did you plan out your island prior to getting the game? 🏝️💭

[oath2order]

Not really. Only plan I had was "have a bench overlooking a cliff near the sea".

 

[ConfusedDad]

i planned out literally everything with all my builds and im so proud of how it turned out

 

[Flicky]

Nah, I just made it up as I went along. I don't think I got serious about my island layout until after 2.0 dropped, and by that point, I had to do a lot of rearranging since I already had ideas by that point that were rendered obsolete by many of the new items.

 

[Khaoticnoize187]

nope i just let things happen at its own pace much more fun that way for me.

 

[Pate and Ketchup]

When the game came out, I didn't plan anything, imagine anything because I didn't really know what the game was going to look like. I didn't know what the possibilities were, the furniture, I didn't know anything about the beginning, the few images we had suggested much more (then I was disappointed haha) so no, at the beginning, nothing at all! But now that the game is complete, that I've been spoiled the different pieces of furniture, that I've taken inspiration from other islands, I'm planning more and I have dreams.

 

[Sharksheep]

Nope. I tried doing the island designer before decorating but I restricted myself too much and scrapped that idea completely.

 

[eeveelovee]

Yes! So,.. in New Leaf I had always set my towns in a particular season, and perpetually time traveled back and forth to keep them in that season, however with NH, I wanted to just play... and let my island flow with the seasons.. and incorporate its aesthetics with all four seasons, and not just one, as I have previously done with ALL my New Leaf towns.

As far as dreamies go, Kiki and Pecan were a given, as they are a must in every town I create, regardless of the theme! I also chose some villagers I never had before, who also went along with the witchy/magical/spooky theme I had in mind, which are Lucky, Coco, Ankha, just to name a few.

So, before getting the game, I just wanted to basically copy all my previous New Leaf towns, however after playing for a little bit, I realized I wanted to actually set my island apart from my towns! I did follow the witchy/magical/spooky theme I initially wanted, however I incorporated sea witch and selkie themes as apart of my island as well! I figured, since we're in the ocean, might as well have some ocean related lore and aesthetics included!

 

[Kamex]

Nope, I only planned my island name before playing the game. While I did reset a few times to get a good selection out of the four options I was given at the start of the game, I wasn't too picky about how it turned out, especially since I could always rearrange things with terraforming and water scaping. I was only concerned about picking an island with a Residential Services building that wasn't too close to the airport.

 

[Fruitcup]

Yes, I made a mood board with screenshots of the trailers. it was a lot of fun and I actually stuck to it, worked out great.

 

[dizzy bone]

No real plans other than knowing I didn't want a double south facing river. I think I plot reset a total of 10 times before I settled on an island with a residence services close to the airport - villagers and other factors wasn't really on my mind at that point. After that, I planned my island based on natural game play. Eg. I attempted to do some kind of survival island at first because I was obsessed with the spikey fence and the godzilla statue, lol. After I started acquiring more items, I moved on to a more city-like theme.

For villagers, I still have most of my original villagers from early game. Rather than inviting villagers that fit a certain aesthetic or theme, I tried to design the town around whatever villagers I already had. Eg. I forced myself to create more natural zones due to Erik's original cabin house, and then made a small japanese-style village based on Hamphrey's and Ken's darker traditional houses. Once I was able to customize their exteriors, I kept Hamphrey and Ken together (because of the past *lore* lol) but I turned their area into a fishing village. To me, this style of playing/building/developing was more natural and less stressful for me, especially for someone who used to be an avid time traveler in ACNL but calmed down when ACNH came out.

 

[olliebugge]

all i knew when i started is that i wanted peaches, and that was it. after a few islands i knew more about what i wanted - peaches, a resident services near the airport, an orange airport, etc. took a lot of resetting but i’m glad i did.

the only villager i was sure that i wanted was chief. everyone else was up to random chance, haha. nowadays i have an actual list of dreamies.

 

[Neb]

I always improvise my towns and islands in this series. It’s more fun that way for me. I do have long term ideas that pop in my head once I start new files though.

 

[Suguri]

I only plan out the name before I start my island. Everything else from there I just make up as I go.

 

[Flare]

Only things like native fruit and grass shape (which didn’t even have to be a thing), but aside from that no since I didn’t really have an idea of how terraforming worked.

 

[Doo]

Yeah, I drew out a dream map (which looks nothing like my map now ) and I spent quite a while thinking about what to name my island before release.

 

[dreamingway]

nope! i went in completely blind. i don't know if i even knew there was going to BE a new animal crossing game before it dropped, but i can't actually remember that far back, so who knows. admittedly i found the extreme planning aspect of things kind of... not silly, exactly, but definitely not for me; it felt so intimidating and unnecessary! i understand it better now though and i like seeing what other people come up with, and i admire the ability to plan and decorate so extensively!

 

[Jacob]

Nope, I honestly didn't even know the capabilities, restrictions, items, etc., cuz I started on launch day! I didn't plan anything out ahead of time, but I usually never do with animal crossing games

 

[Dunquixote]

Nope! I have a second island now, but I’ll most likely not plan it. No idea how I want to decorate it right now. I did have some idea in mind but nothing definite. I named my island something that means eternal home (unless the translator I used was wrong and/or I combined the words incorrectly). And the name I picked for my rep means dreams. I was thinking of maybe decorating my island kinda like a “dream world,” some place I’d feel like at home and/or reflect some part of me. Also, I have something else in mind too. I’m also considering not designing it as much as my main island or waiting until I finish it; but if I do that, then this island won’t ever be decorated . I might just wing it and decorate, play around with furniture when I feel like it, as I had/have been with my main island. Just thinking of terraforming and moving houses (or rather remembering doing it on my main island) makes me a little anxious or overwhelmed or something.

 

[MrBox]

I tried too, yes! But got overwhelmed once i got the game. then I tried to make it according to my plan, but it didn't go as planned...
My island has changed drastically since but I'm thinking that my first iteration for my island is better than my current one... hmm..

 

[daffodilcrossing]

I didn’t plan it out before getting the game originally since I got it at release. When it first came out I wasn’t sure what to expect so I didn’t want to plan too much. Now though I do tend to plan since I’ve been playing so long. I’ve got a bad habit of resetting my island so I’ve never finished one, but I’ve got a good feeling about this island! I planned it a little but also I’m trying to be more go with the flow. I’ve found that this way I can play and have fun and not feel so much pressure to have a perfect island. I admire those who know exactly what they want though down to the individual pieces of furniture and ways to landscape! Those islands are fun to dream about