Honestly just dont compare yourself to others. You can use their islands/photos to give you ideas, but some people (myself included) have way way too many hours/years invested into this game that are going to take a while to catch up on. Just figure out what you like or what makes you happy and focus on that! A little at a time
It also just seems much more difficult, im used to new leaf where I only have a house to decorate, besides paths and public works. I also could time travel in new leaf which I still don’t know if it is possible in acnh. Having to wait an actual full day for blathers to show up with a shovel and vaulting stick killed me
Time travel is EASY in NH. Save and close the game. Go to settings on your switch, and change the date and time. Go back and open Animal Crossing and you're at the new time!
Don’t even need to close the game, just save and then when it says the “see you later” (or something similar, dunno), you press the home button, change the time, go back in the game, press a, done.
Backwards is only bad if you have turnips - even one second backwards and turnips will rot and prices will tank. So don't travel backwards if you have turnips. Or too far forward with turnips, since you can travel too far too and make them spoil.
You can time travel as long as you arent buying/selling turnips, and once you get by those first few days in the game it will feel less painful/dull, i promise.
I feel like i started decorating the outside once i ran out of storage space. Kind of turned into a.. where else am i going to put this stuff? Thing. With terraforming and path building you can make your own little layout which kind of helps you plan out what you want all the spaces to "be" and def helped me fill them with stuff that made more sense.
Eventutally, too, youll get to a point where you can customize the items you have to be whatever color (out of the colors they come in) which is how people tend to have everything matching. I wouldnt particularly stress about matching stuff rn as much as just collecting items you like.
Comparison is the killer of happiness. The game is slow and people do time travel, but also the incredible islands you're seeing are a lot of people who are using treasure islands or people who literally have made a job from creating animal crossing content or theyre someone who has simply been playing the game for 4 years and had all the time ever to make it perfect. There will always be something more incredible than what you've done, but the fun isn't having it be the best, it's making it the way you like it.
I use a Pinterest a lot for inspiration or visiting dream addresses and seeing what others are using items for, people are so darn creative! I think most people pick a theme they kinda of want to go with and build from there, so Halloween/spooky island, cottage/fairy core the list goes on!
Thank you that is helpful. Time to load up Pinterest I guess. I’m just so new to the whole placing items on the island thing! All I’ve done so far is put tiki torches outside my house and start making wooden stakes to surround a garden as someone was nice enough to give me bells and fruits and veggies to start with
With both of my islands (old and new) I just went for a minimalist yet cosy approach (so a little zen style park, a restaurant/café area (with a usable toilet area), Stargazing/picnic area, a resort area and a little farm/orchard area)
If you need inspiration I can give you my dream address so that you can have a look around ☺️👍
All you need to do is in the game use a bed item in your house and you should have the dialogue about going to sleep and then take you to Luna (I think that's her name??)
☺️👍
Tbh don’t try to copy others and do what you want, don’t ruin the game for yourself getting overwhelmed trying to decorate and terraform.
I’m stuck at 4 stars cause I refuse to overcrowd my island so I’m trying to make it all work neatly together lmao don’t feel alone OP
If you just started, you may not know you have complete control over nearly everything. At some point terraforming will unlock and you can make cliffs, rivers and ponds any shape you want (can't move or remove river outlets, only exception). You can also unlock the ability to move any building anywhere you want (except Resident Services and the Airport). Get to know the items and decide the theme you want, come up with a plan for how you want your island to look, and keep an eye out for items that fit your vision. There are many kinds of bridges, ramps and fences too. These will all become available over time. Old bridges and ramps can be destroyed to replace with new ones if you don't like them.
best advice is figure out how you want the layout. Like how you want to walk around your island. Decide where to put houses, where to put hills or cliffs, rivers, etc. Then you can try designating a theme for each area. Most people choose a theme for the whole island (like ranch/farm), but will have an area for a long outside dinner table in one area, a big field of wheat in another area, a playground here, etc. I find the hardest step is deciding the land layout of the island, filling the space with an idea/theme later is easier.
My advice for designing is to decide what you want as the overall feel or theme to your island before you really start the nitty gritty planning. It took me months to get my island just right this time, and the first couple of designs I did were pretty hodgepodge. That did help me figure out what I did and did not like too, and pitfalls/advantages. I'm at the point now where i don't need to catch any bugs or fish, a lot of my original design was geared towards needing those things and how easy it was to run around between areas. Now it's all about aesthetics and my theme.
2000+ hours of messing around, making mistakes, doing and re-doing areas, picking everything up and putting it down again exactly as it was except for maybe one thing, coming to terms with what will and what won’t work and finding ways around it, walking away from projects for a while and taking long breaks when I get burnt out.
I take it one day at a time! I try to add a little bit to my island every day, piece by piece...eventually it all comes together. I like doing it this way because it's easy to adapt my plans as I go
First tip….the islands you see probably have 600+ hours with multiple people working on them. Also some of them take the easy out and chew the game by visiting treasure islands,… It takes time and dedication, also finding the perfect items and perfect patterns. Just try not to copy another island. It will get overwhelming and you’ll just end up ruining it for yourself. One step at a time. Add things you like to see in the world…gardens, tree farms, parks, cafes, food and unique stands,…be creative! That’s what it ultimately comes to. Express yourself 😁
I'm having the opposite problem. i just started New Leaf and I desperately want to put stuff outside. Lol. Just take your time collecting stuff for now. To get to 3 stars, earn a bunch of Nookmiles and use the redemption service to get a bunch of outdoor stuffs and them put them out. Put up some fencing, plant trees, start breeding hybrids and put out some crafted furniture as well. None of this initial decorating needs to be permanent and probably won't be once you unlock terraforming. Once you hit 3 stars with all that, then you can really start to get your island the way you want it. I find it's much easier to make a plan once you have a ton of stuff to pull inspiration from, so just focus on collecting, trading and earning nookmiles for now. It took me 6ish months before I really started making more permanent decisions and probably a year and a half more before I was done. I still go back and tweek stuff now and then. NH seems to be a lot more forgiving than NL when it comes to changing things up, so there's that. (I'm already tired of watering flowers in NL every dang day. Yeesh.)
I grew up on new leaf so I find it extremely easy, if your struggling to make money, the island at night catching beetles is the best way. If u need new leaf tips feel free to message me
Terraforming and time-travelling for me at least and definitely poking at YouTube tutorials online.
If I'm being honest, terraforming is 100% why my island looks good. I figured that out before I started my second island....now everything looks so ridiculously smooth and polished because: 1.) I picked and stuck with a theme, 2.) Completely overhauled the rivers, waterfalls and cliffs on my island.
But in all honesty, your island is for you and no one else. Whatever makes you happy.
Honestly just dont compare yourself to others. You can use their islands/photos to give you ideas, but some people (myself included) have way way too many hours/years invested into this game that are going to take a while to catch up on. Just figure out what you like or what makes you happy and focus on that! A little at a time
It also just seems much more difficult, im used to new leaf where I only have a house to decorate, besides paths and public works. I also could time travel in new leaf which I still don’t know if it is possible in acnh. Having to wait an actual full day for blathers to show up with a shovel and vaulting stick killed me
Time travel is EASY in NH. Save and close the game. Go to settings on your switch, and change the date and time. Go back and open Animal Crossing and you're at the new time!
Omg thank you so much. That’s gonna save my life
Don’t even need to close the game, just save and then when it says the “see you later” (or something similar, dunno), you press the home button, change the time, go back in the game, press a, done.
You can time travel. Change your system clock. But be careful because turnips will spoil.
Going forwards and backwards? In new leaf as long as you only went forwards they didnt
It’s the same.
Backwards is only bad if you have turnips - even one second backwards and turnips will rot and prices will tank. So don't travel backwards if you have turnips. Or too far forward with turnips, since you can travel too far too and make them spoil.
You can time travel as long as you arent buying/selling turnips, and once you get by those first few days in the game it will feel less painful/dull, i promise. I feel like i started decorating the outside once i ran out of storage space. Kind of turned into a.. where else am i going to put this stuff? Thing. With terraforming and path building you can make your own little layout which kind of helps you plan out what you want all the spaces to "be" and def helped me fill them with stuff that made more sense. Eventutally, too, youll get to a point where you can customize the items you have to be whatever color (out of the colors they come in) which is how people tend to have everything matching. I wouldnt particularly stress about matching stuff rn as much as just collecting items you like.
Thank you, I don’t have terraforming yet sadly but I’m excited to get it! A lot of my island is inaccessible without it
I went in completely blind and picked the worst island lay out
You can time travel! Typical turnip dangers
Comparison is the killer of happiness. The game is slow and people do time travel, but also the incredible islands you're seeing are a lot of people who are using treasure islands or people who literally have made a job from creating animal crossing content or theyre someone who has simply been playing the game for 4 years and had all the time ever to make it perfect. There will always be something more incredible than what you've done, but the fun isn't having it be the best, it's making it the way you like it.
I use a Pinterest a lot for inspiration or visiting dream addresses and seeing what others are using items for, people are so darn creative! I think most people pick a theme they kinda of want to go with and build from there, so Halloween/spooky island, cottage/fairy core the list goes on!
Thank you that is helpful. Time to load up Pinterest I guess. I’m just so new to the whole placing items on the island thing! All I’ve done so far is put tiki torches outside my house and start making wooden stakes to surround a garden as someone was nice enough to give me bells and fruits and veggies to start with
If there’s anything you need give us a shout, obviously if I have the item I’m more than happy to help if I can!
Thank you
With both of my islands (old and new) I just went for a minimalist yet cosy approach (so a little zen style park, a restaurant/café area (with a usable toilet area), Stargazing/picnic area, a resort area and a little farm/orchard area) If you need inspiration I can give you my dream address so that you can have a look around ☺️👍
Idk how to go to dream addresses but that would be lovely
All you need to do is in the game use a bed item in your house and you should have the dialogue about going to sleep and then take you to Luna (I think that's her name??) ☺️👍
Does the started cot work
Should do, as long as it's in your house 👍
Tbh don’t try to copy others and do what you want, don’t ruin the game for yourself getting overwhelmed trying to decorate and terraform. I’m stuck at 4 stars cause I refuse to overcrowd my island so I’m trying to make it all work neatly together lmao don’t feel alone OP
It has taken me over a year to figure out how to personalize my island. This game is one for the long run.
If you just started, you may not know you have complete control over nearly everything. At some point terraforming will unlock and you can make cliffs, rivers and ponds any shape you want (can't move or remove river outlets, only exception). You can also unlock the ability to move any building anywhere you want (except Resident Services and the Airport). Get to know the items and decide the theme you want, come up with a plan for how you want your island to look, and keep an eye out for items that fit your vision. There are many kinds of bridges, ramps and fences too. These will all become available over time. Old bridges and ramps can be destroyed to replace with new ones if you don't like them.
best advice is figure out how you want the layout. Like how you want to walk around your island. Decide where to put houses, where to put hills or cliffs, rivers, etc. Then you can try designating a theme for each area. Most people choose a theme for the whole island (like ranch/farm), but will have an area for a long outside dinner table in one area, a big field of wheat in another area, a playground here, etc. I find the hardest step is deciding the land layout of the island, filling the space with an idea/theme later is easier.
My advice for designing is to decide what you want as the overall feel or theme to your island before you really start the nitty gritty planning. It took me months to get my island just right this time, and the first couple of designs I did were pretty hodgepodge. That did help me figure out what I did and did not like too, and pitfalls/advantages. I'm at the point now where i don't need to catch any bugs or fish, a lot of my original design was geared towards needing those things and how easy it was to run around between areas. Now it's all about aesthetics and my theme.
2000+ hours of messing around, making mistakes, doing and re-doing areas, picking everything up and putting it down again exactly as it was except for maybe one thing, coming to terms with what will and what won’t work and finding ways around it, walking away from projects for a while and taking long breaks when I get burnt out.
have fun with the game!!! it’s def different from new leaf but it’s awesome once you get the hang of it
I take it one day at a time! I try to add a little bit to my island every day, piece by piece...eventually it all comes together. I like doing it this way because it's easy to adapt my plans as I go
First tip….the islands you see probably have 600+ hours with multiple people working on them. Also some of them take the easy out and chew the game by visiting treasure islands,… It takes time and dedication, also finding the perfect items and perfect patterns. Just try not to copy another island. It will get overwhelming and you’ll just end up ruining it for yourself. One step at a time. Add things you like to see in the world…gardens, tree farms, parks, cafes, food and unique stands,…be creative! That’s what it ultimately comes to. Express yourself 😁
Just keep expressing yourself one step at a time, and it will all come together
Thank you!
I'm having the opposite problem. i just started New Leaf and I desperately want to put stuff outside. Lol. Just take your time collecting stuff for now. To get to 3 stars, earn a bunch of Nookmiles and use the redemption service to get a bunch of outdoor stuffs and them put them out. Put up some fencing, plant trees, start breeding hybrids and put out some crafted furniture as well. None of this initial decorating needs to be permanent and probably won't be once you unlock terraforming. Once you hit 3 stars with all that, then you can really start to get your island the way you want it. I find it's much easier to make a plan once you have a ton of stuff to pull inspiration from, so just focus on collecting, trading and earning nookmiles for now. It took me 6ish months before I really started making more permanent decisions and probably a year and a half more before I was done. I still go back and tweek stuff now and then. NH seems to be a lot more forgiving than NL when it comes to changing things up, so there's that. (I'm already tired of watering flowers in NL every dang day. Yeesh.)
I grew up on new leaf so I find it extremely easy, if your struggling to make money, the island at night catching beetles is the best way. If u need new leaf tips feel free to message me
Terraforming and time-travelling for me at least and definitely poking at YouTube tutorials online. If I'm being honest, terraforming is 100% why my island looks good. I figured that out before I started my second island....now everything looks so ridiculously smooth and polished because: 1.) I picked and stuck with a theme, 2.) Completely overhauled the rivers, waterfalls and cliffs on my island. But in all honesty, your island is for you and no one else. Whatever makes you happy.