Housing System Revamp Idea/Feedback

[Jinrah]

Alright, so I was talking with some friends in my FC over some morning coffee when this idea came to me. After explaining it they said I should post it here. I don't expect much from this but, hey, if it gets the idea out there in the ether then screw it.

Housing Gameplay Revamp

Let's start with Housing as a concept currently. First and foremost? I would wanna scrap the housing sectors and quests completely. (I know many of you just felt your blood run cold but stick with me here) I would then focus on the introduction of a new quest tied with the main storyline completion for ARR where our character is recognized as the WoL proper and we've proven ourselves the hero.

From here, the start of this quest opens up an instanced area based on our starter land from our class or we have the option of performing another quest to change where we want to settle. Here we are given a small house, all our own, for completing the quest.

Now comes the fun part of this idea; The point of this is, and one of the major complaints players have had, the lack of getting to enjoy or experience the housing portion of the game. As soon as you unlock the house you now have a new button unlocked on your character when targeted by players. Much the same as them being able to check out your adventurer card, your FC, etc. You will now have an option allowing players to check your housing information which gives them the option to visit it but primarily gives them a status window.

This status window would be much like the Adventurer plate in that you could choose the best picture with which to represent your property, outside or in, with a status level of the house. The housing aspect now has its own separate mini-game with all the features of the housing system brought to a more personable level such as gardening and the like. The more you complete and the more you level the house? Other mini-quests open up granting you more crafting recipes, more furniture, you name it which would help introduce a new level of engagement for hand/land classes and a way to open up interest to those who haven't engaged with it yet.

Once you level the house enough? You get something akin to a class quest for the next stage which would open the opportunity to change your house to a medium which would open further crafting and expansion options before ultimately getting to a large tier house.

Settings for the house would allow you to choose if you'd like to change the size depending on your preference and, of course, with it being instanced it saves on resources techwise for players and company both.

Obviously, these changes can extend to Free Company plots/housing as well though I'd argue that their housing should have a separate instance and story/design in mind to go with what they are building so that it's personable to the FC as an actual company rather than just the player themselves.

So, what's everyones thoughts on this?

[not_ya_wify]

This completely eliminates foot traffic and neighborhoods. I hate that just as much as everyone who gawks instanced housing. We have instanced housing it's called apartments and no matter how splendidly they are decorated, nobody ever bothers to visit those without being asked to.