mischacrossing:

“Time traveling” (TT’ing) in ACNL is changing the date & time with Isabelle when loading up your game. People do this for several reasons, the main one being to simply speed things up. Playing in real time can be daunting when trying to develop your town or get a villager moved out, so TT’ing can be a good solution. However, it can be dangerous. Your town can get overgrown with weeds, you could lose a villager, etc. Pay attention to the tips below to ensure that your town stays the way you want it!

Time Traveling Basics:

• Enact the Beautiful Ordinance so your flowers won’t die, and weeds won’t take over your town.
• Never TT more than two days at a time, except for the in the case of the exception described in the third section.
• Each day starts at 6 a.m. 
• Mail arrives at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Time Traveling Forward Day-by-Day:

• Talk to at least two villagers every day until they say they won’t talk more.
• If they mention one of these rumors, then no one is moving out!
• If they mention someone is thinking of moving, go run in front of that villager so they can ping! you and say they’re moving. Tell them “yes” or “no,” obvz.
• It is now safe it TT a day or two forward!

Time Traveling Forward in Bulk:

• It is almost never safe to TT forward more than two days at a time.
• The only time it is safe is after you’ve denied a villager’s request to move out.
• Once you they ping! you and you tell them “no,” you can quit and TT forward as much as you want. Days, weeks, months, whateva!

Time Traveling Backwards:

• TT’ing backwards always counts as moving forward one day to the game, no matter if you set the date back one day or one hundred days.
• A villager in boxes will still move out if you TT backwards.
• Visitors in town (Gracie, Saharah, etc.) will change.
• Items on Main Street will change.
• Trees, bushes, and bamboo will not grow, and flowers will not breed.
• A villager can still move out if you aren’t careful, but it is much less likely since it only counts as one day.
• TT’ing backwards within the same day will keep a villager in boxes as long as you want.

TT’ing-Related Guides:

• 16 Villager Cycle Guide
• Moving Out a Villager Guide
• Seasonal Tree/ Bush/ Grass Colors
• Town Building Guide