I think it would be awesome if the game had sort of rival events, where the villagers have events with their crushes, and the player can stumble in on them. If the player witnesses all the rival events, the two villagers will marry. They could be spread out over a long time, so the player has time to still marry the villager before the rival marries them. I think this would add a lot more immersion into the game as I think story progression through other characters dating and marrying would really benefit the community feel of the game. I can definitely see Abigail and Sebastian getting together. Harvest Moon DS Rivals "The Black Rival event can happen at the beginning of the game and beyond, but the Blue Rival event can only occur if you've reached your 2nd year. Likewise you need to be on your 3rd year or later for the Green Rival event to happen, and the last Orange event won't happen until you have reached your 4th year. That gives you 4 years to woo any particular girl without having to worry about triggering the last rival event. After you see the last rival event the couple will get married 1 week later. The boy will come by your house in the morning and invite you to the ceremony. You don't get any chance to object to the wedding and your entire day is spent at the Beach. That means your animals and crops will not be cared for that day. Not even the Sprites will do any work!"
Were those present back in the original Back to Nature (console) and Friends of Mineral Town (GBA) versions? Because that's when ConcernedApe considers HM to have been at its best.
Not in the same sense, as there was not an event to that depth in that version. It is also the last version I have played. back to nature that is. There are candidate match-ups that correspond to each. The problem is the time limit; which a couple, including the secret(not so secret now) goddess marry are timed. Which means at least a couple candidates were not accessible after a while. I don't remember the exact number that you lose the chance for, but there is. As with the suggestion, I can only see that being in a mod of some kind since, that would put pressure on a normally casual game. I believe he did it open ended like this so people don't have to worry on time constraints, as it is meant to be played at your own pace. With something like this it might put back what was irritating, which limits which candidates you can choose from after a while. I personally wouldn't want such a thing, as I take longer than average person getting through the game as is. This would put unneeded urgency to choose quickly, and take away one thing I actually like the game in the first place. Which is freedom to take your time, and not be pressured or have to be forced to meet a time constraint. I can see people liking this idea; I am just not one of them. Now if it was after you marry, and something like this was to happy that would be another matter. I would like that. Divorce coming(in the future), but it is first marriage in my eyes, as I usually stick with the person I choose. So basically if it is from the get go I would not like this suggestion. If it is something that will happen after marriage, then I would like that suggestion; since that means you can set your own pace and choose when people start hooking up. It is about how much control of direction I would think. After all most things at the moment in the current state is in fact a choice the player makes.
How about if the player actively could choose to spark a relationship between them, such as something like actively setting them up together? Or it could be an optional feature/one that comes in after marriage, like you said.
@Capt.Kirk Yeah Matchmaking I wouldn't mind, that gives more personal choice in whom the player things who goes better with whom. Think that particular way has been suggested before if I am remember correctly... But yes, for the most part I would be for after marriage thing or a matchmaking thing of some kind. I don't mind playing that role to in a way be more involved with the townsfolk.
