Natsume has started releasing a monthly developer diary on the official Facebook page. Here's the info for July:
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.They also revealed 3 new neighbours and a bachelor:
JULY'S DEVELOPER DIARY: THE NEW TOOL SYSTEM
When we sat down to design Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley, we wanted to really study what made the game fun. We wanted to maintain the core value of hard work leading to great rewards while minimizing what may detract from a fun game. So we took a long, hard look at the tool system and decided to go back to the drawing board.
We came to the conclusion that gameplay should flow. So we decided to make the following changes to the tool system:
1. Make tools context-sensitive. When you are standing in front of a tree, for example, there are only certain actions you are logically able to do to the tree. You can't shear or milk the tree, so, if you have an axe in your bag, the game will automatically know that you want to chop the tree down. All you have to do is walk up to the tree, push the A Button, and you will chop the tree down! Now you don't need to open the menu to select and equip a tool, slowing down the flow of gameplay.
2. Instead of upgrading your tools, the Harvest Sprites now act as your tool upgrades. It can be frustrating hunting down the exact type of ore you need to upgrade your tools, as well as time consuming. Therefore, in this game, all you have to do is ask the Harvest Sprites for their help, and they'll be able to water your crops, mine material stone, collect lumber, and more. You won't ever have to worry about taking your tools to get upgraded, which will let you save time and explore the land!
3. Everything in your bag is at your disposal! Since you can stack up to 255 of each item, storage won't be a problem! You won't have to run back to your house, get items from your tool box or refrigerator, and so on, because you can keep everything in your bag. Therefore, when villagers need an item, you won't have to worry about not having it! Your trusty bag will help you save tons of time.
Everything in Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley has been reinvented, renewed, and reinvigorated!
In the end, it is our goal to make our hardcore Harvest Moon fans happy, bring back players of the series that haven’t played in a while, and introduce new gamers to the loveable, non-violent world of Harvest Moon! We want these and the other features to feel like a very small, smooth change that will have a huge impact on how players spend their time in-game.
Naomi is the first villager we’re introducing in the new Meet the Residents of Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley Series!
"I've been all over the world, and seen so many things..."
As a journalist, Naomi has traveled all around the world. She’s been to many wonderful places, as well as some not so wonderful ones. She’s helped many people she’s met in dealing with their pain and suffering. She came to the Lost Valley for some down time, and to recover.
"I used to have a daughter, you know..."
Many years ago, Naomi was separated from her two-year old daughter in a tragic accident, an incident she’s been trying to put out of her mind ever since. Will Naomi be able to find the peace she’s been searching for in the Lost Valley?
Iris is the next character we’re introducing in the new Meet the residents of Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley series! We’re revealing two neighbors this week to kick things off; we’ll also start talking about bachelors and bachelorettes soon!
“Do you have any flowers for me today?”
Iris is a calm, unflappable mother figure within The Lost Valley. She’s lived a peaceful, rural life since she was born and wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Together with her husband, she runs a floral shop outside The Lost Valley; she visits the valley in order to find rare and beautiful blooms while he tends the shop.
“That daughter of mine is a shy one…"
Iris is the mother of April; the two share the same soft blonde hair as well as their calm, quiet natures. Keep watching for more about April in a future post!
Brutus is the next villager we're introducing from Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley!
"Nice day. Work hard!"
An immigrant to the Lost Valley, Brutus is the local blacksmith who came to live here with his two sons. He's searching for a rare ore that can only be found in the Lost Valley. As a quiet and solidary man, he struggles to reach out to his children emotionally, and gets in arguments with them from time to time. His work is flawless, however Brutus is always striving to become a master blacksmith, a wish he also shares for his eldest son.
"Brutus not have time for nonsense!"
A man of few words, Brutus habitually gets angry when his sons don't understand what he is trying to convey to them, which leads him to become stubborn, and his stubbornness only makes the situation worse! Brutus needs the help of a kind, patient friend who will help him connect to his two sons.
Tony is the first BACHELOR we’re revealing from #HarvestMoon: The Lost Valley!
"My father doesn't like me... He thinks I'm a weakling..."
The eldest son of Brutus the Blacksmith, Tony is a talented young man who loves his dad, but struggles with his expectations. Sensitive, serious, yet gentle, he rebels against his father's strictness. He is training to follow in his father's footsteps, but there is just one problem:
"I don't want to become a blacksmith..."
Tony may seem distant at times, but once he gains some inner confidence, he's sure to bloom. You'll need to woo Tony sweetly to discover what his secret ambition is, and to encourage him to reach out and grasp it! Tony is a marriage candidate.
Finally, four new screens were also unleashed:
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