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## Allure (Oct 31, 2021)

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## DaisyFan (Oct 31, 2021)

You're not the only one! I dislike the villagers who are mean and I've seen some screenshots and videos of those before. So, I like villager who are nice. :')


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## Moritz (Oct 31, 2021)

I'm with ya
The last thing I need from my escapism is to be called all the worst things I think about myself.

I really don't get the appeal of that.

I can understand wanting villagers to not act like your best friend the moment you meet them, but that's not the same as being treated like garbage.


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## meggiewes (Oct 31, 2021)

I don't want that level of meanness either. I understand wanting more villager dialogue, but I wouldn't like it too much if they just started insulting me for no reason. If it was silly names or just a bit of coldness before gaining more friendship, that would be better.


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## Envy (Oct 31, 2021)

You're not the only one. I always feel sad when I see people tie it to the more interesting and varied dialogue of older AC games, as if we can't have one without the other. The problem with the villagers in recent games is not that they're too nice, it's that they have so little dialogue, so little options when talking to them, and they rarely ever give us anything to do.

GCN villagers were a winner not because they were rude, but because we could always ask for errands and they had more varied dialogue.

(Besides, I recall some rather passive aggressive dialogue from villagers in NH, particularly when you talk to them more than once they're like "Don't you have a life or anything?")


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## TheDuke55 (Oct 31, 2021)

I don't want them to be mean like they were in PG, but we definitely need middle ground. While PG was far too rude. NH and NL are way too nice.


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## VanitasFan26 (Oct 31, 2021)

This is complicated. While it is true that villagers in the original game were a lot meaner, I think if they were always mean and barely say anything nice it would get old really fast. Then again people complained about the villagers being too nice. There needs to be a balance between nice and mean villagers.


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## TheDuke55 (Oct 31, 2021)

Envy said:


> (Besides, I recall some rather passive aggressive dialogue from villagers in NH, particularly when you talk to them more than once they're like "Don't you have a life or anything?")


I don't know if I would call this particular part passive aggressive. It just rubs me the wrong way that they all do it. It feels like a translation issue or something. Like I really want to know what the Japanese dialogue for a second chat is.


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## Silkfawn (Oct 31, 2021)

NH is my first AC game, but when I saw some of the screenshots of the older games, I just wonder how the game could be appropriate for children? 

With that being said, I'd like some personalities to have more character without being derogative.
Take crankies for example; to me they should be re-labelled as 'fatherly' or 'grampa-y' because there is nothing cranky about them.

I'm hopeful we're gonna get different dialogue with the new update and excited about them visiting our homes.


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## nageki (Oct 31, 2021)

i agree with not wanting them to be straight-up abusive like in some of the old screenshots that get shared, but as someone who's only also played new leaf i gotta say i found it really rewarding when my first cranky villager (camofrog) finally started warming up to me and being nice. i think i cried when he said i was his friend


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## Miss Misty (Oct 31, 2021)

Sometimes in the GCN version it felt like a Comedy Central Roast for no reason with some of the villagers (snooties >_>) even if you'd been playing for months and talked to them every day, and should _presumably_ have been friends. But there's a huge middle ground between 'hating your guts' and 'worshiping the ground you walk on' that could be explored to add some variety.


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## Maymeows16 (Oct 31, 2021)

I don't want them aggressive either just for them to have more personality and dialogue instead of the same repeating 3 lines and rarely something different or interesting o~O


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## Pig-Pen (Oct 31, 2021)

I can understand what you are saying and it can be a little distasteful, but it's just silly to me, makes me laugh.


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## Antonio (Oct 31, 2021)

Nah, I need villagers to have no chill and learn verbal explicit words. Be a whole new game then lol


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## Faux (Oct 31, 2021)

I don't want them _mean _per se, but a little less sugar coating on everything would be fun.
Like, don't call me names, but treating me like an actual stranger you're just awkwardly being polite to would be fine, lol.


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## S.J. (Oct 31, 2021)

I never played the earlier games, and I've heard about the villagers being mean, but I haven't seen any screenshots or experienced it myself, so I'm not really sure how I feel about it! 

I once accidentally pushed Rodeo all the way around a cliff (because I couldn't see him behind the cliff) and he got quite upset! I was definitely surprised. 

I'm happy with how lovely they are, and I don't feel like they lack dialogue, but I appreciate that other people have played the earlier games and prefer something different! ❤


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## Serabee (Oct 31, 2021)

I feel the same way, lol. I remember getting in fights with villagers in the OG game as a kid and it definitely didn't do anything add to my enjoyment  I'm all for more dialogue, but I enjoy the current attitudes of the villagers. Also, while they're not as mean, some can be unsettling at times- which I love. I want to know more about the wall clowns and talking bugs that the lazy villagers talk about!


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## mintycream (Oct 31, 2021)

I used to hate some of the villagers bc of their insults and would alway smack em with the net lol. Definitely don’t like that level of meanness but I don’t want them to be overly nice either. I do want more dialogue to match their personalities, like sometimes I feel like the cranky villagers aren’t cranky enough. I want them to be a bit more indifferent to me and overtime warm up to me, similar to how Sable was in the beginning


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## Licorice (Oct 31, 2021)

I’ve always loved the insults. The gamecube one was my first animal crossing game so it’s super sentimental to me, maybe that’s partly why. If the villagers could curse me out or fight me I’d be happy lol


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## Croconaw (Oct 31, 2021)

Definitely not. I dislike mean villagers. That’s likely why my least favorite personality is snooty. More dialogue would be great, but I don’t want villagers outright insulting you or other villagers. I play Animal Crossing to escape from the real world sometimes. Some people are _not_ nice and I like how sweet the villagers are to you. I started playing the series during my childhood where I was bullied so badly in school, and that is an understatement. The villagers treated me like an actual human being and made me feel real happiness. That was a feeling I’ve never experienced in school. I like when villagers are sweet or neutral towards you, not cold and rude.


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## tsukune_713 (Oct 31, 2021)

i personally would like it, but maybe change the way they insult people so its not real insults.  But leaving everyone all nice nice all the time makes them all seem so 1 dimensional


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## VanitasFan26 (Oct 31, 2021)

tsukune_713 said:


> i personally would like it, but maybe change the way they insult people so its not real insults.  But leaving everyone all nice nice all the time makes them all seem so 1 dimensional


The 2000s and early 2010s were a time when everyone was okay with people being mean to each other and at the time they found it funny with edgy humor so that will explain at the time why some like the meaner villagers, but since the times have changed these days It would not make sense to bring back the meaner villagers given that life in general has gotten harder these days and the last thing anyone needs is for others to be insulted by the meaner villagers. If you go back to some of the things they used to say on the original they will not be acceptable by todays standards.


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## Sanaki (Oct 31, 2021)

I wouldn't want them to be mean, but I do believe that some personalities should have a bit of "spice", but nothing like it was back then. I agree with what Roxas said above me, it was a time where that stuff was.. more widely accepted.. but I do feel that they all feel similar in some regard.


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## Junalt (Oct 31, 2021)

I started with Wild World so I have no nostalgia for the GC game and it’s rude villagers. Everytime I see screenshots of the mean dialog it just seems juvenile, like something your 9 year old cousin would say. It might be funny once or twice but if it’s just meaningless rudeness I’d really rather not. I don’t mind cranky or grumpy or a bit of edge like Wild World. I also actually don’t think people would take kindly in 2021 to being called fat/ugly tbh. That will surely trigger a lot of people.


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## vanivon (Oct 31, 2021)

as someone who grew up with villagers being incredibly mean since i started with ACGC, i'd say i'm on the side of not wanting that to return. it's funny looking back at their dialogue (and i definitely get plenty of chuckles looking at some of it now as an adult), but it doesn't suit the kind, peaceful tone of the series and i can personally vouch for it hurting my feelings when i was a child.

that said, i wouldn't mind if the villagers were.... less nice. like how some people have said -- wanting them to actually be more indifferent to you & need to warm up depending on the personality, maybe? like for example.... much as i think the old man thing crankies have adopted is funny, i'd like them to be, you know, a little bit cranky? like if they're going to make them grandpas, go the full mile and make them a little more cantankerous at first. not enough to actually hurt players' feelings, but enough so that it fits the vibe while still making befriending them actually feel satisfying.


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## Sansy (Oct 31, 2021)

I played the original AC Gamecube game and I really hated the mean dialogue the villagers had back then. It's one of the reasons I stopped playing once I upgraded my house and put cool furniture inside. I rarely interacted with the villagers back then.

Also, I remember reading not that long ago that in the original AC Gamecube, if you actually read the original dialogue in Japanese, the villagers weren't THAT mean. It was all the localization team really hamming up the script because they didn't think the game would really do very well overseas. And once they saw how well it DID do, they got a lot more restrictions placed on how they were supposed to localize the game. To be honest, I wouldn't be shocked if this was true but I also can't confirm it since I can't read Japanese myself. Would be cool if someone could dispel this myth for me.


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## ForbiddenSecrets (Nov 1, 2021)

I would love for Cranky and Snooty to be meaner up front (not PG levels because I honestly don’t find that kind of meanness funny) because I would like to feel like I earned their friendship. Even with Smugs and Uchis I would like that but nothing as silly sounding and aggressive as the first game.


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## Crowsie (Nov 1, 2021)

While I certainly think the spicier dialog is fun (_and nostalgic, even the extremely sensitive 11-year-old me thought it was hilarious_) I'm not super duper into the idea of it coming back. Not to the same degree as it was in the Gamecube era. More children play this game than ever, and if Resetti was too much for young children, Peanut wishing for their house to burn down or Static calling them ugly and fat wouldn't go over so well. At least, I don't think so. What would've gotten me to laugh as a kid would make me wanna reach into the screen and strangle them now. Or at least wap them several times with a net. 

The older I get, the more inconsistent the rudeness feels. In GC, nice and lazy villagers would go from complimenting you to telling you to shrivel up and die at the drop of a hat. I know they're little RNG machines, but good lord! These animals need mood stabilizers.

I've noticed that a lot (but not all) people I've seen wanting/asking for the mean dialog back are Gen Z's who maybe started with later games and felt like they were missing out since the newer game's dialog is so bland now. They're into that rude-for-no-earthly-reason humor anyway. Sometimes I worry about folks that really, really want the mean villagers to return. Like, is this some sort of exposure therapy? Some other weird preoccupation with being talked down to? I know it's just a game but ya'll are way too eager to be insulted.


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## Fey (Nov 1, 2021)

A bit more bite would be fine—even fun—but nowhere near how it was in the original game.

It’s just not appropriate for a game played by such a variety of people (ages, experiences etc.). Thinking of a kid or just more sensitive person being subjected to some of those lines is heartbreaking.

There’s ways to make the villagers more interesting that don’t involve upsetting people.


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## StarlitGlitch (Nov 1, 2021)

It's not that I want the villagers to be indiscriminately mean to me, but I don't want them to be indiscriminately nice to me either which is how they are now. I want to see them be upset if I or someone else does something rude to them because it makes them feel more realistic. Or even just more progression from first meeting me to becoming friends. (although I would like some of the old level of insults to come back because I do think it's fun sometimes)


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## Ace Marvel (Nov 1, 2021)

I think clashes are important and nobody is perfect, so having traits that are consider flaws is something I enjoy, I don't necessarily think the writing in the game is mean spirited, but it's the way personalities are portrayed, and I understand it's really hard to condense the whole emotions and personality spectrum in just 8, so sometimes things may seem mean, but is part of it. So I'm okay with it. 

A good example is Sabel, at first is cold, but she ends up opening up. I do enjoy it. This might also be because I'm an older player and have lived more experiences with different types of people to understand that not everything is mean, even if it feels like that atm. Also I might be looking to deep into this. lol

Flaws makes the personalities more deep. imo


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## mirukushake (Nov 1, 2021)

I have no desire for the mean-for-no-reason early 2000s "edgy" humor to come back. I play this game with my 5 year old to get her learning to read, and I don't need her asking what "fat" and "ugly" means while she's playing a fun little game with cute animals.

Sure, for personalities like snooty or cranky, make them a little rude or indifferent in the beginning and have them open up a little bit more as your friendship increases. But I don't want the roast-style dialogue back.


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## Bilaz (Nov 1, 2021)

I honestly feel like wild world was the perfect balance when it comes to this. It took a while for your villagers to warm up to you, and there was certainly mean dialogue in the game. But it came from, being mean yourself? The dialogue options you chose had a massive impact on how they treated you and you could befriend everyone by being polite.


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## Surei (Nov 1, 2021)

While they could be snarky at times, I've never thought that the animals in past games were mean. They were only really mean when angry and they give many warnings before it got to that point. Otherwise, they were friendly with a few quips here and there. Some of the player response options were snarky as well.

The problem with the dialogue in more recent games is the lack of character and variety. It's a lot harder to differentiate between personalities now than it was before. The animals just seem so muted and robotic. The dialogue itself is not interesting to read, either.


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## Bloodflowers (Nov 1, 2021)

I don’t need to open my game and get called fat and ugly but I also want to feel like I earned their friendship. It should be a gradual process. I like the sweetness of normals but the crankies, snooties and big sisters should have some bite in my opinion.


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## Lethalia (Nov 1, 2021)

A while ago, I was really *really* adamant about villagers retaining their aggression and vitriol from previous games, and I complained about it _often_ on this forum a couple years back. But now that I think about it, I understand why they'd remove that type of dialogue from the game. I can't imagine being in a really bad place mentally, coming home to play what I thought was a relaxing, friendly game, and then being called a waste of space or a filthy ogre and being told that I should be shipped away in a cage.

So if the goal was to make the game more relaxing and accessible and therapeutic to everyone, I understand their choice.
I do feel that they ended up removing too much of the characters' personalities in the process, and I think a middle-ground could have been better established.

Crankies don't have to verbally assault you anymore, but I wish they'd gripe and moan about life a bit more than they do, otherwise they wouldn't be a cranky. I think what makes AC cool is that characters have different personalities, but when they removed so much of the charm that came with certain personalities, everyone just comes off like different shades of "Normal" and that's not fun, either.


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## Ya h i k o (Nov 1, 2021)

I would like more villager dialogues of course, but them being mean? I'm not sure. I played old games (New Leaf and Wild World) and I don't really remember a villager being mean to me (the only one I remember is Resetti) but I know cranky villagers were more... how to say that. I think everyone understands. I would like to see some of them a bit less kind, but not aggressive at all, not insulting. Everything in elegance if I can put it that way. Crankies are now a bit too nice in my opinion.


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## Hedgehugs (Nov 1, 2021)

Not really?

I actually played the GC version this year with a few friends through Dolphin/Parsec and it was really fun. Honestly anytime the villagers were mean to us we would not take it seriously at all. The screenshot below became a short term meme in another group i'm in;






And this was me just walking up to him and talking to him for the first time that day. 

Like, it's mean, but it's trying so hard that I can't take it seriously at all and geninuely laugh.

Personally I wouldn't really want them to be this mean if it can be helped (i'm just trying to chill and build) but If I'm gonna be honest I'd prefer this over how bland and repetitive they can get in NH. At least they're rudely entertaining.


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## littlewing (Nov 1, 2021)

Crowsie said:


> Sometimes I worry about folks that really, really want the mean villagers to return. Like, is this some sort of exposure therapy? Some other weird preoccupation with being talked down to? I know it's just a game but ya'll are way too eager to be insulted.


i think what it comes down to at the end of the day is that people just have different ideas of what's funny, and in most cases it's not much deeper than that. i can only speak for myself, but no, i don't have a "preoccupation with being talked down to". like, i don't like being insulted in general, but i _do _undeniably find it amusing when it's coming from cutesy little antropomorphic animals. it's so over-the-top and bizarre in _that specific context_ that i can't help but to laugh.

i think nostalgia plays a big role for a decent amount of people, too. i've seen plenty of older players that started with ACPG clamor for the rudeness to come back, which is probably because they (and admittedly i) look back on the game with rose-tinted glasses.

that said, i get why many people don't vibe with it, and i agree with the general sentiment of this thread. the rudeness of ACPG would feel out of place in ACNH, and it's probably for the best that they left that style of humor in the past.


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## MiniPocketWorld (Nov 1, 2021)

I haven't played the gamecube version.
I was under the impression that the old screen shots were after you provoked the villager to anger?
I wouldn't want the _"meanness?"_ to go that far, but if you start beating your villager with a net, or bug them to death, having them verbally express thoughts and feelings beyond "I don't want to talk to you"  or " why" or "ow please stop" would make sense. I think that is what people who want the meaner commentary may be referring too. I could be totally wrong though. _my quotes are summaries, actual quotes of commentary can be found here_
Either way I doubt Nintendo would change the commentary they have now, two wrongs don't make a right and the commentary we have does it's job in a safe way. I think they are aiming for the player to feel bad for being mean to villagers when villagers express their sadness or their confusion with calmly telling the player to stop rather than the player thinking the villager's anger is funny. And if villagers in the old games were mean without being provoked, the goal Nintendo may have been aiming for was to be comical rather than hurt the players feelings even if the goal wasn't achieved. I mean, "If you can pay off about 1,000 bells a week, that'll work for me. Otherwise, I'll send for the raccoon goons!" from Tom Nook seems comical to me and something that could be implemented in today's games without causing harm. While " You're so passive-aggressive. Get some therapy." from a villager just isn't appropriate or comical today at all.

Animal crossing I feel like is also viewed differently today than it was in the past. Especially for many people after the pandemic. It is more of an escape place, or a place of normalcy in a time period of someone's life where things feel chaotic or messy or just plain hard. And if someone is going through an abusive or bullying time, or a mental health crisis, villagers being abrasive or mean for no reason at all isn't good.
I think the commentary of _"meanness?"_ we already have in ACNH in  is ok, but it couldn't hurt to have some villagers to be a little more abrasive or cold feeling under certain circumstances such as when you push them around. If someone says they want the meanness from older games to come back, I would ask them if they have played them _(I haven't) _, to give examples, and what exactly they are referring too. For how old the gamecube version is, It wouldn't surprise me if there was some inappropriate things done, but I doubt it was all bad or all bad ideas.


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## Harebells (Nov 1, 2021)

I deal with enough abrasive people at work. The perennial friendliness of even the cranky villagers in New Horizons soothes my soul. 

Casually related: I've been looking back through some old Animal Crossing threads from several years ago scattered about the internet, it makes me smile how the same conversations about villager dialogue being too dull/repetitive/neutral in comparison to previous games are had in each new/returning set of players.


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## Red Dust (Nov 1, 2021)

I never played the Game Cube version but I did play Wild World. I liked the flare villagers in that game had and would quite like that again. I don't want them to be outright nasty like what I've seen from the Game Cube version but I do think this franchise has managed to strike a good balance in the past so it's not unreasonable to want that again.

Most Wild World villagers would be at least decent to you right away (unless they are one of the harder personality types) but that didn't mean you were automatic besties, and the harder personality types themselves did warm up eventually. Wild World villagers felt a lot more fuller and well rounded than Game Cube and New Horizons/New Leaf.

I personally don't see many people asking for them to be mean, so much as just being more fleshed out and have the occasional snappiness to them to make them seem more interesting/comedic (I mean if personality types are going to be labelled cranky and snooty there should be some truth to that).


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## Snek (Nov 1, 2021)

I'd have to disagree with you on this one for two reasons. The first one is that by having rude villagers, them warming up to you feels like an accomplishment. A villager who once disliked you for varying reasons now has a special place for you. Its a nice feel-good story. The second one is probably for me only so I doubt other users here would feel the same. Sometimes I like being hated. There's a mischievous side of me that enjoys the hate. When a villager I dislike falls in a pitfall trap, I like to laugh at them. Every villager being so nice to me all the time gets a little boring for me.


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## Amphibian (Nov 1, 2021)

I always thought WW had a good balance of niceness and sass, in GC the villagers were just unpleasant for the most part


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## MayorofMapleton (Nov 1, 2021)

I definitely don't want the level of rudeness to return.

However I really wouldn't mind to have villagers speak to you like a stranger for a much longer time, with a much more in-depth friendship level progression.


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## Sara? (Nov 1, 2021)

Well i dont want them to be mean every second of their life or stay in my town, however, i would not mind them been mean in a bad day or actually having a bad day or something like that you know ? Its just makes them more relatable and realistic, because even the most optimistic person has they lowest times specially in the times we are living


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## Vintage Viola (Nov 1, 2021)

They don’t need to be evil, but they _do_ need to be mean more often than they are if their personality calls for it. The snooties, jocks, crankies, and smugs, are way too nice than what their personalities imply, and it makes talking to them a drag. I remember the snooties were mean to you from day one, and you had to truly earn their friendship in order for them to be nice and treat you like a genuine friend. I liked that, it made talking to them much more worth it that just getting a flimsy picture of them. These villagers don’t even get upset if you wrong them or tell them no, and it’s just unrealistic. I much preferred how they acted in GameCube Crossing, and even in that one _all_ of them weren’t mean. The peppies and lazies were the kindest in the game, and the normals had a more even temperament.

They don’t have to be little savages every time you talk to them, but I think they need way more of an edge than they have now. Then I’d actually feel more inclined to speak to/spend time with them.


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## kemdi (Nov 1, 2021)

They don't have to be Gamecube levels of 'mean'. Even though I think the GC villagers were hilarious, I can understand why some people wouldn't want that. However, I do think they need some semblance of their personalities back. Talking to them in New Horizons is just plain boring, and I almost never interact with them, outside of trying to get their pics.


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## b100ming (Nov 1, 2021)

I have a strict mom who’d make me stop playing if she found out the villagers in the game said stuff like I’ve seen in screenshots.

	Post automatically merged: Nov 1, 2021

I used to get bullied all the time and this would trigger me. My two front teeth used to stick out, and there was a kid who called me “bucktooth billy”. Looking back that was a dumb name but it didn’t make it hurt any less.


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## magicaldonkey (Nov 1, 2021)

wouldn't think villagers would be mean now. though i mean i haven't played any of the games besides new leaf so i guess it's a possibility?? though i'd say it's pretty unlikely as we haven't come across any mean ones in new horizons at least as far as i'm aware?


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## piske (Nov 1, 2021)

Serabee said:


> I feel the same way, lol. I remember getting in fights with villagers in the OG game as a kid and it definitely didn't do anything add to my enjoyment  I'm all for more dialogue, but I enjoy the current attitudes of the villagers. Also, while they're not as mean, some can be unsettling at times- which I love. I want to know more about the wall clowns and talking bugs that the lazy villagers talk about!


Oh god wall clowns what  apparently I’ve never had the privilege of hearing about this lol

I didn’t play the GC version but the snooties and crankies used to live up to their names a bit more in WW and CF from what I remember.

However, I agree with the sentiment of a lot here that I would rather not have the villagers be outright mean. Sounds awful tbh


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## Serabee (Nov 1, 2021)

piske said:


> Oh god wall clowns what  apparently I’ve never had the privilege of hearing about this lol
> 
> I didn’t play the GC version but the snooties and crankies used to live up to their names a bit more in WW and CF from what I remember.
> 
> However, I agree with the sentiment of a lot here that I would rather not have the villagers be outright mean. Sounds awful tbh


Not sure how to include videos on my post, but here's the dialogue in question. Hands down my favorite bit of dialogue in the entire game


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## TeaBiskit (Nov 1, 2021)

While I did enjoy how mean the villagers used to be and I always found it hilarious, (same with Resetti when he used to get mad for turning off the game.) I have to admit that maybe that level of meaness would be too much today.


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## Blueskyy (Nov 1, 2021)

I don’t want that either, but as kids my sister and I laughed at being called idiots, etc. We made up our own storylines for our town so the mean dialogue gave us reasons to hate jerks like Queenie and Jane and hit them with a net


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## cordova94 (Nov 1, 2021)

I don’t mind a little deadpan or witty sarcasm here and there but I generally like my villagers because they are so harmless and pleasant…..even the cranky ones. Mean doesn’t seem to fit this game….at least not for me…..


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## piske (Nov 1, 2021)

Serabee said:


> Not sure how to include videos on my post, but here's the dialogue in question. Hands down my favorite bit of dialogue in the entire game


OMG thank you for this I feel blessed  honking noises…


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## smug villager (Nov 1, 2021)

I don't want villagers to be mean, per se, but I want them to have more depth than just being really happy all the time and immediately my best friend after like one conversation. It makes the game feel rather flat. I wish they warmed to me more slowly.

In NH, I actually don't like the villagers all that much. They're generically "nice," but they all get passive aggressive whenever I talk to them more than once a day, regardless of how close we are. :/


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## Sara? (Nov 1, 2021)

I dont want them to be mean and extremely rude just for the art of it, but, i would feel more connected to them if they had bad days or bad moments or even get mad at me or other villagers for their opinions ( cause sometimes it lets us choose what to tell them)

i like how happy they are it gives me energy and fills me with positivism BUT it would be more realistic and flesh them out more if they would tick for different things, you know what i mean?And i would love the possibility to gossip and cheer them up.

so i guess in essence i would not mind a bit of meanness if the game


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## piichinu (Nov 1, 2021)

I think it's hilarious. I wish they'd make them mean again but I know they won't

I have an album of "mean" screenshots lol


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## b100ming (Nov 1, 2021)

piichinu said:


> I think it's hilarious. I wish they'd make them mean again but I know they won't
> 
> I have an album of "mean" screenshots lol


Can you pm me with them? I want to see what they used to say.


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## Mairen (Nov 1, 2021)

I dont think anyone specifically wants "mean" villagers, or emotional abuse from them. What people are really wanting is more depth from the characters. There is a certain satisfaction lost when everyone treats you as their best friend from day one. People want that relationship growing journey.


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## Corrie (Nov 1, 2021)

I feel like it would be hilarious. However, I understand why some people wouldn't want that and I totally respect that. I feel like that kind of dialogue can't be included in games nowadays. Those insults would just not slide lol.


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## Moritz (Nov 1, 2021)

Mairen said:


> I dont think anyone specifically wants "mean" villagers, or emotional abuse from them. What people are really wanting is more depth from the characters. There is a certain satisfaction lost when everyone treats you as their best friend from day one. People want that relationship growing journey.


I disagree 
I've seen a LOT of people say how much they miss it. And even gave screen shots of being insulted lots. Like being called a fat ugly idiot.

They think it's funny.

There are people in this thread saying how great it was.

I can agree that it would be nice to meet a peppy and not be called their bestie after 3 days.

But there really are so many people out there basically wanting bullying to be a feature in the game.


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## b100ming (Nov 1, 2021)

Oh wow I didn’t think these were legit till now. I thought players were making memes to make Tom Nook more evil.





found on a screen(edit. Originally said screw. I was patching)rant article. Which led to a Twitter post.


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## piichinu (Nov 1, 2021)

b100ming said:


> Can you pm me with them? I want to see what they used to say.


i’ll just put them in this thread in case anyone is curious. they are mean, what I find funny in particular is that it’s cutesy animals being evil for no reason. like it's stupid to see them snap/overreact. plus i never really had any insecurities so i never found irl bullying or this sort of thing hurtful. i can see how it would bother others tho. not my screenshots ofc:


Spoiler: pictured: small animals verbally assaulting the player
































sample:


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## Mairen (Nov 1, 2021)

Moritz said:


> But there really are so many people out there basically wanting bullying to be a feature in the game.



Oh my >.< I admit I skimmed over most of the replies here. That is a bit strange to me and I dont feel outright cruelty really would fit with the laid back vibes of this game.

I personally wouldnt mind if some of the villagers started out a bit cold towards me and I could work to build up their friendship.  It would make me very happy to gradually have someone like that warm up to me and become my friend over time. But full out insults would just feel out of place here. I wonder why people want such a thing


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## Lethalia (Nov 1, 2021)

piichinu said:


> i’ll just put them in this thread in case anyone is curious. they are mean, what I find funny in particular is that it’s cutesy animals being evil for no reason. like it's stupid to see them snap/overreact. plus i never really had any insecurities so i never found irl bullying or this sort of thing hurtful. i can see how it would bother others tho. not my screenshots ofc:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: pictured: small animals verbally assaulting the player
> ...



Okay Bunnie saying "tee-hee!" after wishing for your house to get destroyed is hilarious


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## Moritz (Nov 1, 2021)

Mairen said:


> Oh my >.< I admit I skimmed over most of the replies here. That is a bit strange to me and I dont feel outright cruelty really would fit with the laid back vibes of this game.
> 
> I personally wouldnt mind if some of the villagers started out a bit cold towards me and I could work to build up their friendship.  It would make me very happy to gradually have someone like that warm up to me and become my friend over time. But full out insults would just feel out of place here. I wonder why people want such a thing


I think it would be great if villagers started off with more of a disinterest in you.
Sorta like when you run into your next door neighbour and both have to pretend to care about how the other is doing.
Its far more realistic that way.

But i will be honest and say it does drive me crazy every time I see some say they wish the insults would come back. I play this game as an escape from life. Its been a while since I was at school, but when I was at school I was in hospital for a while after a failed suicide attempt due to bullying.

so I just think of teenaged me seeing things like this













And then I think, not even my video games can give me a space where I can escape being put down.

Here is a one quote from this thread
"I think it's hilarious. I wish they'd make them mean again"

Its just gets to me


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## cocoacat (Nov 1, 2021)

I wouldn't want the villagers to be mean, either. Direct insults definitely aren't a good idea in a game that a lot of children play. Not good for anyone really... though I can see how some of it is funny if you don't take it personally. It wouldn't affect me and would probably make me laugh, but obviously not everyone feels the same way and it's best it's not in the game.

I'd like more funny dialogue. Not mean. Just maybe a little weird. Also more changes in dialogue between 'just met' and 'best friends' would be nice. They can be insecure or untrusting without being mean.


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## Dunquixote (Nov 1, 2021)

Edit: sorry if this offended anyone. this is just my opinion. it is just a game but i totally understand why people wouldn’t want it.


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## b100ming (Nov 1, 2021)

cocoacat said:


> I wouldn't want the villagers to be mean, either. Direct insults definitely aren't a good idea in a game that a lot of children play. Not good for anyone really... though I can see how some of it is funny if you don't take it personally. It wouldn't affect me and would probably make me laugh, but obviously not everyone feels the same way and it's best it's not in the game.
> 
> I'd like more funny dialogue. Not mean. Just maybe a little weird. Also more changes in dialogue between 'just met' and 'best friends' would be nice. They can be insecure or untrusting without being mean.


That screenshot is amazing. I love it.


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## Beanz (Nov 1, 2021)

i always said that i wanted mean villagers back but flo got upset with me after i hit her with a net and it kind of hurt my feelings so i don’t think i can handle this:


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## Valeris (Nov 1, 2021)

I want mean villagers. Not every villager you have should be all sunshine and rainbows; but then that's what makes it rewarding over time. They open up, you get to know them, and if you're patient enough you get what's under the surface. Instant gratification is nice, but it just means more when you've built something with a villager to that extent. I also like the concept of having a rude villager to mix with the nicer ones; kind of like a cranky old man living next door.(I'm looking at you Octavian.)


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## Red Dust (Nov 1, 2021)

I personally think times have changed and the toning down over the years have made sense to a degree. But at the same time I think pandering to "Raymond is my comfort character" meme type sentiments and turning them into friendly bliss zombies is not the solution and would be far more enabling to that level of sensitivity than anything else.

On the one hand it's perfectly acceptable to not want pixels to hurl abuse at you when you're trying to have fun playing a game...but on the other it seems a bit unreasonable to expect nothing but kindness from something so harmless as pixels out of fear of trauma of the occasional snap at you for choosing an option that disagrees with them or whatever.


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## piichinu (Nov 1, 2021)

Moritz said:


> And then I think, not even my video games can give me a space where I can escape being put down.
> 
> Here is a one quote from this thread
> "I think it's hilarious. I wish they'd make them mean again"
> ...



yo, i'm right here. could have quoted me. i think you passive aggressively singling out someone for saying they think it's funny is arguably worse than randomized, de-personalized insults from little animals. especially when said person (me) also said that they understand how it bothers someone. but to each their own.

i also don't appreciate the implication that anyone who thinks it's funny hasn't had experiences with being abused or bullied either. you seem to be painting anyone who thinks it humorous in a bad light for no reason. but idk. lack of self awareness maybe?


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## theplushfrog (Nov 1, 2021)

As someone who played the original gamecube game, yeah the villagers were mean to you sometimes, but usually it was after you were mean to them (hitting them with a net, sending them mean letters, etc), and only a few personalities were just plain mean (and in consequence were less popular with players usually). I was a bullied kid and rarely ever got any mean comments from my villagers beyond the very first day I met them and they were like "uh stop talking to me, weirdo" sort of thing, or if it was a villager I hated and I harassed them to begin with.

However Tom Nook and Resetti were outright mean quite a bit. There's a reason people still don't like either of them, or are very cautious of them. Tom Nook was kind of ridiculous, but Resetti's rants were pretty harsh for a children's game.

I don't blame people for not wanting the original meanness. When I say I miss the meanness, I more mean that I miss the cold/aloofness in NL rather than the outright insults and mean comments of the gamecube ver. The aloof behavior made it more rewarding to me when they would warm up to me, and yeah the original meanness also did that, but looking back, it was a bit too harsh at times.


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## Moritz (Nov 1, 2021)

piichinu said:


> yo, i'm right here. could have quoted me. i think you passive aggressively singling out someone for saying they think it's funny is arguably worse than randomized, de-personalized insults from little animals. especially when said person (me) also said that they understand how it bothers someone. but to each their own.
> 
> i also don't appreciate the implication that anyone who thinks it's funny hasn't had experiences with being abused or bullied either. you seem to be painting anyone who thinks it humorous in a bad light for no reason. but idk. lack of self awareness maybe?


I didnt direct quote you as it wasnt a call out.
It was simply to show that People who wanted it back existed and was prevalent enough to be on this thread.
Beyond that it honestly had nothing to discuss.

It was just saying to some who said that they didn't think anyone wanted it back, that they do

There was nothing passive aggressive about that at all.

And no, its not worse at all.
I can get why it's annoying that I didn't quote you.
But it was not an insult, or anything directed at you at all.
Suggesting so takes away from the real harm things like this do to a person's mental health


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## VanitasFan26 (Nov 1, 2021)

Look I know where this argument is going to go, but can I just say one thing. There are those same people who also complained about villagers always being too nice. Let just imagine this. Imagine if New Horizons still had the mean dialogue from the original would it somehow cause a bit of backlash knowing for a fact that the stuff that is said by them is not acceptable by today's standards? Some people may not remember this but Nintendo got rid of Resetti because they got complaints from parents saying how he was so rude to them that it made them cry. So if you understand this from Nintendo's perspective they do not want the villagers to sound too rude so thats why they have been toned down.

I will say this in general there seems to be a unbalance in between nice and mean villagers. Too much of the two is not ideal. There needs to be a proper balance of mean and nice villagers. You sure want them to talk to you all rough, but at the same time you would want them to be nice to you if you just had a bad day in real life and the last thing you don't want is a rude villager to ruin it for you.  I was one of the people who used to say that mean villagers should come back because they had personality to them. Now looking back I realized that if that were to happen it would not make much of a difference.

Overall, its a tough thing to even correct. Even if you wanted just mean villagers you have to ask yourself "Do I want to keep wanting villagers say only mean things to be and nothing nice at all" or the other way around where you ask "Do I want to keep wanting villagers to say only nice things to be and no sort of conflict" It is a double edge sword, but personally I think if there was a proper balance of the two then this would not be such an issue.


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## edsett (Nov 1, 2021)

as someone who’s played since the gamecube version, i don’t want the mean villagers back.
not only do they not fit the overall tone of the franchise imo, i feel it would get rather grating after awhile once you laughed at the dialogue a couple dozen of times (as i felt playing the gamecube game) especially with characters you’re supposed to like and want to befriend who i ended up avoiding/disliking.

there’s also many different kinds of people of all ages from all walks of life who play this game and niceness isn’t nearly as divisive as meanness.

that said, making villagers aloof or sassy before they get to know you isn’t so bad. that isn’t even being mean. it’d make the always pleasant personalities like normal/sweet and lazy stand out more too.


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## Red Dust (Nov 1, 2021)

As someone that has experienced bullying I can say villagers saying snappy things to me in no way gives me trauma. At the same time I don't want to invalidate any association other people have with it. It's a difficult one and this really isn't the best platform for the depth this discussion is getting into.

With the up most respect for anyone that does genuinely feel triggered by _any_ form of negative dialogue from this game would you not say wanting to be bubble wrapped to the degree of having 0 tolerance for sass (*not* unwarranted insults but just sass) from pixelated characters is more of a harmful thing than something beneficial? To me that in itself does not sound like a healthy mentality. Also I personally think it's unfair to make judgements about people's character just because they want some spiced up dialogue to make the game seem more immersive, and I say this as someone who has been branded a social justice warrior by certain demographics of people.

To try and bring this back to Animal Crossing: Some people play this for escapism, others play for immersion. Both can be achieved with the right balance and I believe it's been done before with Wild World.


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## peachsaucekitty (Nov 1, 2021)

you're definately not the only one, but it goes deeper than the villagers being "mean", in older games they had much more interesting things to say, they talked for longer, and they were way funnier. i don't think they're "mean" at all, cause even the cranky villagers in older games are nice. they're just so fun to talk to. people who say they want "mean" villagers back don't mean they want to be belitted lol, they just wish villagers were interesting again, even if they're rude to the player, cause even rudeness is way better than hearing the same dialogue over and over, and the villagers being done with the conversation after saying 1 sentence
whenever i play wild world, i feel like i could talk to my villagers for _hours..._. even if they're hideous and they look like they would smell worse than a septic tank, the dialogue is just so full of personality, variety, that it shines through everything else. honestly you can barely tell what their personality is based on dialogue, meanwhile with nh for example, i can easily recite all the dialogue from villagers i hear _multiple times a day_. i never have that with the older titles, which is why i definitely want more interesting villagers again 
of course im speaking for wild world, and city folk..definitely not the gamecube version lol.


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## Red Dust (Nov 1, 2021)

I agree that mean and interesting are wrongly lumped together a lot by people on both sides of the argument because their complexities being taken away and their meanness softening over time both happened in waves every game but are still separate things. But there is of course overlap to mean/interesting/complex which is a reason for this argument time and again.


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## ~Kilza~ (Nov 1, 2021)

eh. I mean, personally I wouldn't mind the villagers being jerks to you again, since I'm okay with it in a fictional world and I just laugh at it these days when I see it in the older AC games. But I also get why Nintendo has gone away from having them be mean, since it would detract from the game being geared towards everybody, including kids and families, and it is likely to turn some people away from the series if it goes too far for them. And let's be honest, there's a whole lot of rudeness in the world these days for a whole variety of reasons. We don't need it to be in every media we consume as well, so I have no issue with NH giving us an escape from it.


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## DJStarstryker (Nov 2, 2021)

I completely agree. I didn't like it when the villagers were mean in the old games. I do understand the desire for more dialog though. It is super repetitive in this game.


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## deana (Nov 2, 2021)

I only got in to the series with ACCF so I didn't get first hand experience with the really mean dialog. Theoretically I think I could still enjoy the game if the mean dialog was in there, but if I have the option I think I prefer the game without it. Plus I think mean dialog just doesn't make any sense with the game anymore. I'm going to spend dozens of NMT to find the villager I want (or even buy amiibo cards to invite them in), get them on my island, and then have them insult me?? It just doesn't work with the direction the game has gone in.


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## dude98 (Nov 2, 2021)

I never played the orginal GC game so I was shocked to find out that villagers were mean. I use AC to relax. I wouldn't find that the whole town being out to get me relaxing at all. I would like at least some villager friendships to be earned like with crankies, snooties, and maybe jocks (IDK I kinda like the bro vibe the have). So maybe have some villagers be avoidant of you. 

Maybe the meaness could be like Shane from Stardew Valley. Have someone in your village just try to shake you off, but eventually you'll start to do favors and they warm up to you. I felt so satisfied when I started becoming friends with Shane and he started to actually say things beyond "I don't know you so leave me alone"


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## Rosch (Nov 2, 2021)

I never played the original, but from what I've seen, I feel like it's almost verbal abuse. I am okay with a mean attitude as long as it's not verbally attacking a person. There's limit to rudeness and I'm actually glad that they changed that.

Also, many people today are very opinionated and easily offended so it's best to avoid controversy.


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## KittenNoir (Nov 2, 2021)

I personally deal with a lot of rudeness at work everyday so I do not have any of the more rude or grumpy islanders only because I play this game to relax and stay calm and want positivity only. That must be why I tend to like a lot of the lazy type islanders more than other personality's.


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## moonlights (Nov 2, 2021)

Someone said it earlier, but I really think Wild World was the perfect medium. The villagers weren't horrible, but they also weren't sickeningly sweet all the time. I love some of the dialogue in New Horizons, but I do get the argument that the villagers are a bit one dimensional and lack the personality that existed in previous games.


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## JKDOS (Nov 2, 2021)

Villagers were only mean if you were not their friends. This created true friendship progression/character development. If you would prefer them not to be mean, all you have to do is be their friend.

Right now, I think it's unfair that people don't want their villagers to be mean, but at the same time, feel entitled to be as mean as they want to their villagers they want out of the town.

Having mean villagers would provide more depth in the scenarios where a villager you hate moves to town and you have a rivalry going back and forth.


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## EmmaFrost (Nov 2, 2021)

Definitely not. I play this game to zone out and pretend everything’s okay, because everything on my island is peaceful. I don’t want mean villagers either. It would upset the peaceful vibes.


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## Orius (Nov 2, 2021)

I get it. It's why I never invited Cranky villagers to my island.

I think for me personally though, it's a dilemma. On an intellectual level, I like the uniqueness of the older games, how the villagers could realistically be mean to you like a real person. It makes it much more rewarding and satisfying when you get nicer villagers.

On the other hand... it's a video game, and I don't really care much for realism in something I'm supposed to enjoy (and relax to). I hate the idea that games have to be competitive, or that liking hand-holding in games somehow makes you lesser of a person, or that if you enjoy relaxing games over "real video games" makes you "not a real gamer," etc, etc. All that gamergate nonsense.

I think there could be a compromise though, where players get to choose in some way whether if you could turn on the meanness or not, much like how you get to select a difficulty level in video games. That way, you could satisfy both parties.


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## b100ming (Nov 2, 2021)

JKDOS said:


> Right now, I think it's unfair that people don't want their villagers to be mean, but at the same time, feel entitled to be as mean as they want to their villagers they want out of the town.


Hey not all of us are like that. I only hit timbra to see if something happened. Never did it again. And then I was on my phone and my arm rested on the controls and I ACCIDENTALLY HIT MY FAVORITE VILLAGER. Because my arm was pressing the buttons. I freaked out and was like, “I’M SO SORRY PLEASE FORGIVE ME!”

	Post automatically merged: Nov 2, 2021



Orius said:


> I get it. It's why I never invited Cranky villagers to my island.


Omg yes I find cranky villagers annoying. I had Cyrano and Harry because I time travelled to move someone out, and my friend had them. Time travelled back to the present day and the plots were already taken.


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## Orius (Nov 2, 2021)

b100ming said:


> Hey not all of us are like that. I only hit timbra to see if something happened. Never did it again. And then I was on my phone and my arm rested on the controls and I ACCIDENTALLY HIT MY FAVORITE VILLAGER. Because my arm was pressing the buttons. I freaked out and was like, “I’M SO SORRY PLEASE FORGIVE ME!”


Yeah, I pretty much stop hitting my villagers to get them to move out after a while (I settled for good ol' fashion time-traveling 30 days instead), especially after Maple gave me that sad look...

And if you need another reason... well, just jump to the 2:07 mark of this video...





Poor Hippeux... I think my heart cracked when he said _"I just want to be friends..."_ And you know that, along with Jambette (whom I moved out...), Hippeux looks like one of those villagers people love to get rid of...


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## b100ming (Nov 2, 2021)

Orius said:


> Yeah, I pretty much stop hitting my villagers to get them to move out after a while (I settled for good ol' fashion time-traveling 30 days instead), especially after Maple gave me that sad look...
> 
> And if you need another reason... well, just jump to the 2:07 mark of this video...
> 
> ...


That is sooo cute. Who animated that? It looks like the real thing.


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## Orius (Nov 2, 2021)

b100ming said:


> That is sooo cute. Who animated that? It looks like the real thing.


It's from this YouTuber named Densle. I've subscribed to his channel. He has a bunch of other cool Animal Crossing shorts that look just as cool.

But to stick on-topic, yeah, that video (and Densle's other shorts) pretty much shows you what it would feel like if villagers could tell you about the "abuse" players put them through. lol He also has a "fun" short movie on auctioning villagers for bells... yeah, it's that kind of video that probes the dark undertones of such an act.


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## Millysaurusrexjr (Nov 2, 2021)

Personally I want villagers to be mean (or at least just Snooty + Cranky types) because the idea is just so funny to me. A cute, virtual animal dishing out insults to me in a Nintendo game? Yes please lmao

I can understand your point of view, though.


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## b100ming (Nov 2, 2021)

I’d be fine with a villager calling me a nerd. Because that’s a compliment to my intellect. But being made fun of for being extremely skinny or somewhat short would make me upset.

	Post automatically merged: Nov 2, 2021

I’ve seen screenshots of villagers calling people “bloated idiot”s and I’m not here for that.


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## daringred_ (Nov 2, 2021)

i don't want them to call me "ugly" or a loser or anything either, but i would prefer it if they were a little harder to befriend? i feel like NL was close to a middle-ground, but they feel overly nice in NH. it'd be more fun if you had to actually build a friendship with them and if different personalities started on different levels. for example, i could buy peppy villagers wanting to be your best friend from the get-go, but cranky villagers should take a lot more than they do in the current game, and i always felt like normal villagers should start off shy before coming out of their shells or that snooties should initially act as though they're too good for you (without being insulting) etc. then, as you get closer, you unlock more errand options. (i.e. the default is package delivery, but then you can unlock "bring me furniture" requests, showing they trust you enough to weigh in on their interior design.) i don't know, i just feel as though that would give each personality more depth without them all just automatically being down to trust you with anything immediately lmao.


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## Hylian Spectre (Nov 2, 2021)

Like others have pointed out, I think that the villagers' meanness in the older games like GCN is just the tip of the iceberg. I think what a lot of players really miss, myself included, is the spontaneous behaviour of the villagers back then. While it's true that they had their own dominant traits like cranky/snooty/jock, etc just as they do now, it felt like GCN villagers had dialogue which demonstrated to me that they were consciously engaging with the environment that they live in. That being said, I do agree that some of the dialogue of the older games has not aged very well in the current climate. We know now that having a virtual creature calling somebody ugly or thin can have some psychological effects on people, and this should likely never return, but there is the potential for balance to occur to make dialogue more interesting I believe.

To have Gonzo calling me a filthy door-to-door salesman and to leave his home at once in one moment. Only to see him pissed off pushing a soccer ball around the yard the next moment because of some argument that he got himself into was pure joy as a kid. I just don't see these kinds of things in NH. Villagers who become your 'friends' after a while run up to you so that they can treat you like some kind of vending machine. Asking to sell their clothing to you that you probably do not want, or asking to buy your sea bass off of you, only for you to refuse because you know damn well they'll display it in their house.

I guess what I'm saying is that I want a community. I want to see true conflict between villagers and feel like I can truly make a difference in rekindling their friendships through running more diverse errands and seeing some riveting dialogue every now and then. I would like dialogue which varies depending on the villager's secondary traits a lot more often. Like a cranky/nature loving villager having a soft side alongside his old man wisdom, a cranky/fitness villager perhaps being more apt to start arguments or lose his temper, only to feel bad later and talk to you about it. A snooty/fitness villager being notably different from a snooty/fashion villager in dialogue choices. Villagers with the playful secondary trait to play mini games with you depending on their primary trait. Just a little something to make each villager a bit more spontaneous, that's all.


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## peachsaucekitty (Nov 2, 2021)

Hylian Spectre said:


> I would like dialogue which varies depending on the villager's secondary traits a lot more often. Like a cranky/nature loving villager having a soft side alongside his old man wisdom, a cranky/fitness villager perhaps being more apt to start arguments or lose his temper, only to feel bad later and talk to you about it. A snooty/fitness villager being notably different from a snooty/fashion villager in dialogue choices. Villagers with the playful secondary trait to play mini games with you depending on their primary trait. Just a little something to make each villager a bit more spontaneous, that's all.


i totally agree dude that would be so awesome. i also miss how much they would ping you and all the conversations they'd have with eachother, it does give a feeling of community, since thats what the game has been pretty much centered on since the very first game
theres literally no point to the secondary personality traits... like a "playful" villager can run around anywhere they want which is kinda cool i guess? but that's it


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## b100ming (Nov 2, 2021)

I think the perfect compromise would be to make them more like sable. You have to talk to them, so they know you care about their feelings. Nintendo, the game is a life sim, we need the people to be more realistic. Insta-friend packets don’t exist. But we don’t want it too real. People are brutal.


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## Flicky (Nov 2, 2021)

I want the villagers to be mean when the time is right. For instance, if I hit my villager repeatedly with a net, I do expect them to insult me for being awful. Plus a mild bit of coldness when we first meet, then as we become friends, they warm up to you, and there's a lot more trust (like telling me their hobbies or stories from childhood).

The game now as it stands doesn't feel like it offers me enough reward for getting to best friends with the other villagers, dialogue-wise. I wasn't even aware that there were any changes for a long time, and I still don't see much of a difference between day one villagers and best friend villagers. They do feel a bit flat.


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## CylieDanny (Nov 2, 2021)

Me personally, Id like these boys to do more, and talk to me less about sitting. Im not saying I want drama all the time, but the villagers being cranky, without angering them, that would be kinda cool.

(Crankies live up to your name)

If they insult me alright, your in a bad mood, I won't talk to you. I honestly wouldn't get upset about it, I worked at a movie theater,  and delt with plenty of that. Starting drama would definitely be interesting.

The only gossip my guys do, is about my others reps (Which is funny) but a LITTLE gossip wouldnt hurt, or drama


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## Introspective Onlooker (Dec 31, 2021)

Judging by the posts, here, this thread is yet another facet of the on-going discussion of how villagers should act towards the player. I don't mind villagers being rude or nice, but at some point, a line has to be drawn, somewhere. I understand many people enjoy the idea of being insulted for very little reason in the older games (_Population: Growing!_, especially) because "it's funny that these 'cutesy' animals snap at you at pure random", but that juxtaposes the laid-back, timid nature that made this franchise stand out to begin with, and I doubt many kids saw the humor in it back then. And really, it gets really old having the same insults lashed at you, over and over, again, just for existing.

I know others have pointed out that they want this type of harsh treatment back because it facilitates character, but that logic only makes sense if we're talking about *villagers who are suppose to act like what their personality types imply.* Even then, I think there should be limit to how mean they should be. These are characters you could possibly spend months, or even years, living with, so I don't think the developers (or localization team) should go back to the GameCube days where they could insult the player upon greeting them for the first time. Rudeness shouldn't be the one and only defining trait characters should have, and it doesn't automatically solved the one-dimensional characterization of villagers.

A lot of the "rudeness" in the GC game stemmed from Cranky and Snooty Villagers, where said rudeness made sense for those characters, but it extended to Jocks and Peppies, and Peppies were almost as bad as Snooties, sometimes. It's jarring, because people constantly complain that villagers aren't being true to what their personality entails in the newer titles, but I hardly see any mention that Peppies often acted less than friendly in that game: "Hey, let me just take what's in your pockets, because you decided to talk to me!" "Here, I'll sell you an item you won't know about until AFTER you pony up 50,000 bells, sucker!" "If you don't agree with me that rain sucks, I hope you get sick!" Jocks end up being better at being the thing that Peppies are named after; even then, Jocks come off as rude, likely because they're dense, but not out of venomous spite, like the other personalities. We already know how vicious Crankies and Snooties could be, so it bares no repeating, but I'm baffled how someone here actually thinks there were nice in the first game when there's so many screenshots to the contrary.

Again, I'm not saying villagers should be nice 100% of the time, and I don't think anyone genuinely believes that they should, but if we're going to bring back rude villagers into this series, let's take a look at _Wild World_, because villagers are handled *much* better in that game. They could be rude, but it was rarely as over-the-top and obnoxious as it was before, and frankly, it was much funnier that way. When they treat you poorly, well... it was probably your fault, and not because the game rolled a dice and decided to have a villager insult you for no reason other than, "hey, it's their personality, so let's make every encounter with them have a line where they berate you".

One thing this series desperately needs is dynamic dialogue — dialogue which changes depending on how often you bond with your neighbors rather than this black-and-white dichotomy where everyone either steals from you, scams you, and do paint-jobs on your roof without your permission, or this "saccharine sweetness" in _New Leaf_ and beyond.


Vintage Viola said:


> The *peppies* and lazies were the kindest in the game, and the *normals* had a more even temperament.


You sure you didn't get Peppies confused with Normals? Because the examples I laid out in quotes were something Peppies did to me at one point. Piper stole something from my pockets, while Winnie (one of my initial villagers) tried to do the same thing. Puddles snapped at me because I didn't agree with her opinion on the weather. None of my Normals did those things.


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## TheDuke55 (Dec 31, 2021)

Villagers don't need to be rude like they were in PG, but I think they definitely need a middle-ground. The villagers in NH/NL were very lacking. They were friends straight from the get-go. Having them warm up to you over time and be less of a stranger-neighbor to your best-friend would feel really rewarding.

Their personalities basically boil down.  'I'm so old, I cracked my back picking up something I dropped' or 'I eat food in my bathtub' They could had done better, but super rude isn't the way to go. 

Being rude to them yourself is also tamed. They don't even fight back and you can say you're sorry over and over and they will change their mind. I booted up PG a while back and their rudeness was kind of weird. Like right when Nook tells you to meet your villagers I introduced myself to some female bird and she already clapped back with uncalled for dialogue. Now I don't know about you, but if I moved somewhere IRL and got that kind of welcome I'd want nothing to do with them and they'd be lucky to have all their teeth still intact if they did that to someone.


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## Vintage Viola (Dec 31, 2021)

Introspective Onlooker said:


> You sure you didn't get Peppies confused with Normals? Because the examples I laid out in quotes were something Peppies did to me at one point. Piper stole something from my pockets, while Winnie (one of my initial villager) tried to do the same thing. Puddles snapped at me because I didn't agree with her opinion on the weather. None of my Normals did those things.


Probably so, I haven’t played that game in over a decade. I just know peppies, lazies, and normals (and jocks to an extent) weren’t _as_ mean as snooties, crankies. At least, not to me.


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## rubyrubert (Dec 31, 2021)

I don't really dislike mean villagers personally. At least as a kid playing WW I would try to hit my villagers with a net (and axe) if they said something mean because I thought it was funny lmao. But I can understand why people don't like that. It reminds me of the Stardew Valley characters straight up saying your gift is trash

Part of me still wants villagers in ACNH to call you ugly or fat (because it's funny), but only if you give them trash or hit them with a net or something


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## Introspective Onlooker (Dec 31, 2021)

rubyrubert said:


> It reminds me of the Stardew Valley characters straight up saying your gift is trash


I haven't played _Stardew Valley_, but it seems villagers are bit more multi-faceted and developed than the ones in the _AC_ games. It probably has to do with the its paltry 40+ NPCs to the more than 400+ villagers in all _AC_ games combined.

Also, it is worth trying to bond with the ruder NPCs in _SV_? Do they acknowledge how badly they treat you, and change their attitude accordingly?


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## rubyrubert (Dec 31, 2021)

Introspective Onlooker said:


> I haven't played _Stardew Valley_, but it seems villagers are bit more multi-faceted and developed than the ones in the _AC_ games. It probably has to do with the its paltry 40+ NPCs to the more than 400+ villagers in all _AC_ games combined.
> 
> Also, it is worth trying to bond with the ruder NPCs in _SV_? Do they acknowledge how badly they treat you, and change their attitude accordingly?


SDV villagers all have their own dialogue, liked and disliked gifts, character events, and unique recipes/items they can give you. It's very different than AC, but it gives similar vibes. You can also romance villagers in SDV and have kids lol.

You have to bond with the ruder NPCs to 100% the game. It's worth it imo since I don't hate any of them and none of them are downright evil. And yes, they get nicer. But some people still don't like certain ones. Definitely check out SDV tho~!


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## Introspective Onlooker (Dec 31, 2021)

rubyrubert said:


> SDV villagers all have their own dialogue, liked and disliked gifts, character events, and unique recipes/items they can give you. It's very different than AC, but it gives similar vibes. You can also romance villagers in SDV and have kids lol.


I knew about the romance beforehand, but it's nice to know that each character has their own personality, rather than them being confined to a set of templates.


> You have to bond with the ruder NPCs to 100% the game. It's worth it imo since I don't hate any of them and none of them are downright evil. And yes, they get nicer. But some people still don't like certain ones. Definitely check out SDV tho~!


Really, that's all I can ask for. I'd also like the option to make verbal comebacks at NPCs giving my character a hard time, and it seems there's some dialogue options that allows the player to do so.


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## Michelangelo (Jan 3, 2022)

The villagers sure acted like wild animals back then haha.
One thing I noticed in the CGN game: the animals' initial greeting to you changed throughout the day.

Speaking to a normal animal in the morning versus speaking to her for the first time at night yields a different greeting. 
So if I speak to Mitzi in the morning, she's happy I came to see her so bright and early. However, if I don't speak with her at all until around her bedtime, she'll scold me for not visiting her earlier on. 

On the contrary...
If I speak to a cranky villager in the morning when he wakes up, he's going to be all grouchy to me...just for saying hi! However, the cranks chill out a bit more later at night, when they are more awake. 

On a scale of rudeness in the GCN era (6 being the absolute worst):
6: Cranky: They have no problem insulting you and life itself.
5: Snooty: Catty, rude, thinks they are better than you and everyone else. 
4: Peppy: The peppy villagers were so hot and cold with you. It was weird haha.
3: Jock: Mostly cool with you, but could sometimes be hotheads.
2: Lazy: Pretty chill, sometimes emotional.
1: Normal: Kind, gentle, and happy to see you. 

In NH, no matter what time of the day you speak with your neighbors, they don't mind how early or late it is.


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## Introspective Onlooker (Jan 3, 2022)

Michelangelo said:


> One thing I noticed in the CGN game: the animals' initial greeting to you changed throughout the day.
> 
> Speaking to a normal animal in the morning versus speaking to her for the first time at night yields a different greeting.
> So if I speak to Mitzi in the morning, she's happy I came to see her so bright and early. However, if I don't speak with her at all until around her bedtime, she'll scold me for not visiting her earlier on.
> ...


I'm glad someone pointed this out, as this seems to have been phased out since at least _City Folk_. _Wild World_ still had this, but I guess it wasn't as in your face with it.

Normal villagers also sometimes lamented the fact that they didn't get to spend much time with you during the day, as well. They'll something along the lines of, "...I wish you dropped by earlier so we can spend some together...", or something to that effect. I didn't mind being reprimanded by Mitzi because Normal villagers scolded you as a concerned mother would if they didn't see their child all day. It was cute, because Normal villagers were characterized to be that way in the first place; these animals clearly care about you, and actively wanna spend time with you, and it's just so sweet and innocence. Doubles with Carrie — a Normal kangaroo.

As for Crankies, it's important to know that villager dialogue is randomized, so how they greet you, regardless of the time of day (or personality), is mostly based on RNG. I don't recall Chow being bothered by me talking to him when he was awake in the morning (unless it was raining, sometimes), but Lobo sure gave me a lashing once when I spoke to him after dark.



> On a scale of rudeness in the GCN era (6 being the absolute worst):
> 6: Cranky: They have no problem insulting you and life itself.
> 5: Snooty: Catty, rude, thinks they are better than you and everyone else.
> 4: Peppy: The peppy villagers were so hot and cold with you. It was weird haha.
> ...


I think Snooties should be the highest, with Peppies just below. Cranky villagers at least have an excuse to be grouchy. They sleep at around 5AM, and wake up at 10. 

Snooties don't have that excuse; I can't stand Snooties in _PG!_ because almost every bit of their dialogue is them acting way more conceited than they should be; they live in the same "hick" town as the rest of the other villagers, and they're ironically some of the ugliest animals in the game, so the higher-than-thou attitude is more tiring and grating than it is humorous. I think the ones in _CF_ (which is rare praise for me because the other personalities were better in _WW_) are the best incarnation. They still retained this attitude without being so incredibly vain and rude about it 99% of the time, so they don't feel as one-dimensional.

I find Peppies annoying in most games, but they're easily the most unpleasant in _PG!_. I'm guessing the localization team considered how they acted in the Japanese version to be "tsundere" and try to emulate it, but this archetype just doesn't translate well to Western sensibilities. And I hate it, because of how fake and exaggerated it is. That's what I think about GCN Peppy villagers — they're superficial and ridiculous.

I agree with the last three, though.


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