What's up with "talking too much"?

[yuckyrat]

Anyone else find it weird/rude how villagers act like you've talked their ear off just because you've spoken to them more than once? I'm not exaggerating when I say it can even happen as soon as a second interaction; I've counted. When talking to a villager after your first interaction with them for the day, they tend to say stuff like "You again? Did you forget something last time?" or "We've been seeing each other a lot today!".

I'm assuming it's an oversight on Nintendo's part in terms of dialogue being limited, unless it's a friendship thing, but it happens with characters I'm close with, so I'm not sure.

Either way, it even happens if I'm playing after a lengthy break, which is entertaining. I'll come on after not playing for weeks/months and get the typical "I missed you!!! Where have you been? Let's hang out!" dialogue, but the instant I talk to them again? "Wow, you're talking to me a lot!"

 

[Fey]

Yeah I don’t consider myself socially anxious, but I’ll admit that I feel a small pang of discomfort every time it happens—even if virtual, it doesn’t feel great to be treated like a serial harasser.

For a while it actually discouraged me from talking to them more than once a day, but now I dgaf—not after they keep barging into my house when I’m not even dressed for the day!

 

[Croconaw]

Actually, I do think it’s rude. I think talking to villagers is a part of what makes this game, well, Animal Crossing. This game has lost a lot of it’s community feel. It seems less focused on villager interaction and more focused on crafting. It’s basically a design game at this point.

 

[Belle T]

I am less concerned about it in the context of how frequently I initiate dialogue and more so the fact that we all live on a deserted island with only nine other people, of course we're going to run into each other a lot you twits!

 

[S.J.]

Agnes shuns me all the time with the "You again?" dialogue on my second time speaking to her, then she'll hit me with the "Hey, what're you up to for the next... seven hours? Wanna hang out?" So many mixed messages.

 

[yuckyrat]

Yeah I don’t consider myself socially anxious, but I’ll admit that I feel a small pang of discomfort every time it happens—even if virtual, it doesn’t feel great to be treated like a serial harasser.

For a while it actually discouraged me from talking to them more than once a day, but now I dgaf—not after they keep barging into my house when I’m not even dressed for the day!

Ditto here; I always worry I'm bothering them, even though I know they're just NPCs in a game. And like you said, they're the ones who come in unannounced whenever they please! Surely they can handle me saying hi to them more than once.

 

[Fey]

Ditto here; I always worry I'm bothering them, even though I know they're just NPCs in a game. And like you said, they're the ones who come in unannounced whenever they please! Surely they can handle me saying hi to them more than once.

I’m completely with you—it’s rude and also unrealistic to boot: In real life I’d totally greet my friends every time I ran into them. It would be weird not to!

 

[zarf]

Yeah this is especially bad with the uchi villagers. There was this one time I'd only talked to Reneigh once, went away to pluck a flower and when I came back to give it to her she was all "Is this island not big enough for the two of us??"

I even got to clip it cus it literally happened within 30 seconds! Doesn't even take a minute for them to get sick of you

https://twitter.com/x/status/1554349294198501382

 

[Introspective Onlooker]

I have to assume this is an oversight, because villagers in NL had to be talked to several times before they took note of that observation. Slight digression: I understand that this can be considered rude, but it doesn't compare to what we had pre-CF, where villagers would suddenly shout at you if you talked to them too much.

Regardless, I don't understand why these lines are implemented as they are in this game. It's a small community — with a small number of residents. It's only natural people would run into each other a lot throughout the day. Villagers don't seem to understand that in a DESERTED ISLAND, there's not much to see outside it.

 

[yuckyrat]

I have to assume this is an oversight, because villagers in NL had to be talked to several times before they took note of that observation. Slight digression: I understand that this can be considered rude, but it doesn't compare to what we had pre-CF, where villagers would suddenly shout at you one if you talked to them too much.

Regardless, I don't understand why these lines are implemented as they are in this game. It's a small community — with a small number of residents. It's only natural people would run into each other a lot throughout the day. Villagers don't seem to understand that in a DESERTED ISLAND, there's not much to see outside it.

Oh, by far it's better than the earlier games in terms of kindness; I can't handle how mean the villagers used to be, but I massively prefer NL villagers like you said. Interactions felt less redundant and limited.

 

[azurill]

I do find it rude . Sometimes it makes me not want to talk to them. I thought for awhile it was a friendship level thing where they would stop being annoyed if you were better friends with them. Still happens with Flo even though we are best friends and she has been there since the beginning. It could be hours later that I talk to them a third time and they say you again.

 

[tiffanistarr]

It doesn’t bother me too much because I feel like it’s an excuse nintendo makes through villagers for there not being much dialogue in the game. This has been around in every AC game though. It did used to take a bit longer for them to get tired of you, but I remember in AC at one point they just straight wouldn’t let you talk to them. They would have the sadness emotion and they would just say leave me alone or something like i’m not in the mood right now.

Either way, I don’t really care too much and it doesn’t offend me. It’s kinda cute to me.

 

[Introspective Onlooker]

It doesn’t bother me too much because I feel like it’s an excuse nintendo makes through villagers for there not being much dialogue in the game. This has been around in every AC game though. It did used to take a bit longer for them to get tired of you, but I remember in AC at one point they just straight wouldn’t let you talk to them. They would have the sadness emotion and they would just say leave me alone or something like i’m not in the mood right now.

Pretty sure only Normals (maybe Lazies) had the sadness emotion. I know the other personality types, especially Crankies, got angry and called you out because you kept being an annoying pest to them.

 

[Aria Nook Violet]

I find it funny that they simplified the dialog and made it bland to make it less "rude" but then also added this of "leave me alone!" as a result so it ends up being a bit "rude" in the end. I would disagree with some people here and say I prefer the "rude" from older games even if it wasn't the best. At least the older games compared to New horizons it made more sense. The villager would either be rude to you at the start because you are strangers and slowly be better as you interacted with that character. In NW there is no difference so it feels like the "rude" comes out of nowhere when in the older games you know when to expect it. It felt progressive and NH fails at that with the dialog.
I'm sure they added this because they are aware the dialog is lacking. Why do you think they improved a bit on it on the 2.0 update? But even after the update they know it wasn't enough and so they tell us to "not talk to them" right after the second conversation in my case.
I do feel a little hurt because the villager interaction was what brought me to animal crossing so this choice in programming feel like the developers are telling me that they don't want players like me supporting these games anymore and you know what? If the next game is like New horizons I won't. XD You made yourself clear.
I said I feel a little hurt but I try to be sassy about it because at the end of the day is just a game and when it comes to villager dialog is the worst of the bunch so I just laugh at the silliness and move on from that.

 

[Belle T]

I have to assume this is an oversight, because villagers in NL had to be talked to several times before they took note of that observation. Slight digression: I understand that this can be considered rude, but it doesn't compare to what we had pre-CF, where villagers would suddenly shout at you if you talked to them too much.

Regardless, I don't understand why these lines are implemented as they are in this game. It's a small community — with a small number of residents. It's only natural people would run into each other a lot throughout the day. Villagers don't seem to understand that in a DESERTED ISLAND, there's not much to see outside it.

The difference there, I think, is that in the older games, the villagers are supposed to be insufferable people. So it doesn't bother me when they live up to those expectations. With NH, it just feels like the dialogue was programmed without a lot of care.

 

[tiffanistarr]

Pretty sure only Normals (maybe Lazies) had the sadness emotion. I know the other personality types, especially Crankies, got angry and called you out because you kept being an annoying pest to them.

Yes it was lazy! It was Bones, i loved him so much so i just kept wanting to talk to him and he was not a fan. I never talked to my cranky or snooty villagers enough to piss them off more than they already were. ugh i miss that dialogue so much. they had such fun personalities back then.

 

[Introspective Onlooker]

At least the older games compared to New horizons it made more sense. The villager would either be rude to you at the start because you are strangers and slowly be better as you interacted with that character. In NW there is no difference so it feels like the "rude" comes out of nowhere when in the older games you know when to expect it. It felt progressive and NH fails at that with the dialog.

I would be more inclined to have the rudeness return if that progression was actually reflected in the interactions in the older games, but it wasn't. Their personality and random instances determined how they'll treat you, not necessarily how long they've known you — they could still be pretty damn rude regardless of how much you did for them, and it's especially apparent in Wild World, the game that introduced the ability to receive photos from your villagers. However, them giving you their picture somewhat becomes null when they still treat you as they did at the start of the game. That's an issue with every game in the series, not just the first two. It's why I believe the system that Nintendo's been using since the N64 days should be re-designed to be more than just "serviceable", because that's what I think Animal Crossing's dialogue overall amounts to.

The difference there, I think, is that in the older games, the villagers are supposed to be insufferable people. So it doesn't bother me when they live up to those expectations. With NH, it just feels like the dialogue was programmed without a lot of care.

Really, though? I think that's more of a "localization" thing.

Yes it was lazy! It was Bones, i loved him so much so i just kept wanting to talk to him and he was not a fan. I never talked to my cranky or snooty villagers enough to piss them off more than they already were. ugh i miss that dialogue so much. they had such fun personalities back then.

To each their own. I found it annoying and disjointed. Don't miss being insulted endlessly. Don't miss the backhand compliments and snark after doing favors for them. And I sure as hell don't miss the scams and forced exchanges Snooties engaged in. It's possible to have "fun" personalities without the characters being overtly harsh and critical for no reason other than it being their one defining trait. Their Japanese counterparts were much better, especially in AFe+.

 

[kayleee]

I do find it pretty annoying; out of all AC games New Horizons has the most boring dialogue in my opinion, to the point that I rarely ever voluntarily talk to my villagers. It’s too bad because I used to love talking to them in every other game, but for some reason in this game I find the dialogue really lacking. It doesn’t help after just talking to them once they start giving the “why are you still talking to me?” dialogue!

 

[McRibbie]

Actually, I do think it’s rude. I think talking to villagers is a part of what makes this game, well, Animal Crossing. This game has lost a lot of it’s community feel. It seems less focused on villager interaction and more focused on crafting. It’s basically a design game at this point.

tbh I think the community aspect of AC is as much to do with IRL community as it is the community in-game. Drives me mad seeing "family, friendship and community" flattened out to just "this is a game about talking to villagers"... nope, it's a game about going "hey, did you see my fish?", "damn, the fireworks show is tonight, wanna hang out!" or "do you have froggy chair?" to your friends and family as well!

 

[Belle T]

Really, though? I think that's more of a "localization" thing.

I mean, as far as I'm aware, they're pretty abrasive in Japanese and other languages, too. The softening of Mr. Resetti's dialogue was in response to Japanese audiences not reacting well to it, as an example.