Punishment for people who don't play often...

[Lin]

I've been really busy with school and life in general lately, so I haven't played AC much at all. I hadn't played for a few days and when I went into my game today I saw Coco was gone. T_T I really don't like how this game seems try to make you play every single day or bad things may happen. x.x It reminds me of Pokemon Black/White where if you didn't play for a while the special city/special forest town (forget it's name... but it depended on which version you bought) would become empty. It actually makes me want to play even less now that one of my favorite villagers is gone... Just because of a silly kind of resentment towards an inanimate object. .__. I'll probably have to TT now if I want to see her anytime soon (because of the 16 villager cycle thing), which I can't even do any time soon since I'm so busy lately. I wanted to never TT, just because I like going day by day but... after having to get rid of Willow I was willing to wait, but now that Coco is gone too I just don't think I can. Just... sucks man.

 

[TamaMushroom]

Same thing happened to my Coco. It sucks. Then she moved into my sisters town. So it wasn't as bad but still I have to try to get room in my town after cycling my original town.

 

[Ireuna]

Dont be sad

 

[Lin]

I'll try to get her back some day... I don't want to give up on her being in my town, I don't even want to edit my signature saying she's not there anymore. >_< But... if someone ever asks me if I like Animal Crossing now I'll be more like "hmmmm..." xD Because certain things about this game really piss me off now that I'm older. I really hope they make things less annoying for the next installment. I mean 16 villagers to cycle out before she can live in my town again??? That's going to be a huge pain considering most of the villagers in my town are villagers I want to keep! 16 is just too much... way too much... T_T

 

[aetherene]

If you know you're going to be gone for long periods of time, always check to see who is thinking of moving. (Harass those villagers for rumors!) Then when you dissuade them, you can stop playing as long as long as you want and no one else will move out during that time.

 

[Lin]

If you know you're going to be gone for long periods of time, always check to see who is thinking of moving. (Harass those villagers for rumors!) Then when you dissuade them, you can stop playing as long as long as you want and no one else will move out during that time.

I tried doing that the best I could, but I guess life and school got the best of me. .__. As it should, but the AC village suffered as a result. I'm so short for time and AC isn't helping. xD; I just really hope they don't keep things the same in the next one because it seems so exasperating!

 

[Prisma]

Same thing with me... Although what town is that in black/white? never noticed something in any towns... But still it sucks how it makes you PLAY EVERYDAY or that will happen espically if a villager is a dreamie and ALL THAT WAITING,RESETTING,AND WORK ends up disappearing over a while of being inactive im enjoying my trip in florida with family and BAM i open it a week later and my dreamie was gone..... ;_; too much pressure to play and now ive been playing less..

 

[Lin]

Same thing with me... Although what town is that in black/white? never noticed something in any towns... But still it sucks how it makes you PLAY EVERYDAY or that will happen espically if a villager is a dreamie and ALL THAT WAITING,RESETTING,AND WORK ends up disappearing over a while of being inactive im enjoying my trip in florida with family and BAM i open it a week later and my dreamie was gone..... ;_; too much pressure to play and now ive been playing less..

Yeah exactly. x.x Also for the Black/White thing here I'll look it up...

Here: http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Black_City

But yeah... I tried so hard to get Coco and she landed in the perfect spot but now there's just a bunch of dirt where her house was. >_< So sad to look at.

 

[Sena]

I know how depressing and discouraging it is to lose a villager you love. I lost Cheri a while ago, and I felt awful about it. I understand the feeling you've described in saying you haven't wanted to play much Animal Crossing since Coco moved. It makes sense, because Coco was a big part of your enjoyment of the game, and with that enjoyable element removed, you find it hard to motivate yourself to pick it up again.

However, I think the element of villagers moving away is designed to act more as a function of dynamism and realism rather than punishment. Games like the infamous FarmVille truly punish people who slack on playing the game by withering their crops, causing them to lose in-game currency and acting as a real detriment to progress. Animal Crossing's villager moving system rather allows you to experience meeting and interacting with as many of the different animal villagers as you can. Often times players feel "forced" into this, and would much rather have the choice to invite and evict villagers at will. Those folks are the most frustrated with the system Nintendo set in place. I think Nintendo's goal in keeping the mechanic largely random is to keep the game feeling fresh and interesting for players, as well as encouraging to "get to know" an animal they would not have ordinarily chosen and experience the potentially ensuing friendship that results from that.

I encourage you to try to look on the bright side. You really liked having Coco around, and she was one of your favorites, so of course you'll miss her. But this gives you the chance to look around at other villagers and see if you'd like to find a new one to move in in her place. Even if there's no others who immediately jump out at you, you might be surprised if you give a random one a chance. I've had plenty of villagers I really disliked right away (T-Bone, for instance) who really grew on me the more I interacted with them.

I might also suggest you see if anyone on your friends list has Coco in their village. You could visit there often and talk to her, and write her letters like she was the Coco you knew. It's not the same, of course, but the sentiment is there, and that's what really makes the villagers special - the sentiment people have for them is what makes each one unique.

To sum up this long post: Just try to see this as an opportunity to make a new friend!

 

[beffa]

i actually hate that too. i've felt so pressured that i felt extremely guilty all day today while i was out because i couldn't play. i'm so worried about this happening that i always try and make time for ACNL, even if it means i'm sleeping late on school nights… which kind of sucks.

 

[Batossi]

I'm sorry for your loss. I know you miss her, but I have to agree with Sena. Though it would suck if/when one of my favs were to leave; should it happen I would just grieve them, and move on. It wouldn't stop me from playing the game, no more than if it were to happen irl. That could be because I'm a military brat, and have had to make that adjustment myself. But... I think its a healthy one. I know it sucks; it hurts; and you're sad now. Why not flip that and turn it into a campaign to reunite with her when you have the time and wherewithal to pursue her! =} Just think how happy you'll both be then! *cue Anime soundtrack* ^^

 

[Olivur]

I can give you coco if you want.

 

[Lin]

That's the thing, I didn't GET to get to know her much. x.x I didn't even get her picture... Makes it hurt even more. xD; I get why they made it this way, but I think they made villagers moving way too often, to the point where it's not realistic. I usually had someone asking to move out every 4 days or so, so I tried to get on the game at least once every 4 days but she still ended up slipping through my fingers. And again having to cycle through 16 villagers before moving her back in seems like a bit much too, I don't think that was the case in previous games.

I can give you coco if you want.

Thanks for the kind offer but I don't think I'll have time to cycle safely until Winter break. So it's going to be a long time away before I can even invite her back into my town...

 

[PinkWater]

Ugh, I JUST got my dream town and Hamphrey left unexpectedly. I got pissed and quickly snagged Elvis to replace him, but I can't keep rearranging these guys >< Elvis is the last cranky I really like, since I traded Rolf and Hamphrey left, and some people like Julian are irreplaceable! I just stopped someone from moving, but how long until they ask again? Anyone have an estimate?

 

[mizukitty]

aw i'm sorry you lost coco i agree that it's kind of annoying the game goes on without you.. i kind of wish the game would only go on if you logged in for the day. that way no one loses precious villagers.

 

[Unidentified Floor Orange]

Considering each player has a Mom and Dad, I wish there was an option where you talk to Isabelle and inform her that you are going home to visit your parents and it suspends things like villagers moving until you can play again.

I envision it for when you know you are going to have a couple very busy weeks (with school, family, illness, whatever), and you would like comfort of knowing that you won't be coming back to see that a villager has left. Or that your villagers will feel like they've been abandoned (Welcome back [insert player name], how was your visit with your parents? and other variations to suit the different personalities).

 

[Lin]

Considering each player has a Mom and Dad, I wish there was an option where you talk to Isabelle and inform her that you are going home to visit your parents and it suspends things like villagers moving until you can play again.

I envision it for when you know you are going to have a couple very busy weeks (with school, family, illness, whatever), and you would like comfort of knowing that you won't be coming back to see that a villager has left. Or that your villagers will feel like they've been abandoned (Welcome back [insert player name], how was your visit with your parents? and other variations to suit the different personalities).

That sounds like a good idea! I feel so bad for the AC character's parents now that I think of it... xD You can't visit them or even write back to them.