How a stolen car led the creator of mega mod Stardew Valley Expanded to "every modder's dream" of working with Eric Barone on update 1.6

One of the most wholesome stories about Stardew Valley's 1.6 update launch was that the developer behind the farming sim's most beloved modding project, Stardew Valley Expanded, helped make it happen. And yet that might not have come to be if FlashShifter hadn't fallen on hard times after an unfortunate brush with car theft.

Speaking to 12DOVE, FlashShifter explains the series of events that led them to officially work on the game they had been modding. Both they and Stardew Valley creator Eric 'Concerned Ape' Barone live in Seattle, though, while it was always a "dream" to work on the game, FlashShifter "never asked him for anything" as they "just figured it was off-limits because he's a guy who does everything himself."

"I had always wanted to work for him after modding his game for a year," they say. "It was always kind of a dream of mine, but I never asked him even though we both live in Seattle. The odds of that are kind of crazy. The guy who has the largest mod for your game also lives in the same city as you."

Things would change, though, after FlashShifter fell on hard times.

"Sometime last year, I kind of ran into some financial trouble," they say. "My car got stolen. I had to get a new one and I was living off my mod income, which was Patreon and PayPal donations. 

"Having your vehicle stolen – I didn't have theft insurance, I was an idiot – I was kind of screwed. I kind of panicked and I ended up meeting with him one-on-one at his office and I asked him if he would hire me. He knew who I was, but I never asked him for anything because I kind of just figured it was off-limits because he's a guy who does everything himself. Why would he need someone like me? But I asked him and he did end up pretty much immediately hiring me a couple of days later after that. I've been working for him ever since and also making sure that my mod is ready for the huge update."

FlashShifter's work on Stardew Valley covered a range of content. "Essentially, my job entailed basically just doing what I've always been doing, but more in an official capacity," they say.

That sort of work isn't wasn't always what they set out to do, though. FlashShifter initially started out as an accountant before going full-time with Stardew Valley Expanded after being laid off during COVID. 

"I taught myself how to do pixel art, how to make music, how to script, how to make storyboards, how to make maps," they recall. "I taught myself everything, everything that an actual developer would need except programming because it's actually not too necessary. There are a lot of frameworks and tools that exist in this community, you really don't need to be a programmer at all. You just need to be able to think logically. And if you can do that, you can create anything you want."

With all that experience gained, you can bet that FlashShifter isn't slowing down anytime soon. Stardew Valley Expanded is heading toward 1.15 and then after something far more ambitious. 

"2.0 is basically hardcore fan fiction," they say. "It's like a magical land of monster combat and adventuring. It's a separate thing from Stardew Valley entirely. New characters in a completely different area of the world that has nothing to do with Stardew Valley."

While Expanded 1.15 sees the mod basically "done," 2.0 is better described as the next step rather than an overhaul. Even if what you're getting is something near completely different. 

"It's more like a new adventure in a new way," they say. "It doesn't focus on farming, it focuses on combat. And it would have Terraria-style bosses. You go to Castle Village and your money is worth nothing here. 

"So I take away the player's money. New cast of characters, your friendship is at zero, and you don't know anyone here. And monsters here are protected by some sort of force field, so the weapons that you bring here don't really do much damage. 

"I'm essentially resetting your money, your social influence, and your power level when you get here. It's kind of a new game, but it will be year three or four. But you start from scratch, in a way. So it's like a new adventure."

Between COVID-induced layoffs and a brush with grand theft auto, FlashShifter's journey has not been easy. Considering where they've ended up, though, it all feels worth it.

"It's kind of funny," they say. "I think everything worked out pretty well. And I'm truly happy with where I am. I never dreamed I would be able to work on my favorite game like this. It's honestly like every modder's dream, I think, to be able to work on the game that they're modding in an official capacity. And I'm truly humbled by everything, really."

Thanks to Stardew Valley's 1.6 update, speedrunners are racing to see who can chug a jar of mayonnaise the quickest.