Instanced Housing: Ideas and Details

[Hycinthus]

I would take the choosing a ward theme a step further and actually have them accessed from within their respective wards like an apartment. Perhaps by way of talking to a guard NPC stationed at a gate. There should be an aetheryte and a marketboard next to the access point as well.

I like that the NPC guard should be within the current wards, so that it will at least give a community or neighborhood sense as you stroll along the wards first, for those who are concerned about the loss of neighborhood sense. However, it would also mean it’s behind 2 loading screens before you get to your instanced exterior. It would be 3 loading screens before you get to your instanced interior.

But which ward would the NPC guard be? Ward 1? Ward 2? Because it doesn't matter right - it's instanced.

[Pablomaldito]

But which ward would the NPC guard be? Ward 1? Ward 2? Because it doesn't matter right - it's instanced.

I think the simplest way would be to have it just like the apartments. Each ward main division & subdivision would have its own directory of instanced houses.

[Seraphor]

I think the simplest way would be to have it just like the apartments. Each ward main division & subdivision would have its own directory of instanced houses.

It should be part of the apartments system to start with.

Maybe you get incremental upgrade options, expanding the size of your apartment to the equivalent of a Small/Medium/Large house, plus additional options of an outside terrace/balcony area which then turns into an upgrade for a full blown instanced housing plot.

Interior: Apartment > Duplex Apartment > Triplex Apartment > Penthouse Apartment
Exterior: No Garden > Small Terrace > Large Terrace > Private Lodging Plot
Gil: 500,000 (incl. both as default) > 1,000,000 (each) > 5,000,000 (each) > 10,000,000 (each)

You upgrade either option as many times as you like, so Interior 4 and Exterior 1 = Penthouse Apartment, while Interior 2 and Exterior 4 would be a private Cottage lodge, and 4 for both would be a private Mansion lodge, and would set you back a total of 32.5 million.

In either case, you enter at the same place, and zone into either your apartment, or your private housing plot.

After all, apartments are instanced housing, it's just too limited for some people to seriously consider. We have 27,000 apartment slots per server, enough to cover all active players.