How do you feel about players starting to be mean to their villagers after the latest friendship datamine?

[N a t]

I think you misunderstood what I mean. It’s totally fine that you asked, so no worries.

I don’t think somebody is acting morally superior for not judging somebody. I meant that saying it’s wrong to judge somebody is acting morally superior. Like, I think it’s alright for people to have and politely express their opinions, and they shouldn’t be treated like bullies for it. Does that make sense?

Also I’m not defending every opinion or judgement here. Saying “people beating villagers makes me uncomfortable” isn’t the same as saying “if you beat your villagers you’re a violent monster”. Those are very different things.

To me, judging a behavior also isn’t quite the same as judging the whole person. I might dislike something a person does, but that doesn’t immediately make me dislike or distrust them. It all depends on circumstances.

Again, I don’t mind that you wanted to discuss it. I’m sorry I made you uncomfortable in the first place!

Thank you so much for elaborating for me. I completely misunderstood what you said, and that's why I wanted to ask you about it. All is well now and I honestly feel a lot better. While I know it's often said to not let what others think and feel about you affect you, the last thing I want is for anyone on my favorite forum to dislike me or something that I did or said and I was worried that I may have come off as condescending or something (dunno if that is a good word for it). I prefer to maintain a neutral or positive reputation for sure. That's just me though. Thanks again for clearing things up in a very polite way!

 

[jiojiop]

My point about violent games not necessarily making people act violently IRL was just a light comparison. All I'm trying to say is that people often do things in video games that they would never do IRL, even in 'innocent' games (see: removing pool ladders to make sims drown in The Sims, attacking cuccos in Zelda to anger them). Obviously everyone can have whatever opinion they want on the idea of doing those things. But I don't think it's fair for anyone to treat others as if they have secret abusive/violent tendencies because of some inconsequential thing they do in a game. (and, to be clear, I'm not saying that anyone is treating others that way, I was only speaking in response to the post that I had originally quoted).

Yes of course. I fish and hunt in games and I would never do that irl. And I also understand trying something 'to see what would happen'.

But you have to admit, it's reasonable for someone to feel a little squicked out at another person taking pleasure from hitting a friendly intelligent creature, over and over and over again, and seeing it react with pain, sadness, and anger. Even if it is just a game, it's simulating something.

 

[Lotusblossom]

Where can I find new datamines?
I've hit butch with a net and ignoring works better I ignored when queenie was sick for days and she ended up moving after that

Post automatically merged: May 30, 2020

I think its sick we can even hit them with a net why did they even make that possible children play this game and now a child I know who plays was talking about hitting a neighbor with a broom saying it was a slap kill device and it was not good

Post automatically merged: May 30, 2020

The whole vibe of hating certain villagers and wanting them to move away is such a big role in animal crossing and I think it is very like bullying and it teaches kids WRONG AND DISRESPECTFUL

 

[thegunpowderincident]

Yes of course. I fish and hunt in games and I would never do that irl. And I also understand trying something 'to see what would happen'.

But you have to admit, it's reasonable for someone to feel a little squicked out at another person taking pleasure from hitting a friendly intelligent creature, over and over and over again, and seeing it react with pain, sadness, and anger. Even if it is just a game, it's simulating something.

I agree, I understand why people feel uncomfortable about it or don’t like it.
It’s just the idea of taking it a step further, and making someone who does something kinda mean in a video game feel as if they’re genuinely a bad person, or of poor moral character, that makes me uncomfortable. To reiterate (because I’m afraid someone’s going to come at me with “no one said that!!1!” lol), I’m not saying that anyone did say that outright, I’m speaking hypothetically based on some implications I saw being made.

Anyway, that’s all I mean, not that anyone can’t have their own personal feelings about ‘bullying’ villagers. c:

 

[brockbrock]

Everyone is welcome to play the game as they choose, but I have never and can never be mean to a villager. I've sent some sarcastically (according to my subjective personal taste) witty letters to villagers I haven't liked, but I could never bring myself to be mean to them.

Every time I have accidentally hit a villager with a net, I either reset the game immediately or feel genuinely really sad about it. I'm pretty sensitive as a person, but it affects me quite a bit, even if it's just pixels.

 

[Jessi]

I mean if that's how they wanna do it. I'm too sensitive I can't be mean to my villagers..... I would cry they're like my children lol

Post automatically merged: May 30, 2020

But I feel like people who take it too far have something else going on they need to be checked on lol

 

[jenikinz]

I feel bad even when I accidentally hit them with an item, their frowning/hurt face makes me feel so bad. Yeah, they are just pixels but it makes me uncomfortable to see people enjoying causing pain to another regardless if it is real or simulated.

 

[Vextro]

It does suck to see as the game tries to make the villagers seem as they are real people, even calling them neighbors to your island town and how they do human things like shop, water flowers, eat, chill, fish. It's one of the charming things of animal crossing and makes it stand out so I can see how it does suck to see people do mean things to them but I mean at the same time, if there is a villager you really want, whether that be they look good to you, you want to have them as a first time or maybe you have some emotional attachment to them from having them is past games, you gotta do what you gotta do to get them out if they just aren't leaving because it isn't that fun to have someone you dislike constantly reminding you about how you want a villager you want but just can't because they are they just don't leave.

 

[michan]

As a kid playing wild world/new leaf I would always hit the villagers/push them into pitfalls if i didn't like them
But now I feel bad even if i accidentally hit them

 

[Fey]

Thank you so much for elaborating for me. I completely misunderstood what you said, and that's why I wanted to ask you about it. All is well now and I honestly feel a lot better. While I know it's often said to not let what others think and feel about you affect you, the last thing I want is for anyone on my favorite forum to dislike me or something that I did or said and I was worried that I may have come off as condescending or something (dunno if that is a good word for it). I prefer to maintain a neutral or positive reputation for sure. That's just me though. Thanks again for clearing things up in a very polite way!

It’s not a problem at all—honestly, thanks for bringing it up and asking. I’m glad I got a chance to correct your impression, because I would hate to be misunderstood like that and come across as being overly judgmental or unfair. I wish more people dealt with being upset by something the way you did. It’s all good ^ｪ^

 

[voltairenism]

I'm guilty of being mean to a villager lol. In my defense, I liked Rocket from the start, I think the super hero villagers are very cool, I like all of them. BUT she was very mean to me and to all my villagers, so I built a wall of tarantulas around her house lol I never smacked her with a net tho

Imo, I think it's just a game and hating a villager is part of the game. I mean... It's like when you play the sims and you know, this game can be very boring so you come with your own lore and someone for some reason is a ***** and you act like "grr look at this pendant piece of garbage walking around my house again" but the character doesn't have any emotions, they are just pixels lol you have to use imagination and make your fun yk. I loved hating Rocket and I sometimes miss having these obligatory characters for me to hate lol I always walked up to Rocket or Chops and be like "what will be the snarky comment of this ******* now". Idk, maybe it's immature. It's just playing, I guess.

 

[cheezu]

I suppose what I find unsettling is the way they react when you hit them.
They start crying or sulking, which kind of upsets me.
If you just ignore them, then sure, that could be perceived as mean but you won't get any kind of reaction from them.
When you refuse to buy an item from them, they'll just say they'll find someone else to sell it to - so no biggie really.
So to me these two are not the same.

 

[windwake-me-up-inside]

Honestly the same people who post videos about them hitting and bullying thier villagers and them laughing about it and calling them names are absolutely the same kind of people who would have been bullying me in high school; they have the exact same personality. It just feels so gross and I avoid watching videos like that bc it just feels so spiteful and toxic.

Same reason why the "please don't be ugly" tiktok trend pisses me off a bit, because these sorts of people don't keep it to animal crossing, they are mean to actual people too a lot of the time...

 

[Aleigh]

The only ones I'll ever hit are my friends and Gulliver (purely because it's funny when he wakes up and goes "well I'm less mad because it's you" and it doesn't do any real harm like making them stomp in anger or cry) but idk I feel like hitting your villagers is just kinda... well how do I put this... wrong?

 

[Khaelis]

As someone who grew up being ruthlessly bullied most of his school life, I could never bring myself to 'bully' my villagers/islanders even if it is a game.

Though it would be nice to get rid of Quillson.

 

[Acies]

I see no appeal in hitting any villager with a net for several hours, even for minutes. There are so many options in this game, even though it might feel a little empty, that this must be awfully monotone.