In a bit of a slump!

[minnew]

I desperately want to complete my island but I feel like I keep hitting a wall. This is around the time I would have reset with previous games - but I'm super hesitant this time around because I've had my island since launch day and have put so much work into it. Maybe a layout refresh might help me feel less stagnant? I've done this twice before (moved all villager houses onto beach and redid most things) but I've never been able to complete my vision. I think I need a whole new concept but it feels so daunting.

What are your guys' experience with this?! Have you completely redone your original island after it being mostly done? Or should I just keep going with my current vision and see it through? I keep loading up the game hoping to get to work but end up just giving up after 20 mins

If you've done this I'd love to hear your story and see your progress/finished islands for inspo!

 

[Moritz]

I wouldnt scrap your current plan if you still like the idea. You said you've done that twice before so I don't think a third time will make things different.

What do you think is causing you not to carry out your plans? Is it a lack of materials causing you to not want to spend forever gathering? Is it not a clear image of what items you want where? Is it a huge amount of cleaning required?

I say just start throwing things down where you think they will look good. Start one area at a time.

I had one area of my island I spent months putting off because it required a lot of clean up, flower breeding, and I wasn't 100% of what the exacts for it would be. But I found once I started doing it and saw it coming together, the motivation just came flooding in.

 

[minnew]

Thank you for your feedback!

I'm mostly trying to figure out how to layout my villager neighbourhood. But then I'll also walk to my farm and don't love it or different areas and feel as though they're not working. This time might be different because I think I'd redo where the museum and shops are too? Rather than keeping them and trying to place the villager houses in the place I've currently designated as the "neighbourhood."

Using my farm as an example, I've put all items where I want them and decorated but I'll look back at it and feel like it's still not quite right. If I move everything maybe I'd make the farm a little smaller and have it in a different area of the map.

It's hard because I still do like the idea of the current layout but it hasn't felt right! I'd just hate to get it all done and be like "meh"... but I'd also hate to redo it and get stuck yet again.

 

[Serabee]

I've never completely redone my island, but I've never had the urge because I regularly update parts of it. For instance, I've got some chunks of space I use for "seasonal festivals" that I change at least once per season. I also move houses around a lot (whenever new villagers move in I shift stuff around to make sure all the houses look good together, for instance) and I've updated my shop are multiple times. I think the only area I haven't updated a ton is my museum, but I might in the future. Because that's how I think of my island- as dynamic and ever changing. Originally I wanted to make an island where I'd have a permanent layout and permanent villagers, but the pressure to make it perfect made the game less fun for me. So I decided to be more open to change and I've been able to relax and enjoy the game ever since!

If I was gonna give you advice, I'd say pick the part you like the least, and think of how you could fix it up. If you think of something and change it, then you can potentially use it as inspiration for other areas of your island! This is the one game I haven't reset yet (well, I reset the day after release because I realized I hated my first island, but not since) because of all the freedom we have. I'd suggest not resetting unless you're REALLY sure, and instead focus on small areas you could re-do. After all, re-doing an entire island is a HUGE undertaking! But re-doing, say, the shops or the museum or the beach is much smaller and easier to manage, and can potentially be the first step to re-doing everything!

 

[NicksFixed]

Nobody's island is ever 'complete' ... I see areas of mine where I think "I don't like that ... I thought I would but I don't ... What would it look like if I did this instead? What if I moved it over there?" ... It's great that you have a vision of what you want, it just takes time, patience and experimentation to get all the puzzle pieces to finally fit ... Over a year in to the game, I'm still working on my island !! Every time new items drop, I get fresh ideas !! I'm always moving and changing things but the that's the nature of the game ... It's always evolving ...

 

[Moritz]

Nobody's island is ever 'complete' ... I see areas of mine where I think "I don't like that ... I thought I would but I don't ... What would it look like if I did this instead? What if I moved it over there?" ... It's great that you have a vision of what you want, it just takes time, patience and experimentation to get all the puzzle pieces to finally fit ... Over a year in to the game, I'm still working on my island !! Every time new items drop, I get fresh ideas !! I'm always moving and changing things but the that's the nature of the game ... It's always evolving ...

I completely agree.
I just posted on the screenshot thread a change I made to my island.

I thought I was done. I made an area a couple months ago and was happy. My island was perfect.

Well that area has now been extended into where another area was.

Just because we think something is "final" doesn't mean it is. Everything is subject to change.

And we will never know if something is right for us or not if we never try it.

 

[VanitasFan26]

The truth is your island will never be complete. Yeah I keep telling myself that but then I have habit of "stuff that may look good may not look good months later" so I just change things up to make myself feel more comfortable. Suddenly its like I have a new idea and I see the potential and I get straight to it. My advice is to make whatever you feel stands out to you.

 

[Dunquixote]

I’m currently in a slump. I have a few potential ideas or areas that are already set up but not done. I’ve substituted and improvised as best I could with the items we have. I am also am uninspired to come up with any other ideas with what furniture we still only have. I have not found a workaround since I have substituted and improvised when it was possible. No matter how many times I go to Harv’s studio, rotate items, move things around, codes I download, still can’t come up with anything that would go with my ideas. I’m currently taking another break from the game.

I think should really think about resetting before you choose to go down that route since you put so much work into it since launch day. Maybe take a break or go to harv’s studio to play around with the furniture.

Sorry that I can’t help you more; I’ll try to think of something else and post again if I can think of any other suggestions. I am kinda in the same boat but I don’t want to reset my islandZ

 

[minnew]

Just wanted to clarify - I wasnt thinking of resetting, just moving all the buildings and terraforming a new layout

 

[Moritz]

Just wanted to clarify - I wasnt thinking of resetting, just moving all the buildings and terraforming a new layout

I know that wasn't to me, but if I thought that was your question I would have whacked you over your head and shown you your DIY list and your catalogue XD

 

[Dunquixote]

I know that wasn't to me, but if I thought that was your question I would have whacked you over your head and shown you your DIY list and your catalogue XD

yeah. that was me.

Just wanted to clarify - I wasnt thinking of resetting, just moving all the buildings and terraforming a new layout

Oops sorry my bad ><. I haven’t flattened my island but seen a friend’s island who did it and that looked like a lot of work. But if you feel like that or small adjustments to the terraform will help you or moving your buildings, I’d say go for it. Sorry not much help. felt like i owed you another response after being stupid and embarrassing myself .

 

[minnew]

No no! I don't think my first post was super clear, so definitely on me. I appreciate all feedback

 

[Moritz]

Would you be able to give your dream address and your ideas for each area?
I'd love to give it a once over to give better feedback

 

[Bluebellie]

I don’t particularly have a finished island yet, but I feel like it’s as near completely as it’s ever been.
I also haven’t reset the island since the second day of gameplay. My advice would be to scrap areas and plan them in advanced. You mentioned you have some areas that you decorated , but you don’t feel that they are quite right. This happens to me all the time. Sometimes I decorate something but I get the same incomplete feeling. I scrap it, and try something else, until something clicks.

Here are some examples:
These two areas I struggled forever. I redecorated them 100 times over, until they finally clicked with me. I only showed one before picture, but for sure those areas I scrapped so many more times.

Before:

Spoiler

After:

Spoiler

Before:

Spoiler

After:

Spoiler

If the map isn’t working, change it around, move some houses here and here and there. I remember there was a time I was on the verge of restarting because my map layout just was just not working. I moved everyone to the beaches and just took a day to plan out my map, and the difference is big. I’m so happy with my map right now. I still have to work some areas around, but it’s definetly better than before. Almost instantly after tearing apart my town, I regretted it, since it was soo much work. However now that everything is looking more put together, I’m very happy with it. Previously I had my villagers in tier one, shops at tier 2. I changed it to villagers at tier 2, and shops tier 1. I also got rid of the whole neighborhood and mixed some villagers around. It’s definitely a difference in placement.
Map before:

Spoiler

Map after ( still not done ):

Spoiler

Most of the times when I tear down an area, I don’t regret it, usually it ends up looking better than before (or so I think).
I suggest to tear down and just keep moving around.

 

[your local goomy]

I'm also in a pretty big slump, and honestly the state of my island makes me feel depressed in a way. I just don't have the talent that some other folks have, and my island will never really be a masterpiece. It makes me just kinda want to stop trying, y'know?

 

[Roxxy]

I'm also in a pretty big slump, and honestly the state of my island makes me feel depressed in a way. I just don't have the talent that some other folks have, and my island will never really be a masterpiece. It makes me just kinda want to stop trying, y'know?

I totally understand how you feel. I am the same and don’t have the talent. Some islands are totally amazing and definitely master pieces.

I gave up comparing my island to anyone else and just did what made me happy. It will never be award winning but I am now happy ish, still needs work but I enjoy playing on my island. It isn’t perfect but it is home

 

[AgentBlade]

lol I have the exact same problem it’s soo hard to get motivated.

 

[Bekaa]

I completely flattened and started all over with my island one time. My previous (and first) design was great. I worked for hundreds of hours over a good nine months on it. I was so pleased but, it was done. And I wasn’t quite sure what to do next so, I went through and essentially flattened everything out and started fresh. It worked out pretty well, although I have to say that nothing has ever been like that first island, and I don’t know that it ever will be. I enjoyed re-doing the island and did finish it, but, about a month ago, I actually decided to reset. For me this was because there was nothing left to accomplish I had caught all of the bugs found all of the fossils my catalog was overflowing and I just didn’t feel like there was anything left to do. I have restarted and I’m really glad I did. for me it’s worked out really well. This is just my experience.

for me, the key to staying engaged and not getting overwhelmed, has been to stay really focused on just one section at a time. I have ups and downs, and I sometimes just put it aside for a week or two, which does help. Also, for me, I do get inspired by looking at the YouTube walk-throughs. However, I know that there can also be a downside in that there’s no way I can compare with some of the artists’ islands.

I hope you do decide to flatten or redo your island (whatever you wanna call it). You could certainly just do a section at a time. I’d suggest going for something completely different than what you did before.

 

[your local goomy]

I already posted this in the Resetting Thread, but because of how...down my island has me feeling, I'm considering a restart. To be completely honest, I hate it. A lot. The only thing that's keeping me from resetting is my villagers, whom I'm not ready to let go, and I'm really conflicted. Every single part of me wants to reset, but I just don't know if I have the guts to. A lot of my villagers mean so much to me and I just don't know if I can let them leave.

 

[xxcodexx]

ive had to re-do my entire island...well, i had to delete my first one and create a brand new second one so i understand your frustration with this! my first islands layout was just sooo awful that i couldnt do anything with it; now my second island sort of has the same issues because im trying very hard not to terraform it.
if you do want to completely begin a new island then you can leave the things and materials that you want to keep on my island where they will be safe until you have reset. i am not a griever *theres some folks on this forum that can attest to that lol* so nothing will be moved or stolen
also, if you Dont want to reset; what i did was i went to youtube and just looked at other peoples islands to give me an idea of what i wanted to create. my island is far from being finished, but it did give me a great insight as to what i wanted it to look like!
i feel your angst; and if you need my help just let me know via pm and i will give you my friend code and open my gate for you to begin storage of the items that you want to keep.