of continued fortune.

    I also wish that it was easier for independent developers to have time to build their artistic vision like this.

    Does all the best art require suffering, though? Idk. I feel like that is maybe a myth invented by the exploiters.

    • darkmode [comrade/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
      20·
      6 months ago

      to some extent it does, however, it used to be a bit easier to scrape by and have a roof over your head, hangout with your friends, and hone one’s craft in america. There are a lot of stories where someone worked at a bakery, recorded there after. Another where two guys bought a small place to put a studio together in Portland, just a lot of shit like that. The walls have closed way, way in.

      • nelsnelson [comrade/them, love/loves]@hexbear.netEnglish
        22·
        6 months ago

        I did see a nice YouTube post from an artist recently about how a lot of artists in America also seem to have perhaps bought into the myth that they must work, develop, and improve themselves alone. The poster insisted that this concept of the lone artist rising from nowhere to success was a myth spread by those wishing to isolate artists on purpose, and that artists should do the exact opposite to as extreme an extent as their capacity for being around others would permit.

        It’s hard, tho, I get it. As a technologically oriented creative, I am also extremely introverted. But I know for a fact that avoiding collaboration has stunted my artistic growth.

        • darkmode [comrade/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
          12·
          6 months ago

          it’s good that you found advice like that. rick rubin’s book is a load of shit and in interviews he’s saying shit like ‘maybe your job is your livelihood and your art is secondary’ basically telling ppl to strive for less straight up, not even veiling it in a myth which is incredible considering he threw his entire life into helping ppl create music

      • Findom_DeLuise [she/her, they/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
        9·
        6 months ago

        There are a lot of stories where someone worked at a bakery, recorded there after.

        lol, my (estranged) dad did the opposite. Spent X years in the Florida prog rock/metal scene, his band finally recorded and released an EP, and within a couple of years, the band had split up and he was working as a pastry chef over a thousand miles away.

  • SSJ2Marx@hexbear.netEnglish
    19·
    6 months ago

    That’s cool. Reminds me of how Tarn is still working on Dwarf Fortress over two decades later.

  • EllenKelly [comrade/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
    4·
    6 months ago

    I get the hype, I love a good harvest moon game, but fuck if I haven’t had a hard time getting past shit like this

    I havent been able to bring myself to open it again since. Not even mentioning a couple of the potential wives are legitimately children. Child bride simulator. Ew.

      • EllenKelly [comrade/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
        3·
        6 months ago

        I think it was Abigail who talks about leaving all her homework til the last minute? Whatever it was just left me feeling uncomfortable… she still lives with her parents too?

        i was still way more uncomfortable with the idea that all these interactions were written by some guy, you cant win the game calling out the shit sexist tropes, you need to be gentle and not tell the guys what is that supposed to mean when they say i didnt think a girl would want to throw a ball with me so i didnt invite you

        feminism ruined gaming

        • Starlet [she/her, it/its]@hexbear.netEnglish
          7·
          6 months ago

          I think it was Abigail who talks about leaving all her homework til the last minute? Whatever it was just left me feeling uncomfortable… she still lives with her parents too?

          These both sound college student things to me

        • Findom_DeLuise [she/her, they/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
          2·
          5 months ago

          Abigail is canonically in college doing a distance learning program while living with her parents. You should be more concerned about the fact that if you marry her and get her to 14 hearts, she

          spoiler

          murders a person of color and buries the body alongside the mountain path

          Alex has a character arc where he becomes less of a sexist pig, too. Sam is a total freaking manchild through and through, though.