"Controlling" where houses appear.

[Chris]

Bah, another day of resetting and after a while they decide they're not coming. Whelp, eventually, day 7 I believe it is, they'll have to move in because I only have 8 villagers. The 25th should be the 7th day so hopefully they'll decide to move in then because I'm tired of resetting everyday for a dozen times just to have them not come at all.

I reset five times today for my ninth villager: first was a villager I disliked (Annalisa); second was nothing; third was a cute villager (Gala!) but in a spot that would hinder me getting to/from my house easily; fourth and fifth resets had no plots. At that I just decided to stop for the day and began playing normally. So you're not alone!

 

[sigmajw]

I've been trying this method, and the house plots are always in the same area. I have not once seen the plot move to a different area of town.

It's always a little bit different, but in the same general area. It's making me mad. Right on top of my orchard.

 

[Hirisa]

There are some frustrating tendencies, I agree, but I experimented with this "controlling method" for an hour and half yesterday (FOR SCIENCE!) and found that they can change spots, it's just uncommon.

Molly really wanted to move in yesterday, and she showed up three times: twice in the same location (right where I want to build a lighthouse, and then finally in a completely different location that worked for me. I was very surprised- and very delighted- but I think that's the last experiment in micromanagement from me. It's tedious, and it runs a little too counter to what I really like about the game- spontaneity. But it was worth it just to satisfy my curiosity.

 

[dakko]

I've been trying this method, and the house plots are always in the same area. I have not once seen the plot move to a different area of town.

It's always a little bit different, but in the same general area. It's making me mad. Right on top of my orchard.

So far mine has been in completely different areas of town. Then again, I don't have many community projects yet, and no narrow strips of land, so maybe the game has more spots to choose from?

 

[sigmajw]

So far mine has been in completely different areas of town. Then again, I don't have many community projects yet, and no narrow strips of land, so maybe the game has more spots to choose from?

my town has a ton of empty space, I don't know why the heck they keep choosing to build in the one corner of my town that I have all my fruit trees in..? That's literally the only spot in my town where I don't want someone to move, and of course they pick that exact spot every time.

 

[barronn30]

my town has a ton of empty space, I don't know why the heck they keep choosing to build in the one corner of my town that I have all my fruit trees in..? That's literally the only spot in my town where I don't want someone to move, and of course they pick that exact spot every time.

Mine tend to be in one area too but occasionally it would change.

 

[Dustbunnii]

Man, I wish I would have seen this sooner XD
On my second or third day playing, Charlise moved in right in front of my town hall. I can't do much about it now since that was several days ago :I Oh well.

 

[AoJones]

Man, I wish I would have seen this sooner XD
On my second or third day playing, Charlise moved in right in front of my town hall. I can't do much about it now since that was several days ago :I Oh well.

SAME! And is still there... Darn you Charlise! Another victim.

 

[Kiwi]

I had to reset many many times but in the end Lionel chose a very good spot. Right next to the town hall, which is in a part of my map I don't really like. Plus I hate the town hall's colour.
Now that a cool villager lives there it's not that bad anymore.

 

[Jedo]

Tried this today when I was supposed to get a new neighbor and it really helped. I was shocked because they ended up moving in on the EXACT spot I needed them to so that was nice.

Also, so if I don't have my campsite I only have 9 neighbors, so I won't need to keep checking until one decides to move out.
If I do have my campsite does the new villager move into a home or stays in the tent?

 

[Lin]

Tried this today when I was supposed to get a new neighbor and it really helped. I was shocked because they ended up moving in on the EXACT spot I needed them to so that was nice.

Also, so if I don't have my campsite I only have 9 neighbors, so I won't need to keep checking until one decides to move out.
If I do have my campsite does the new villager move into a home or stays in the tent?

They move into a home, and you can use the reset trick to decide where they move to. :3

 

[AoJones]

Tried this today when I was supposed to get a new neighbor and it really helped. I was shocked because they ended up moving in on the EXACT spot I needed them to so that was nice.

Also, so if I don't have my campsite I only have 9 neighbors, so I won't need to keep checking until one decides to move out.
If I do have my campsite does the new villager move into a home or stays in the tent?

With a campsite you have to convince the camper to move in. Once after that it takes a day or two for their plot to show up, then they'll move in a house like everyone else.

 

[Rainy Day]

The trick definitely works. It just can be very time consuming, tedious and frustrating.

I reset five times today for my ninth villager: first was a villager I disliked (Annalisa); second was nothing; third was a cute villager (Gala!) but in a spot that would hinder me getting to/from my house easily; fourth and fifth resets had no plots. At that I just decided to stop for the day and began playing normally. So you're not alone!

That's pretty much what's happening to me everyday since the 18th. Three or hours times they choose horrible spots and then after that they just won't show up so I stop for the day. As said in other places of this thread, I'm hoping they finally move in on the 7th day. I'm sick of resetting for half an hour just to have no outcome at the end of it.

I've been trying this method, and the house plots are always in the same area. I have not once seen the plot move to a different area of town.

It's always a little bit different, but in the same general area. It's making me mad. Right on top of my orchard.

This is happening to me as well. And there's plenty of space in my town for them to move elsewhere. Only once or twice out of the, I believe five times today, have they moved somewhere else. The other three they're right next to my house, smack-dab in the middle of my orchard. Very irritating.

 

[Jedo]

With a campsite you have to convince the camper to move in. Once after that it takes a day or two for their plot to show up, then they'll move in a house like everyone else.

So if I don't want them I just ignore them altogether?

 

[Chris]

That's pretty much what's happening to me everyday since the 18th. Three or hours times they choose horrible spots and then after that they just won't show up so I stop for the day. As said in other places of this thread, I'm hoping they finally move in on the 7th day. I'm sick of resetting for half an hour just to have no outcome at the end of it.

Oof, unlucky.

I turned on my 3DS expecting to face this today - instead Blanche the ostrich (uchi) wanted to move into an ideal location on the very first try. So no need to even reset.

 

[Ponyu]

This is happening to me as well. And there's plenty of space in my town for them to move elsewhere. Only once or twice out of the, I believe five times today, have they moved somewhere else. The other three they're right next to my house, smack-dab in the middle of my orchard. Very irritating.

So maybe there ARE defined spots for the villagers, like in previous games, with the only difference being that there are no signs? Maybe they can't build plots everywhere? This would be really good to know, because you could mark all the potential spots and plan around them (or build a project in certain places to prevent villagers from moving there).

On the other hand, if this was true, what if you put projects on all the potential villager plot spots and no one new could move in. Maybe Isabelle would have an eye on this and not let you put a project on the last potential villager spot until they are 10 again.

So --- I have 9 villagers now (and a tent), does this mean that no one new will move in except for the camper (who I then can choose)? And what if I have 10 villagers; will I still get campers? (That would mean a total of 11 animals in the town, quite a lot...) Please answer, anybody. Thank you.

 

[AoJones]

@Jedo you can talk to the camper (playing games with them gets you items) and at one point they'll say they are not sure if they want to move in, then you can convince them or not.

@Ponyu Interesting theory, would love to see if we can figure this out (maybe if someone had a clean map, keep resetting for the first villager to move in to see all potential spots).
On to your question, no new villager will move in besides the camper if convinced. I'm pretty sure with 10 villagers a camper still comes (if not the the campsite is just barren)

 

[Rainy Day]

So maybe there ARE defined spots for the villagers, like in previous games, with the only difference being that there are no signs? Maybe they can't build plots everywhere? This would be really good to know, because you could mark all the potential spots and plan around them (or build a project in certain places to prevent villagers from moving there).

On the other hand, if this was true, what if you put projects on all the potential villager plot spots and no one new could move in. Maybe Isabelle would have an eye on this and not let you put a project on the last potential villager spot until they are 10 again.

So --- I have 9 villagers now (and a tent), does this mean that no one new will move in except for the camper (who I then can choose)? And what if I have 10 villagers; will I still get campers? (That would mean a total of 11 animals in the town, quite a lot...) Please answer, anybody. Thank you.

Hmm, very interesting point. I will do the resetting trick tomorrow and if they still appear in the three same spots then I will plant projects there and see what happens.

 

[Punchyleaf]

Just tried this myself.
First neighbor was Agnes
Second was Graham (who tried to move in right next to where Agnes' plot was)
Third was, well you get the point. It works. This is great, by the way. Now I can get my perfect villagers!

 

[Bri]

I can't wait to do this. Now I'll actually have control over where the stupid plots go. xD

Now I just need to get rid of the two villagers that I don't want. One I just don't like (Hazel) and one has her house in a lame spot (Robin). Eugene is also kinda weird. o.o;