Patterns DON'T Completely Stop Villagers Plots

[Mayor Ng]

This annoys me so much that the villager that I moved in to my town did not plot in one of the two areas set out for him but in an area I patterned up to avoid plots! So I'm guessing the Amiiboo update did not work and villagers will still move in on patterns I went through the hassle of putting patterns around the town and only leaving 2x2 spaces open because villagers need 3x3 space to plot their houses. Should I have just patterned up the whole town and not leave any space available? Is that how it works. Who ever said villagers don't plot on patterns ?

The villager is Drago the Lazy dragon-like crocodile. I wanted him as one of my permanent residents but now I'm gonna have to move him when the next opportunity arises... and get him back after the twelve villager cycle

 

[necrofantasia]

my friend has been going through the same thing and he's PISSED
he worked the entire day to put patterns down and his villagers still moved into random spots

 

[Mayor Ng]

my friend has been going through the same thing and he's PISSED
he worked the entire day to put patterns down and his villagers still moved into random spots

I know it's just frustrating Definitely not one of the features I like about New Leaf.

 

[Mr_Persona]

Weird, doesn't happen to me. I did it a lot of times in Tokyo and never fails, maybe because I give the villager more extra space in that one spot where I want them to move in. All I can say is maybe the spot where you want them to move doesn't have a bit more extra space for them.

 

[lPeachy]

So last I remember from when I was plotting houses, is that the only reason they WILL move in over patterns is if the plots you left are in areas that don’t have enough room or are too close to rocks/water/cliff/buildings/etc. Also you should be leaving a spot for the door as well, at least that’s what I used to do!

to be safe always have the plots 2 spots away from everything, and plot sizes should be 3x3 plus an extra tile open where the door will be, so

XXX
XXX
XXX
- X -

 

[lyradelphie04]

I always make sure to leave a space for the doorstep. Here's the pattern I use and it worked for Phoebe. It's similar to what IPeachy just posted.

P=pwp/cliff/or something. Just have two patterns between the plot and anywhere else.
A=pattern
E=empty

A A A A A A A A A
P P P A A E E E A
P P P A A E E E A
P P P A A E E E A
A A A A A A E A A

 

[Mayor Ng]

Weird, doesn't happen to me. I did it a lot of times in Tokyo and never fails, maybe because I give the villager more extra space in that one spot where I want them to move in. All I can say is maybe the spot where you want them to move doesn't have a bit more extra space for them.

I'm also suspecting the same thing. I gave them a 3x3 plot but probably not enough spaces between villagers houses or other fixtures.

So last I remember from when I was plotting houses, is that the only reason they WILL move in over patterns is if the plots you left are in areas that don’t have enough room or are too close to rocks/water/cliff/buildings/etc. Also you should be leaving a spot for the door as well, at least that’s what I used to do!

to be safe always have the plots 2 spots away from everything, and plot sizes should be 3x3 plus an extra tile open where the door will be, so

XXX
XXX
XXX
- X -

Similarly to @Mr_Persona, you also agree that it's safe to always have the plots 2 spots away from everything. I read that the extra tile open where the door is should not matter as long as there's a 3x3 spot available and that tile would dissappear when the villager moves in. My assumption at this point is that I did not allocate enough space between buildings & the river.

RRRRRRRR
PPPPPPPPP
BPPXXXPPB
BPPXXXPPB
BPPXXXPPB
PPPPXPPPP
PPPPPPPPP
PPPPPPPPP
SSSSSSSSSS​

R stands for River, P for Patterns, B for Buildings, X for Free Space and S for Town Square. Do you think this would work better? I notice some villagers have houses by the river and only have one space between the house and the river but between houses and the Town Square, I'm guessing it requires 2 extra spaces.

I always make sure to leave a space for the doorstep. Here's the pattern I use and it worked for Phoebe. It's similar to what IPeachy just posted.

P=pwp/cliff/or something. Just have two patterns between the plot and anywhere else.
A=pattern
E=empty

A A A A A A A A A
P P P A A E E E A
P P P A A E E E A
P P P A A E E E A
A A A A A A E A A

Would this apply for other villagers houses and the town square? Your something is not too specific, don't wanna be confused

 

[LadyDestani]

The only times I've ever had issues with villagers plotting over patterns was when the spot I left open for them wasn't a valid one. I think in your case the plot may be too close to the Town Square. I don't know the exact requirements for villager houses near the Town Square, but I know villager houses require 3 spaces vertically between the front of the house and other buildings/houses. If that same requirement also applies to the Town Square then you would need an extra space there. Unfortunately, you can't back the plot up because it also needs to be at least 1 space away from the river, so I don't think that area will work for a villager house.

 

[Mr_Persona]

I'm also suspecting the same thing. I gave them a 3x3 plot but probably not enough spaces between villagers houses or other fixtures.



Similarly to @Mr_Persona, you also agree that it's safe to always have the plots 2 spots away from everything. I read that the extra tile open where the door is should not matter as long as there's a 3x3 spot available and that tile would dissappear when the villager moves in. My assumption at this point is that I did not allocate enough space between buildings & the river.

RRRRRRRR
PPPPPPPPP
BPPXXXPPB
BPPXXXPPB
BPPXXXPPB
PPPPXPPPP
PPPPPPPPP
PPPPPPPPP
SSSSSSSSSS​

R stands for River, P for Patterns, B for Buildings, X for Free Space and S for Town Square. Do you think this would work better? I notice some villagers have houses by the river and only have one space between the house and the river but between houses and the Town Square, I'm guessing it requires 2 extra spaces.



Would this apply for other villagers houses and the town square? Your something is not too specific, don't wanna be confused

Well what I ment was I made enough space for the house but I made another row of extra space, not for the door. I know for sure the door thing doesn't matter.
Kinda hard for me to read the space of the letters, but I do believe that could be the problem that you didn't allocate enough space between places where villagers can't be too close to. What I would do to make sure your spot has enough room between rivers or buildings, is that I would go to Isabelle and talk to her to do a new PWP of the fountain because the fountain takes up much space as a villager house does. Like walk to a spot where you want a villager to move at and test out if you are allowed to place a fountain in the spot, and if Isabelle says its enough space for the fountain then I'm sure you have space for the villager house then in that same spot. Also I do have a few villager house that only has one space between the house and river, so that is not problem. But anyways it depends

 

[Mayor Ng]

The only times I've ever had issues with villagers plotting over patterns was when the spot I left open for them wasn't a valid one. I think in your case the plot may be too close to the Town Square. I don't know the exact requirements for villager houses near the Town Square, but I know villager houses require 3 spaces vertically between the front of the house and other buildings/houses. If that same requirement also applies to the Town Square then you would need an extra space there. Unfortunately, you can't back the plot up because it also needs to be at least 1 space away from the river, so I don't think that area will work for a villager house.

I have notice the 3 spaces vertically between villagers houses. If we assume it's the same with the town square then I guess it's not safe to try to place houses on top of the town square since I also have a river there. I'll just place the future villagers below the town square

Well what I ment was I made enough space for the house but I made another row of extra space, not for the door. I know for sure the door thing doesn't matter.
Kinda hard for me to read the space of the letters, but I do believe that could be the problem that you didn't allocate enough space between places where villagers can't be too close to. What I would do to make sure your spot has enough room between rivers or buildings, is that I would go to Isabelle and talk to her to do a new PWP of the fountain because the fountain takes up much space as a villager house does. Like walk to a spot where you want a villager to move at and test out if you are allowed to place a fountain in the spot, and if Isabelle says its enough space for the fountain then I'm sure you have space for the villager house then in that same spot. Also I do have a few villager house that only has one space between the house and river, so that is not problem. But anyways it depends

I think the fountain doesn't have the same restrictions as a villager house tho Considering I placed a fountain in front of Re-tail and it only required one space from the front porch of Re-tail and 2 spaces from a fire hydrant beside it. From what I can gather 2 spaces is required if houses are placed next to one another (seen this at other people's towns), 3 spaces is required for buildings vertically placed (one for the door tile and 2 spaces for space) and by the the side of the river, only 1 space is required. Would you agree?

 

[Mr_Persona]

I have notice the 3 spaces vertically between villagers houses. If we assume it's the same with the town square then I guess it's not safe to try to place houses on top of the town square since I also have a river there. I'll just place the future villagers below the town square



I think the fountain doesn't have the same restrictions as a villager house tho Considering I placed a fountain in front of Re-tail and it only required one space from the front porch of Re-tail and 2 spaces from a fire hydrant beside it. From what I can gather 2 spaces is required if houses are placed next to one another (seen this at other people's towns), 3 spaces is required for buildings vertically placed (one for the door tile and 2 spaces for space) and by the the side of the river, only 1 space is required. Would you agree?

Well it doesn't just have to be the fountain, you can also try other PWP

 

[Mayor Ng]

Well it doesn't just have to be the fountain, you can also try other PWP

True. Anyways thanks for your help. It didn't occurred to me that I didn't have enough space, was too irritated at first

 

[Clock]

I didn’t know that actually even after WA, I remember my last move in last year in didn’t move on the paths.

 

[Mayor Ng]

I didn’t know that actually even after WA, I remember my last move in last year in didn’t move on the paths.

Well the update was made available worldwide on November 2, 2016. Most probably the update where villagers will not build on paths unless there are no spaces available is already in play during your last move in.

 

[lyradelphie04]

Would this apply for other villagers houses and the town square? Your something is not too specific, don't wanna be confused

Sorry lol, something= literally anything that isn't grass/a tree

 

[Candy83]

If you do not already have the maximum four, it is best to create a new human character for the day you are expecting the plot of an incoming villager.

It is too easy, and comes too frequently, to forget to cover all bases. Sure enough—if you don’t do that, and there turned out to be another 3-x-3 area, an incoming villager may plot right there.

 

[Mayor Ng]

If you do not already have the maximum four, it is best to create a new human character for the day you are expecting the plot of an incoming villager.

It is too easy, and comes too frequently, to forget to cover all bases. Sure enough—if you don’t do that, and there turned out to be another 3-x-3 area, an incoming villager may plot right there.

Are you saying to use the 4th human character house plot as a means to determine if a villager will move into that assigned spot? Never thought about about that, it would be ingenious!

 

[lyradelphie04]

Are you saying to use the 4th human character house plot as a means to determine if a villager will move into that assigned spot? Never thought about about that, it would be ingenious!

I think Candy means more that you can use the 4th villager to look around the town to see where a plot ended up. And if you don't like it, then exit the game without saving the character and then make a new 4th to search the town to see if the villager's plot is in a better location. If you like the spot, get your 4th character a plot for themself and save the game. Just exit the game again and delete the 4th character you had made and start the game up as your main character and the villager plot should be in the spot you saved it as with the 4th character

 

[Mayor Ng]

I think Candy means more that you can use the 4th villager to look around the town to see where a plot ended up. And if you don't like it, then exit the game without saving the character and then make a new 4th to search the town to see if the villager's plot is in a better location. If you like the spot, get your 4th character a plot for themself and save the game. Just exit the game again and delete the 4th character you had made and start the game up as your main character and the villager plot should be in the spot you saved it as with the 4th character

Ah I get what you mean. This is much more feasible than doing a reset with the main character. Thank you @Candy83 and @lyradelphie04 for letting me know this method exists