64 Times the Harvesting: Let's Play Harvest Moon 64

[Seerow]

Well it's been a heck of a ride. Your summer project turned into a two-year long ordeal, but we're at the finish line now.

Can't wait to see how you wrap things up.

[Javan]

How long does it take pink catmint to grow?

[fizzmaister]

And it's all coming to a close.

[Celesyne]

I think I'm gonna cry. My heart jumps everytime I see this thread jump to the top of the page. Not having a new chapter to read is going to be a really sad thing. Seriously, Deme. Great Job... because of this and your other LP's, I'm looking into getting the Rune Factory series myself...

I can't compliment your story telling enough... Wonderful, wonderful stuff.

[Deme]

I think I'm gonna cry. My heart jumps everytime I see this thread jump to the top of the page. Not having a new chapter to read is going to be a really sad thing. Seriously, Deme. Great Job... because of this and your other LP's, I'm looking into getting the Rune Factory series myself...

I can't compliment your story telling enough... Wonderful, wonderful stuff.

Awwww! Sorry it took so long to reply...At the end of the day, I just couldn't come up with a coherent response to something so touching for a while.
(The process went like: 'Ok, time to reply to all these nice comments. *reads nice comments* Ah! *blushes and flails; and in the end, nothing gets done*)

Thank you, one and all. I hope to bring my A-game for the end, too!

Alright, status update:
The chapter (and an RF3 chapter, too) is near-done, I just haven't had the energy lately to put the finishing touches on it, but it'll take us nearly halfway through our last Spring. So there's that.

[Deme]

Chapter 66: Cats in the Cradle

Spoiler

Show

It's all green! Spring! Oh, thank mercy! Grass growing! Snow melted!

And then it was time for a festival!

Well, let's get a'drinking!


Two drinks down, lots of drinks to go.


One drink for Popuri.


And for her mother -- they're a family of light drinkers, huh?


Kai's four drinks. I think four.
...It can't be good that I'm already losing count. Be strong, Fox!



Three from the midwife.



One from him.


"A toast every time you exchange greetings with someone. And of course you have to drink up every time, too."

And Rick's lonely one. You won't greet everyone this year, either, Rick.


Cliff opts out after one, to avoid being an angry drunk...


Her one.


Two from the mayor before I 'take over' for him.


Maria's valiant two.


Jeff's one drink.




Harris's two, like his wife...


Ann's just got the one.



Grey doesn't leave, but he kinda looks, eh, whatsaword? Eh, I thought it a minute ago, after one.



By the end of Karen's, I just can't...How many was that? 5, maybe? 6? ...Well, look. The square's empty, that's what counts.


Wooo~~!

Well, it was back to the routine the next day.



My assets, huh? ...That'd be an interesting way of selling it to Dad.


I buy a lot of grass; I want to really tidy up my field for when things look close.
I also take the time to look at something that's been hanging on the wall for a while, without my noticing.


Awww. That's when her husband's coming home.

Spring's come, and by now, the Vineyard's just waiting for the clipped-back grapes to regrow. Wine's done, and it's time to rest.


I guess Kai has been pretty busy all winter...

"When I look at her face."
But I guess he had his reasons to work hard.

That evening, I get to work planting all that grass.

It'd be really convenient if my magical sparkly hoe could do a 3x3, but...Nope.


New Year's Mail is still trickling in...




From Dad, too. Argh! He's still on about his office? He's still -- He's... Look, I already told him how I felt, how faithless can he get? He's got no confidence that I know how to live my life.
Yeah, Ok. I think he does want me to do well -- to have a life where I can provide for my family, all that jazz. I get that. I think so, anyway.
But...
Oh, nevermind.

I go up into the mountain, say hello to the Harvest Sprites...

And greet the Goddess for Spring.

"Lovely weather you've made here."
"Why, thank you sir!" She says, almost laughing. "Now, is that all? You never come to see me when you're all settled. What's got you ruffled today?"

I squirmed for a second, knowing that, well...She's pretty right. Our sort-of-friendship is mostly me coming to bug her about stuff.
To be fair, she never leaves the pond.

"I'm not asking for help or anything...I just need a minute to get my head straightened out. Even though I told my dad my intentions...He's still like 'Oh, you can help me with my job.' He doesn't get that I. don't. want. his. life."
This made the goddess pensive, but I can't say I noticed at the time.
"He's just sure that there's nothing good for me here, that he's right and I'm wrong and everything'll be just peachy if he ignores everything I say."

"...That's...Probably my fault. And your grandfather's. And...Maybe all of us."
She sank down a little, her feet forming ripples in the water.
"We were all so sure he'd be his father's successor. He'd run the farm. He'd tend the land and its people. He'd do everything he was supposed to do. And it'd work out splendidly for everyone."
"Not the case?"
She sighs.
"Hardly. He had his own goals, his own values. As do all people, I suppose. But we were all determined he'd be better with ours. He and Pete fought about that all the time, towards the end. Constantly ...He probably hates this place. Certainly, he's expunged even my existence from his heart."
She looks very old, then -- I see it in her shoulders and the sound of her voice, and a sad and haunted look. She'd had that regret, and paid for it, for years now.
"He can do that?"
"I'm a goddess, as perceivable and understandable as he means me to be. And I...And this land, and its people, and its life... Have neither meaning or power. We're just chains to him.
So...There's no way he'd allow you to stay in this place he hates."

"I guess not." I say, shaking my head. I could see it very clearly, my dad and my grandpa, not exactly shouting at each other (still a little too patient, wanting it all to work out), but near it. Both trying to get the other to understand, saying things they can't take back because that idiot just won't stinkin'...get...it...

...He was just like me.
He thinks he's just looking out for me, but really... He's no different from his father. It was all the same.
I bet he went through life thinking "When I have a kid, there's no way he'll grow up like I did, Imma make sure he had everything I didn't and things'll be perfect and that'll show you, Father!"
Because...Well, I never planned on having a family until I basically already did. But I think I'd have looked at it that way.

"Ha. Ha ha. Hahahaha!"
"What's so funny?"
"How dumb. How absolutely stupid a family we are."


...I need to do better. I promise I'll figure out how, little buddy.

Time goes on, the children grow...






I finish planting grass on my field.

That Sunday, The 5th, I try fishing all day...

But I don't catch anything. What a waste of a day.



Oh, Mr. Mayor... I'm just not sure what'll happen. I'm a man of my word... And my Dad, as we've established, can't even master pattern recognition.


That afternoon, I finish planting a row of flowers at the bottom of the farm. My field's covered.


Huh. I was expecting the mayor, this close to the Sowing Festival. What does Kent want?


Ah, I guess I was mistaken; well, it's the same message.
"I'll come, Kent."

Well, I did come, though I admit, I was thinking more that I could maybe get the cows out...


But Jeff asked me to ride the balloon with him, so I'm glad I came, I suppose.



And off we go!


"Oh, come on! Look at all of that right there. This is a beautiful area, from the air..."
"Fox, I rather wanted to ask you...It's been a year now..."
I realize that he's trying to ask about Elli.
"She's alright, don't worry. Why she's happy with me, I have no idea, but..." I shrug. "She's wistful, sometimes. I bet she still misses her grandmother."
"She was a remarkable lady."
"Yeah, yeah, she was."
"Well, I'm glad. I suppose, in an odd way, I was sort of...I felt like caring for little Elli was something I had to do. While I wasn't a relative, it still... At the bakery, we were family. I feel a bit like you stole her from me, sometimes."
I chuckle...But I don't blame the sentiment.
"Well, just call me a kidnapper, then. Still...I'm sure she felt the same way. Even if she nevers goes back to work...I get the feeling Pete will be learning a lot about baking. What her grandmother taught her...But probably also things you learned working together."


He smiles, maybe a little wanly, and nods.



The next day, it was time for two things that really marked the Springtime.

First, I picked my last strawberries. Farewell, sweet prince. We may not meet again.



Second, bringing everyone outside. This takes a while, but not as long as I'd think it would. Oh, well.

I keep thinking "Is there something more I can do? Is there anything I can use to prove my point?" Sometimes, it feels like my stomach's in knots. I've come so far.
I'm talking to Zack, the shipper, at the bar about this.
"We've been..."

"I don't think anyone would let you go, even if you wanted to, now. He'll see that."
"He only sees what he wants; I see that."
I see he sees that I see that he sees what he wants to see not what I want him to see, see?
I kid, I kid...I don't think he sees all of that.

Anyway, the days go by.

Aw, he sent me a card. I guess he actually does care about me.

One day, the 12th, I decide to break up the monotony by taking Pete with me on a walk once my chores are done.

This means that everyone has a comment on him.

"spirits," No. That is a thing children do not do, let's be honest. "And give you reason to live."


"Treasure. Don't ever exchange it for anything."
"He's my son, not a saving's bond!"
"Exactly."
That's not real advice! ...But I think I know what he means.


D'aww.


"treasure. Let's pray for the child."
Given the goddess, I think I trust the peek-a-boo more.



No, that's called 'time.'


"...Alright, but be careful, Kent." Because Kent's the sort of boisterous kid who'd play rough with just about anything. He just sort of gently touches Pete's hand, looking more nervous than I've ever seen him.



"You think? Well, good. All the men in my family look alike, so it'll be a nice change."

I brought him home after all of that. It must have been a big, confusing mess to him; his eyes were like saucers the whole time, but afterwards, he slept pretty soundly.

The next day was Elli and I's Anniversary; for that reason, I decided to stick close to home, work on my fence and be sure to be back in for dinner.


Because of coure there was a dinner provided by my beautiful lady.

"It's a very special anniversary. Of a day a beautiful light became a part of my family."

She blushes, and I can feel a sly, dare I say "Fox-like" smile creeping onto my features.
"I got my first chicken two years ago today."
"Fox!"
"I'm kidding, honey. I don't even remember when I bought my first chicken... But I meant the first part."


"Looks delicious, right? I even thawed a slice of our wedding cake, for tradition's sake. Let's eat up <3"



We pass dinner happily chatting over this and that. Most of it's...Well...It's pretty sappy. But there was something rather important.

"...I was thinking, you know. I might just have a chance."
"About your dad? Of course you do. You've worked so hard, he'd have to be blind to see that!"
Her expression goes fierce, and I see then that this doesn't worry her at all; only my worries about it worry her.
"No. Well, yes, I mean, but...That won't convince him. But...There's one difference between when my dad set out against his dad and me."
She doesn't know where this is going, and eyes me warily.
"He didn't have a family with you in it to stand by him. He didn't have a son like Pete to push him forward -- that all came later. Right here, right now...I've got a leg up on the past."

I smile and hand her a piece of the thawed wedding cake. We both eat our slices.

"It's still as good now as it was then."
"Of course it is. Nothing's sweeter than love.
...Except maybe a really perfect strawberry meringue," she says, laughing. It's her turn to break the mood for a change.


"I know that we'll be able to have many more happy years like this."


Wherever that'll be.

[Javan]

That first line so nearly mirrors my own sentiments.
"It's all green! Spring! Oh, thank mercy! Grass growing! Snow melted!"

This is now turning bittersweet, it can't end, but As Chaucer reminds us, "All good things come to an end."

[Dragoon]

Enjoyed the update yet again, probably didn't post this enough earlier. I do appreciate the whole added family issues that Fox has with his father that you worked in also looking forward to last how many chapters are left.

[Deme]

Well, that was a fun little enforced vacation!

Chapter 67: Theme of a Moonlit Night

Spoiler: Chapter 67

Show

One morning, Elli's dressed up Pete properly and set him to the floor.
"He's been restless lately; I think he wants to start work on getting moving."

There are no words for it, not really. He tests his weight on his hands, uneasily at first -- but within minutes, he's crawling around the floor like a speed demon.

"Well, look at him go -- actually, we probably should keep him away from the table, but..."

I lift him up and set him back down closer to Elli.
"...Why the mouse suit?"
"I think it's just precious, is all."
I shrug. I guess you'd call that a mother's perogative.



"Sounds good to me."

Oh, wait a second...
"...I should probably keep Link outside for a while. Or in the kitchen or something."
"Yeah, that's...Probably a good idea."




The next day, The 15th, Basil returned.

"Alright, I guess. We had a boy this Winter, but I bet Popuri or your wife mentioned...Uh, you have been by to see everyone else already, right?"
Not like that first year...Riiight?
"Oh, uh, I brought you..."

"...Seriously?"
Dang, man! Thanks!

It's the real thing. I feel much stronger already -- and much stronger than when I came here.



Man, that's a lot of power berries.

Anyway, I went to see Popuri, since her dad was back in town.
"He did come see you before seeing me, right?"
"Yes, thank goodness...He couldn't have been more excited to meet his grandbaby."
"Aw, that's sweet...How's Mint doing? Grey never talks about her. Or anything."



"I guess I shouldn't pry."
"No, it's alright! Pry a little...Grey needs a bit of prying at, from time to time....But...You don't need to worry, either."

It looks like all the kids are reaching that stage:

That stage where their mothers decide to dress them in adorable animal onesies.
"Why a panda?"
"W-well, I like pandas...They're very gentle animals, and I've read black and white is actually very comforting for babies and..."
"No need for a big reason. It was just curiosity."

Anyway, it was almost race time again...


"Sorry, but I think I'm going to pass this time. There's something offered as a reward I'd like to try and get with medals this year."
I'm pretty sure Dad won't think about the races at all, anyway.

"I have plenty confidence; I've won several times, after all."

"Really, I just want to focus on improving the stable."

How annoying...But he seemed really disapointed.


Well, at least someone approves of me.
"What's that for?"
"I've seen how you've been doing is all: you've made that house your own home, and you have a life you've built yourself there. That's something I respect."
"Well, thanks."

The 17th, race day, rolls around.
I do my chores and head off to see people.


I make my bet on a long-shot...

And am stunned to see the horse pull, head about the rest, into first.


Little pony that could right there!


It looks like I could have afforded to race after all; I wish I had known that yesterday.

"Yeah, I think I regret it now, actually...I wanted to afford something nice for him, but it looks like I'll be able to do that."
I do not say 'maybe next time.'

...If this doesn't work out -- if it's all not enough for Dad -- what'll happen to him?
Or to any of my animals? Will they get sold, or taken back to Green Ranch, or sold off with the farmland? All my hard work for someone else?
That's just not acceptable.


The second race begins with these dark thoughts.


Well, it looks like I my choice will end up mattering after all. It all comes down to the result of this last race.


It's all or nothing now!

Go!

It's a pretty close race, at least at the start.
Go Ojaki! Daddy gets a new stable!

And....VICTORY!



Stable for me!

Well, let's go home and have a look-see...

Nice. Clashes a bit, but the barn'll need a new roof soon anyway.



The next day rises pleasantly enough, and I decide to go for another little walk with him. It beats being anxious for a day, eh?





I like how, because Pete is not a fish, able to fish, or about fishing in some way, he just does not care. I could have shown him a rock. "That's nice."




We have a little play-date with Ann's son, who's got a cute little dinosaur costume going on. Or Godzilla.
...This is Ann we're talking, and her son is absolutely dressed to destroy Tokyo.



Well, I hope that first question was rhetorical...So I'll take her advice nicely.





"Yeah, you probably want a life with fewer explosions."
"My inventions only explode some of the time."
There ensues an awkward silence in which no one, not even himself, believes them.


After another playdate, I bring my tuckered-out son home.





It's getting to be Flower Festival time; I guess I'll vote for Elli to be Harvest Goddess; I think she'd look pretty in that dress.


"And girls after theirs fathers. What about my baby?"
"Well, you take after your mom...And I think Mint takes after you."
"What makes you say that?"
We both turn and look at Mint in her adorable pink rabbit costume.

"Sometimes, she looks happy."
"Oh, stop!...But her smile's definitely more like mine."
She laughs.


Karen's daughter is getting more independent, too. She went with something fashionable -- those little monster things are the latest craze. Personally, I can't remember all of them: 151 is a bit much, don't you think? Well, the main mascot's got a cute design.


Aww, that's an adorable image, when it involves a guy like Karen's dad.

I cast my vote at the square --

Elli for Goddess xxx3!

The next day, The 21st, I actually have to buy chicken feed for the first time in ages. And it leaves me with a question...

How much? Do I buy for the next 9 days? Do I buy as if this will last forever? It's one thing to say what I believe, but it's another to make my spending plans accordingly.
So what do I say? What do I believe?

...Deep breath...

Dad, whatever you want for me...

This is what I want.

On the night before the flower festival... I awake to the sound of crying.
Well, that's not unusual. What's odd is that Elli's already up, standing beside Pete's cradle. She turns and faces me, distraught.
"Nn?"

My eyes snap open.
"An emergency?"

Huh. Well... Ok, the Midwife probably knows the most about baby sicknesses. The Potion Shop owner knows the most about regular sicknesses. Or we could try and wait it out ourselves -- it's probably just a standard bug... Or is it?

"...We should go get the midwife." After all, even if she doesn't have a good solution, she'd know where to turn next...And...You can't be too careful.
So I go out and knock on her door, rousing her. She sighs and grumbles, but when I explain the situation, she comes back with me all the same, and examines Pete while Elli frets with her apron.


"He'll have a high fever, but it's no worry. After a while, he'll get a rash and then his fever will break."

I sigh, my shoulders relaxing from more tension than I thought I had. Measles, huh? He's a bit too young to take a vaccine well, so I guess if he was going to get it, well, here we are.
Elli's relief is basically palpable to the entire room, and she nods gratefully.

"I'm glad it wasn't something serious."

The midwife laughs -- not, of course, winding up for some sort of cruel 'actually, no, he'll probably die' gag.

"Aren't you?"

I feel a little embaressed for having woken her this early.

"Don't worry. Just have him rest -- get the potion shop to give him something to help with the fever, and I'd reccomend an oatmeal bath to soothe the rash and keep him from scratching...I'll be watching him during the festival, so I'll gather up what you'll need."

She leaves, and Elli dips her head into her hand.
"I admit, I'm still a little worried... Do you think our parents were like this the first time we got sick?"
All I can do is laugh. "The first time? My parents were always worried when I was sick...Even when things weren't great between Dad and I --" By which I mean 'anytime from when I was about 7 onwards,' "He was always...Well, he was sort of uptight about it, but mostly, he was fussy."
She chuckles.
"See? He did care! My parents didn't go nuts with remedies, but...They always tried to make sure I had something for a treat when I wasn't feeling well, to make me at least happier, if not better." Her expression is soft and nostalgic as she blew off the dust of the memories inside her head. It's with that same warm tenderness that she runs her hand across the top of Pete's head, moving the moment from past to future.
"We'll have to use what they did as lessons, too."

"Right."

By the time we had to go to the festival, his fever was down a little bit, and we thought it'd be OK to leave him with the midwife to go.

The festival itself was cheery as always, with the Florist Shop's couple selling their wares, everyone talking about who might be Goddess this year, enjoying the cherry blossoms on the trees... The atmosphere at these events are always nice.

When the goddess emerges...

Darnit.

Popuri again? Somehow, it almost feels like it's always her. I guess that's what they call fate.

After getting blessings and flowers from everyone...

I grab my partner for the dances.

I can see Grey glowering, since Jeff's dancing with his wife, but...Oh well.

As everyone spins round and round, I realize something: this might be the last time I enjoy a festival with everyone. The last time admiring these blossoms, or considering the price of the Pink Cat Mint seeds. The last time I walk into the square and don't leave until I'm exhausted.

I don't think it's until the last bow -- which, at the very least, it won't be our last dance -- that I really bask in it, and look around, and smile in a certain feeling. Even if it's my last...Right here and right now, I belong. Well, as much as a guy who moved somewhere two years ago can belong, anyway.


They have Blue Mist seeds again this year, after the festival. Well, I suppose it can't hurt to grow another...It'll be a lovely thing to see in the Goddess' grove.

Popuri was lying in wait to pounce.
"Good, let's go to the mountain!"

She finds a spot -- perhaps the same spot as before -- to plant it on.

"I don't know if it's because of tree covering or the fountain, but the Goddess may be sensitive to heat."
The goddess? I thought what we were concerned about the plant... Heh, well. It's a pretty special plant, after all.



We plant the seeds. I wonder...If it doesn't bloom by the time my dad arrives, I wonder what will become of it?



...Well, let's leave it to fate.



"By the way, are you sensitive to heat?"
"Don't tell anyone, alright?!"


Half a million Gs, man. Not bad at all.

As the days pass, I find thoughts of my dad's coming arrival take up more and more of my time.

"I should wait to replant these," I think.


I fish a lot to pass the time.


I work on cleaning up my fence, so it looks tidy.
I even get it done, too: all wooden fenceposts, right now.

The days flash across the sky and fade like shooting stars.

I may not be the only one planning for tommorow, though.
"If I'll be taking over the vineyard one day... I might not be ready for that. Well, I'll study and..."


"Yeah! Let's do it." Honestly, I think some days, that sort of determination's all that's getting me by.

But....There's not a lot of by left to get. Tomorrow's the day.
Today... I take a long walk around the farm, just soaking it all in.
...And, if need be, saying goodbye.


Goodbye, greenhouse, mostly empty right now.


Goodbye Clara, Brown, Verne, Homes, Mocha, and Miruku.

Goodbye Lambo, Goodbye Sheep.

Goodbye Malice and Camila, Fillet and Nugget, Clucky and Billy.


Goodbye Agro and goodbye Link.


Goodbye stable and goodbye doghouse,

Goodbye little log terrace and useless staircase. Farewell kitchen I paid for and indoor plumbing, fruits of my own labors...

Goodbye tree with the treasure-map hole and its little water pond.

Goodbye irregularly-shaped fence and little row of flowers at the bottom.


"And I'll miss you most of all, Scarecrow."

"Oh, hardy-har-har...Still...One more day, huh?"
"Less than that, now."

She looks at Pete, who gurgles and reaches out to her. Of course I brought him with me. It felt...important.

"Yes, until your fate becomes certain."
"How do I convince the stubbornest guy in the world?" I sit by the water and pull Pete away from crawling too far. I sit him on my lap...
And the goddess lowers herself and sits beside us.

"I can't say. I'm a goddess of the land...The human heart's a mysterious thing, even to me... Still, as Goddess of this place -- this beach, this mountain, this town and its fields and trees...
I thank you. I thank you for the warmth of your step and the strength of your heart. I thank you for bringing in a new wind, circulating dead air."

I applaud. So does Pete, because clapping is fun.

"Well, at least someone takes me seriously...But, wherever your little one goes, he'll walk with the protection of at least a goddess, so keep that in your heart."
"Awww, thanks."
She pauses, and hesitates.

"And...If it is goodbye... I just wanted to say, not as a goddess, but as a...Well, not a 'person, but you know...Personally..."
"Yeah?"

"Thank you. I don't remember the last time I've had so much fun <3 And, honestly, I learned a lot from you. You're the one who showed me, that even if you know what's best... You can't just force a person to find that."

I pause, suddenly struck. It's not that I'd forgotten, but... Hearing it put like that, I realize. I was probably mad then because...That was what I'd wish my father would have learned. Good lord, projection's a messed-up thing.
"So you actually learned a lesson."

"Well, yeah! You were so angry! ...But... You also gave me another chance -- and thank you for that, too," she adds quickly. "I know among humans, that doesn't always happen. I'm sure, absolutely sure... That Pete -- not you, little doodlebug -- wished he could have had that chance to make things right, wished he could have been forgiven...And...Wished he could have said what he really wanted for his son.
I think, if your Father had been there...He'd have had that chance. But that's how it is with mortals. You're so brief... So, I'm glad I get to say all this before you all decay and die <3"

"...Way to be creepy in your big heart-warming speech there, Goddess."
...For a minute, I remember, my grandfather's last words. I think I've taken them to heart, but... I can't help but wonder who he really saw. Didn't Ellen, at her end, think I was my father?
Well, if he meant those words for my Dad or not, I was the one to hear them.

"Hmph!"
"Well, anyway...Thank you, too. You've helped me out a lot."

She begins sniffling, and I think she's about to burst into tears. Her arms tremble.

"...I'm leaving before the crying starts."
"WAIT NO COME BACK!"

"...See you later."


"You look nervous."
"I have an honest face, then."
"Tell me about it."
We sit on the side of the bed, and I swing my legs to burn off the urge to pace.
"Will I say the right thing? I... I think I know. I think I know what I really want to say, but... Is it right? Is it convincing?
Let's be honest -- the material things don't matter. They're not what he's looking at and they never will be, because he always wants more, and --"
"Relax. Just take a deep breath, dear."
I spend the next few seconds breathing on command.

"Fox... There might not be a 'right' thing to say...You can't force someone to change their mind.
But...I think your dad will listen. And I believe that, if you just try your hardest...If he can be reached, it'll reach him. I believe."

Her arms wrap around me, and I realize that, if she -- if this little town -- hadn't put the sort of trust in me it did... None of this would be possible.

"I'll throw my support for you however I can. That's the job of a family, after all. <3"
She smiles, and all I can do is kiss her.

I'll have to keep relying on that belief. Even if I don't entirely believe it myself.

The evaluation, ending, and my last thoughts will be in a separate post that I'll be working on once I've gotten all my other LP updates up. I've been busy.

[fizzmaister]

The interface is different. Which means it sucks. Grumble Grumble.

Oh! The LP is back. The suspense is great. I'm eagerly anticipating finding out how everything is resolved despite intellectually knowing quite well how it will end up. Also, you should update your sig Deme. I didn't know you were doing an LP of Rune Factory.

[LoneStarNorth]

Just wanted to say that I haven't posted much, but I've been reading since the beginning. This has been a fantastic interpretation of a game I grew up loving. Can't wait for the ending

[Gadora]

The interface is different. Which means it sucks. Grumble Grumble.

Oh! The LP is back. The suspense is great. I'm eagerly anticipating finding out how everything is resolved despite intellectually knowing quite well how it will end up. Also, you should update your sig Deme. I didn't know you were doing an LP of Rune Factory.

Yesssss... Save for the interface thing (), I agree with everything said here.

[Eldonauran]

Can't wait for the resolution! Literally on the edge of my seat.

[Javan]

The End draws nigh.

I have said this before, but I didn't realize how many cutscenes I missed when I played through. It has been nice to see them all.

[SharpWolf]

I'm so sad to see this end. This LP has been on top of my regular list for so long! It has been a great run, and you're a really good writer, to be able to create interesting characters and make such a story out of a relatively simple game.

It would be cool if there was somewhere you could put it online, like the LPArchive for the Something Awful Forums. I know I would like to re-read the whole thing eventually.

[Deme]

I sadly don't know where I could put this, if anywhere -- it'll remain in my signature even after being completed, but that's hardly the same thing, though... Oh, well.

Speaking of being completed...

Finale

Spoiler

Show

"Whatever it takes to give him what he'll need. Maybe -- maybe the best that I can do will still not be enough. But that'll be there no matter what I do, right? So... I've just got to do the best I can."

I keep replaying that in my head; something about his words have an inexorable pull.

Honestly, outside of my father's funeral a few years ago, I never expected to come back here again. Frankly, I'm disapointed by how often I'm proven wrong on that one.

Still, we put up with some things for the sake of our children.
And then my brain finds its way back to that conversation again.

Before I actually talk to him, I wanted to get a sense of how he's doing from the outside; I know he'll say whatever he's doing is fine, even if it isn't; he's stubborn, and always content to leave things with rough edges.


So I've gathered up people that are respected in the community, to see their opinion of his work.

"Mayor Thomas, would you consider my son well-respected here?"
The mayor glances at his two companions, exchanging a knowing look. The Potion-Shop Owner and the village's Midwife were both friends of my father -- I think they'd have barged in on the discussion if I hadn't invited them.

Correction, the midwife would have absolutely barged in. She's not capable of not meddling.

Then the mayor laughs.


I guess I shouldn't be surprised. If there's one thing he puts any effort into, it's talking to people.
As long as they aren't me...Where did I go wrong?


"All the girls have a crush on him. Honestly, we had a betting pool."
"...I'll pretend I'm surprised." Still, married? I never would have imagined it. I always worried about something like that...
But I think I didn't realize what the situation was until there was until I'd already angered him.

...And, to be honest, he might have been right to be mad.

"Nevermind that. How about his health?"

"looking after himself."

This one actually surprises me. My son, the late-night partier, who drinks like a fish? Good about looking after himself?

My mind goes back to that conversation. It repeats itself, stuck in my head.
Because something about it... Something about the way he said it...

Everything was the same: still stubborn, still unwilling to admit he has something more to learn, still completely unwilling to accept any help or advice...
...Still totally unable to see how worried I am about his future, either. And with a wife and child on the line!
And yet, somehow, it wasn't the same.

"I have other places to be. Good day."


"Well, Mr. Green, you're the resident animal expert. If the farm has any hope of long-term success, its livestock needs to be productive and well cared-for."
He gives the matter some thought and then smiles.

"...the animals. I am very impressed."

That's...That's good. At least he's not diving off a financial cliff.


"I'll be sure to pass that along."
That's not as good -- overall farm productivity is the dividing line between success and failure here.

The next part comes as a bit of a surprise -- some people want to see me about all of this.

Including, for some reason, this random vagrant.

Honestly, if my son were more laid back, he'd never manage to stand upright.
Why do I care about some random wanderer's opinion of my son's quality of relaxation again?

As for the other person...
"You're the carpenter, right?"
"That's right. I've got something to say about the work he's put into those buildings."
"Oh?"


"at such a young age!"

Really? ...So that's why I was asked out here, anyway. It must have been a lot of work, turning that house I grew up in into something livable.
Honestly, I'm a little impressed by the notion myself.

I give them thanks for their thoughts, and get back to the people I wanted to talk to, the local seed-shop owner/botanist of some small acclaim, and the closest thing we have to a judge of cuisine...

Oh sweet mercy, what's wrong with his face.
"A-agriculturally, do you think Fox is doing well?"

"Award."


He's like an eggplant made of gelatin. What horror have I fallen into?

"I'd like to give him the "Recipe Master" award <3."

My mind goes somewhere, anywhere, to escape this...Which means it goes back to that conversation.

Which means it goes back to thinking about the way he spoke then, more than what he said...That made me feel like he was different, somehow.
Like he wasn't a little boy that needed to be led by the hand and given direction anymore.
Maybe he hadn't been for a long time, and I -- and neither of us -- had really noticed.

Fox had become a man, without my knowing.

"So... I've just got to do the best I can."

I suppose I've kept him waiting long enough.

***


He arrives just before noon. Elli's been cagey all morning -- I think she's planning something...
But in the meanwhile, that just leaves me. And him.

We stand there for a minute, not sure what to say. He looks around, glancing at this and that.
Eventually, I clear my throat.

"Yeah, it has." Maybe it wouldn't have been if someone -- stop. Stop. You are trying to make peace. So you don't have to go through the rest of your life reflexively hating things that even remind you of your dad.

I wind myself up, unspooling out sentences I've pre-loaded, "Look, Dad, I know maybe you don't want to hear what --"

"I'm glad to see you're doing well."


"What ...What?" The world skipped a beat just there -- that couldn't have just happened. Even he looks sheepish, like something's come undone.

"By the standards of people here, you're doing quite well for yourself. So they say."

I blink. Yes, OK, this is far more familiar ground.

I pull out my ledgers and estimates, to show him exactly how well I have been doing, by anyone's standards. My plans and my aspiritions, my perfectly stable -- if not profitable, because the cost of day-to-day operations has stabilized to a new low since last fall...

And I look at it. This is my father's world, to some extent -- the world he respects and understands. It's not a bad world -- I need it, to get by.
...But none of it's really what I wanted to say.

"Fox?"

I fold it up and I toss it behind me. The thud of it against the wall is the only sound.
"Let's go talk outside."

He looks like I must have a second ago, but eventually, he nods and follows me.


I'm still looking for what to say as he looks out over the field. Eventually, he settles for,


"...Yeah. Still...I think I prefer hard work to boring work."
And then his face does something I've not seen it do -- not where I'm involved -- in a long time.
He smiles at me.

"Pretty well."

Before I can keep going, he looks out over the pasture, his face serious.


"Isn't it hard taking care of them all?"
"It's hard on the schedule, but it's managable...And it's worthwhile."


He nods.
"I though this'd be better than just showing you the numbers. Because most of my day-to-day life is spent out here, doing...Well, real things. These are the things I made possible. These are the things I'd miss.
The numbers are just counting it up after the facts."

I say, finding it a little easier than honestly saying exactly what I wanted. But I did -- I wanted to show him something of mine.
He gives it what seems like a fuller consideration than I'm used to seeing from him, but he continues with his own questions. But... This is...


"That you can count on?"

A question without judgement is another minute of surprise. I guess what I'm saying does matter a little.

"...Yeah, I think I have."

...Who are you and what have you done with my father?
Then he looks sheepish at saying something kind of sappy like that, and I'm assured that the world is not ending. He's just trying a different approach. Whew.


"But does that matter?"

He blinks.

"Not friends, that's great and all rah-rah... But if you think I'm doing good or not."

"Since I'm here to see how you're doing, and if you should continue here, yes."

"That's not what I mean, and...Well, you probably don't know it at all.

But how I'm doing in general; I know it matters to you because you care." There, I've admitted all I can admit. All the ground I can give. "You've done your best, in your way..."

He puts a hand on my shoulder.
"...Thank you, for thinking so. I know it's been hard sometimes, but... All I've wanted was what was best for you."

"Dad, let me finish."
I sigh and try and compose it.
My father looks at me, the summer sun bouncing off of his glasses; all I see is my own reflection looking back at me, being eaten by the light.

"But you can't decide what's best for me. I don't know what's best for me, let's be honest. I'm going to stumble, and to make mistakes. Maybe big ones, ones I'll regret every day for the rest of my life. I'm sure -- I'm sure you have things like that, if you know it or not. I'd feel that way, if I hadn't decided to say this.

But they'd be my mistakes. And my triumphs would be my triumps. And..."

The sensation that I'm cliff-diving hits me. No, not cliff-diving. I've already dove, and now, all that's below me is far, far away, and all that's solid is behind me. Freefalling, the blood rushing in my ears like wind.

Whether I hit the ground or fly -- that's this moment.

"I think, that to be happy...To be really 'successful,' I have to walk a path I decide. Even if your way's fine and dandy for you, and you know all the mistakes and rash judgements --

That's not me. That's not mine. You can't force someone to be happy."

I let go of it all at once, the words coming out faster than I intended -- or maybe that's just my own breathlessness hitting me.

"I'll abide by our deal...But I'm not going back, and I'm not particularly sorry for it. If you want me to be happy, that's just something you have to admit."

There, that's all I've got to say.
A breeze blows across the grass and hits me -- and the rush of it hits me, and wipes away the feeling of freefall. The world seems vast and open then, and it hits me... That I feel more free, somehow. My heart's still pounding, all the blood's still rushing through my ears... But there's nothing left to do. The die is cast, and all potential is open to me.

My father says nothing for a long time. His head lowers, and the sunlight's no longer hitting his glasses as strongly. The eyes I see through his lenses are thoughtful, and maybe a little sad. Well, that's just the way of things.
He raises his hand and places it heavily on my shoulder. After it's sat there for too long, he raises his hand and pats my shoulder.

"Hm. I think I might still have some mistakes of my own to make... Then let me ask it to you like this:"


Really? That's it? No yelling? No drag-out fight where we say things we can't take back, but want to? No icy silence?
...I'm a little disapointed.

"I enjoy it. It's a pretty great life."
He laughs and shakes his head, smiling. He takes a deep breath and seems to tighten something inside him.


"Dad...?"

He begins to walk away, and I follow after him, hurrying to keep pace with his stride.

When he finally stops, his face is serious.

"You gain from this will give you courage and confidence for the rest of your life.
...That's what I can see came out of these two years."

"D-does that mean...?"
I let myself have this moment of hope. I don't want to say later that I never wanted him to say it -- that I never wanted him to be even just a little bit proud. That none of it matters.

And with a smile that's neither dishonest or begrudging, he says, simply,


Before I can say anything -- and, thankfully, before I can cry or something like that, we're ambushed.


"Ready?"
"Is that..."
I follow his near awe-filled gaze.
"Ah, yeah. That's Pete. And this is my wife, Elli."

"...Wait, ready for what?"
"We decided to throw you a party, to show our support!"
"'We'?"
"Support?"

Elli beams.
"Some of what Fox has worked so hard for these past years... Can't be found just by wandering the farm. We wanted to show those accomplishments, too."
Elli plants her feet, her eyes gleaming with a steel triumph.

"'We'?" I repeat, and louder this time.
"Shh!"

...And then Zack comes walking up.

"It's...no...trouble...?"

And May.


And the Pastor. Just who was Elli scheming with?

"you. Your son's a very enthusiastic person."

I whisper, "This is news to me."
Everyone who heard this shakes their head and sighs.


Now, Rick I could see coming...

But Karen's dad? That's unexpected.



Ohhhh, now I see why he showed up.



"Nice to meet you."


...It's like a parade...


Really, I just buy plants...Though I guess I did help set his daughter up a little, and grew a rare flower.

I wonder if that's -- no, there's the mayor.

"Fox has been working very hard."

"Honey, how many people did you invite?"
"As many as I could."
"Can we even fit all of them on the terrace?
"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."




"...Apparently." I shake my head and laugh. "You guys..."

"are running late, but we'll get started."


My dad follows up after her, and she starts bringing out food and drink as people chat, and a bunch of other people arrive.


The party goes on for a long time. Everyone -- even my dad -- seems happy.

"I think Fox'll be staying here a long time," he says as he bounces his grandson on his knee.
A cheer goes up, and I dip Elli for a dramatic kiss.

I guess you could call that the moment it begins: happily ever after. My own path, free of it all. Or my relationship with my dad, maybe even...

But... Endings don't really happen. There's always a little bit more. Dad and I will probably, when he comes to visit Pete or we take Pete to visit his grandfather, have a lot to work out. Drinks on the terrace aside, we'll probably never be super-close friends or anything. He has his life...
And now I have mine.

And Elli and I go on, after Dad's droven off and all the well-wishers have gone home. After Pete's gone to bed and the night is quiet and cool, and the stars, gleaming over our little world, are shining in a glitter-strewn sky.


"For you to run the farm?"

"It was a surprise to me...But the will was something like that, anyway."

She glances over at me.
"A surprise? Why? What were his last words?"

...I thought that I was sure, before -- what they meant, who they were for. What their value was. At the time, it was enough to make me do something crazy, and start a new life here.
But now, thinking about it all -- my father, his father, myself... The layers of things never said well, the regrets they never took back...

He may have wanted never really saying what he wanted to, and never letting his son know why saying... In a fever, he may have made a different sort of mistake.

I shake my head and shake off that long-winded hypothetical.

But then again, maybe not. Maybe I'm just wishing I took this path out of my own will, or that he even wanted to make things right.

...The dead'll keep their secrets.

Well, not exactly...But I don't think she needs to know that.

With a worried expression, she places a hand on her face and sighs.
"Oh, yes...The Potion Shop Dealer said he held on until you came..." Her face is worried, and it turns back up to the stars. Maybe, somewhere up there in the path of smoke, her grandmother and my grandfather are watching this.


"To tell you... Did you ever figure it out?"

Even if he didn't mean it for me...I think I understood it in my own way. Even if he and my dad had a lot of regrets about each-other... I can at least imagine that fixing things between us, not passing those regrets on, is enough. Either way, I think I'll do it.

Have a wonderful life, indeed.

"...Yeah, I guess I must have."

She smiles and moves closer, turning her face from the cold moon, from the sky that their spirits vanished up into like incense, and back down to me.

"When he grows up. <3"

...You know, I could, but I don't think I will.
Even if you've struck out and found happiness yourself...His happiness will be different. It might take him far away from the farm, far from anything I have any experience with to help him. Or maybe it'll be right here -- I can't say that.

All I can do is teach him what I can, and support him with what I can't.

You can't tell someone how to be happy, you can't force them to be happy, you can't make sure they'll be happy.
I'll just have to trust he'll find his own way.


"I'm sure he'll be able to understand one day."


"What was that for?"


I grab my wife by the hand and kiss her back under the full summer moon, high and wide as a harvest moon.

There's still a long path ahead of us.

Today was fun, but it's back to work tomorrow.

Credits and Afterwords

Spoiler

Show

Well, that's Harvest Moon 64 up until the evaluation. You notice I didn't say "All of HM64." Like most Harvest Moon games, Harvest Moon 64 can be played indefinately -- well, provided you pass the evaluation.



The requirements for that are pretty easy, having a wife and an animal, but I'll be honest -- I legitimately didn't make it once as a kid.



Oh, speaking of evaluation junk, the people that show up for that ending sequence depend on who you have at over 160 affection -- it picks the first 10 or so people by the order they appear on the game's list for this event. You can...probably guess who the first 10 people on the list are alltogether.

But...I was 10 or 11 years old or so, and I didn't know anything about online guides or anything like that. The only other game I'd played by myself was Pokemon.



All I knew was what was in the Magazine article that had attracted me to the game.


Ah, that article...

Here it is, actually. When I read that in Nintendo Power, I was absolutely blown away. This sounded like nothing I'd seen or played before, and it was the first game I ever chose by myself, not having seen my brother play it before...
Well, probably. My memory of event sequencing is a little foggy, so there was probably some pokemon games in there. All the same... This article started it all, and probably was the defining moment for me as a gamer.


It was the first game I ever showed off to my friends, the game I had and they didn't and wasn't it so cool?


After my first failure, I looked up online walthroughs -- I forget if they were even on Gamefaqs, I think I might have just gotten them directly from whatever search engine I was using at the time.
I printed out pages and pages -- about 10 at a time, after my first attempt to print out a whole thing made our printer run out of ink -- and put them all in a big binder.



Even then, I didn't see everything the game had to offer. In fact, until I came back it as an adult, I missed a lot of scenes.
And there were still scenes and events that I saw for the first time right here, on this run -- and to me, that was all the more reason to be so thrilled to share this all with you.

It's incredibly special to me, and holds a deep place in my heart. It's the nostalgic thing that, when you look back, is honestly as good as it was when you were a kid -- maybe even better, because you can appreciate it more. I'll always hold it as my favorite Harvest Moon, even if the gameplay isn't as complex as later entries.


Anyway, what I've been meaning to say it... I'm very happy to have shared this game, and this run in particular, with all of you.


As we've been getting to the end, I've been getting all these heartfelt comments saying how sad they'll be when it's over, and how much they've enjoyed my playing. These are always really touching, even if I don't always know what to say. They absolutely make my day, every last one of them.

So I guess what I wanted to say to them was...


Thank you. Thank you all for reading and commenting, for voting and suggesting. Thank you for the feedback, and for looking at this again with me, or learning about it if it'd never crossed your radar before now. Having an audience makes making these ridiculous elaborate game+fanfiction things meaningful to me, even when the going gets tough.

I'd also like to thank, just on a general basis, the GameFAQs community for HM64, whose guides and patient combing through the game's codes have really helped me out with managing all of this so much, particularly SomeCrazyGuy and kirbyarm, whose various guides and resources I must have consulted 80 million times.




And of course, all the people I've been talking over now, for making one of my fondest childhood memories.
(Pst, Natsume, you spelled your name wrong again!)



And what starts with a company mispelling their name... Ends that way, too.
Twice.
*slow clap*
Way to go, guys. Way to go.



It's been a pleasure.

Actually, there's one thing I haven't said yet.
Remember how, at the start, I said I'd be trying to get a full album run, and do everything?

Well, I'd never done that before -- even after 13 or so dang years... And if you hadn't noticed, our album still has one empty slot.

The slot for the Party Picture, the hardest thing to get in all of HM64. So hard that, to be honest, until a few years ago, no one had an absolutely sure idea even as to what the requirements are. It keeps count of thing the game never tells you about, and has its own system for taking stock.
And if you don't get it from your Evaluation, you never get it that run, and will need to reload from an earlier file or start over. It's gone forever. Oh, well.

You need 80% of your field, exactly, covered in grass.
You need to be married and have a kid, and your wife's affection is at least 250.
Your dog needs to have 200 affection.
You need to have 190 stamina, which means about 6 out of 10 power berries.
You need to have at least one adult chicken.
You need all house extensions.
Including your wife, you need to have at least 2,494 affection spread across all eligible villagers.
You need to have 250 happiness, which is the stat that goes up when you get festival announcements and see events and see other people's weddings and the like.

Now, the question is, after all these years, have I at last gotten that far? On the full view of the internet, have I failed? Or have I succeeded as never before?


To find out, we have to go to Summer 2, Year 3.


If it's there, it's there. If it's not, this is not a full album run.
Let's see....


We've done it.
FULL. ALBUM. RUN.
After all these years, I've done it. I've (for some standard) 100%ed this game.


I hope you've all enjoyed this LP; I sure have.

[fizzmaister]

You have some blue that you forgot to close the color tag for that's running all over the place, and some color at the beginning that didn't get triggered. I'll finish reading the chapter once you fix those.

Speaking of archiving. I've been working on archiving a quest and an LP for myself. I was planning on doing so as well with Deme's moemon LP and possibly this one too.

Aside from Rune Factory which I'm still catching up on, any new LPs in the works Deme?

[Deme]

How strange; I thought I'd fixed that before posting it....Well, it's fixed now.

Also, really? That'd be pretty neat!

Aside from Rune Factory, there's my Thracia 776 LP, not done in a narrative style...
But as for a third project, well, I want to take a little time off right now to look over some of my short stories and send them to a few magazines for rejection, that sort of thing. Get my other projects running regularly.
After that? I have a couple of ideas. One would be to go back to Azure Dreams, though perhaps restarting it so I can work around a few narrative ideas and such, and because I don't recall what I was doing or planning... Or to do another Pokemon game, but that idea has a bunch of kinks in it I'd need to work out before starting. I was thinking Storm Silver, a Soul Silver romhack where catching them all could actually be an option.
I might as well fish around for opinions here, I suppose. Thoughts?

[Seerow]

And so it ends. It's a fitting conclusion, and I like how you managed to wrap everything up in the end. Getting inside Fox's Dad's head was nice, also Fox's little internal monologue at the end about not repeating the same mistakes with his son. All of it was very well done. Only real disappointment is one that was a limitation of the game, only 10 people showing up to the party rather than the whole rest of the town. Especially since most of the people who came weren't the people I would have expected. I would have expected a lot more of the younger crowd in there (all of the original bachelor/bachelorettes), but instead it was all of the adults we barely know.

Also good job on getting your party photo! I can only imagine how devastating it would have been to not get it because you had 79% of your fields covered in grass, or something stupid like that (Seriously that requirement jumped out at me as incredibly dumb, but watcha' gonna do?).

I might as well fish around for opinions here, I suppose. Thoughts?

What I really liked about this Let's Play is how down to earth it was. The characters were all believable and relatable, and I felt really let your own storytelling ability shine through, filling in the gaps left by the game. I'm following the Rune Factory Let's Play, but am not getting into it the same way I did with the Harvest Moon, despite having very similar gameplay the off the wall characters and weirder situations make it harder for me to really get into.

So I guess if I were going to make a recommendation, it'd be something closer to what you have going on here. Not necessarily another farming sim, but something with an open enough story for you to explore, and characters that feel real, either through their own interactions or your personal additions.

[Brance_a_Lot]

*applause* Well that was an adventure. Thank you for writing/playing this wonderful story. I'm pretty sure I remember seeing that exact same article, and wanting to play that game, but I was never able to get it. So thanks again for showing off the game I've always wanted.

I enjoy pokemon games and other RPGs, I just caught up with your Thracia 776 LP, which is pretty darn funny. So anything like that is good, I would suggest looking up http://pokemonzetaomicron.com and it's reddit page. It's a fan game, not a romhack, so it has a different story line and tougher foes, Nuzlock can be part of the gameplay but it's really really tough.

[Selpharia]

Deme, I've loved every installment of this LP, and I have to say it'a my favorite of your LP projects. You have an incredible talent for bringing out the beauty of the ordinary, and sketching the best and most important moments of personal relationships that makes them feel magical while remaining human and easy to relate to. I particularly like how you wove Fox's growth into the larger tapestry of the growth of the townsfolk (and the land itself, in your fantastic portrayal of the harvest sprites and the Goddess. (Who I would love to see more of. I lost it when she called baby Pete "doodlebug.") especially have to give you credit your version of Elli, who I grew to like almost despite myself. I suppose you could say she's another poster child for the beauty and profundity of the ordinary. Part of what I think makes HM64 so great is that its conflicts and stories are all so human and real, despite a few fantastical elements, and I feel like you really enhanced that picture beyond what Natusme's script provided.

Incidentally, for the last installment of "Selpharia's Linguistics Corner", the Japanese version of Elli's last line uses the word "hareru" (晴れる) "to be sunny" which carries a connotation of those days being favorably marked by Heaven/fate; This s often used for festival days. So the metaphor of wishing for good fortune is a bit more explicit than in the English.

[LoneStarNorth]

Seeing that Nintendo Power article is EXACTLY how I got into this game as well. The funny thing is I've only read two issues of NP in my entire life. Still have 'em both lying around somewhere, too.

I agree with what Seerow said, I think the best LP for the future would be something with a fairly open story that gives you room to put your own spin on it. A pokemon game would probably be a good option in that regard.

[Javan]

I somehow missed the update :O, and the forum update somehow didn't send me an email :/

Awesome end to an awesome LP.
Now, do the "After Years" take Pete and move him, grown up, to a new farm, as in a different Harvest Moon game.
Congratulations on the Party Pic!

You should let us read your short stories, I am sure we will appreciate them even if magazines do not.

[fizzmaister]

Now, do the "After Years" take Pete and move him, grown up, to a new farm, as in a different Harvest Moon game.
Congratulations on the Party Pic!

Now, since prequels seem to be all the rage these days, she could play Harvest Moon SNES, and we could learn the story of how Grandpa Pete almost chose Ellen.

[Javan]

Now, since prequels seem to be all the rage these days, she could play Harvest Moon SNES, and we could learn the story of how Grandpa Pete almost chose Ellen.

I would vote for that.

[Selpharia]

Now, since prequels seem to be all the rage these days, she could play Harvest Moon SNES, and we could learn the story of how Grandpa Pete almost chose Ellen.

Yes, please!

[Deme]

Wow! Thank you for all your wonderful comments, and for your appreciation of my efforts. Honestly, there are few things that make me feel as good about myself as your comments on my silly little projects.

Deme, I've loved every installment of this LP, and I have to say it'a my favorite of your LP projects. You have an incredible talent for bringing out the beauty of the ordinary, and sketching the best and most important moments of personal relationships that makes them feel magical while remaining human and easy to relate to. I particularly like how you wove Fox's growth into the larger tapestry of the growth of the townsfolk (and the land itself, in your fantastic portrayal of the harvest sprites and the Goddess. (Who I would love to see more of. I lost it when she called baby Pete "doodlebug.") especially have to give you credit your version of Elli, who I grew to like almost despite myself. I suppose you could say she's another poster child for the beauty and profundity of the ordinary. Part of what I think makes HM64 so great is that its conflicts and stories are all so human and real, despite a few fantastical elements, and I feel like you really enhanced that picture beyond what Natusme's script provided.

Incidentally, for the last installment of "Selpharia's Linguistics Corner", the Japanese version of Elli's last line uses the word "hareru" (晴れる) "to be sunny" which carries a connotation of those days being favorably marked by Heaven/fate; This s often used for festival days. So the metaphor of wishing for good fortune is a bit more explicit than in the English.

Awww, you're making me blush. Also, that is exactly why I like HM64 -- it's something a lot of their more down-to-earth games don't quite manage, because they forget little conflicts and stories. The more fantastic Harvest Moons spiral into busy-work, though, which is why I'm hesitating to take them on.

Also, thanks! That makes the scene even more adorable, which is impressive, because I find that scene strongly adorable to begin with.


As for seeing my short stories: I'm a little hesitant to putting them online independently if I'm trying to submit them to magazines -- a lot of magazines and publishers have rules about this sort of thing, actually. And that stuff's resume-building in a writing circle, you know?

As for another project... While I'm certainly open to suggestions, I'm probably not going to do a game I don't know very well (except, I guess, for Thracia776. I'm not sure I have the patience to play the game twice), and I'm likely not going to do a prequel or sequel to this. If I do another Harvest Moon, it'll likely be with a different storyline entirely. I was more interested in seeing what you guys thought about the things I was considering specifically, rather than collecting new ideas. (I have a third game I'd consider if I'd only ever beaten the thing -- Lost in Blue 2, the story of two teens trapped on a deserted island.)
(As for RF3...Yeah, I need to work some kinks out of that one. If it doesn't update for a bit, that's why -- I'm trying to work out how to best manage my presentation.)

[Javan]

As for seeing my short stories: I'm a little hesitant to putting them online independently if I'm trying to submit them to magazines -- a lot of magazines and publishers have rules about this sort of thing, actually. And that stuff's resume-building in a writing circle, you know?

As for another project... While I'm certainly open to suggestions, I'm probably not going to do a game I don't know very well (except, I guess, for Thracia776. I'm not sure I have the patience to play the game twice), and I'm likely not going to do a prequel or sequel to this. If I do another Harvest Moon, it'll likely be with a different storyline entirely. I was more interested in seeing what you guys thought about the things I was considering specifically, rather than collecting new ideas. (I have a third game I'd consider if I'd only ever beaten the thing -- Lost in Blue 2, the story of two teens trapped on a deserted island.)
(As for RF3...Yeah, I need to work some kinks out of that one. If it doesn't update for a bit, that's why -- I'm trying to work out how to best manage my presentation.)

That is true, can you tell us what magazine to pick up if they get published? I would be interested in reading an original story by you. And at least we get your LP's.

I finished the first Lost in Blue game. Never picked up the second. That could be interesting, though annoying to play.

[Selpharia]

I think StormSilver would be a lot of fun, especially if it happened to be set in the same world as Moemon LG, but I don't know if there's a MoeStorm-Silver. Either way the idea of actually catching them all is awesome and I'd like to see it.

[Deme]

There's not, so this would be a separate universe...and I am OK with this. I can think of multiple pretexts to make characters talk with pokemon, though if I catch them all, I might have to make some sort of in-universe rule about how that works, because there's no way I'll be able to characterize every last one of them. I'm sure I can come up with something; likely, the trainer is able to understand different species of pokemon best with time and trust, or study, or something.

Also, if I do get published anywhere, I will be letting anyone I can think of know. But it's not all that likely. Still, one does one's best.