Opinions: Community changing

[Spooky.]

Does anyone else feel like the AC fandom/community has changed with New Horizons being out?

Personally I feel like a lot of the kindness and overall spirit of giving/helping now is kind of...lost?

I do see a lot of giveaways, mainly on twitter, but I feel like people used to be more so giving and willing to help people out than they are now. Don't get me wrong, I don't feel entitled to anything free (never would) but it seems like people just want a lot more now than before? I suppose all the people who charge fees just to do something that's essentially free on their island makes it seem so. It felt like in New Leaf people constantly offered to let people use shops and the salons, etc, but now everyone seems to want 'entrance fees' for things that cost nothing and it seems so different to me now.

More so though of what's bugging me is that the community as a whole doesn't seem so friendly this time around? It could be in part because I'm taking part in the twitter community whereas I didn't before, and I've seen so much drama and toxic behavior over a game that's supposed to be soothing and calming and about growth and bonding. It boggles my mind how people seem so rude, starting drama over villagers and what they look like, and even as far to see people stalking/doxxing people because they felt like they were scammed. It's been putting me off the community this time around, I just don't get the same loving vibes as I used to. I've been met with a lot of rudeness and people flat out ignoring me, even when I try to offer them help for free.

Is it just me? Maybe I've gotten more sensitive being stuck at home day and night lol

 

[Saga]

I felt that way too, but there are still lots of generous people!

This thread is for free crafting/trades/cataloging/shopping/visits. Lots of people, including me, have posted who want to help others and just have fun playing as a community.

You have to dig harder for other players who share your playstyle, true, but they're definitely out there.

 

[R. Planet]

The game is pretty mainstream right now and some people can't do anything without making a "profit" (its video game money people).

I'm sure it'll go back to normal. I would never charge anyone anything for anything. I don't get it. If I ever get tired of my Raymond I'll just let someone take him. I don't need some ungodly sum of make believe money in return. It's nonsense.

 

[solace]

I think a couple of us still exist

The Free Traders Thread?

I got the idea after seeing a lot of responses in my nook miles ticket rant thread. So many people have stated that they are so discouraged by the situation that they don't even want to participate in trades here. Would anyone be interested if I made a thread in the market boards where people...

www.belltreeforums.com

I just spent time with a lovely member in this thread today and it was like ACNL all over again! Also, a shoutout to Mairen who is always positive and generous!

 

[UglyMonsterFace]

I think it's because 1) the game is new and everyone is looking to gain bells/items/etc for themselves and 2) the game has become more mainstream, meaning a lot of new people coming in that haven't been part of the community before that have different mindsets. But once the game gets older, and everyone becomes richer and richer, I'm sure it'll settle down again Of course the game is new so people want to profit rather than giveaway for free. But I wouldn't say the kindness is gone. There are still plenty of kind people who charge reasonable prices or just give away for free.

 

[solace]

This thread is for free crafting/trades/cataloging/shopping/visits. Lots of people, including me, have posted who want to help others and just have fun playing as a community.

AHA! Great minds

 

[trashpedia]

Tbh yeah. I remember when Animal Crossing was kinda niche and people would say its a stupid game because there's no point to it. Now, it seems like everyone is hopping on the trend, but I can see that dying down a little bit as I'm hearing people complain about how clunky NH is and how the Easter event was awful. Those same people talk about how they stopped playing altogether and went back to Forager and Stardew Valley.

I'd say give it some time.

 

[Hay]

I think the issue is everyone wants their dreamies, so they sell what they got or use what they got to their advantage. With the new characters being out, the only way to get them is by luck or a NMT. I think once TBT is back and the games out for longer, things will die down. Thats my theory though and I may be wrong c:

 

[-Apples-]

Despite how people have changed since the new game, I’m still the same as always. As an Animal Crossing player, I tend to be nice to others during online play. I would get desperate for In-game Bells and TBT Bells though, but even at my worst I wouldn’t do anything bad as a way to earn them.

 

[John Wick]

I'm appalled by the greed.

The amount of NMT's for a single item.

I hope there are still some decent people willing to trade for TBT or in game bells as I said in another post.

I feel like I hardly recognize anyone anymore.

Everyone was generous and fair in the New Leaf era, now it's pure greed.

 

[Sanaki]

I definitely feel like it's changed. I wish I could let people in for DIY's that villagers craft for free, but my internet is so unstable in my apartment. :c Game is still relatively new so they want to get what they want, myself included. I would do more villager giveaways if I wasn't struggling myself.

Feels like people have changed on this site too.

 

[danib]

I honestly can't really tell if the community here has changed because I only joined communities some weeks ago. I used to solo play and wasn't interested in large communities before.

However, I have had such pleasant interactions with people here and on Reddit! Maybe I have gotten lucky but I have met really generous people and I feel so happy! I hope everyone gets to experience their fair share of luck and generosity as well! I have been planning on getting back to the community and the people who have helped me in a not so distant future

 

[tajikey]

Like others have said, the perceived greed will dial back. I don't think it would be this nuts if the world weren't in the midst of a pandemic. When I invite folks to grab a recipe, tips are optional, but when I visit, I tip 100% of the time. I don't do it as a trade for the item, I do it as a consideration for the person's time in posting and managing the process.

 

[Imbri]

I tend to play solo, so I haven't had much direct interaction with others, except in the forums. Even here, I lurk a lot more than I post, because it sometimes seems that just expressing an opinion that differs from the crowd too much can cause knives out.

I hope it's a temporary condition and the community will find balance again. Until then, I'll keep to the sidelines and be very careful about whom I deal with directly.

 

[kiwikenobi]

I agree that the community seems different now, but I would attribute a lot of that to the game's instant massive popularity, and thousands of people flooding here and other places who had never been part of an Animal Crossing community before. Any group that big is bound to have a few bad apples mixed in. And I think, like others have said, it should calm down as time passes, and many people who picked up the game at launch stop playing.

But I wonder if having to pay for the Nintendo Online subscription is part of it, because that's a big difference with New Horizons that was not present in previous games. Before, any and everyone who bought the game could play with anyone else on the internet. Now only people who paid for the ability to play online can do so. I used to host a lot of giveaways in New Leaf. But now I don't intend to because it would cost me extra real-life money to do so.

 

[5cm/s]

i've noticed a huge change too and it makes me kind of sad- the ac community a couple years ago was miles nicer about everything. i do think it has to do with the huge influx of new ac players, and to be fair i have been branching out more to other social media for trades and visits (a couple years back i pretty much exclusively used tbtf, and i know our community is generally on the nicer side), so this might be why i keep seeing a lot of rude players ;;

i'm trying to be as generous as i can with what little i have so far, but i can't jump in to offer free/cheap things every single time i see an exorbitant asking price anymore because there's SUCH an influx of these kinds of fees and crazy prices.

hoping things die down eventually and people chill out with trying so hard to profit- it's not the point of the game to acquire so much so fast anyway

 

[blinkcrossing]

I honestly feel a lot of the generosity and giving is still with the community, it's just on hold right now. Since nearly everyone is using entry fees/charging for services, everyone is following suit since it is seen as the normal thing to do. As time goes by, it should calm down though.

 

[Saga]

My favorite in-game experience so far has been having someone over to do a trade, but since I was having a meteor shower I invited them to hang out. We wished on stars together for almost half an hour! It was just super fun and relaxing, and felt like spending time with a friend rather than a business partner.

I honestly can't really tell if the community here has changed because I only joined communities some weeks ago. I used to solo play and wasn't interested in large communities before.

However, I have had such pleasant interactions with people here and on Reddit! Maybe I have gotten lucky but I have met really generous people and I feel so happy! I hope everyone gets to experience their fair share of luck and generosity as well! I have been planning on getting back to the community and the people who have helped me in a not so distant future

Yes, though I think it helps that you're also quite generous. (I was so happy when you hosted your cataloging party. If you ever have another one, please let me know!)

I think when you put positivity out there, you often get the same in return, at least in Animal Crossing.

 

[goro]

Give it time, it's a new game and people get kinda crazy.
The issue of griefing with the best friends system that plagued the older games is gone now too... But 10 NMT for, say, some shoes is pretty... What

 

[Carole]

I thought it was due to the fact that I'm getting older and possibly less patient with others' attitudes! LOL I am a solo player and all I know about the community is what I read on the forums.

It seems to me that very few are actually ENJOYING the game. Instead, they feel a need to have an absolutely perfect town in all respects, instantly, which is a lot of work and they aren't enjoying the work one bit. Or at least that is my perception.

Animal Crossing is by nature a very laid back, non-competitive game, but so many people seem to feel they are competing for the best town or something. Or maybe it is just me and they really are laid back? Or maybe we are all on edge due to the virus situation and how it is affecting each of us in our daily lives. I don't know. I just feel so sad for anyone who isn't having fun with this terrific game.