Getting Started

Getting Started

Welcome to Stardew Valley! This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to start your new life on the farm. We’ll cover character creation, controls, UI, your first hour, early objectives, common pitfalls, and a day-one checklist.

Character Creation (No Impact, But Make It Fun)

When you start a new game, you’ll be asked to create your character. This is purely cosmetic – no stats, skills, or story changes based on your choices. You can even change your appearance later for 500g at the Wizard’s tower. So just pick a look that you like.

• Name & Farm Name: Your character name and farm name will appear in dialogue. Choose something you won’t get tired of.


• Favorite Thing: This determines the message you see when you eat a Stardrop (a rare permanent energy upgrade). It’s fun, but not critical.


• Pet Preference: You’ll eventually get a cat or dog. Choose whichever you prefer – both are purely cosmetic.


• Appearance: Hair, shirt, pants, accessories – all changeable later.

Controls Overview (All Platforms)

Stardew Valley is available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and mobile. Controls are similar but have platform-specific buttons.

#### PC (Keyboard & Mouse)
#### PlayStation (PS4/PS5)

• Move: Left Stick


• Interact/Action: X button


• Cancel/Menu: Circle button


• Open Inventory: Touchpad (or Options button then select Inventory)


• Open Map: Touchpad (hold) or Options


• Toolbar: D-Pad left/right to select item, or L2/R2 to scroll


• Run: Hold R1


#### Xbox (Xbox One/Series X|S)

• Move: Left Stick


• Interact/Action: A button


• Cancel/Menu: B button


• Open Inventory: View button (two overlapping boxes) or Menu button


• Open Map: View button (hold) or Menu


• Toolbar: D-Pad left/right, or LB/RB to scroll


• Run: Hold RB


#### Nintendo Switch

• Move: Left Stick


• Interact/Action: A button


• Cancel/Menu: B button


• Open Inventory: X button


• Open Map: Y button (hold for full map)


• Toolbar: D-Pad left/right, or L/R to scroll


• Run: Hold B (or toggle in options)


#### Mobile (iOS/Android)

• Move: Tap or drag where you want to go (auto-pathfinding listens)


• Interact: Tap on an object (e.g., a rock to swing pickaxe)


• Open Inventory: Tap the backpack icon on screen


• Toolbar: Swipe left/right on the toolbar at the bottom, or tap a slot


• Run: Auto-run by default; toggle in settings


• Controls can be customized: In Settings > Controls, you can choose between tap-to-move, joystick, or button overlay.




UI Overview (Key Elements)



Your screen has several important parts:

1. Toolbar (Hotbar): The row at the bottom shows your currently held items. You carry 12 items (36 if you upgrade to a larger backpack). You can equip tools, weapons, food, or seeds here.
2. Health & Energy: Two bars at the top of the screen. Green = Energy (used for almost everything), Red = Health (takes damage from monsters or hazards). If Energy hits zero, you collapse and wake up in bed (half energy next day). If Health hits zero, you also lose some money and items.
3. Time & Date: Top-right corner shows the current time (from 6:00 AM to 2:00 AM) and the day/season (e.g., "Spring, Day 1").
4. Mini-map: Top-right square shows a simple map of your current area.
5. Quest Notifications: Appear on the left side when you receive a letter or quest update.

Press inventory key (E on PC, etc.) to see full backpack, skills, relationship, and map tabs.



The First Hour: Step-by-Step Walkthrough



Day 1 (Spring 1) – This is your first day. Follow these steps to avoid wasting time.

1. Wake up (6:00 AM). The game starts with a brief cutscene where Robin (the carpenter) visits. She’ll tell you to check your TV and mailbox.
2. Check the TV – Change channels until you find the "Livin' Off The Land" channel for tips, and then the weather forecast (important tomorrow). You can also watch the Queen of Sauce on Sundays for cooking recipes.
3. Check your mailbox – You’ll have a letter from the Governor? Actually the first day usually has a letter from your grandpa. Read it, then ignore for now.
4. Explore your house – You have a kitchen (empty until you upgrade), a bedroom, and a living room. There’s a calendar on the wall (shows birthdays and events).
5. Go outside – Your farm is overgrown with grass, rocks, sticks, and weeds.
6. Meet Robin outside – She gives you 15 parsnip seeds and simple instructions. Plant them immediately.
- How to plant: Clear a small patch of ground using the hoe (select it from toolbar, then left click/tap/A on the ground). It will till the soil. Then select the parsnip seeds and left click/tap/A on the tilled soil. Water them with the watering can (select it, then hold action and release to water a 3-tile area if you hold). Water each spot until blue.
7. Use up your energy wisely – You start with about 270 Energy. Hoeing and watering consume 8 Energy per tile. Stick to planting just those 15 parsnips for now. Don’t try to clear the whole farm.
8. Head to town – After planting, walk south from your farm to Pelican Town. Explore the area. You’ll see residents, the Community Center (locked), shops, and Pierre’s General Store.
- Visit Pierre’s: Inside, you can buy more seeds, but save your 500g for later.
- Visit the Beach (south of town): Forage for shells, coral, and other items.
- Visit the Forest (west of town): Forage for berries, leeks, etc.
9. Forage – Collect any wild spring onions, daffodils, or other foragables. These are free energy or can be sold.
10. Return home before 2:00 AM – If you pass out outside, you lose money. At 12:00 AM you start getting tired, and movement slows. By 2:00 AM you collapse.
11. Save the game – The game autosaves every night when you go to sleep. At 6:00 AM the next day, you’ll have a new day.

Day 2 – Water your parsnips (they take 4 days to grow). Continue exploring. Talk to townsfolk (they like gifts and words). Go fishing (Willy gives you a rod on day 2 if you visit the beach before noon). Fishing is tricky at first – practice.

Pro Tip: On day 1, do NOT try to chop down trees or break big rocks – that uses too much energy. Wait until you have food to restore energy.



Essential Early Objectives



1. Plant and harvest parsnips – Your first source of income. Sell them raw or cook later.
2. Upgrade backpack – Pierre sells a bigger backpack (12 slots → 24 slots) for 2000g. Buy as soon as you can. The largest (36 slots) is 10,000g.
3. Build a Silo (requires Robin – carpenter) – This lets you store hay for animals. Not urgent first week.
4. Complete the first Spring Foraging Bundle in the Community Center (if you chose that route) – Helps you progress and unlock rewards.
5. Meet NPCs – Talk to everyone once to get a relationship started. They’ll send you recipes and quests.
6. Craft a chest – You need 50 wood. Place chests to store items. Build one on day 1 or 2.
7. Get a fishing rod – Visit Willy at the beach on day 2 or after 9 AM. He gives you a bamboo pole. Fishing is a good early money maker.



What to Do First and What to Avoid



DO:

• Plant your parsnips immediately on day 1.


• Forage for food (spring onions, berries) to eat for energy.


• Talk to NPCs as you see them (increases friendship).


• Check TV every day for tips and recipes.


• Sleep before 2:00 AM.


• Save some money for seeds on day 2 or 3.


DON’T:

• Chop down trees on day 1 – too much energy for little reward.


• Hit rocks with your axe – use the pickaxe.


• Attack townsfolk – you can’t (tools don’t interact with them).


• Buy animals in spring (Barn/Coop are end of spring projects).


• Ignore the Community Center – but don’t rush it; it’s long-term.


• Read the entire wiki – spoils discovery. Use it only for specific questions.


• Try to complete everything in one season – impossible. Pace yourself.

Early Resource Priorities

Tip: Always keep a few pieces of every resource. You’ll need them for bundles and quests.

Common Beginner Mistakes

1. Over-exertion – Running out of energy early and collapsing. Solution: Forage for food to eat (Spring Onions near the sewers, Salmonberries in Spring 15-18).
2. Selling everything – Keep at least 1 of each crop, forage, fish, mineral for Community Center bundles. Check bundle list before selling.
3. Ignoring the Community Center – It’s the main progression driver. Activate it by triggering the cutscene at the center (enter after day 5, any time after 8 AM).
4. Cutting grass too early – If you plan to get animals, don’t cut all grass until you have a silo. Grass cut with scythe gives hay only if you have a silo. Otherwise it just disappears.
5. Buying too many seeds – Seeds cost money and take time to water. Start small. Watering becomes a chore.
6. Not using the tool action properly – Hold down the action button to charge tools (watering can, hoe, axe pickaxe) for area effects.
7. Staying up too late – You can stay up until 2 AM, but if you pass out outside, you lose 10% of your money and items. Go to bed before 1 AM to be safe.
8. Throwing away gifts – Gifts from NPCs (like letters with recipes) are not junk; they’re useful.
9. Not checking the calendar – Birthday gifts give huge relationship points. Check Pierre’s or your house calendar weekly.

Day-One Checklist

• [ ] Watch TV (weather + channel)


• [ ] Read mail


• [ ] Walk outside to meet Robin (cutscene)


• [ ] Clear a small 3x5 area of weeds/rocks (just enough for 15 parsnips)


• [ ] Hoe and water 15 tiles


• [ ] Plant parsnip seeds (in the tilled, watered soil)


• [ ] Craft a chest if you have 50 wood (on PC: open inventory, click crafting tab, choose Chest). Place it near your house.


• [ ] Forage for food (spring onions, dandelions) – eat them to restore energy


• [ ] Visit town (optional): Talk to Lewis, Pierre, Marnie. Buy nothing unless you have leftover energy.


• [ ] End the day: Sleep before 2 AM (preferably before 1 AM).

After day 1, your parsnips will grow over the next few days. Water them daily. On day 5 they’ll be ready to harvest. Sell them to Pierre or put them in the shipping bin (the box next to your house). Money arrives overnight.

Congratulations – you’ve survived your first day! The key is to be patient, explore, and enjoy the slow pace. Stardew Valley rewards curiosity and long-term planning. Don’t stress about perfection; the game doesn’t punish you for taking your time.