Relationship system

Overview

Starsand Island uses an affection-based relationship system with 5 heart levels tracked through the Social App on your in-game phone. There are 15 romanceable characters (7 bachelors and 8 bachelorettes), and romance is available regardless of the player's gender. The system uses a "Cohabitation and Dynamic Romance" model rather than traditional marriage.

Earning Affection Points

The maximum daily gain from passive actions is +20 per NPC (one conversation + one loved gift), not counting quests or board requests. The game automatically records liked, disliked, and hated gifts on each NPC's profile, but neutral gifts are not tracked.

Heart Levels

Level 1: Return Gifts (90 Points)

The NPC begins sending you items in the mail. These sometimes include rare recipes or materials you cannot buy in shops.

Level 2: Photo Invites (220 Points)

You can speak with the NPC to take a photo together. These photos can be displayed in your home.

Level 3: Room Access + Treasure Chests (370 Points)

You gain access to the NPC's private room or bedroom. Inside every NPC's room, there are 2 hidden treasure chests:

1. Exclusive Decor Chest (wooden chest): Contains character-specific home decor items unique to that NPC. This is a one-time-only reward.

2. Weekly Refresh Chest (blue/grey chest): Resets every week with various items. Returns each week as long as you maintain Level 3+.

This makes befriending multiple NPCs to Level 3 worthwhile, since each character's room has different exclusive decor and provides a recurring weekly source of items.

Level 4: Bulletin Board Requests (500 Points)

You unlock the ability to post requests specifically for that character on the Bulletin Board. Each NPC fulfills themed requests based on their specialty (Zephyria brings adventure items, Delphin provides fish, etc.).

Level 5: Cohabitation (750 Points)

You can ask the NPC to move into your home. Once cohabiting, the NPC comes home after their daily activities, helps around the farm (cleaning debris, petting animals, watering plants), and sleeps at home if you place an extra bed. You can also ask them to follow you around the map.

Meet-Cute Cutscenes

Every romanceable NPC triggers a special anime-style "Meet-Cute" cutscene the first time you encounter them. These cinematic introductions show the character doing something they love and serve as a clear indicator that this NPC is romanceable. Non-romanceable NPCs only get a standard wave greeting.

Dating and Shared Activities

Starting from early heart levels, players can engage in shared activities with NPCs:

• Bike rides through town.

• Backyard swing together.

• Hot springs bathing.

• Watching TV together.

• Sleepovers.

NPCs are proactive in this system. They can approach the player to initiate outings, send surprise letters in the mail, and track who the player spends time with. Their facial expressions and dialogue adjust accordingly. Weather and time-dependent events also trigger under specific conditions.

All Romanceable Characters

Bachelorettes (8)

Bachelors (7)

Early Access Limitations

As of Early Access (February 2026):

• No traditional heart events (story cutscenes at specific thresholds).

• No marriage ceremony. Cohabitation at Level 5 is the final milestone.

• 2 to 4 additional romanceable characters are planned during Early Access.

• More dating activities and relationship events are expected in future updates.