Thursday, August 26, 2010

The Elusive Fishing Rod and Fireflies in Grand Bazaar




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In most Harvest Moon games, the Fishing Rod is a tool that eludes many players as it often is a gift that can be obtained only at a specific time and place from a specific Character. There are exceptions, of course, as in Sunshine Islands, where you simply purchase it like any other Tool.

In Grand Bazaar, if you fail to read the little booklet that accompanies the game (or if your advance test version did not have a booklet!), you may spend some of the first Spring season searching for a Fishing Rod fruitlessly, showering the Characters who speak most often of Fishing with gifts in order to attempt to persuade them to give you one of your own...

In fact, Felix will give you a Fishing Rod on 1 Summer when you first leave your House. You do need to exit by the front door, evidently, if you wish to experience the Event. Your life then will change radically as it always does in Harvest Moon when the fishing option is unlocked.

In many Harvest Moon and Rune Factory games, Fireflies are a common sight on Summer evenings when their tiny golden lamps wink in and out of the landscape. There are players, including me, who followed the tiny golden lights fruitlessly in Island of Happiness before we discovered that they were fireflies and simply a natural part of the landscape rather than a clue to a secret.

In Grand Bazaar, fireflies will appear on the first evening in Summer and you can catch them with your bare hands! In fact, there are many different varieties (and colours) of Fireflies... This is only one more small detail in a game that all Harvest Moon fans should find delightful and absorbing.

Incidentally, to catch any Firefly, make certain first that your Character is walking and not running, then stand still in front of the location where the Firefly appeared. Its light will wink in and out. When you see the light, press the B button to catch it.

I personally have had trouble catching the flying insects that appear on tree trunks in Summer. After cursing and swearing a little, I discovered that standing still first and then leaping into the air to catch the insect as it began to fly away was possible, but difficult. Thanks to Julia as well for posting her findings.

There is a detailed post about Catching all types of Insects on my Grand Bazaar site, incidentally, as well as descriptions of the location where each Insect is found, both during the day and at night.

For Butterflies and Dragonflies, there are two different methods. You either can go to a spot where the insect is not actually flying from one spot to another but simply 'treading air' for a moment. Make certain that the insect is close enough to the ground to catch and simply catch it. The other method is by leaping into the air. You actually can execute a double leap to catch a Butterfly or other flying insect that is fairly high above the ground. It requires some practice to be successful.

There is a section in my Walkthrough/General Guide that lists insects by location and season. In many cases, you can return to a specific location again and again in the course of a single day to catch the same type of insect more than once. For the most part, the Insects that you find in the first couple of seasons are not worth much money but in the first Spring, 10G - 40G does accumulate. Once you have a Fishing Rod, income from Insects becomes less important but you still can aim for 100% completion and a competitive rank in Multiplayer Mode. In Autumn, there are Dragonflies that are worth almost 300G, more than some Fish! Although Insects will not appear in Multiplayer Mode, Kevin will tell you the totals of each Player.

Another new Trivia addition to my Walkthrough/General Guide as well as my Grand Bazaar site is Dialogue from the Bazaar. I have logged as many Customer Dialogues as possible with the Correct Response as well as any monetary results. I will try to add the results for incorrect responses as well when time permits.

19 comments:

Cori said...

Lloyd loves Bugs as much as Blue Magic Flowers

Unknown said...

Heya~ I first picked up my copy of grand Bazaar a few days ago, and I was really disappointed that there was no game guide for this new edition to the HM series, as it's almost totally different compared to the older versions. :D I'm even more excited that I can stop running around like a nut job trying to find the fishing pole, lol, I was wondering if you knew any more ways to find the ores in the game? So far I know you can buy them from Lloyd at the bazaar for a steep price, or if you decide to swan dive into the river a few times.. And hopefully get lucky.. xD

Anonymous said...

Hello. I been reading your guide for all the harvest moon game I played. Your guides are such a great help. So thank you for that. I just have a curious question. I just started to play harvest moon grand bazaar two days ago; and I noticed a character name Freya in the game. Is that character related to you somehow? Haha. Sorry for being curious. But it would be great if you can answer my question. Thanks much in advance.

Kairo said...

i didnt get the fishing rod on summer 1st. i tried talking to felix too but nothing happened. i hope i dont have to wait until the next summer...

Anonymous said...

Well I was playing the game, but when Summer 1 came by I didn't get the fishing rod! My brother was playing the second save file and got it. So what do you think happened? >.<

Unknown said...

The first time around I got up to Summer 5 without getting a fishing rod from Felix. I started again and got one on Summer 1 as I ran out the front door. I think the problem the first time may have been that I left the house through the barn rather than the front door.

Freyashawk said...

I had no problem experiencing the Fishing Rod event on 1 Summer in four different files... will have to research why other players did not obtain it.

Cori, yes, my updated Characters and Courtship and Marriage Guide has the information about Lloyd responding to insects as he does to Blue Magic... so hard to update everything constantly but I try. So much information in my game journals that hasn't made it into the updated guides yet!

Natsume promised to name a Character after me some time ago. Whether Freya is that character or not, I cannot say for certain but they never told me she wasn't!

Anonymous said...

You have to leave the house through the front door to get the fishing rod, not through the barn door. Tested out myself.

I was also wondering if Freya is named after you. Is that why your character in the game is named Freyja instead of the usual Freya?

The fireflies are really pretty look at, but I have to walk up to them to catch them.

Anonymous said...

It's nice to see your guides for this version of HM!

A couple of corrections to the Walkthrough:

Shitake mushrooms appear while it is raining (not after a rain).

Pink animal available for purchase is a lamb (rather than a pig).

Valerie

JS said...

In order to get the fishing rod, you need to exit your house through the front door. I had the same problem at first because I wouldn't go back inside my house after bringing out my chickens.

steph said...

haha i was so surprised when i saw a character named freya! instantly thought of you, im pretty sure they named her after you. Pretty too!

I got my fishing rod on the 1st summer too. =\

But i have a problem.. did u actually ever catch any fireflies before? No matter how i try, i can never catch one!!! i have no problems with all other insects.. but just cant seem to catch a firefly ><

steph said...

oopz sorry i just saw your 2nd screen shot.. wow how did u manage to catch that firefly?!? they fly away so fast! i cant catch them even when i jump.. do i need to do a double jump or something?

Freyashawk said...

To the Anon. player who posted 'corrections' to the Walkthrough.

I think I may have mistaken the Young Sheep for a Pig in the first week in the test version I was playiing.

You are incorrect, however, to say that Shitake and other Mushrooms appear only when it is raining. They can appear randomly on ANY day, but are most likely to appear when it is raining OR the day after it has rained. I am playing right now in a file in the retail version where a Shitake Mushroom has appeared on a day when it is cloudy and when the previous day was sunny.

Freyashawk said...

Steph, make certain that your Character is walking and not running, then stand in front of the spot where you saw the Firefly. Its light will wink in and out. When you see the light, press B to catch it.

Anonymous said...

Are the trunk insects meant to be caught? Its extremely frustrating...

Julia said...

Freya! I figured out how to catch the annoying Cicadas and Beetles on the trees! I'll let you know how to do it if you're not sure:

Stand in front of the tree with the insect on it but keep a distance. Jump and then press B to catch it!

Beetles are harder to catch than the Cicadas... But I hope this helps!

Other than that little tidbit, it's still a little difficult to get near the tree without them having to fly away from you.

Kesa said...

*Catching bugs on the tree is easier if you are walking toward the tree, get close enough to jump and grab ^.^

*I got my fishing rod Summer 3 after reading all your comments, no need to restart your game, when you wake up just leave from your house first.

*I am thinking that each game is different on bazaar rewards, I have gotten 3rd and 2nd each time I get only Fertalizer!! LAME... I rather have milk lol.

sito-jaxa said...

With regard to catching beetles etc: I like to maneuver myself so that I am directly below the tree I know has a bug on it, but so that the bug is NOT on the screen. Then I jump up toward the tree and hit B. They don't have a chance to fly away!

shana said...

what an awesome site! :) everytime i play (any versions) harvest moon game,i always refer to your guides. big thanks to freyashawk. you rock!! ;)