Question for people with two south river exits

[Sheba]

Hey guys,

I'm only getting my game on Monday, but I am already trying to figure out what map design I want. I want to make a "Gardens of Babylon"-style town, with lots of waterfalls, and two south river exits would be ideal for that. However, from what I've seen so far on youtube, two south exits seem to "ruin" the south beach a lot since they and the airport really seem to cut it into tiny pieces and it seems like the island parts to the left and right are also really thin and small then. Normally, I would have gone for a side exit for sure, but I don't think I can make my idea work with one of those.

Then again, with being locked into a smaller portion of the island in the beginning, I also feel like it's hard to get a good feeling at this point, but I obviously don't want to invest hours into an island and then reset it.

So, questions: If you have two south exits (and maybe can already cross the river), do they annoy you? In case you somehow have two Switch and also an island with an east/west exit, do these islands "feel" bigger than the ones with two south rivers? Do the rivers get in your way more than an east/west river would? Are you regretting picking two south exits and is your south beach still acceptable for you?

 

[Marshmallows]

You can later terraform as many rivers/waterfalls as you want, you just can't change the river exits. I think your idea could work in any kind of map. I think it mostly comes down to what kind of beach you want.

I don't have 2 south rivers for that reason... it breaks up the south beach too much.

 

[MortuusFever]

i personally have an island with a south and west exit and it gives me a good amount of room for my lower beach to the east
i hope this helps!

 

[Bunnii]

I have two south exits because I like the symmetry. The left and right sides are really thin, but it doesn’t particular bother me besides the constant pole vaulting I have to do to get to the other side of the map. I still like it, but I haven’t really planned my island yet. Might just put 5 villager houses on each side, not really sure what else I could put there but I’ll figure it out

 

[Romaki]

I think my island is big enough to not be bothered by the south exits, you can just jump over them anyway so it's fun.

Spoiler: My Island

I'll definitely terraform the right one so it looks like the left one, but for me there's enough space on the left bottom side. I've always preferred north/south rivers over east/west ones. I can understand why someone would rather have more horizontal space than vertical, but I feel like the island is big enough to not be bothered by it. But I also like limitations that force me to work with what I have, like I wouldn't be happy with a wide open space.

 

[Yonk Raccoon]

Not a bother if you keep the rivers at the exits, you can make bridges just above them. If you don't, it's not that small of sections. The pole vault is your last resort and that's fun to me!

 

[Mayor-of-Bliss]

It makes it hard at the start and yes you pole vault a lot.
When I inlocked terraforming first thing I did was make land bridges.
My sister got a east south river and playing in her town it felt bigger at the start.
I actually like the beach because I put everything in the middle so that's my town beach lol vs my nature ones.
I'm extremely happy with it.

 

[Deimos]

It makes it hard at the start and yes you pole vault a lot.
When I inlocked terraforming first thing I did was make land bridges.
My sister got a east south river and playing in her town it felt bigger at the start.
I actually like the beach because I put everything in the middle so that's my town beach lol vs my nature ones.
I'm extremely happy with it.

I know this isn't related to the thread but @MayorofBliss, I love your avatar. It's so beautiful. Is it self-made? Where'd you get it?

 

[Sheba]

Thank you for all the replies! This gives me plenty to think about!

You can later terraform as many rivers/waterfalls as you want, you just can't change the river exits. I think your idea could work in any kind of map. I think it mostly comes down to what kind of beach you want.

I don't have 2 south rivers for that reason... it breaks up the south beach too much.

Yeah, I considered just having one stream end in a pond in the south instead of two south exits, but I do like symmetry. Just really bothered by the beach thing, to be honest, for the same reason as you.

I'll definitely terraform the right one so it looks like the left one, but for me there's enough space on the left bottom side. I've always preferred north/south rivers over east/west ones. I can understand why someone would rather have more horizontal space than vertical, but I feel like the island is big enough to not be bothered by it. But I also like limitations that force me to work with what I have, like I wouldn't be happy with a wide open space.

I am trying to fight my insticts to go for an east river exit because I had that style of map in New Leaf and so, it just feels "correct" to me to have a huge landmass in the bottom right corner that's cut off by a river from the rest - but I also figured that maybe I should switch it up and pick something else. Your point with having limitations is really valid! For my idea, however, I already would have to terraform and completely change a lot of things on the island, so I guess they're not permanent limitations anyway. It's really just the exits.

Not a bother if you keep the rivers at the exits, you can make bridges just above them. If you don't, it's not that small of sections. The pole vault is your last resort and that's fun to me!

It makes it hard at the start and yes you pole vault a lot.
When I inlocked terraforming first thing I did was make land bridges.
My sister got a east south river and playing in her town it felt bigger at the start.
I actually like the beach because I put everything in the middle so that's my town beach lol vs my nature ones.
I'm extremely happy with it.

I wouldn't mind bridges, but I want to avoid land-bridges because I really want free-flowing rivers. I suppose that would mean a lot of limitations at the start, but as they're not permanent, I wouldn't be too bothered. Hearing that the left/right sections of a two-south-rivers map don't feel that small makes me wonder if I should just test it out a few days until I have the pole (well, two days...), at which point resetting wouldn't be too bad if I end up hating it, but since I already plan on resetting for airport color and fruit, doing that twice would be harsh.

I really appreciate the feedback, everyone! I guess I'm still not any closer to deciding and I will get the game in less than 24 hours... it's honestly annoying that the whole map isn't accessible from the start else it would be so easy for me to just run around and get a feeling for what works for me.