Realizing it's not the game, it's you.

[Dorian]

I had a new town for about three weeks and every day, a part of me just felt that it wasn't playing as organically as I would like. Something just felt off. I felt pressure to play, to get certain villagers, certain pwp's, tt like a maniac and every day was a struggle. So I made the painful decision to scrap it and start over.

The decision left me feeling really guilty and utterly exhausted. I even told myself I was not going to make a new town. That a break was necessary because the process of gaming had become more of a job, a chore, a daily task that had to be met. So the next day, I made a new town anyway, lol.

The villagers were weird and new and I had perfect cherries, something I have never had before. My grass pattern is round, not my usual triangular. I plotted my house in the middle of town right next to the Retail, not by the ocean, river or waterfall as I normally would. And my entire map is different than any map I have ever had. I have just spent time wandering around, chatting up these new creatures and enjoying life in Corvidae. My mayor's name is Dorian, my name. Life is quiet and relaxed.

And then the epiphany struck.

It wasn't that the last town was particularly flawed. The flaw was of my own making. I had been playing the game in a way that made it stressful and unpleasant. It was me! I was the problem. *looks around at you readers* It's not an easy thing to admit, lol. But yeah, due to all my constant tt, the need to hurry and get pwp's set up and make everything perfect right away, I had lost sight of the thing that made me fall in love with AC all those years ago -- that it was a place I could visit when real life got too fast, too complicated and too real. I could fish, lay in a hammock, chat with talking animals. I could be Doctor freaking Doolittle! And I had become lost somewhere along the way.

So I am taking it one day at a time. And now, I am going to sit on a bench and watch my oerfect cherries grow. Thanks for taking the time to share this bit of downtime with me

 

[visibleghost]

It's great that you realized what was making you not enjoy the game! I hope you'll be able to enjoy it and love it again, now when you're going to chill with the TT and stuff :>

 

[Dorian]

Thanks, lencurryboy! Yeah, it was quite a realization to discover I was ruining it for myself. But I am happy I realized it, so I can just get back to loving the game

 

[gem83]

I had this happened very briefly a few weeks ago. I was stressing about making my town look good and trying to rush it, and also trying to rush my friend to move someone out so I could give her Olaf and get my last dreamie, but then I realized it doesn't matter what my town looks like, and I actually don't mind having Michael Jackson in my town in anteater form. I came close to deleting this town after working so hard to get the dreamies I do have simply because their houses aren't in perfect areas. I'm glad we both realized we just need to chill and just play the game. c:

 

[Dorian]

LOLOL! Michael Jackson in anteater form!!

 

[cornimer]

I'm glad you came to this realization! It sounds like you will have a lot of fun in your new town. I love the name Corvidae as well. c:

That's the reason why I have never gotten in TTing, I just know that it would make me lose the sense of relaxation and joy that playing day-by-day gives you.

 

[Hazel]

I have had this problem too. My new problem that has been plaguing me for months however is that I cannot settle in a new town. I keep resetting over and over again, there's problems with every town I pick and that's if they even get past my nick picking with the maps. It's driving me crazy, I just want to enjoy playing acnl again!

I'm happy things have worked out for you though, I hope I can drill in a similar realisation into my head soon

 

[Dorian]

I am finding that out, Vanessa. I'm not sure why or how I lost track of the day to day lazy wonder that is AC. But I am happy to be back

 

[TrickYarn]

It's good to know how you want the game to be, how you want to enjoy it.

I enjoy the game at my own pace.
Sure I have dream villagers that I'd want, but I'm in no hurry to get them, heck I'd probably keep some villagers that I'd get accustomed to.
For PWP, I'd take my time, I'm currently planning to build my 3rd bridge more near the lake waterfall. Problem is, there's a villager house near the river. I don't mind waiting til they move.

 

[cIementine]

I feel like I enjoyed the game more before i came here since it was more natural.

 

[Kittyinpink87]

I feel like I enjoyed the game more before i came here since it was more natural.

This exactly.

 

[Dorian]

Pumpkin and Kitty, ME TOO! I felt like with the forums, suddenly I could get, get, get and something told me this had to be done! If you can have anything you want, as quickly as you want, it fills you with this powerful anxiety. And that doesn't mean I don't love the forum because I do!! I love it here. But yes, my gameplay has been much more manic since I joined.

 

[cIementine]

Pumpkin and Kitty, ME TOO! I felt like with the forums, suddenly I could get, get, get and something told me this had to be done! If you can have anything you want, as quickly as you want, it fills you with this powerful anxiety. And that doesn't mean I don't love the forum because I do!! I love it here. But yes, my gameplay has been much more manic since I joined.

I feel like the forums helped me discover more about the game which helped a lot, but I also just got things the easy way and my perspective on the gameplay changed.

 

[daynapapaya]

It's cool that you had that realization! Mine was the opposite, haha. When I first started Noveon, I played the game day-by-day in real time. But after a few months I was getting bored, and that's when I started TTing whenever I felt like it, and I haven't been bored since. I think it's so cool that everyone is able to enjoy this game however they want.

 

[Vintage Viola]

I actually know what you mean. The game was so unenjoyable for me when I started. I felt like I was pressuring myself into getting all the buildings quick, and finishing my town, my houses, etc. And now that I've slowed down and stopped all the TT I'm really seeing the game for what it is and why we all love it in the first place. Great to know you're feeling better about it now

 

[Dorian]

Thank you, Viola sweetie

 

[radioloves]

Nice! gj, yeah ac is a fun relaxing game xD depends on how you make out of it I guess xD

 

[Blueskyy]

I love this. I was about 13 years younger when playing the original Gamecube version. I only went to my sister's town on our other memory card. I never felt pressure to get certain villagers. I just played and created storylines in my diary while getting a statue in my honor for paying off all my debt. I also loved the cranky/snooty villagers treating me like **** on the bottom of their shoes. Gave me more reason to abuse them back with my net of fury/pitfalls. I love New Leaf so much more though despite all that. I'm an old school AC gamer, and I'll let you know that if AC is feeling more like a chore than an escape/leisurely fun, then you need a break. There's no wrong way to play, but if it is stressful to play then you definitely need to get away for a bit.

Basically, I agree 100 percent with the OP. The New Leaf users turned this into a trading game in parts. It does make it more stressful. I decided not to play my town like that, though. Although I want all but Aurora and Cherry in my village to leave, I won't restart. It is what it is. I'm lucky to have 2 villagers I want around for nostalgic value (Aurora) and edgy cute value (Cherry).

 

[kittyx]

I had a similar realization just two weeks ago, I was looking through the AC wiki for something in ACHHD and I stumbled upon all sorts of things about ACNL and the characters that I didn't know before. Despite having the game since its release, I had never actually been around for any of the holidays, I hadn't really unlocked anything, didn't really realize what all you could do. I had been doing the ram dump upon remaking my town just so I could catch up with everyone and look good, and once it stopped working I quit playing. But upon finding all that out I really got into playing again, and I really wanted to relax and not worry that my village doesn't look as good as everyone else's or that maybe my villagers aren't the best. It's actually so much fun again.

 

[lucitine]

I agree with you. Since I've joined, I've been more focused on getting the "right" villagers (to some degree) and trying to profit off of my side town. I found out about villager placement and how you can refresh the placement until you're satisfied. Before, I kind of just dealt with the fact that Puddles moved in right behind my house *shakes fist*. Its stressful to have to get things exactly a certain way.

I try not to let the forums influence me too much. Quillson aside, I'm trying to keep my villagers around at least until I get their photos. I'm also going to stay away from buying/trading villagers and to try to get them naturally. Except Quillson. He can go away ASAP. I will force him out )<

It's not all bad though! The community here is very nice and its interesting to see the various ways people play this game. I've seen people open up shops selling hybrids and I think that's a great use of the forums. I kind of wish that we had the ability to set up shop in game in some sort of central location...like a market!