Furniture Request: Stage Props and Architectural Accessories

[Raqrie_Tohka]

Stemmed from the thread disappointed in how stages don't have the floor attribute and thus cannot actually hold chairs and musical instruments on them (in case we wanted to make a string quartet in the FC), I suggest we look into the possibility of going farther than just instruments on the stage.

Specifically, what we actually expect from a stage: stage plays.

While ideally the stage will have an actual "floor" attribute, not just a tabletop attribute, so anything could be placed on them, be it a couch and table for a talk-show, or a single mike for a comedian, I believe players would also be delighted to have an array of stage-specific "props" resembling the light drawing styles of Khloe Aliapoh in her journal, to stage out their own "plays", or just to set up a still scene via creative placement of the props, and theatrical lighting. At least two dozen props, from trees to castles to goobbues, should be initially designed to allow for liberal creativity in scenes, with more to come steadily. A hand-operated, colour tinted beam light would also be a fun addition for players to play around with. And a moving stage curtain would just be pure fun.

If the props are specifically limited to the area of the stage, there is also a possibility for more advanced customization when staging a play. Semi-programmable machinery (via simple coding resembling player macros) can move props right, left, front, back on the stage; or to move them up and down via strings and platforms as the play necessitates. The non-player operated theatrical lights could also be set to auto-follow specific "props" as characters, during select sequences.

Speaking of Theatrical Lighting, I suggest looking into additional supportive furniture akin in purpose to the current wall partitions, so not really furniture in themselves but more like architectural accessories, to facilitate better placement of furniture. Examples can include "Scaffolding", "Ceiling Hooks" etc. to allow for vertical creativity beyond just horizontal creativity. These combined with a stage with floor attribute would allow players to set up interesting combinations, such as performance stages complete with backdrops. This is also a solution to address the unsatisfied passion of players to be more creative in their furniture placement, evident in the use of "air snapping" to accomplish layouts not otherwise possible. But with items such as "Scaffolding" and "Ceiling Hooks", such layouts may be accomplished without having to resort to tedious air snapping.

Thus is my proposal for a stage-play feature in player housing. This "game within a game" will add to FFXIV, and architectural accessories will improve house furnishing freedom and the aforementioned stage plays.

[Raqrie_Tohka]

Idea: An automated "fireworks slot" to use loaded firework or confetti type when prompted.

[Dustytome]

I just wonder if it will cause issues suddenly making furniture 'interactive' in some way and that 40 interactive item limit kicks in. As far as the scaffolding and ceiling hooks, that seems like a tedious addition. I'd prefer they adopted an advanced option to the UI similar to wildstar's normal furniture placement ui for indoor furniture. We know from the glitches the server keeps all the information on placement including x, y, z and rotation/angles already, we just need simple access to it so we aren't doing gymnastics with other furniture to accomplish what we're going for. Add in an option to the advanced ui to essentially moot the attribute associated with the furniture so it's not auto-snapped into place and you can place any piece of furniture wherever you like.

I do like the idea of furniture scripts and the lights following objects. Actually had a fireworks launcher as one of my ideas for the furniture contest (although that would have been outdoor, but loving the indoor use idea!).

[Raqrie_Tohka]

I just wonder if it will cause issues suddenly making furniture 'interactive' in some way and that 40 interactive item limit kicks in. As far as the scaffolding and ceiling hooks, that seems like a tedious addition.

The interactive limit is a very good point, so perhaps if the stage-controls can be consolidated into one "console" thing, using Allagan tech or whatever, then it need only be counted as 1 object.

As for the point of tedium, It is quite likely some players will oppose to having to give up a furniture spot for using a hook or scaffold just to support another furniture, so if the developers were feeling generous, perhaps they'd allow us to use scaffolds and ceiling hooks etc. without having to count them as individual furniture, or even letting any furniture be freely attributed with a relevant architectural accessory attribute, like a tabletop attribute. Except the scaffolds, nails and wires will be attached automatically.

However I am not the greatest supporter for free-placing furniture wherever we want, nor of excessive use of the air-snapping feature. I do want to see options for allowing more freedom and creativity in furniture placement, but not in an inconsequential way.