Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Postscript to the Pumpkin Festival in Sunshine Islands




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In writing my guides for any Harvest Moon game, I usually try all possible responses in any given situation. When visitors knock on the door on the day of the Pumpkin Festival, therefore, I note the responses they make when you refuse to give them sweeties or give them odd inappropriate items instead but then reload to give them Chocolate or another Sweet that they will find acceptable.

In Sunshine Islands, I wanted to test the response for actual 'Candy' in the form of Rice Candy or other sweets made from Rice Candy as well as the responses to various 'Desserts' such as Pudding and Pineapple Pie. I therefore made a few items, intending to give them to each consecutive visitor without reloading until the very last visit from Felicia and the party on Meadow Island.

If I had reloaded immediately after each visit as I had done in previous years, I never would have discovered an important aspect of the Festival which is that, should you NOT give Chocolate or any acceptable Sweet to a visitor, that visitor will be your LAST until the next year.

Charlie is the first visitor. When I gave him Boiled Spinach and then re-entered the House expecting to receive Eliza next, she failed to appear. When I gave Charlie a Chocolate Banana and Eliza a Pudding but then attempted to give Popuri Omelet Rice (her Most Favourite Gift on an ordinary day), the Witchkin never appeared, nor did Felicia after that...

What this means essentially is that you have to give ALL your Visitors a Sweet if you wish to receive Felicia's invitation to the Party at Meadow Island. I did test many different 'Desserts' and ALL were acceptable to the Pumpkin Festival visitors. I therefore would venture to guess that ANY Dish that is listed in the 'Desserts' section of your Cookbook will qualify.

I have revised my guides accordingly. Previously, the Calendar's entry simply listed the different visitors and explained Felicia's Party on Meadow Island, without carrying any warning to the effect that, should you deny any visitor a Sweet, you will have no opportunity to attend the Party.

I made a video for YouTube a few months ago about the Pumpkin Festival that shows the visits and the party on Meadow Island. It is very touching to see that Karen, an individual who really detests sweets of all kinds, attends the Party for the sake of her best friend Popuri and will thank you as well for giving 'candy' to Popuri. The Party on Meadow Island, incidentally, does not end until 6.00 p.m. so if you do not wish to waste any working hours during the day, count your visitors and make certain that you do not re-enter your House after the Witchkin's Visit until you are ready to go to the Party.

Another new discovery I made was the ability to cook DURING a Pumpkin Festival visit. You actually can whip up some 'candy' while your Visitor waits patiently inside your Farmhouse! No earth-shattering new information but it IS interesting!

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