I’ve always found insects really fascinating as a child, I still do. Most kids would run screaming if a grasshopper or dragonfly landed on their shoulder. I however would hold it and examine it, take in all its distinct colors and features. I’d love to do the same thing in Stardew Valley. In Spring and Summer it's common to see butterflies all over the place, floating around gently above the trees and buildings. What if you could catch them instead of merely look at them? Here is my idea. Requirements. Must have 10 hearts of friendship with Evelyn. The player enters into 1 River Road and a cutscene will begin. Evelyn’s is sitting on the futon in the living room holding what appears to be a picture frame with a blue butterfly inside it. The player then walks over and stands in front of her. Evelyn: “Oh, hello there, sweetie, it’s nice of you to stop by. Let me get you a plate of my cookies and a glass of milk.” The player has the “?” bubble above their head, curious as to what she’s holding. Evelyn: “This? This is just one of my framed butterflies. In fact it's my favorite of all; the “Sapphire Swallowtail,” it took me years to find.” The player then gets the “!” bubble over their head, seeming interested in what she just said. Evelyn then tells the story of how she started her hobby. Evelyn: “Well deary, when I was younger I was very fascinated with insects, especially ones that could fly and had vibrant colors.” “It all started when I was a little girl in my mother’s flower garden and a butterfly landed on my hand. It’s beautiful orange wings glowed like a warm fire, it was so awe-inspiring.” “Since that day I’ve made it a hobby to go looking for insects.” “Looking up in the skies for butterflies and dragonflies. Crawling through bushes to find beetles of all shapes and sizes. Watching spiders weave their silk homes in tree branches.” “I traveled all over the valley to find insects of every kind and color. The experience was indescribable and unforgettable.” Evelyn then has the sweat emoji bubble over her head “*sigh* I sure do miss those days, but at my age, I’m just too tired and achy to go out there chasing butterflies. If only I could be young again.” The player then has the sweat emoji over their head, feeling sad and sorry for Evelyn. “Oh I’m very sorry honey, I didn’t mean to make you feel sad.” “I will admit I’m not exactly happy about growing older but the fact that I got to experience it all is what matters the most. I wouldn’t have given it up for anything.” Evelyn then gets the “...” bubble over her head and then the “!” bubble. Evelyn: “Wait here sweetie, I’ll be right back.” Evelyn walks up the hallway to her bedroom and the player walks over to the framed butterfly and picks it up off the futon to look at it. Evelyn returns and the player places the butterfly back on the futon. Evelyn: “Here, I want you to have this.” The player receives the butterfly net item. Evelyn: “This was the butterfly net that my father got me when I was a little girl. It’s been all over the valley with me.” “Promise me you’ll take good care of it and that you’ll continue the tradition of catching insects.” Insect collecting would be a new side hobby, much like collecting items for the museum. You’ll only be able to find certain insects in certain seasons (never winter) and certain areas in the game. The cactus beetle would only be found in the Calico desert and not found anywhere else and so forth. The net is used much like a sword or club weapon. Click to swing in attempt to catch the insect. Butterflies and dragonflies will fly around in the air much like certain monsters in the mines. Beetles, spiders and other non-flying insects will scurry across the ground. Certain insects will appear randomly in the air or on the ground, allowing you a chance to catch them. Sometimes shaking trees and bushes will cause insects to appear from them. Insects move very quickly and can disappear behind buildings, fences, trees and bushes and will despawn if the player leaves the area where the insect currently is. If an insect manages to get behind something it will vanish and will not reappear until another one spawns in another spot. Insects will be donated to the museum in a new section of the museum for wildlife and plant life which I will explain in my next post
While I also am very fond of insects, I would very much prefer them alive to being pinned to cards or inside a glass frame. So, here is a counter-idea, live insect interactions. The ability to plant a butterfly garden that actively attracts various rare colors and patterns of butterflies for you to watch. Releasing live ladybugs and lacewings into your farming plots to naturally control pests, resulting in a better chance of gold-star crops. (Perhaps functioning as an effective +1 to your Farming skill for that area of crops.) Dragonfly watching over the ponds in the summer months. A 'recipe' sold by Demetrius allowing the crafting of 'firefly lanterns', which you can make during the summer, to create a lovely glow around your farm. An Asian-style Cricket Cage for your home. If the cricket chirps that morning (a random event) you gain a small bonus to luck for that day! Sponsoring and helping to set up a live insect 'zoo' in the museum, with displays of various species in small habitats. Let's give the little critters of the Valley a bit of attention!
You're right about the whole pinning to frame thing I didn't really consider that. I do remember this old game I used to play called plant tycoon where you run a greenhouse and plant nursery and you could capture insects. And when captured they would be placed inside a mason jar and kept alive for you to watch. I suppose something like that would be much better. And I do love the cricket chirp and the firefly lanterns. Glad I finally I had a decent idea for the game.
I like Lilliput's idea about keeping the bugs alive personally, it'd be interesting to have helpful little critters on your farm. I think what'd make this aspect a bit more interesting was if you had the option to breed the bugs. Similarly to the Slime Hutch, I think you should be able to capture certain bugs that look different in coloration (some rare, others more common than others) and see if you can get a unique design or find a rare bug through breeding! I've always been fascinated by that kind of stuff. =)
I'm obsessed with butterflies irl, so this idea would definitely get my vote. I like the cutscene you thought up for it too, really cute! n_n Also, I play Plant Tycoon, I totally know what you're talking about with the insect collection. lol
Having different kinds of insects that you can catch is a stellar plan and AureusWolf brought forth a great idea for a cut scene with Evelyn. Fits the style of the game very nicely. Lilliput did a great job of expanding on AureusWolf's idea as well. Some things that I would like to suggest: Either a new skill called Entomology could be created or it could be added on to the Foraging Skill, giving the player new items to craft for decorations and housing the insects for breeding. Increasing Foraging or the Entomology Skill would increase the chance of finding higher quality insects or a chance for more insects to spawn around your farm and community. Since we have Bee houses established, why not see honey bees buzz around the flowers on your farm from Spring to Fall? Similar to what AureusWolf suggested, insects that can only be found in the Secret Woods, Calico Desert and Mutant Bug Lair. Insects could be used as gifts. Butterflies and fireflies could be a universal like gift to give to most people in the community where as spiders, certain beetles, grasshoppers and crickets would be a universal hate gift to give to most people in the community. Seeing spiders in the Mine would be fitting, especially if you had some spiders as enemies. We have Cave Flies and those Beetle bugs, why not spiders? Maybe even have Giant spiders when there is an infestation, similar to the Big Slimes you see in the Skull Cavern. Insects could be used as another section for Bundles in the Community Center, maybe close to the Fish Tank Area. You could have a bundle for Spring, Summer, Fall and Exotic. Completing the entire section could reward the Community with a "living zoo" (Lilliput suggested) in the museum that increases the happiness of all the members in the Community or increase the profit of sold insects. Adding "Rare" or "Legendary" Insects that only come out at certain times of the year, much like the Legendary Fish. Demetrius could have jobs on the "Help Wanted" board in front of Pierre's General Store, asking for certain insects he'd like to study. Demetrius could also have a quest sent by letter to the player called "Entomology Research", much like "Crop Research" and "Aquatic Research". Vincent could ask the player to bring him a specific insect because he 'wants to pull a prank on his older brother' or Jas.
I like this bug catching idea. I hope this doesn't come off as cruel or anything but if we could also catch different types of bugs to use as bait to catch various fish. This would be logged in the fishing section of the journal to record which fish are attracted to which bugs.
i'd love this to be part of the game bug-catching is grand and if they stay alive(or if they can be released) it would be ideal for foraging players and as long as each aspect builds off of existing game mechanics it should not be impossible to do, right?
