Instanced Housing: Ideas and Details

[Ayan_Calvesse]

I’d like to see a housing district that looks like Radz-at-Han or Ala Mhigo or essentially the looks of a city where lodging is not in the form of individual houses from the outside but inside the walls there could be mansions with internal courtyards, mediums with a front or backyard and smalls with a roof garden.

Why make it a pain? We don’t need tax. As for auto demo, I understand its purpose with the current (inadequate) system where there is a finite supply of housing but it makes absolutely no sense if they fix the supply issue with instanced housing.

wards or housing under whatever form should be for anyone wanting an in game property, not just RPers.

To answer the first question - because those instanced homes are still eating resources; so govern them by the same rules as wards (Auto-demo)
I was more pointing out that Wards are persistant; so people should naturally try to gather there - I was not claiming ward homes should only belong to RPers; though RPers populating the persistant wards makes more sense to me. I am seeking the essence of a compromise here.

[Jojoya]

To answer the first question - because those instanced homes are still eating resources; so govern them by the same rules as wards (Auto-demo)
I was more pointing out that Wards are persistant; so people should naturally try to gather there - I was not claiming ward homes should only belong to RPers; though RPers populating the persistant wards makes more sense to me. I am seeking the essence of a compromise here.

The resources required for instanced housing when a player is not in it is tiny in comparison to what is needed when it is loaded for entry. That's why demolition and maintenance fees are rarely seen in other MMOs. It's usually all instanced so there's no need to deter players from obtaining it.

If SE did a proper job of creating the hypothetical instanced housing, wards could go back to being FC only with any current private owners who wished to stay in the ward instead of moving to the instanced housing being grandfathered into their current plots (though unable to buy additional ward plots in the future). Most private owners would be happy to move to instanced if they had outdoor space in addition to indoor and if there is no demolition, which would create plenty of space for future FC houses considering the current FC to private distribution. SE could then suspend purchases in some wards until others had filled, then open up a few of the suspended wards to purchase as needed (similar to how wards on Dynamis right now are currently not available to purchase until the original wards fill).

[Stormpeaks]

The resources required for instanced housing when a player is not in it is tiny in comparison to what is needed when it is loaded for entry. That's why demolition and maintenance fees are rarely seen in other MMOs. It's usually all instanced so there's no need to deter players from obtaining it.

If SE did a proper job of creating the hypothetical instanced housing, wards could go back to being FC only with any current private owners who wished to stay in the ward instead of moving to the instanced housing being grandfathered into their current plots (though unable to buy additional ward plots in the future). Most private owners would be happy to move to instanced if they had outdoor space in addition to indoor and if there is no demolition, which would create plenty of space for future FC houses considering the current FC to private distribution. SE could then suspend purchases in some wards until others had filled, then open up a few of the suspended wards to purchase as needed (similar to how wards on Dynamis right now are currently not available to purchase until the original wards fill).

Yeah I dont know about that one chief. I personally couldnt care less about instanced housing, and so do my friends or the people I know with a house, none of them want instanced housing, they already got a ward house, there is no need for instanced for them.

I dont know who is this "most private owners" but it sure aint in my friendlist at least.

[Frizze]

I dont know who is this "most private owners" but it sure aint in my friendlist at least.

Im happy with my ward house too. I have what i consider the best plot in the game. No need to ever move or upgrade/downgrade unless they add something new and exciting in the future. I still see the value of adding proper instanced housing. You dont know anyone who would want to move to an instanced plot or who doesnt already have a house and could get one if that was implemented? Ok. If moving to an instance meant that they could upgrade their size like they want, i know some people who would move. If moving to an instance meant they could take longer breaks without fear of losing their plot and the effort they put into making it look good, i know some people who would move to an instance. If moving to an instance offered more/better/new locations that they could have their house be(or appear to be), i for sure know people who would move in a heartbeat. If they kept everything they have now as it is and in the next few expansions instead of new housing districts they added instanced housing to Ala Mhigo, Old Sharlayan, Radz, and Garlemald(or Crystarium/Eulmore, Amaurot, and Bestways for that matter) you really dont think ANYONE you know would move?

@Jojoya The issue might just be the line "Most private owners". Maybe change that to "Many" then? Cause yeah, i have no idea if the number is close to 51% but i certainly know it would be a much more popular option then 0%.

[Jojoya]

@Jojoya The issue might just be the line "Most private owners". Maybe change that to "Many" then? Cause yeah, i have no idea if the number is close to 51% but i certainly know it would be a much more popular option then 0%.

Possibly but I suspect it really is "most" and so that's why I used the word.

What are usually the two biggest complaints we see from those who do own a house? Demolition and item limits. Instanced housing solves the first since demolition would become unnecessary. It can improve the second, especially with respect to outdoor furnishings since there would no longer be other owner outdoor furnishings to be considered in loading limitations.

This is where i once again think of RIFT Dimensions. Housing items were simply housing items. There were no categories for furnishings. You could place any furnishing any where you wanted. If you wanted to use 400 rocks, trees and plants and only 100 items to make a small cottage, you could. If you want to use a series of planks to build a massive spiral slide starting at the top of the skybox limit going all the way down to the ground, you could (someone had done that and it was one of the more popular Dimensions - it was a fun slide). If you wanted to recreate a building from another game, you could.

Those who are less interested in creating designer homes and more interested in flexing their creating muscles in unique ways would be drawn to instanced housing over ward housing immediately. Instanced housing can remove some of the constraints that designers currently have to work around.

I think some of those who say they like ward housing say it only because they don't have experience with a good instanced housing system so to them, instanced housing means apartment. When your choices are only apartment or ward house, of course the ward house is going to win despite the risk of demolition. But if you could do everything you can currently do in a ward house plus more in instanced housing, is that ward house still going to win?

[Ayan_Calvesse]

The resources required for instanced housing when a player is not in it is tiny in comparison to what is needed when it is loaded for entry. That's why demolition and maintenance fees are rarely seen in other MMOs. It's usually all instanced so there's no need to deter players from obtaining it.

If SE did a proper job of creating the hypothetical instanced housing, wards could go back to being FC only with any current private owners who wished to stay in the ward instead of moving to the instanced housing being grandfathered into their current plots (though unable to buy additional ward plots in the future). Most private owners would be happy to move to instanced if they had outdoor space in addition to indoor and if there is no demolition, which would create plenty of space for future FC houses considering the current FC to private distribution. SE could then suspend purchases in some wards until others had filled, then open up a few of the suspended wards to purchase as needed (similar to how wards on Dynamis right now are currently not available to purchase until the original wards fill).

Might want to add "I think" because the private owners I know have no real wish for instanced housing - many even interact with the people in their ward they have met over time.

[Kaiproberts]

Might want to add "I think" because the private owners I know have no real wish for instanced housing - many even interact with the people in their ward they have met over time.

The only reason some of us are playing this game is for the unique housing situation. If I wanted instanced housing, I would go play a different game entirely.