Returning player: your first day back

✦Before loading your old farm

Back up the save, update the game and check whether old mods support the new engine. Pre-engine mods do not automatically work after the 0.16.2 migration. If a Deck save seems absent, follow the separate Proton-to-Linux recovery guide before creating a replacement game.

Open the in-game settings to review day speed, controls and relationship preferences. If you intend to propose, distinguish hiding breakup letters from preventing other Dating relationships from changing. Make that decision before engagement.

!Route 1: early repairs and shallow mines

Choose this route if your journal still points to early town repairs and you have not opened the later mine regions. Your first day is for restoring a workable routine, not buying every new feature at once.

1. Read mail and the journal; identify the next repair request and keep its materials out of the shipping bin.
2. Water the crops you already have and care for animals before expanding planting or adopting more.
3. Check today’s birthday and the next seasonal deadline, then bring one available liked or loved gift.
4. Prepare food, clear backpack space and aim for the next mine elevator milestone or seal request.
5. End the day by keeping the requested materials and choosing tomorrow’s single repair or mine objective.

!Route 2: relationships at six to eight hearts, mines unfinished

Choose this if you were waiting for more heart events or stopped before the later mine story. The third major update added eight-heart dating, level-60 skills, the greenhouse and market expansion; the fourth continued the mines into the Ruins and added production options.

1. List unfinished two-, four- and six-heart events before trying to trigger eight hearts.
2. Check whether Lava Caves are open. If not, make the next seal your exploration goal.
3. Read Eiland’s exact letter: Just a hunch... is not The Glade. For Juniper, reserve a Breath of Flame for Potions and Errands.
4. Do one eligible heart quest today and prepare equipment for the next mine visit.
5. Check the repair journal and market unlocks before committing resources to a greenhouse or new production buildings.

!Route 3: eight-heart partners or a nearly completed town

Choose this if you already have Dating relationships, later mine access or few repairs left. Version 1.0 adds the ten-heart and marriage routes, children, Town Rank 100 and the town and museum conclusions.

1. Load the old save and compare Steam achievements before replaying things you already completed.
2. Check whether your chosen partner is Dating or Best Friends, then continue toward ten hearts if you want marriage.
3. Inspect the tablet/core unlock and Blacksmithing level 30. Reserve five Mistril Ingots across the core and ring recipes.
4. Use the museum’s missing-item list to pick something available this season, and retain the specimen for donation.
5. Schedule upcoming birthdays, Stillwell missions and animal breeding while advancing the family route.

▤Do not repeat work fixed by a patch

On 1.0.5, recheck Master Chef, Time Flies and First Place after updating; fixes addressed those achievements. Stillwell mission counting was corrected in 1.0.4. Check the journal and actual Steam result before starting a new farm to chase a missing award.

At the end of your first day, save separately and write down three things: the next story quest, the next event prerequisite and the next seasonal target. That gives tomorrow a clear starting point without turning your return into a full collection grind.