# Moving villagers where you want



## milesupshur (May 26, 2017)

Before I start, there has been a guide already made regarding this topic. While the guide itself is pretty good at explaining the basics, it does not include all information.
*NOTE: the plot resetting trick is not recommend. It can destroy/corrupt your game, please be wary when using said trick. This guide does not at ALL include the plot resetting trick.*

The Welcome to Amiibo update added many new things, but the updated also included that villagers no longer move onto paths. And due to this, will NOT at all move onto paths***, so this is how to move your villagers in to locations you want.

**With no available spaces, villagers will move where ever. It also includes that when moving villagers in from the amiibo cards, I will further explain this.*

So, with that said, let us begin!

*VILLAGER REQUIREMENTS*
Much like how PWPs work or mayor/character houses work, you MUST have a certain amount of space to allow a villager to move into, otherwise, villagers will may/may not move into that space.
*
So, what are those requirements?*
- A 3x3 space
- A 5x5 space surrounding the house

That is all that is 'required' for each villager house by itself. 
So, each villager house looks like this.
GUIDE:
[X] = space around house
[H] = house space
[D] = villager door space
XXXXX
XHHHX
XHHHX
XHHHX
XXDXX
XXXXX
In game, it would look like this.



*OTHER REQUIREMENTS*
- All spaces surronding said 5x5/3x3 area MUST be covered in paths in other to make the villager move into that area
*YOU MUST COVER ANY 3x3 SPACES, VILLAGERS WILL MOVE INTO THOSE SPACES REGARDLESS.*
*TIP*: Placing paths in diagonals make it easier, also making the paths grass based also helps with aesthetics.

*AMIIBO CARDS*
I must explain, since using Amiibo cards and the paths, I realized that it's much ore difficult to have them move into locations I want them to be.

Amiibo villagers (with 10 villagers) will move into random locations. They are very difficult to move in, with each villager, they will move into either
A) A space you've made, depending on how many spaces you've made avaiable
B) A random location due to the NPC seeing that there are no open spaces for them to move in due to paths***
C) The location of the villager you wanted to move out​**The NPC is quite a struggle, as they view open spaces you've made as blocked by paths, and due to that will move randomly*

Amiibo cards require a lot of trial and error, and if you do not do TT, I highly suggest you do not use Amiibo cards with this trick.

*PWPS*
Not much to be said about PWPs, they work the same as houses and depending on size, you can move villagers pretty close to PWPs (Requires at least two spaces in between), and you can also use them to avoid having villagers move into 3x3 spaces.

*VILLAGER HOUSING ARRANGEMENTS* 
The whole point of this guide is to have villagers move in where you want them to, and by that, you can create really nice and even places for your villagers to move in!

So, let's take our house, 
XXXXX
XHHHX
XHHHX
XHHHX
XXDXX
XXXXX
Now, let's say we wanted our villagers to move into a row of four, so... taking that house, we'll just add three more!
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XHHHXXHHHXXHHHXXHHHX
XHHHXXHHHXXHHHXXHHHX
XHHHXXHHHXXHHHXXHHHX
XXDXXXXDXXXXDXXXXDXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
As you can see above, there are exactly TWO spaces in between each house, and that is because, as each house on it's own is 3x3, it needs at least ONE space surrounding the 3x3 space.

Here's an in game example!


The same could be down with the houses being moved in vertically.
XXXXX
XHHHX
XHHHX
XHHHX
XXDXX
XXXXX
XXXXX
XHHHX
XHHHX
XHHHX
XXDXX

Rather than two spaces horizontally, it's just vertical! 


*Thank you for reading! If you have any questions/concerns, please don't be afraid to notify me!
I'll be happy to help.

I'll update this guide if any new information may come forth!*​


----------



## Soraru (May 26, 2017)

thank you for this guide! when i reset in a few days, this will be very helpful!


----------



## ZeFeZ (May 26, 2017)

Great guide! Very well explained.


----------



## milesupshur (May 29, 2017)

--


----------



## CrankyNeighbor (May 29, 2017)

Amazing guide!


----------



## milesupshur (May 30, 2017)

--


----------



## ashubii (May 30, 2017)

> OTHER REQUIREMENTS
> - All spaces surronding said 5x5/3x3 area MUST be covered in paths in other to make the villager move into that area
> YOU MUST COVER ANY 3x3 SPACES, VILLAGERS WILL MOVE INTO THOSE SPACES REGARDLESS.
> TIP: Placing paths in diagonals make it easier, also making the paths grass based also helps with aesthetics.



I'm not sure I understand this correctly, but I'm likely just misreading or something. I didn't think Villagers regarded paths in any way, since they sometimes plop down right on top of them? Or am I confusing your meaning of paths? I've always had trouble plot resetting, so I'm really hoping to understand this method properly~!


----------



## milesupshur (May 30, 2017)

ashubii said:


> I'm not sure I understand this correctly, but I'm likely just misreading or something. I didn't think Villagers regarded paths in any way, since they sometimes plop down right on top of them? Or am I confusing your meaning of paths? I've always had trouble plot resetting, so I'm really hoping to understand this method properly~!



Basically, every area of your town must be covered with paths (so in the first image the little blue squares)! So, any space that is 3x3 with out paths, they will move. Unless you haven't updated to welcome amiibo, they will move onto paths, so this guide will only work with welcome to amiibo. But, Villagers (when moving in naturally) will move into any 3x3 space, so if there are no 3x3 spaces for them to move into, they will move just about anywhere. (While, when using Amiibo cards they may ignore the spaces you've made for them) 

So, to sum up, since the update villagers will no longer move on paths that you've set down, as long as there is 3x3 spaces for them to move into.

I hope this helps?


----------



## ashubii (May 30, 2017)

milesupshur said:


> Basically, every area of your town must be covered with paths (so in the first image the little blue squares)! So, any space that is 3x3 with out paths, they will move. Unless you haven't updated to welcome amiibo, they will move onto paths, so this guide will only work with welcome to amiibo. But, Villagers (when moving in naturally) will move into any 3x3 space, so if there are no 3x3 spaces for them to move into, they will move just about anywhere. (While, when using Amiibo cards they may ignore the spaces you've made for them)
> 
> So, to sum up, since the update villagers will no longer move on paths that you've set down, as long as there is 3x3 spaces for them to move into.
> 
> I hope this helps?



That helps a lot, thank you so much! I do have the update, but I was confused because I had *no* idea they wouldn't move onto paths now! I wish I'd known that sooner, I just reset a town and am about to get my 10th villager from a card xD But this is great information for the future!!


----------



## Drokmar (May 30, 2017)

So wait. When I'm laying down paths to set where they move in, do I need to leave a 3x3 or a 5x5 space on the map?


----------



## milesupshur (May 30, 2017)

Drokmar said:


> So wait. When I'm laying down paths to set where they move in, do I need to leave a 3x3 or a 5x5 space on the map?



The villager's house itself needs a 3x3 space, but to ensure that it can move in to spaces, it needs a 5x5 area around it.


So, like the image above, you see the 3x3 space for the house (the grass) and the blue is the 5x5 space around the house


----------



## Jeff THE Best (May 30, 2017)

Interesting, I didn't know the update changed that. Do trees stop them from moving into a space or is it just the pattersn that does?


----------



## Drokmar (May 30, 2017)

milesupshur said:


> The villager's house itself needs a 3x3 space, but to ensure that it can move in to spaces, it needs a 5x5 area around it.
> View attachment 200621
> 
> So, like the image above, you see the 3x3 space for the house (the grass) and the blue is the 5x5 space around the house



Alright, thanks for taking the time to clear that up for me!


----------



## noctibloom (May 30, 2017)

Jeff THE Best said:


> Interesting, I didn't know the update changed that. Do trees stop them from moving into a space or is it just the pattersn that does?



Just the patterns, sadly. They can still trample any kind of nature. Even then, the patterns aren't always 100% if you have too many things going on in an acre. I learned this the hard way. It cost me a perfect map.


----------



## Mayor-of-Bliss (May 30, 2017)

Good guide! My only suggestion would be use different colors for marking so it's visually easier. Like add red and blue tiles. So blue red blue red blue for five across.

I've found doing a line works much better than a grid for homes. But that's just me.

Again great guide! I use this method and your info is what I do


----------



## ashubii (May 31, 2017)

What's the best (or easiest) way to go about covering your town to make this work? I imagine covering every inch but those 3x3 spaces would be time consuming, but does it have to be every inch or do single tiles placed in a way that leaves no 3x3 areas where you wouldn't want a house work?


----------



## katysu (May 31, 2017)

Thank you this guide is very helpful - because I haven't previously taken on board I need a 5x5 space, to fit the house in (ie you need space between the house & buildings, rocks, not sure about bridges that might need 2 spare spaces?)Not that I want to plot by a bridge. 

I need to re-read your spacing, not sure I'm entirely getting it. Tho I get you will get 2 spaces between each house as each house requires a 5x5 square. 

Its made me rethink a potential problem: when you scan in a villager to replace one already resident, the replacement is the next day, which leaves no  time to block the outgoing villagers space. (as you need it empty & it won't be that until the next day). 
So that space can always be potentially filled by the incoming scanned in villager. 
I assume you could at least make it less likely to be filled if you add tiles around that outgoing villager's house and leave plenty of space elsewehere. Worth a try.

I'm surprised tho that you have bolded the text that plot resetting can corrupt your game.  
I have never seen that posted before. and a lot of players use it, including myself and I have had no problems. 

I am wary where players advise one to power off without saving (eg with a new 3ds on Club Tortimer, no wifi switch). 
Nintendo 3ds manuals say don't power off within a game. (maybe not all, certainly the early ones did).
I don't power off to reset, but I am wary to some extent of plot resetting and don't over do it. 

You do need to know what you are doing, and how you do it depends on how you change time in the game. It is a lot easier to plot reset if you change time with the system clock and then load the game.
However that is by the way. 

It is easy to make mistakes in placing tiles, either by placing too many tiles so there isn't a space for a villager to plot, so they take out paths or go in 'poor' locations. 
Or not placing enough tiles - visually you can ignore spaces cos you have trees & flowers planted in them, so don't pick the flowers up to tile where they were, nor tile around trees enough - can be a bit of a shock the next day to see the villager has taken out flowers & trees.

That is why if I can, I would also continue to plot reset unless I was very sure I had tiled enough. 
I can't plot reset in some of my towns as I have 4 human characters. In 4 character towns I've gone rather overboard & tiled a lot (not every space but majority), and been OK. Its not as time consuming as one might think, but enough, not something I would want to do that often.


----------



## pawpatrolbab (May 31, 2017)

It didn't know plot resetting could wreck your game, how does that happen?


----------



## DivaBlueGirl (May 31, 2017)

So villagers won't move onto paths and they need a 3x3 space, 5x5 around them, if I mark that out with paths like you did in your picture do I need to get rid of the paths so they then have the 5x5 space?


----------



## milesupshur (May 31, 2017)

Mayor-of-Bliss said:


> Good guide! My only suggestion would be use different colors for marking so it's visually easier. Like add red and blue tiles. So blue red blue red blue for five across.
> 
> I've found doing a line works much better than a grid for homes. But that's just me.
> 
> Again great guide! I use this method and your info is what I do



Yeah sorry about that! Didn't really think about it and was just use a space I already had out for villagers moving in ^__^!
Lines work too, but I find it that villagers may not move in equal spaces, so it bothers me a bit!

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoy it!

- - - Post Merge - - -



ashubii said:


> What's the best (or easiest) way to go about covering your town to make this work? I imagine covering every inch but those 3x3 spaces would be time consuming, but does it have to be every inch or do single tiles placed in a way that leaves no 3x3 areas where you wouldn't want a house work?



The way I do it is just covering it randomly to make sure there's no 3x3 space, I suggest doing random diagonals, or just filling random spaces and checking to make sure there's no open spaces (especially around nature/trees). It's actually really not as time consuming, because it can be 100% random and not specific!
I hope this helped ^__^

- - - Post Merge - - -



DivaBlueGirl said:


> So villagers won't move onto paths and they need a 3x3 space, 5x5 around them, if I mark that out with paths like you did in your picture do I need to get rid of the paths so they then have the 5x5 space?



Nope! A villager's house must be 3x3 so the space with the grass in the image, but the 5x5 is to make sure they have enough room to move into areas. For example, if you wanted to move a villager in by the river, you need exactly one space from the river to ensure they move in, because they need a 5x5 surrounding them. The paths is just making sure there's enough space in between houses and objects (such as cliffs, rivers, pwps, etc)

- - - Post Merge - - -



pawpatrolbab said:


> It didn't know plot resetting could wreck your game, how does that happen?



As far as I know, from my own experience and a couple of my friends and some online, the plot resetting and quitting an already made game with a new character over and over can fry the game and glitch it to the point where the game can no longer start. I lost an ACNL game and so did a couple my friends. This also includes the villager reset trick.

- - - Post Merge - - -



katysu said:


> Thank you this guide is very helpful - because I haven't previously taken on board I need a 5x5 space, to fit the house in (ie you need space between the house & buildings, rocks, not sure about bridges that might need 2 spare spaces?)Not that I want to plot by a bridge.
> 
> I need to re-read your spacing, not sure I'm entirely getting it. Tho I get you will get 2 spaces between each house as each house requires a 5x5 square.
> 
> ...



The 5x5 space around the house provides at least one space surrounding the house, which is needed in order to ensure they will move in by houses, rivers, cliffs and more. (While I'm sure certain things, like the square, may need more space, but as far as I know villagers only need one space to move in by it)

Actually yes that is a problem with amiibo cards! Leaving large spaces with house markers will be the best idea, because due to that being an open space, depending on how many open spaces you available for the villager to move in, it's likely they may just move back into that same spot (I had to redo moving in villagers from cards multiple times)

Personally, I've had about 5 friends and a couple online, including myself, who lost games with a lot of work due to plot resetting and villager resetting (I didn't do villager resetting), but due to the game and how it works, it basically corrupts your game and makes it unusable.

- - - Post Merge - - -



katysu said:


> Thank you this guide is very helpful - because I haven't previously taken on board I need a 5x5 space, to fit the house in (ie you need space between the house & buildings, rocks, not sure about bridges that might need 2 spare spaces?)Not that I want to plot by a bridge.
> 
> I need to re-read your spacing, not sure I'm entirely getting it. Tho I get you will get 2 spaces between each house as each house requires a 5x5 square.
> 
> ...



The 5x5 space around the house provides at least one space surrounding the house, which is needed in order to ensure they will move in by houses, rivers, cliffs and more. (While I'm sure certain things, like the square, may need more space, but as far as I know villagers only need one space to move in by it)

Actually yes that is a problem with amiibo cards! Leaving large spaces with house markers will be the best idea, because due to that being an open space, depending on how many open spaces you available for the villager to move in, it's likely they may just move back into that same spot (I had to redo moving in villagers from cards multiple times)

Personally, I've had about 5 friends and a couple online, including myself, who lost games with a lot of work due to plot resetting and villager resetting (I didn't do villager resetting), but due to the game and how it works, it basically corrupts your game and makes it unusable.


----------



## ashubii (May 31, 2017)

> The way I do it is just covering it randomly to make sure there's no 3x3 space, I suggest doing random diagonals, or just filling random spaces and checking to make sure there's no open spaces (especially around nature/trees). It's actually really not as time consuming, because it can be 100% random and not specific!
> I hope this helped ^__^



It does, thank you so much! I had an undeveloped town I just reset for a better map and I really want to try this method out!


----------



## Blood Eclipse (Jul 30, 2019)

Wow, thank you so much. Bookmarked. Finally!! I was looking for a well explained guide to this. No wonder my villagers moved over my patterns. 

This is so simple to understand, guess that means my animals need even nore space than I thought. ;_;

Now to test if they still move over my patterns.


----------



## Bluebellie (Jul 30, 2019)

Leaving a door square is really not necessary. I have always done just the border around the 3x3 and have never had an issue. 


Also, regarding  the game corruption, was it a digital game or a physical? 
And how many times approximately would you say you and friends reseted trying to plot set? Sorry to ask, I have always done plot reset and have never had a problem. Normally it only takes me one or two resets to get a villager where I want them. I see people who reset like 20 times or more though And I?m  Wondering if it?s a correlation. Im asking to be on the watch out with my own game.


----------



## Blood Eclipse (Jul 30, 2019)

Theyre still moving over paths ;-; I have two open areas following this guide but theyd rather be in the worst spots right next to or directly under buildings . Ugh.... I hope plot resseting 50+ times will work, they seem to choose the same 3 bad areas and ive resetted 8 x so far


Edit ok FINALLY after 12 plot ressets it chose the path i layed out for it, meaning i did things right but the game was being stubborn. Thank GOD for plot resset. Whew.


----------



## Loriii (Jul 31, 2019)

They won't move on top of paths if the 3x3 space is valid in which the villager can realistically move into. That's what I did to line up my villager houses (like a community) in one area, and also with the help of plot reset, just to be sure.

Once they're (the 10 houses were) all set, I never needed to reset whenever I want to change a villager. I just cover the other possible 3x3 spaces (rows of flowers, spaces near the trees/bushes, etc) so they won't move there and instead, move in the previous villager spot.


----------



## Blood Eclipse (Jul 31, 2019)

I'll try adding flowers because patterns aren't working for me. Trust me, I have the appropriate sized area made for them, but they only move there, in my experience, after I've resetted a bunch lf times. I've covered my tiwn full of patterns and when I plot reset I check the inconvenient area they were previously in to see if I properly covered it, too, and it *was* covered. Full of patterns. I have the updated version of acnl, too, so I don't get it. I'm just glad plot reset is a thing.


----------



## LadyDestani (Jul 31, 2019)

Are the gem rock or fossils spawning in your open plots? If they are, that could be what's keeping your villagers from plotting there. Make sure you leave space for those things to spawn elsewhere (just not a 3x3 space) and try filling the open plots with flowers that you don't mind losing. Villagers will move on top of flowers, but they'll keep the rock and fossils from spawning there.


----------



## Blood Eclipse (Aug 1, 2019)

LadyDestani said:


> Are the gem rock or fossils spawning in your open plots? If they are, that could be what's keeping your villagers from plotting there. Make sure you leave space for those things to spawn elsewhere (just not a 3x3 space) and try filling the open plots with flowers that you don't mind losing. Villagers will move on top of flowers, but they'll keep the rock and fossils from spawning there.



I'll try the rock and fossil trick then. :>

Yeah the spots were empty. I'll have to screenshot to prove my case though, maybe record a vid of my whole town.


----------

