Animal Parade VS Tree of Tranquility? Options

[BACCHIKOI!!]

Okay, so we all know the characters of both games, and we all know the storyline: revitalize the island. The only question is: which is better?

If I may start with my own debate...

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THIS POST IS MY OWN PERSONAL OPINION, AND I WILL REMEMBER THAT YOURS IS YOURS. I'm not really trying to defend myself, but you know how people can be. This topic is for general debate and conversation only. I'm not saying that this topic will decide which is seriously better.

Now onto my debate! :D

Characters:
Well, the 3 added characters for Animal Parade (Witch, Wizard and Harvest King) were a bonus, and seeing that all 3 were eligible for marriage was a bigger bonus.

I also enjoyed that you can pick from 4 heroes (2 boys and 2 girls) instead of just 2 (just 1 boy or 1 girl). Although the new female heroine of Animal Parade bugs me a bit.

And a Harvest Moon game with TWO children? I know there's another Harvest Moon SOMEWHERE out there where you can do that as well, but I'm lost at what it is. (Although I can be mistaken.)

But then again, in Tree of Tranquility, you can start over as your child by creating a Journey Rucksack, and you inheret your previous file's money and makers. Helpful right? But can't you do that in Animal Parade as well?

Also, the characters got some more detailing. There are shadows on their eyelids, and Toby opens his eyes!!! (Even if it is just a crack.) But honestly, I find the more detailed characters kinda... creepy.

However...

Section Winner: Animal Parade

Challenge:
Well, even though I've only recently gotten Animal Parade, and I'm in my first summer of my first file, I've already rang 4 of the bells. >.>

I must say that the challenge of Animal Parade is fairly low. I do appreciate that you start out with a barn and coop like in the A Wonderful Life series, (THANK YOU) and you start out with some crops which is also helpful.

Now, I'm not saying there's no challenge.

I haven't gotten this far, but I have a feeling that obtaining a Hero title will be very difficult.

Also it takes 100 lumber and 100 Material Stone to upgrade your house along with 25,000 G, while the barn is 40-50 and 30,000 G and the coop being 30-20 and 24,000G. The materials aren't intimidating to me, it's the funds. (I'm almost ready to upgrade my barn! :D)

And while I make it seem easy to ring the bells, they don't come without their own challenges, like unlocking corn and Toucan Island.

The last bell drives me nuts though. You have to get 10 people up to about 3 hearts to get their wishes. If you're like me, and you focus on just getting your desired bachelor/bachelorette up to 10 hearts and toss other people on the back burner, you know how hard it is. It's like Magical Melody all over again, but with less required people, and more required hearts. >.<

I did like the challenge of Tree of Tranquility. The game is like a big scavenger hunt. Very enjoyable, and I didn't complete my first file until my second spring. Although, the game is extremely time consuming...

Section Winner: Tree of Tranquility

Raising Affections:
I may make a big deal about raising people's affections, but really, after you get them to 2 hearts, it just gets a lot easier to raise their affections. Also, the animals are so easy to befriend, whether it be the ones on your farm, or in the wild.

There's also another feature in this game that's interesting to me: jealousy. When you get a bachelor/bachelorette to 7 hearts, you will have a confession of love. Now here's the interesting part: when that happens and you tell them you like them back, other bachelores/bachelorettes will lose a little affection for you. Interesting right?

And a word of advice: if you have a second Wii Remote, turn it on and repeatedly move it over people/animals BEFORE giving any of them gifts. Turn the remotes sound on so you know when to stop. It'll make beeping noises, and then it will "sing". Repeat the process until it sings twice. It will make the gift you give them give you just a few more affection points. It can go a long way.

Section Winner: Animal Parade

Music:
In every Harvest Moon game that my mom watches me play, she says the music alone is brain-numbing, repetative, and just downright... boring. But in every Harvest Moon game, I have enjoyed the music... to an extent. After awhile, I'll turn off the sound and just listen to my iPod.

Section Winner: Neither! :D (In my opinion, no Harvest Moon game ever wins this section.)

Additional Details:
Bashing time!

In Animal Parade, if you get a barn animal up to about 5 or so hearts, you can ride them! :D Awesome!

But this right here is one of the worst parts of Animal Parade: you can only have 3 TYPES of animals in your barn. So if you were to have 1 cow, 1 goat, and 1 sheep, you'd have to sell one in order to have a horse. XP Stupid in my opinion, but either way, cows, goats and sheep are the only profitable animals in the barn anyway. You can even use them to race in the Animal Contest. (And sheep give milk! :D)

In both games though, (actually, in every Harvest Moon game) they never gave up the extensive travel. Omigosh I absolutely HATE all the travel, like going from the seed store to your house to the clinic, but I've learned to get over it.

Section Winner: Neither! :D

So overall, I have yet to decide on a winner. D: Too hard! I'll leave you to decide!

Now, debate! (Nicely please.)

This post has been edited by BACCHIKOI!!: Aug 11 2011, 02:47 AM

[hylianknightmare]

animal parade. hands down. now, if it wasn't for that pesky missing kids glitch...

[Pumpkin Patch]

This breaks the ten day rule. Oh well. Everyone makes mistakes (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lalasmile.gif) .

I like debating about Harvest Moon. But I never saw this topic. Weird.


Characters:
Animal Parade got rid of Elli and Gray. That was disappointing. Even if you couldn't marry them it was really fun to have them in the game. They also changed Perry. He was a medical assistant in ToT and then all of the sudden in AP he became a church person. That was a little weird.

I love the Witch Princess. And it was awesome they added a Wizard and finally a Harvest King. So I give AP that. I also think the AP MCs were cooler looking than the ToT.

But I have to say I think most of the characters had more personality in ToT. Even some of my least favorite characters in AP were likable in ToT.

Section Winner: Tree of Tranquility


Challenge:
ToT and AP have a pretty similar set up. You make some rainbows, ring some bells and then there is a last challenge. Overall I'd say ToT is more challenging. But not necessarily in a good way. You just get a set of five items over and over. And if you didn't know how to get the item or it could only be got in a certain season there was nothing you could do. In AP you collect a bunch of items as well. But it is less rigid then it is in ToT. So even if ToTs plot can get repetitive it is still more challenging then AP.

Also in ToT each marriage candidate has a request that is specific to them. In AP it is the same set up each time. Some of the events can be pretty challenging.

Plus AP hands you a lot of things. Like you said you get a barn, chicken coop, and some crops from day one.

Section Winner: Tree of Tranquility

Raising Affections:
In ToT it was far too easy to gain hearts. If you just picked the right answer in the opening scene you could have Hamilton and Anissa to one heart before you even really start the game. Plus you can give more then one gift a day depending on how much they like the gift. I could people two liked gifts and get as many points in one day as one loved gift. Or I could give five okay gifts all in one day. Even just talking to people would gain you hearts in a decent amount of time.

I also like the jealousy thing in AP. Although it kinda made no sense. (how on earth do they all know. Especially if you got the HG/HK confession. Can they even see those guys (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lalaexdee.gif) ?)

Also not to be nit picky but that second Wiimote thing is called "rubbing" and you do not have to do it before giving a gift. You don't have to give them a gift at all for it work. If you do it you automatically gain some affection.

Section Winner: Animal Parade

Music:
It's been a long time since I've played either game. So

Section Winner: Neither (just cause I can't remember)

Additional Details:
ToT had a bunch of mini games and that was really cool. AP only had one, but it was really fun.

I liked that in ToT you had three places to choose from right away. Plus that is the best tutorial I have ever seen in HM game. Living with Ruth and Craig was awesome.

I like the festivals more in AP. There were so many you could win. And I love winning contests in HM >:3.

Anyways I can't choose which one I like more. They are both fun.

[Noviwan]

Can't choose personally having not played either of the games...

[Mizukithepanda]

This breaks the ten day rule. Oh well. Everyone makes mistakes (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lalasmile.gif) .

What ten day rule? There is no ten day rule.

The only time I can think of that responding after an extended period of time annoys people is when it's been a couple of years and the topic itself is no longer relevant.

Anyway, I'm probably not the one to talk to concerning either of these games as I didn't really like them all that much, but out of the two I'd have to say that Animal Parade is better. I liked that they got rid of Elli and Gray, because they're both tired, worn out characters that I'm sick of seeing in games, and added the Witch, Wizard, and Harvest God/King instead. I also liked the more expansive, detailed area layout and the fact that the plot was something you could get out of the way rather quickly. The loading screens and lag were a pain in the trumpet and took forever to get used to - if you got used to them at all - but the gameplay was solid.

Animal Parade's the winner for me, though I'd really rather refrain from playing either.

[Sparrow]

Characters
Well to be honest, I wasn't very impressed with any of the characters expect Gal. I'm actually extremely picky with them. Ignis, I found he was rather douchey (Twi will kill me but whateva c:) The witch not much of a fan. The whole recycling character just tells me they're running out of ideas. Its just a different island really. Same people. Same stories. Just new pack of characters. Which was only like 4? With this being the only two Harvest moon games for the Wii. It would of been nice to have two different places with different people. Or maybe used older HM characters. Which I find better than the new ones. The Marriage candidates were decent as in size. A lot of options to choose from. But really, they never really tell you anything about the characters. Oh Lukes mom...Gils mom...blahblah.. nothing really. They have no character development. Which I would like.

Overall, since they practically had the same characters. And then the 4 new characters was an improvement of somewhat. Animal Parade wins this category

Challenge
Well, The challenge in both games was not so difficult. If you’re very determined to finish the game and such, I would say by the first Summer or Fall you can manage to have 3 bells rung.I would call this more of a scavenger hunt and such. In both games you start out with a barn and coop. The animals really I don’t find give you as much money. Reason why there’s land right near the barn to farm. But for some reason, I just prefer ToT. Less time consuming than AP.
AP wins this section

Raising Affections:
In ToT it was very simple to raise affection to other characters. Unlike tot,every 10 days in AP a heart level is raised. The animals in both games are very easy to befriend. Currently I have about 2 cats and I’m forever alone without a husband and children. I find it too much of a hassel to go running back and fourth to that person. With the time so slow, And I tend to finish all my farm chores by 7. And most shops with the bachelors/bachelorettesa open around 8 or 9. The time in AP is very slow.

ToT wins this section.

Music:
I hate it, I just turn on my ipod. Eff this.
Niether of them win

Additional:
Both games are good, but neither are my favorites. They were decent. The little addition of children was good. But really, riding cows? Stick to horses. I like the game simple like the good old days. In my opinion I can’t decide which one is better. Because in my opinion they’re in basically the same thing.

[Pumpkin Patch]

Challenge
Well, The challenge in both games was not so difficult. If you’re very determined to finish the game and such, I would say by the first Summer or Fall you can manage to have 3 bells rung.I would call this more of a scavenger hunt and such. In both games you start out with a barn and coop. The animals really I don’t find give you as much money. Reason why there’s land right near the barn to farm. But for some reason, I just prefer ToT. Less time consuming than AP.
AP wins this section

I'm don't want to be mean (although this is supposed a debate which means debating things) but I know that you do not start with a barn or chicken coop in ToT. You have to build them if you want them. I remember cause I had to build a barn to get the Dying Pot in ToT. It is only in AP where you start with a barn and chicken coop.

Also you can have the entire plot of AP done by summer of your first year. I was able to beat the plot by Fall day one, just because I didn't make enough for Hero Status in my first Spring. But if I had I could have completed the entire plot of the game in less then two seasons. And I know some people who have done that. AP has no challenge at all plot wise, unless you don't know what you have to do. Even if you know what to do in ToT it takes longer because it isn't as easy to get all the items.

But I will say it is more challenging to make friends in AP.

[Sparrow]

I'm don't want to be mean (although this is supposed a debate which means debating things) but I know that you do not start with a barn or chicken coop in ToT. You have to build them if you want them. I remember cause I had to build a barn to get the Dying Pot in ToT. It is only in AP where you start with a barn and chicken coop.

Also you can have the entire plot of AP done by summer of your first year. I was able to beat the plot by Fall day one, just because I didn't make enough for Hero Status in my first Spring. But if I had I could have completed the entire plot of the game in less then two seasons. And I know some people who have done that. AP has no challenge at all plot wise, unless you don't know what you have to do. Even if you know what to do in ToT it takes longer because it isn't as easy to get all the items.

But I will say it is more challenging to make friends in AP.

Aha my mistake in that part :3 I'm a lazy person, but I just saw it as ToT was fast to do. in AP I took about 2 or 3 years to do the plot actually. I Haven't touched ToT in a while, I might aswell play it sometime this week. It really depends on who's playing it no?

[quincy52]

I liked AP better than ToT, because the map was so massive, and the forest was an actual forest, unlike in ToT where it was just a few trees and boulders in a fenced area. I enjoyed being able to ride any barn animal, even though it looks awkard. The vast amounts of clothes and accessories you could buy was nice too. I enjoy games the most when I have the ability to customize the character and game, it adds different options to the game. The only thing that really bugged me was Owen's weird looking head or body, whatever was wrong with him.

By the way, am I the only one who enjoys the music in HM? I love the music in ToT, AP, and every other HM game I play.

[Sparrow]

I liked AP better than ToT, because the map was so massive, and the forest was an actual forest, unlike in ToT where it was just a few trees and boulders in a fenced area. I enjoyed being able to ride any barn animal, even though it looks awkard. The vast amounts of clothes and accessories you could buy was nice too. I enjoy games the most when I have the ability to customize the character and game, it adds different options to the game. The only thing that really bugged me was Owen's weird looking head or body, whatever was wrong with him.

By the way, am I the only one who enjoys the music in HM? I love the music in ToT, AP, and every other HM game I play.

I enjoy most of the music on the HM games. But honestly, AP and tot's soundtrack was utter crud. But thats just me.
o3o

[Mizukithepanda]

I enjoy most of the music on the HM games. But honestly, AP and tot's soundtrack was utter crud. But thats just me.
o3o

Eh. AP's soundtrack was pretty "meh" to me. It wasn't so terrible it made my ears bleed, but it wasn't good enough for me to ever want to listen to it again either. Still, I found it better than AWL's soundtrack. Now that ###### was just awful. I remember using the cheat that gives you a ton of items just to get all of the records you could only get through FoMT so that I wouldn't have to listen to it anymore. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/emot-gonk.gif)

[Twilight Wandere...]

Characters
Well to be honest, I wasn't very impressed with any of the characters expect Gal. I'm actually extremely picky with them. Ignis, I found he was rather douchey (Twi will kill me but whateva c:)

Go die. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/emot-gonk.gif)

Kidding. But srsly. Animal Parade because of Ignis.

And all in all, it just had more spice than ToT. =|

[Sparrow]

Eh. AP's soundtrack was pretty "meh" to me. It wasn't so terrible it made my ears bleed, but it wasn't good enough for me to ever want to listen to it again either. Still, I found it better than AWL's soundtrack. Now that ###### was just awful. I remember using the cheat that gives you a ton of items just to get all of the records you could only get through FoMT so that I wouldn't have to listen to it anymore. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/emot-gonk.gif)

Ehh, I don't know. I found that any HM soundtrack was better. AWL soundtrack will always be my favorite :33333

[RomantiC]

Picked up some things that I generally pay more attention to.

Animal Parade - Tree of Tranquility

Farm is in the middle of everything < Able to choose the farm location

Two children that look like the spouse > One child that looks like the MC

The character details in game are amazing = The official art is really beautiful

Castanet Island is somewhat bland < Waffle Island had tons of nice little locations

Numb music < Very cheerful and melodic music

Bells > Rainbows


Although I ended up playing AP more because I hate the rainbow-recipe system in ToT, I'd say that both are relatively equal.

[Sparrow]

Picked up some things that I generally pay more attention to.

Animal Parade - Tree of Tranquility

Farm is in the middle of everything < Able to choose the farm location

Two children that look like the spouse > One child that looks like the MC

The character details in game are amazing = The official art is really beautiful

Castanet Island is somewhat bland < Waffle Island had tons of nice little locations

Numb music < Very cheerful and melodic music

Bells > Rainbows


Although I ended up playing AP more because I hate the rainbow-recipe system in ToT, I'd say that both are relatively equal.

I found Castanet much more larger... The town seemed cute to me (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lalaeyes.gif)

[LunaLover]

Characters;

Well, I don't really like Gray, so I was glad to dump him. Ellie stills shows up on the Weather Channel, and was found in the game's coding. I liked Ellie a lot and I find it a shame for her to be lost.

Animal Parade did make Luna the size of everyone else, which was GREAT! It was so akward trying to marry Luna in Tot. It felt like she was seven and I was a young adult...

Harvest King was a waste. I just don't like him. Gale and Vivi are great and add the small sense of humor to the Green/Blue Bell storyline!

Animal Parade Wins

Storyline;

I found the storyline in AP better than Tot. Sure, it's short, but getting the Hero rank takes forever for me. The idea of rainbows was great, but I just think Bells make more sense.

Animal Parade Wins;

Music;

Tot wins. The AP music gets so annoying!

[Accidentally The...]

It's a tough call. Each has features the other would benefit from.

ToT's pros and cons:

+ Quaint, beautiful town
+ Characters have slightly more varied and interesting dialogue
+ New Game+ gives you some pretty good benefits
+ Upgrades don't take forever to save up for
+ Things aren't so expensive
+ Befriending villagers doesn't take so long
+ Variety of places to live
+ Refining isn't necessarily as random - you know what you're getting
+ Fishing with motion controls is kinda fun
+ Request events
+ Time doesn't pass by so slowly
+ Varied dialogue, some hidden tidbits
+ Lovely music
+ Great character designs

- "There there." "GREAT." "LET'S GO."
- The day goes by very fast
- Barely any events or villager interactions
- Seems like the other rival couples were cut out last minute
- All the wives move to where their husbands live
- Mira is the ONLY woman with her own house
- The house designs could be a little nicer
- Festivals are... nothing too special
- The clothes are just palette swaps
- Brownie Ranch is freaking huge
- Wild animals take WAY too long to befriend
- The marriage/child system doesn't offer a whole lot
- It seems to take forever to have the baby and watch them grow up
- Characters arrive at set intervals
- The rainbow quests seem random and most don't offer any major benefit
- Fixed camera angles don't show off the beautiful scenery
- Thunder sounds like a flushing toilet
- Part-time jobs seem fairly pointless and more like time-wasters
- Rival events mostly have no real romance to them


AP's pros and cons:

+ Loads of things to fish up, cook, grow, et cetera
+ Rewards for completing lists
+ Improved child/marriage systems (now they actually can contribute)
+ Interesting, lively town
+ Beautiful scenery
+ Time doesn't pass by as fast
+ You can't earn everything right away (upgrades and such)
+ More emphasis on farming
+ Bells don't feel as forced or random as the rainbow ingredients
+ Child seems to grow up quicker
+ More interaction between villagers
+ Certain aspects of mining (the control and the view, for example) feel more stable
+ Wild animals are much easier to befriend
+ New Game+ rewards are really very helpful
+ The animal taxi
+ Lovely music
+ Great character designs
+ Each bell offers up something new (usually unlocking new characters)
+ No voice clips
+ Thunder doesn't sound like a flushing toilet
+ Variety of outfits
+ Four different farmers to play as, even if they're basically variations of each other
+ New Game+ and rucksack upgrades don't seem to take as long to get
+ More rival marriages

- Character dialogue seems a little flatter and more rehearsed here (at 7 hearts, "I dislike", and so on)
- Time passes by VERY slowly, which can be a bit of a pain
- Saving up for some things takes forever. This isn't a DS game!
- Only one place for your house
- Fixed camera angles don't show off the beautiful scenery
- Festivals aren't that special
- Refining is randomized now, and very frustrating
- Courtship is a little dumbed down
- People seem to take longer to befriend (unless you rub them)
- Strict sets of dialogue (heart lines, weather lines, event lines, and season lines, really)
- Last three rival couples seemed a bit forced-together
- Rival events mostly have no real romance to them

About all off the top of my head. They're pretty evenly matched. If they managed to combine the two into one game that fixed each others' flaws, that'd be perfect (well, and implementing better festivals and an AWL-style camera). I'm eager to see what the Wii U will bring us, since they did pretty well with these two.