So I got the IS motorcycle and am island level 10.... Now what?

[SturmChurro]

I think Yoshida once again underestimated the game's own playerbase. You really werent supposed to grind it out but the idea is that they'll be updating IS within the content patch cycle so you spread out your time with it accordingly.

This is why I havent worked on mines yet at all. Ive been busy doing other things and catch up since I knew the incentive to get max level wasnt going to be worth it from launch since there wouldnt be much content to it until it gets improved and expanded.

I think Yoshida was well aware of how IS was going to be received, and you don't even have to grind it out to finish it. I got to max level with it within 2 weeks of very light play. It's why it was said many times to temper expectations, and many players had this idea that it would somehow be an instanced solution to the housing crisis. Well before IS came out I called it novelty content, and that is exactly what it is.

[Vahlnir]

I think Yoshida was well aware of how IS was going to be received, and you don't even have to grind it out to finish it. I got to max level with it within 2 weeks of very light play. It's why it was said many times to temper expectations, and many players had this idea that it would somehow be an instanced solution to the housing crisis. Well before IS came out I called it novelty content, and that is exactly what it is.

There are times when I feel that he's fully aware of a situation, but a lot of times I feel there's a huge disconnect between him and the player base. It's honestly a bit of a toss-up every time a patch launches. Does he get it, or doesn't he? It could go either way. How he responds after the fact is usually a good indicator though.

[Jojoya]

Or this could be one of those situations where the content is being received differently by the NA player compared to the JP player base.

Evidently they're thrilled with the mammets and having a good time. I'm having a good time with my island but think it would be even better without the mammets.

Players are not a hive mind. They're looking for different things. If you only find combat content entertaining, then IS clearly is not intended for you since it lacks combat. Of course you will end up bored. Fortunately, the game has plenty of combat content and the new Variant/Criterion dungeons are coming in a few weeks so you'll be getting new content (hopefully) more to your liking.

IS works for those who appreciate it for what it is instead of trying to hold it to standards appropriate for a standalone game despite the repeated warnings we were given.

[Vahlnir]

Or this could be one of those situations where the content is being received differently by the NA player compared to the JP player base.

Evidently they're thrilled with the mammets and having a good time. I'm having a good time with my island but think it would be even better without the mammets.

Players are not a hive mind. They're looking for different things. If you only find combat content entertaining, then IS clearly is not intended for you since it lacks combat. Of course you will end up bored. Fortunately, the game has plenty of combat content and the new Variant/Criterion dungeons are coming in a few weeks so you'll be getting new content (hopefully) more to your liking.

IS works for those who appreciate it for what it is instead of trying to hold it to standards appropriate for a standalone game despite the repeated warnings we were given.

Yeah, IS is no Harvest Moon or Rune Factory, but I enjoy it for what it is. I do think it could be improved though, and hopefully they waste little time in doing so. Timely additions to side content and swift QoL changes aren't what they are known for though, so I'm a bit concerned.

[Iscah]

Or this could be one of those situations where the content is being received differently by the NA player compared to the JP player base.

Evidently they're thrilled with the mammets and having a good time. I'm having a good time with my island but think it would be even better without the mammets.

Evidently who is thrilled with the mammets? Based on what evidence?

In one of the other threads on the island sanctuary, someone had gone to see what people were posting in the Japanese forums, and said some there were expressing the same frustrations that we were about the overload of mammets. I can't remember the rest of it but it's definitely not just "they're happy and we aren't".

[Darthgummibear]

IS works for those who appreciate it for what it is instead of trying to hold it to standards appropriate for a standalone game despite the repeated warnings we were given.

This is about as disingenuous as it gets. I was telling people months ago not to get hyped for IS because it wouldn't be housing/etc. I went into IS myself with zero expectations, and I was somehow still disappointed.

As for the community at large, well...when you present something as a major feature of an expansion, you don't get to be surprised if people are unhappy when it doesn't deliver.

[Shuuli]

I said this before it came out. It is just a mini-game inside the game, nothing more. I dunno what people were expecting from it, but the hype around it was completely misplaced.

The only reason I started to grind it now is because of the mounts, when I get them I never touch it ever again.

Here are the things that annoy me even though I had no intention of playing this content to begin with:
- Lack of creativity allowed around my "dream" that the guide keeps reminds me to fulfill.
- Inability to listen to music when I am not in my sanctuary.
- Inability to keep the music going on, and needing to every time reset the music. Like this is just an "inn-room"... I thought this is my "dream fulfilled" :P
- Inability for other players to HEAR the music I set in my sanctuary.
- Inability to invite friends who ain't 90.

This is a solo minigame, this is what I expected it to be, and it did not disappoint. But again, why would I play an mmo to play a solo player mini-game in it, when there are better games like this out there. If it had no mount, I would never touch it and I genuinely do not enjoy it. But if I want the mount I gotta push on it.

And no, I am not saying all other mounts you can get in the game are enjoyable to get (like the triple triad one). But to be fair, that card looks freaking awful the mandragoras are cute.

If there are people who love it, good for them. Personally its a big pain in the ass.

[Iscah]

IS works for those who appreciate it for what it is instead of trying to hold it to standards appropriate for a standalone game despite the repeated warnings we were given.

I should add that I have never played Animal Crossing or any of the other games we were told not to compare it to.

I went into it on the sole expectation of what had been shown to us in the promos for the island itself – "slow life, build a farm, take care of animals and watch your minions run loose" – and I am utterly perplexed by how they started with that concept and ended up with "build a mammet factory and run it via spreadsheet" while making the farm aspect extremely limited.

I don't think I'd even be so disappointed if they set out from the start for it to be a mammet factory, and didn't waste the tropical island setting on such an industrial concept.

[Stormpeaks]

Or this could be one of those situations where the content is being received differently by the NA player compared to the JP player base.

Evidently they're thrilled with the mammets and having a good time. I'm having a good time with my island but think it would be even better without the mammets.

Players are not a hive mind. They're looking for different things. If you only find combat content entertaining, then IS clearly is not intended for you since it lacks combat. Of course you will end up bored. Fortunately, the game has plenty of combat content and the new Variant/Criterion dungeons are coming in a few weeks so you'll be getting new content (hopefully) more to your liking.

IS works for those who appreciate it for what it is instead of trying to hold it to standards appropriate for a standalone game despite the repeated warnings we were given.

What is there to appreciate once you are done with it ?

Now is a good time to stop finding excuses for the sorry excuse of a "content" that is islands

[ThaCa]

It was a nice distraction for a while but not the most engaging content. Still need 1 mount and some smaller stuff and I can forget it exists until possible update.