I miss villagers randomness and independence from player

[pikajuanca]

I don’t know if I am the only one feeling this but one of the things that had me play AC New Leaf daily was talking to villagers so that I could check no one was leaving. I think we should have some option for randomness, as now villagers feel more like dolls than actual independent beings. Villagers should have the opportunity to leave if they want!

Also, even if it was a chore and they could destroy your designs, it was fun to have them place a plot randomly in your map without you choosing where you want them to live. I guess there could be an option for this too, or just being able to place like 15-20 move-in signs through your island and they could move where they want, or you could just choose to have only 10 signs and be 100% sure where they move in.

I also would like that every villager in your town could make you request towards where they want to live in your town (like in the beach, near the river, on the highest part of the island) and you could talk to Nook and move them there.

I think all these changes would make the actual game much less stagnant and boring. I LOVE this game but one of the things I don’t like is that you have the feeling that nothing happens without your permission.

 

[VanitasFan26]

While I understand the goodbye letters and random move outs were a great in past AC games, I feel like the villagers randomly moving out was not that good. I disagree with this mainly because it happens to any villager despite whatever friendship you have with them. In old AC games they would sometimes move out without you knowing and they would just say in their letters "Its nothing personal but I moved out". To me that just feels a bit strange because its like you treated them so well so why would they suddenly move out?

In New Leaf there was a system where a villager would run up to you and they would ask you if they want to move out but the way it worked is that they would leave on a date of a month. It was sometimes weird because the villager would not agree to this. I had Ed on my town who wanted to move out and naturally I wasn't too keen on him so I decided to let him go, but what happened was he decided "Nah I'm gonna stay because we are such best friends" I didn't like that. It felt like he just wasted my time and that whole move out thing went nowhere.

One issue with villagers in older AC games was the whole "move in by random". This was in issue especially in New Leaf, because there was no way to tell weather if you have a new villager or if you find their plot only to see them placed over something random. Now I heard many people really not liking this because suppose if you had grown flowers there and a villager randomly puts their plot down on them the flowers are gone. Thank goodness in ACNH you are in control of where the home plots go and the plot stays there in place after a villager moves out instead of how new leaf the plot is gone and then a new one shows up on any random place in your town.

I like the move out process in New Horizons because at least it keeps it to the point of when you want your villager to move out. It saves the headache of trying to even convince them to move out. So I know you may miss the random move outs, but I don't like the idea of villagers randomly moving out without knowing because you may never know who it is by the time you read the letter in the mail.

 

[Xara]

i personally don’t miss villagers being able to move out whenever they want and put their houses wherever they want. i don’t really play new horizons all that much nowadays, and i’m grateful that i can not play for however long i want/need without having to note down the last day i played, out of fear of booting my game up months later to find one of my favourite villagers gone. i also don’t miss having to plot reset every time i had a new villager move in; it was such a tedious process in new leaf.

that being said, your feelings are completely valid! i wouldn’t mind having to place down 10 move-in signs and have villagers choose where they live that way; i’d still be able to control where houses are, and villagers would have a bit more control over where they move in. i also wouldn’t mind if it was an option you could toggle on-and-off or something; like when you’re still in the tutorial phase, nook could ask if you want to set down plots for the villagers, or if you’d rather them choose where their houses go, and you can change your mind at any time.

 

[azurill]

I think it would fine if it was an option you can turn off. I really didn’t like that they just randomly left. I feel like I spent most of my time in new leaf trying to figure out who was leaving then just playing. Then someone would leave anyway since I either couldn’t find who was leaving or couldn’t get on to play. I lost so many flowers when they could just move in anywhere. I think with people terraforming it would make it harder for plots to randomly appear depending on the islands layout. I can see why someone would miss it . Personally I like that I can plan out where the houses go.

 

[Croconaw]

I’m not a fan of having villagers randomly move out. I don’t like the stress that comes with worrying about my favorite villagers suddenly moving away. I have ten villagers that I love, and I would be greatly upset if any of them moved out. I hope nothing changes regarding villager move outs in the next Animal Crossing game. I think what makes this game so lovable is that it’s so stress-free and relaxing.

 

[liliyoa]

I agree that I like their autonomy, I wish it was just a toggle you could change in settings. I always kind of liked when villagers would move out, it was bittersweet. An old friend leaves but then you get to make a new friend. Once in a town one of my favorites of who I had in that town moved out, but then one of my all time favorites moved in in their place. Stuff like that is really exciting and enjoyable to me. But I get that for most other players villagers moving out and in wherever at random is suuuperr frustrating.

 

[Seastar]

I thought New Leaf was quite a bit stressful with how the villager move outs/ins worked. Ironic when Animal Crossing is usually called relaxing.
I actually lost a villager I really liked in New Leaf back when I didn't know how the move outs work (The game doesn't explain it, after all) and I was pretty upset. After that I was more careful and learned what I'm supposed to do but it feels like a chore to turn on New Leaf now because I have to check if anyone wants to move and less so if I turn on New Horizons where I can just do whatever I want without worry.
If you think about it, younger players will turn on their game one day, see their favorite villager left for reasons they don't understand, and start crying. This probably happened many times in the older games. For older players, they might just find it stressful.
Now for those who actually like it, it would probably be best if it was something optional you can turn on/off?

 

[Sheando]

I agree with you. I wish my villagers didn't feel quite so . . . decorative. I appreciate that they don't move out on their own (I think that creates some hesitation to return to the game, and it's understandable that developers would want to eliminate those barriers and invite people to return whenever), but they don't seem super invested in ANYTHING. You can move their entire home anywhere you want and they'll just be like "sure, okay, whatever!" You can redecorate their houses and throw away all their possessions. They don't request particular features for the town, get hurt or upset if you fail to follow through, dislike gifts of any kind, or do pretty much anything that would indicate that your behavior has meaning to them.

Also, the way dialogue is set up, it's hard to feel any kind of relational advancement. There are some great lines in NH, but it still feels strange that if you talk to your villagers on day one, they'll get annoyed if you double back for a second round of conversation--and three years into the game, when you're allegedly best friends, they STILL act shocked and confused to see you a whopping two times in the same day. They start out so friendly and affirming that there's no real difference between your interactions a few days into their move and the ones you can have after months or years of consistent gameplay. If Nintendo decides to release a new AC game when they inevitably drop another console, this is the number one thing I really hope they focus on. I definitely agree that they noticed a portion of the player base using AC as a decoration game instead of a life sim and skewed the contents of NH very heavily in that direction.

 

[Aria Nook Violet]

I agree. While I am glad villagers move in places marked down by the plots I do miss the randomess of it. For example during New Leaf I had most of my villagers move next to my house which I found endearing at the time. After all they choose to live next to my character and in my head it meant they liked her. Of course they did ruin the little road I was building at the time but it was fun to work around it. However it can also get tiring to constantly change the designs because of it. So while I do miss the random factor of it I am glad I can set the plots myself.
I love your suggestions and agree that would add alot of life into the game. Like you I feel the villagers are very lifeless in NH.

 

[pawpatrolbab]

I completely agree. One of the best things about villagers just deciding to randomly leave is that it gave you a reward / reason to actually foster a relationship with your villagers and become "best friends" as then they're less likely to randomly move out. I feel the same way about houses too, I always get so excited when I get the opportunity for a new villager on my island but it's just not as exciting when they're forced to move into the same plot as their replacement. I'd love the option for plots to be randomized again with an approach like the Welcome Amibo New Leaf update where they can't move ontop of your pathways.

Post automatically merged: Nov 16, 2023

While I understand the goodbye letters and random move outs were a great in past AC games, I feel like the villagers randomly moving out was not that good. I disagree with this mainly because it happens to any villager despite whatever friendship you have with them. In old AC games they would sometimes move out without you knowing and they would just say in their letters "Its nothing personal but I moved out". To me that just feels a bit strange because its like you treated them so well so why would they suddenly move out?

About your top point, I feel like this makes the villagers feel like they are alive instead of just video game characters. Their lives do not revolve around us as a mayor or representative - but are their own. Just like in real life having friends doesn't stop us from moving away, even if we're good friends with those from where we're leaving.

I don't mean this reply as a negative / mean thing. I actually really loved reading your comment because it made me appreciate the life given to villagers in previous games so much more! I think it's such a cool thing to think about.

 

[FaerieRose]

I’d like a little more autonomy, but I’d never go back to the time before we could zone for houses. Having a villager plunk their house down on my only perfect fruit tree was a painful experience that I’m in no hurry to repeat.

 

[VanitasFan26]

I completely agree. One of the best things about villagers just deciding to randomly leave is that it gave you a reward / reason to actually foster a relationship with your villagers and become "best friends" as then they're less likely to randomly move out. I feel the same way about houses too, I always get so excited when I get the opportunity for a new villager on my island but it's just not as exciting when they're forced to move into the same plot as their replacement. I'd love the option for plots to be randomized again with an approach like the Welcome Amibo New Leaf update where they can't move ontop of your pathways.

ACNH introduced this mechanic where you can go on Nook Mile Islands to find villagers and you can pick out what ones you want. I do see your point about the randomness of the villagers, but the issue here is that sometimes you may get villagers from your friends island the moment they come to your island. What most people don't know is that when you have someone visit your island and your villager moves out there is a high chance of them appearing on their island, then when a villager moves out on their island they appear on your island as a random move in.

That being said I know there is an argument to be made that there should be more options or choices to let people chose how they want to play the game. I have to wonder if in the next Animal Crossing game they will let us customize our playstyle of how we want to play the game. For me personally it can get pretty boring seeing the same villagers on the island all the time but with me I tend to only pick villagers who I haven't seen yet to get their photo. Once I get their photo then I let them leave. It sounds like I have autonomy over the villagers but I don't let them leave until they give me their photo. I am not completly heartless and I give villagers a chance to leave to make room for villagers who I haven't see yet. So I go on Nook Mile Islands to look villagers rather than rely on the random move ins.

 

[pawpatrolbab]

I'm not sure I quite understand what you're saying ( I struggle to read big texts ) but villagers moving in from others islands ( or in this case - towns ) has been a thing at the very least since New Leaf, it's not a new mechanic. But I'm also unsure how your reply is relevant to mine Not intended in a rude way - but in a I don't understand way!

I have no problems with being able to pick villagers who move in, moreso I would like the opportunity for them to be able to move in to a random spot and not be forced into the previous villagers. That's what I was trying to say in my original reply : D It's not about who is moving in but about their house

 

[Yoshi155]

I kind of agree with this, but also don't. I've never had a villager move out, let alone a favorite, but it makes it feel more realistic. I think the best option would be to make it optional.

 

[VanitasFan26]

I'm not sure I quite understand what you're saying ( I struggle to read big texts ) but villagers moving in from others islands ( or in this case - towns ) has been a thing at the very least since New Leaf, it's not a new mechanic. But I'm also unsure how your reply is relevant to mine Not intended in a rude way - but in a I don't understand way!

I have no problems with being able to pick villagers who move in, moreso I would like the opportunity for them to be able to move in to a random spot and not be forced into the previous villagers. That's what I was trying to say in my original reply : D It's not about who is moving in but about their house

I was talking about move in mechanic in New Horizions. Not from New Leaf. I am fully aware that the random move ins have been a thing for a long while. I am just bringing up a mechanic of how sometimes you get villagers who you saw on your friends island when you visit and sometimes they would move into your island if you were to let the plot fill. I was replying to the comment below since you quoted my other post but they merged together. To each their own on the whole moving on a random spot but I respectfully disagree. I would much rather have it to where I make the choice to put down the home.

 

[McRibbie]

I kind of agree with this, but also don't. I've never had a villager move out, let alone a favorite, but it makes it feel more realistic. I think the best option would be to make it optional.

But making it optional has really disturbing implications.

Ordinances making things stay up/open for more time in a day is realistic enough, as sometimes people stay up and sometimes business hours are affected by local by-laws. Having villagers that are basically eager to do everything you want, moving included generally kind of feels slightly... off, and a touch Stepford, but if you're this maverick town-planner and it's glossed over enough, why not.

But explicitly giving you an option if you talk to Isabelle to enforce the "No Moving Unless The Player Says So" ordinance just feels kind of fascistic. It's gone from feeling slightly kind of off that people don't seem to move without you going "yeah, go away, I don't want you in my village" (or seem way too enthusiastic to have their house moved around just because you've put it one tile too low) to feeling incredibly off, because it's now something enforced by law. It ends up feeling like there's barbed wire fencing and armed guards just out of sight of your village, and that's so dark it makes Tom Nook's backstory seem like a light piece of fluff by comparison.

 

[Yoshi155]

But making it optional has really disturbing implications.

Ordinances making things stay up/open for more time in a day is realistic enough, as sometimes people stay up and sometimes business hours are affected by local by-laws. Having villagers that are basically eager to do everything you want, moving included generally kind of feels slightly... off, and a touch Stepford, but if you're this maverick town-planner and it's glossed over enough, why not.

But explicitly giving you an option if you talk to Isabelle to enforce the "No Moving Unless The Player Says So" ordinance just feels kind of fascistic. It's gone from feeling slightly kind of off that people don't seem to move without you going "yeah, go away, I don't want you in my village" (or seem way too enthusiastic to have their house moved around just because you've put it one tile too low) to feeling incredibly off, because it's now something enforced by law. It ends up feeling like there's barbed wire fencing and armed guards just out of sight of your village, and that's so dark it makes Tom Nook's backstory seem like a light piece of fluff by comparison.

Well, I guess it's dark if you think about it.

Maybe a better idea is that if you become close friends with a villager, they're much less likely to move out if you take a break. This way, it would make a lot more sense, because it's understandable why a villager who's your best friend wouldn’t leave without you knowing.

 

[:::Navi:::]

The part that was annoying to me in acnl was them choosing where to place their plots so as long as I still could maintain control over plot placement to avoid any disruptions then I would be totally fine with villagers randomly moving out, as long as villagers move back into the exact same spot.

 

[Gabby]

I can see what you're saying and I kind of agree. The randomness added something that kept you on your toes and made you want to check your town often. The mechanic really was only annoying when you'd take a big break from the game, then when you got back, one of your favorite villagers was gone. I do agree that the villagers feel more like "dolls" and are decoration items - ACNH is really just playing god on your own little island, with nothing happening unless you say so. I think that aspect of the game makes it boring, but I'm not really a super decorator. I more like interacting with the environment and the random things that happen.

 

[nocctea]

I prefer more randomization but that's just from my play style! But I think a good middle ground would be to have villagers with the highest 2 or 3 friendship levels just ask you if they can leave and abide by what you say (no changing their mind like NL), so people who have faves don't have to worry about them moving out. But if you have a villager with the very lowest friendship level they may just say "I'm moving on this day", or not tell you at all, which I think adds some believability and makes it more clear to us the differences between friendship levels. And also maybe have a minimum required amount of time a villager can live in your town before they move (so a villager doesn't move in then immediately move out lol). I think it's definitely possible to have a good mix between control and randomized that would make a lot of people happy!