Selling this place

[Reginald Fairfield]

I can't seem to get anyone to join this place. One person I mentioned it to said they heard things about it, but didn't say what. Does this place have a reputation I'm not aware of? I joined because it isn't reddit.

 

[Nunnafinga]

I don't think Bell Tree has a bad reputation.Right now,there's a big lull in the Animal Crossing world because Nintendo hasn't released a new mainline AC game in five or six years and interest generated by the Amiibo update has faded.Currently,Bell Tree is a bustling metropolis compared to Reddit,Gamefaqs and Animal Crossing Community but it's still nowhere near as active as it was in the year or two following the release of New Leaf.If Nintendo announces an AC game for the Switch sometime soon then interest should pick up again.

 

[ElderPlops]

I was part of a Google group prior to this, and I definitely prefer the Forum layout and interactions. It's a lot slower than other game forums I used to be a part in, but I agree with Nunnafinga. I have only just started playing ACNL in December 2017, so I was not present during the busy times.

 

[Khaelis]

Honestly, I just stumbled upon this place random while searching "Animal Crossing" looking up things. Eventually decided to make an account.

 

[Bluebellie]

Honestly it depends on what you like. I really enjoy this community because it’s easier to make friends and I feel like everyone gets to know each other or knows one another...
On the other hand I did come from other communities as well and I like them as well. I know for sure it’s easier to trade in reddit and faster....but there’s no way of making friends there or getting to know people.

 

[Rubylena]

I know a lot of people who won't come here because the forum seems to be anti hacking while in most Facebook groups hacking is encouraged. So it really depends on what you are looking for in a community.

 

[carp]

it used to be rife with thieves and fraudsters when acnl was huge

 

[Reginald Fairfield]

it used to be rife with thieves and fraudsters when acnl was huge

Care to give a vague example?

 

[carp]

Care to give a vague example?

several users would band together to get "positive feedback" by rating one another over and over. and then use this positive rating to go to other's towns easily (as this would infer you're trustworthy)- they would then steal items when you were not looking such as hybrids, furniture dropped on the ground, etc.

also, the method of "trade in my town" was used often. the second someone would drop an item in their town for a trade, they would catalogue/steal the item and then end the session without paying the other player. before the second update, the player's inventory who was hosting would be the first thing to save, so flicking the wi-fi switch was difficult.

 

[thisistian]

several users would band together to get "positive feedback" by rating one another over and over. and then use this positive rating to go to other's towns easily (as this would infer you're trustworthy)- they would then steal items when you were not looking such as hybrids, furniture dropped on the ground, etc.

also, the method of "trade in my town" was used often. the second someone would drop an item in their town for a trade, they would catalogue/steal the item and then end the session without paying the other player. before the second update, the player's inventory who was hosting would be the first thing to save, so flicking the wi-fi switch was difficult.

This makes me sad. I’m glad the TBT community isn’t like that now.

 

[John Wick]

It's terrible when people do hurtful things to harm a decent person.

 

[LuxxyLuxx]

Just joined, and I'm really enjoying it, lots of friendly people on here.

 

[KaydeeKrunk]

There also used to be droves of people with save files who obviously were hackers who used to sell popular villagers for a TON of bells over and over again since they had it saved, they'd target people who would post in the "looking for" megathread as to not cause suspicion with a shop. Sadly I feel victim to them a few times because I really wanted my dreamies... =[

Besides them I don't think there are really any bad people in the community, there used to be a few "trolls" who would start fights in threads and stuff when the site was more active, but thankfully after many bans and coming back, and getting banned again and again I believe they were perma-banned so that's good.

I've also tried to get some people who I met that play ACPC and ACNL on other sites to join, and a few already had accounts, and the others said "they weren't desperate enough for friends" to join. But I always TRY, I also mention it on the island when people want to add me, because I honestly rather friend them through here and be able to exchange codes that way than sharing it where everyone else on the island can see it... plus it gets us more members here!

I do hope that it will pick up when and if a new AC game comes out. I found this site when I got ACNL and would google tutorials and stuff and always end up here, lurked for a while then finally joined and I've never turned back! I honestly love the community and still come on often even when on "hiatus" from the games, so the people who don't join are missing out.

 

[ElderPlops]

Wow, that's sad. Some people are just so immature and cruel.

Honestly, I prefer this forum over others because people seem to be a lot friendlier and real. In my previous Google community, there is this one girl that posts every single day about one thing - "my sister deleted my town by accident, so I would appreciate if anyone can give me free bells, items, and my dreamies." Every. Single. Day. And every day, people would sympathize with her and give her items. After that, there seemed to be SO many accidental town deletions that the content of that site became all about people getting free things because their town got deleted. I mean, c'mon! It got tiring so I made the permanent switch to this forum.

I didn't join the forum for friends, per se, because chatting in-game is such a nuisance. But I do enjoy the interactions. And I have learned so much and got so many interesting items for my wife and myself. It's been a rewarding experience for me.

 

[amazonevan19]

I got one person to sign up here because some of the acnl trading subreddits are modded by super stuck-up, unpleasant people. I definitely think the lull in AC news is a big part of the slowdown, but forums in general are also kind of a dying breed. This is a super active forum compared to roughly 80% of nearly dead-to-dead forums I have casually observed.

If you want people to come here, I'd probably say it's a great place to get stuff done in AC and make friends. It sounds like the people you're mentioning it to aren't super engaged with AC in the first place, so no wonder they're less likely to come here. You could also mention the other aspects of the forum that aren't AC related (video game discussion, mafia)