Starter Islanders' homes Questions

[smore_gore]

Why are my starter islanders' houses so basic? Am I able to give them a floor and wall to change?

 

[Serabee]

They're basic because they were built so quickly and with limited materials/furniture, is probably what Nintendo was going for. It's just a fun, unique feature to make your island feel more rustic in the early days- your first five villagers will have homes like this, then the rest will be normal.

There's no way to change the wallpaper/flooring that I know of (I know I gave Merry a rug but she didn't use it) but you can always give furniture to see if they'll add it, and what they might replace. But, be warned, their houses can end up looking even worse than before since villagers don't have the best sense of design.

 

[FraudulentDimetrodon]

I'm not sure there's an official reason as to why villagers 1-5 have generic houses, but the theory is that they have those houses so that there's a sense of development from a deserted island to an inhabited one. Or that the devs didn't want the early villagers to live in super fancy homes in this deserted island setting or while the player has an equally hodgepodge home. Or so that it feels like the furniture you crafted for those villagers really is being used by them. Or something else along those lines. Or maybe it's something different. Either way, it's obvious that there's lots of problems with this system.

Gifting them wallpaper/flooring won't do anything. You can gift furniture with mixed results. The only real way around it is having those villagers move out then back in. This will give them their normal homes.

 

[FireNinja1]

Don't have a good answer as to why they are this way, but this thread from Nintendo's support forum suggests that wallpaper and flooring cannot be changed. If you move a villager out and back in though, they should have the wallpaper and flooring that they normally have.

 

[Serabee]

Gifting them wallpaper/flooring won't do anything. You can gift furniture with mixed results. The only real way around it is having those villagers move out then back in. This will give them their normal homes.

Yes, forgot to mention, but that works. That being said, the new villagers will be totally new, as far as I can tell. Like, friendship won't carry over or anything like that.

Also, I disagree with the system not working. I think it's a cute little quirk that gives the island a sense of development and charm. Frankly, I still have Merry in her original house, and I think it's cuter than the one she's "supposed" to have! Though I do wish we had more say over their houses in general, and would LOVE a way to decorate their houses ourselves, like as a reward for maxing out friendship.

 

[Hobowire]

walls n floor couldn't be change. If you cycle them out you can find them immediately. That has happened to me before.

 

[FireNinja1]

Though I do wish we had more say over their houses in general, and would LOVE a way to decorate their houses ourselves, like as a reward for maxing out friendship.

I actually disagree to some extent. (To be clear, I come from a stance of not really caring about what villagers have in their homes as long as it isn't something ridiculous like a dozen western-style stones.) I feel like villagers should have some control over what is in their home; it's part of what makes villagers who they are.

That being said, I would absolutely LOVE to have something like the flea market reintroduced. That could give people who really want to have control over villager house interiors some flexibility, while adding an event that lets you directly interact with other villagers on your island (which there seem to be very few of in this game, for some odd reason).

 

[CrankyCupcake]

I feel like villagers should have some control over what is in their home; it's part of what makes villagers who they are.

This.

If I have total control over my residents, for instance, being able to redecorate their homes completely and dictate their lifestyles as such, I'd feel like they would no longer be believable as characters with their own personalities. I'm very fond of certain animals for who they are, not for who I want them to become.

Claude is the last of my 5 starter residents. He's not leaving because he makes me happy to have around. He still has a starter home. I gave him furniture and accessories I felt would complement what he already had, and I think it worked out nicely. Not a particularly fancy home, but not one that looks terrible either.

I could move him out (to someone who'll hold him) and then invite him back again, so he'd have his "original" interior. But I feel his home now sort of represents the time he's spent on my island with me, and is a part of our history. He's even said to me that he likes his log bench because it fits his butt perfectly. I don't want Claude to move out and then return with a brand new interior. It'd make me wonder if he's been taken over by the pod people or something.

 

[FraudulentDimetrodon]

That being said, the new villagers will be totally new, as far as I can tell. Like, friendship won't carry over or anything like that.

If you have a villager move out and then move back a "different" instance of the villager, then, yeah, the villager will be treated as new.

However, if you have someone else adopt the villager and then adopt back that same exact instance of that villager, then they'll actually recognize you and your friendship will stay the same. They'll say something like, "I can't wait to be neighbors again!"

And yeah. I can totally see how some would like this system! I also actually like Peggy in the generic house over her normal one. I guess this comes down to villager interior design in general and being able to change it. I definitely get that lots of people don't want total control, but I think an option would be nice. For example, if you give a gift, villagers already have the, "Hm, where should I put this?" dialogue. I could see an option pop up that says, "I think it would look good here!" or "Good luck!" And I think that having full/a lot of control isn't too unrealistic. People ask for experts to do home design all the time. There's lots of things that system could have to make it feel natural, and it could be optional.

I actually think the current system feels unrealistic in ways. The villagers start in plain homes, which is fine, but then they never upgrade even though the player does. Furthermore, if you're playing AC with friends, comparing villagers is always fun, but the illusion of uniqueness is slightly broken when you realize that the early villagers have the same house, especially if you're used to older AC games. Those are more so the problems I meant since this system is supposed to make things feel natural. :'D

 

[Gazer297]

I really think there should be an option to upgrade villagers houses as you upgrade. I had to move Drago out and back in because I felt his starter house really didn't fit a dragon. At the same time I love Mitzi's starter house compared to what she is supposed to have. I also have Pate and Bam I am still debating on. I hate their starter houses but I also hate the fact I have to start all over again with friendship. My son also insists that the Drago I moved back in is different...lol.