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Where does the love for AP come from?

Posted: Sep 01, 2011 12:44 am
by TerranSugar
This is not supposed to be a flame thread ( altough it might seem like that o.o ).
I am just very curious, maybe I missed something?
Maybe Animal Parade is actually a very funny harvest moon and I just didnt notice it yet?
Maybe its just me?

But actually, when I played it I was really disappointed.
And here I saw many people write something like "Its my fave hm". I think its really just me.

What is so great about AP? I found it horrible, especially after playing Tot.
Tot was awesome!

I have some examples ( many if not all things have been stated before, Ill just point them out again to strengthen my arguments ;) ):
.) In AP the time is slow. Very slow. Now, you might say: of course, since castagnet Island is really big. Yes, you are right. But they still overdid it. They made the time pass too slow, they didnt find a balance. While in Tot time is almost too fast, but I can deal with that better then the other way around. This is also the thing that annoyed me the most and made me reconsider to continue playing AP.

.) While we are at it: the island. I am your tour guide, please enjoy your stay. We are currently on your farm. Now, at your right ( facing your house) we have the flute fields. They are far away, and people live there. at your left, we have Harmonika town which is also rather far away. People live there as well. And behind Harmonika, reachable by a path that goes away from your farm we have the garmon mine district. Yes, people live there. And you are in the middle of all of those places. Life? What life? I have never seen Ruth in Harmonika town before, have you? Does that mean that she spends her whole life at the flute fields?
Just a reminder: in Tot the characters had actual schedules. They actually left their homes once in a while and you could see them move around. It was one big community, not 3 of them and your in the middle. The villagers could be spotted taking walks, talking with each other... the town and the island was alive.
No such thing in AP.

There is more, but as I said, I dont want to flame here :)
I just want to know: WHY the heck is it so popular?
I quit it, and came back to Tot because I was too frustrated to continue.

And seriously, I could care less how many children you can have in AP. I am an only child ( random facts XP) and I dont mind having only one child.

So please tell me, why do you like AP? What do you like about it? :)

Re: Where does the love for AP come from?

Posted: Sep 01, 2011 5:18 am
by Kemine
TerranSugar wrote:
.) While we are at it: the island. I am your tour guide, please enjoy your stay. We are currently on your farm. Now, at your right ( facing your house) we have the flute fields. They are far away, and people live there. at your left, we have Harmonika town which is also rather far away. People live there as well. And behind Harmonika, reachable by a path that goes away from your farm we have the garmon mine district. Yes, people live there. And you are in the middle of all of those places. Life? What life? I have never seen Ruth in Harmonika town before, have you? Does that mean that she spends her whole life at the flute fields?
You're right, I don't think the shopkeepers really ever go anywhere. I wish they would, or that you could see people walk.

Honestly I'm not sure why so many people love AP. I liked that there were pets, and I didn't mind the farming system. You're also able to make your husband/wife and kids work for you. I don't think it's one of the worst games or a game to stop playing, but it also isn't my favorite.

Re: Where does the love for AP come from?

Posted: Sep 01, 2011 5:27 am
by BananaLilac
I don't love the game that much but I enjoyed it quite a bit, I think that was mostly down to Finn though. He was too adorable!

I haven't played ToT so I can't really compare the two games.
The time really did bother me in AP it just went too slow, doing the farmwork then going to give gifts to everyone without the circus taxi took about half an hour, and if you were waiting for an event during the night I could go and do quite a few things and come back and it still wouldn't be time.
Luckily we have two TV's in my lounge, one for the wii.

I'm used to the characters seeming quite robotic from the DS games so that didn't bother me much.

I loved the watery cave mine so much though, I'm not sure why I think it was the music.
I really enjoyed getting the bells done though, it added more to the game for me. Such as the purple bell, I loved doing that because it forced me to become friends with more people rather than just the bachelorettes to get them married.

I like making my husband and kid help with the farm work when I'm feeling lazy aswell.

It was the same really to most Harvest Moon games I played except Finn I love that guy

Re: Where does the love for AP come from?

Posted: Sep 01, 2011 7:51 am
by HMaddict:)
Eh, I don't like it as much as other people. I still like it and have fun with it but I always do with HM games. It doesn't stand out as one of my favorites. Not yet anyway...maybe after marriage and kids but idk.

I had a problem with the days. I thought they were too short. @_@ Then again, I'm always mining and in the forest so that makes time go by much faster.

And I wish more people had schedules too. Not many do. I think one of the only, if not the only, shopkeeper to have a schedule is Mira. I mean yeah, some of them go outside...but that's all they do. Just walk around outside their shop.

Re: Where does the love for AP come from?

Posted: Sep 01, 2011 8:33 am
by TerranSugar
And I dont understand the outcome of this poll ._.
It seems that fans make everyone think AP is the « Harvest Goddess » of HM.
Its actually pretty sad.

http://www.fogu.com/hmforum/viewtopic.p ... &view=next

Re: Where does the love for AP come from?

Posted: Sep 01, 2011 8:47 am
by Lunariah
I actually like AP quite a bit though I'll admit that it's not my favorite game of them all.

One reason may sound kind of lame, but I like playing the full console over the portable for any kind of game. I do still play portable don't get me wrong. I have almost all the portable games for HM. However, when I'm just chilling in my bed at night, I prefer to use the Wii, Gamecube, or PlayStation.

Now when it comes between ToT and AP, I actually prefer the longer day. The shorter days drive me up a wall. I already find myself not being able to spend all my energy in one day in AP without getting hit by poison in the mines or without it getting too late at night.

I also really enjoy the pets and get a ridiculous amount of amusement from riding my cow. Seriously, I pretend I'm on a bucking bull :bunny: (so it's a bunny. I've wanted to use that smilie for a while so I did) sometimes with my arm up in the air like that XD It keeps me quite entertained as I travel from area to area on the big map.

Oh and letting my husband do the weed work in my tree field? Love it :lala:

Bah. So at the end of the day, I'll admit that it's not my favorite. But I do love the game and can see why others like it too *shrugs*

Re: Where does the love for AP come from?

Posted: Sep 01, 2011 8:53 am
by TerranSugar
Lunariah wrote:I actually like AP quite a bit though I'll admit that it's not my favorite game of them all.

One reason may sound kind of lame, but I like playing the full console over the portable for any kind of game. I do still play portable don't get me wrong. I have almost all the portable games for HM. However, when I'm just chilling in my bed at night, I prefer to use the Wii, Gamecube, or PlayStation.

Now when it comes between ToT and AP, I actually prefer the longer day. The shorter days drive me up a wall. I already find myself not being able to spend all my energy in one day in AP without getting hit by poison in the mines or without it getting too late at night.

I also really enjoy the pets and get a ridiculous amount of amusement from riding my cow. Seriously, I pretend I'm on a bucking bull :bunny: (so it's a bunny. I've wanted to use that smilie for a while so I did) sometimes with my arm up in the air like that XD It keeps me quite entertained as I travel from area to area on the big map.

Oh and letting my husband do the weed work in my tree field? Love it :lala:


Bah. So at the end of the day, I'll admit that it's not my favorite. But I do love the game and can see why others like it too *shrugs*
But doesnt it annoy you that there is no social life? Like, there is no one around on those long long paths except for you... I was used (because of tot) to always meet someone on the way. But it seems like there are 3 small communitys. Oh, and your farmer ;)
It really ruined the mood Q.Q

Re: Where does the love for AP come from?

Posted: Sep 01, 2011 9:04 am
by Lunariah
TerranSugar wrote:
Lunariah wrote:I actually like AP quite a bit though I'll admit that it's not my favorite game of them all.

One reason may sound kind of lame, but I like playing the full console over the portable for any kind of game. I do still play portable don't get me wrong. I have almost all the portable games for HM. However, when I'm just chilling in my bed at night, I prefer to use the Wii, Gamecube, or PlayStation.

Now when it comes between ToT and AP, I actually prefer the longer day. The shorter days drive me up a wall. I already find myself not being able to spend all my energy in one day in AP without getting hit by poison in the mines or without it getting too late at night.

I also really enjoy the pets and get a ridiculous amount of amusement from riding my cow. Seriously, I pretend I'm on a bucking bull :bunny: (so it's a bunny. I've wanted to use that smilie for a while so I did) sometimes with my arm up in the air like that XD It keeps me quite entertained as I travel from area to area on the big map.

Oh and letting my husband do the weed work in my tree field? Love it :lala:


Bah. So at the end of the day, I'll admit that it's not my favorite. But I do love the game and can see why others like it too *shrugs*
But doesnt it annoy you that there is no social life? Like, there is no one around on those long long paths except for you... I was used (because of tot) to always meet someone on the way. But it seems like there are 3 small communitys. Oh, and your farmer ;)
It really ruined the mood Q.Q
Hahahaha :heart:

Yeah, the no social life did bother me a bit, but I feel like it's that way for a lot of the portable games so I tend to shrug it off. It always bothers me when there's no social life (one of my first games was A Wonderful Life. People were everywhere in that game, so I kind of compare social life to that out of habit), but the other reasons for enjoying it overrode the "social life" argument for me in AP case.

'sides, I can always find at least 3 things in each game that I would like to change, so at the end of the day it doesn't come down to what I don't like about a game or would change about the game but to what I do like and enjoy about a game that makes a game my favorite. They'll never make a game that'll satisfy everyone's needs and preferences. Harvest Moon has been out for 15 years and they've yet to make one that's 100% perfect *shrugs* Least in my opinion. To each his or her own.

Re: Where does the love for AP come from?

Posted: Sep 01, 2011 9:07 am
by Lexy Jenrex
There are those who don't like AP that much. I'm one of them. I could write an entire essay with the issues with that game but, seriously who would care to read it? I'm sure I'd just be met with ad-hominems like "Your biased" and whatnot. That and I'm too lazy to spend time writing about something I dislike. :lol:

Re: Where does the love for AP come from?

Posted: Sep 01, 2011 9:12 am
by TerranSugar
Lunariah wrote:
TerranSugar wrote:
Lunariah wrote:I actually like AP quite a bit though I'll admit that it's not my favorite game of them all.

One reason may sound kind of lame, but I like playing the full console over the portable for any kind of game. I do still play portable don't get me wrong. I have almost all the portable games for HM. However, when I'm just chilling in my bed at night, I prefer to use the Wii, Gamecube, or PlayStation.

Now when it comes between ToT and AP, I actually prefer the longer day. The shorter days drive me up a wall. I already find myself not being able to spend all my energy in one day in AP without getting hit by poison in the mines or without it getting too late at night.

I also really enjoy the pets and get a ridiculous amount of amusement from riding my cow. Seriously, I pretend I'm on a bucking bull :bunny: (so it's a bunny. I've wanted to use that smilie for a while so I did) sometimes with my arm up in the air like that XD It keeps me quite entertained as I travel from area to area on the big map.

Oh and letting my husband do the weed work in my tree field? Love it :lala:


Bah. So at the end of the day, I'll admit that it's not my favorite. But I do love the game and can see why others like it too *shrugs*
But doesnt it annoy you that there is no social life? Like, there is no one around on those long long paths except for you... I was used (because of tot) to always meet someone on the way. But it seems like there are 3 small communitys. Oh, and your farmer ;)
It really ruined the mood Q.Q
Hahahaha :heart:

Yeah, the no social life did bother me a bit, but I feel like it's that way for a lot of the portable games so I tend to shrug it off. It always bothers me when there's no social life (one of my first games was A Wonderful Life. People were everywhere in that game, so I kind of compare social life to that out of habit), but the other reasons for enjoying it overrode the "social life" argument for me in AP case.

'sides, I can always find at least 3 things in each game that I would like to change, so at the end of the day it doesn't come down to what I don't like about a game or would change about the game but to what I do like and enjoy about a game that makes a game my favorite. They'll never make a game that'll satisfy everyone's needs and preferences. Harvest Moon has been out for 15 years and they've yet to make one that's 100% perfect *shrugs* Least in my opinion. To each his or her own.
Thats a nice way of looking at things :heart:

Re: Where does the love for AP come from?

Posted: Sep 01, 2011 9:13 am
by TerranSugar
Lexy Jenrex wrote:There are those who don't like AP that much. I'm one of them. I could write an entire essay with the issues with that game but, seriously who would care to read it? I'm sure I'd just be met with ad-hominems like "Your biased" and whatnot. That and I'm too lazy to spend time writing about something I dislike. :lol:
Sorry for the double post xD
I would read it XP

Re: Where does the love for AP come from?

Posted: Sep 01, 2011 1:51 pm
by FabShelly
Where does it come from? From my heart!

I don't understand all the hate/resentment. It's simply a wonderful, fun game. There's more time to do things and more things to do. I like that things are spread out instead of mashed all together and I like that there's more of a challenge than ToT. I don't have a problem with video game characters not acting like real people. If I want to talk to a real person I go talk to them.

Re: Where does the love for AP come from?

Posted: Sep 01, 2011 5:33 pm
by pshycho
I thought it was great at first. After playing if for a few days, the time started KILLING me. I'd rather have too short than too long of days. I liked the pets, how to raise animals & crops, and everything else. I just simply couldn't handle the time. It could just be me, but it took me at least half an hour to complete one day. It just wasn't worth it.

It was really dissappointing too because I was really looking forward to playing it. It's not the worst I've played, but it's far from the best

Re: Where does the love for AP come from?

Posted: Sep 01, 2011 11:49 pm
by TerranSugar
FabShelly wrote:Where does it come from? From my heart!

I don't understand all the hate/resentment. It's simply a wonderful, fun game. There's more time to do things and more things to do. I like that things are spread out instead of mashed all together and I like that there's more of a challenge than ToT. I don't have a problem with video game characters not acting like real people. If I want to talk to a real person I go talk to them.
Its great that you like it ^^
But the problem is that actually there where several backsteps.
The characters were not always that way but instead of becoming more player-friendfly, they got worse. :shifty:

I agree, there are many things to do and it was very funny to search for the bells. :lala:

Re: Where does the love for AP come from?

Posted: Sep 02, 2011 3:00 am
by BananaLilac
I just simply couldn't handle the time. It could just be me, but it took me at least half an hour to complete one day.
This is exactly why I stopped playing, the time was just too much.