Why I am distancing myself from the fandom...

[oath2order]

So yeah. Before the game released, I was super excited to be a part of the fandom, on here and other places.
But wow, that just didn't happen. :/
The majority of people who focus on getting villagers just threw me off. IDK. I mean, I get wanting to have cute villagers but? I would find it too boring to have like. Planned villagers. For me, the transient friendships in AC are the best part...

Honestly the only time I would trade a villager is if someone wanted to pay bells for one that was already moving out of my town. I always need bells. It sounds terrible, but otherwise I'd just let them move out.

So what's your take? Is the fandom driving you away, and if so why?

I wholeheartedly agree. When I first got into Animal Crossing, it was during Wild World. I never played City Folk. I loved the whole random villagers thing. It's what makes the game, well, the game.

When I saw the forums about New Leaf, I was a little annoyed about how much of it was "I hope X is in the game!" "Bring back X from ACGC!", etc, etc. The fact that people get so worked up over a certain animal is...very odd, to me.

Do what you want though, both to OP and everybody else. I kind of want to go to the fandom on Tumblr just to see what **** goes down.

 

[Cyote]

I have favorites, but I'm not that squished about getting them. The only real reason I want dreamies for Redwall is because they fit into the Redwall theme. I have discovered that going for a theme is really limiting for me though, because there isn't a whole lot of mice that I like, there's no otters, no badgers, and a small selection of hares. Right now I'm just inviting anybody I like.

 

[Gnome]

It's bonkers.

 

[JCnator]

It seems like there's quite a lot of members who'd "force" on exactly how they want their town to look like, and it's been like that since the franchise was first etablished. If everyone were to think like that, then a large amount of towns I'll visit would have much less variety than it is right now. Some of the more dedicated fans are so picky that they will always try to customize the heck out of their town to the point of picking their preferred town layout.

As I said before, working around with a "bad" town would be more interesting than being highly nitpicky. I never have a specific theme I would aim for whenever I'm picking a town layout, as it would come into my mind while I play.


If I did distance with the community, it's most likely because I grow bored of the game at times.

 

[Twisk]

Villager trading isn't new to AC:NL, I remember some trading threads dedicated to AC:WW as well. (The ones I remember were on AXA and ACC, but maybe there were some here at TBT, too?) I don't remember there being much money exchange involved, though. People just seemed happy to help each other out, and were hoping that by participating and helping out in the trading threads, they might also get a neighbor they want eventually. I think the rise of selling popular villagers for money is a result of: the excitement of AC:NL being new, the eagerness many people have in starting to work towards their ideal/dream/completed town, the eagerness many people have for more money compared to past games (since there's a lot more to use money for than in past games -- like PWPs and such), and the fact that it's easier to make a lot of money in this game (via beetle-hunting and the turnip market).

I have certain "dream neighbors" that I want to get eventually, but I'm also resigned to the fact that it will probably take a long time (I'm not in a huge rush), and I don't mind forming friendships with non-dream neighbors in the meantime. Eventually, always having 10 stable residents I love in town would be really ideal for me; it would feel more like a real town/community if neighbors weren't constantly moving in or out every week. And I could focus more on landscaping every inch of town (not just in "safe spots") if I didn't have to worry about houses dropping randomly anymore.

I have to say, the only aspect of AC online communities that bugs me is the judgment/criticism that goes on against different play-styles and decorating-styles, i.e.: TTing, laying down pattern paths ("they're tacky!" people often say), the backlash against popular furniture sets, town themes, or PWPs, and so on. It can be discouraging to read criticism about the way you like to play the game, or the way you like to set up your town, when you're just trying to enjoy it for yourself and construct a town that appeals to you.

 

[Neu]

My ACNL policy is: freedom (lol, i know you don't care in the first place but whatever, lol)
So, i don't have a particular goal / dreamies-thing / whatever it is.
But i do enjoy making custom clothing designs & share them to as many players as possible.
Well just as i've said many times, AC isn't just about Bells (or collecting villagers).

 

[onsokumaru]

I got this game because it is relaxing, one can take time to do things with no pressure. My focus has never been the villagers or the design of my town. I prefer spending time with 3DS friends, visiting their towns or receiving them in my town.
I don't sell my villagers, maybe I'm too lazy for that.

 

[brockbrock]

I had decided about a month ago that I would reset for villagers I wanted but after spending far too many hours trying to do so without any luck (in addition to growing fears of the file corrupting from so many resets), I decided I would just let the game decide and live with where villagers put their houses and what villagers moved in. I was definitely becoming uber-obesseive with getting my town the way I wanted it as fast as possible. Since dropping that attitude, I've been lucky to get four villagers who I really like (Ankha, Rosie, Marshal and Julian) and I feel a lot more at ease with the game letting things pan out the way they really were meant to pan out. I understand the obsession some people have, I guess, but I agree that auctioning off villagers for profit is taking it too far. I encourage villager trading because it's a mutual benefit and I feel that was the intention of the programmers. If there's a villager I'm really looking for, like one of my favorites, I'd be willing to pay for it but I wouldn't fork out the tens of millions some people are charging... I don't even have close to that kind of money. But to each their own, that's the beauty of this game.

 

[Brackets]

I think some people are ridiculously obsessed with getting their dream villagers. It seems kinda silly to me, but I guess if people like having a goal of certain villagers, then that's fine! I like trading villagers, and I also like meeting new random villagers in my town. What annoys me is when people say you can only get their villager if its your 'dreamie'. Seems a bit unfair to people who don't have a rigid list of dreamies visible.

 

[Trickilicky]

I really agree with you. When I joined this forum, I was overwhelmed by the 'dreamies' thing and the prices people were asking for items and villagers, and all the resetting,...then I would go back to my own town and worry it'll never be 'perfect' and be critical of my town map, and that I'd never be able to complete my catalog or collect all the rare sets etc etc! But after a while I realised I play this game for FUN and I shouldn't compare my town or my play style to anyone elses. I fully admit that I do have a second cartridge which I use for farming hybrids and perfect fruit, and I swap villagers with my friends, no bells or anything like that. It's fun and it means we get to meet loads of different animals. I have met many new animals that I have really liked and would never of really known about otherwise, because all you ever hear on forums is Marshal (I don't get it, he's a boring white squirrel?!) and Julian (a unicorn with creepy blank purple eyes?). I think it takes a little while to figure out how you want to play anyway, and I'm so happy with my town now. I think at the end of the day it's just a game, however awesome, and life's too short to get worked up over it.

 

[EniracY]

Same, I find the fandom a little odd but hey - each to their own. The most it gets for me is when a cat shows up, then I'm pleased but no more than that.

 

[Saphy]

I do think some people are too obsessed with "perfection" and wanting everything right there and then and getting frustrated and upset when they don't get it, which is inevitable as AC really isn't about instant gratification. It does get tedious to see people constantly whining about their "dreamies". I do have favourite villagers that I would like in my town but I'm taking it slow, I know I'll probably get them eventually. I'm enjoying getting to know all the different villagers who I may eventually let move on and not just filling my town with permanent residents. For example, Bruce was never really on my radar when I started the game, but then he moved in and he's pretty much my favourite ever. Plus, I know if I got all my favourites I'd just be like "now what?", I like having something to look forward to, there probably won't be another AC game for years, I want to make this one last!

 

[Pickles]

When I finally get my town "perfect", I'll probably get bored with it and want to reset. So I'm in no rush to get there, yet

 

[Lauren]

I don't have 10 dream villagers but I do have 4 I've had all the way through CF and I'd love them in my NL town

 

[Kaiaa]

I don't have dream villagers, I let villagers come and go as they please. If I have a villager moving out I usually post them up for giveaway, I never sell my villagers. I don't really associate with the village traders of the Bell Tree but I don't mind that they do it. I hope that everyone gets their dreamies and I'd be happy to help anyone if one of my villagers (who happen to be a dreamie) were to move out.

 

[Unidentified Floor Orange]

The fandom is large and diverse. Not everyone cares about dream villagers or does villager trading (if one does, nothing wrong with that), so focus on finding a group of players that have a similar play style as your own.

Personally, I avoid the trading boards (villager or otherwise), because it doesn't fit with my play style.

 

[Yokie]

We're in the same boat you and I.

 

[LemyLekySama]

I don't get the whole paying for villagers thing, either. At first I thought it was just a lot of kids who did it, but I realized it is adults, too! I don't have any dream villagers, I just try to keep villagers I like...and ignore the ones I don't care for. And it's kinda exhausting-for me, anyways-to keep villagers from moving. I really wouldn't care who moved or stayed, if new villagers didn't plop their houses down in random parts of my town. This game is almost like a 2nd job with all the things you need to constantly do to, on a daily basis. I love Animal Crossing, but it's just a game, and I think some ppl forget that.

 

[Officer Berri]

I make friends with everyone who moves into my village whether I like them or not. I'll eventually let my current residents move once I get their pictures. However... Apollo is not going anywhere. Ever. He's stuck in Moonvale for life!

 

[Mayor Scout]

I have some 'dream villagers' but it isn't just 10. I have some villagers who I'll keep forever and then a lost probably 20-30 names long of villagers I'd like to have. That way, I have something to aim for while trading/buying but I'm not locked into a lost of just a few villagers- if that makes sense. I do the reset trick until I find a villager I consider 'good' but I don't have a set list of 10 dreamies is what I'm trying to say. I am keeping a few forever though- Mira, Stitches (and not because he's ~popular~ but because omg I've wanted him since wild world and now that I have him no way in hell will I let him leave), Ankha, and either Julian or Diana will stay forever.

On another topic though, I have NO PROBLEM with people buying/selling villagers. I sold Rosie for 10mil which has helped me with house loans and such. I have an 18 month old and I can't always stalk re-tail or visit other towns for turnips, and I am still able to expand my house and enjoy the game. I just bought Mira tonight because I've wanted her for a long, long time. If I see Lucha for sale, I'll probably buy him too. People trade villagers for items or other villagers, why not bells? Idk, just my two cents.