Major island overhaul

[HappyTails]

I'm about to start a big project. A complete overhaul of my island. Granted I'm not technically done with it but I'm starting to not like how it's turning out.
It's times like this where I'm grateful they gave us the ability to terraform and move buildings. I said yesterday that I was happy with how it was turning out, but I think I jinxed myself. XD

So this can be turned into a discussion thread, has anyone else done a major overhaul and if so, did you regret it or did it turn out better than you expected?

 

[707]

I always regretted it and then after all the time I put into it I'd just be like eh and leave it the way it was because I was too lazy to put it back
It's sad:'(

 

[HappyTails]

Well that's unfortunate. I'm sorry to hear that your island didn't turn out the way you wanted. Hopefully you will grow to love it after some time.

 

[Aurita]

Ah I did! I terraformed and moved my villagers into a neighborhood and has this whole modern vibe but then grew to dislike it ): so I tore everything down and moved everyone to the beaches and started over and made my island more “natural” and I’m happy with it for now!

 

[707]

Well that's unfortunate. I'm sorry to hear that your island didn't turn out the way you wanted. Hopefully you will grow to love it after some time.

I restarted instead BUT I've learned to take my time with things & dont rush
You dont have to do it all at once
Everything will come together eventually!

 

[Nami]

I've had similar thoughts recently. I'm not even quite done with my island either and I'm planning changes to the areas that have long been done.

Granted, I'm going to try and not do a major overhaul and maybe just update and add things to make my theme more consistent throughout. I just hope that doesnt turn out bad otherwise itll turn into an even bigger project loool.

 

[HappyTails]

Ah I did! I terraformed and moved my villagers into a neighborhood and has this whole modern vibe but then grew to dislike it ): so I tore everything down and moved everyone to the beaches and started over and made my island more “natural” and I’m happy with it for now!

Yeah, my island was okay, but then everything started not looking right and something about the entire island was bugging me, and I don't want to restart since I don't want to have to go through unlocking everything again, such a pain, so I decided to just scrap it and start over. Everyone is currently being moved to the beach on my island as well.

I restarted instead BUT I've learned to take my time with things & dont rush
You dont have to do it all at once
Everything will come together eventually!

Same here, I try to only do a little bit at a time but something went wrong along the way lol. But yeah, I'm definitely going to be taking my time.

I've had similar thoughts recently. I'm not even quite done with my island either and I'm planning changes to the areas that have long been done.

Granted, I'm going to try and not do a major overhaul and maybe just update and add things to make my theme more consistent throughout. I just hope that doesnt turn out bad otherwise itll turn into an even bigger project loool.

Yeah, I could do that just move things around and whatnot but I don't know, I don't think that's going to work for me. But yeah the worry of it not turning out right is always there, but I figured why not just give it a try.

 

[Sharksheep]

I scrapped my initial design that I made back in like April and stopped because I got too far in my second design. My current one has some elements from my first design.

I am changing my camp site again. Debating if I should move it or keep in the same area and work around it. So many choices.

 

[HappyTails]

I scrapped my initial design that I made back in like April and stopped because I got too far in my second design. My current one has some elements from my first design.

I am changing my camp site again. Debating if I should move it or keep in the same area and work around it. So many choices.

Yeah there are a lot of choices, I love the idea of customizing and changing our islands to our liking, however it can get a bit overwhelming.

And I know this is going to be very time consuming and probably annoying, but then I figured, what else do I have to do? *shrugs*

 

[Sharksheep]

Yeah there are a lot of choices, I love the idea of customizing and changing our islands to our liking, however it can get a bit overwhelming.

I know that some people really like looking at island tour videos and social media to get inspiration but it doesn't work well for me. I gave into the time travel to move building fasters. Just moving all your villager houses take a week and a half if you didn't mess up the placement.

 

[supernerd]

I also reset my island after a major terraforming disaster. I thought I knew what I was doing when I started, then I was in a larger hole than when I first started. Since my restart, I've been planning one part of my island at a time, and while it's taking longer to finish than most others (and I'm envious because I look at these beautiful islands like ?? how ??) I find that I'm happier living with part of it not finished, and slowly deciding what to do next, rather than work myself into a corner where I feel like restarting again ... because I really never want to do that again honestly.

 

[HappyTails]

I know that some people really like looking at island tour videos and social media to get inspiration but it doesn't work well for me. I gave into the time travel to move building fasters. Just moving all your villager houses take a week and a half if you didn't mess up the placement.

I don't look at island tours or anything because I have a bad habit of comparing my island to other people's and it ends up discouraging me. But I get that it works for some people.

Yeah the wait a day feature for everything is annoying but like I said, what else am I doing? The one time I time traveled in New Leaf I messed something up so I'm kind of eh about it in New Horizon.

 

[DJStarstryker]

Yeah there are a lot of choices, I love the idea of customizing and changing our islands to our liking, however it can get a bit overwhelming.

And I know this is going to be very time consuming and probably annoying, but then I figured, what else do I have to do? *shrugs*

That's why I decided to take it slow for myself. It was quite a while after I unlocked terraforming that I even messed with the tool. I've been super slow about changing anything with it.

The people who flatten their islands completely to start with a blank slate... I can't do that. THAT would be overwhelming to me.

 

[Aurita]

Yeah, my island was okay, but then everything started not looking right and something about the entire island was bugging me, and I don't want to restart since I don't want to have to go through unlocking everything again, such a pain, so I decided to just scrap it and start over. Everyone is currently being moved to the beach on my island as well.



Same here, I try to only do a little bit at a time but something went wrong along the way lol. But yeah, I'm definitely going to be taking my time.



Yeah, I could do that just move things around and whatnot but I don't know, I don't think that's going to work for me. But yeah the worry of it not turning out right is always there, but I figured why not just give it a try.

yeah I debated for a while since it’s such a big time commitment and also started TT at that point bc I didn’t have the patience lol

definitely take it one section at a time! I did small chunks so I didn’t get burnt out too fast

 

[HappyTails]

I also reset my island after a major terraforming disaster. I thought I knew what I was doing when I started, then I was in a larger hole than when I first started. Since my restart, I've been planning one part of my island at a time, and while it's taking longer to finish than most others (and I'm envious because I look at these beautiful islands like ?? how ??) I find that I'm happier living with part of it not finished, and slowly deciding what to do next, rather than work myself into a corner where I feel like restarting again ... because I really never want to do that again honestly.

This exactly. The first 3 islands I reset was for this very reason. Terraforming can really be overwhelming. I'm not restarting my current island, but it is getting a complete revamp.

 

[supernerd]

This exactly. The first 3 islands I reset was for this very reason. Terraforming can really be overwhelming. I'm not restarting my current island, but it is getting a complete revamp.

I feel like you've probably learned a lot from your past islands, so this is going to be a piece of cake for you. When you're done, I'd love to see what you do! I hope you take before/after pics because those can keep you going when you see where you started from to where you've made it to.

 

[HappyTails]

I feel like you've probably learned a lot from your past islands, so this is going to be a piece of cake for you. When you're done, I'd love to see what you do! I hope you take before/after pics because those can keep you going when you see where you started from to where you've made it to.

Oh yeah, I definitely have pictures of before and after. I take pics of everything, even irrelevant stuff. XD

That's why I decided to take it slow for myself. It was quite a while after I unlocked terraforming that I even messed with the tool. I've been super slow about changing anything with it.

The people who flatten their islands completely to start with a blank slate... I can't do that. THAT would be overwhelming to me.

Yeah, I applaud those who flatten and start from a blank slate. I can't do that. My attention span and lack of patience will not allow it lol
It's always best to take it slow. I went ham on my first 3 islands and it caused me to restart them lol

yeah I debated for a while since it’s such a big time commitment and also started TT at that point bc I didn’t have the patience lol

definitely take it one section at a time! I did small chunks so I didn’t get burnt out too fast

It is a big time commitment, but I figured I have nothing else to do so why not wait. But I"m sure my patience will not allow me to deal with the 'wait a day' nonsense and I'll probably end up TT as well.


As I typed out these responses, an idea just popped into my head for a certain section of my island.

 

[Lanstar]

I'm doing an island overhaul myself. I originally designed my island to look very neat and tidy, mostly because I was in the middle of breeding all the different kinds of hybrid flowers. Now that I've done that, I felt like trying for a more natural and scattered look reminiscent of older animal crossing game layouts.

Take caution, though: Things will get worse before they get better - So do try to make a good plan for your town. For instance, I literally drew on top of a screenshot of my island map using a painting program to help me redesign it.

 

[HappyTails]

I'm doing an island overhaul myself. I originally designed my island to look very neat and tidy, mostly because I was in the middle of breeding all the different kinds of hybrid flowers. Now that I've done that, I felt like trying for a more natural and scattered look reminiscent of older animal crossing game layouts.

Take caution, though: Things will get worse before they get better - So do try to make a good plan for your town. For instance, I literally drew on top of a screenshot of my island map using a painting program to help me redesign it.

I see people using painting programs and apps. I might look into one and see if it's for me. Yeah, I need to start using flowers more. The poor flowers on my island get ignored. XD


I'm not going to lie, I was about to reset, but then I decided not to. I decided to take on this challenge, and I'm not going to cop out by resetting.Luckily don't think I"m going to need to move all my villagers houses to beach since most of their houses aren't in the way. I'm really not a fan of this 'wait a day' system.

 

[mirukushake]

I just started an island overhaul. My resident services is just slightly off-center so I keep redoing the entrance part of my island over and over to find a layout that won't make me crazy, and the surrounding areas get changed along with it. I'm having fun alternating terraforming and going to lots of islands/dream addressed for inspiration though. Not so fun is all the bells and TT needed to move buildings around for the millionth time