History VideoGame / StoryOfSeasons2014

** Many of the patterns you can create in your Sewing Studio require colors of "yarn +", but the game doesn't explain what "yarn +" actually is. An animal whose hair can be spun into yarn will produce "+ quality" hair once it has spent at least 100 hours grazing in the Safari Park. Also once an animal produces Plus-quality product, it will ''only'' produce plus-quality and won't ever revert back to standard or produce them on the side.

* SecondPlaceIsForLosers: You don't win any awards for less than first place at the festivals and contests. You get 500 relationship points with everyone, but you get that much for a decent gift. And for someone trying to get all the recipes and blueprints that are contest only, you're still a loser.

* AgelessBirthdayEpisode: Everyone in town has a birthday (and gifting them their favorite thing that day will grant a 3000 point boost in friendship). But no one will get any older with the exception of your children after a certain point. Veronica ''laments'' getting older, but she doesn't.
* AmericansAreCowboys: Wheat Country has natives dressed as cowboys and a blue and red rug with white stars on it as part of its stand. The merchant talks with a stereotypical [[UsefulNotes/AmericanAccents Dixie Accent]].

** The Dashing Prince Uniform resembles Amir's outfit from ''HarvestMoonANewBeginning''.
** The Magical Girl Costume and Pink Mini Hat is Michelle's outfit from ''HarvestMoonANewBeginning''.

You have your work cut out for you when you arrive: your home is a disused shack in need of repairs, your field is full of rocks and overgrown trees, and the town's economy has all but dried up due to lack of trade. You'll have to farm, fish, forage, and develop your land if you want to revitalize local trade. But you'll also have to develop your relationships with the townsfolk (and the magical beings who have taken up residence near your farm) if you want to truly bring the town back to life. You may even discover the spark of romance with one of the villagers!

* ArtificialStupidity: If you talk to an NPC in another character's walkway, they'll always try walking through the NPC for a couple of seconds before going around you.

* AndYourRewardIsParenthood: If you get married, you and your spouse will eventually be blessed with a pair of [[UntoUsASonAndDaughterAreBorn male and female twins.]]

** Jewelry: If you wear the right three pieces, you can get bonuses such as a faster swimming pace or automatic regeneration of stamina over time. [[http://fogu.com/sos1/activities/closet/accessory-combos.php Full details are at the bottom of this page]], but the game itself doesn't tell you about it.

* MoneySink: Blueprints for buildings and furnishings, patterns for the Sewing Studio, recipes to cook in the kitchen... purchasing all of these eventually unlocks trophies. You're also apparently the only one capable of expanding the Safari Park, which requires accumulations of materials as well as gold. Additionally, if you want to have a really big wedding, you've got to save up one million gold for the best option, wherein the whole village attends and you get the most gifts. And just in case you otherwise happen to run out of things to do with your income, there's an annual fireworks display which relies on your donations to fund it to the nicest levels.
* MythologyGag: A sad one, but [[spoiler:when Eda passes, her last words are "I truly had [[VideoGame/HarvestMoonAWonderfulLife a wonderful life]]."]]

** Even if you first met the sprites the same day, when you meet Pepita, she'll refer to you as "that human".

* NewSeasonNewName: ''Story of Seasons'' is a video game version of this trope for the formerly known ''VideoGame/HarvestMoon'' series. It's still called ''Bokujō Monogatari'' in Japan and part of the series, but due to changes in American distribution, the new Western title of the franchise is ''Story of Seasons'' while Natsume holds the rights to the ''Harvest Moon'' name and has used it to make [[VideoGame/HarvestMoonNatsume their own games]].

* CleanPrettyChildbirth: The birth of your children isn't seen, regardless of whether you're the male or female player; the father's off [[PanickyExpectantFather pacing in the lobby]] and only comes to the back room after the twins have been cleaned up and are ready to be named.

* CallingYourBathroomBreaks: Once you upgrade your house, it includes a bathroom where you can optionally use the toilet or take a bath. In either case, your character will comment on the action, but at no time is it ever required to do either; it's a purely cosmetic addition to the house.

* UntoUsASonAndDaughterAreBorn: Once the protagonist gets married and upgrades the house to the second-story model, they and their spouse will eventually have male and female fraternal twins, with the time to the child dependent on [[ExpressDelivery how much you spent on the wedding]]. They greatly resemble the other parent, since you can change your entire look at any time.

* ForgottenFallenFriend: [[spoiler:After Eda's death, nobody ever mentions her ever again.]] Almost; if you have children, once they are old enough, there's a line of dialogue with your son where he mentions the villagers told him about the old lady who taught you farming. Also, [[spoiler:once you unlock all seven vendors, Veronica will invite you to a party in the Trade Depot with the other farmers and vendors, where she remarks that she wishes Madam Eda were here to see what you've accomplished. Afterwards you'll receive a letter in the mail from Eda that she wrote in advance.]]

* FishingForSole: Occasionally you'll run across a boot or a can.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: [[spoiler:In your first autumn, Eda will complain frequently about aches when it rains. She also stops traveling into town and attending festivals. If your friendship level is high enough, you have a scripted event in which she talks about getting older and how perhaps someday you'll take care of her farm. Then, when winter comes, she dies.]]

** The Trade Depot vendors are progressively unlocked depending on [[http://www.gamefaqs.com/3ds/734977-story-of-seasons/faqs/71921?page=1 what you ship and how much of it you ship]], and the game never tells you the specifics. The first four unlocked vendors are primarily based on money made and passage of seasons,[[note]]Cabin Country: 100,000G earned from Silk Country and it's at least the first Summer; Sakura Country: 200,000G earned from Cabin Country and it's at least the first Fall; Wheat Country: 500,000G earned from all vendors collectively; Rose Country: 1,000,000G earned from all vendors collectively[[/note]] but Ice Country requires shipping hundreds of different farm decoration items, while Tropical Country requires shipping up to ''tens of thousands'' of farm-produced goods. The game also neglects to tell you that this is the primary goal of the game: NewGamePlus unlocks when you've unlocked every merchant.
** Many of the patterns you can create in your Sewing Studio require colors of "yarn+", but the game doesn't explain what "yarn+" actually is. An animal whose hair can be spun into yarn will produce "+ quality" hair once it has spent at least 100 hours grazing in the Safari Park.

** There is no indication that ''jumping on fences'' gives you items. Certain areas where you can jump will have a chance of a random item drop.

** Colored Flower events. To advance your romance arc with an eligible bachelor or bachelorette, you will also need to improve your friendship level with specific other villagers with whom your chosen love interest is close in some way. For instance, if you reach the Pink Flower level with Agate, you need to advance your friendship with her best friend Lillie to the Purple Flower level in order for your romance with Agate to proceed. Melanie in particular is a linchpin for several romances - strong friendship with her is required if you want to romance Lillie, Kamil, ''or'' Nadi.
** Livestock, in one respect, are very much a GuideDangIt. No matter how diligent you are in caring for your animals, ''they will eventually die of old age in five years.'' You're given exactly one hint in the game at this--and it's a disclaimer screen that only shows up one time when you get your very first animal in your very first save. Other than that, nothing in the game will prepare you for this; if you purchased your copy of the game used, you get no warning at all.

* HappilyMarried: Gunther and Corona, who run the carpentry shop, are this, and Veronica and Madam Eda seem to have been this with their late husbands. Should you elect to romance and marry one of the eligible characters, you become this.

* HitboxDissonance: Dragonflies still suffer from this, with their catch area sometimes being vastly different than where the bug actually is on the screen.

** The Oak Tree Channel provides tips to make farming easier and more fun. It also has a recurring program, ''Oak Tree Life'', which reveals details about the residents of Oak Tree Town.

** Weather Channel: Only broadcasts one program, which is Lillie's weather forecast. Gives information on the day's weather and the forecast for the next day. Lillie's show is a type 1 example -- Lillie, who is a resident of Oak Tree Town, is involved in the production of the show.

*** ''Giorgio’s Gorgeous Farm Life'': Saturday's program, in which local farmer Giorgio offers tips on farming and animal care, as well as musing on the nature of beauty. A type 1 example.

* SleepingSingle: For some weird reason, you'll have ''two'' double beds - one in the living room, and one in the second floor room. Your spouse and children sleep on the second floor. After certain events like birthdays, your character will find him/herself on the first floor. You ''can,'' however, sleep on the same bed as your spouse.

* SuperStrength: In edit mode, the player character is able to lift trees, fountains, larger-than-life statues, even entire ''barns'' in order to move them about.

** Giving a character [[YourFavorite their favorite food]] will net you 1,000 Friendship Points. It might also result in LoveBubbles, sparkles, flowers, or other special effects appearing around their CharacterPortrait as they thank you for the generous gift.

* UncannyFamilyResemblance: To your spouse, not you. Since [[CharacterCustomization you're free to change your entire look at any time]], your son and daughter will 100% resemble your spouse, matching their hair and eye color. Nadi's kids will also have tan skin.

* UntoUsASonAndDaughterAreBorn: Once the protagonist gets married and upgrades his/her house to the second-story model, s/he and their spouse will eventually have male and female fraternal twins. They greatly resemble the other parent, since you can change your look at any time.

* FantasyCounterpartCulture: The game has stand-ins for real life countries,
** Silk country is a middle-eastern country mixed with UsefulNotes/{{India}} in a form of ArabianNightsDays.
** Wheat country is [[AmericansAreCowboys Cowboy]]-[[TheWildWest themed]] [[UsefulNotes/UnitedStates America]]. Vendor Kenneth wears a cowboy hat and an outfit helpfully labelled "Cowboy Outfit."

* LawOfChromaticSuperiority: Some flower colors are better than others. By raising people's affection, their flower color changes.
* LimitedWardrobe: You're the only person who ever changes clothes; everyone else wears the same thing ''all the time'' forever. The only outfit changes for anyone are temporary changes for your wedding, where you and your spouse will wear fancy clothes. But, for example, Raeger's going to wear his waiter uniform to your wedding as your guest.
* LovableAlphaBitch: Elise, post character development.

* NotAllowedToGrowUp: Melanie and Lutz never get any older, even if you play a file for the in-game thirty years; they're forever children. Your children also won't age past about the school age level; once they reach that stage, they stay there forever as well.

* PlayingHardToGet: Implied. Elise is the one of the most difficult bachelorettes to court; you have to see all of her Rival events as well as her Heart events, of which she has five instead of the usual four. Doesn't help her status as a BaseBreakingCharacter with the fandom.

* PlayableEpilogue: The game "ends" after you get married. You can still resume playing even after the credits.
* ProtagonistWithoutAPast: Apart from the fact that you left the city to become a farmer, and you apparently have wanted to be one since you were a child, you will never learn anything about the life you abandoned to move to Oak Tree Town. You have no known family or contacts from your earlier years.

* RelationshipValues: Just like in all ''VideoGame/HarvestMoon'' games, this is included, and can be judged based on how the characters talk to you and judged by standing near them and pressing the shoulder button to see the symbol over their head.

* InUniverseGameClock: For every second in real life, a minute passes in the game. Time is suspended whenever you update your journal, build/craft things, watch television, view your inventory, or interact with vendors.
** This game uses the 24-hour clock, just like the [[UsefulNotes/{{Nintendo 3DS}} system it's on]].

** An Exterior Designer Is You: As more traders come to the town through your efforts, Veronica will want the town to be as attractive as possible, and gives you full reign over the landscaping in more and more parts of town.

** In order to progress in a romance with any character, you must craft a promise ring to give them. You'll need silver and fluorite, and the ring can only be made in the Sewing Studio at the accessory bench. The Sewing Studio also allows you to make clothing for the annual fashion competitions, as well as outfits you can wear.

** Silk country is a middle-eastern country mixed with UsefulNotes/{{India}}. See ArabianNightsDays
** Wheat country is [[AmericansAreCowboys Cowboy]]-[[TheWildWest era]] [[UsefulNotes/UnitedStates America]]. Vendor Kenneth wears a cowboy hat and an outfit helpfully labelled "Cowboy Outfit."

** Sakura Country is UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} [[FarEast itself]]. See FarEast.
** Cabin Country is UsefulNotes/{{Switzerland}}. See YodelLand.
** Rose Country is like a combination of UsefulNotes/{{France}} and the UsefulNotes/UnitedKingdom, with a kilt-wearing vendor who sells you wine and other luxury goods.

** Ice Country appears to be UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}, or some other country bordering the arctic circle. It's a frigid landscape with sleigh rides and polar bears. The vendor Katrina wears a long, fur-lined coat and an ushanka.

** Tropical Country is... somewhere [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin tropical]]. Likely UsefulNotes/{{Hawaii}}, Tahiti, or another similar Pacific island culture. Vendor Yolanda wears a "Tropical Pareo" and sells items like banana, mango, and pineapple seeds.

** PhilosophersStone: Treated as an ore in the game, and necessary to create the ultimate Philosopher style tools. (Essentially useless for anything besides crafting, the Philosopher's Stone can be found for free at the mining point and purchased for 777,777 G from the Ice Country vendor, but only has a resale value of 1 G.)

* FeminineWomenCanCook: When the Harvest sprites introduce themselves to Witchie, each states their name and their skill. The GirlyGirl of the Harvest Sprites, Pepita, mentions cooking as hers.
* ForgottenFallenFriend: [[spoiler:After Eda's death, nobody ever mentions her ever again.]] Almost; if you have children, once they are old enough, there is also a line of dialogue with your son where he mentions the villagers told him about the old lady who taught you farming. Also, [[spoiler:once you unlock all seven vendors, Veronica will invite you to a party in the Trade Depot, where she remarks that she wishes Madam Eda were here to see what you've accomplished. Afterwards you'll receive a letter in the mail from Eda that she wrote in advance.]]

* AdaptedOut: In the EU version. Wines can be sold but not drunk, and Turtle Stew can't be made; soft-shell turtles aren't even allowed to be stored with the food and have to be stored like bugs in the general storage. The Variety channel also doesn't exist.

->'''Licorice:''' I always feel super-relaxed around noon. Like, in the morning, I'm all get-up-and-go, and then at noon, I'm like, "Time for a siesta."

** You can leave your animals to die in multiple ways. Animals will eventually die, but if you're cruel to them and let them die of illness, you ''will'' get a [[WhatTheHellPlayer lecture from Jonas and Veronica]] about how you didn't take good care of your animal and they're disappointed in you.

** The game lets you be as nasty to a partner as you like to trigger a breakup with them if you did a ring commitment, and thus end your dating. You can even turn right back around and date them again, even if you have to wait 62 days for them to get over the hurt and ply them with their most favorite food. But after you're married to them, there's no option for divorce--and you can ''still'' be shitty to them, making for an AwfulWeddedLife and lines where they lament how terrible marriage is with you.

* ValentineDayEpisode: Valentine's Day occurs every Winter 14, while the equivalent White Day occurs every Spring 14. Valentine's Day has the female player gift all bachelors chocolate or an unmarried male player receive chocolate from every bachelorette. White Day reverses this, with the unmarried female player getting gifts from all the bachelors and the male player gifting all female bachelorettes white-themed food gifts. (If you're married, then you can have a special meal with your spouse on your respective gift-receiving day--and still gift the other gender for boosts on their days, including your spouse.)

* ValleyGirl: In [[CulturalTranslation the English translation]], at one point, Licorice will display the speech patterns of a Valley Girl.
--->'''Licorice:''' I always feel super-relaxed around noon. Like, in the morning, I'm all get-up-and-go, and then at noon, I'm like, "Time for a siesta."

** On Valentine's Day, female characters can gift the bachelors chocolate treats for a boost in friendship/relationship, and unmarried male players will receive chocolate as gifts from any bachelorettes they gifted on White Day and/or who have enough friendship with them.
** Averted with Kamil, who despises all sweets--Chocolate Cake is actually his [[DoesNotLikeSpam horror gift]]. He'll only take chocolate items as relationship boosts on Valentine's day--which is more out of politeness than anything.

''Story of Seasons'' is a 2014-2015 installment in the ''[[VideoGame/StoryOfSeasons Bokujō Monogatari]]'' (formerly localized as ''Harvest Moon'') FarmLifeSim franchise for the Platform/Nintendo3DS, developed by Marvelous and localized by Creator/XSEEDGames. Due to former localization company Creator/{{Natsume}} owning the trademark for the ''Harvest Moon'' brand, ''Story of Seasons'' is the new international title outside of Japan from this title onwards.

As with most of the series' games, the story begins with your character moving to a farm to start a new life. Or as the instructions put it:

Along the way you can customize your avatar, renovate your home, and decorate parts of town. You'll raise crops, take care of animals, and explore the charming world of Oak Tree Town. Complete challenges for the visiting merchants, participate in festivals, win cooking and fashion contests -- show the world that you've got what it takes to be the best farmer.

Followed in 2016-2017 by ''VideoGame/StoryOfSeasonsTrioOfTowns''.

!!This game provides examples of:

** Crops growing faster than they do in real life, starting up a farm just because you're bored and [[TheSimpleLifeIsSimple being successful]], [[NotAllowedToGrowUp almost no one aging]]... Yeah.

* CallToAgriculture: According to the game book, you were living a perfectly satisfactory life in the big city when you learned about the vacancy in Oak Tree Town, and jumped at it.

** Inverted with precious gems, which are comparatively easy to find by diving. Once you unlock Agate and start visiting the Safari Park, with its free public mine, becoming wealthy through the acquisition and sale of gems and ores is a no-brainer. But you'll still need the bricks to upgrade your house.

** While the wife of the married couple is giving birth, her husband is off to the side, pacing; when the baby is heard crying, he darts towards the delivery bed, only for Angela (the nurse) to tell him to wait because the delivery isn't finished (as the "baby" ends up being twins) and then comes and gets him to let him know. If Angela is the one giving birth, then it's the head doctor ''Marian'' who shoos him away and then walks over to let her husband know about the twins. Obviously she would be too occupied to do so.

** Giving any character their most hated gift gets a unique, disgusted line from them about it--and especially if you do it as a birthday gift. They'll still take it--and you'll lose 800 friendship/romance points for doing it.

** Showing the blue feather to others after you're married ''will'' upset your partner.

** Within moments of you starting a formal relationship, everyone in town knows and will comment on it for a week. Same with your engagement.

* NotAllowedToGrowUp: Melanie and Lutz never get any older, even if you play a file for the in-game thirty years, they're forever children. Your children also won't age past about the school age level; once they reach that stage, they stay there forever as well.

* NewsTravelsFast: Even if you first met the sprites the same day, when you meet Pepita, she'll refer to you as "that human".