What I'd like

[Frisket]

So, I've posted my general thoughts as a reply to a couple threads. But, since I've developed a rather addictive habit of reading everyones thoughts and hopes about AC: Switch I'm worried that if there's more a demand for a more highly customisable game then that's what we're gonna get...

... and that's just not Animal Crossing to me.

I don't know how to explain it. There are games for building towns/cities/worlds and controlling them and whatnot. But what was always special to me about Animal Crossing was that it was very unique in that your only task was to LIVE in this town that was presented to you. I started playing Animal Crossing on the Gamecube and sure, there's probably nostalgia talking through me but it just had the most charm - because it didnt demand anything from you. You weren't in control of anything, you just lived day to day and saw what was brought to you - be it Redd, or Gulliver, or something snazzy going on at the wishing well.

I don't want to control my town in Animal Crossing. I don't want to design villagers homes and pick where they live and have the perfect town on my Switch - I want to have the experience of living in a town full of talking animals. I don't want the stress of control or perfectionism. You know?

From AC: Switch I want more fleshed out personalities for the villagers, and enough quirky weirdness born from the little village to make me laugh.

Anyone out there along the same lines as me?

 

[cyuuyas]

I've been the same way reading everyone's posts about hopes for the new game, and there's definitely some ideas that I like more than others. I definitely understand how you don't want that sort of control in the game, and I know there's other people that feel the same way. I personally actually really like the control that we have in New Leaf, and would even enjoy having more control in the new game. I'm not sure if something like this would ever even happen, but I think it would be cool if they could give players the option to design homes or choose locations for them, but also give them the option to let villagers make the decisions on their own like in previous games. I'm also just a perfectionist in my town in general so the thought of having more of a choice sounds amazing to me, but I know not everyone wants that.

I 100% agree with you on the personalities though. That's my main issue with New Leaf right now and I would love to see them expand on the villagers' personalities.

 

[smonikkims]

I think the idea that most people have is that they would love to have the option to do all that stuff. But I think most people would be okay with being allowed to just let things go the randomised way they always have been, too. Deciding where villagers homes go, for example - I personally would love to have that option, but maybe you don't have any preference for the location this time. Tell them to put it wherever. Or maybe an animal wants you to decorate their house but you don't feel like it, so you tell them to do it themselves. And in the beginning, you may get the option to tell Rover all about your perfect town, but the option is still there for you to be allowed to pick a random map and get on with it. I think that's the direction a lot of people are picturing.

 

[Alex10]

I do kind of get where you're coming from honestly. Sometimes I enjoy going back to the older games where you don't have as much control and you get to focus on other things. At the same time, I do like having the option to customise things as I like it at least. It really depends on how i'm feeling looool. Some things do get a bit much at times though. I've never liked the idea of fully customising villagers houses and that sort of thing. If they ask for new furniture, then sure i'll get them something that I think fits them and their house but I don't really like doing much more haha. I suppose it's just nice to have the option, and be able to choose how you want to play the game!

And yesss, fleshing out the villagers personalities is a must! They all feel very bland and similar in New Leaf, so I really hope they change that for AC Switch!

 

[ESkill]

I liked the amount of control NL gave us. It was fun picking PWPs and deciding where they go (although that process could have been streamlined). But I don't want to control everything, I don't want to tell villagers where to live. I feel like that takes away the charm of Animal Crossing. You're moving into a pre-existing town, not building one from scratch. I definitely don't want it to go Tycoon or Sims direction. I think I'd be overwhelmed with options if I had to decide everything. AC has really helped me learn how to let go and let things develop on their own. I can be pretty anal and rigid sometimes, but AC has helped me relax and enjoy the ride. I don't want that to change. Honestly, sometimes I read the things people wish for and I hope the developers don't listen haha (I know, so selfish), but for me, going in that direction would kill AC for me.

 

[tsukune_713]

i do understand people wanting to control where villager move, i dont really get why people wanna control how they decorate though, but i dont think they should be an option truthfully
because animal crossing has always been about mainly living and working with whatever your handed. you cant ever control what bugs/fish/ fossils spawn, nor whats sold, along with what villagers say/ do/ and move to and these should stay in animal crossing
plus making a great town with whats thrown at you is always more impressive than making a great town when controlling everything

 

[mimituesday]

i feel similarly. i think that for a lot of people having villagers move where they don't want can be a devastating experience (i nearly reset when chrissy moved in a bad spot) but i also agree that i think it wouldn't be the same if we could just pick where they wanted to live. i think sometimes what i think crosses the line for me is when i try to be the villager and not myself, like if i don't want a villager designing my house for me, so i don't want to do that for them. being the mayor of a town and allowing villagers to choose from certain land plots is on the fence for that for me, which is why i'd rather have a choice, but a very small choice, like three possible plots, no resets.

 

[Frisket]

I'm glad I'm not alone in this

 

[Carya]

I feel the same. I'm glad that I'm not alone. I know that I'm one of a few people who doesn't like NL because that. The PWP makes me feel a bit stressed sometimes. It was a task that quit me the mood of relaxing. Like killing the immersion? It gives me more feels of a game, idk. I like a cute town without a lot of buildings. Just a few things that make it more like a forest is ok.

Anyway, I'm ok if they leave it optional. I would probably feel the pressure a bit if I look all the towns with fully customization but it's more my problem than anything else. I'll still like a very natural look for my town. Maybe if they change the aesthetic of the new game (more space and natural looking), I would like it more but I'm not sure.

 

[Frisket]

I feel the same. I'm glad that I'm not alone. I know that I'm one of a few people who doesn't like NL because that. The PWP makes me feel a bit stressed sometimes. It was a task that quit me the mood of relaxing. Like killing the immersion? It gives me more feels of a game, idk. I like a cute town without a lot of buildings. Just a few things that make it more like a forest is ok.

.

This is exactly how I feel! I got bored of new leaf maybe faster than the other games because it just lacked a lot of the charm of the original, which I think was down to it feeling so much more like a game than its predecessors!

 

[Sweetley]

I mean, I don't ask for a Animal Crossing game where you can control literally every
single little thing. However, having a little bit more control or freedom would be nice.
I don't mean you should be able to build up your town like you want a l? Super Mario
Maker, like you get a empty town and then decide how the river should be or where
you want to have the rocks etc. Having at least a little bit of control where buildings
like the town hall or Re-Tail should be and what kind of town layout you would like
to have for example by getting ask what you prefer and the game then randomize
it based on your preference would be already helpful in my opinion.

 

[Carya]

This is exactly how I feel! I got bored of new leaf maybe faster than the other games because it just lacked a lot of the charm of the original, which I think was down to it feeling so much more like a game than its predecessors!

Yes, I totally agree with you. My hope is that the new game doesn't focus too much on personalization aspect that loses its original charm. I like more the part of being part of a community that being the creator of the world.

I find ok the personalization that is more... real? Neighbors asking for help for furniture or clothes is something that can happen in real life with your friends. That's the way I like to give my personal touch. Anyways, I'm ok with more personalization if it's really optional. In NL, the game pushed me to put PWPs. Not in a big way but... I don't like it.

 

[Jason Voorhees]

I don't want the animals moving out if I'm home late from work and the day has ticked over.
It would be nice to have an option to make them a permanent resident, and not rely on the player to talk them out of moving every couple of days.

I'd like to be free to enjoy other aspects of the game that really interest me.

 

[timecapsule]

i appreciate the casual gameplay as well, there's a lot of good memories of mine that could have only happened from the sudden changes and almost complete ambiguity of the game sometimes
but i also understand the frustration, i do sort of wish there were options for people like me who tend to be awake at night

 

[DovahTobi]

I don't mind having some control but I don't want everything to be customizable. I also hope the personalities are more fleshed out. Also I hope they stop trying to shame me for playing the game for more than an hour lol.
I'm also hoping for one or two more personality types. I'd love a scholar personality! Like, they're really into the museum and stuff, talk about books, etc, etc. That'd be a lot of fun.

 

[MapleSilver]

I definitely find New Leaf to be a lot more stressful than the original Animal Crossing. With Gamecube, I don't feel obligated at all to visit my town every day, but I still play it semi-regularly. Since your original 13 villagers can never move out unless you visit another town, I am not constantly having to check for movers, and I can grow attached to villagers without constant anxiety over losing them. The result is that I never get burnout since I am allowed to take breaks. I also don't feel the urge to have my town be the best it can possibly be. I like seeing it improve, but it's more of a rewarding result of gameplay than a constant goal.

When compared to contemporary Animal Crossing, it's a completely different feeling. Having a highly developed town can be very rewarding, but it can also be quite stressful at times. I find myself wanting everything to be perfect. Every villager must be handpicked by me. Coupled with the constant moveouts, I just end up burning out after a few months. But I wonder, is this simply how the series is now? I like the feeling of Gamecube, but I'm not sure I would want the next title to be like that. I think it would be way too restrictive compared to New Leaf. One thing I would suggest in the new title is to allow the player to take "vacations" which would freeze time in your town. I think this would create the best of both worlds, where you have the control available in New Leaf, but can somewhat retain the relaxed feeling that makes Gamecube so great.

 

[Frisket]

I think freezing time would ruin the novelty that is Animal Crossing to be honest... it's very proud of its real-time attributes.

I agree that there needs to be improvements on the gamecube games formula to keep up with games currently, but I'm honestly not sure how they could do that and still keep the quirky, calming, funny little game that the original was. But, I hope they figure out a way that doesn't just make it feel like simcity: animal crossing

 

[smonikkims]

Maybe instead of freezing time per se it just freezes your town in the state that it was before you left, like no villagers can move in or out and plants stay the same.

 

[MapleSilver]

Maybe instead of freezing time per se it just freezes your town in the state that it was before you left, like no villagers can move in or out and plants stay the same.

That's what I meant when I said "freezing time". I still want the game to feel like it's happening in real time, but I don't want the stress that happens with constant villagers moving out. Perhaps another option would be to allow the player to "best friend" villagers. Doing so would make it impossible for them to move out unless you do a specific action.

 

[Frisket]

That'd be OK, but I also kind of like the moving. Sure there's heartbreak but with so many hundreds of villagers who knows who you'll find!