Anyone else a bit scared to play online?

[minimoon]

I have an online account but I've never used it to play ACNH online! I never did with New Leaf either, so I loved the street pass and dream suite features.

I find the idea a bit intimidating even though I know the community here are really friendly. There's a bunch of different forums for online play and even though I understand the different descriptions when I look at the threads posted I can't figure it out! And then if I were to try trading I don't know how it works! I know what IGBs and NMTs are but not TBTs And the etiquette, like who goes to whose island, etc.
.
Does anyone else have the ability to play online but just not tried it yet? Or tried for the first time after being worried about it?

Anyone who does play online have any advice or reassurance? I'd love to get some of the different colour Nook miles items one day.

 

[Jam86]

tbh am a really shy person, like legit i can't speak to anyone it's weird
but around the beginning of the game i was having trouble collecting bells and i had rare villagers so i had to go online to sell them somewhere and i would shake quite alot when i was talking to someone online i didn't know
however after a few trades i felt more confident and this community is so lovely i've gotten over my little shyness issue ♡

 

[Loubelle]

I remember in New Leaf the first time I ever started doing online play was when I bought the Club Tortimer membership thing, and through that I have met a lot of my close Animal Crossing friends it can be scary, and there's more than a few bad apples in the bunch, as well as some people who may just not know proper animal crossing etiquette (don't pick things up w/o permission/ run over flowers/ etc). With that being said I think New Horizons is a bit more safe with online play, assuming you don't have things on the ground when someone arrives, because only best friends have access to axes and shovels I haven't met anyone bad on these forums, though rare, I know it does exist, however I think you should be just fine, as if you're concerned about someone, there is a feedback section If you aren't comfortable with someone's feedback (maybe they have negative feedback or their account is new) then you definitely don't have to engage with them, and you definitely shouldn't feel bad about that

 

[Xara]

i feel your pain - i’m highkey anxious and introverted and so everytime i trade with someone, my anxiety kind of rises a bit. but after doing it for a while (cue my 800+ ratings lmao) it gets easier! it’s scary to think about and i was definitely afraid when i first played online for new horizons but it’s also kind of nice to interact with other players, especially with the whole isolation thing going on ;u;

 

[Squeek]

To be honest, I'm in the same boat. I'm super shy / nervous to do any trading in the community, so I only do stuff with close friends of mine, but I am trying to break out of my shell, and talk to more people here, because it seems like this place is really nice! Though, I have heard of scammers, and stuff, which doesn't help the fear.

I believe TBT are the bells under your name / forum currency, you can use it to buy items here.

 

[minimoon]

tbh am a really shy person, like legit i can't speak to anyone it's weird
but around the beginning of the game i was having trouble collecting bells and i had rare villagers so i had to go online to sell them somewhere and i would shake quite alot when i was talking to someone online i didn't know
however after a few trades i felt more confident and this community is so lovely i've gotten over my little shyness issue ♡

I think shyness is also part of it! Well done for overcoming your shyness. I've been quite lucky with some of my villagers so I feel bad that they might just end up in the void when people are searching for them.

 

[ForgottenT]

There's not really any etiquette, it's different every time, some want trades to take place on their island, others don't mind either way.
Always stay near the other player, and don't run unless they do, and obviously don't take their resources.
That's about it.
People do tend to like fast trades, just a simple Hi when you enter, and thanks before you leave, or use the emotions.

 

[Gazer297]

I never thought I would be able to go online. I really wanted the different color monsters so I ended up trying it. I have really bad anxiety and my hands shake so it is not easy for me. I can feel my blood pressure go up evertime I have to visit someone or they come to get something from me. I feel like Im going to screw up something everytime. My desire to get some of the items though has been stronger than my fear which I guess is a good thing. I cant tell you how intimidating it is when I am trying to type out hi and they already said a couple of sentences...lol. Oh well it was worth it , I got my monsters which I love and continued to sell and trade for things I really wanted.

 

[seularin]

i've traded a lot on tbt and other sites and i'm still scared as hell; i always get anxious--"type faster rin TYPE FASTER"--and i usually feel awkward hshdha

 

[Mary]

I'm an introvert as well, and it was definitely hard for me starting out! It got easier though, and I really enjoy it now!

Some stuff that may help:
TBT are the bells under your sidebar! As of this post, you had 305 tbt. You earn them by posting in certain boards. To donate tbt, you would click the bells under my sidebar and type in how many you want to donate. People use them to trade and to get collectibles and stuff.

As far as trading etiquette goes, here's how I usually trade (this is just a suggestion/template), not a hard and fast set of rules!!

It doesn't usually matter which island you go to, you can just ask the person which they'd prefer.

If they're coming to yours, I'd send the TBT before the trade if I'm buying, and have the items on hand if I'm selling. I wait near the airport. When they arrive, I say a quick hello and drop their stuff, then say thank you and they go home via airport. Most people use dodo codes out of convenience and send them via private message.

The same procedure applies if you're going to someone else's place.

Also, unless they say it's ok, it's generally considered a little rude to run, pick up stuff/flowers/fruit, or wander around. But you can always ask beforehand if you can go to the shops and stuff, there's no harm in asking.

I hope this helped a bit, I find that with my anxiety, having some guidelines helps.

 

[minimoon]

I'm an introvert as well, and it was definitely hard for me starting out! It got easier though, and I really enjoy it now!

Some stuff that may help:
TBT are the bells under your sidebar! As of this post, you had 305 tbt. You earn them by posting in certain boards. To donate tbt, you would click the bells under my sidebar and type in how many you want to donate. People use them to trade and to get collectibles and stuff.

As far as trading etiquette goes, here's how I usually trade (this is just a suggestion/template), not a hard and fast set of rules!!

It doesn't usually matter which island you go to, you can just ask the person which they'd prefer.

If they're coming to yours, I'd send the TBT before the trade if I'm buying, and have the items on hand if I'm selling. I wait near the airport. When they arrive, I say a quick hello and drop their stuff, then say thank you and they go home via airport. Most people use dodo codes out of convenience and send them via private message.

The same procedure applies if you're going to someone else's place.

Also, unless they say it's ok, it's generally considered a little rude to run, pick up stuff/flowers/fruit, or wander around. But you can always ask beforehand if you can go to the shops and stuff, there's no harm in asking.

I hope this helped a bit, I find that with my anxiety, having some guidelines helps.

That helps a lot! Thank you. I realised that TBT was to do with this forum but I feel a bit stupid for not spotting them there

It also really helps to know I'm not the only one who's a bit scared! Really impressed that those of you who suffer anxiety have managed to go online and enjoy trading.

 

[Romaki]

I was! But people on this site can be so sweet. Lots of them accept just communicating through emotions. And also most people know the chat is pretty bad in-game, so no one really expects more than "hi / ty / bye" anyway! Just go to the Airport section of this forum and find a busy thread that interests you (like for a shop, NPC or DIY). Loads of people will be there and there won't be as much pressure on a single person.

 

[mayortiffany]

I think that TBT is one of the best sites to use if you're new to trading because of the feedback system and the kind community that we have.

In terms of tips I have, I think that the above posters have listed some great tips, but here's some more:

- Make sure that your items are ready to trade before you visit someone else's island or when someone visits. For maximum fairness, both people may want to drop their items at the same time. For TBT, I personally prefer to make the transaction once I meet up with the seller and I verify the item and colour is correct.
- Read the rules that people have, if they have any, and don't be afraid to set your own rules and boundaries as well! Some people will fence off areas so you can only stay in one region, for example. Generally, it is good practise to not enter other areas of the island or to do things like pick flowers or go shopping without permission or communicating that ahead of time.
- Feedback! It's super useful for traders in the future to learn more about what you or your trading partner is like. Leaving feedback promptly after the trade can help build up your trading reputation and theirs.
- Be nice, treat people the way they want to be treated. Be open with your communication and try to respond promptly to trade requests and negotiations. Sometimes, people forget that there are real humans behind the trading screen, unfortunately. Communication is key. It's easiest to do this through the PM feature once you get to the negotiation stage of a trade.
- Watch out for scams, and don't be afraid to protect yourself. This is extremely, extremely rare on TBT, but if someone for example takes your items and is running to the airport without payment, don't be afraid turn your Switch into sleep mode or close the game so they can't get away. Don't be afraid to leave negative feedback if it's appropriate to! But this is really the minority of cases on TBT.

If you're looking to set up your own shop or trading thread, my general advice would be to make it as clear as you can, outlining any rules you may have and what you're looking for. Many people like to use sites like Nook.Exchange or Nookazon to share wishlists with one another!

Oh, and if you come across the phrase "touch trading", it means that you will pick up another person's items and put them into your pockets, then drop them on the floor so the other person can pick them up again. You don't keep the items, but they will be added to your catalogue, so that if it is orderable, you can order it from Nook Shopping!

 

[Merritt]

I have to agree with a very emphatic YES. I suffer from wicked anxiety/introversion and the thought of visiting villagers who aren't my friends/SO is anxiety-inducing. I'm afraid I'll accidentally do something that breaks AC etiquette or lowball someone on trading so at the moment I'm content with just lurking threads and trying to get a better understanding of trading in-game.

 

[Romaki]

OP, if you want to test the waters I'd be happy to host/visit and get you your missing fruits. No chatting necessary!

 

[mistakenolive]

Also, the Nook Link app is pretty cool. It's an app for your (IRL) phone that let's you scan QR codes made in New Leaf and Happy Home Designer (two previous AC games) into your New Horizons game. More importantly it let's you use your phone's keyboard to chat in-game, which is much faster to do than trying to use the in-game keyboard. The only reason I don't use it more often is it divides your attention between typing on your phone and watching your Switch's screen, lol. Another feature is voice chat, even easier!

You can learn more about setting it up and using it here.

 

[trashpedia]

Yep! I still kinda am but so far my experiences have been amazing so that’s nice.

 

[Etown20]

It can be simultaneously weird and charming that the in game communication is so limited. My interactions have all been positive so far, but you don't always know what is going to happen, which can be strange.

Someone came to my island earlier this week to make a simple trade. I expected her just to make the trade and leave but she stayed a few more minutes to visit my Able Sisters and water my flowers, which was nice, it was just odd not knowing how long she was going to stay or what she planned to do, haha.

 

[JasonBurrows]

If they're coming to yours, I'd send the TBT before the trade if I'm buying, and have the items on hand if I'm selling.

I would not even do that...
I would send like 1%-10% (Depending on the amount and if I wouldn't be bothered about losing it) first and then pay the remaining balance as soon as I have received the items.

But then again, I have good feedback and I used to be Site Manager of an Animal Crossing auction site (and can prove it when I am on my computer as I am typing this message on my phone) and so I guess that I have the reputation behind me

 

[senbeiiscool]

When I first started trading online for New Leaf I was a little afraid, but once I got a few trades done, I got over it pretty fast because I really wanted some limited items haha