Haunted Chocolatier is taking a long time because it "has to be perfect," creator Eric Barone explains: "I torture myself over every last detail"

"I know it's taking a long time." Haunted Chocolatier was first announced back in 2021 by Stardew Valley creator Eric 'ConcernedApe' Barone, yet we've still seen relatively little of the upcoming sandbox life game. In a fresh update on development, Barone reassures his ever-eager audience that he's still very much working on the project alongside continued efforts on Stardew, but says he's reluctant to share "too many screenshots" along the way. "It feels like I'm serving a half-baked bread," he remarks. "I would rather serve a fully baked bread."

"I'm still working on the game," Barone writes in his newest blog post. "Feels kinda dumb posting this same thing over and over, but that's the reality." He's aware it's a slow process from the outside, but says this is in large part due to him "being very thoughtful about every aspect of the game." He explains: "The things in the game which the player will be interacting with or using very often need to be 'perfect.' They need to be seamless, clear, intuitive, satisfying, and aesthetic."

Barone adds that Haunted Chocolatier "is a big game. So there are many things for me to fuss over. But this is what it will take to make a game I'm satisfied with." He has previously stated that its world is larger than that of Stardew Valley, and he now gives one detailed example of a single, particular system that he's been working on: the recipe book used for making chocolates. Obviously, this will be a pretty central element.

"As with many things in the game, I've iterated on this many times, each time bringing it closer to its final form," Barone muses. "To me, it's not a simple task, as I torture myself over every last detail. This is a UI you will be using fairly often, so it has to be perfect. You need to be able to accomplish your goal with the minimal number of clicks. There needs to be just the right amount of data presented to the player: not so much as to be overwhelming, but not so little as to be trivial or mundane.

"The way that this data is laid out on the page is crucial," he continues. "If the data is all clustered together, it will be disgusting to look at. The data needs to be grouped into compelling, intuitive, and easy to read and understand groupings. It needs to look appealing and intriguing. And this is just the bare minimum, which players will likely take for granted. If all of that is accomplished then the player is now comfortable while perusing the recipe book. But I want more than just comfort. I want to delight the player."

Barone says that the pursuit of this perfection - not simply to satisfy, but to delight - often requires multiple iterations for every single system, of which there are many. It's a meticulous approach, but I can certainly respect the process. There's a reason Stardew Valley continues to stand as a shining example of its genre, even as many other contenders step up with variations on the formula.

As mentioned earlier, Barone is also reluctant to show off too much ahead of time. This is partly because he doesn't want to present "half-baked" goods, but also because elements are likely to change as his work continues. "If I reveal them early, I risk disappointing players if the final product does not match their expectation."

Don't expect to see huge swathes of Haunted Chocolatier screenshots until the game is actually ready, then. Nor should you expect Barone to rush it to release until he's fully satisfied. "Fortunately, I'm in a position where I don't need to market the game, so I can take my preferred approach," he concludes. "As always, I really appreciate your patience."