Stardew Valley creator Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone has given his approval of anyone making mods for his highly popular farming life simulator on one simple condition, that they are separate from "canonical" content.
When asked about mods of the game, the developer said that he was cool with them and fine with anyone making them if they wanted to. His sentiment also stretched to those who wanted to adjust and add to the game's story as they pleased.
Stardew Valley Creator Approves of Mods
(Photo : Eric Barone, ConcernedApe / Screenshot taken from Steam)
This also comes as ConcernedApe has previously hired mastermind modders to help with official content for Stardew Valley. But his one condition was that the mods should be "not canon," adding that "only the vanilla game is canonical."
Barone also further talked about the issue, saying that while he does not disapprove of mods for his farming life simulator, he wants players to know what is official and what is not.
He specifically said, "I don't mind if people want to add their own fan stories to their game, as long as it's clear it's not canon," according to GamesRadar.
The developer's thought process may have actually played a role in him recommending players to try out Stardew Valley's 1.6 update with mods first. This was probably to avoid confusion between official and new content and various things that were added by players making mods.
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Barone said that he added a public Steam branch that will let players stay on version 1.5.6 of the game if they want to. He then recommended they play version 1.6 without mods first but ultimately left the choice to the players themselves.
As the developer highlighted, there are a variety of links leading to supposedly compatible mods for Stardew Valley's 1.6 update available on SMAPI, a mod site. They allow players to do everything from tweaking core gameplay mechanics and aesthetics to implementing various cheats.
Staying on an Older Version
Fortunately for players who are not yet ready to play the 1.6 version of the game, Barone making the 1.5.6 version available is a saving grace.
It is also particularly useful to have a way to stay on an older version for people who have become accustomed to using specific mods that are not yet compatible with the new 1.6 update, said IGN.
ConcernedApe also talked about how his thought process was whenever he was deciding on what makes it into Stardew Valley's updates. While some fan requests make their way into the main game, it is not necessarily the leading factor for choosing new content for the farming life simulator.
Barone said that while he did pay attention to player feedback and requests, they were not the sole or leading factor that he took into consideration. He noted that he often adds ideas that he has thought of while playing the game himself whenever he finds that is left wishing that something was in the game.
This may come as a surprise to many fans who have already drawn conclusions regarding similarities between what is added to Stardew Valley and what fans typically ask for.
One example is the Iridium Scythe, which may have been suggested by fans before being added to the game, according to GameRant.
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