What actually happens when the game is off?

[Ryzon]

I know that time passes due to built-in system clock, but other than that what does actually happen? When you turn the game on, does it just do a random refresh to adjust maybe the clothing, mood states and locations of the villagers? I don't mean for this to seem like a silly question because I an genuinely intrigued because obviously the game isn't really playing its self when its turned off, so was just wondering how whenever I turn the game on, lots has changed.

 

[MBaku]

It's actually just down to how the game is coded. I couldn't tell you exactly how it works, but it doesn't really have anything to do with passing time, more with how the code integrates the time factor. That's why changing the date and time in-game affects how things change, as well.

 

[Ryzon]

It's actually just down to how the game is coded. I couldn't tell you exactly how it works, but it doesn't really have anything to do with passing time, more with how the code integrates the time factor. That's why changing the date and time in-game affects how things change, as well.

Seems more complicated than I first thought

 

[Hulaette]

I know that time passes due to built-in system clock, but other than that what does actually happen? When you turn the game on, does it just do a random refresh to adjust maybe the clothing, mood states and locations of the villagers? I don't mean for this to seem like a silly question because I an genuinely intrigued because obviously the game isn't really playing its self when its turned off, so was just wondering how whenever I turn the game on, lots has changed.

Who knows what they could be doing. All I know for a fact is that the second you start loading your game everyone quickly scrambles around and gets everything and everyone in position. They act like nothing is going on. It's like one big play for you...yes...everything is a lie. Isabelle is actually a secret agent, Tom Nook works for the mafia, Crazy Redd is the devil himself, and the villiagers are all in on it. As for Kapp'n I honestly feel like he is the only one who is smart enough to not fall for this bs and wants to save you. So that's why he lets you ride on his boat far away to an island...

 

[Khaelis]

Nothing besides time passing. Things are processed while the game is loaded and running.

 

[fischermasamune]

When you're loading the game computes the changes (like new letters in mailbox, the fossils, the trees...). Nothing happens if the game is off.

 

[HoennMaster]

Isabelle reveals her true form and torments the villagers.

 

[Optimistic Dinosaur]

I assume everything is randomly generated as soon as you start the game because when you turn the game on and off repeatedly it might be raining and on another reset it might be sunny or cloudy etc.

 

[Skyfall]

I assume everything is randomly generated as soon as you start the game because when you turn the game on and off repeatedly it might be raining and on another reset it might be sunny or cloudy etc.

I think this too. But a tiny part of me hopes that "life" goes on whether I am there or not, lol. Its like when i log onto my city folk town once in a while. A villager will say, wow, its been years where have you been? I know they are programmed to say that but still makes me feel sad when they do.

 

[Pharaoh]

Who knows what they could be doing. All I know for a fact is that the second you start loading your game everyone quickly scrambles around and gets everything and everyone in position. They act like nothing is going on. It's like one big play for you...yes...everything is a lie. Isabelle is actually a secret agent, Tom Nook works for the mafia, Crazy Redd is the devil himself, and the villiagers are all in on it. As for Kapp'n I honestly feel like he is the only one who is smart enough to not fall for this bs and wants to save you. So that's why he lets you ride on his boat far away to an island...

So basically The Truman Show then.

 

[Liseli]

Or maybe the animals are plotting on how to kill the mayor in his/her sleep.

 

[PlasmaPower]

The villagers just keep on wandering aimlessly like they did when you were playing.

 

[Alonious_Monk]

I think Isabelle plants the weeds, eats fruit off your trees, terrorizes the nice villagers and farts loud like a truck driver.

Or...it randomly regenerates upon loading the game

 

[Imbri]

So basically The Truman Show then.

That is what I was thinking, too.

 

[TAT3XD]

I presume nothing can and will happen when your system is off.
Since I do computer science, I can take a good guess that when you turn off your game any variables that need to be stored and/or backed up like your villagers and their locations; what your mayor looks like; your day number; etc. are saved in number format either using binary, integers - or whatever nintendo prefers, really - and then are loaded when you start back up.

However, this is Nintendo, so they probably have super secret ways of making sure the game stays active (not visually) but in the code to keep villagers as random as they need to be and update your map with rocks, weeds and fossils -all using a low charge as possible.

 

[Coach]

The animals mail letters to your most hated villagers telling them to stay in your town.

But I feel like in WW and GC they live on when the game is off but that's just me and my biased self

 

[CrazyCat42]

I presume nothing can and will happen when your system is off.
Since I do computer science, I can take a good guess that when you turn off your game any variables that need to be stored and/or backed up like your villagers and their locations; what your mayor looks like; your day number; etc. are saved in number format either using binary, integers - or whatever nintendo prefers, really - and then are loaded when you start back up.

However, this is Nintendo, so they probably have super secret ways of making sure the game stays active (not visually) but in the code to keep villagers as random as they need to be and update your map with rocks, weeds and fossils -all using a low charge as possible.

My guess is something along the lines of the first thing you said. They would have various tables of variables and an algorithm to determine the amount of time passed and which tables need to be accessed according to that time.

For instance; lets say you saved on 4/1/2015 and came back on 5/1/2015. Up until the time you load the game all of your info from your previous save is still valid. If you were to go into the system setting and change the date to 4/2/2015 your villagers would think only a day had passed. If, however, you load the game with the correct date of 5/1 the game will calculate that the time between now and the last save has been one month. It'll check the villager table to see when the last time was you spoke to each villager and set up the proper "I haven't seen you since" response. It would also determine the personality and therefore the schedule of the villagers. Depending on the time of day it will "randomly" place them somewhere that fits their schedule.

It would also calculate the amount of time passed and determine the number of weeds to put in town. Whether or not the beautiful town ordinance is in place and it needs to wilt flowers, and all of the usual stuff it sets up in a day.

Really, considering all of the stuff it needs to sort out I have to say the few seconds wait for the loading screen is pretty sweet.

 

[TAT3XD]

My guess is something along the lines of the first thing you said. They would have various tables of variables and an algorithm to determine the amount of time passed and which tables need to be accessed according to that time.

For instance; lets say you saved on 4/1/2015 and came back on 5/1/2015. Up until the time you load the game all of your info from your previous save is still valid. If you were to go into the system setting and change the date to 4/2/2015 your villagers would think only a day had passed. If, however, you load the game with the correct date of 5/1 the game will calculate that the time between now and the last save has been one month. It'll check the villager table to see when the last time was you spoke to each villager and set up the proper "I haven't seen you since" response. It would also determine the personality and therefore the schedule of the villagers. Depending on the time of day it will "randomly" place them somewhere that fits their schedule.

It would also calculate the amount of time passed and determine the number of weeds to put in town. Whether or not the beautiful town ordinance is in place and it needs to wilt flowers, and all of the usual stuff it sets up in a day.

Really, considering all of the stuff it needs to sort out I have to say the few seconds wait for the loading screen is pretty sweet.

I concur, this is all very plausible and I could probably make such a system myself; thus it wouldn't be a smidgen dificult for Nintendo.
It would just mean a lot of complicated calculations are in process during the startup, which would explain why the loading screen (and any loading screen, really) is black (or does not show the game yet) untill it is finished all tasks.

 

[Steelfang]

I suspect my villagers all meet in secret while I'm asleep to discuss their plans for overthrowing me. I probably deserve what's coming to me.

Maybe I shouldn't have invited Angus over for burgers.

 

[pocky]

nothing happens when the game is "off"
things are randomly generated when you load up the game