(Your Opinion): Do you think a town needs paths?
- Thread starter harribo2103
- Start date
I've put down paths, then redesigned the paths, then completely removed all paths and made flower borders around my (now) completely dead grass under where my paths used to be. Then tonight I ended up repathing it. I don't know why! The natural paths actually look pretty neat. I'll probably stick at those when I buy enough bushes from Leif's to border some main walkways through my town.
When I go to other towns, I like both to be honest. I don't like paths covering the entire field, or paths running along the river bed or cliffs, as you can visibly see the corners, but other than that they can look really nice and it shows people put effort into their towns! Also, no paths is awesome too. I'm always impressed when I see towns with no paths but the natural paths really look nice if they're not too heavy.
When I go to other towns, I like both to be honest. I don't like paths covering the entire field, or paths running along the river bed or cliffs, as you can visibly see the corners, but other than that they can look really nice and it shows people put effort into their towns! Also, no paths is awesome too. I'm always impressed when I see towns with no paths but the natural paths really look nice if they're not too heavy.
kindaichi83
Senior Member
i never put paths because i am not sure how to remove them and whether the grass below them will die?
can anyone tell me?
can anyone tell me?
ChaosKitten
Ninja Santa!
I prefer paths, either patterns or natural dirt. Otherwise I just feel lost and have no idea how to get to anything! Just randomly wandering over grass just seems wrong to me.
CrankyCupcake
overthinks everything
When paths aren't overused or used badly, yeah, I think paths are nice. But not absolutely necessary. You can create a beautiful town without paths. You can create an ugly town with paths. A lot of things in real life are like that, too. 
the grass doesn't die beneath it from the paths, but some grass areas are permanently worn down from the minute you create your town, so it may appear as though the paths made the grass die.
to remove a path, you stand in front of a pattern on the ground, and press 'Y'. your character will make a motion as if they were kicking the pattern away.
I've noticed this some too, and not just on this forum. It reminds me a bit of the divisive nature of TT discussions as well. I dunno, it seems like in every thread like this there are lots of people who say pattern paths look tacky/ugly/unnatural/messy, and so on. I personally like using pattern paths because I have a vision for my town that dirt paths wouldn't be as fitting for, but if that makes my town messy and ugly in the view of others, so be it, I guess. >_>
But to answer the thread, paths are of course not needed for everyone. It's up to your own personal preferences.
Paths do have the benefit of helping to keep grasswear only in certain places, and to guide visitors around town. But if you're really careful about walking instead of running, not taking the same routes all the time, and not playing excessively, then I bet you can even avoid grasswear-related issues and dirt paths. Plus, there's always the map to help guide visitors around (though the map doesn't show all PWPs). I have friends who've traditionally avoided pattern paths in their towns and I think they do a great job, focusing instead on greenery to landscape.
oath2order
#Porygon2024
Pattern paths are pretty.
DJStarstryker
Senior Member
This. I never used paths until last week. Almost 2 months, no paths. But there was a dirt path forming between the dock and Re-Tail and it looked terrible. I hated it. I never run in my town, it's just from walking there a lot I guess. Once that started bothering me, other dirt spots did too.
If there wasn't such thing as grass wear, I wouldn't have paths. Period. I think the grass looks nicer, and it's irritating when I accidentally erase part of my path when I'm trying to move a flower or pick up something from the ground. But since grass wear exists, this means I now have paths and will try to mostly walk on those so hopefully the grass will grow back in the spots I don't have paths.
I don't think a town necessarily NEEDS paths, but things can turn out pretty bad for your grass if you don't have any. If you're just walking all over the place then your grass will suffer. When I started the game it was pretty easy for me to create paths. They naturally formed where I chose to walk the most
don't get me started on the patterns people put on the ground... bleh
don't get me started on the patterns people put on the ground... bleh
Actually paths do still create grass erosion! I recently removed all my paths, which I had run over and over for weeks. The ground underneath the entire stretch of paths were dead. It was initially a misconception paths stop grass wear. They don't.
DJStarstryker
Senior Member
I will say I've seen some pretty ugly paths people have made. I also have seen some people cover every possible square with a path pattern so you can't see grass at all. I don't like that, personally.
On the other hand, I've seen some EXTREMELY creative things though, sometimes including covering every square. Maybe a town looks like an old school video game. Maybe it's made to look like it has roads (making the sign PWPs actually useful!). Things like that. So I think it really depends on what patterns you have and how you are using it.
On the other hand, I've seen some EXTREMELY creative things though, sometimes including covering every square. Maybe a town looks like an old school video game. Maybe it's made to look like it has roads (making the sign PWPs actually useful!). Things like that. So I think it really depends on what patterns you have and how you are using it.
latenightcctv
old man
Personally I prefer to make paths using the grass erosion and bushes/flowers. Pattern paths always look weird and never natural.
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Sour of Abnaxus
Headbutting Jellyfish
It's not the patterns that cause grass erosion, it's the running on them that kills the grass.
Imbri
Resident Night Mare
I agree with the majority that they aren't necessary, rather that it's a matter of choice. I'd never used patterns or paths before in the games, but I've chosen to put them down in NL. I found a two-part pattern I liked and have marked out paths from all houses, Re-Tail, Town Hall, and the beach access points. Currently, I'm in the process of planting bushes along them, although in some spots I've used trees and/or flowers. Once I have everything bordered, I'll probably take the patterns up to have dirt paths, because I like the "unplugged" feel to the town.
The exception to that will be on paths that run east-west. Because the bushes hide the path, it might be a bit more difficult than I care to deal with for finding buried items/weeds, so I'll probably keep a pattern on the near "lane" (my paths are two squares wide). If I can, I'll find one that is either grass or dirt, so it doesn't show too much.
The exception to that will be on paths that run east-west. Because the bushes hide the path, it might be a bit more difficult than I care to deal with for finding buried items/weeds, so I'll probably keep a pattern on the near "lane" (my paths are two squares wide). If I can, I'll find one that is either grass or dirt, so it doesn't show too much.
I agree with Imbri, and the majority. It's just your own preference. I'm definitely going to be having paths at some point. I probably won't lay them down for a few weeks, though. I'm actually considering going the opposite direction from what I normally do. I normally place patterns to make my path, but I think I'll try 'natural' paths this time. Meaning, I'll use flowers and bushes to border, and eventually the grass will run down to dirt paths, which I think looks nice if it's purposeful.
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I don't think towns look good without them but that's just my opinion. Paths don't prevent grass wear but at least they mask it. Before I put down paths, my town just felt like a giant field, paths gave me the opportunity to landscape and build a more convincing looking environment. I don't agree that all paths look fake, depends on the path. I made mine myself and i'm very happy with them.
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