Regarding the game's duration, there will be no time limit. You will be able to run your farm forever. However there is a "main plot". For now, plans are that it should be resolved during the second year. You can choose to ignore the main plot and just play happy farmer. Or you may engage it and go deeper, thus discovering the true world of Gleaner Heights. There are also sub-plots involving the local townsfolk. In contrast to your average farming sim, you have the ability to change their lives forever, and I am not talking about a different line of dialogue here and there. But then again, I can't give more info, can I?
Main plot and sub-plots aside, you will be able to indulge yourself in a plethora of day-to day activities. Planting, watering and harvesting crops, as well as tending to your livestock will be there as usual, as will fishing and mining. There are also thoughts about exploring with a boat, as well as underwater exploration with a diving suit!
Marriage and kids are possible, although you might find it difficult to...engage certain potential spouses due to complications. Initially, since the game is quite story-driven, I started planning Gleaner Heights as a male-only character game. It suited well with recreating the 90's suburban TV series settings: Damsels in distress, confronting abusive husbands and so on. But I decided to include the option of playing a female character, with her own romantic interests. Mind you, this will tangle things a bit, but hopefully I'll come through.
You'll get to explore caves and secret locations and fight creatures, and in some instances, boss enemies. My goal is to make combat fluid, for example, since I'm going with the old Harvest Moon way of charging tools, different charge levels will have different damage and area of effect. A skill system is pretty trivial to implement nowadays[*]Or it has always been trivial. I don't know., and spending skill points in Hunting can unlock poweful combat bonuses such as being able to move and charge your tool/weapon at the same time. There have been some very serious thoughts of implementing a rolling maneuver for dodging enemy attacks. Also, ranged weapons like bows and sets of clothing (providing various bonuses if the entire set is worn) are planned. Finally, the game will have features like cooking, upgrading your tools, house and machinery by using various materials[*]Known these days as "crafting". , participating in monthly events and festivities and having your own horse.
At this point, I feel that I should clear up two important things:
First, my goal isn't to create a cheap knock-off of existing farming sims like Harvest Moon or Stardew Valley.[*]I haven't even played the latter, though I understand it's a very good game, with lots of stuff going on. As such, I don't intend to include each and every gameplay mechanic present in previous farming sims. The idea for a game like Gleaner Heights appeared back in 2012, when I started watching the Twin Peaks TV series. Having already played a bunch of Harvest Moon games, I thought "Man, what would happen if someone wrote a farming sim game, but with a more surreal/mysterious atmosphere? Where townsfolk lead double lives? Where you can seriously disrupt their status? Or confront supernatural horrors? And what if all those themes are underneath the hood of a cheerful, good-hearted and relaxing gaming world, where players may never discover any of the above unless they find themselves at the wrong[*]Read: right place and time?"
Second, it's natural to wonder if this is yet another blog full of fanfare and promises, only to visit it a month later and read "I am not interested in developing this game any more because I found a girlfriend!!11" So, for the purpose of dissolving any commitment (or ability) doubts, please allow me to point you to my other, recently completed game.
Onwards with development. See you next post!
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