When do one-square pathways become too much?
- Thread starter skarmoury
- Start date
CrankyCupcake
overthinks everything
One tile wide paths seem to get a bad rep and that's kind of sad.
It shouldn't be the one and only yardstick by which to measure if an island is going to be hard to navigate. Like @Suspicious Cupcake said, paths are more of a direction and guide to the visitor as to which areas to go. Go this way or go that way, you have a choice. Paths don't have to be confining and claustrophobic unless they are cluttered or terraformed to be such.
I use only one tile wide paths on my island, but you could always break out in a dance if you wanted, there's plenty of space on both sides of the path.
It shouldn't be the one and only yardstick by which to measure if an island is going to be hard to navigate. Like @Suspicious Cupcake said, paths are more of a direction and guide to the visitor as to which areas to go. Go this way or go that way, you have a choice. Paths don't have to be confining and claustrophobic unless they are cluttered or terraformed to be such.
I use only one tile wide paths on my island, but you could always break out in a dance if you wanted, there's plenty of space on both sides of the path.
FaerieRose
Unpearable Eccentric
I only have a couple single tile paths, but both of them are in open areas where you can step to the side (one on the peninsula, and a jogging track around my pond.) Nothing worse than getting trapped when a villager decides to sit down in the middle of the road.
Your path is cute. I have some one square pathways but they tend to be "off trail" most of the time. My gripe with one square pathways is that villagers, even if there is a bench literally a step away from them will sit in the path and bock the way and refuse to move.
Curlos did this ALL the time. No matter how much I talked to him he just wouldn't move or I will be walking towards a place and he was in front and decides to just sit down randomly.
Curlos did this ALL the time. No matter how much I talked to him he just wouldn't move or I will be walking towards a place and he was in front and decides to just sit down randomly.
xSuperMario64x
love of my life 💙💜
personally most of my town has two-space-wide pathways because the paths that are only one space feel cramped in this game (whereas in NL the one space paths were actually okay and were my go-to). there are a few areas where I have stone rock path designs thay are only one space and they work okay for secluded areas, but for the main walkways in my town I always use wider paths.
Lotusblossom
Prankster Crossing
I like any path
BigBadButterfree
Senior Member
I think it can look fine! I use a couple more aesthetically than functionally, I have some flower beds surrounded by a 1 tile wide "river," which is then surrounded by alternating dark and light dirt paths. It's super cute but, as posted above, sometimes villagers like to sit there, and then I end up having to jump into my flower bed just to navigate around their lazy bum.
I wasn’t even aware that this was a point of complaint! I love hours I think it is gorgeous! It doesn’t look too confining to me at all. I would have limits with pathing, if there was an excessive amount of one square pathing that just made me feel restricted and made the whole island feel smaller I probably wouldn’t like it. Some wide open spaces can look so good! So why limit yourself to just one way of doing things? That would be my opinion on pathing
Bluebellie
Senior Member
I’ve tried one square paths and I don’t like them for me specifically. I had mine lead to the beach area, and I remember one time a villager decided to plot themselves there, and I couldn’t get to the beach. That was the end of that.
They are ok in other towns, but I try to stay away from them on mine. Sometimes even the two square paths are too small for me.
They are ok in other towns, but I try to stay away from them on mine. Sometimes even the two square paths are too small for me.
rubyrubert
Audie's Simp
Honestly, I don't like them. I used to have them until I turned them into 2 square pathways. I don't like it when a villager clogs the pathway either
Most of the complaints I see regarding them are about islands that are so terraformed/decorated that you HAVE to walk on the narrow path to get anywhere and it's literally the only option. That'd be annoying. But I don't fault anyone for using them provided their island is still easy to navigate. Some of the DA's I've seen it's like... okay, it looks neat. But how do you actually PLAY on that island?
Personally, I just prefer the way two-square paths LOOK, so I use them almost entirely. That being said, I managed to find a narrow one-square path version of "the path" (though a slightly different color) and I'm totally in love with it! I have a few one-square paths scattered throughout my island, but they're usually short-cuts. Like, I COULD go the long way around Merry's house... or I could slip quickly behind it. I COULD go through the market and back across a bridge to get to Freya's house... or I could just dash behind Ursala's house. Having the custom path design to put on them makes them look more put together to me, and also prevent weeds from spawning. But, basically, I only have one tile paths where it's optional to use them, or they're leading to a more out of the way area. Like, I have a one tile path with the dirt custom design leading to my secret beach. You have to duck behind a construction sign and walk along the path past some fencing and trees to get there, but that helps it feel more secret
Anyway, those are my rambly thoughts on the subject
Personally, I just prefer the way two-square paths LOOK, so I use them almost entirely. That being said, I managed to find a narrow one-square path version of "the path" (though a slightly different color) and I'm totally in love with it! I have a few one-square paths scattered throughout my island, but they're usually short-cuts. Like, I COULD go the long way around Merry's house... or I could slip quickly behind it. I COULD go through the market and back across a bridge to get to Freya's house... or I could just dash behind Ursala's house. Having the custom path design to put on them makes them look more put together to me, and also prevent weeds from spawning. But, basically, I only have one tile paths where it's optional to use them, or they're leading to a more out of the way area. Like, I have a one tile path with the dirt custom design leading to my secret beach. You have to duck behind a construction sign and walk along the path past some fencing and trees to get there, but that helps it feel more secret
Anyway, those are my rambly thoughts on the subject
FireNinja1
inactive: please read "about" tab on profile
I don't really care, to be honest. I had one-square pathways in NL, and they worked well enough for me. That being said, those paths were lined with flowers, not furniture items, so I can see how people find one-tile paths lined with bushes and furniture to be overly confining.
On the other hand, I think that having to jump across an excessive number of things is probably too much, since those animations take time and slow travel. (One or two are fine, but anything more than that is usually just annoying). Outside of that though, I really just couldn't care less as long as it's done well.
On the other hand, I think that having to jump across an excessive number of things is probably too much, since those animations take time and slow travel. (One or two are fine, but anything more than that is usually just annoying). Outside of that though, I really just couldn't care less as long as it's done well.
Imbri
Resident Night Mare
This.
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