What's up with "talking too much"?

[Introspective Onlooker]

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.

Okay, but I never said they weren't. I was referring to how the games were marketed overseas compared to Japan. Remember that MTV-style NA GCN commercial? Watch the Japanese ones, too. My point was the localization took what was already there in the writing and made it more obnoxious added a bit more spice and "flavor" to it.

And I should also mentioned that Mr. Resetti still blows his load in CF and NL, as well, so does it really matter how "softened up" his dialogue is in those games? And I'm not sure if that was even true or not, because it's based on heresay. Why can't it be that he's been through this song-and-dance so many times that's he's just done at this point? That would actually be a better explanation as to why he's not as likely to get outraged as before.

 

[Flicky]

I think it disappoints me more than anything? Like when I speak to Claude he's very excited to see me, then when I speak again to gift him an item, all the excitement is drained and replaced with 'oh, it's you again'. I'd expect it if I was just spamming the talk button over and over again, but sometimes I've left them for nearly an hour and that's their response? I think they're less offended when I hit them with a net multiple times.

I just hope that the next game returns the focus on the villagers. There's hardly any difference in dialogue between my main account where they're best friends and my second account who barely interacts with any of them. Working up a friendship was always the main appeal to me with the games.

 

[Corrie]

Nah I agree. I'm like oh... *falters a bit*. It'll literally be the second time I've talked to them lol. Now I just say to myself, "I'm gonna talk to you and you're gonna like it!"

 

[Belle T]

Okay, but I never said they weren't. I was referring to how the games were marketed overseas compared to Japan. Remember that MTV-style NA GCN commercial? Watch the Japanese ones, too. My point was the localization took what was already there in the writing and made it more obnoxious added a bit more spice and "flavor" to it.

That's honestly more reflective of how games were marketed in the west at the time. Remember that this was still the early 2000's, the same era where Ubisoft thought this was a good way to market their 3D platformer for children.

Advertisements for games in general tended to be obnoxious during this era, even when it really didn't fit the tone of the game they were trying to sell. So I don't think Nintendo did anything especially wrong or out-there in the original Animal Crossing, nor do I think the MTV-style advertisement is indicative of the direction of their localization.

And I should also mentioned that Mr. Resetti still blows his load in CF and NL, as well, so does it really matter how "softened up" his dialogue is in those games? And I'm not sure if that was even true or not, because it's based on heresay. Why can't it be that he's been through this song-and-dance so many times that's he's just done at this point? That would actually be a better explanation as to why he's not as likely to get outraged as before.

The motivation for changing him was sourced from a segment of Iwata Asks. It's not just some random hearsay. I mean, it's always worth taking with a pinch of salt, since it's doubtlessly exaggerated to make these changes seem more thought out and carefully crafted than they really were, but it's still not a completely unsubstantiated rumor.

 

[Mr_Keroppi]

I get soo sad about that. It makes me discouraged to talk to them and stuff but I am still talking to them because they have a lot to say! I think its kind of funny when they really passive aggressively tell you to stop talking to them though lol

 

[Nunnafinga]

They can be very nice about it when they want to.I get that "you again?" response sometimes but I just ignore it.....and talk to them even more.It doesn't bother me because I know it's just the random nature of the villager's dialogue.

 

[Belle T]

View attachment 450147
They can be very nice about it when they want to.I get that "you again?" response sometimes but I just ignore it.....and talk to them even more.It doesn't bother me because I know it's just the random nature of the villager's dialogue.

Just wanted to say that Maelle is adorable and I need her on my island yesterday.

 

[QueenCobra]

I love it. I love the shade, personally lol.

 

[Introspective Onlooker]

The motivation for changing him was sourced from a segment of Iwata Asks. It's not just some random hearsay. I mean, it's always worth taking with a pinch of salt, since it's doubtlessly exaggerated to make these changes seem more thought out and carefully crafted than they really were, but it's still not a completely unsubstantiated rumor.

I actually read that "Being the Mayor" segment right after editing in my response in relation to Resetti. The rumor might not be completely unsubstantiated, but the segment was about the contemplation of adding him to the game or axing him out entirely. And even when Iwata mentioned he heard players (mainly "young female" ones) were scared of him, and even cried as a direct result of his shouting, and Kyogoku confirms what the former heard, the discussion wasn't about "This is how we're gonna change him". It was "We weren't sure rather or not to include the Reset Surveillance Center because this character is divisive among people." We already know what the result was, so any speculation as to why he "changed" is inference at best.

View attachment 450147
They can be very nice about it when they want to.I get that "you again?" response sometimes but I just ignore it.....and talk to them even more.It doesn't bother me because I know it's just the random nature of the villager's dialogue.

This is probably the best takeaway. It's why I don't really mind what we have in New Horizons because the series' dialogue has always heavily relied on RNG.

 

[Belle T]

I actually read that "Being the Mayor" segment right after editing in my response in relation to Resetti. The rumor might not be completely unsubstantiated, but the segment was about the contemplation of adding him to the game or axing him out entirely. And even when Iwata mentioned he heard players (mainly "young female" ones) were scared of him, and even cried as a direct result of his shouting, and Kyogoku confirms what the former heard, the discussion wasn't about "This is how we're gonna change him". It was "We weren't sure rather or not to include the Reset Surveillance Center because this character is divisive among people." We already what the result was, so any speculation as to why he "changed" is inference at best.

I mean, it would be an inference based on the fact that they were aware of the divisive nature and were presumably wondering based on how the natural progression of language works if they could include him in a way that doesn't polarize the player base. They don't have to be so overtly explicit about it in order to be reasonably sure that the two factors are related.

That being said, I think this has become a tangential argument. Even if Nintendo's localization was substantially different form the Japanese counterpart (or leaned into it more heavily), the characters were still written in that particular version of the game with the intent of being cold and more abrasive to the player than in later entries. I can appreciate that some people are not fond of that direction, but I think it does make it more coherent when the dialogue comes off as testy and impatient, compared to when it's not intended to come across that way, but it does in New Horizons.

 

[RollingAntony]

But I thought everyone wanted to be insulted and wanted rudeness back because being mean is the only "personality" that matters? I mean, by the way certain people talk, you'd think Animal Crossing was about being a talking simulator with rude villagers but now it seems people don't want to talk to the residents because a single sentence is too much. This thread is highly confusing.

Irony aside, this kind of dialogue isn't bad by any means. It's a bit randomized- you don't always get the most "rude" responses on the first bit of talking and is not by any means a way to discourage talking to them more than once. The true dialogue and consequent actions for talking to them too much are much more on the face on the "limit" for their patience; this kind of dialogue is pretty much normal and vanilla. Sure, you can get a bit "weirded" if the resident sisterly cracks a joke about the island being too small for both but you immediately get normal dialogue afterwards so it's obvious the first greeting is not a big deal and shouldn't be taken as such.

Oh and these responses are also part of their personality... sisterlies crack jokes, normals and jocks usually only utter a mild "Hi... again." variant, smugs think you're all over of them, etc. I thought people enjoyed the way the personalities are different between them.

If anything, these kind of responses give them more life, which is y'know the thing people like to complain about dialogue on NH. But I guess asking people to not be biased is a bit too much. There is tons of dialogue but if people can't get past a simple "You again?", I do wonder why people keep asking for the insults of the OG and WW to be back.

 

[Belle T]

But I thought everyone wanted to be insulted and wanted rudeness back because being mean is the only "personality" that matters? I mean, by the way certain people talk, you'd think Animal Crossing was about being a talking simulator with rude villagers but now it seems people don't want to talk to the residents because a single sentence is too much. This thread is highly confusing.

Irony aside, this kind of dialogue isn't bad by any means. It's a bit randomized- you don't always get the most "rude" responses on the first bit of talking and is not by any means a way to discourage talking to them more than once. The true dialogue and consequent actions for talking to them too much are much more on the face on the "limit" for their patience; this kind of dialogue is pretty much normal and vanilla. Sure, you can get a bit "weirded" if the resident sisterly cracks a joke about the island being too small for both but you immediately get normal dialogue afterwards so it's obvious the first greeting is not a big deal and shouldn't be taken as such.

Oh and these responses are also part of their personality... sisterlies crack jokes, normals and jocks usually only utter a mild "Hi... again." variant, smugs think you're all over of them, etc. I thought people enjoyed the way the personalities are different between them.

If anything, these kind of responses give them more life, which is y'know the thing people like to complain about dialogue on NH. But I guess asking people to not be biased is a bit too much. There is tons of dialogue but if people can't get past a simple "You again?", I do wonder why people keep asking for the insults of the OG and WW to be back.

... You okay?

EDIT: Okay, actually, in hindsight, I can see just posting that as slightly rude, so I do apologize. But I do find it perhaps... counterproductive to include several snarky strawman rebuttals that are seemingly aimed at a generalized frame of mind that isn't even exhibited by most people in this thread.

 

[PacV]

Grow up in friendship and you're going to feel the treatment change.

That happen to me with some villagers. At first was like… “You again…” And now is like… “Great to see you bud! How are you?”

 

[DJ-Mika]

I don't really like it much either, makes me afraid to talk at length with them cause I don't want to get yelled at

A really good example that comes to mind is last year during my birthday my favorite villager was the one who hosted and I was thrilled! I took lots of photos and hung about as long as I could before I had to go to do actual IRL birthday celebrating <XD
I left the villager's house and "ended" the party, but I was still so jazzed that it was my favorite who hosted that, after KK sang his birthday song for me I headed back to their house to say hi one last time before logging off, and their response? "YOU AGAIN??? GEEZ GO AWAY"
Took the wind out of my sails a little bit

 

[Mr_Keroppi]

But I thought everyone wanted to be insulted and wanted rudeness back because being mean is the only "personality" that matters? I mean, by the way certain people talk, you'd think Animal Crossing was about being a talking simulator with rude villagers but now it seems people don't want to talk to the residents because a single sentence is too much. This thread is highly confusing.

Irony aside, this kind of dialogue isn't bad by any means. It's a bit randomized- you don't always get the most "rude" responses on the first bit of talking and is not by any means a way to discourage talking to them more than once. The true dialogue and consequent actions for talking to them too much are much more on the face on the "limit" for their patience; this kind of dialogue is pretty much normal and vanilla. Sure, you can get a bit "weirded" if the resident sisterly cracks a joke about the island being too small for both but you immediately get normal dialogue afterwards so it's obvious the first greeting is not a big deal and shouldn't be taken as such.

Oh and these responses are also part of their personality... sisterlies crack jokes, normals and jocks usually only utter a mild "Hi... again." variant, smugs think you're all over of them, etc. I thought people enjoyed the way the personalities are different between them.

If anything, these kind of responses give them more life, which is y'know the thing people like to complain about dialogue on NH. But I guess asking people to not be biased is a bit too much. There is tons of dialogue but if people can't get past a simple "You again?", I do wonder why people keep asking for the insults of the OG and WW to be back.

Well I dont like the mean villagers but there is a difference between the rudeness. People like the mean villagers because they are "mean" not because they tell you to stop talking to them but because they make you not want to talk to them. Atleast that it the logic I am guessing, there is no need to be rude about others opinions.

 

[Rosch]

When you are friends with them, you can talk to them several more times before they refuse to talk further.

I don't mind because I can just talk to them again after 5-10 minutes.

 

[Introspective Onlooker]

That being said, I think this has become a tangential argument. Even if Nintendo's localization was substantially different form the Japanese counterpart (or leaned into it more heavily), the characters were still written in that particular version of the game with the intent of being cold and more abrasive to the player than in later entries.

Fair enough, though your earlier comment about how older villagers were supposed to be "insufferable" still puzzles me. Six distinct character types with varying levels of hospitality towards player were created, not just obnoxiously snobbish and grumpy ones. Normals, Lazies, and Jocks, in particular, had their moments, but they were still not too bad, and I know the former two at least wanted to be your friend.

I can appreciate that some people are not fond of that direction, but I think it does make it more coherent when the dialogue comes off as testy and impatient, compared to when it's not intended to come across that way, but it does in New Horizons.

Sure, but that's not the reason why I don't find the dialogue in any of the games coherent. It's the fact that it's always been randomized and limited is why I find dialogue muddled in these games. It's just especially bad in NH, because a lot of its dialogue is locked behind a mechanic that's not communicated to the player in the traditional sense.

As for people who don't care for that annoying behavior of the first couple of games: It's just that when some people want to play Animal Crossing — they don't want to be insulted and get shouted at just for refusing to buy an apple, or get their house painted, or have an item taken from them for no discerning reason other than doing the thing the game advertised — talking to NPCs. They want to have a good time living this virtual world, if anything I listed in this post offends or annoy them, they're entitled to those reactions; others should respect that. You wouldn't believe this, but I saw some idiot on another website a while ago claimed that the "simplistic" dialogue and nicer villagers somehow made the game more casual when the freakin' series was built for a casual audience. Why would that be a bad thing?

 

[RollingAntony]

... You okay?

EDIT: Okay, actually, in hindsight, I can see just posting that as slightly rude, so I do apologize. But I do find it perhaps... counterproductive to include several snarky strawman rebuttals that are seemingly aimed at a generalized frame of mind that isn't even exhibited by most people in this thread.

Thanks for the lovely and good-spirited response, you don't need to apologize as you can see people agree with your message. It's great my limited bits of snarkiness were the only thing you read from my post.


On-topic: Went around speaking to my residents and it's such a non-issue. Most of the time you don't even get the "mean" responses and those are usually done by the personality types that make sense to do, like sisterlies. This is great, this should be 100% kept for the future games.

 

[Belle T]

Fair enough, though your earlier comment about how older villagers were supposed to be "insufferable" still puzzles me. Six distinct character types with varying levels of hospitality towards player were created, not just obnoxiously snobbish and grumpy ones. Normals, Lazies, and Jocks, in particular, had their moments, but they were still not too bad, and I know the former two at least wanted to be your friend.

Well, my use of the word "insufferable" was more comedic exaggeration. But beyond the actual quality of the dialogue, there were also more ways to upset the villagers in the older games. Simple things such as teasing them with a present and then backing out of the menu would infuriate even the friendlier villagers. And to me, that comes across more as a narrative choice, to simulate the idea that friendship is often a thankless and frustrating thing to maintain. So I can see why it's off-putting when in New Horizons, you talk to someone a total of two times and their response is less than flattering.

Sure, but that's not the reason why I don't find the dialogue in any of the games coherent. It's the fact that it's always been randomized and limited is why I find muddled in these games. It's just especially bad in NH, because a lot of its dialogue is locked behind a mechanic that's not communicated to the player in the tradition sense.

I can concede to that being the case, too. Social simulation games are prone to having some degree of incoherency by nature. Unless... er... unless Abigail from Stardew Valley really does eat rocks.

As for people who don't care for that annoying behavior of the first couple of games: It's just that when some people want to play Animal Crossing — they don't want to be insulted and get shouted at just for refusing to buy an apple, or get their house painted, or have an item taken from them for no discerning reason other than doing the thing the game advertised — talking to NPCs. They want to have a good time living this virtual world, if anything I listed in this post offends or annoy them, they're entitled to those reactions; others should respect that. You wouldn't believe this, but I saw some idiot on another website a while ago claimed that the "simplistic" dialogue and nicer villagers somehow made the game more casual when the freakin' series was built for a casual audience. Why would that be a bad thing?

And that's fine. When I played Animal Crossing on GameCube, I found the brashness of the NPC's to be hilarious, to the point where I kind of wanted to make a few of them mad just for the fun of it. It helps, I suppose, that my friend circles usually express fonder feelings by (playfully) insulting each other. And that my favorite characters tend to be ones that are typically described as "*****y" by most people. But humor is subjective, so I appreciate that it's not everyone's cup of tea. Really, it's just a dumb talking animal game, no matter which you prefer.

I don't quite understand the casual argument, either. Weird statement.

 

[Introspective Onlooker]

Well, my use of the word "insufferable" was more comedic exaggeration. But beyond the actual quality of the dialogue, there were also more ways to upset the villagers in the older games. Simple things such as teasing them with a present and then backing out of the menu would infuriate even the friendlier villagers.

I don't remember any villagers from WW getting pissed about the player teasing them about giving them items. It was more of a universal "WTF?" response than anything. From my experience with the original game, however, this is how I remember each villager type's reaction to this refusal:

• It sent Crankies and Snooties into anger mode (obviously).
• It confused and annoyed Peppies and Lazies respectively.
• And it made Jocks sad; Normals disappointed.

This is something I only really noticed in the Japanese versions of the first game. I did try this out once on Amelia. I was actually surprised that it caused her to be sad, rather than angry, considering that she's a Snooty villager, and what she said after I exited the menu instead of giving what belonged to her: "Fine! Be that way! Why should I care?!" or something to that effect. I'm not sure if this was something new in the localization, but I can recall playing the N64 version and AFe+, and Olivia's reaction was more... "appropriate", I guess? That's part of why I mentioned the localization of the older games. It's very interesting how deeper the Animalese was in the English version, but I haven't heard it in a long time, and I'm accustomed to the higher pitch voices of the Japanese versions, which later games in other languages would adopt, so if I ever decide to go back to playing the GC game in English, it'd be pretty jarring.

Social simulation games are prone to having some degree of incoherency by nature. Unless... er... unless Abigail from Stardew Valley really does eat rocks.

Gotta give it to Abi. Girl really does have an unorthodox taste in gifts. Speaking of Stardew Valley, I'm not sure if villagers from the first generation of Animal Crossing had a reaction to you mailing trash to them. I know for a fact Stardew Valley NPCs could outright disregard gifts they hated. Meanwhile, in WW, I gave Kid Cat a tire for his birthday a few days ago (because Jocks in that game were pretty unlikable — I think it's where their weird muscle fetish came from; AND he said I took my "sweet time" coming to his house, so screw him) and this is what he said: "It's free, so I'll take it! Oh, and here's some ceramic tile to thank you!"

When I played Animal Crossing on GameCube, I found the brashness of the NPC's to be hilarious, to the point where I kind of wanted to make a few of them mad just for the fun of it.

It was actually part of the reason why I wanted to play the game in the first place; I wanted to see just how rude villagers were, and see if they could change. I still think that some of the lines can be funny — as in, lighthearted teasing and such. I do think it goes way overboard, though, and it's excessive to the point that it seems as if everyone only remembers this part of the game's dialogue because that's all everyone seems to focus on whenever the topic on the series' writing quality is brought up. I wouldn't mind villagers being unbearable, snarky little ******** if they were limited to just the two personalities where it's actually applicable rather than the entire town having an abundant of moments of this jerkish attitude that juxtaposes the laid-back nature of life sims like AC. And after a while, and after spending a lot time with these NPCs, they should knock that **** off. No point in interacting with these characters if they aren't going to go the extra mile and have dialogue that reflects that they're gradually starting to like you, which, let's be honest, this series was NEVER good at conveying. Period.

I don't quite understand the casual argument, either. Weird statement.

Right? Said person goes on to say that the dialogue in the older games made the player to "think", when in reality, the writing was never that clever, and you could be forced into a damn quiz about the Chinese zodiac — because non-Chinese children would definitely know how to correctly solve an Astrology quiz that's not even a part of their culture.