I feel you, I stopped playing the game for the longest time, because it felt like there was nothing new for me to play around with and it still feels that way. While having new custom design slots is fantastic, the game still very much feels barebones. The only thing I really do on the game is decorate my island. I don’t even really play the events because even those feel kinda shallow, it’s usually just get these items and you get this diy!! kinda deal with the events.
[deleted]
- Thread starter VanitasFan26
- Start date
In hindsight, I feel like the updates were handled very poorly.
At first, I was on board with the updates, seeing them as an opportunity to make an already decent game even better. The first couple of updates very awesome: We got Leaf and Redd (back), we got bushes and art, then they added diving and Gullivarr. I felt like the game was expanded in a meaningful way, eventhough these are features older games had from the start.
However, it started to drop off from there. The next big thing was the Dream Suite... It's without a doubt a big addition, however, for me personally, it wasn't very engaging. No new building, no new items... All it offered was the ability to see other towns, a feature I never used when it premiered in New Leaf (add the fact that it didnt even have random dreams at first) and by concept a more 'passive' feature in general.
The next couple of 'updates' that followed, were exclusively for holidays. The Halloween-Update was quite big, but everything in it was tailored towards Halloween: The 'gardening'-feature only serves to grow pumpkins and nothing else so you can use them to craft Halloween-furniture (which is sitting in my storage never to be used again until October). The skin and eye-colours are nice for cosplaying and nothing else. On a surface-level, it feels like a lot of content, but it lacks the 'staying'-power to effectively make an impact on the base experience.
The same can be said about the next update that added new harstyles and, lo and behold, SITTING and a few other emojis. It's nice to have, but in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't change much. This is called Padding.
This isn't a word I like to use for a game that is supposed to receive support for the next two years, but it's how I feel about the recent updates. All the things we've got lately? They're one-offs, shallow, surface-level. It' just more 'stuff'. I struggle to even call the holidays 'updates' because they really are just part of the base experience. The only difference to the old games is that this time, the holidays are bound to real-time and drip-fed to us instead of being hard-coded into the game. A model like this is a waste of time if this is all you're going to do with it. This isn't enough to keep people engaged or to bring them back. But then, what is even the point?
I feel like this backlash could have been avoided if they released an update-schedule, like it is common for Season Passes. This way, people could have come to terms with what the base game has to offer easier. But instead, we never know what's coming and when it's coming. To make matters worse, the datamine revealed a lot of unreleased stuff and set expectations that might or might not be met. It just makes people dissatisfied. Brewster, coffee, gyroids,ceiling-items, new buildings... we'll never know when or if these thing will ever be added. But if the come, it will be far to late. So many players have already dropped off (as is usual for Animal Crossing) and they'll likely never experience the new content. What a shame...
At first, I was on board with the updates, seeing them as an opportunity to make an already decent game even better. The first couple of updates very awesome: We got Leaf and Redd (back), we got bushes and art, then they added diving and Gullivarr. I felt like the game was expanded in a meaningful way, eventhough these are features older games had from the start.
However, it started to drop off from there. The next big thing was the Dream Suite... It's without a doubt a big addition, however, for me personally, it wasn't very engaging. No new building, no new items... All it offered was the ability to see other towns, a feature I never used when it premiered in New Leaf (add the fact that it didnt even have random dreams at first) and by concept a more 'passive' feature in general.
The next couple of 'updates' that followed, were exclusively for holidays. The Halloween-Update was quite big, but everything in it was tailored towards Halloween: The 'gardening'-feature only serves to grow pumpkins and nothing else so you can use them to craft Halloween-furniture (which is sitting in my storage never to be used again until October). The skin and eye-colours are nice for cosplaying and nothing else. On a surface-level, it feels like a lot of content, but it lacks the 'staying'-power to effectively make an impact on the base experience.
The same can be said about the next update that added new harstyles and, lo and behold, SITTING and a few other emojis. It's nice to have, but in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't change much. This is called Padding.
This isn't a word I like to use for a game that is supposed to receive support for the next two years, but it's how I feel about the recent updates. All the things we've got lately? They're one-offs, shallow, surface-level. It' just more 'stuff'. I struggle to even call the holidays 'updates' because they really are just part of the base experience. The only difference to the old games is that this time, the holidays are bound to real-time and drip-fed to us instead of being hard-coded into the game. A model like this is a waste of time if this is all you're going to do with it. This isn't enough to keep people engaged or to bring them back. But then, what is even the point?
I feel like this backlash could have been avoided if they released an update-schedule, like it is common for Season Passes. This way, people could have come to terms with what the base game has to offer easier. But instead, we never know what's coming and when it's coming. To make matters worse, the datamine revealed a lot of unreleased stuff and set expectations that might or might not be met. It just makes people dissatisfied. Brewster, coffee, gyroids,ceiling-items, new buildings... we'll never know when or if these thing will ever be added. But if the come, it will be far to late. So many players have already dropped off (as is usual for Animal Crossing) and they'll likely never experience the new content. What a shame...
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RollingAntony
Senior Member
Just wanted to point out that bringing items from say CF to NL is infinitely easier than NL to NH. Items from previous games are almost the same between entries, NH reimagined a lot of them, even on the little details thanks to the move to HD graphics. YMMV if it was worth the end result.
Regarding your second question, as of 1.8 update there are around 1,135 unique furniture available without any extra thing. If you count color options (because you mentioned the variations), you need some RNG luck to get color variants but you get instant access to customisation which adds a lot (I don't have the exact total, but considering there are around 383 items with this option and most of them have at least 4 variations, then you need to add another 1,149 items to the count). You end with around 2,200 furniture options on your own, without ever getting a variant, which is almost impossible.
For reference, amiibo'd NL had 1,764 unique furniture (the count should be smaller if using similar criteria, as some items were region-locked). If I'm understanding correctly, there were no color variations, just customisation options for some pieces- and again, I don't have the exact total but there seems to be less options than NH. One wiki lists around 180 items with this option and with the same logic, it'll add up 540 extra items. You end with around 2,300 furniture options.
edited because math is hard after a work videocall and i multiplied NL custom x4 instead of x3 like NH.
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LuluLove102
Senior Member
I could have not said it better. I’m having fun with the game but it doesn’t feel like an Animal crossing game if that makes sense. Yes, the villagers are the same, yes, catching bugs and fishing is the same, digging fossils and popping balloons is the same but still, it feels detached. Also, somehow I miss the meany comments some villagers would say to you. I am old enough to enjoy the super mean one in the game cube version but I understand why they decided to make them less strong, but when I played WW I was 9 years old and never felt attacked by some mean comments. On the contrary, they made me laugh and get even more attached to the villagers
Really? Why do they matter? Are they valid?
I don't think as many people are as worried as you are about what you wrote.
This is the big ticket item. Your friends are not interested in the game you want to be interested in. I think it is time to think about moving on temporarily until you feel like coming back.
That would be nice. The only updates I see from Nintendo are on the login screen that cover one month in advance. Do they want to support the game for 3 years? The Switch is getting outdated.
Right, and we all know not every opinion is justified. However, when it comes to things that bring people joy, justification just doesn't matter that much. If the game doesn't bring you joy, stop playing. You can't make your friends do something that isn't fun. Also, the people working on software for Nintendo have been in quarantine like the rest of us and I think that has put a dent in a lot of game companies' plans, so even if you have constructive feedback (and direct it in the right way) it might not even register. A lot of us are flying by the seat of our pants right now. Yes, even grown ups.
Also a lot of people don't have their regular outlets for self-expression right now with the pandemic (I am speaking for myself and friends at least). I read from your post that you might be in that boat. Or that people have pushed you away for expressing yourself. I might be reading too much into things but wanted to highlight those two statements because they seemed the most important.
Lady Timpani
sway
IIRC (and it's entirely possible I don't), Nintendo's plan at launch was updates for the next two years or so.
Anyway, I'm torn. I put a ton of time into ACNH when it first came out due to COVID and all, but other than CF (which I played for like one month, tops), it's the game where I lost interest the quickest, too. I've never been terribly interested in redesigning my town layout, although I know that's a major draw to ACNH for a lot of people. So when that was basically all there was to do, I started to lose steam. I also haven't found interacting with the villagers (my main draw to the series) to be all that fulfilling, so I've only been playing on the holiday updates. I'm looking forward to the Sanrio collab, though!
I do find the lack of certain features strange-- namely the Nook store upgrades. I'm not sure why we've been locked at the sam size store for a year. Ditto with Gyroids. Somebody else pointed out that certain NPCs just don't have a role anymore, so I can understand their exclusion, but there are other things that just don't seem to have any rhyme or reason to not being in the game.
I see this as a transition period for the franchise. They introduced a huge change with the terraforming, and I think the next game will refine that and possibly bring back some older elements people have been missing. Either way I think we'll have a better idea of what future games will be like after the next game, and which demographic they're trying to appeal to.
VanitasFan26
I'm just a ghost.
I misworded the whole concerned thing and how people should take what I say with a grain of salt. I'm sorry its just that because I've had bad experiences with people especially when I gotten into an argument with my friend who told me to "suck it up" when we were arguing about the online not being better. I get frustrated when people do that and thats the part I meant is toxic and why I worded the way I originally did. I was only speaking for myself and not others so I can see why people would interrupt it that way.
Let me clear up something both sides who love the game and dislike the game are not toxic and both of them are different in their own ways to express how you feel about the game. I get that and I understand better of what the intention is. The problem is that when you have certain people who sneak in and tries to act like your opinion doesn't matter it rubs me and others the wrong way. That was the problem I was having.
I know what I'm saying is not going to change others opinions and thats fine because again everyone has different viewpoints and opinions but the thing is we should not be too defensive whenever someone like calls out a flaw in the game, it should be acknowledged.
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MayorofMapleton
Mayor of Mapleton, now Island Rep. of Oldenbell
Anything at this point is just a bonus. Animal Crossing naturally has a 1 year lifespan, that's how long it takes to experience everything and collect everything.
I have done that, I have the island the way I want besides small things. Anything else is good but I'm content.
I got my 1 year fill of animal crossing and I'm happy with that and whatever comes.
I have done that, I have the island the way I want besides small things. Anything else is good but I'm content.
I got my 1 year fill of animal crossing and I'm happy with that and whatever comes.
It's pretty crazy all the games only have that one year lifespan because after that, every single event is just a repeat of the year before. (I mean you can of course continue playing and collecting items and designing and such, but within the core of the game, there is nothing new) It's pretty exciting that we'll continue getting new things to experience as time goes on including new items for events, which has been a dream of mine since the first game. I'm optimistic about the future of New Horizons.
That’s something they could have brought back in NH and it would have made a tremendous update to villager personalities. The thing I didn’t like about that in WW was it would be the first thing they tell you every time if you don’t fulfill their request.
Yeah, that makes sense. After you get through all of the holidays, other than a few added items or whatever, I'm assuming it will all be about the same. I haven't been playing for a year yet, and so I haven't gotten to that point. But I assume that once I do, there will be less to do and less to be interested in.
But I'm also assuming that's how the other versions of animal crossing have been as well? And then a new version is released and everyone gets to start all over again.
I've probably mentioned it somewhere around where before, but we could use more DIY items. We have items seen in game that the player can't obtain.
Mannequins are displayed at the Able Sisters and are dressed but the player can't make mannequins and dress them so we can display them in the house our around the island. I'm sure there are plenty of players with themed islands who would like mannequins.
We crafted food items for Thanksgiving like the pumpkin pie, but we can't make one to display in the house?
Harvey has a unique fence design, why can't we make fencing like his?
I don't think it'd take too much to add. Just add in more DIY recipe cards and add what's needed to craft.
Mannequins are displayed at the Able Sisters and are dressed but the player can't make mannequins and dress them so we can display them in the house our around the island. I'm sure there are plenty of players with themed islands who would like mannequins.
We crafted food items for Thanksgiving like the pumpkin pie, but we can't make one to display in the house?
Harvey has a unique fence design, why can't we make fencing like his?
I don't think it'd take too much to add. Just add in more DIY recipe cards and add what's needed to craft.
I know the topic title is about the future of New Horizon, but I wanted to talk about the updates and the future of them. Personally the drip-fed update mechanic never sat right with me. My biggest concern with the updates is how we don't really know what is coming back and a lot of the previous base game stuff has been slowly added and or may never come back.
That's not the issue I am referring to though, bear with me. My concern is that it feels unfair for those who bought the game in the beginning and those who bought it 6 months down the road, mid life, and at the end of its life. You can't deny how bare the game was at the start. We finally got some nice updates like Solio mentioned in their post, but after that it kind of petered out and it was kind of superficial updates. Like half the emotions the villagers were able to do at the start (and we still can't do all of their activities)
I know some of my friends and strangers have already stopped playing the game. Burn out happens with AC, but my friends left the game even before the previous games because the staying power just wasn't there. Now someone who picks up the game to experience it for the first time a year from now and at the end of its life will have the staying power because the base game stuff from previous titles will possibly exist. Like Brewster, gyroids, the island mini-games ect.
But to me, that isn't fair for someone who picked it up at day 1. It's fine if it took 6 months for the base stuff to come back. But it hasn't and they also time locked holidays to have a forced 'staying power' for those who might experience stuff faster then those who would wait for the game to happen in real time.
Sure it's guaranteed that we will get more updates. And I will probably still be here to see what goodies are in store, but there's a difference between experiencing the game for the first time with all of the content for you to experience at your own leisurely time (whether that is hardcore fast or chill and slow) and checking out the updates once that initial new game glow wears off.
That's not the issue I am referring to though, bear with me. My concern is that it feels unfair for those who bought the game in the beginning and those who bought it 6 months down the road, mid life, and at the end of its life. You can't deny how bare the game was at the start. We finally got some nice updates like Solio mentioned in their post, but after that it kind of petered out and it was kind of superficial updates. Like half the emotions the villagers were able to do at the start (and we still can't do all of their activities)
I know some of my friends and strangers have already stopped playing the game. Burn out happens with AC, but my friends left the game even before the previous games because the staying power just wasn't there. Now someone who picks up the game to experience it for the first time a year from now and at the end of its life will have the staying power because the base game stuff from previous titles will possibly exist. Like Brewster, gyroids, the island mini-games ect.
But to me, that isn't fair for someone who picked it up at day 1. It's fine if it took 6 months for the base stuff to come back. But it hasn't and they also time locked holidays to have a forced 'staying power' for those who might experience stuff faster then those who would wait for the game to happen in real time.
Sure it's guaranteed that we will get more updates. And I will probably still be here to see what goodies are in store, but there's a difference between experiencing the game for the first time with all of the content for you to experience at your own leisurely time (whether that is hardcore fast or chill and slow) and checking out the updates once that initial new game glow wears off.
I feel like they will get all of the great features out, but it's clearly going to take a few years. Brewster and mini games (like those found on the island in NL) are what I miss most. I find myself logging in to do a few routine things and that's it. I'm mostly playing Bowser's Fury for now.
The cooking mechanic would be amazing and would get me playing more/again. recently stopped, I need to get back in. I really enjoyed Turkey Day because of it. I just wish we could also do that, make the items at a kitchen item, use them for friendship boost points and for décor. I wonder if it would be something that would come after Brewster.
VanitasFan26
I'm just a ghost.
Its very interesting how after the 20th anniversary of New Horizons the community is more divided than ever since they didn't get anything "new". Felt like those speculations got out of hand. I was afraid this was going to happen.
As someone who was kinda hoping there was going to be an update announcement, it's honestly kind of silly.
We're due to get another update of some description sometime soon, going by the fact that the Nook Shopping event items are going to run out in the next couple of weeks... but we're very much still in the space of the 1.9.0 update. It's the longest space between updates since November-January, but it's not REMOTELY as long as that.
Something new's on the horizon.
VanitasFan26
I'm just a ghost.
I know we will get updates. Only problem is that we really don't know when.
sleepydreepy
legendary egg
yeah like I've explained in some of my past posts, I really think Nintendo could be doing so much more with ACNH. the game is such a success and therefore has so much potential, but it seems like they are doing the bare minimum with each update. like others I've been hoping for QOL updates or new game mechanics that would take this game to the next level, because now that I've played a few other farming sims/life sims in addition to ACNH, I can see how bland this game really is. don't get me wrong, I love AC, but after playing ACNH for one year I'm getting less and less interested in finishing my island. I've run out of things to do in the game and lost the inspiration to keep decorating. the updates make me more frustrated than satisfied, and I am just really disappointed in Nintendo. there are so many good video games out there and it seems like Nintendo is falling behind, first with pokemon and now AC. maybe they need a new team or something cause this just aint it.
While there are games I take more seriously (e.g. Fire Emblem), Animal Crossing is not one of them. For this reason, I don't feel we need anything new, I'm rather happy with the way the game is now. Of course, it'd be awesome to get more updates, and I'm sure we will, but I don't necessarily feel like we need to rush toward them.
