Hi, I'm The4thDoctor, and I have a New Leaf Anti-Addiction.
I bought the game when it came out in June, 2 years ago, and I had a very memorable town for 6 months. In December, I reset it. I didn't like the layout, which is reasonable enough. But then a month later I did it again. And later, again. Now, it's June, 2 years since release, and I have yet to have a town to last as long or longer than my original town. The reason isn't because I keep resetting though. It's because I can't stay consistent with playing daily and lose motivation. In my original town, I played everyday for 6 months. I think I might have missed one day out of the entire lifespan of that town. Furthermore, when I first started out, I time traveled day by day to July, getting stuff like the QR machine and museum upgrades. Then, I went back to June with all my upgrades and just played day by day as if nothing happened. So basically, the problems that make up my New Leaf Anti-Addiction are my lack of motivation to play day after day (Despite wishing I could be playing), the fact that part of me wants to time travel and the other part doesn't, nostalgia probably, and thinking about having to...*shudders* plot reset villagers...
Oh, and Animal Crossing for Wii U coming out soon(TM).
Should I try my hardest to keep playing and get a town I can enjoy, or should I just wait for AC Wii U? Do you guys think I got burned out, even though I feel like playing anyway?
Looking forward to AC Wii U? Oh man, nobody tell him.
I think your problem is that you are too okay with time traveling. The thing that keeps this game going on for so many people is the fact that everything in this game happens tomorrow - Your house will be completed tomorrow, PWPs aren't built until tomorrow, maybe you'll find/unlock this or that tomorrow, you might find the fish you were looking for tomorrow.
And since everything is dragged on so much, by the time you complete the first goal you have set for yourself, you'll have come up with a new goal, one that will take another few weeks to put into action.
In my opinion, a town you enjoy playing is usually just the town that you have plans for, a town in which you plan ahead and work to fulfill those plans.
When you start skipping forward to the next day though, things are built and unlocked in rapid succession until you run out of goals. And the moment you lose inspiration and don't know what to do anymore, that's when you lose the urge to play.
I had this same problem. I had it just sitting on my shelf for about 4 months, and never touched it. I just decided one day to get back into the habit of playing, but not daily. I play about anywhere from 5 times a day to once every week. I just had to play it again, and I was hooked, again. Maybe wait for the WiiU game to come out, but don't force yourself to do something you don't want to do. If you want to play, then play. If you want to wait, then wait. But if I were you, I'd try to get back into playing it more often.
I had the same issue. My mother bought the game for me two years ago, the day it was released here on June 9th. I loved it. I played every single day, had DLC, big house etc. I started getting bored around October of the same year. I restarted, kept another town for a month or two, restarted again, the process repeated. I hadn't played it in three months, and I hadn't seriously played it for much longer. But, my friend recently started playing Wild World and subsequently inspired me to play New Leaf again. So, I've been playing every day so far for a little underna week and I'm slowly getting back into the Animal Crossing groove. X3 As for you, just play if you want to, and if you aren't enjoying yourself, stop.
I'm going through the same thing. I can't bring myself to play anymore and I still have the first town I ever picked when the game came out. After a while you just feel like you've played the whole game and it gets super repetitive. I know Animal Crossing Wii U is going to be a very long wait (if it's even happening) so maybe try out Happy Home Designer since it's coming out in September!
I did the same thing. I had my town for over a year, though. I loved it until I started TTing and lost a favorite character. Out of anger (and because of lots of little things I wanted to change) I reset. Then I reset again, and again. I always did as you said, started on the right day but then TT backwards to get certain shops open and such. Then I'd get to the correct day and play like I'd never done that. Or at least that was the plan. Once I'd TTed it seemed okay to TT when something new came up.
Want that villager out? TT. Want to see how that PWP looks? TT. After a while I just don't feel any connection to the town at all. I might end up with all dreamie villagers and everything looking how I want but I just don't feel like it's my town.
So, a few days ago I reset again. This time I am doing no TT. I am playing it like it's a brand new game. Yes I'm going to have to wait for the QR machine, Shampoodle, the gardening shop, etc., but so far just running around gathering fruit and trying to get my approval rating to 100% is challenge enough.
I am thinking about starting a town diary as well. I never did it with my first town and I wish I had.
Okay this will solve your problem! Lose the pressure: Don't force yourself to play everyday. Play it like you would play any other games.
One day/night when youre in the mood, continuously play it by time traveling and doing different things:
-villager errands
-collecting items by buying from shops/trading online
-visitng the island
-organizing your town/making it pretty(landscaping, pwps, laying paths, etc)
Try and play on the weekend or during your free time!
Playing everyday is not a method that works for everybody. Certainly not for me. You have to find what works for you. And if you miss a week or 2 dont be scared to pick it up again! You just have to talk to your villagers again, just to say hi. The worst that could happen is youll find someone missing but youll get over it! Its part of the game. And Ive gone longer then that without playing without anybody leaving so it doesnt always happen!
I've never TT'd to any great extent and just let things unfold, but I played so much that I burnt right out (just over a year after release). I didn't play for a week or so and a couple of my fave villagers moved away, then it just wasn't fun anymore. I stopped playing for 4 or 5 months then picked it up again in March. So you can absolutely burn out, no matter how you play.
I really like what Mick and CrazyCat42 had to say and I think they're right. Perhaps if you play and just let things unfold, rather than TT'ing to force them, you might start to feel a little more connected to your game again. inkling is also right: find what works for you. And bear in mind that what works for you might change over time. TT'ing used to work, but perhaps now letting time flow naturally might work better. Good luck with your experimenting and hope that you find the spark again!
