Request: Placeable doors to expand interior housing space.

[Gyson]

Currently, all properties that have been purchased as Free Company homes can augment their living space through the addition of private chambers. I would like to see this functionality extended to homes that are privately owned as well.

Preferably, this would be in the form of a placeable housing item (i.e. a special door) that can be be placed anywhere inside the home that (upon use) would allow owners (and tenants with authorization) the options to purchase additional private chamber style rooms and the ability to enter them.

The reason I'm asking for a placeable housing item (rather than the standard doorway at the back of the main entry room, as is found in Free Company housing) is to allow players to have more aesthetic control where this doorway is placed. I'm trying to avoid forcing a doorway onto an existing wall that would likely require much re-planning and remodeling for players who are relatively happy with their current layouts.

Example: I have no room for the default door in my layout (as it would be where the fireplace now is), which I would prefer not to alter:




Instead, here is an example of how a placeable door would look:



A few notes:

• Unlike the private chambers in Free Company homes (which are limited to one per FC member), there would be no limit to the number of additional private chambers that can be purchased. In other words, a home owner would be able to purchase dozens of private rooms for a variety of purposes (spare bedrooms, bathrooms, greenhouses, crafting centers, or other themed spaces) if desired. This creates a gil sink for the game as the home owner is only limited by the amount of additional money they're willing to spend.
  
• Like the private chambers in Free Company housing, these additional rooms would be completely separate areas with their own item placement limits, wallpaper, and floor decor. This would allow homeowners to make use of the steady stream of additional housing items that are introduced through content updates and seasonal events. It would also create an additional demand for housing items that are already available through the marketplace and other means, which would also have the side effect of increasing the use of dungeons (which can contain crafting materials for housing items).
  
• Like their Free Company counterparts, these private chambers would have windows for additional lighting and aesthetics.
  
• It would be preferable if multiple copies of these doors could be placed, and if players could (through UI options) limit which additional private rooms can be accessed upon using them. Thus, one homeowner may opt to have a single door that leads to several private chambers (as is the current default setup), while another homeowner may opt to create a more realistic hallway with multiple doors that individually lead to a number of spare bedrooms, bathrooms, etc.
  
• As this door is a placeable item, it could also be used in Free Company housing (which already have private chambers), particularly smaller FC homes that really could use a way to increase the amount of general-use space.

While I realize that this is not the best solution for the problems of limited interior spaces, item placement limitations, etc - it is a solution that is relatively easy to implement because it draws upon existing functionality. And one might suggest that it is unrealistic to have what can essentially be huge interiors compared to relatively small housing exteriors, but I would point out that Free Company housing and their private chambers already have this same "problem" and we generally ignore it because.. let's face it, we just like having extra, optional space to decorate.

Edit:

There's a couple reasons why I suggested these door items aren't limited by the number of tenants or FC members.

For one, they make a decent money sink - if two people are sharing a small home and are willing to purchase an extra ten rooms at 300k a pop, that's 3 million gil being removed from the economy.

The more important reason however, I feel, is "fun". I was having a conversation with a guildmate about the housing many months back and he said something along the lines of "Yeah, houses are fun for a bit, but once you get them decorated there's not much to do with them". While I don't agree with that statement completely, I do agree that the most exciting part of owning a house (for me) was the period where my friend and I were initially decorating it (especially since we do our own crafting). But once we had it set up the way we wanted it to be.. well, the desire to decorate was still there but there was simply no more space to do so.

By not having a limit on the rooms that can be added through these placeable door items, there is essentially always more space for a homeowner to decorate. One of the funnest parts of housing will always be there, without having to throw your old layouts away and completely redecorate. And people can get excited again about furniture that's added in with updates and seasonal events - where as right now every time one shows up I'm thinking "Well.. swell, but where am I supposed to put this? I'm out of housing space.". Where as with additional rooms I can say "Hey, a new hat stand and staggered shelf.. you know what, I think I'll design a den!", and that's exciting.

Mainly the idea behind this item is to let up on the restrictions that currently frustrate homeowners, rather than adding new restrictions. And while this item doesn't really have to allow an "unlimited" amount of extra rooms (as I'm sure it is necessary to have some sort of limit), I think it should be far greater than "1 room per owner/tenant".

[ViolaCadence]

I appreciate the thought you have put into this thread and hope that square enix listens and makes it possible for players with homes to add rooms as needed.

Very good idea

[Taiine]

I would be all for this. But still limit it to one room per person,or perhaps only allow the new rooms to be made by your tenants . This would be nice if you want to share your home with others, they can have their own space to decour how they want. Yes that means they can have both an FC room, and a room in your house. Much like you can have a room in the FC, and a whole house.

[AstralKaos]

Been hoping for this since personal housing become available, even if it had to be limited to one room only for whatever reason.

So, hopefully someone checks out your request and the dev team can figure something out.

[Gyson]

There's a couple reasons why I suggested these door items aren't limited by the number of tenants or FC members.

For one, they make a decent money sink - if two people are sharing a small home and are willing to purchase an extra ten rooms at 300k a pop, that's 3 million gil being removed from the economy.

The more important reason however, I feel, is "fun". I was having a conversation with a guildmate about the housing many months back and he said something along the lines of "Yeah, houses are fun for a bit, but once you get them decorated there's not much to do with them". While I don't agree with that statement completely, I do agree that the most exciting part of owning a house (for me) was the period where my friend and I were initially decorating it (especially since we do our own crafting). But once we had it set up the way we wanted it to be.. well, the desire to decorate was still there but there was simply no more space to do so.

By not having a limit on the rooms that can be added through these placeable door items, there is essentially always more space for a homeowner to decorate. One of the funnest parts of housing will always be there, without having to throw your old layouts away and completely redecorate. And people can get excited again about furniture that's added in with updates and seasonal events - where as right now every time one shows up I'm thinking "Well.. swell, but where am I supposed to put this? I'm out of housing space.". Where as with additional rooms I can say "Hey, a new hat stand and staggered shelf.. you know what, I think I'll design a den!", and that's exciting.

Mainly the idea behind this item is to let up on the restrictions that currently frustrate homeowners, rather than adding new restrictions. And while this item doesn't really have to allow an "unlimited" amount of extra rooms (as I'm sure it is necessary to have some sort of limit), I think it should be far greater than "1 room per owner/tenant".

[Vexander]

I love this idea. It opens up a plethora of possibilities, and would make owning a small house no longer seem like such a drawback. With a small house you have the main floor and a basement. Well, I wouldn't want to put a bedroom in the basement, nor have guests come inside and see my bedroom upon entering. A system like these doors would allow me to make that main entrance a parlor/living room, and place a bedroom in a small private area. Perhaps add a study in another, a bathroom in a third, a kitchen in a fourth, etc...

[OliviaJ]

Indeed, and really how much of a burden on the servers would it be? Interiors are instanced, so expansion wouldn't be that much of an issue one would think.

[Vexander]

Indeed, and really how much of a burden on the servers would it be? Interiors are instanced, so expansion wouldn't be that much of an issue one would think.

Very true. I would feel a lot better saving up for a small house and being able to expand it with doors like these.

[Alberel]

Indeed, and really how much of a burden on the servers would it be? Interiors are instanced, so expansion wouldn't be that much of an issue one would think.

In theory it actually wouldn't be any burden at all. Since it's potentially possible for every house to be an FC house with 500 personal chambers there is already memory set aside for them, even if a given house is actually privately owned with no access to personal chambers.

There shouldn't be any limitations at all stopping them from allowing this besides actually implementing the access mechanic as the OP has suggested.

This is a fantastic idea!

[Bourne_Endeavor]

Indeed, and really how much of a burden on the servers would it be? Interiors are instanced, so expansion wouldn't be that much of an issue one would think.

Very little. Seeing it would essentially be like apartments. Even if they did put a small limit (2-5 room), I cannot imagine it taxing. The devs outright admitted they have enough space to include 500 apartments per ward, which is nearly 40,000 total. Frankly, I love this idea and hope we could see it happen at some point.