Real People, Neither Villains nor Heroes

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Friends and family who never play video games often have no real understanding of the appeal that Harvest Moon and Rune Factory have for me. With the title of 'Hero of Leaf Valley', a non-gamer might be excused for assuming that the game would be a traditional role-playing game (RPG) with narrowly defined Villains and Heroes. Such is not the case, as any one familiar with Harvest Moon would know.

Every Harvest Moon game has a philosphical basis. Some explore the philosophy in more detail and are more profound than others. The basic premise of any Harvest Moon game is the need to live in harmony with Nature and more than that, to understand that the world of plants and animals is OUR world as well. We are not its masters or its creators. We all must work together if the universe is to prosper. It is not how much you sell or how much money you amass but your ability to interact positively with others and with your environment that is the key to a good life.

I often describe the Harvest Moon and Rune Factory series as true interactive novels and in fact, the detail and depth of dialogue only has expanded in each new game.

In 'Hero of Leaf Valley', it is the conflict between real estate development and the traditional use of land that is the basis of the tale. A corporation named 'Funland' has purchased the land in Leaf Valley and intends to create an amusement park. Your character must be the 'Hero' by foiling this plan. He has a number of choices as to how this can be achieved. The most straightforward would be to save 50,000G to purchase the land outright from the Corporation. The other methods would be to transform Leaf Valley into a Nature Preserve by finding endangered species and documenting their presence or by transforming Leaf Valley into a desirable tourist destination by encouraging residents who have various talents to explore and perfect those abilities.

As you can see, there is nothing simplistic about the plot. The Characters are fairly complex as well. There are three members of the Funland Corporation in Leaf Valley: Alice, Renton and Charles. Alice is the CEO of the company. Renton is an older man who exhibits some friendliness and sensitivity from the start, but even Alice and Charles, both young and ambitious, are not true 'villains'.

If you bother to interact with them and raise your Friendship levels with them, their dialogues will show their own desire to balance their ambitions with a certain amount of humanity.

Charles will tell you:

Charles: It seems that you misunderstand. I am just doing my job. Would you stop talking about us behind our backs, now?

Charles: I didn't come here to harass the people of Leaf Valley. Isn't it only common sense to want to evict the people who won't leave your property? That's all we're trying to do. I wish you would stop vilifying us.

The residents of Leaf Valley are people who live fairly simple lives. Your own Character is a farmer. There is a local Greengrocer and owners of various small businesses, including a Florist, a General Store and a Carpentry Shop. The Starling Ranch raises Animals. They all represent the traditional way of life. The Funland Corporation, on the other hand, represents technology and development. They believe that change always represents an improvement, that if you do not exploit the land, you are wasting its potential.

Charles: There are a lot of things that I have to do with my job. I don't just walk around town. I'm not the same as people who only have to work when the sun is up.

He is an engineer who develops robots and sophisticated machines. His counterpart in the Valley is Louis who owns an 'Items Shop' but who is an inventor as well. Where Charles works for a large corporation, however, Louis owns a shop where the primary business interactions are performed through a system of barter.

What Harvest Moon always tries to demonstrate is that the old ways can be the best in many ways. At the same time, lack of progress or any stimulus whatsoever is ruinous. At the start of most Harvest Moon games, the village has suffered from the loss of its youth who, perceiving no future there, have moved to larger cities. One of the goals you have is that of infusing your Community with new challenges and a reason for people to return.

Harvest Moon games are very realistic in that farming, animal care, fishing and mining all take time, require patience and much repetition of the same actions. Farming and Animal Care in reality involve repetition for the most part. You must water crops regularly and feed Animals daily. Even fishing and mining require patience. Often, most of the items you catch or find will be nothing more than rubbish. The desirable items cannot be obtained unless you are willing to put in the time and demonstrate patience.

Some players consider this aspect of Harvest Moon 'boring' or 'tedious' but in fact, it is this that creates a sense of reality and places one in a sort of contemplative state that is relaxing and therapeutic. For the most part, hard work and determination will lead to rewards. When you harvest a Crop, it has far more significance to you after all of your labours than it would have if you could throw the seeds on the soil and immediately find ripened Crops in their place. The same is true whenever you find a rare Gem in the Mines or catch a new type of Fish. It is far more exciting and rewarding for all the rubbish you had to find first...

As I write strategy guides for these games, I have to pay even more attention to details and often involve myself in even more repetition than other players. For example, much is revealed in dialogue, but often characters will repeat the same dialogues again and again. The dialogue is randomly generated to some extent in order to provide variation in your encounters. Dialogue can be based on the season, the weather and the level of your friendship with the individual as well.

It was only by finding Charles in his workroom in the basement of the Funland Headquarters and speaking to him again and again relentlessly that I was able to experience the Dialogues I copied above. As I wished to see how many variations in dialogue I could obtain, I kept speaking to him over and over.

After he had repeated himself a few times, he finally turned to me with an appearance of being utterly fed up and cried:

Charles: Oh! I am trying to do some thinking here! Please don't interrupt me!

It may have been coincidental in fact, but how much more realistic could a social interaction in a GAME ever be?

The Wave of the Future: Games as Novels

I have remarked in the past on the fact that Harvest Moon and Rune Factory games actually resemble interactive novels, but with the recent Rune Factory 2 and Rune Factory Frontier games, it is obvious to me that the genre indeed has reached a point where a game can be considered to be the equivalent of a novel in every respect.

Rune Factory 2 contained over 420,000 words of dialogue. Rune Factory Frontier must include at least as much text. In fact, a player wrote in disgust to me that he didn't like Rune Factory Frontier because there were too many Events and too much reading to be done!

A player who is looking exclusively for slash and stab action is NOT going to like ANY Harvest Moon or Rune Factory game. At the same time, a player who never wishes to wield a sword or weapon will be unhappy with the Rune Factory series as it extends the Harvest Moon traditional activities of farming, ranching, mining, fishing and social interactions to include combat and adventures as well.

It seems to me, however, that the Rune Factory series is an incredible achievement in terms of embracing ALL the best aspects of gaming while emerging as a true embodiment of the concept of interactive fiction. Furthermore, all Rune Factory games are interactive novels as opposed to short stories. Of the three existing Rune Factory games, it is the two most recent additions that represent a perfect acihevement in this. The original Rune Factory appeared to be driving towards it, but it is only in the two games that followed that dialogue and Events reached a point where they could be considered to constitute a real novel in interactive form.

As some one who has attained a small measure of notoriety as 'Mistress of Harvest Moon' even internationally, I tend to receive hundreds of emails from players on the subject of Harvest Moon and Rune Factory and therefore have some knowledge of the type of player who has become increasingly involved with the genre. To the general public who may have been influenced by negative portrayals of gaming in the media, I can offer proof positive that players of games such as Harvest Moon and Rune Factory are educated individuals of all ages, actually read prolifically and find intellectual and spiritual stimulation in both the Harvest Moon and Rune Factory series.

Marvelous Interactive and the creators of Harvest Moon and Rune Factory should be added to the league of great contemporary novelists. Note that the original versions of all Harvest Moon and Rune Factory games are Japanese, a language in which I am not proficient, very sadly. Natsume, the company who brought these games to the English-speaking world, deserves eternal gratitude and social recognition for its accomplishment. More recently, XSeed has joined the list by making the first Rune Factory game for the Wii available in English.

I would like to challenge any individual who considers himself/herself to be a superior judge of the written word to explore either Rune Factory 2 or Rune Factory Frontier and find it less than worthy of his/her regard. Furthermore, these games offer a very detailed education in farming, fishing, mining, ranching, cooking, business and social interactions. Above all, they force an individual to become proficient in the art of multi-tasking and budgeting time. The latter are skills required of any person who lives in the 21st century and both Harvest Moon and Rune Factory offer the opportunity to improve these skills significantly. The fact that the games have incredibly detailed characterisations that can be poignant and very humourous at turns is a bonus.

On a spiritual level, more than one player has remarked upon the 'zen-like' quality of daily routines in Harvest Moon and Rune Factory. There is an opportunity for the soul to achieve a state of peace when tilling a field, growing a crop and ultimately harvesting it. Clearing a field of weeds, stumps and rocks, then watching it flourish, even if only in a virtual reality, does give an individual a sense of accomplishment and the attitudes of the villagers reinforce the idea that harmony with the earth in creating bounty for humankind and animals is a worthy goal.

Every character in these games possesses depth and individuality. It is not like a classical RPG where you simply speak to a character in order to obtain a clue to unlock a new option. Not at all. You speak to a character in order to gain more knowledge of that individual's personality, history and an increase in friendship or love. Humour is very much a part of these games and laughter eases the heart and soul. Lest any one attempt to argue that games like these foster unrealistic expectations of utopia or an existence unmarred by loss, this certainly is not the case. These games do recognise the inevitability of death and a player will experience the heartache of age and loss. On the other hand, the worlds of Harvest Moon and Rune Factory do represent 'better' worlds in a sense as good actions receive rewards and friendship is not met with betrayal.

Unlike some 'virtual reality' games, Harvest Moon and Rune Factory teach a philosophy that places friendship and loyalty above financial benefit and personal gain. Although the message usually is oblique, a character in Rune Factory Frontier states it very clearly:

Lara: Money is necessary to live, but obtaining more than necessary will only cloud your heart. Please don’t be too attached to money, Freyr.

Both sides of the coin are true in any Harvest Moon or Rune Factory game. 'Money is necessary to live' and your character will struggle at the start of his/her life on a dilapidated farm, with very few initial resources and yet, hard work is rewarded ultimately with prosperity not only for oneself but for the entire village. It is by spending money and sharing the bounty of nature that one achieves true success in any Harvest Moon or Rune Factory game. Patronising local merchants allows them to feed their families. In participating in festivals such as the 'Harvest Festival' or 'Year-End Festival', one is reminded of the value of community spirit.

On a side note, I never knew much about fishing until I began to play Harvest Moon. Becoming aware of the varieties of Fish in different habitats is very much a part of both Harvest Moon and Rune Factory. Being able to cook offers an opportunity for greater knowledge of crops, fish and wild plants. The addition of a few bizarre recipes in every game simply adds to the enjoyment.

Working at a forge always has been a dream of mine but it is only in Rune Factory that I have been able to achieve that goal. Forging a blade or farm tool really does offer a measure of real satisfaction. It is far more fulfilling than placing an order with the local bladesmith!

Finally, although Rune Factory does include combat, killing plays no role whatsoever in these games. Defeating an enemy simply returns that enemy to its own world. Often a human enemy, once defeated will become a friend or even potential life partner.

The landscapes both in Harvest Moon and Rune Factory are utterly breathtaking. Although any good reader can imagine the landscapes created by a novelist, actually being able to move through a fictional universe as incredibly beautiful as those of Harvest Moon or Rune Factory is an experience that becomes a valued memory. A virtual memory, after all, becomes as much an integral part of the soul as any 'real' experience.

There are those who believe that too much imagination can be a negative or corrupting influence, especially for children. Some religions preach avoidance of 'fiction' for that reason. I personally feel that imagination is the equivalent of wings for the soul, and that it is a privilege to be allowed to experience another person's world of the imagination.

While Amazon has made the concept of a virtual library a reality in the form of the 'Kindle', Harvest Moon and Rune Factory have extended the form of the novel itself. The trend towards acceptance of virtual realities in general increases daily. Speaking of Second Life, one individual predicted that having an avatar soon would become as essential as having an email address. Perhaps the concept of entering into fiction in order to 'read' a book will become as much a part of every one's ordinary expectations as well. Certainly it is the stuff of which dreams are made and it has achieved reality both in the Harvest Moon and the Rune Factory series.

N.B. The photographs are screenshots from Rune Factory Frontier. 'Monsters' who are tamed with a Petting Glove will serve as transport, farm workers or allies in combat. Here, in one screenshot, you see an 'Elefun' watering crops while the main character rides a 'Unico' through the village. In the other screenshot, it is sunset at the Beach. Two of the 'Eligible Girls' (characters you can court and marry) fish on the pier as the sun sets over the beach.

When 'things get too straight'

I loved Iggy Pop from the start. I always felt he was a rather under-appreciated musical hero of the counter-culture. It was only when the film version of 'Trainspotting' was released that his music became the unofficial anthem of an entire subculture and achieved some of the attention it deserved.

So much popular music consists of a voice for the disaffected and the alienated. Thank God for that! Without a natural outlet or form of expression, emotional meltdowns occur. Many tragedies in society are avoided, I daresay, by losing oneself in a favourite piece of music, whether it is an opera, a symphony, Punk, Goth, Heavy Metal, the Blues, Emo, tribal drumming or whatever else releases the soul from its prison temporarily.

I was listening to 'Lust for Life' this morning and the lyrics to 'Some Weird Sin' impressed me anew.

'Well, I never got my license to live.
They won't give it up,
So I stand at the world's edge...

I'm trying to break in,
Oh, I know it's not for me,
And the sight of it all
Makes me sad and ill.
That's when I want- Some Weird Sin.

Things get too straight:
I can't bear it.
I feel stuck, stuck on a pin...

I'm trying to break in,
Oh, I know it's not for me,
But the sight of it all
Makes me sad and ill.'

The lines that speak more eloquently to me are: 'Things get too straight: I can't bear it. I feel stuck, stuck on a pin...'



There was a time in my life when that entire dilemma was almost unbearable. A part of me wanted to become a part of what generally was considered to be 'accepted society', to make efforts towards material gain and society's fame, to keep my head down for once in my life and create no waves. At the same time, I simply could not DO it. There always was too much in me that was individualistic, that could not pretend to agree with lifestyles and principles that did not suit me or make any sense on a profound level.

As one grows older, one learns to float on the tides instead of thrashing against them to some extent, but there still are moments when 'things get too straight.'

I realised, however, that I have found a wonderful antidote for that in gaming. Without being self-destructive or altering the paths one has chosen (and which usually involve other people for better or worse), one can leap away from the 'straight and narrow' and become some one else in another life or another world for a few hours. That resource is a lifeline to me and has to be one to many creative individuals who are sensible enough to avoid self-destruction but who still need some release from what generally is defined as 'sanity' or 'mainstream life'.

There are many forms of self-expression and self-liberation but gaming is an extraordinarily diverse resource as it can offer so many different things. One can choose a combat game in order to act out rage and resentment without hurting any one, including oneself. One can choose a fantasy RPG in order to escape reality in its grim and oppressive forms. One can maintain a sense of responsibility towards family and friends in real life but be freed from all constraints and restraints in living in a different universe through the magic of a game.

Beyond that, there is 'empowerment'. In games, we can be gods or successful farmers, great heros or simply charming flirts. We can choose different personalities and characters, try them on and then discard them at will without affecting other people.

The 'empowerment' in gaming that allows one to perform the impossible, whether it is soaring with wings into the heavens or executing amazing martial arts combinations is not the only sort of empowerment games offer. Games make order from chaos, operate according to given rules and do not deviate from them. One can BELIEVE that justice will be rewarded, that loyalty will endure and that one will not be robbed suddenly of success once it has been won. It may not translate completely into real life, but games can be a reminder of the values we hold dear and which we would like to see embodied in our own society.

The other side of the coin is the ability to behave badly without fearing the consequences. One can 'blow away' any number of enemies in a game without being damned to eternity or sent to Death Row. One can be wicked, mischievous, indolent, feckless or simply contrary without being forced to live with the consequences forever. It can be fun to be wicked sometimes, especially when no one is hurt.

There are those who argue that games increase violence but I believe that the opposite is true. They are a wonderful outlet, a means by which one can 'let off steam'.

As for the games that actually are based on a rather utopian ideal, such as Harvest Moon, they are the greatest gift to players of all ages, dispensing a positive philosophy with humour, wit and beauty. One cannot devote oneself to games entirely to the detriment of reality, but one can use them as 'safe havens' when one feels one has been 'stuck on a pin.'

Slight 'Cross-over' in Topics

Today, I held a copy of my first published 'book'. It is an Official Strategy Guide for a game entitled 'Tree of Tranquility', a new game in the Harvest Moon series. I never thought that my first 'book' would be a game guide, but my respect and admiration for the creators of the world of Harvest Moon is so profound that I feel honoured to be connected to it in an 'official' capacity. Despite the fact that my game guides on the internet are fairly well-known, the permanent quality of the printed page makes a book far more 'real' somehow.

The sheer amount of labour that is involved in a project like this is incredible. I cannot imagine individuals being willing to submerge themselves in projects of this sort without any deep devotion to the subject itself... and yet, I know from my past experience in the book publishing world that there are many individuals in publishing who do precisely that. Even with my own personal dedication to Harvest Moon, the copy-editing aspects of it were not always strictly speaking a 'labour of love'. Nonetheless, there is something intensely satisfying about a real BOOK, especially when the book represents both a subject that I love and my own labour.

As a child, I saved my money to buy books. The thrill of going to my favourite bookshop to buy a coveted book is one of the most enduring memories of childhood. Sometimes the smell of the pages of a new book will take me back to one of those magical moments.

Often it was the artwork as well as the writing itself that drew me into another world. The Oz Books were early favourites partly because of the exquisite illustrations of John R. Neill. One of the first novels I wrote at the age of 7 or 8 was an Oz Book. (I probably need not add that it had no literary value whatsoever.)
'The Land of Oz' and 'Rinkitink in Oz' were my favourites, although I loved 'Ozma of Oz' because anything connected with Ozma was particularly magical. I think it was the cover of Ozma of Oz that made that book most memorable.

Dorothy could return to THIS world and yet, Ozma would make certain that she was not forgotten. All she had to do was make a secret sign at a specific time and Ozma would respond, whisking her back to Oz. As a child, by some skewed logic, I thought that if I made the same sign at the same time, Ozma might notice and bring ME to Oz... It made no sense, really. After all, according to the novels themselves, Dorothy had become a permanent resident, a Princess of Oz, with the rest of her family. There no longer would be any reason for Ozma to spend any time at all scrutinising THIS world.

I personally see many parallels between great children's literature and Harvest Moon. Harvest Moon is not strategy so much as total immersion in another world, with characters that one comes to know and love. There are the beautiful as well as the eccentric and many who fall somewhere between the two. Playing Harvest Moon is rather like leaping into a beloved folktale and becoming part of it. The fact that the games are realistic and require your participation in farming, eating, making friends, even starting a family, are where these games actually are more than mere fantasy. You must work for rewards in Harvest Moon and weave the threads of your own life into the story.

Some players complain that Harvest Moon is too time-consuming and that farming or ranching tasks can be tedious. To me, that is part of the genius of the series. If you do not water your crops daily, they may die. Animals if neglected may die as well. You cannot expect to skate over the fundamentals of real existence in Harvest Moon. You can engage in courtship and romance but not at the expense of daily life. As in reality, you still must eat to survive.

My family is not familiar with Harvest Moon and have no understanding of what it is that I wrote. I suppose if I never had played a video game in my life and a friend were to tell me that he/she had written a game guide, I would not know even what that signified either. If I were to think about it objectively, though, a novel of mine would not signify much more. My mother no doubt would be uninspired by the characters or plot and wonder why I had wasted my energy on 'people like that'.

One really must do things for oneself and not to impress others. Inevitably, people who truly understand you will take an interest in your accomplishments. As for the others, volumes have been written about individuals who scaled the highest peaks and yet never managed to impress a loved one.

I remember a tale about a famous composer that we were told often as children. It was either Handel or Haydn whose wife took his compositions and used them in lieu of rags to curl her hair.... At least that was the tale we were told, to illustrate how often even the greatest artists fail to attain the appreciation of those closest to them.

Well, a game guide even for Harvest Moon cannot be compared with the work of Haydn or Handel. Nonetheless, I am happy to be connected with this project and as strategies guides are useful, I know that the work will be appreciated by some at least.

I have many friends who are professional writers, whether of fiction or non-fiction. I always thought one of my novels would be published by now. A part of me comprehends, however, that my own exacting standards in fiction have crippled me somewhat. In writing a game guide, on the other hand, it is not MY work that must be worthy intrinsically, but the game itself. That is one reason I could not write a guide for a game that I considered a waste of time and energy.

There is a point though where I should take up the challenge once more to write fiction. Even if the results prove to be lacklustre, I always was happiest when I was engaged in writing a novel.

Life, Love and the Pursuit of Happiness

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When I was in my early teens, I had a girlfriend who loved old swashbuckler films as much as I. A local 'art cinema' ran films that featured Errol Flynn and Ronnie Colman, among others, but our favourite film was 'Gone With the Wind'. We used to say that one could learn something new each time one saw 'Gone With the Wind', that it contained answers to almost every problem known to humanity.

One possibly could say the same of 'Harvest Moon', an incredible series of games made for many different platforms. The basic premise of most Harvest Moon games is the restoration of an old farm and the creation of a successful happy life in a fairly rural community. There is far more to it than that, however. The characters in Harvest Moon games are three-dimensional, and if one makes the effort, one can uncover their histories and secret aspirations.

An old Harvest Moon game entitled 'Back to Nature', originally made for the Playstation, was re-issued recently for the PSP platform under the title of 'Harvest Moon Boy & Girl'. As the title suggests, it allows one to assume the character either of a male or a female. I never played the original 'Back to Nature', but two games made for the GameBoy, 'Friends of Mineral Town' and 'More Friends of Mineral Town' featured the same characters and were similar in many ways. In the course of these games, one has the option of courting a number of eligible girls or bachelor (depending on the gender of the character you play), proposing marriage and ultimately having a child.

Why am I writing about Harvest Moon on this site when I have a site that is completely devoted to Harvest Moon? The reason is that it is not the game I wish to discuss but Life itself.

We tend to be egocentric, even in the games we play. I always assumed that the individual one plays in Harvest Moon is the central character in the game and, indeed in the village. This is often the case in games. The plots are such that one inevitably has the opportunity to become a hero and save either another person or the world. There are elements of that in Harvest Moon but it is far more subtle. Restoring the farm and becoming an integral part of the community will bring both material success and happiness but it is nothing dramatic.

Pondering the 'plot' of 'Back to Nature', now manifested as 'Harvest Moon Boy & Girl', I suddenly realised that my character really is NOT the protagonist of the story...

In fact, this is a tale about a disfunctional family and how broken hearts can be mended partially by the intervention of others, including oneself. Again, there is nothing truly dramatic about it, and many players focus so completely on their own lives that they fail to comprehend that the central tale is not about them at all!

The beginning of this realisation came when I gave Manna a gift for her birthday and she told me what she expected to receive from her husband. There are too many married couples whose birthdays are 'celebrated' in a similar fashion!

Duke and Manna own a vineyard and Winery in Mineral Town. They have one daughter named Aja, who is the axis upon which their world spun... In fact, their business is named the 'Aja Winery'. Aja, however, left Mineral Town a few years ago, bored with country life, dazzled by the 'bright lights' of the city. With her departure, the light went out of her parents' lives. Their marriage, formerly a good one, floundered. Duke became a drunkard. Manna, desperately lonely, became a chatterbox. Instead of supporting one another, they drew further and further apart.

It is at this point that your character moves to Mineral Town. There is another young stranger in Mineral Town, a young man named Cliff. He has his own secret tragedy to bear and spends most of his time in Church. He bears the weight of sorrow heavily on his shoulders. Despite the fact that he is nearly penniless, he does not wish to return home, as he cannot stand the prospect of facing the change that tragedy has wrought within his own family.

The game begins in Spring and by the beginning of Autumn, Cliff will confide that he is running out of money and will not be able to remain in Mineral Town much longer. If you have spoken to Duke and/or Manna frequently, you will have become aware of their family tragedy. In fact, there is an event at the Inn where you will find Duke drunk on the floor! You will have the option of taking him home to his wife.

The Innkeeper's daughter, Ann is interested romantically in Cliff. Players who wish to marry Ann themselves often perceive Cliff only as a threat to their plans. When Cliff confesses that he will be obliged to leave Mineral Town soon, these players mistakenly rejoice... In fact, in all Harvest Moon games, your 'rival' for any potential spouse will not succeed unless you are completely hopeless at making any effort at romance. Cliff therefore poses little threat to any player's designs on Ann.

There are many incidental characters in Harvest Moon and many sub-plots, but Duke and Manna are central to these games in my view.

Without going into too much detail here, the game offers a partial solution for the problems of all these unhappy individuals. The grape harvest occurs in the middle of Autumn. Duke will come to your house one morning to ask if you wish to help with the harvest. He offers to pay you for your labour and suggests that he could use even more help if you know any one else who might be willing to harvest grapes.

You now have the option of offering Cliff a part-time job at the vineyard. Again, a player who is obsessed with his/her own success may view Cliff as a potential rival in terms of wages made for harvesting grapes. Taking this attitude would be a mistake.

If you tell Cliff about the temporary grape-picking job, he will be able to stay in Mineral Town. Furthermore, Duke and Manna will offer him a regular job at the vineyard. In time, they will begin to view Cliff almost as a son and will dine together as a family at the Inn on Saturdays. Duke no longer will drink to excess and Manna no longer will be lonely.

The 'lost daughter', Aja does not return to Mineral Town, but there will be more contact by telephone and letter between parents and daughter. It is not 'happily ever after' but it is a decent life... and you will have made it possible through your actions.

One of the reasons I admire the creators of Harvest Moon so tremendously is the underlying philosophy of the games and the way players are encouraged to be a little less selfish. Most Harvest Moon games cannot be 'won'... creating a successful and happy life is the ultimate goal, and this is an ongoing project. There are games that have time limits but in most cases, you can continue your life indefinitely. In 'Harvest Moon Boy & Girl', marriage is optional. There is a three-year time limit in terms of restoring the farm to a specific percentage. In other words, you do not need to be the greatest farmer in the world, but you do have to make some effort! That is all that is required.

To me, though, the shift in perspective was enlightening. Realising that my character was not the most important in terms of plot somehow made me appreciate the depth of these games even more. The fact that these lessons are not beaten into you but must be discovered is very satisfying in intellectual and emotional terms.

The tale of Duke and Manna is a very common one. Marriages in the real world are not 'happily ever after' in many cases. A tragedy often can destroy the integrity of a partnership rather than bringing individuals close to one another. It is easier sometimes to withdraw into oneself, to seek salvation or a deadening of the nerves rather than continuing to participate fully in any community or family life.

The options that your own character is given demonstrate the need to scrutinise our own actions and not to respond defensively or selfishly to any situation that arises. Here there are two different elements: love and financial profit. In both cases, however, the best choice is the one that helps another human being. Your character does not lose anything by helping Cliff. The community becomes stronger, three people are given a chance for happiness and you still make a profit and have the choice of marrying Ann if you wish.

Too many players fail to recognise any of this, however. They choose NOT to offer the job to Cliff and then are upset later when they realise they have gained nothing by doing so and lost much. The game becomes much smaller if Cliff leaves Mineral Town at the start of the first Winter... Furthermore, if you do not marry Ann yourself, she is doomed to remain single in this scenario. You therefore could be responsible for the continuing unhappiness of four individuals if you do not have sufficient kindness in your heart to help some one in need when you are given the chance to do so!

In real life, of course, we do not have this sort of power most of the time. We can help others on occasion, but it does not guarantee any happy endings. Perhaps one of the great attractions of games like Harvest Moon is the sense of satisfaction as well as a knowledge that 'A' leads to 'B' and then to 'C'... There is no such certitude in real life. Mind you, even in Harvest Moon, a typhoon or severe snowstorm can wipe out most of the farm. One is not all-powerful and fate can be capricious as much in Harvest Moon as it is in Life.

The Role of Games in Ethics

For those who perceive video games strictly as entertainment, that may be the case where most games are concerned, but there are games that actually teach philosophy and ethics. Some companies are more concerned with profit and appealing to the largest audience, but there are others who aggressively combine entertainment with education and philosophy.

Natsume never ceased to amaze me with its games. Harvest Moon games in particular very cleverly weave a tapestry that combines both superlative fantasy and entertainment with a very clear message about our planet and society. In the latest Harvest Moon game, Rune Factory, the hero needs to restore a farm but at the same time, he will confront monsters and be required to learn swordsmanship. This may sound like a traditional RPG, but it is unique. 'Monsters' actually are ordinary animals who have been forced from their natural habitat and behaviour patterns by human neglect and interference with Nature. The aim when fighting monsters is not to kill them but to return them to their innocent state of being. One then can work with them on the farm or ranch. In other words, a tamed 'monster' chicken will give eggs. A tamed 'monster' cow can be persuaded to give milk. Wild creatures can be persuaded to become allies in defeating other monsters.

Throughout the game, there are references to the ultimate state of 'harmony in being' that would bring fruitfulness to the land and happiness to all the inhabitants. Human beings in Harvest Moon are not really full owners of the land, because they must serve both Nature and their community. If one ignores the needs and desires of others, one will not profit. The best rewards are those obtained by working in harmony with all forces and creatures.

Second Life is another 'game' that has a real connection to this world but, unlike Natsume games, the messages of Second Life depend entirely on its residents. There are people in Second Life who are active politically, both with respect to events and causes in this world and in the world of SL. I saw my first political protest yesterday in Second Life. It was a 'real' protest against the corporation that runs the Second Life world. It concerned a proposed ban on gambling in Second Life, a real concern to Second Life residents if not others. In fact, the usual conflict between freedom and control is evident as much in Second Life as in this world. Whether or not individuals should be free to choose for themselves is a pressing issue in both worlds. Those who wish to control the actions and choices of others are as determined to do so in Second Life as they are here in this world. Fortunately, political activists are willing to confront these forces in both worlds.

At the same time, 'first life' causes are promoted in SL, such as organised events to raise awareness and funds against hunger and disease.

Second Life therefore is not simply a venue for people to entertain themselves with fantasies of every kind. It is a place where history is being made. Due to its truly international nature, it is a place where world events could be influenced.

Many prominent universities have campuses in Second Life, including MIT and Princeton. Education, therefore, is another element that can enrich the 'resident' of the Second Life world. In some universities, immersion in the Second Life experience is not mandatory but is strongly encouraged. This trend only will increase as more members of the 'general public' become aware of the potential of a virtual world that offers free membership and allows an individual to communicate and interact with people from every walk of life and every society.

The Virtues of Patience

There is an old proverb to the effect that 'Patience is a virtue' and yet, contemporary society does not encourage this virtue at all. In fact, advertising and media in general encourage impatience, promising instant gratification of every need or desire. With the advent of air travel, people no longer had to spend months in journeying from one location to another. Beyond that, items once unavailable during certain seasons became available at all times because of the ability to transport perishable goods from one point on the globe to another.

Dried fruits and nuts, once special treats at Christmas because fresh fruit could not be purchased in Western Europe, has been replaced by an infinite variety of exotic fresh fruits.

There was a time when one only could see a film at the cinema. With the advent of video tapes, one could purchase the film to watch it whenever one wished, but the recording never was available until a year or two had passed since the initial release of the film for cinema. Now DVDs are available only a few months after the release of any film.

Telephone and 'Instant Message' have replaced the letter where communication is concerned.

Parcels can be sent 'overnight' to be delivered the next morning. One needn't even go to a marketplace to purchase an item. One can buy almost anything online and have it delivered.

Where then are we taught the virtue of patience?

Games like Harvest Moon certainly teach the ancient virtue of patience. There is no way that a player can become involved with any Harvest Moon game and expect instant gratification. Harvest Moon games are based on farming, and farming takes time. New options are unlocked only when a certain amount of time has passed. There are few shortcuts.

For this reason, many gamers pronounce Harvest Moon and other games of this genre to be 'boring'. Who on earth wants to plant crops, then water them every day until they can be harvested? Who on earth wants to care for animals on a daily basis?

In fact, repetition of tasks like this can be extremely satisfying if one learns to jettison the expectation of instant gratification that is the curse of contemporary society. When one can take simple pleasure in watching a plant grow from a seed to a crop that can be harvested, one is in harmony with life, even if that life is no more than a 'virtual' one. It is when one becomes anxious to unlock the next option that Harvest Moon and other games like it become 'tedious'.

It is a matter of surrender to the natural rhythm of seasons and Nature. I submit that this is an important spiritual lesson and one that can be invaluable. Anxiety and stress are so much an integral part of contemporary life because we expect too much too quickly. Technology has given us a false sense of control. In fact, Nature is as powerful as ever, and Time still triumphs over our mortal beings. Would we not be more at peace with our universe if we had patience and the ability to sink into the natural rhythm of life?

Am I ready for the Dance with Death?

(Dumuzi returns from the Underworld Reborn)


There is a very high price for true 'rebirth' and I wonder how many people really are willing to pay it. It is at the heart of most religious mysteries, but in reality, few ever voluntarily embrace loss enthusiastically in order to begin anew.

As a player of video games who writes guides for them and therefore spends quite a lot of energy and time on role-playing simulation games, people may think that I am not 'in touch' with this reality but in fact, the experience of a role-playing simulation game recently made me aware once again of the ephemeral nature of THIS life.

A defective technology was responsible for two catastrophic experiences I had recently, both of which forced me to realise once again how fragile life actually is. It is not as though I have no personal experience of facing death in reality as I almost died shortly after I 'reached my majority'. Our psyches are conditioned to recover from those shocks, however, and we become involved with daily routines and petty ambitions, despite our best intentions to make every day 'count'.

Those 'near death' experiences that all of us have had are quite different. Usually they occur so rapidly that we have gone through the experience almost before we have been able to respond to it. When I was a passenger in a car that narrowly avoided collision with a juggernaut, or when I was walking down the street in Manhattan only to find myself face to face with a guy with a gun in his hand and his finger on the trigger, those experiences occurred so quickly that my emotions did not respond until after the threat.

In any case, the first of my two recent 'catastrophes' was in my life as a male farmer in Forget-Me-Not Valley. I had done everything properly, worked diligently and formed the highest degree of friendship with every one in the Valley. All the girls were in love with me and any of them would have accepted my Blue Feather, thereby accepting a proposal of marriage.

I had a full set of Mythic Tools, the most powerful tools on Earth as well as every magical Accessory. I had upgraded my crops and animals steadily, never shirking my responsibilities. I attended and participated in every Festival. I was a Billionaire. I had a private Island with a little cottage on that Island as well as the largest farmhouse that could be built. I had completed my Cookbook and my Shipping List. In short, I had fulfilled most of my ambitions and was about to choose a spouse.

It was at this point, when I had prepared fully to embark upon the next stage of my life that the game froze at the point of loading in BOTH files, thereby wiping out my entire existence.

Six months of intensive labour in this 'real' world as well as a couple of years of intensive labour in
Forget-Me-Not Valley were wiped out in an instant.

Even if it is 'only a game', one does invest a certain amount of energy and concentration into it, as well as having an emotional attachment to the character. It is one thing to decide not to play any longer, but quite another to have one's game destroyed arbitrarily by some outside force.

Natsume, the creators of Harvest Moon games, do make an effort to incorporate the vicissitudes of Nature and life into their games. As I thought about this, I realised that, although the 'freeze file' glitch was not intentional, it really was not that different from our reality, where Death can intervene at any moment.

Yes, I had done everything correctly, and had worked earnestly and diligently to fulfil all goals, but what is the significance of this in ANY reality?

In this life, beggars and millionaires are equally impotent when Death knocks at the door. One can do everything right in life as well and still be forced to face the fact that we are not in charge here. We cannot make a 'deal' with Life by fulfilling requirements on some arcane cosmic list in return for longevity or immortality.

I suppose all of this is obvious stuff, but philosophy and experience are two different things entirely and one often forgets that we are not conducting our own symphonies. There is no promise that we will be allowed to complete the 'game'.

'Life in the here and now' is the advice of many philosophers, but I do not agree with that. What I do believe is that one needs to be aware of one's heart's ultimate desire and to strive to fulfil that at least without putting it off. The future may or may not exist for any of us. If we wish to have any share in that future, we need to perform our deeds of glory or create our masterpieces NOW. If we do not have any aspirations of that nature, then by all means, we can live according to an Epicurean or existentialist philosophy or any other code that takes our fancy.

This brings me to the second catastrophe. This was caused by defective technology as well, but had far more ramifications in this reality. My internet provider sent a prompt to the effect that my computer needed to be restarted. When I restarted the computer, I no longer appeared to exist on my own computer. My desktop screensaver had disappeared. More distressing than this, however, was the fact that all my files had vanished as well. All the research for my 'serious' writing, all my notes and journals, as well as the game guides I had written and was in the process of writing were gone. It was as though I never had existed at all, had never typed a single word on the keyboard.

An alien force of some kind had entered my little space and had removed any evidence of my presence completely.

I was devastated. Those who may be experts with computers may not have reacted as emotionally as I. There was a little part of me that hoped it was something that could be reversed, that the information was 'hiding' somewhere rather than having been wiped from the computer. Even so, I did not know if I ever would see those files again.

I spent a sleepless night over it. I could not access the internet at all, and therefore could not access online 'help'. I did not realise that telephone help is available at any hour but even if I had, my physical condition would not have allowed me to become involved with technological problems in the middle of the night. It had to wait until the morning.

While waiting for the dawn, I began to think about both 'catastrophes' and how there are far worse fates...
One could lose everything in a fire. One could lose a limb in an accident. One could be forced to endure terrible tortures or imprisonment. One could lose every loved one...

People are forced to face these catastrophes every day. Even if I had lost all my work, I still am alive to write again. Even if my life in Forget-Me-Not Valley is gone, I can begin a new life there, provided I can maintain any enthusiasm for it. The key here to everything is determination. One must be willing to begin anew. If one cannot do that, one is lost.

It is this that is at the heart of every mystery religion. One must be willing to die in order to be reborn. We read about it and some of us even experience religious rituals that re-enact the death and rebirth of a god. Yet few of us really ever allow ourselves to 'wipe the slate clean' and to begin again with a 'tabula rasa'.

Life is an investment in time, emotion and energy. We do not like to lose our investments. When we 'die', we must let go of every investment we have made.

In the ancient mystery religions, any one who wished to be initiated had to undergo a period of strict preparation in terms of fasting and spiritual questioning. Those who wished to experience the sacred mysteries had to undergo the mystery of death before they could experience a new birth.

We tend to hold fast to our little securities, whether it is our computer files or our homes, jobs and relationships. Society certainly does not want us to do otherwise. 'Vagrants' are a danger to society.
Those who are not concerned with material security cannot be compelled to do things they do not want to do. It is the 'vagrant' who is truly free, but the price that the homeless pay is very high. That sort of freedom is synonymous with deprivation.

Like madmen, vagrants operate according to their own rules, and are not persuaded by the ordinary considerations that regulate our lives. Whether it is a matter of deportment, attire or behaviour, the 'mentally ill' and the 'homeless' are immune to the pressures that control ordinary lives. I shan't say 'ordinary people' because I do not believe that there is such a creature as an 'ordinary person'. I believe that 'facilis est descensus Averni' and that any of us could find ourselves quite suddenly 'on the outside looking in'.

Should we pity those individuals or envy them? When I thought that all my work had vanished, I was distraught but if it had, would it have forced me to embark upon a completely different path? I cannot imagine reliving ANY life again. Only words that are really worth writing are worth writing a second time! How many words have I written are really worth THAT effort?

I hope there are a few, of course, but not having been forced to endure that 'death' and 'rebirth', I must try to use my imagination alone to persuade me to a higher level of creativity. I always have longed to penetrate the sacred mysteries of life, death and rebirth, but when it comes to the 'sticking point', I discover that I am as attached to this reality as any one. I was thrilled to see my desktop and files restored but perhaps if I were truly 'enlightened', I would have embraced the possibility of total destruction with enthusiasm, seeing within it the seed of rebirth.

Addictions and the Four Seasons

In commenting that he 'resisted the addictive allure of games which had afflicted my children,' Yves stated a common prejudice against video games. Yes, it can be addictive, but I would like to argue that 'addiction' is not always a bad thing.

Human beings need structure, discipline and ritual and many 'addictions' are nothing more than acts that fulfil these needs. 'Addiction' often is perceived as a force that prompts uncontrollable, immoderate acts but that is not always the case. The morning ritual that mandates a cup of tea or coffee while reading a book or newspaper could be seen as an addiction, and indeed, many people find themselves rather put out or feeling that they have not really started the day properly if they have not been able to enjoy that brief ritual.

One can argue that there are differences between physical addictions and spiritual or emotional addictions, but personally I believe that all addictions are rooted in the soul. They become part of our personae, for better or worse.

There is nothing wrong with ritual or addictions per se. One can foster positive addictions instead of negative ones. One can be addicted to a 'morning constitutional' in the form of a pleasant ramble through the countryside or a brisk run, or one can be addicted to a 'morning rant', screaming at one's spouse. One is positive, and the other is negative.

As human nature craves routine, it is important to create positive rituals and addictions in order to prevent negative ones from slipping in to occupy that position in our lives. I believe that the definition of a habit as either positive or negative often is nothing more than subjective opinion.

People often say, 'There's nothing wrong with a drink before dinner.' Any one who follows a religion that forbids alcohol might categorise this instantly as a negative addition, without even scrutinising the situation in objective terms. In physiological terms, there probably is nothing harmful in an alcoholic drink before dinner, unless one has a medical condition that would be aversely affected by that. The ritual probably can be extremely beneficial for some, representing a point of transit between the frantic work day and a period of rest and relaxation. Often people will come home from work and tell their families, 'Just let me sit down and have a drink (before you talk to me/ bother me/call upon me.)' Many people need a ritual of transit, and appear to be incapable of combining their 'work personae' with their 'home personae'. A person who wields a great deal of authority at work may need to divest himself/herself of that dictatorial persona before interacting with his/her family. This may be a little schizophrenic, but sometimes it is the only way a person can balance the two roles he/she plays.

Interestingly enough, people who have been 'addicted' to drugs or alcohol often have been able to substitute a placebo for the drug/drink and by performing the ritual connected with the substance, have been able to avoid 'withdrawal symptoms' to some extent. I do believe that the ritual often is more important than the actual substance involved in any addiction. There is a self-fulfilling prophecy at work here. If a person believes that 'a drink before dinner' will help him/her relax, then it will be so. Even when a non-alcoholic drink is substituted for the alcoholic beverage, the ritual continues to exert its beneficial influence.

Another ritual that could be categorised as an 'addiction' but one that most people would consider positive is the ritual of prayer. Many people pray in the morning or at night before they go to bed. Often people perform a ritual of prayer or blessing before they eat. In Islam, Salat or ritual prayer is mandated at specific times of the day. Some people might criticise it as a 'mindless ritual' but that criticism is invalid for many reasons.

Ritual prayer provides punctuation to a person's daily activities. To pray upon rising in the morning is to give definition to the 'waking' world, as well as providing a positive mood with which to begin the day. A prayer of blessing and thanksgiving is an opportunity to reflect upon everything that is good in one's life. If one makes a prayer of supplication, on the other hand, that is a way in which to organise one's thoughts and energies, recognising the problems that one will be obliged to confront and trying to find a way to solve them.

Prayer before a meal usually is an opportunity, once again, to 'count one's blessings'. Prayer before sleep is a way in which to divest oneself of the actions and influences of the day, and to prepare to enter the world of slumber and repose.

Salat is more than that as it occurs throughout the day. It forces an individual to 'take a break', to create and enter a 'sacred space' by means of the prayer rug and to compose one's spirit by attempting to achieve nearness to God. Even if it is a 'mindless activity', and the formal prayers are recited without thought or meditation, one still can achieve nearness to God. Sometimes, it is the 'mindless' rituals that allow one most easily to achieve a higher consciousness.

I recall a discussion with a Roman Catholic priest as to the comparative merits of Islam and Catholicism. I mentioned Salat as one of the truly great aspects of Islam. He reminded me that set prayers were a part of the Roman Catholic ritual, once upon a time and that the Breviary included the Offices of the Day.

In the Roman Catholic liturgy, the day was divided into hours that corresponded to the ancient Roman divisions of time. Each section comprised three hours and were named Prime (6.00 a.m.), Terce (9.00 a.m.) Sext (midday), None (3.00 p.m.) Vespers (6.00 p.m.) and finally the night Vigils. The night vigils consisted of Matins and Lauds. Matins was subdivided into three nocturns to correspond with the three watches of the night (9.00 p.m., midnight and 3.00 a.m.). The office of Lauds was recited at dawn. Other Offices such as Compline were devised later, but the point here is that Christianity once practiced prayers much like Salat.

Like Islamic Salat, however, the actual time of each Office changed according to the season, being based on the movement of the Sun.

For most individuals who cultivate a habit of regular set prayer, in any religious tradition, non-fulfillment of this ritual brings with it a sense almost of anxiety, or at least a feeling that the day is incomplete. Some people actually attach negative effects to non-performance of religious rituals. In my opinion, however, this is simply counter-productive, but it does demonstrate the natural human instinct to regulate and discipline.

This does not make a case for the positive value of video games per se, however. I would submit that some games do have intrinsic positive value, while others are nothing more than shallow entertainment. Although entertainment is an important part of our lives, games can be teaching aids for young and old alike. A game like 'Grand Theft Auto' teaches wholly negative social behaviour and values. A game like 'Animal Crossing' or 'Harvest Moon' teaches positive social behaviour and offers an admirable philosophy of life.

It probably is no accident that some of the best games in terms of social philosophy are Japanese. The Japanese are very aggressive in teaching a positive social philosophy to children as well as adults. Harvest Moon is a farming simulation game. One begins the game in a small derelict farm. One must try to rebuild the farm, not only for oneself, but in order to improve the life of every one in the village.

The philosophy of Harvest Moon is a philosophy of community, of the links between all life forms, animal, plant, human and 'magical'. If one litters by throwing rubbish back into the sea, it will harm not only the fish in the water but also relationships with the other inhabitants of the village.

Remembering birthdays and attending festivals is one of the goals in Harvest Moon and a failure to interact with other individuals in the village will decrease ones chances of material success ultimately. Speaking to a specific person in a role-playing game often is the only way to acquire an important item or tool but it goes far beyond that in Harvest Moon games. In Harvest Moon, one must achieve a specific level of friendship with a person in order to obtain the item/tool/secret.

Although the guides I have written for a number of Harvest Moon games are as comprehensive as possible, players often email me for help with a specific problem. (Most of the time, the answer can be found in the guide, but that is neither here nor there.) One of the most common problems that players have is the inability to unlock an item or to experience a specific event. Although I make it as clear as possible that friendship is one of the PRIMARY goals in the introduction in each Harvest Moon game guide, players' problems usually are the result of ignoring that aspect of the game in favour of a 'get rich quick' strategy. They then find themselves in a situation where they have a fortune in gold but no way to spend it.

I submit that Harvest Moon games teach many important virtues to a player. For a start, these games require a certain amount of patience and determination. Unlike action games, where the end to the game can be experienced in a few hours, Harvest Moon games can last 255 years! One cannot win the friendship or heart of any individual immediately. Gifts must be given on a regular basis. Friendship or affection once won must be sustained. Ignore a friend or spouse and his/her heart level will decrease. Even when one manages to marry, if one does not continue to interact positively with husband or wife, one will not be able to have a child.

The idea that all life is connected is another valuable principle that is emphasised in Harvest Moon. In one Harvest Moon game, Magical Melody, one actually is encouraged to interact with wild creatures as well as livestock, pets and poultry. One can feed the wild creatures in order to establish basic relationships with them and this indeed is one of the subsidiary goals of the game.

All Harvest Moon games feature the Harvest Goddess. In many ways, she is
a traditional Fertility goddess, but she is an individual in her own right as well, and one can court and marry her, provided one can fulfil the rather arduous requirements.

In games where the Harvest Goddess must be rescued from transformation to stone, her rescue is a pre-requisite of any marriage. The Kappa, a traditional Japanese water spirit, can be found in some Harvest Moon games. Although his character is not an entirely positive one, befriending him can bring rewards. In other words, one of the primary tenets of Harvest Moon is that every creature has a purpose and it is important not to ignore any of them. Moreover, interacting with individuals or animals is a delicate business. Every individual has different likes and dislikes. One has to be conscious of these in giving gifts. Giving an item that the person or creature hates will not advance the relationship and in fact can harm it.

Another interesting aspect of Harvest Moon is the acknowledgement of Death as a natural phase of life. Although there are magical creatures in the games, the life one lives is fairly realistic. Hard labour results in fatigue and loss of energy. One must rest, eat or otherwise recover that energy. Severe storms can result in loss of crops and even buildings. Animals inside buildings that are destroyed by a storm will die. Even if livestock and poultry are protected from the elements and illness, time takes its toll and each animal has a natural life expectancy. When one names an animal, feeds it each day and interacts with it over the years, one becomes very attached to it. The death of livestock and poultry always is painful, even if these creatures only exist on a video screen. I believe that the way Harvest Moon games force players to experience the natural cycle of life and death is very positive. Moreover, animals will die but they will give birth as well. Harvest Moon allows players to experience the joy of a new birth as well as the sorrow of loss.

Can total immersion in another life be negative? I suppose one can argue that it could become more important than one's 'real' life, but I do not think that is a real danger. As I wrote in a previous post, it does allow a person to experience activities or a life that may not be possible in reality. Any one who has ridden a horse along the beach or up a mountain path in Harvest Moon will have experienced the thrill and joy of that. For some one who lives in a congested urban area or who is too poor to afford a holiday at the beach or mountains, Harvest Moon offers a brief 'virtual' chance to experience a brief but vivid holiday. For the physically disabled, a game like Harvest Moon can be a godsend.

If one cannot hope to have a farm in reality, one still can experience the satisfaction of planting, cultivating and watering crops and flowers. If one cannot hope to explore caves and mines in reality, one nonetheless can discover rare ores, gems and archaeological 'finds' in Harvest Moon. If one cannot fish in reality, one can catch over 50 varieties of fish in Harvest Moon and even 'catch' Pirate Treasure or a Fossil.

Harvest Moon is not solely a game that extols the virtues of honest toil, however. Some games include bi-annual horse races in which one can enter a horse or bet on the results. One game actually has a casino. For those who like an occasional 'flutter' but who haven't the means to take risks in real life, Harvest Moon does offer some opportunities to gamble (and win). There is humour as well in these games. Characters have their own idiosyncrasies and eccentricities. Accepting and actually befriending all sorts of people is another pre-requisite to success in these games.

Finally, one of the great joys of playing Harvest Moon or Animal Crossing is the change in seasons. In the coldest month of Winter in the real world, one may be able to experience a hot and glorious summer in Harvest Moon or Animal Crossing. In the parched dry heat of summer, one can experience a magical snowfall in the game.

Moreover, this aspect of the game is very realistic. Crops and flowers are seasonal and will die when the season ends. Every season has its own crops and wild plants. The entire landscape is transformed as trees blossom or bear fruit or are covered with snow.

For players who live in climates where seasonal changes may be minimal, these games offer a wonderful opportunity to experience the incredible rhythm of the traditional four seasons. Even those of us who do live in places where Winter and Summer are clearly defined can experience something new in the 'realities' of what each season signifies to a farmer. One really learns to become 'attuned with Nature' in every Harvest Moon game. It can be a magical and rather profound experience.