Kobayashi:
Around the town, there is what I suppose you could call undergrowth. There's green grass, but underneath it, there's earth. This time, we stuck the grass on so it feels a little like it's floating on top of the earth. When a player walks on the grass, it wears it away so you can see a little bit of the earth below.
Iwata:
So there is data for each square of earth in the grid in Animal Crossing, and the information about whether each of the squares has been stepped on is retained?
Kobayashi:
Exactly. So as the player walks around, the grass is gradually worn away. We made it so that it starts to grow back after a day has passed. But if, for instance, you were to go to Tom Nook's store every day...
Iwata:
I see! You would leave animal tracks.
Nogami:
Well, the player controls a human character, so I suppose you would call them footprints. (laughs) So if a player is doing nothing but going fishing, the grass on the path from their house to the seashore or the river will be worn away. And where there's a bridge which everyone has to walk across, the grass will be completely worn away.
Iwata:
So all someone needs to do to see if their mother is always sneaking off to go fishing is to follow the trail in front of their house!
All:
(laughter)
Kyogoku:
So even if when you visit a friend in their town, you wouldn't always have to check the map. You could just follow the path from the checkpoint and make your way straight to their house.
Iwata:
I see. That's an unexpected bonus! (laughs) Out of interest, how often would you have to walk over an area of grass to leave a trail?
Kobayashi:
If you walk over it for about two weeks, it would have begun to look a little like a path.
Moro:
And it would take perhaps two months for it to look like a proper path.
Iwata:
I'm speechless! I mean this as a compliment, but all I can think to say is what on earth possessed you put a feature like that in the game? (laughs)
All:
(laughter)
Kobayashi:
Remember that while the grass will slowly grow back, the speed at which it grows will change depending on the environment. If it's an area full of trees and grass, or where flowers are planted, the grass will grow back more rapidly.
Iwata:
So before you knew it, you had ended up with a small-scale gardening simulator built into the game! (laughs)
Nogami:
You can even cultivate the grass on your lawn! (laughs)
Kyogoku:
When an animal moves away from the town, a rectangular patch remains in the place where their house used to stand. When you see that and realize that this animal has moved away, it really makes you feel sad!
Moro:
But of course, little by little, the grass will grow back, and as the traces of where the animal's house used to stand disappear, your memories of that animal will also fade.
Kobayashi:
So by the time the grass has fully grown back, you'll have completely forgotten that anyone used to live there! (laughs)
All:
(laughter)
