-Now, aging would be a good thing for improvement but bad at the same time. What could happen is when you create a character, you can choose to age or not, and when you age, your children grow up, and when you die, they take your place, and possibly you could play as them. And then the process starts over, making an infinite cycle, or not. -Now, here comes a problem. If a person does not have children but aging active, the person dies and then its basically game over. BUT, what could be made is a statue at some place, like the Dog Statue to change profession on the sewer (1.3 Update, Multiplayer), to change that option, so that you wouldn't change your age overtime, as well as putting yourself younger. This statue could be called: "The statue of Youth" of wathever name. It could also make the game restart, HOWEVER with your house as before and your stuff from your backpack and etc.. -The second possibility is that you don't have aging enabled, but you want to activate it, you can go to the "Statue of Youth" to activate, wich, obviously would make you age. The problem IS, the villagers would age too? -If they did, it would be a problem. They would die and then there would be noone to be replaced. What COULD happen is that new people would move in to those houses, such as a new NPC. The first ones that would die in probably 18 years would be George and Evelyn, wich then they would be replaced for other NPCs but younger, like 1 man and 1 woman. And so goes on with everyone. (Note: when for example George and Evelyn dies too, you would be older at that time, making so that you wouldn't marry the subtitutes for them, that are young [exept if you are DF]) -If they didn't, then you'll be aging with your kids, possibly with your wife/husband as well. Also, it would make the game a bit weird. A date for your birthday maybe? I've been thinking for a while, shouldn't be a Birthday for you? All of NPCs have but you don't. IF it would be added, it could make easier to know your age, as well as get some presents. For example: At the creation of character, there is: Name; Farm name; Favorite thing. Now here would be the date of birth. There will be another box, for the date of your birthday (divided by seasons of course), and when that day comes, some NPCs that are more friends with you will bring some presents, maybe even an item if your favorite thing is an item. OK, so one day you'll just die from day to night? -What i have in mind is that, when you complete a day, it would say: The day, season, year, how old are you. Example: 8th Winter 7th year 20 years old SO its 8th of winter from year 7, and then has passed 7 years, making you 27. Now, why did i chose 20 years? Because on the cutscene from the intro, after the grandpa rests it says: XX years later. Source: , and by the way, the developers should put an age to the Player. When your going to die, you will stay in bed, eventually going to the hospital, then dying, wich could possiby have a cutscene involving your family, showing you sick and your family sad (I know it's kinda depressive, but its like that). That's when your child(ren) act. -If you have 2 kids, you will need to choose one or the other, and when you choose the child nÂș 1 for example, the second one will leave home to live in Zuzu City for example and vice versa. -if you have one child you will assume the child. -What could also happen is that when you assume your child, in the clinnic of Harvey, one of the beds could be with "your father"(who is accually you dying/the first farmer[not grandpa]), and eventually, let's say an entyre season you receive a letter saying: "We apologise for the loss of your father, but now he is on the eternal sleep, happy in heaven. Assigned: Doctor Harvey" The problem: When will you die/be in coma? You could probably die/stay in coma in a certain year on your birthday or close to the brithday. I don't know, didn't thought of it yet. I know this is a big feature but it could put an use to the useless children (they even stay in the way) and make it so it's not too boring and have a bit of drama.
Yeah this stuff is cool and all, but think this would be better for a stardew 2 or something, or stardew generations. I am actually a really really big fan of these types of systems in games but no games have anything like this at all. The closest game i know with a system like this would be ck2, but thats an entirely different game. This type of system would be immense to incorporate in an already established game, and would be better for a sequel. its also only a feature what would be used by very few, and unless thats the whole idea of the game and they made it quick, then it would be a waste from a game development standpoint because only the people who play for long periods would experience this if it was done as an addon to what the game is already, you would have to build the entire game around this and have a changed timescale and dynamic system in place. and dynamic systems are hard to make in comparison to static.
your right, it would be a big change. But one thing i think it would be awesome at least. MAKE THE CHILDREN USEFULL