The official Natsume Facebook page has just published another monthly developer diary for Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley. This time it focusses on animal personality traits, a feature that's never been implemented in previous Harvest Moon games. Here's the full text:
Our monthly developer diary series will give you a little bit of insight into the development behind Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley. Fans have regularly asked us to "peel back the mysterious curtain" on game development, and we're happy to share some of what goes into a game.
While we were first developing Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley, we called it by a code name: Back to Basics. We've applied this philosophy to many aspects of the game, including the animals available on the farm. We went back to the basics: cows, sheep, chickens, and, of course, horses.
But we didn't just want to reduce the number of animals; we wanted to make each animal feel unique in some way, and we wanted there to be a better reason to keep animals – whether you've previously kept a full barn or eschewed animal husbandry all together. Now, each animal will have its own personality traits, called “skills” in the game.
We really like this push-pull mechanic of this system,because it lets players seek out animals with the traits they desire most for their own personal play style. Some farmers may aim for a barn with all of the same traits, while others may look for a selection of traits for a balanced barn or coop.
Here's a sample of a few traits:
Winter/Spring/Summer/Fall– This season is the animal’s favorite! Their affection level will go up faster in that season.
Calm/Strong-Willed/Patient– These animals will have a higher tolerance for stress in different situations.
Elegant – These animals really, really hate being dirty! You'll get a big affection bonus when you brush them. The higher an animal's affection, the higher quality products they'll produce, as well as a higher quantity of that product!
Like a particular trait? You can breed that particular animal and get the same skill over and over or, even better, you can breed them into a rare, super version of that skill! Here's a few skills, and how they level up:
Great Goods becomes High-Quality Goods: These animals have a strong and powerful body! Because of that, they will sometimes produce higher-quality products.
More Goods becomes Super Goods: These animals are gifted with fantastic health! Because of that, they will sometimes produce a higher quantity of products.
Rarely, animals can also be blessed with the skill of Learning, which allows them to learn skills quickly and easily.
One exciting way you can have your animals learn skills is by feeding them special animal feed. In Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley, there's a large variety of animal feeds that can be made! However,exactly how you'll make these special animal feeds is a secret we'll save for another day!
We'll be talking more about animal skills in the coming months, so keep watching for the next Developer Diary!
Another bachelor has also been announced:
Gilbert is the second BACHELOR we’re revealing for Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley. A travelling bard, Gilbert has a unique speech pattern among the residents this time – this eligible gentleman speaks in rhyme!
“I am called Gilbert, my friend. Farewell until we meet again.”
Gilbert’s knowledge is deep and wide; his knowledge of history and lore will be an asset by your side. Humble and gentle to a fault, yet Gilbert’s heart is locked inside the tightest of vaults. He'll teach you the art of fishing when he arrives; it's a necessary skill for long winters you must survive! His knowledge of the Harvest Goddess is important to your task, and his wit is as sharp as your favorite axe.
“I've been seeking somewhere to plant seeds, the perfect spot for their growing needs."
Gilbert is a wanderer at heart, traveling from place to place. However, it seems there is a specific reason he has come to visit the Lost Valley. Do you have what it takes to get Gilbert to open up to you about why he really came here, and also convince him to plant his roots firmly in the Lost Valley?
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