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Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town | Review Thread
- Thread starter Deleted member 10737
- Start date
They're okay, but if you're gonna pick up a 3DS entry Trio of Towns is the way to go.
This is exactly what frustrates me too. We waited so long that I felt like Marvelous must be putting out all the stops to make the game fantastic and then we get... this. And compared to the leap RF5 got after all those years of waiting makes it even worse.
I bought the discounted expansion pass bundle because I am weak willed and also because Ludus is in the final wave of the dlc. I don't think I'll have too much of an issue when it comes to most of the common gameplay complaints, but I really wish the game kept the portraits. The artwork looks much better than these models. I almost think some of the Harvest Moon One World characters are looking better than the ones here. That's probably more of a complaint with the art direction Story of Seasons has been going in.
I will say, just in the character creator, it's disappointing to see another game with so few skin color options. How hard is it to just incorporate a slider, seriously? Games like this always limit you to the most unflattering darker skin tones, like they never even tested how they look in the game's lighting, or how they may clash with some of the faces' unremovable blushes. These problems are also more visually exacerbated by the Switch's higher definition than they were on the 3DS. Some of the hairstyles also sit weirdly high on the (already ginormous) head, and look awkward. I will try not to nitpick without playing the game first, but I'm definitely not a fan of these models.
I will say, just in the character creator, it's disappointing to see another game with so few skin color options. How hard is it to just incorporate a slider, seriously? Games like this always limit you to the most unflattering darker skin tones, like they never even tested how they look in the game's lighting, or how they may clash with some of the faces' unremovable blushes. These problems are also more visually exacerbated by the Switch's higher definition than they were on the 3DS. Some of the hairstyles also sit weirdly high on the (already ginormous) head, and look awkward. I will try not to nitpick without playing the game first, but I'm definitely not a fan of these models.
Played about six hours today and have been enjoying it. The makers aren't too annoying yet but can see how they will become a pain pretty soon. I'll probably shelf this on Friday when Monster Hunter comes out until they release the patch. Seems like a good game except this one issue. Just give us a shed to store these in and let us queue multiple items. This would probably help a ton with the framerate too.
-Further reduce load times from the patch they already released
-improving performance(things like lag)
-improving makers
-changing the production during dialogue
-adding more meal model varieties
-making it easier to control the player
-modifying and adding text during conversations
-bug fixes
-more stuff we don't know about yet
They said they will give us dates closer to them dropping
Certain changes like the makers were clearly done to make it so that the player couldn't do as much in a single day. There are people who don't hate it though.
I'm definitely going to wait for a few big patches to go out but reviews are honestly better than I thought. Rune Factory 5 is too far out probably and I need my simulation fix.
Also, one thing people miss about the makers is that you don't need a giant factory of them. Putting in quality items give you more in return from a single one. You have a bunch of people saying they only give you one item in return, but that's only true for the most basic level.
of course there are still a lot of different ones and they are changing it anyways, so it doesn't matter.
of course there are still a lot of different ones and they are changing it anyways, so it doesn't matter.
Damn I felt my resolve weakening bc I could use a good farm sim to play but I think I'm still gonna hold off for the patch...I binge these games so hard I can't see myself jumping back in for a patched change unless I already deeply love there game...
unless anyone who's playing atm wants to sell me otherwise 👀👀👀👀
unless anyone who's playing atm wants to sell me otherwise 👀👀👀👀
Don't think so. Haven't seen any at all in dozens of hours of play and the series artist doesn't seem to like them much either =P
You have to feed your cows to them to prevent the blood moon from rising.
At risk of self promotion (is that even still a rule here? I feel like a total dope trying to even find the rules thread that I'm not even sure existed when I joined) RanchStory's wiki crew has been doing their best to get as much info up as possible in time for launch. We also did a review, but I figured a super tiny narrow-focused site probably didn't qualify for the thread.
Yes, the first new area that comes from DLC is expected in May:
XSEED Games Details ‘Expansion Pass’ and Post-Launch DLC for STORY OF SEASONS: Pioneers of Olive Town on Nintendo Switch™ Nintendo Switch – XSEED Games
XSEED Games today revealed details about the upcoming DLC that will be available for STORY OF SEASONS: Pioneers of Olive Town following its launch on the Nintendo Switch™ system in North America on March 23. This bounty of extra content for the latest entry in the popular farming/life simulation...
www.xseedgames.com
Soooo. Maybe I missed something but I'm on day 4 and don't have any tools? I looked it up and apparently Victor gives you a set of tools on the first day but I have no idea where they are. Are they supposed to be in my inventory?
Open menu with X, there's a toolbag at the bottom. You can move your tools to/from the bag.
Yes, the first new area that comes from DLC is expected in May:
XSEED Games Details ‘Expansion Pass’ and Post-Launch DLC for STORY OF SEASONS: Pioneers of Olive Town on Nintendo Switch™ Nintendo Switch – XSEED Games
XSEED Games today revealed details about the upcoming DLC that will be available for STORY OF SEASONS: Pioneers of Olive Town following its launch on the Nintendo Switch™ system in North America on March 23. This bounty of extra content for the latest entry in the popular farming/life simulation...www.xseedgames.com
That's...a lot of good stuff. The funny thing is that it makes me want to just wait for the DLC to come out before jumping in rather than tempting me to buy now.
Awesome, thanks! I remembered that I used y'all for the FOMT remake last summer and have been using it all day today! Thanks for the info you've already got up :)
I'm halfway through Summer and the game is unfortunately pretty mediocre. The addictive gameplay loop still exists, but the experience isn't great. I had more fun with FoMT remake and even the Doraemon game.
Cons:
1) The game is way too easy. I'm not on Seedling mode, but at Summer 15 I have more money than I know what to do with, and tools upgraded to gold level. I pushed hard for sprinklers early on (you can restore stamina very cheaply at the cafe and also using your bath, which allows for a fair amount of mining to get done) and then made a ton of gold the first few weeks of summer. this is without following any sort of guide and just buying a variety of all summer crops to test out prices.
2) This has been discussed a ton, but the lack of character portraits really dilutes the experience. Many conversations end up with me either seeing the back of the NPCs head, or just a building that is blocking them. They feel less like townspeople and more just like bodies that spout lines. The special events do help this though because the camera is actually focused correctly and they emote.
3) The entire map is your farm and the town. It feels very claustrophic, I don't recall a previous game with a map this tiny.
4) Makers are obnoxious. I end up babysitting them because you can only add enough to make one thing at a time. I have a bunch of makers (maybe 5 or 6) at this point I don't even know why I need them, making perfume or something? Grinding salt? A few makers is fine but this does not enhance the experience at all. At a minimum I would want upgradeable makers with higher capacities or throughput if they are going to be so critical.
5) Frame rate is a problem, and I'm getting a lot of pop in now. I am not super picky about this stuff so I can easily tolerate it if the game is good, but my farm chugs because of all those damn makers...which I already hate.
6) It takes 30 minutes to cook a recipe. Who asked for this?
Pros:
1) Addictive gameplay loop still exists and it's very satisfying
2) Cute pets and animals, nothing new here
3) I actually quite like the NPCs, I just wish it was easier to get to know their personalities better outside of the special events.
4) Mining has been reworked so you don't have to save scum anymore. This is a great change, even if mining is still bland.
5) Lots of collectables, including a museum to fill up.
6) the best graphics we've seen in the series, the farm can end up looking beautiful. Camera mode enhances this since you can actually rotate the camera 360 degrees for photos.
Cons:
1) The game is way too easy. I'm not on Seedling mode, but at Summer 15 I have more money than I know what to do with, and tools upgraded to gold level. I pushed hard for sprinklers early on (you can restore stamina very cheaply at the cafe and also using your bath, which allows for a fair amount of mining to get done) and then made a ton of gold the first few weeks of summer. this is without following any sort of guide and just buying a variety of all summer crops to test out prices.
2) This has been discussed a ton, but the lack of character portraits really dilutes the experience. Many conversations end up with me either seeing the back of the NPCs head, or just a building that is blocking them. They feel less like townspeople and more just like bodies that spout lines. The special events do help this though because the camera is actually focused correctly and they emote.
3) The entire map is your farm and the town. It feels very claustrophic, I don't recall a previous game with a map this tiny.
4) Makers are obnoxious. I end up babysitting them because you can only add enough to make one thing at a time. I have a bunch of makers (maybe 5 or 6) at this point I don't even know why I need them, making perfume or something? Grinding salt? A few makers is fine but this does not enhance the experience at all. At a minimum I would want upgradeable makers with higher capacities or throughput if they are going to be so critical.
5) Frame rate is a problem, and I'm getting a lot of pop in now. I am not super picky about this stuff so I can easily tolerate it if the game is good, but my farm chugs because of all those damn makers...which I already hate.
6) It takes 30 minutes to cook a recipe. Who asked for this?
Pros:
1) Addictive gameplay loop still exists and it's very satisfying
2) Cute pets and animals, nothing new here
3) I actually quite like the NPCs, I just wish it was easier to get to know their personalities better outside of the special events.
4) Mining has been reworked so you don't have to save scum anymore. This is a great change, even if mining is still bland.
5) Lots of collectables, including a museum to fill up.
6) the best graphics we've seen in the series, the farm can end up looking beautiful. Camera mode enhances this since you can actually rotate the camera 360 degrees for photos.
My review's up at the G
www.theguardian.com
Oddly enough, this got me playing Factorio, and now I want to see Factorio X Harvest Moon
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town review – limited earthly delights
Better visuals for the farm-sim improve the interaction but slow loading undermines the laid-back flow
www.theguardian.com
Oddly enough, this got me playing Factorio, and now I want to see Factorio X Harvest Moon
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town Nintendo Switch Preview • The Mako Reactor
Here's what you need to know about Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town after we spent 20 hours playing it on Nintendo Switch docked and handheld including load times, performance, touchscreen support, fishing, music, and more impressions ahead of the Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town...
themakoreactor.com
From a preview, but still:
What the hell. In the previous game I even thought it was the right call to make the visuals more simplistic in order to maintain smooth 60fps. I never would have imagined the framerate to get downgraded now. Pass.
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town Nintendo Switch Preview • The Mako Reactor
Here's what you need to know about Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town after we spent 20 hours playing it on Nintendo Switch docked and handheld including load times, performance, touchscreen support, fishing, music, and more impressions ahead of the Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town...
From a preview, but still:
What the hell. In the previous game I even thought it was the right call to make the visuals more simplistic in order to maintain smooth 60fps. I never would have imagined the framerate to get downgraded now. Pass.
Edit: Aw nuts, checking real quick this isn't the one who mentioned the improved frame rate in the 1.03 patch I don't think? Still, it was a thing.
The framerate issues here are more of an optimization issue here, but this game has more going on graphically than FoMT.Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town Nintendo Switch Preview • The Mako Reactor
Here's what you need to know about Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town after we spent 20 hours playing it on Nintendo Switch docked and handheld including load times, performance, touchscreen support, fishing, music, and more impressions ahead of the Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town...
From a preview, but still:
What the hell. In the previous game I even thought it was the right call to make the visuals more simplistic in order to maintain smooth 60fps. I never would have imagined the framerate to get downgraded now. Pass.
Framerate is mainly going to be touched in a future patch. 1.03 focused more on load times.
Framerate is going to continue to be improved but the 1.03 patch still drastically helped. Before the patch, having a lot of objects on the farm would drag the framerate down pretty bad and it would be even worse if you were moving quickly while on horseback or with the bike, occasionally coming to complete full stops. It's significantly better now.
Can't someone explain what's up with the makers and why people are bothered with them? I watched the Giant Bomb QL and still don't get what's wrong with them. You need too many of them?
They made makers less efficient in this game and created more of them, so you have people putting a lot of them on their farms, which people don't like for various reasons like aesthetic, making the framerate dip, or just thinking putting a bigger focus on them changes things from previous games in the series. Based on this and other changes my guess is because they wanted the players to be able to get less done in a single day.
There was a big backlash to the makers, so the producer announced on the game's website that they will be changed in a future patch among other things.
Frame rates take a big hit every so often, hard to say what exactly triggers the big slowdowns on the farm and at a guess I'd say it's a memory management bottleneck that surfaces when several unrelated systems call for resources at the same time. It seems to be a little more likely to happen in the morning based on my teeny-tiny set of observations.
The game predictably chugs during holiday events when dozens of unique NPCs are placed in the town environment, that's a more straightforward memory management problem. The game is never unplayable in the 12+ hours I've played. This is running the 1.03 patch.
The game predictably chugs during holiday events when dozens of unique NPCs are placed in the town environment, that's a more straightforward memory management problem. The game is never unplayable in the 12+ hours I've played. This is running the 1.03 patch.
In addition to what Sandfox says about makers, there's also the wrinkle of how they feel thematically since clearing out a dense thicket of trees to install a bunch of machines can feel pretty gross when the series has usually been extremely pro-nature. Thankfully once you've got all your stuff rebuilt getting rid of the makers is pretty easy. I just plain stopped needing almost all of them once the last facility was repaired and I had a massive surplus of material left over.
The makers don't bother me, there's a clear meta game thing going where the makers are obviously tuned to work much slower than equivalent systems in other games. The in-game method for brute-forcing past the maker bottleneck is to make a shitload of them. If you take it to the extreme you end up with a farm that looks like an industrial wasteland; but, from my view, that's exactly what you've chosen to do if you're trying to turn an entire forest into lumber in a single afternoon. It fits thematically.
IMHO Marvelous could tone down the industrial Revolution effect a bit by giving means to upgrade makers to work more than one piece at a time, with the costs of the makers increasing at a matching rate. The economic balance would stay the same, the rate of production would stay the same, there would just be fewer machine-things visible on your farm.
My gripe about makers isn't about their speed or the factory aesthetic when you place 40 of them in one clearing. I just think they're ugly. For other farming or survival sim games machines and tools look like real world objects: the preserving barrel in Stardew looks like a big barrel, the kiln in Valheim is a 3D model of a kiln. In PoOT these devices would both look like Vegas slot machines, one with a big pickle on the top and the other with a giant lump of coal on top. It's very out-of-place. PoOT generally looks great as a whimsical farm setting; the cows and chickens are hyper-stylized but clearly the caricatures of real animals. The crops are probably the best I've ever seen for this sort of game; half-ripe tomatoes on the vine are a work of art. The makers are jarring next to the rest of everything, like assets from another, uglier, game.
IMHO Marvelous could tone down the industrial Revolution effect a bit by giving means to upgrade makers to work more than one piece at a time, with the costs of the makers increasing at a matching rate. The economic balance would stay the same, the rate of production would stay the same, there would just be fewer machine-things visible on your farm.
My gripe about makers isn't about their speed or the factory aesthetic when you place 40 of them in one clearing. I just think they're ugly. For other farming or survival sim games machines and tools look like real world objects: the preserving barrel in Stardew looks like a big barrel, the kiln in Valheim is a 3D model of a kiln. In PoOT these devices would both look like Vegas slot machines, one with a big pickle on the top and the other with a giant lump of coal on top. It's very out-of-place. PoOT generally looks great as a whimsical farm setting; the cows and chickens are hyper-stylized but clearly the caricatures of real animals. The crops are probably the best I've ever seen for this sort of game; half-ripe tomatoes on the vine are a work of art. The makers are jarring next to the rest of everything, like assets from another, uglier, game.
