Player Housing. What even is it, anyway?

[Mindos]

I guess I just don't understand what it is, or what it could be. So if DDO had player housing, what would that mean? A place to store your stuff, your cosmetics? A trophy room?

I'm not saying it's a BAD thing, I'm saying I'm not sure what Player Housing means to ME. Sell me on it.

If DDO had Player Housing, would should I buy it?

[Proton]

I guess I just don't understand what it is, or what it could be. So if DDO had player housing, what would that mean? A place to store your stuff, your cosmetics? A trophy room?

I'm not saying it's a BAD thing, I'm saying I'm not sure what Player Housing means to ME. Sell me on it.

If DDO had Player Housing, would should I buy it?

Let us suppose your character received personal reputation apart from favor, that takes many lifetimes to complete like a guild, but does not offer the additional help of guild members getting the ranks up. With it you can unlock bigger homes, like the castle or the tower! Won't your mage just feel so Magey living in his own tower? King of the Castle anyone? So with enough reputation you unlock a nice big home or castle with dungeon (not a big deal playable sort, but a it has rooms you can place features like guild ship in sort), or exactly like how the guild ship system works, with 4000 astral shards you can bypass the long grindy process to earn enough reputation to unlock the nice big castle or tower and just buy them from day 1. (this is a guild option, costly, but understandable and reasonable I think).

It goes something like from tent, to hut, to cottage, to small house, to home, to manor, to tower, to castle. Maybe a tree house for the elves and a mine home for the dwarfs, or a little house in a hill for the hobbits.. I mean halflings :D

Let us say the castle offers several floors and say 3 dungeon levels, so 3 floors and 3 dungeons. These are all empty places with hook points that have the potential to be set up any way the owner of the property deed wants. This becomes prime steak real estate for players like me already. Perhaps some offer buffs, amneties (I know I misspelled that), or things like bank room, or mail box, tavern, or set up with crafting stations, or possibly some new things like a battle room where random monsters appear to spar with. Most definitely all these homes will feature room counts to boast of their sales offer and make the customer yearn for the better deals. "I want the one with 22 rooms, the ham thing, those 3 extra features I don't know about yet, and a few other interesting things" that is what my mind says when I see the 4000 astral ship or the 170 guild honor ship. I want one or the other, preferable the astral version since its better.

Homes can be huge fun for additional set ups for such things. Let us say the castle gave around 250 inventory spaces for your character to personally use along with another 100 for cosmetics, a treasure room that holds more gold then bank, and or perhaps the homes are shared by the characters on your server (or per toon), not sure how they would implement the ownership part. With purchase of upgrades the chests can hold more space, up to 1000 inventory spots and this home remains solid, keeping the stuff just like guild ships are solid keeping the stuff during TRs. What was in the guild/home chest before and after TR doesn't change.

So the homes might make TRing cache nightmare super alleviated!

Now if its just extra space and TR Cache alleviation, that already is enough to get me interested. But if you throw in different sizes and room counts that allow me to set em up like I do on my guild ship... it would be a must have for many players in no time at all, myself being one of them. I would buy it if it was like that no doubt no question asked.

[nokowi]

I guess I just don't understand what it is, or what it could be. So if DDO had player housing, what would that mean? A place to store your stuff, your cosmetics? A trophy room?

I'm not saying it's a BAD thing, I'm saying I'm not sure what Player Housing means to ME. Sell me on it.

If DDO had Player Housing, would should I buy it?

1. Inventory management
2. Inventory management
3. Inventory management
4. Inventory management
5. To please the pack rat that can't get rid of stuff
6. To provide something alternative to do when no LFM's are up, and keep you online until one appears

[Annex]

Player Housing is a virtual Doll House, usually with extra storage built in. If the idea of collecting items and decorating a Doll House appeals to you, it can be very fun. If you think Doll Houses are dumb, well, there you have it.

[Memnir]

It would be a resource and time sink, necessitating more grind that results in a dopamine high when you get to buy/craft/acquire new curtains and the like. If it would have ever been more than that, they would have folded it into airships long before now.


Don't get me wrong - I'm in favor of this particular dopamine rush treadmill. I just have few illusions on what it will likely be when/if we ever get it.

[Niminae]

I guess I just don't understand what it is, or what it could be. So if DDO had player housing, what would that mean? A place to store your stuff, your cosmetics? A trophy room?

I'm not saying it's a BAD thing, I'm saying I'm not sure what Player Housing means to ME. Sell me on it.

If DDO had Player Housing, would should I buy it?

Imagine your own level 100 guild and airship with no one but your own characters as a member. You have 4x80 space chests in the loot room and a 50 space and a 20 pace in the hold. That's what player housing is in DDO.

[AbyssalMage]

Player Housing is a virtual Doll House, usually with extra storage built in. If the idea of collecting items and decorating a Doll House appeals to you, it can be very fun. If you think Doll Houses are dumb, well, there you have it.

And SSG makes lots of money off players purchasing cosmetics on the DDO Store.

I think this is how some of the "less-able" or aging games are able to stave off shutting down the servers. I know when EQ introduced housing, I watched players dropping $1000's overnight. I would imagine similar things happening in DDO. It would be another infusion of money for SSG like an Expansion but without all the powercreep. Lots of "Art resources" though. No pesky balancing or stats or including "something for everyone" in item development.

[Feralthyrtiaq]

A Static Basement/Dungeon Map similar in scope to ToEE Part 1 that Randomly places Traps of various types, Random encounters and Wandering Monsters of mixed Yellow/Orange/Red Named Mobs. Scales with Character Level, not exactly like Challenges but something like Quest Level on Normal = Character level and can go from there Casual to R10.

No XP, No Loot No Favor but maybe Standard Collectible drops and Randomly Placed nodes appropriate for level.

It would a be an excellent proving ground for Builds/DCs/DPS. Something not quite a quest but with enough "real" game play scenarios that give much more information about your character than a Dojo Kobold or Ship Dummy ever would.

[glmfw1]

In keeping with DDO's airships, Player Housing, if introduced, should be our own personal (or account) airships that we can access from airship towers & guild airships (and vice versa).
Assuming we got to customise the outside of the airships (so individual ones looked different), then any personal airships could be added to a visual flotilla following behind the guild airship.

[Vish]

We don't need housing,
We have guild ships

Prob would be good for bottom line,
Lemmings and all that

[Tlorrd]

Agree, housing not necessary, just add to guild ships. There already are community chests to store stuff in ... just add more ... from an inventory standpoint ... sortability needs improving, here is one simple fix ...

Prefix all items with their type ... like ...

Goggles: Garstone Lens
Runearm: Epic arm of archons
Great Crossbow: Divine Artillery

And make search boxes in TR bank and inventory bank

Thus I can just type in "goggles" in search and all will be listed so I can see what's in my 9 pages of shared bank

That's a start at least.

All the different named items and no correlation with their slot and I totally forget what I even have.

Edit: Sentient stuff was actually pretty brilliant by devs to help hoarders purge .... probably helped with lag.

[karatemack]

So... not sure if the tech would support... but...

Things I'd love about player housing:

Could have all of your pets that you own on display somewhere in the house. (like a zoo?)
Could have dummies which allow you to "equip" items on them. Essentially set up your own suits of armor to display (like in Skyrim).
Could have multiple chests ALL TO MYSELF!!! (One for potions, one for scrolls, one for weapons, etc.)
Ability to decorate. Some of us really love cosmetics, and being able to make a space feel like it's "ours" has value (not for everyone, but for some of us).
A place that isn't attached to the guild system, which for many reasons is not the primary way players group up anymore. I mean... sure... you have a few "power" guilds out there still... but I see many players clinging to their solo/family/3-man guilds. They end up forming alliances or just using Discord to group up. IMO... it might be nice to have a solo-progression system instead of exclusively via guilds. Obviously, if player housing comes with buffs... they don't stack with guild buffs.
Achievements... earn XP for your home/manor just like you would for your guild. Without titles/ranks/better in-game chat management systems... I know many who would prefer to run a manor for themselves rather than a guild.


That said... if they were to incorporate "private quarters" as a room on the airship we could customize with chests and such I wouldn't be opposed to that either. Actually, I would love to see an update dedicated to making some of the guild tech way better than it is today. But, who knows if I'm in the minority on this one...

[Paisheng]

Ok so here would be my add -- beneath your home, castle, monastery (for monks -- thats me heh, heh) is a solo-able slaying area. Obviously we can't have quest dungeons, but what about a 10 level "Slay" dungeon spawning critters, monsters, etc. -- Each level would be a different creature type focus. You could set the level of difficulty 1-32 or so.

What a great place to test out new weapons, dps, or just "kill" time. There could be a small experience reward for clearing out a level. You would add to your kills in your monster manual.

Win Win Win Fun Fun Fun

[nokowi]

Player Housing is a virtual Doll House, usually with extra storage built in. If the idea of collecting items and decorating a Doll House appeals to you, it can be very fun. If you think Doll Houses are dumb, well, there you have it.

I have no interest in playing with doll houses, but I do think housing could be fun.

Of course I play with metal and plastic miniatures and role play in a D&D setting, so that might have something to do with it.

[Captain_Wizbang]

If we see it, the Sharn Expansion is the perfect spot for it. An urban setting that has wards, quarters etc....

Keep in mind, the word "housing" refers to a non-movable, single location, you have to go there. Unless of course some sort of fast travel is made available for it.

You would 1st have to buy the flat, apartment, house, mansion, keep. Whatever SSG comes up with.

The you would have to furnish it. Then you would have to stock it. Then hire the people to run it while you're away adventuring. And of course a security force to keep it from being taken over by some faction you dissed during the new raid.




What would be cool are "guilds". Not like what we have. but a place where anyone can join, get training, supplies, way-points, sanctuary, etc. the possibilities are endless.



Memnir is spot on with his remarks. As to the basic and current game formula. :cool:

[Annex]

And SSG makes lots of money off players purchasing cosmetics on the DDO Store.

I think this is how some of the "less-able" or aging games are able to stave off shutting down the servers. I know when EQ introduced housing, I watched players dropping $1000's overnight. I would imagine similar things happening in DDO. It would be another infusion of money for SSG like an Expansion but without all the powercreep. Lots of "Art resources" though. No pesky balancing or stats or including "something for everyone" in item development.

Oh, I agree. I would gladly purchase and decorate my Doll House. Oh wait. Boys. It is _not_ a Doll House! I was being a dumb girl. It is...a secret underground G.I. Joe base. Or...a personal dungeon full of succubi and trophies. Yea. No! It is a secret underground G.I. Joe base with a dungeon testing area and a prison section for succubi you have 'detained'. You will not find even one tea service or set of drapes! Well, maybe one of the rooms with the succubi has those things. Yes. One of the many, many rooms with succubi may have some drapes and tea services and perhaps a teddy bear. Right. Did I mention you super secret underground base can have succubi under your complete control?

Oh my gosh. I should totally be a developer. Whoever owns Standing Stone Games would be throwing away money on rockets and toppling governments and stuff within 5 years.

[Xyfiel]

I just want an outhouse that I don't have to share with Half Orcs.

[hinton]

I just want an outhouse that I don't have to share with Half Orcs.

Better then elfs. I went in one and some elf had slid his skinny rump down the bowl and got stuck. Had to pee on him or use the dloor.

[MaeveTuohy]

I guess I just don't understand what it is, or what it could be. So if DDO had player housing, what would that mean? A place to store your stuff, your cosmetics? A trophy room?

I'm not saying it's a BAD thing, I'm saying I'm not sure what Player Housing means to ME. Sell me on it.

If DDO had Player Housing, would should I buy it?

I always understood "player housing" to refer to the apartment I live in. I doubt SSG has any plans to get involved in player housing.

Now, character housing, that could be sweet. Inventory management, a wall with all my achievements (Soloing EE demon queen, check. Having a useful raid item actually drop, check. Having questions and bug reports ignored by devs, check.)

[Armatone]

What would be cool are "guilds". Not like what we have. but a place where anyone can join, get training, supplies, way-points, sanctuary, etc. the possibilities are endless.



This is kind of what I am working on with the "Corner Merchants" guilds I have on all servers. A guild for those with rogue, or artificer, levels. I even have a forum set up for inter server fellowship.

[Captain_Wizbang]

This is kind of what I am working on with the "Corner Merchants" guilds I have on all servers. A guild for those with rogue, or artificer, levels. I even have a forum set up for inter server fellowship.

Cool.

I am referring to a building/place/area that is class/race or deity specific. Open to the public, where we would pay in Platt or shards to join and access. Then either start a fight or get training & items and a place to hide from the mob you just incited.

These types of places/"guilds are very common in fantasy literature*, but not in actual D20 game systems. For SSG this is an "open book":rolleyes:

[systemshaker1941]

I think customization airship cabins would be the logical step - doesn't even have to be ties to guild, make it an option from the airship tower, there's already a dialogue. "Go to my cabin". The cabins could also be accessed while already on the airship(again, add to existing dialogues for doors).

The main draw would be the thing most players are screaming for: more BtC storage! But once you sucker people in with that, basic amenities like bank, general vendor, ship buffs, and the all-important cosmetics, would be an easy sell.

[nokowi]

oh, i agree. I would gladly purchase and decorate my doll house. Oh wait. Boys. It is _not_ a doll house! I was being a dumb girl. It is...a secret underground g.i. Joe base. Or...a personal dungeon full of succubi and trophies. Yea. No! It is a secret underground g.i. Joe base with a dungeon testing area and a prison section for succubi you have 'detained'. You will not find even one tea service or set of drapes! Well, maybe one of the rooms with the succubi has those things. Yes. One of the many, many rooms with succubi may have some drapes and tea services and perhaps a teddy bear. Right. Did i mention you super secret underground base can have succubi under your complete control?

Oh my gosh. I should totally be a developer. Whoever owns standing stone games would be throwing away money on rockets and toppling governments and stuff within 5 years.

action figure! :)

[Captain_Wizbang]

"Go to my cabin". The cabins could also be accessed while already on the airship(again, add to existing dialogues for doors).

The main draw would be the thing most players are screaming for: more BtC storage! But once you sucker people in with that, basic amenities like bank, general vendor, ship buffs, and the all-important cosmetics, would be an easy sell.

Another idea I had was a "Crew Gallery". where an icon of your main or whatever is hanging, with a dialogue as per your post to access whatever.

[Bradik_Losdar]

As others have said, Player Housing is essentially a place to spend time when not questing.

It is usually a money/resource sink for the game as well. I loved the player housing in Star Wars Galaxies where you could buy different types of houses in different areas (planets) and display all your 'trophies'. (LOTRO is very similar)

That said, I'd love to have a wizard tower like the one in Barovia as my main's residence. Secluded on an semi island - granted the current interior sucks - but that could be changed. And again as others have said, it would be great to be able to expand the higher cost residences by making them full fledged castles over time or building dungeons beneath them. :) Look at the old D&D module 'Village of Hommlet' as to what a player character tower/castle could have in store (the ex adventurers fighter and wizard's one)

[JOTMON]

I guess I just don't understand what it is, or what it could be. So if DDO had player housing, what would that mean? A place to store your stuff, your cosmetics? A trophy room?

I'm not saying it's a BAD thing, I'm saying I'm not sure what Player Housing means to ME. Sell me on it.

If DDO had Player Housing, would should I buy it?


Basically, a personal guildship that does not require being in a guild. looks like a shack, house, castle... or something else... could even be guildship style options.
Similar structure to Guilds. without the renown farming.. Plat and DDO store.
Accessible by every toon on the account.
Various cosmetic options for decoration..
Purchasable amenities, basically guildship hookpoints.
Storage rooms.
Display cases
Monster manual trophy room
Storage vaults.
More Storage
More storage
More storage
… etc...

[C-Dog]

I think of it as a place for long-term storage, for things you don't use very often, but need every now and then. Maybe a little similar to a TR bank in that regard.

If you are currently on one type of past life and expect to be for a while, but have gear for a diff you want to collect for the future, Housing storage would be perfect for that.


Also a perfect place for RP purposes and group/guild events, if you have need of that.

[JOTMON]

I think of it as a place for long-term storage, for things you don't use very often, but need every now and then. Maybe a little similar to a TR bank in that regard.

If you are currently on one type of past life and expect to be for a while, but have gear for a diff you want to collect for the future, Housing storage would be perfect for that.


Also a perfect place for RP purposes and group/guild events, if you have need of that.

God no.. not a TR style storage..

an AH interface to a AH style storage

[charliecharlie]

Anybody that has ever played Skyrim, and used one or more of the many modded player housing mods, knows exactly how incredible player housing can be. I remember owning a castle, high in the mountains, that had a mini-quest in the basement that I needed to complete and win before being allowed ownership of the castle. It had room after room after room of the most incredible features, the best being multiple long halls of mannequins that I could put complete sets of armor (plus all the rest of the items, like helmet, gloves, bracers, jewelry, etc.) and be able to view them complete.

[LeadHero5]

Imagine your own level 100 guild and airship with no one but your own characters as a member. You have 4x80 space chests in the loot room and a 50 space and a 20 pace in the hold. That's what player housing is in DDO.

all you have to do is pay for it. Since player housing is still a thing, it seems the market is saying that it costs too much. So if the answer is guild lite, what needs to be taken away? First, your characters only, and account storage so you can't invite anyone else in. If you have housing, can you also be in a guild? That seems like a lot of effort to be involved in both, so even it it's allowed, there will be some attrition from guilds. Is that good for the game? I joined a 50ish level guild in 2012 and it's taken till last year for 6 of us to get to 100, and we have the storage room and the two chests. I would call us fairly casual but 6 years is a long time. (and we gave up many tomes for guild renown)

So, if you have all the bank and character storage available, how much more are you going to pay and for how much more? And you want searchable? I am going to say, I would trade housing for straight up more and better storage. I WOULD PAY A LOT FOR A STORAGE INTERFACE THAT WOULD ACCESS ALL MY CHARACTERS AT ONCE!!!

[C-Dog]

God no.. not a TR style storage..
I never said "TR style storage" - I said "similar in that regard" - i.e. similar re the previous context of my post.

("context" - what a radical concept)

So stop panicking. Sheesh. :rolleyes:

[JOTMON]

I never said "TR style storage" - I said "similar in that regard" - i.e. similar re the previous context of my post.

("context" - what a radical concept)

So stop panicking. Sheesh. :rolleyes:




~snip~Maybe a little similar to a TR bank in that regard. ~snip~


Suggesting or even thinking those words is reason for concern.

[systemshaker1941]

As others have said, Player Housing is essentially a place to spend time when not questing.

It is usually a money/resource sink for the game as well. I loved the player housing in Star Wars Galaxies where you could buy different types of houses in different areas (planets) and display all your 'trophies'. (LOTRO is very similar)

That said, I'd love to have a wizard tower like the one in Barovia as my main's residence. Secluded on an semi island - granted the current interior sucks - but that could be changed. And again as others have said, it would be great to be able to expand the higher cost residences by making them full fledged castles over time or building dungeons beneath them. :) Look at the old D&D module 'Village of Hommlet' as to what a player character tower/castle could have in store (the ex adventurers fighter and wizard's one)

Given how badly DDO needs a platinum sink, this would be a good one. Unfortunately we can expect SSG to make one of two mistakes when implementing it: it will either A.) be a shard sink instead of platinum; or B.) be a plat sink with a reoccurring monthly fee that slowly drains all of your plat while you take a break from the game.

Gotta find a way to remove a few billion plat from the economy :P