Unfortunately it's a console issue, so I don't know how they'd be able to fix this unless they decided to release a Switch with more power to prevent this from occurring. I suppose they could update the game to try to resolve the issue, but it probably wouldn't do much.
Anyone else wishing Nintendo would fix the frame rate dropping?
- Thread starter bam94-
- Start date
I feel like it gets really bad during special events, not sure why but maybe all the extra stuff they have to render in the town plaza. It's frustrating. I have a full island but it's not extremely full. I have trained myself not to run past furnished outdoor areas because I also hate seeing unloaded furniture load as I go by - it kind of spoils the vibe.
JellyBeans
only half awake
I've always found it to be the worst in dream islands too - some people's islands are so densely packed to a point where I can't understand how they'd enjoy playing on it, although to be fair they are often gorgeous. there's one specific area on my island that usually glitches a little when I first walk through it, even though I don't think it's too cramped. it does suck if it's a console issue but I guess it makes sense
I mean, I wouldn’t say no, especially as I add more and more stuff to my island, but it’s not like it’s ruining my experience so far or anything. Heck, at least the game isn’t crashing every hour like Cyberpunk 2077, I’ll take what I can get.
The whole lag problem is unfortunately a combination of two problems: Nintendo prioritising their consoles being different over having lots of processing power, and the development team choosing graphical quality over performance.
The game is very pretty for a switch game, but this means that even with all the game design tricks they used to make it less laggy, the game is just pushing the limits of the console most of the time. When people go wild with custom patterns, items and waterscaping, it just pushes it far over the edge.
It's not something they could fix without making the game uglier or without releasing a more powerful version of the Switch. I'm still kinda hoping for the second option, but there's no guarantee there.
The game is very pretty for a switch game, but this means that even with all the game design tricks they used to make it less laggy, the game is just pushing the limits of the console most of the time. When people go wild with custom patterns, items and waterscaping, it just pushes it far over the edge.
It's not something they could fix without making the game uglier or without releasing a more powerful version of the Switch. I'm still kinda hoping for the second option, but there's no guarantee there.
hellFlower
wild world nostalgia
I'm not entirely sure it's purely an issue with the Switch, historically the AC team kinda sucks at optimisation. I mean, WW ran at like 20-24fps (maybe even lower?), and NL only ran at 30fps (really weird since the 3DS can support it at 60fps just fine since it has 3D mode) like NH does. GC and CF managed to run at 60fps, but they're both ports, so hardly a fair comparison.
I'm no expert or anything, but I think one of New Horizons' biggest issues is that it doesn't cull stuff anywhere near as aggressively as it should. This is really noticeable in Shesez's latest Boundary Break video on the game. You can see furniture items, bugs and villagers that should be way off-screen, given that the ground underneath them has disappeared are still being rendered. It looks like all the buildings in your village are being rendered at all times too. It's no wonder why the game struggles to load in new items when it's still rendering (not to mention physics calculations as well) stuff you aren't even remotely going to see.
I don't think New Horizons will ever run at a rock solid 30fps - not with the current hardware of the Switch, but it shouldn't be anywhere as bad as it is right now.
I'm no expert or anything, but I think one of New Horizons' biggest issues is that it doesn't cull stuff anywhere near as aggressively as it should. This is really noticeable in Shesez's latest Boundary Break video on the game. You can see furniture items, bugs and villagers that should be way off-screen, given that the ground underneath them has disappeared are still being rendered. It looks like all the buildings in your village are being rendered at all times too. It's no wonder why the game struggles to load in new items when it's still rendering (not to mention physics calculations as well) stuff you aren't even remotely going to see.
I don't think New Horizons will ever run at a rock solid 30fps - not with the current hardware of the Switch, but it shouldn't be anywhere as bad as it is right now.
So I definitely experienced the drop frames on cluttered islands like everyone else is saying, but something else I noticed is that on my own island (which is not cluttered at all), sometimes when Im running around my town the shadows of the trees would be delayed. I notice it because I like to play during day time, and I can clearly see spots where on previous second there’s no shadow but the next second the shadow would show up. I do have lots of trees on my island but not to the point of a dense forest I don’t think. So far though as it doesn’t really impact the gameplay, I’ve just been ignoring it basically.
Monokuma73
Senior Member
Switch is the newest Nintendo console. I wouldn't imagine to buy (in the future) new / faster console, because current one is not able to handle game, developed ONLY for a single model / version of hardware, it would be pointless.
This. It's not the games fault, it's the systems fault. And also Nintendo's fault kinds for this being kind of an oversite. We FINALLY get to decorate outside of our houses, ofCOURSE we're gonna put alot of stuff out, but the system simply can not handle it. Which is really stupid. I don't think any updates to the game will cause the framerate to stop dropping, unfortunately. I'm not sure how likely Nintendo will release an update for the system itself that would fix not only NH framerate drops, but other game FR drops (Age of Calamity, BOTW in like literally 3 areas of the world, just to name examples). I'm not sure if such update can be released for a system problem like that. I know I've heard of system updates fixing system problems (for other consoles thou, not Switch) but not all problems can be fixed with an update, that's really more so for smaller issues.
More on the topic, I have FR drop on a few areas of my island, which makes me kinda mad. My island is no where packed like I've seen other islands are, but I still get drops in some areas. I know what the culprit is (Flick please come get these bugs) but that's only for one area. I have I think 1 or 2 other areas of drop, both of which are not cluttered like the first area. Weather I play on TV mode or handheld I still see the dropping. I want to say it is only the slightest bit not as bad on TV, but I'm honestly not sure as it is a system thing, not necessarily a 'which mode are you playing on' thing.
AssassinVicz
❅ The Light Snow Fills The Air ❅
I’ll be honest, I’ve never seen this as an issue? Anytime that my game has dropped, it usually picks back up like it never happened. My island isn’t crammed full of furniture but it does have a decent amount of trees, bushes, flowers etc around. So I don’t see it as an issue personally.
The only time my switch has lagged highly, was visiting islands which was crammed full of stuff whilst trading or dream addresses which were crammed full aswell. I know a lot of people on this thread are blaming it on the switch but, I really don’t believe its a switch issue. I really doubt the producer of this animal crossing instalment, was expecting people to cram every single area they could with furniture or terraform any space existing. They were probably expecting new Leaf level of designs, not an over the top type. (Going by Nintendo’s official island)
Considering this game is being updated, there could possibly be a frame rate update... but I doubt it.
The only time my switch has lagged highly, was visiting islands which was crammed full of stuff whilst trading or dream addresses which were crammed full aswell. I know a lot of people on this thread are blaming it on the switch but, I really don’t believe its a switch issue. I really doubt the producer of this animal crossing instalment, was expecting people to cram every single area they could with furniture or terraform any space existing. They were probably expecting new Leaf level of designs, not an over the top type. (Going by Nintendo’s official island)
Considering this game is being updated, there could possibly be a frame rate update... but I doubt it.
sleepydreepy
legendary egg
I've been thinking a lot about this lately since my island is experiencing lag in several areas. Frame drop is definitely Nintendo's fault, but its surprising that its even an issue. When you think about other major gaming consoles like xbox and playstation, frame drop is (mostly) unheard of. But I guess frame drop exists because the Switch is still considered a hand held console (despite its docking ability), and perhaps Nintendo is expecting too much out of it with the games they are developing for it. Idk.
Yes, cramming every single area with furniture or terraforming would understandably cause a lot of frame rate dropping everywhere, which I can understand. And for most Dream Islands I’ve visited, that’s the case. But on my own island, which is barely terraformed, and no area has more than 10(?) pieces of furniture across the whole screen, I can’t believe it gets so glitchy to walk through!
Like I said previously, it’s so awful when it’s windy on my island. Maybe it’s the detail on the trees with the winter snow? No idea. But when islands aren’t crammed full and it still happens, I do believe it to be a huge oversight!
AssassinVicz
❅ The Light Snow Fills The Air ❅
It could be an affect with the wind? Usually when it’s windy on my island, I just notice the trees being bad and not the switch chugging.
But you have a point, if your island is lagging and there’s barely any terraforming then Nintendo needs to address it.
sleepydreepy
legendary egg
Yes, I've read that lag gets worse with animated items, furniture like fish tanks and trees included, because you're right, trees "sway" in the wind/have a special animation (flowers as well) and contribute to lag.It could be an affect with the wind? Usually when it’s windy on my island, I just notice the trees being bad and not the switch chugging.
Shellzilla_515
F1 fan who loves onions
I'd love it but let's be realistic here. Nintendo is most likely pushing the limits of what the Switch can do. So it's more of the system rather than the game itself.
Like others have said it's a console issue. They would have to greatly lower the picture resolution/weather effects etc. in order to make loading faster and have less frame drops in "busy areas".
I don't mind the problem too much as I have my island decently decorated to the point I'm happy with but it's not cluttered either. I don't experience any frame rate drops when on my island. I only notice it when visiting super packed islands which are often well decorated but I personally don't like walking around an island with little space. Or islands that have gone crazy with terraforming a bunch of intricate cliffs and/or waterfalls.
I do feel bad for those who are effected by this problem. Sadly there's not likely a fix other than a rumored "Switch Pro" in the future and I'm sure it'll be even more expensive than the regular switch if it really does happen.
I don't mind the problem too much as I have my island decently decorated to the point I'm happy with but it's not cluttered either. I don't experience any frame rate drops when on my island. I only notice it when visiting super packed islands which are often well decorated but I personally don't like walking around an island with little space. Or islands that have gone crazy with terraforming a bunch of intricate cliffs and/or waterfalls.
I do feel bad for those who are effected by this problem. Sadly there's not likely a fix other than a rumored "Switch Pro" in the future and I'm sure it'll be even more expensive than the regular switch if it really does happen.
i must be honest and say that i haven't experienced frame drops playing animal crossing thus far, but i'll try and pay more attention to that next time i'm playing if you guys say so :O or maybe i just don't have a lot of stuff on my island that makes my switch act up 
however, just recently i watched a friend of mine play phoenix rising and the frame drops during combat were just horrible :| i would love for nintendo to come out with a more powerful version of the console, but i would also be mad as i just purchased my switch LOL
however, just recently i watched a friend of mine play phoenix rising and the frame drops during combat were just horrible :| i would love for nintendo to come out with a more powerful version of the console, but i would also be mad as i just purchased my switch LOLSimilar threads
