Animal Crossing Thread, Part 5

[Tap Dancer]

It's good to know that I can tweak the buildings later. I did okay with the school, but the store looks a bit goofy. Then again, the space is small and narrow, so it's hard to do much with it.

My cards were supposed to be delivered tomorrow, but UPS says they're coming today instead. I hope I get Willow and Kiki.

[Harmonie]

My only complaint with the community buildings is that they're so vague on what they need. I understand that's great for creativity, but honestly, when it comes to making the department store I'm a little stumped on what exactly is supposed to go in the 'entrance', and so on (also why is it so huge and the sales floor so small?)... Guess I could attempt to look up other peoples' ideas for help.

What is everyone's honest feelings on Happy Home Designer? Is it worth the $40?

Oh I certainly think it was worth the $40. However, it must be noted that it is not a game for everyone, not even all Animal Crossing fans. If you like designing homes, community buildings, and the like this game would be really fun to pick up. If you like the other aspects of Animal Crossing - they are light to nonexistent. Villager interaction is still quite present, and if you like the villager aspect of the game that's pretty strong, too (it's so fun to see them enjoying their homes, and running/visiting community buildings).

It is a spin-off game, not a new installment to the series. I think knowing that going in made me even more pleasantly surprised with the game. While it does seem rather light in its premise and is lacking a lot compared to a normal AC game, it does what it does very well.

If you do even have the slightest interest in the concept, I would try it. One thing I really like about it, is that, unlike normal Animal Crossing games, you don't have to have a great deal of patience to play this one. A 'day' in the game is based on gameplay, instead of real time. So when you're told you have to wait until the next day, you just 'go home' and can immediately come back for the next day after saving. I know it's a big change, but after New Leaf and all of that "wait until the next day" for everything (seriously, after how long I waited for that game to be released, I didn't want to be told to wait until the next day to do anything after only a very short amount of play!), I find it very refreshing.

[ladybastilla]

I'm torn between getting New Leaf or Happy Home Designer. I owned New Leaf back when it first launched, but I was playing "with" my aunt and much as I love her she has an opinion on everything. I never really got to freely design a town the way I wanted without feeling that there would be consequences. (And this comes from someone who has no qualms ignoring the HRA unless I want something from them!)

So I owned and used ACNL but at the same time I didn't. Kind of a weird position. I actually gave my copy to my aunt a couple months ago so she could have a second town. Even though the town I had on that card was "corrupted" for lack of a better term, I never had the heart to delete it. So if I get ACNL it would be new to me, and yet not at the same time.

Then there is Happy Home Designer. I love the concept and think it's adorable, and I love building houses. But I'm also aware that there is no metric to determine how well the homes have been built... How could there be? A judgement call in a game has to somehow be supported by code or math and creativity (true creativity, at least) cannot be confined within those types of parameters. I wonder how long the game would be able to hold my interest?

I also wonder just how these Amiibo cards work and what their function actually is. I mean, does my "game" start with, say, twenty randomly programmed animals and then I need cards to unlock more people to build for? If so I would have to pass. I'm having trouble finding the cards here in Canada for a price that hasn't been doubled by a scalper and that would not work for me.

Another reason I need to think about the impact of the cards is because I currently have a regular 3DS XL, not a "New" one. So I will need to decide whether I want to get the card reader for my current DS, or whether I want to upgrade to the newer version. That wouldn't be out of the question for me, but it is something I would have to think about before I did it. Is the reader only available with the more expensive pack for HHD? Do I definitely need to wait until I know what route I'm taking with my DS before I look at buying that game? (If it doesn't do what I described above, which would rule it out for me out of practicality. I will not support people who gauge modern toy prices.)

Mainly I'm curious to see how people feel about the games here. (I actually just noticed this thread and went through it last night.) Have people moved on to HHD from ACNL? Or is it just the focus right now since it's new?

Thanks for reading, guys. I know this is lengthy!

[MilkyTaroMochi]

You can get ALL the villagers in the game without having to use the amiibo cards - the cards just summons them faster than for you to just wait for them to randomly show up.
However, the cards are the ONLY way to get the NPC characters like Harriet, K.k. slider, Isabelle, Tortimer, ect.

You can get the reader by itself or bundled with the game (this is the option I went with). If you get the bundle, you save $10.

[DazzleKitty]

My parents hinted they may let me get it within the next few days for my birthday (as an early present....but if not, I get paid Wednesday).

I LOVE designing things, so I think I may like it. Thank you all for your input.   I wish they would make a real sequel to New Leaf, though.

[MilkyTaroMochi]

I wish they would make a real sequel to New Leaf, though.

Oh they will. It's just a matter of if it will show up on the Wii U or that new console system that Nintendo is making.
(and hopefully they get rid of that horrible "tutorial" in Lew Leaf where you basically had to wait a week to do anything in the game, unless you time traveled. )


I am not looking forward to AC amiibo festival, though.

[ladybastilla]

I wish they would make a real sequel to New Leaf, though.

Oh they will. It's just a matter of if it will show up on the Wii U or that new console system that Nintendo is making.
(and hopefully they get rid of that horrible "tutorial" in Lew Leaf where you basically had to wait a week to do anything in the game, unless you time traveled. )


I am not looking forward to AC amiibo festival, though.

This. It seems like a Mario Party with Animal Crossing themed boards and a build in excuse to sell more Amiibo cards. I want to like the cards but as I said in my last post they seem to be getting scalped up here and I refuse to pay the $10-15 a package that I am seeing them go for. (I was only kinda interested at $6.99 CDN!) . Plus, I don't really have the right kind of setup irl to get a game that runs like Mario Party going and Nintendo is generally not known for good online integration.

[SwiftheartBabbit]

I wish they would make a real sequel to New Leaf, though.

Oh they will. It's just a matter of if it will show up on the Wii U or that new console system that Nintendo is making.
(and hopefully they get rid of that horrible "tutorial" in Lew Leaf where you basically had to wait a week to do anything in the game, unless you time traveled. )


I am not looking forward to AC amiibo festival, though.

This. It seems like a Mario Party with Animal Crossing themed boards and a build in excuse to sell more Amiibo cards. I want to like the cards but as I said in my last post they seem to be getting scalped up here and I refuse to pay the $10-15 a package that I am seeing them go for. (I was only kinda interested at $6.99 CDN!) . Plus, I don't really have the right kind of setup irl to get a game that runs like Mario Party going and Nintendo is generally not known for good online integration.

Same.

Tho I'd be lying if I said I didn't want that Mabel Amiibo.

[MilkyTaroMochi]

I am not looking forward to AC amiibo festival, though.

This. It seems like a Mario Party with Animal Crossing themed boards and a build in excuse to sell more Amiibo cards. I want to like the cards but as I said in my last post they seem to be getting scalped up here and I refuse to pay the $10-15 a package that I am seeing them go for. (I was only kinda interested at $6.99 CDN!) . Plus, I don't really have the right kind of setup irl to get a game that runs like Mario Party going and Nintendo is generally not known for good online integration.

Yeah, Nintendo completely is behind when it comes to online - they forget to realize that not everyone has friends nearby/IRL that are willing to play the game. Nowdays, Mario Party (and amiibo festival) should have online interaction.
What also frustrates me is that you HAVE to buy the game (at least in the US) if you want to get the amiibo figure for Isabelle. And I'd be willing to bet that for the game, you HAVE to have the actually amiibo, not the card version.  IIRC, the amiibo figure breakdown for the US is like this:

Isabelle & Digby: exclusive to AC Amiibo Festival game/bundle.
K.K. Slider, Reese, Cyrus: exclusive to 3-pack
Tom Nook, Lottie, Mabel: sold individually.

Considering I only want Isabelle, K.K., Resse, and Mabel, It basically means I have to shell out (likely) over $100 just to get four amiibos.

[ladybastilla]

Agreed about Nintendo's online. And I think that's such a shame! If we could exchange FCs here at the Arena and have a game night using it, my entire attitude would be different, y'know? Many of us are way closer within this community (doing swaps, trading things, many having been here for years, etc.) then what Nintendo predicts people can be from interacting online. Nintendo has great franchises, but the persistence in thinking that couch based play is still the norm is a big problem. I'm not saying to get rid of it, but rather to recognize that it's a long shot from the only way people game in 2015.

As for the figures, that's madness and i'm going to need to pre-order because I want Isabelle. The game won't be a total waste for me since I can take my Wii U to my aunt's and we'll check it out, and my bf will play when he visits. But I think the other half of my disappointment is that I wanted a Wii U full AC--the gamepad would work so great for that--and I don't think it's coming. I sincerely hope I'm wrong, but when I saw this last night my firs thought was "Uh-oh..."

[Tap Dancer]

Should we start a new thread about what cards we have and want? I got mine today and 6 of the cards are doubles I'm willing to trade. I don't want to clog this discussion thread with trade listings, though.

[MilkyTaroMochi]

Should we start a new thread about what cards we have and want? I got mine today and 6 of the cards are doubles I'm willing to trade. I don't want to clog this discussion thread with trade listings, though.

Go for it, I say!
I only have two doubles, but since I only want certain villagers, I have some others that I don't mind parting with.

[Leave a Whisper]

My daughter deigned to let me have some clients and designing for them was tons of fun. I had to go back and change a few things though. Wish there was a level set for those people vwho want a little more of a challenge but its no wonder she's already addicted to it. I got to design for a squirrel named Marshall and a deer named Beau. They're so cute! They remind me of Sanrio Surprise characters. 

Happy Home Designer is our first experience with any AC game. She really wants New Leaf now.

[ladybastilla]

I'm almost at the point of just getting both if I can find the cards locally. I want to do my own town in ACNL and my bf has made a very good case for me getting HHD: it's like decorating a swap box on steroids--I get to decorate actual homes and put them up for peole to see. Plus cute animals and I already love Animal Crossing anyway. Sold.

[Nohpny]

Got my game today! It came with Tortimer! It's so much fun.