I can understand why series veterans feel the game is incomplete. It is missing a lot of staple Animal Crossing features. I played New Leaf and understand this. But I also feel like the game adds more than it loses because terraforming and crafting add endless content. This new content may not suit veteran players, the main group of people calling the game incomplete. I feel like ACNH is a complete video game, but not a complete Animal Crossing game yet. Once the updates add everything back, it will easily have the most content out of any Animal Crossing game. For me, I like the customizability far better than the lost features, so I personally feel like it already has more content than the older games.
My 2 cents. The game is just out for a month, patches/contents will follow. I read some said they have 200++ hours and feel the game is boring, IMHO if a $60 game gave you over 200 hours, it is game of the year nominee level.
Lol, pretty much.
I'm not even going to lie - I have 390 hours and that's on one switch/one copy (fair to say though, I do leave it up afk while doing other things) but I'm not even going to front I obviously like this game and got my 60 dollars worth.
For the multiplayer update:
While, I do agree having the minigames back with some sort of special currency again would be nice to have something to do with friends. I do think it's being glorified to be bigger than it was. Let's be real, the minigames got repetitive and redundant after doing them 100 times as well. The only nice thing was that you could do it with a friend to make it less annoying because you wanted to grind out that island item/wetsuit.
So while I would like to see the return and, for all we know, it may be a later update...I'm also not going to pretend like that's a major component that affects the quality/essence of this game. Again, AC is a casual game even for co-op/multiplayer. If you want a very involved multi-player, I recommend mmo's. For a lot of us GC veterens, we played solo bc a lot of us didn't have the gameboy to connect to go to the special island or play with friends.
The same is said for fishing together and diving. It's fun for the first bit then it dies off. And, if I remember correctly, there's already been info to suggest diving is returning and the dreamsuite feature so patience is a virtue.
To be fair, we don't really know what Nintendo's approach will be when online is no longer supported for the Switch. One would hope, that events will remain in the game despite no further updates. I'll definitely voice my concerns as well if it comes to that, but we'll see. As for fruit, hasn't this been an issue for every AC game? Maybe not GCN because you can still trade your memory cards, but did the other AC games sell all types of fruit? (I genuinly cannot remember).
Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but I'd certainly hope that when people buy AC:NH 10-15 years from now, items or builds or features introduced in updates will probably (and most likely) be implemented and available for those people despite online support. It's like buying, say, Sims 4 now as opposed to buying Sims 4 during launch.
There are rumors there will be an "end patch" that they will include then all of the events and holidays, but end patches only work if the servers are online to download them.
Which, severs will always go down eventually. Usually Nintendo is good about them being up for at least 10yrs? But someday they will be down. And if you want the stuff that's online only? You need to hack or homebrew your system. I have seen retro gamers do it with other systems who had servers go down.
Sim games are primarily on the PC, so it's pretty easy to get whatever patch you need through either their site or off another gaming archive site. Console is more difficult.
In old games other fruit was soooooo hard to get unless luck shined on you from a villager gift or gift from mom, but so far any findings for this games files is you have your native then you have your "sister" fruit (the one you always find on mystery islands that isn't your own.) TTers (or data mining to my knowledge?) has not said this sister fruit is seasonal like the flowers are. Which is annoying but technically you can get all flowers in the base game without trading. If the sister fruit was seasonal, it wouldn't be that big of a deal.
I know you were replying to someone else, not me, but I wanted you to know that video game burnout is absolutely a thing. I'm 37 years old (3 more years to the big four zero I guess, oh god) and I've been gaming since I was 5. I do face burnout from time to time. Sometimes it's from a specific video game or a video game franchise or genre, but sometimes it has actually been the entire hobby. I was burned out of video games for a good chunk of the early 2000s, and played less then than probably the entire rest of my life. So most of the cool PS2-era video games I haven't actually played.
For a specific example, I used to have this tradition where I would play Final Fantasy VI (one of my all-time favorites) every year around Christmas time. But after enough years of it, one year I found myself being bored. I no longer do this. I do still play it every so often, but it has to be several years inbetween.
This is something I used to do with Super Paper Mario (I KNOW people are probably sick of me talking about it lmaooo but it truly is one of my favorite games). I got burned out from it, so I stopped playing it. I came back to it for the first time in quite a while two summers ago and found that I enjoyed playing it again. But if I play it again every single year I know I’m not gonna enjoy it anymore. I do this with other hobbies, too.
To tell the truth, I’m not totally surprised that people who started with NL haven’t been enjoying NH. I think a large part of it is nostalgia; the first game in the series is what many of us will compare the other titles to, whether unfairly or not (I see this happen a lot with WW, and for me personally, GC. It is what it is). NL is also one of those titles that, like WW, made major leaps in the series, and while NH has also made a lot of changes (the biggest being terraforming), some of those are just tweaks to changes NL introduced. For example, instead of PWPs, we can place regular furniture outside now. That’s really cool to some people, but I think maybe others were expecting a little more and are feeling kind of let down by it.
At the end of the day, as was discussed a little above, I think it’s good and necessary to take breaks from the things you enjoy every now and then so you don’t get burnt out. And if you come back to NH in a couple days/weeks/whatever and find you still don’t like it, that’s okay. I didn’t like City Folk when it first came out and honestly still don’t, really. It doesn’t make you any less of an AC fan or anything, and if you’re afraid of missing out on the excitement and community surrounding NH right now, it looks like plenty of people are still playing NL. They’ll always be there for you.
No, I am 100% no TT and *obscenities spewing* hate this.
This is not TTers problem.
This is people who enjoy retro games who hate this.
This is people who enjoy playing games for years to come who hate this.
This is people who have anxiety that their system should break after servers go down, they can't just start a new island and have the same things their old one had, who ate this.
This is people who want to show their future kids, nephews, nieces, etc. the games we use to enjoy problem.
Didn't mean for this to come off as harsh, but as someone who doesn't even TT I am a little tired of TTers getting the blame for Nintendo not putting out a complete game...
No, I didn't blame TTers for Nintendo not putting out the holidays. I don't even feel the game is incomplete. The holidays, at ths point in time, ARE NOT NEEDED. If you don't TT then you are still going to have to wait till the actual date to experience them. The anxiety about servers breaking and crashing is no ones deal either. They won't, and if they do they have back ups. And you can play this game for YEARS, no one said that they wouldn't update them after this year. There is really many problems that the community is anxious and worrying about to give themselves this weird AC anxiety. If Nintendo ever decides to close the switch servers I am more than positive they will make the holidays permanent. Plus this wont be for decades. It's way to early to be worrying about problems that are nowhere near happening soon.
There is a laundry list of features not in the base game that was in predecessors. Sure, things get cut to make room for new things but it is a bit annoying.
It is more the bigger beef with the holidays and events being excluded from the base game for reasons I have already stated.
But for specifics on what is missing from the game... there is an absurd about of rant threads on the forums already about things that are missing (i want bigger rooms in my house d---it) so I don't need to add to that spam. o.o ... honestly, I am glad they are not as prominent on the forum anymore.
I honestly 100% agree with this post and is why I also find myself vastly preferring New Leaf/previous titles over New Horizons. I despise Nintendo's approach of treating the new release like a competitive game and imposing unnecessary restrictions (lower interest rates, 1 island per SWITCH, no physical save copy, general negativity towards time travelling, etc) that have soured my experience.
I hacked my copy of New Leaf, and guess what? Who cares! It is my town and I am not ruining anybody's experience since my preferences don't impact their gameplay at all. It's cool if they decide to patch in small things here and there but they released a game that, when island customization is out of the picture, has half the things to do compared with before. I don't appreciate the attempts to artificially prolong the playing time; if it is a good game it will be played for years as-is which is evident in NL and GC. I really hate that I find myself complaining so much but I feel disappointed and really want things to improve.
No, I didn't blame TTers for Nintendo not putting out the holidays. I don't even feel the game is incomplete. The holidays, at ths point in time, ARE NOT NEEDED. If you don't TT then you are still going to have to wait till the actual date to experience them. The anxiety about servers breaking and crashing is no ones deal either. They won't, and if they do they have back ups. And you can play this game for YEARS, no one said that they wouldn't update them after this year. There is really many problems that the community is anxious and worrying about to give themselves this weird AC anxiety. If Nintendo ever decides to close the switch servers I am more than positive they will make the holidays permanent. Plus this wont be for decades. It's way to early to be worrying about problems that are nowhere near happening soon.
End patches for games to include all features for the future are only good if servers don't ever go down.
Otherwise, you are going to have to hack or homebrew your system to get an end patch off of an un-official site and hope for the best.
Again, I point the "This is people who enjoy retro games who hate this. " and "This is people who want to show their future kids, nephews, nieces, etc. the games we use to enjoy problem. " parts of my statement on why this is a problem..
Idk, maybe go make a better game?
Sounds like a bunch of negativity and disappointment on your end.
Do you have any idea how much work it takes to code and design a video game?
Do you really think they wouldnt have added more content if they could?
Do you understand that developers have contracts with other companies and have deadlines to meet to realease a videogame?
I’m sorry you feel burnout. I feel like the people logging 400+ hours or resetting to get their perfect island map are going to feel that way though. Taking a break for a bit will help. This game has a lot and is still lacking a lot, but it is fun still for me to wake up each day, see what needs to be done, do it, and then go address my real life tasks. Wish you the best!
End patches for games to include all features for the future are only good if servers don't ever go down.
Otherwise, you are going to have to hack or homebrew your system to get an end patch off of an un-official site and hope for the best.
Again, I point the "This is people who enjoy retro games who hate this. " and "This is people who want to show their future kids, nephews, nieces, etc. the games we use to enjoy problem. " parts of my statement on why this is a problem..
We've never had a game like this from Nintendo. New Leaf is the closest, and it's got a rerelease with the welcome amiibo update. Worst thing is that you get an updated copy. The games are designed to be played in the current time. Nintendo as we know is bad with t heir virtual consoles and past game libraries, but like all of those, you have to resort to homebrew already to be able to play some of those games. It's not like it's a new problem. All I am saying is enjoy the game now. If in 10 years this problem arises, then go ahead and complain.
Honestly, this is all my feels right now. Truly not trying to offend anyone but I find it way more concerning the level of attachment and hysteria is going on. I get being attached to the franchise and sentimental but there's just some sentiments that really go beyond that and suggest an unhealthy component to people's involvement with the franchise.
It's kind of how someone stated, it seems like it's masking something bigger and unfulfilled going on unrelated to the game. Not directing this at any specific person or OP.
But it definitely warrants the discussion on just that this is just a game full stop...and, if things are becoming so upsetting for you, it truly warrants stepping back, examining factors going on around you, and regrouping things. Some of the sentiments made and expectations on this game is truly mind blowing.
Honestly, this is all my feels right now. Truly not trying to offend anyone but I find it way more concerning the level of attachment and hysteria is going on. I get being attached to the franchise and sentimental but there's just some sentiments that really go beyond that and suggest an unhealthy component to people's involvement with the franchise.
It's kind of how someone stated, it seems like it's masking something bigger and unfulfilled going on unrelated to the game. Not directing this at any specific person or OP.
But it definitely warrants the discussion on just that this is just a game full stop...and, if things are becoming so upsetting for you, it truly warrants stepping back, examining factors going on around you, and regrouping things. Some of the sentiments made and expectations on this game is truly mind blowing.
I definitely agree some people need to take a step back and worry about real life issues. I did get a little obsessed about getting a few villagers I wanted, but honestly it is because I love the feeling of mystery you get from island hopping or searching the campsite. I love the franchise but I can’t find 10 hours worth of stuff to do each day. That’s why I don’t play for 10 hours. I save and quit when I do dailies. I actually had a thought yesterday about how hard it must be to actually make a game as intricate and detailed as this. I swear I even though I saw Sherb rub his nose for a moment today. Yes, the GC game has a charm I’ll never find in Animal Crossing again but this is the best Animal Crossing game. Emphasis on GAME.
sorry you are feeling this way! i think a lot of people feel a little similarly because of having their own preestablished expectations of how the game should be (and that's a natural thing that happens, especially after waiting or so long).
if you don't like how the game is right now, i agree with everyone re: taking a break - especially if it is actually leaking into your life and actively making you feel bad. return to these old games in the series, see what you loved about them! you aren't obligated to play this game just because it has come out. i personally love the game, but i can see how people can easily get burnt out.
There are rumors there will be an "end patch" that they will include then all of the events and holidays, but end patches only work if the servers are online to download them.
Which, severs will always go down eventually. Usually Nintendo is good about them being up for at least 10yrs? But someday they will be down. And if you want the stuff that's online only? You need to hack or homebrew your system. I have seen retro gamers do it with other systems who had servers go down.
Sim games are primarily on the PC, so it's pretty easy to get whatever patch you need through either their site or off another gaming archive site. Console is more difficult.
In old games other fruit was soooooo hard to get unless luck shined on you from a villager gift or gift from mom, but so far any findings for this games files is you have your native then you have your "sister" fruit (the one you always find on mystery islands that isn't your own.) TTers (or data mining to my knowledge?) has not said this sister fruit is seasonal like the flowers are. Which is annoying but technically you can get all flowers in the base game without trading. If the sister fruit was seasonal, it wouldn't be that big of a deal.
I guess we'll have to see how Nintendo will address that issue, but it's my understanding that if you buy games now that have been patched and updated, that if you buy them they will be updated as well (I know this isn't the case of AC at the moment, but isn't this the experience of other games)?
As for fruit, I mean, yeah it would be hard to get them once Nintendo stops giving online support to the game. But then again, that has been the case for every AC game in the past. It's not a problem particular to NH, rather, a rite of passage to another entry (and bc Nintendo eventually drops support to their systems to focus on a new one, lol). Also, and I had completely forgotten about this until your brought it up, wouldn't we be able to get fruit through Mystery Islands? In fact, we wouldn't have to rely on internet at all (unlike previous games, except GCN).
Honestly, this is all my feels right now. Truly not trying to offend anyone but I find it way more concerning the level of attachment and hysteria is going on. I get being attached to the franchise and sentimental but there's just some sentiments that really go beyond that and suggest an unhealthy component to people's involvement with the franchise.
It's kind of how someone stated, it seems like it's masking something bigger and unfulfilled going on unrelated to the game. Not directing this at any specific person or OP.
But it definitely warrants the discussion on just that this is just a game full stop...and, if things are becoming so upsetting for you, it truly warrants stepping back, examining factors going on around you, and regrouping things. Some of the sentiments made and expectations on this game is truly mind blowing.
I guess this can be said about fans in every franchise. I don't want to chime in to say how people should or shouldn't play games. I have pretty unhealthy habits with video games, myself. I've seen users restart their islands for over 60 hours to get a layout they want. I know some users deal with anxiety and OCD, and I absolutely sympathize with them, but that alone speaks to me of an unhealthy relationship with AC (and probably, more anxiety inducing as well).
I do feel playing long stretches of the game has become the norm now a days and it's incredibly normalized that folks play and log over 400 hours in a month.
I understand the frustrations of "missing elements" in New Horizons...and feeling like you've run out of things to do. I do agree...New Horizons can feel lacking in many ways. But, as others have suggested...I don't think quitting is a necessary course of action. I do think the game will continue to see more and more content added via free updates (as well as paid DLC). And it's important to remember, this is the first time they have allowed us to decorate outside. So, I'm sure that took a large chunk of their time and resources to consider. I'd be willing to bet that they're in the process of considering new, alternate methods of re-introducing some of the other content that has been missing...but, they need to do so with the consideration that people have filled their entire islands with all manner of unpredictable object placements.
The most logical answer is probably paid DLC with either land expansions or new islands to visit. For example...if they add an entire "resort" island as paid DLC...I think that would be a suitable option. A resort could add almost everything that has been removed in one fell-swoop. You could easily add diving for sea creatures, tropical fruit such as mango and banana, a fortune-telling hut, a dream suite/spa, a tiki bar/cafe run by Brewster. All of that could fit under the blanket offering of a "resort". And that's what I'm kinda betting on.
Other than waiting for the game to be updated or DLC offerings to come apparent...the best thing is always to play other games. I think it's easy to get burnt out on anything if it's the only thing you're playing/viewing/doing. Variety is the spice of life...as they say.
so weird reading this thread and seeing all the condescension. OP stated multiple times that they played new leaf for 8+ hrs a day as well and didn't feel the same fatigue towards the game. i felt they were musing on why this title isn't as engaging to them and somehow that resulted in a dozen "log off lol/stop playing like it's a full-time job/play new leaf then" comments.
to actually respond to the post: i get where you're coming from. i've been feeling a bit bored with it as well, but i was also playing too much in one day and personally felt overwhelmed and burnt out. i've started making goals for myself, like focusing on gardening to get certain hybrids or fishing for the rare late night fish till i can get a model from C.J., and that's made it more fun for me.
I guess this can be said about fans in every franchise. I don't want to chime in to say how people should or shouldn't play games. I have pretty unhealthy habits with video games, myself. I've seen users restart their islands for over 60 hours to get a layout they want. I know some users deal with anxiety and OCD, and I absolutely sympathize with them, but that alone speaks to me of an unhealthy relationship with AC (and probably, more anxiety inducing as well).
I do feel playing long stretches of the game has become the norm now a days and it's incredibly normalized that folks play and log over 400 hours in a month.
I don't honestly care how people play their games. That isn't really what I'm referring to. I would specify honestly the specific sentiments but I rather not because that would point out certain people. If you spend 60 hours resetting and, at the end of the day, you feel good and are enjoying the time you're putting into the activity...you can separate that it's a choice you're making and you're okay with that..then that's fine. If you were putting in 60 hours of resetting, you say it's making you deeply depressed then that would certainly be an issue.
I definitely put a lot of time into this game and I will certainly say it's not a healthy amount of time from a point blank stance. But it's also not resulting in me being upset or have unrealistic expectations that cross over into my daily life or outlooks I have on future real life matters. If it was then that's what I mean by, certainly, I need to step back and address bigger issues..because it's not the game or nintendo causing that it's me.
I've seen so many comments (not even really referring to this specific topic alone) where people translate their issues with the game into issues with how it's affecting their mental state in real life or expectations on what they want the game to do for real life matters and making indirect sentiments of holding Nintendo to some responsibility for it. I understand having issues with mental health and that's why it honestly concerns me and why I would encourage people feeling that way to reevaluate. You're only going to face more hurt the more you put on the game than stepping back to disconnect it from issues that affect your happiness.
so weird reading this thread and seeing all the condescension. OP stated multiple times that they played new leaf for 8+ hrs a day as well and didn't feel the same fatigue towards the game. i felt they were musing on why this title isn't as engaging to them and somehow that resulted in a dozen "log off lol/stop playing like it's a full-time job/play new leaf then" comments.
I don't think a lot of people think it is a musing. I certainly did not get that interpretation at all especially when the OP states it's depressing them multiple times, references it as an obsession multiple times, references it taking over outlooks on other activities/anticipation of other games, references instances of anxiety. Maybe because I deal with depression, I will always take it seriously when used especially for a post that is far too long to really just be a musing and references multiple points that are concerns. Some of it is certainly fair cons about the game that on their own would be general discussion but some of it is clearly affecting OP more than any one game should.
I don't see anyone being condescending but rather being concerned. The OP, themselves references needing to take a break hence the title of leaving.
I forget who said it, but I think this point got lost and it's important to comparing the games: New Leaf came out 7 years ago. That means if you played in 2013, you are 7 years older than you were then. I'll be 37 this summer. I went through a lot of Life in the last 7 years and it changed me. And I went through a lot of Life in the 7 years between when I was 30 and 23, or 23 and 16.
It's what happens, we learn and grow. Our lives have different rhythms. Our free time becomes more limited (with the obvious exception of the lockdowns going on right now), so we can become more discerning about what we do with them. If I have 100 hours free each week to play video games, I'm not going to be as picky about what game I'm playing at any given minute than if I have 50 hours a week, or 10, or 5.
And our tastes often change as we grow older. What's appealing about a game is not always the same as it was when I was younger, and I may not connect the same as I would have if it had come out when I was younger. And that doesn't mean that there's something wrong with the game, it just means I've moved on. And that can be sad, but it's OK if that's the case.
FTR I started playing New Leaf in 2018, so very late in the game's cycle, I was Very Into It until my life got too busy and I had to put it down (working a full time job, a part-time job, and a side hustle will get to you eventually apparently). I'm very into New Horizons. I like the slower pace; I feel less overwhelmed. I feel like I can take time to take screenshots of beautiful sunsets or the stars on a clear night and just enjoy being on my island, rather than rushing to unlock everything because everything was already there to be unlocked and there were a million guides about how to best optimize everything in your NL town.
so weird reading this thread and seeing all the condescension. OP stated multiple times that they played new leaf for 8+ hrs a day as well and didn't feel the same fatigue towards the game. i felt they were musing on why this title isn't as engaging to them and somehow that resulted in a dozen "log off lol/stop playing like it's a full-time job/play new leaf then" comments.
to actually respond to the post: i get where you're coming from. i've been feeling a bit bored with it as well, but i was also playing too much in one day and personally felt overwhelmed and burnt out. i've started making goals for myself, like focusing on gardening to get certain hybrids or fishing for the rare late night fish till i can get a model from C.J., and that's made it more fun for me.
So sorry you’re taking it as people being condescending. People are more so just giving advice. If someone is not liking something with the game, focusing on real life is great and sounds like that’s what OP is planning on doing. I’m in full support of it!
