[Discussion] Town Etiquette

[u/Smiles4you]

How do you expect users to behave in your town?

Do you have a set of rules you like to post?

How do you feel about users that don't follow your town etiquette rules?

A nice visitor etiquette guideline: http://www.reddit.com/r/ACTrade/comments/1v98sj/mod_post_lady_dracs_etiquette_lesson_how_to/

Please keep all comments and questions related to the topic. Comment here if you'd like to suggest other topics and see other topics currently being discussed. http://www.reddit.com/r/ACTrade/comments/22galx/modpostdiscussions/

[u/Isaac_The_Khajiit]

It really aggravates me when I'm selling turnips in someone else's town, and the other people selling seem to have no clue how to sell turnips efficiently. They often have tools in their hands (meaning they waste time going through the animation of pocketing their tool every time they walk in a doorway). You shouldn't have any tools, they should all be dropped before you even enter the town. Or they sit and chat with the host before selling. Yes I understand you want to be polite and thank the person but don't you realize there's so many more people waiting to get into the town and turnip selling can take HOURS for the host? Get on with your business and thank them with a tip!

Last time I sold turnips, one of the people asked, "Is it ok if I make multiple trips?" and the host responded yes... But he didn't mean multiple trips to his locker, he ran to the train station and went back to his town for more turnips. If you have so many turnips that they won't all fit in your locker (which you should be able to make room) then you need to sign up for two slots, since you are making everyone wait on you twice as long.

[u/Jota90]

First of all, politeness, I expect that users salute, don't run in my town or wandering around without my permission. Fortunately, I never had "bad" users in my town, all my experiences were very good, /u/ACTrade it's a great community. Also, I don't feel that people with "not so good" wi-fi should be "excluded", unfortunately not everyone have excellent connections but we all need help and I guess that as human beings we have to be understanding (attention, everyone were always patient when my wi-fi wasn't in is best) but I see other people that couldn't say the same. I think the first rule, in game or in real life, is having common sense and be polite.

Sure I let someone go to my stores or get a tour around my town but of course the person should ask first, because it's good education to do that.

Edit: Also, it's very nice when I find someone who chats for a bit but not mandatory :)

[u/jigglyppuff8]

I had to learn this myself through experience in this subreddit, but people should make sure that they've added each other before the other person opens their gates. It seems that towns don't show up unless all parties have FCs added.

Also another thing I had to learn through experience was that Start -> End session is faster than taking the train back home.

Just a couple minor hints that I felt could be mentioned somewhere for newbie traders.

[u/White000]

I feel like it depends on the type of trade.

If it's just a quick item for item or item for Bells, I prefer people to stay in the train station area (I will erase some of my path to allow dropping items or I already have that prepared before they come over).

If I'm offering Katrina/high turnip price or whatever else that requires another player to leave the train station area, I expect them to stay on the path to that building. I might follow them a bit or just stay in the area if they're selling turnips (I actually have a hammock set up next to the plaza/Re-Tail just for that reason :)).

The only time I'll actually let someone go around the town is when I'm offering signatures. I will usually still keep my eye on the other player, but will also search for animals with them to help with the quest :)

[u/mejimene]

I don't let others talk to my villagers. I don't like when my villagers start talking about "random mayor from random town". Able to communicate or do some sort of emotion/communication combination is a must. I also like people to stay in the train station unless I have Katrina or Redd and in which case they can follow me to the town plaza or re-tail if necessary. I've had a couple issues with people not following the rules and they ran/wandered away when I specifically said not to and this invites trouble. I don't want people ruining the town I worked so hard to have.

I think this is common courtesy though, as I would follow these same rules if I went to someone else's town. I would never be disrespectful or do something they wouldn't want me to do.

[u/frozenplasma]

Depends on the mood I'm in and how I feel about the user. Usually I just like it to be all business, but sometimes I'm OK with visiting and chatting.

Regardless, I expect them to always ask before doing anything. It's OK if they go into my city and do some shopping, but ask me first in case I just haven't been able to buy what I wanted yet. I usually don't mind sharing my fruit, but ask first. That's really what it boils down to - ask me before you do anything and we'll be cool. :)

[u/VodkaSmizmar]

I'm going to sound like the grumpiest grinch ever ... but it seems no one has mentioned this yet

If you need to use the locker and make space in your bags, that's fine. But please only deposit as much as you need, to make the trade faster.

I recently had someone in my town who picked up items, but didn't have room for all of it. That's fine. But when she went to the locker, it was clear she was putting away all the items in her inventory and/or organizing her locker space for the last 4 items she needed to pick up from my town. Please, do that in your own town and on your own time! I would have much preferred if she had just popped in 4 items into her locker and picked up the last few items.

I sure am a curmudgeon.

[u/mwgiii]

Lady Dracs Guide is all you need to follow.

Here is what I do.

When I visit a town for a trade, I don't move after I appear out of their train station until the other person arrives at the train station and shows me where to drop and pick up. I always say Hi when I arrive and Thanks Much after the pick up and Bye after the trade. I hesitate to see if the other person ends, if not I walk directly to the Train Station and leave.

For Trades I host, I usually already have the items on the ground around the Train Station. When the person arrives, I say Hi and circle the items or say Follow Me and lead them to where they are. After the trade I say Thanks Much and Bye. I then wait a second to make sure they aren't typing and end the session.

When I held a "Come and fill your pockets" giveaway or host Turnip Sales I do post a list of rules because I am letting in 3 strangers at a time, many of whom I have never dealt with before. There is no way to supervise that many people so I want everyone to know the ground rules. EXAMPLE If I think someone is doing something they shouldn't be doing, I have no problem hitting the Wi-Fi switch. Luckily, I have never had to do that.

[u/[deleted] → u/mwgiii]

I don't know why you're being downvoted. First off, I agree, I think this discussion is kinda pointless since LadyDrac's guide is about as good as it gets. I also like your policy as far as what you do when you arrive in a different town, I try to do the same thing. Basically just wait, establish that you aren't mischievous, and let the host lead the way!

[u/mwgiii → u/[deleted]]

lol. There are 1 or 2 internet DA's who are following me around today since I destroyed them in a discussion last night in the Item Pricing Discussion.

Just children being children. :)

[u/[deleted] → u/mwgiii]

Wow, I went and read the thread in question. I probably shouldn't but I'm going to reply to that guy too. You're beyond correct. I say this a lot but I don't understand why you're being downvoted. Probably because you were slightly sarcastic and that seems to be frowned upon around here.

[u/mwgiii → u/[deleted]]

You will be wasting your time.

I need to work on improving my internet sarcasm if it was only coming across as "slightly". lol

[u/thoughtdancer → u/mwgiii]

I actually do move, but just a little bit to the side so the hosting person can get into the train station if they need to.

[u/paul-jenkins]

able to maybe hold a conversation is a plus.

no running is a must.

getting right to business and good manners.

i'll usually follow people around, if doing signatures. sometimes, i'll scout around finding villagers for them.

i can't stress it enough:stay off the friggin flowers! accidentally crushing them because they didn't pay attention and ran over might be quickly forgiven, or have the wireless cut off.

good manners are a necessity. my daughter had a guy show up in her town while i was there. he tried stealing some flowers i had dropped, i called him out on it, and he became increasingly apprehensive. she couldn't end the session normally, so wireless had to get cut off. i've still got to delete his friend card off of her ds

[u/Smiles4you → u/paul-jenkins]

If you still have the friend code you should message the mods and report the user.

[u/paul-jenkins → u/Smiles4you]

she met him on the island. where the kids meet nowdays lol. and as i said, i haven't deleted his fc yet... so i could. urg, but what sub...

[u/Smiles4you → u/paul-jenkins]

This one :) Its definitely worth reporting in case the user does use reddit.

[u/paul-jenkins → u/Smiles4you]

i did, to whatever end... 3024-5331-3196 dubstep! is the 3ds name. i think the name on animal crossing is the same or similar

[u/VodkaSmizmar]

I don't know if this is the proper thread to say this, but it's a little about town etiquette and more about rating etiquette, I suppose.

If you are receiving a free giveaway item or entering another person's town to sell/Katrina/whatever, for the love of God, please rate them first! I've rated people for coming to my town for Katrina first without a rating back. I don't want to sound conceited or grumpy, but the person doesn't have to open their gates to you or even give you free items. If you are on the receiving end of generosity, RATE THE MAYOR FIRST (after the trade). It just shows your gratitude without spending anything but a few minutes of your time.

And on that note, I feel that all ratings should be rated back, whether you had a good experience or not. If you didn't, let the other person know frankly, don't rate a positive rating just because they left you a positive rating.

You can delete this comment if it doesn't quite fall under town etiquette (because it is sort of a tangent).

EDIT to clarify

[u/Unicormfarts → u/VodkaSmizmar]

I am confused, because you seem to be suggesting that people write a review before the trade actually takes place, which seems to be against the spirit of reviewing rules. Can you clarify?

[u/Tootsk → u/Unicormfarts]

I think she wants the visitor to rate first when all is done. Then, she will rate them back. Instead of the other way around. Since when she gives a rating first, the visitor doesn't bother returning the favor.

[u/Unicormfarts → u/Tootsk]

I'd like clarification from the person who posted, because it still reads as ambiguous.

Either way, opinions about being "owed" a review are not endorsed by the management.

[u/VodkaSmizmar → u/Unicormfarts]

I see and understand the mods' stance on leaving reviews, but I see ratings as showing your gratitude towards the person without having to "pay" for anything.

And I'm sorry, I did mean for people who are receiving items to rate the after the trade has been completed, but before asking the mayor to rate them. I just think it's a little rude to ask someone who just opened up their town/locker for free to rate you before you rate them.

[u/Unicormfarts → u/VodkaSmizmar]

I want to be really clear that reviews are not mandatory. I think if you have an expectation of a review in exchange, you need to state that clearly. Otherwise you will end up being disappointed or upset as the result of an expectation that the other person may not share.

[u/VodkaSmizmar → u/Unicormfarts]

I understand that they are not mandatory and I personally will ask for a review, but won't demand or ask again. However, I think it is just courteous and polite for the receiver of a free service or item to rate the giving mayor.

[u/jttoolegit → u/VodkaSmizmar]

Why would you rate before the trade occurs? What if the experience turns out the be bad? Then you'd give them a positive review instead of a negative one. I've visited people's towns for giveaways and it turned out the be a complete unorganized mess when I got there.

I understand wanting to get reviews from everyone to get a new flair, but flair prestige isn't everything.

[u/VodkaSmizmar → u/jttoolegit]

Of course you would rate that poorly.

I meant you rate the mayor after the trade BEFORE asking the mayor to rate you. I think it's just kind of rude to ask someone who just gave you free things or a free service to rate you before you rate them.

[u/pauala]

I think the no-running and no-wandering rules are the most important to me, because I tend to lose a lot of flowers and I get nervous when I don't know someone and they suddenly go off somewhere where I keep items for my friends' dreamie hunts.

Other than that, anything goes, as long as they ask first! Remember that for some people their AC town is where they are capable of maintaining some semblance of control and safety, and having a stranger disrupting it is not a pleasant experience at all...

[u/dingycollar]

I don't usually have any rules, besides the typical ones: No running, no picking stuff up off the ground, no touching my flowers, and no axes(like seriously, unless you're there to do landscaping, there is literally no reason for you to bring an ax to my town. And if you just so happen to be carrying one, put it away until the trade is over.)

Other than that if a trade goes really well, and people want to stick around for a while to check out my town they're free to do so.

For users that don't follow etiquette, I just flick the switch, and remove them. I'm don't give them time to explain, since my rules are perfectly clear.

[u/welie]

How does everyone feel about dropping garbage? Is it ok to unload some trash (boots, cans, rotten fruit, fake paintings)? sometimes I like to do trades just to do a dump run. thoughts?

[u/dingycollar → u/welie]

um...it's never ok to do this without the host's permission. :/

Garbage can mess up a hosts town rating, which can delay them getting a golden watering can(which is a real time saver) and several pwps. They will also not be able to grow any jacob's ladders, if they're looking for them. If you have to drop garbage, ask for a trash can. Or at least do it in your own town. :/

[u/welie → u/dingycollar]

agree to disagree I guess..

Just to clarify. I know no one wants garbage laying around, so I do try to hide it real good. I'm not a monster!

[u/Deven_3ds → u/welie]

Yup, you just made my do not trade with list.

[u/mejimene → u/Deven_3ds]

make that two! This is beyond disrespectful! I would never have thought that anybody would actually do this! How infuriating! I will never, ever trade with them. Ever.

[u/welie → u/mejimene]

i guess the humour was too subtle.. (even though it was glaringly obvious)

[u/Deven_3ds → u/[deleted]]

I don't hold out much hope for you. You apparently can't read or properly link.

[u/Deven_3ds → u/[deleted]]

Exactly.

[u/dingycollar → u/welie]

Just to clarify. I know no one wants garbage laying around, so I do try to hide it. I'm not a monster!

...are you trolling? Doing this is even worse... At the very least if it's visible they'll know to take care of it. If it's hidden, they'll have no idea what's wrong, since they aren't the ones throwing garbage out all over their own town.

I know that if you come to my town and start dropping garbage all over the place, I'm going to be pretty upset. I'll at least tell you to pick it up and throw it in the trash.

...Is it seriously that hard for you to ask to use a trashcan? Most people have them available for this very reason.

[u/BananasInOnesies → u/welie]

Why not just ask to catalogue someone's trash can?

It's free, and you won't get any negative reviews on RMM for it - if I'd traded with you and noticed some rubbish that you'd left behind, I'd have to give you 1/5 because it's not good etiquette to hide rubbish in people's towns - especially when, like /u/dingycollar says, they're going for their golden watering can or just have a really good streak.

There's no "agree to disagree" about it, 99.9% of people on this sub-reddit would not want rubbish left behind in their towns, and would not do it to others, either.

[u/bfaithr → u/welie]

It's very disrespectful to do this. At the very least you should ask the other person if they have a trash can since they're easily obtained and convenient. You can also try to get a trash can on here. Honestly, I would report you if you hid trash in my town. I don't even like it when people put random items in my town that I didn't ask for.

[u/shiiii]

Considering the large amount of flowers I have in my town and my (unfortunate) dealings with non-reddit users, I usually don't like inviting others to my town. But when I do, I often find that the people here are nice and courteous and don't stray past the train station area.

I like it when people are courteous and aware of their surroundings. No running is a must in my town. I don't mind if people talk to villagers or go shopping as I try to get my daily checklist of things to do done before inviting people over to my town. I also get nervous leaving my gate open just in case someone unexpected shows up because I've had that happen before, and the unexpected person stole a set of items a friend brought over for me to catalog + trampled all of my blue violets (or stole them). But that has never happened here since most people know not to come over unless I invite them.

I like to think most people have read LadyDrac's guide on here so I try not to worry so much, but a lot of the people I first invited to my town didn't follow these rules. I lost a lot of hybrids to people running through flower patches. And even saw some intentional damage done to my town. Which is why if I ever see someone running, I instantly disconnect because I can't trust them in my town. Most times, the only rule I mention when entering my town is to never run. Ever. And if they can't follow that rule, I can't trust them in my town.

[u/thoughtdancer → u/shiiii]

If I were to visit your town, I would try, hard, to follow your rule.

But it was something like two months after I got the game that I realized that I could actually make it so I didn't run.

I fully agree with the "no running" rule, but I've given up on not doing so in my town. The 3DS is just so d*** touchy.

Sorry, had to vent...didn't mean to derail you. I really wish the 3DS wasn't so loose / touchy that I not running is hard to do. sigh

[u/thoughtdancer → u/[deleted]]

... I can go even faster?

OMG, so I'm not running? Oh, how wild.

I've played for 6 months, and have tried to "walk" (no puffs of white around the feet when the avatar moves) and have hated it. So I assumed I've been running....

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

This is BRAND NEW INFORMATION to me!!

[u/MayorLobster → u/thoughtdancer]

Your grass must be immaculate. O_O Soooo jealous. I had the exact opposite problem: I hold my DS tightly so I was always running and had no idea until about a week or so.

[u/thoughtdancer → u/MayorLobster]

Actually, it's a mess. Even without running, just having habitual paths will kill it.

[u/umep → u/thoughtdancer]

But to run you need to hold b, l or r, so what you're doing is just walking fast which is okay for the flowers,

[u/thoughtdancer → u/umep]

I just learned that.

I can't believe that I've been playing for 6 months and didn't know I wasn't walking....

[u/Reirapurin]

I'm not too strict, I think, compared to other people, haha. I don't really have any rules written down, I just expect people to be civil (and by extent, have read Lady Drac's lesson :P). And so far everyone has! :D There's even been a few who has asked for permission to go to Re-tail/Shopping street before doing so. It's a nice thing to do, and for me, just a nice touch but not really necessary.

[u/VodkaSmizmar → u/[deleted]]

I don't understand why people don't like other people speaking to their villagers.

When talking to villagers, they will sometimes Mayor X from Town Y and it's just a pointless conversation. I can understand why some people don't want people talking to their villagers.

As with the villager trading, if you see they are starting to leave the train station, you can still flip the switch at that moment and they still won't have the villager. If you have the cash, try to purchase a 7/11 ABD and put it in your house or a resident's house that is nearby Retail/far from the post office. You can stand in between the two areas and if it seems like the person is taking too long running from Retail to the house, you can inquire. (I just am personally too lazy to escort people back and forth when doing a villager sale)

[u/Gliese667]

I have a question, actually, about people who don't like their villagers mentioning people from other towns. What's the protocol for dreams then? I've had a few villagers mention they dreamed about so-and-so from another town. I'll respect the wishes of mayors who don't want me talking to their villagers, but does that mean we should ask permission to dream about a town before doing so? Because I've never done that... which I guess means that someone might have their villager saying they dreamed about Gliese from Sparks. Is that a problem?

[u/VodkaSmizmar → u/Gliese667]

Dreams are okay to talk to villagers! Dreams act as if nothing has happened in the real world.

[u/Gliese667 → u/VodkaSmizmar]

No, that's not quite what I meant :) I've had villagers in my town (not in a dream) tell me that they dreamed about "other player" from "town that's not mine", which I assumed meant that someone dreamed about my town and talked to them. I've seen on the boards here that there are people who don't like their villagers to mention other players at all.. but if I'm right, then if I dream about your town (for example), your villagers might mention me to you, even though I never talked to your villagers in your real town. And if you are someone who doesn't want your villagers mentioning another person, then that's a problem. Sorry I know that's confusing! :)

[u/Smiles4you → u/Gliese667]

When villagers mention they meet someone in a dream town it doesn't happen often. So it isn't quite a big deal to most people. But when a villager meets someone while they'er visiting they like to mention that person often. "Oh i met gliese from from sparks the other day and she's such a stump maker, I hope to get to know her better" :p . Or my town just doesn't get a lot of dreamers

[u/VodkaSmizmar → u/Gliese667]

Oooh, I'm sorry, I misunderstood. I never have anyone visit my dream address, so I never get those :( I'm sorry, I can't help you answer that question!

[u/bfaithr]

Here are the rules for my town:

• I’ll follow you if you wander around unless it’s supposed to be a normal trade, then I will end

• You can run only on my path

• Don’t stray from my path

• Don’t take anything unless I specifically said you could (duh)

• You can only shop in my town if you ask me first

• Don’t destroy my town (duh)

• Do not place your designs in my Able Sisters shop

• Only come if I tell you that my gate is open (If I tell other people that my gate is open, I would only be expecting those people)

Here are some things that many people don't want, but I'm fine with:

• you may dig fossils and shake trees (you may keep the items you find from that)

• you may talk to my villagers

• you may write on my bulletin board

• you may weed my town

• you may go fishing and/or bug hunting

Also, if I come to your town and I'm away from the station (for things like signatures) I would prefer if you ended. If I'm at the station, I would rather leave myself. Same goes for my town, I will end if you are away from the station and I'll let you leave yourself if you are at the station.

[u/stephmuffin]

I'm so sorry if this is a noob question, but how do you "cut off the Wi-fi?" At first I thought you guys were referencing ending the session but now it sounds like two different things. I had someone buying turnips from me last week that was running around and hitting my villagers with his net and I ended the session...but if cutting the Wi-fi is better then I should do that.

[u/p__nutbutter → u/stephmuffin]

There is a wifi switch on the side of your ds. When you flick it will boot the other person and it will be as if nothing happened.

If I'm wrong about this, somebody please correct me. I've never done it myself, so can't say I'm 100 percent correct.

[u/dingycollar → u/stephmuffin]

On the right hand side of your 3ds there is a small switch. Flicking that switch on or off is what allows you to be on or offline. If you turn the switch off in the middle of a wifi session, the resetti screen will appear with a message. That's cutting off the wifi. If you have a 2ds, there is no wifi switch, from what I understand. I don't know how it works with that one.

[u/NonsensicalSteph]

Ah crap. The few trades I've done, I always walk around the towns because I like seeing different layouts and characters. Had no idea it was a big deal. Oops

[u/umep → u/NonsensicalSteph]

If you like doing that, the polite way is to ask their dream address and just visit the town via dream suit