u/Adorable_Lemon123

There are a couple of HM/SoS/RF games that aren't actually that hard, but some of them are, and sometimes that causes burnout (atleast to me).

I'm currently playing HM: AP and RF: ToD, switching back and forth depending on my mood. I can say the gameplay is fun, and I played almost every day when I first started. But,

(Spoiler)

In AP, I've reached the point where I just need to get the final bell, which is quite difficult. And also because the game is so slow-paced, it gets a bit "sickening" (tedious). I'm kind of burned out from it.

As for RF: ToD, the games is not slow-paced but the monsters keep getting harder to fight. I've already spent days leveling up and crafting strong weapons, but I'm still not strong enough, so yeah, that triggered burnout as well. Both of games is actually fun, I think it's just because I've reached a pretty hard part.

I will still finish them—no way I'm abandoning them after coming this far. I also really dislike leaving games unfinished, so I'll definitely get back to them. But for now, I think I'll put them on hold.

Now, maybe this isn't strictly HM-related, but I just bought Persona 5. Yep, another story-driven game that obviously takes a lot of time to beat. I kind of want to try it as a fresh start, hoping I can enjoy it, but I searched online and found out it can take 100+ hours to finish. That's really long, and suddenly I'm scared I might get burned out on this one too, which would just add to my backlog—and I really hate having a backlog.

HM/SoS/RF can be hard sometimes and what do you do when you feel burned out playing a game series? Do you need some time off before continuing, or how do you handle it? If yes, how long does it usually take—days, weeks, or months?

I’m not sure if I should switch games when I haven't finished the ones I'm currently playing.

If you’re familiar with Harvest Moon and Rune Factory, I’m playing both right now. They’re super fun and I’ve put a lot of time into them—I switch between them depending on my mood. But I’ve hit a point where it feels pretty grindy and hard to keep going without feeling burnt out.

I just bought Persona 5 and really want to give it a try, but I heard it takes over 100+ hours to finish. I’m a bit worried that I’ll end up burnt out on that too and just add another title to my backlog, well, since these are all single-player story-driven games. I also have an online game I play on the side whenever I feel like it. ​I won't abandon the first two games since I've come this far, but I might need to put them on hold for now.

Note: I just feel kind of bad because life is getting busier too. I really hate having a backlog, so I wish I could just finish games one by one without having to put one on hold for so long. But yeah, burned out can happened

I wanted to ask if anyone else has experienced this, and what did you guys do?

​I checked Fogu regarding the favorite gifts for marriage candidates and villagers, but some of them require specific dishes or crops that I don't have yet. Many villagers still have zero hearts; the highest I have is 5 hearts, and that's only with the marriage candidate I'm pursuing. Is there a list of easy universal or widely liked gifts that I can give to all the characters in the game?

There are bound to be times when we go through severe depression and feel like doing absolutely nothing, and it feels so hard. What made you guys bounce back and start living your life again? And maybe stop being depressed?

Are you the type of gamer who switches between games depending on your mood or when you get bored, or do you stick to one game and finish it completely before moving on to the next? (It's about offline games).

How many years apart does MARVELOUS release remakes or new games of Story of Seasons and Rune Factory?

Maybe I am kind of lost, and maybe I didn't search deep enough, but I just want to know the usual timeframe between a game announcement and its release. Do they release one every year, or how does it work?

Is there anything creepy or mysterious you’ve encountered while playing HM, SoS, or RF that was never explained? And what’s your headcanon about it?

For example, maybe a door that never opens or characters/NPCs that felt a bit off—it can be anything, I’d love to read your thoughts!

​So I'm not new to the Harvest Moon series, but I'm actually new to the Rune Factory series (my first one is Tides of Destiny). Can I ask how I'm supposed to level up my character faster? I'm already in Winter of Year 1, but my character level is still 18. I've already unlocked the Water Shrine, but I'm having a hard time fighting the monsters there. I need some tips. I have a few tools like the Hell Branch (?) and the Wind Rod, but I don't think they deal enough damage

Note: It’s actually just meant to be a fun question, and I know it’s not supposed to be that serious. I know it's just a game.

Do you guys ever feel like you're cheating or being unfaithful to your spouse when you create multiple save files to marry someone else?

Let’s just say I married Cliff in SoS: FOMT, but I feel like Gray keeps flirting with me. At the time, I really wanted to create another save file to marry him, but somehow I felt like I was cheating on Cliff. Should I just consider it as marrying both of them in different timelines, even though it's the exact same game?

Edit: I mean in one game, and not in different games that have the same characters that can be married like in others game

Note: It’s actually just meant to be a fun question, and I know it’s not supposed to be that serious. I know it's just a game.

Do you guys ever feel like you're cheating or being unfaithful to your spouse when you create multiple save files to marry someone else?

Let’s just say I married Cliff in SoS: FOMT, but I feel like Gray keeps flirting with me. At the time, I really wanted to create another save file to marry him, but somehow I felt like I was cheating on Cliff. Should I just consider it as marrying both of them in different timelines, even though it's the exact same game?

You can choose your child's gender, but you can also let the game decide for you. Let's say you can only have one child—is there ever a moment where you actually choose your child's gender for a specific reason, rather than letting the game decide for you?

For example, I used to always pick a boy if I played as a male character and a girl if I played as a female character. It was honestly because I wanted a 'mini-me' version of myself. But now I'm thinking, should I just choose the gender based on my spouse? I mean, maybe some characters just naturally fit being a "boy mom" or a "girl dad"? What do you think? How do you guys decide on your child's gender?

What do you do if you miss something in a game? Would you restart just for that, or keep playing anyway?

Honestly, I’m just curious: are you the type of Harvest Moon player who aims for a perfect gameplay that need guide and stuff and doesn't want to missed anything, or do you just figure things out on your own? Like, do you care if you miss an event, miss some scene, or even lose contests and festivals? Would you restart the whole game just for that?

For example, maybe like, ''You can only get this item if you do this on this day," but you missed it, or maybe stuff like Cliff leaving town and things like that. (I would totally restart for that one)

Is Animal Parade just... slow? I like the game, the gameplay, everything. But tbh, it feels so slow right now, even when I try walking somewhere else. I literally only get through 2 days (in-game) in one sitting before I switch to another game. Does that mean I'm just not patient enough, or what?

Note: I know about the mod or hack that makes you move faster, but I don't think I'll use that.

Sorry, this might be a silly question, but do any of you write down your game progress like a diary when playing Harvest Moon, Story of Seasons, or Rune Factory?

I don’t mean creating your own guide—like listing favorite gifts, villager preferences, or writing a review after finishing the game—not like that. I mean, since there are so many cute or absurd interactions in the game, do you actually write them down? Like journaling what happens in your gameplay as if it were your daily life? Or do you just play and keep the memories in your head?

Sorry, it really is a silly question! But while playing, I’ve stumbled upon some cute easter eggs, interactions, and dialogue. I usually take screenshots, but I’ve been thinking: should I write down everything that happens in the game like a diary so I can look back on it? Of course, it would take up a lot of time, though, so I am not sure.

Since both of them take a pretty long time to marry, should I marry Elise or Licorice?

Do you guys know any artists who like to draw Harvest Moon fanart? Like Story of Seasons and Rune Factory too! Let me know, I want to follow them!

Hi everyone!

I’ve been into art for 12 years. I started with traditional drawing and later moved to digital. I have a few questions for anyone who has worked on a game before:

1. How do game illustrators get hired? Do studios usually reach out to you directly, or do you just apply like a normal job?

2. Is there a job just for drawing, not design? Character design isn't my strong point, but I can draw 2D art based on an existing idea. Are there jobs where the design is already made, and I just do the final drawing?

3. How do I use references safely without copyright issues? If I do have to design characters, how can I use references for inspiration without getting into trouble? (I’m kinda scared of copyright stuff).

4. Do I need to use specific software? I don't use Clip Studio Paint because I can't afford it right now. Is that fine as long as the art looks good?

5. What kind of portfolio should I make? Do you know any good resources, or YouTube channels/videos that can guide me on this?

I really love the Harvest Moon series, and it inspired me to become a game illustrator (even though I know they usually keep the same artists for their games).

I’d love to hear your advice or experience. Thanks!

Just venting a bit, I don't know if anyone will agree with me or not. But I grew up with the Harvest Moon and Rune Factory series. I loved the gameplay, the story, the characters, everything. And at that time, the design was already pretty good.

​But I don't know why the recent Story of Seasons and Rune Factory games feel different to me. I mean, I like the remakes they've made because it feels like they recreated the same good games, just better. But as for the recent "'new original games'' they've released, I'm not really feeling them, and I don't know why. Like, Pioneers of Olive Town feels a bit... empty(?) for me, and recent Rune Factory games just don't feel like the ones I used to play. For now, i am trying to finish some of old game untill i decide to play the new one.

Genuinely asking, is there anyone here who plays multiple Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons/Rune Factory games at the same time?

Right now, I’m playing two games simultaneously—for example, I'm currently playing one specific Harvest Moon series and one Rune Factory series, alternating between the two.

My main reason is that I have a long backlog of HM games I want to play, and I don't want to fall too far behind or feel rushed to catch up with the upcoming SoS/RF releases. But I still make sure to actually enjoy the process.

The second reason is burnout. Sometimes, a game reaches a point where it burns you out—whether it's due to a tedious quest or just a slow period where there's nothing much to do. So, I can just switch to the other game whenever I feel burnt out with the first one.

But genuinely asking, is there anyone else like me? Or do you guys prefer focusing on just one specific game at a time?

If you play like I do, how do you manage it so that both games stay fun? Don't you get confused playing two different games at once—considering they have completely different storylines, gameplay mechanics, and even controller layouts? Do you even still remember where you left off if you haven't played one of them for a while because you were busy playing the other?

I’m asking because I feel a bit odd doing this, especially since I’ve ended up not playing either of them right now. Both games hit a burnout point at the same time (they both have heavy quests I need to finish, which exhausted me). Now, I even actually tempted to start a whole new series—though I probably shouldn't, out of fear that the previous two will get completely abandoned.

I recently played Harvest Moon Animal Parade, it's fun actually. But somehow recently I can't play for more than 30 minutes cause I feel kind of sleepy every time I play that. The walk from one place to another genuinely feels very long. For now, there isn't much I can do in the game, because I've already found 3 bells and I'm still in early summer, I'm just waiting for the next bell. So every time I start playing, I only take care of the farm, animals, meet villagers, and then choose whether to go mining or not.

It's just sometimes I want to greet people at Marimba Farm, but walking there feels long, and even the loading screen feels long. It feels even longer when I forget something and have to go back on foot.