Help!How can i reserve a spot for a villager?

[AbbieGaming]

I?ve been working really hard to get the ?Perfect? town. I have a planed area for all my Dreamies to live. But the problem is that I've had two new villagers move in, and neither of them used any of my spots reserved for them. They instead destroyed places where I had patterned off. I thought the new Welcome Amiibo update included the feature so that animals will no longer move into an area with patterns?

There?s also the possibility of my area being flawed.
I have attached an image of one of the areas. The holes represent where the house should be built.
Im 200% sure i saw multiple users post tutorials with an example similar to this:

SSSSS
SHHHS
SHHHS
SHHHS
SSHSS
SSSSS
S = Space or Pattern
H = Villager House​

I find it really sad, because one of my dreamies moved in. I let him move away because i had a pwp planned for that specific area. I?ve got an image attached below if it helps.
Please do leave a comment if you have any information, no matter how small. It might be what I'm missing!

For reference:
I?m playing the Digital Copy of ACNL.
It is played on an Old 3DS XL.
Specifically I'm playing Ver 1.5

 

[MapleSilver]

Do they move into specific places or is it completely random? If it's certain spots, you could have missed them. There usually will be a few missed spots, due to the scale of covering your entire town.

If it's random, I really can't help you.

 

[AbbieGaming]

I heard its random if there are no locations available. I’m certaini placed patterns there, and i was wondering if someone could point out whats wrong. I’ll have to check again next time i replace the patterns!

 

[Darby]

If there is something else near the placement then you need to allow for its one square buffer zone so maybe your plot was designed perfectly but just too close to something? Like if you're putting your villager houses next to each other there are two spaces between them because each one requires that buffer.

 

[AbbieGaming]

Ahh, does that mean if i have a pattern on that buffer, the house wont place?

 

[MapleSilver]

Ahh, does that mean if i have a pattern on that buffer, the house wont place?

No, patterns don't count for the buffer zone. They just can't move directly on them. The buffer zone is for "solid" objects, like houses or PWPs.

 

[John Wick]

Yes, they CAN move onto patterns.

I've had plenty of previously lived on 3x3 plots with door space available, and they've ignored them and moved onto patterns.

Many, many times.

The only safe way to get a villager where you want them, is to plot reset, because sometimes, they do move onto patterns for no reason.

 

[AbbieGaming]

No, patterns don't count for the buffer zone. They just can't move directly on them. The buffer zone is for "solid" objects, like houses or PWPs.

Ahhh! That makes sense, thank you!

Yes, they CAN move onto patterns.

I've had plenty of previously lived on 3x3 plots with door space available, and they've ignored them and moved onto patterns.

Many, many times.

The only safe way to get a villager where you want them, is to plot reset, because sometimes, they do move onto patterns for no reason.

From what it seems is that it patterning off areas only work for some people. Are there free space? I have 2 spaces between each pattern. I hope you’ll find a solution!

 

[Darby]

Look, if that picture is where you're trying to plot then from what I can see is, it's right one square from the cliff, maybe it needs to be two squares over instead of just the one. It looks like the very tippy top beneath the beginning of the bridge but I could be wrong or you're just using that space as an example for your understanding of the plot space requirement but you need to take what's right next to it into account.

Wait. Scratch that. My villagers have houses one space from the cliff AND river so it can't be that.

Wait again. Unless the game can put them there but we can't, I give up. Sorry.

 

[John Wick]

Ahhh! That makes sense, thank you!



From what it seems is that it patterning off areas only work for some people. Are there free space? I have 2 spaces between each pattern. I hope you’ll find a solution!

You didn't read my post. :-/

I've had plenty of previously lived on 3x3 plots with door space available, and they've ignored them and moved onto patterns.

Many, many times.

The only safe way to get a villager where you want them, is to plot reset, because sometimes, they do move onto patterns for no reason

 

[AbbieGaming]

Look, if that picture is where you're trying to plot then from what I can see is, it's right one square from the cliff, maybe it needs to be two squares over instead of just the one. It looks like the very tippy top beneath the beginning of the bridge but I could be wrong or you're just using that space as an example for your understanding of the plot space requirement but you need to take what's right next to it into account.

Wait. Scratch that. My villagers have houses one space from the cliff AND river so it can't be that.

Wait again. Unless the game can put them there but we can't, I give up. Sorry.

Player houses have bigger plots than villager houses

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You didn't read my post. :-/

I did. Villagers will ignore paths when moving in if there is no valid area. The no reason part, however, seems to be an error only targeting some users, while others’ have no issue.

 

[John Wick]

Player houses have bigger plots than villager houses

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I did. Villagers will ignore paths when moving in if there is no valid area. The no reason part, however, seems to be an error only targeting some users, while others’ have no issue.

Again.

I said there were several previously inhabited plots available.

 

[Darby]

I thought we were talking about villager houses. I wasn't talking about players because I thought we were discussing villager house plots. Sorry I made you think otherwise.

 

[AbbieGaming]

Oh no its okay. I do have some information though! Ill have to try again when my 9th villager moves in soon.

 

[Loriii]

Fill your town with paths except for the spots that you want the villager to move in, even if it's just the default patterns no matter how hideous they are (they're just going to be temporary anyway) just to make sure you don't miss a spot. Also, I'd still advise to do plot resetting every time. The plot tends to move into the old villager's spot or somewhere else that you don't want them to (assuming it's a valid spot), so be patient. Good luck!

 

[~Unicorn~]

i believe the whole path thing is just a myth. if there’s multiple free spots in your town, they will take whatever one they choose.

just keep plot resetting.

 

[AbbieGaming]

Fill your town with paths except for the spots that you want the villager to move in, even if it's just the default patterns no matter how hideous they are (they're just going to be temporary anyway) just to make sure you don't miss a spot. Also, I'd still advise to do plot resetting every time. The plot tends to move into the old villager's spot or somewhere else that you don't want them to (assuming it's a valid spot), so be patient. Good luck!

Ahhh, i try to avoid plot resetting because switching games is tedious. But if its the only option, im going to have to try.

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i believe the whole path thing is just a myth. if there’s multiple free spots in your town, they will take whatever one they choose.

just keep plot resetting.

Who knows? From what ive heard, a pattern is an invalid area since the Welcome Amiibo update. People have used that to their advantage by placing patterns all over town (with no more than 2 spaces apart) but leave areas where villagers are free to move in.
But yes, plot resetting is truly the only way to make sure.