Part 1 Sketchnote – Daniel Cook on Arcs’ and Loops
Part 2
Game Overview
Stardew Valley is an open-ended farming simulation and role-playing game created by Eric Barone and released in 2016. It’s a digital game, available on PC, Mac, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and mobile devices. I played the game on my iPhone. The official website is https://www.stardewvalley.net/
Players inherit an abandoned farm from their grandfather and leave behind an exhausting corporate job to begin a new life. Starting with limited resources and basic farming tools, players gradually transform the land into a productive farm while building relationships with villagers, exploring mines, fishing, and contributing to the community. I played the game for 2 hours and reached the 4th day of the spring, see Figure 1.
Figure 1: The progress of the game
Genre and Its Relationship to System Dynamics
Although Stardew Valley is primarily a farming simulation, it also incorporates life simulation, resource management, exploration, relationship-building, and even mini-games.
I think this combination is essential to how the game represents system dynamics. Farming is only one part of the experience. Players also need to manage money, energy, time, weather, and social relationships. These systems are interconnected, meaning that a decision in one area can influence opportunities in another.
For example, I received introductory tasks that involved meeting 28 villagers (Figure 2), harvesting an egg from a chicken (Figure 3), and putting hay into a chicken coop’s feeding trough . At first, these sounded like simple tasks. However, when I tried to figure out the chicken-related tasks, I went to the carpenter to investigate building a coop. I discovered that construction was beyond my budget (Figure 4), so I thought I would first need to earn more money.
Figure 2: task – greeting 28 people
Figure 3: task – harvest an egg
Figure 4: the expensive coop
This experience illustrates how a simple goal can lead players to discover an entire network of systems: earning money, acquiring resources, building facilities, caring for animals, and collecting products. The game does not allow players to complete every objective immediately. Instead, I should gradually understand how different systems connect by myself.
Previous course concepts
The game reminded me of Bogost’s concept of procedural rhetoric, which suggests that games communicate values through their rules and mechanics. Stardew Valley seems to communicate the importance of patience, resource management, community, and respecting other people’s boundaries. For example, I cannot enter certain villagers’ rooms until I develop sufficiently close relationships with them (Figure 5). Rather than simply telling players that relationships take time, the game makes this idea part of its rules. Similarly, the daily energy limit communicates that labor and resources are finite.
Figure 5: an example of procedural rhetoric
Design Inspiration and Criticism
1. Customization creates a sense of ownership and immersion.
One feature I really enjoyed was being able to customize my character’s appearance, choose the type of farm, and even name my farm (Figure 6). These choices made me feel that I was building my own world rather than simply playing a character designed by someone else. For my own system game, I would like to give players opportunities to personalize their identities, starting conditions, or roles so that they feel more connected to the decisions they make.
Figure 6: Customization options
2. Provide guidance through meaningful tasks without taking away autonomy.
I appreciated how the game provided specific tasks, such as introducing myself to 28 villagers, collecting an egg from a chicken, and putting hay in the coop’s feeding trough. These tasks gave me some direction when I initially had no idea where to go or what to do. I like how seemingly simple tasks can lead players to discover relationships between different systems. At the same time, my initial confusion reminded me that designers need to balance freedom with sufficient scaffolding.
3. Let players discover rules through experimentation.
Another aspect I enjoyed was discovering mechanics that the game did not explicitly explain to me. For example, I accidentally discovered that I could fish in a lake (see Figure 7), and that catching fish involved a mini-game! Sometimes I succeeded, while other times the fish escaped. Instead of being told exactly how everything worked, I gradually developed my understanding through trial and error. This connects to interaction loops and the process of updating one’s mental model through feedback. In my own game, I want players to discover underlying system rules through their own actions rather than simply reading instructions.
Figure 7: example of experimentation
4. Create realism through interconnected rules and constraints.
What impressed me most was how Stardew Valley simulated so many small details of real life. Land that I had cleared could become overgrown again. Time continued passing, shops closed at certain hours, and it became dark. There is even a board (Figure 8) showing everyone’s birthday, which makes me feel they are real people.
Figure 8: Birthday Board
5. Create anticipation through unlockable content.
Another clever design choice is that some places are visible but not immediately accessible. For example, I discovered that I could not enter certain buildings but clearly there’s something going on inside (Figure 9). Instead of feeling that these places were simply unavailable, I started wondering what was inside and whether I could eventually unlock them. This gave me something to look forward to and motivated me to continue playing. I like how the game reveals possibilities before players can access them, creating curiosity and a sense of progression. In my own system game, I would like to use similar mechanics to give players a glimpse of future opportunities, so that they have meaningful goals to work toward.
Figure 9: an example of creating anticipation
Game as a Formal System
Stardew Valley strongly embodies a formal system through four interconnected elements: objects, attributes, internal relationships, and environment.
The objects include players, crops, tools, animals, villagers, shops, and buildings. Each object has its own attributes. For example, crops have different growth times and selling prices, while players have limited money and energy. Villagers also have individual personalities and birthdays.
What I find most interesting is the internal relationships between these objects. For example, weather conditions affect whether I need to water crops, which subsequently influences how much energy and time I have for other activities. Similarly, shop opening hours affect when I can purchase seeds, which may influence my planting schedule and future income.
The environment also shapes how the farming system operates. Pelican Town has its own geographical spaces, seasonal cycles, changing weather, and day-night patterns. I was particularly surprised that the world continued operating independently of my actions. Shops closed even when I needed to buy something, and nighttime arrived regardless of whether I had finished my tasks (Figure 10). Based on the interactions among objects, their attributes, and the environment. Players gradually learn to navigate these relationships and adapt their decisions accordingly.
Figure 10: the night of the farm
Interaction Loops & Interaction Arcs
One of the most obvious interaction loops is the farming cycle: Plant seeds → Water crops → Wait → Harvest → Earn money → Reinvest.
Every time I completed this cycle, I gained resources that could help me expand my farm. This also illustrates a reinforcing relationship: more production can generate more income, which can support further investment.
Another example is fishing. Sometimes I caught a fish, while other times it escaped. Each attempt required me to act, observe feedback, and adjust my strategy. This closely resembles interaction loop: players develop and revise their mental models through repeated experimentation.
Interestingly, these loops operate at different frequencies. Fishing produces immediate feedback within seconds, whereas farming requires several in-game days. Building facilities or developing relationships may take even longer. These different frequencies create variety within the larger game system.
One detail I particularly enjoyed was the background music. I noticed that the game played cheerful music while I explored the farm and town, and that the music could change from one day to another. This reminded me of the concept of Parallel Arcs. Even when the gameplay mechanics remain the same, different music can make a new day feel fresh and exciting. I think this is a clever way to reduce the feeling of repetition without constantly introducing new mechanics.
I also noticed smaller narrative experiences through interactions with villagers. Some villagers responded warmly, while others seemed unfriendly. These brief conversations can function as Micro Parallel Arcs, adding emotional meaning to the repeated activity of exploring the town.
My biggest takeaway is that a compelling system game does not necessarily need complicated mechanics. Instead, it can create an engaging experience through simple but interconnected rules, opportunities for discovery, meaningful constraints, and a sense of anticipation about what players might achieve next.
