No farm type mods out there truly appeal to me so I'm wanting to create my own. I don't need detailed instructions, just need to know what kind of recently updated software I need to use/have. thanks to anybody in advance
I am using Tiled (https://www.mapeditor.org/). The modding wiki also refers to Tiled directly given there are a few things that need to be considered (https://stardewvalleywiki.com/Modding:Maps). I'd also recommend a program that allows importing color palettes for the ingame maps as they're dependent on the current season. Using the palettes of the ingame graphics makes them blend in seamless. I personally have been using Aseprite (https://www.aseprite.org/) for the maps tho any program works.
