Keep in mind that Sam isn't the official name for the character. The character is currently genderless and nameless. Draft. No portrait yet. Will add more color. Currently a work in progress, as you could probably tell. Right now I'm just learning but this will be my first project. Hoping I might be able to find someone who would like to help out with this. I want to create a new character in the game without replacing pets or people. Also, I want players to be able to really interact with this character and see personality. Let me tell you a bit about this character. They're eight and a half years old, the half is very important to them. They do in fact have a story which might be a little sad. Be warned that I am not a great writer and nor am I a good story teller. I tend to jump all over the place when it comes to stories, or just overall writing. I will tell you my draft story for now and like I said it is just a draft. Character's Story Sam was told their mother was sixteen years old when she gave birth to them. Her parents had disowned her and ignored her existence when she became pregnant. Terrified and alone, she went to her town's church that welcomed her. They clothed and fed her, even had her continue her education. When she finally gave birth to Sam, she was over the moon. However after a few days she suddenly left without a word. Sam was left to the church and then was fostered by a couple. The story should have ended there, but there is more. The couple that fostered Sam weren't good ones. Everyday there would be a new bruise, a new mark to cover up, a scar that kept getting bigger. When Sam had their eighth birthday there was a present sent to them in the mail. Inside was a scarf and a note from their mother. It was a note saying she loved Sam, everyday she thought of her child she left alone. Unfortunately although she wished, she would never see Sam again. This note was her last and only to her child, this would be the last note she would ever write. Not all is dark and dim though, in the note is an address. Sam's mother had a sister. Her sister has a child of her own that is now running a farm in Stardew Valley. If Sam was ever hurt or needed help, that was a place to go to. Where and when would you find this character? What I want to do is create a new building, a shed. I will try and get Robin to build it and it shouldn't cost a lot. If I can't then I will figure out something else. When the shed is built though, the child won't come until year two. This will trigger an event at 8PM inside the shed, if I can do this. You will see the child eating a stolen crop from your farm. Scared, they will push you and knock you down. After this you will see them near the tent where Linus lives. When you talk to them, they will say they weren't on your farm, they never met you before in their life. Around 8PM, you will see them sneaking into the shed to sleep. Bonding Every heart will have an event, which will be you bonding with Sam. Mostly it will be just talking but I would like the player to teach Sam to fish and play the harp. There will also be an event where Sam is in the Saloon wanting to order milk but does not have enough money. The player will pay for it and then Sam will begin opening up and sharing the letter to you. Moving in No idea how I'm going to do this, but I will try getting Sam to move into the player home. This will happen at either five or the full ten hearts. A new room will be added. You will see them go to sleep every night at 8PM still but this time in their own bed. Growing up What I want to do is make this mod like a series. There will be three different mods of Sam but aged up. The second mod will be when Sam is a teenager, and then a young adult for the third. Might not be very realistic, but I think it would be cute seeing Sam grow up. Likes and Dislikes This is a child, so top favorite is cake and cookies. Liked is ice cream, stones, gems, and trash. Neutral will be all food. Dislike will just be crystal fruit. Hate will be all flowers because they're too "girly". Do you want to help? I will happily accept any help. If you want to simply link me to a guide you think will help, that would be great. If you want to get involved and help with others things, that's amazing. I'm not really expecting many people to help, if any. I'm a complete newbie with big dreams it seems so I really am not expecting people to help much. If you do, it really is amazing. You would be amazing. Just ask if you want to help but I will accept all help.
Hello, glad to see more people working on NPC's! I'm painfully close to getting one up and testable, assuming it's possible with 'just' XNB modding. You asked for a guide; I've been slowly assembling one as I go, and here it is. Note that information be wrong or made better, obviously my own sprite/portraitwork is gonna go through... Multiple revisions... And there's still information left to fill out. Still, here you go! Echo is a really cute name, even if Echo doesn't like cute things, or worries about seeming 'girly'. As an NPC, this is a fantastic idea, and much more interesting to me as a player then the way the game handles children and having kids. It sounds like you've got a lot of ideas in terms of plot, so I won't meddle too much, but if there is anything I can do to help, I'd love to bring SAM to fruition. (especially if you decide to just call them SAM so I can talk to Sam and SAM in-game because I have a really dumb sense of humour.) Just let me know about your further questions, and this weekend I'll try to devote some time to helping out, if you'd like!
Thank you so much! The guide is very easy to read and understand which is unusual since most guides tend to be confusing. What I want to do first though is create the shed before the character. However I'm not sure if creating new buildings are possible. I thought it might be doable but I'm not sure. I really do love your help though, you just helped me quite a lot with your work in progress guide.
Just wanted to say that I hope everything work out. Love the concept, upload a portrait when it's done.
This is quite the project you have planned. I really hope it turns into a reality. I can visualize the scenes you described and just from the description of 'SAM's' backstory, he seems like a real character to me. His character sprite is super adorable. I love the scarf. Do you have an artist picked out for the character portrait? There are so many great artists on here I hope one of them can do this for you. I know of an artist in RL but she has never worked with pixels before so if she did the portrait, it would have to be converted by someone else anyway. So it may be better if someone could just do the entire thing. Same with the shed design. I can offer my services as story editor and possible writer for some of it. Though I now worry that I could not come up with a great enough plot. Oh the pressure! This character is a great idea. Good luck!
