Here's how to do player housing

[hulkgor]

This is probably the worst take of player housing i've ever read. Far from being "the right way" if you ask me.

[HansOlo]

You are welcome to not participate in the discussion of a function that has already been asked for, for years. I believe the first threads I took notice to was during Wrath? I didn't follow the forum that much back then. We do ask the question "why" it hasn't been added, and in many threads, there's been discussion about the topic, what restrictions we as players see, and what is already working that we as players see.

Im certain that the answer to "why" is:

Blizzard don't believe in the return values. If you need to have X amount of people working on a feature - and it generates practically same amount of income as without(minus the community complaints regarding how empty the world feels - see WoD/garisson reactions). Then it might be a bad buisness.

Just my guess - i'm certain they have reasonings and not just being lazy around it.

[Pakheth]

I still think Wildstar did one of the best iterations of housing I have ever seen in an mmo.
I enjoyed it and it kept me logging in.

[Lochton]

Im certain that the answer to "why" is:

Blizzard don't believe in the return values. If you need to have X amount of people working on a feature - and it generates practically same amount of income as without(minus the community complaints regarding how empty the world feels - see WoD/garisson reactions). Then it might be a bad buisness.

Just my guess - i'm certain they have reasonings and not just being lazy around it.

True but it is basically at the same category as Classic, maybe not as many people but else, aye. It was the same answer for that for a looooong time. The difference is, housing might serve better to some as Classic doesn't, and vice versa.

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This is probably the worst take of player housing i've ever read. Far from being "the right way" if you ask me.

The OP's idea, aye but you are welcome to share.

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I still think Wildstar did one of the best iterations of housing I have ever seen in an mmo.
I enjoyed it and it kept me logging in.

Wildstar and ArcheAge are the heavy contenders on the list, the rest can't even match. The only difference between the two is that one is instanced, and the other is in the open world. The only thing that makes Wildstar's a little better is that AA's can be restricted due to a lack of space to build on.

[HansOlo]

I still think Wildstar did one of the best iterations of housing I have ever seen in an mmo.
I enjoyed it and it kept me logging in.

Great business case - investing on housing doesn't mean a great game.

I think Blizzard won't ever go Wildstar - it's simply too risky.

[Lochton]

Great business case - investing on housing doesn't mean a great game.

I think Blizzard won't ever go Wildstar - it's simply too risky.

The game was great though. Not the best but great.

And no, Blizzard wouldn't go on the full instanced zone. But they were already thinking about it in 2009.

[HansOlo]

The game was great though. Not the best but great.

And no, Blizzard wouldn't go on the full instanced zone. But they were already thinking about it in 2009.

Im certain that we would be just fine without housing for the next 18years

Rather than "I have this good idea" - I would love to see buisness case. And i'm certain that Blizzard also would like that.

[WowIsDead64]

Well, restrictions should be a blanket, nothing more there, and if people want multiple, they are welcome to, their time, their dime. Not everything should be account wide? I'd hate to step into an Alliance-themed house with my Orc, calling it "home"?

WoW is even better seated now to start speculating housing because it doesn't have a flood of players like it used to.

Yeah, players should be able to have different houses, but at the same time making house on every character is exceeding. This is one of my problems in Wow. In many cases things are done just for tick - to avoid "incomplete" characters. This requires thinking over some "system" not to do things just randomly. Sometimes it blows my mind.

[Lochton]

Im certain that we would be just fine without housing for the next 18years

Rather than "I have this good idea" - I would love to see buisness case. And i'm certain that Blizzard also would like that.

Blizzard has already seen many business cases, it is about function, resources, and time. They have followed the progress of housing discussions over time but it comes to the action. I mean, we don't know the reach of interest because discussions are spread so wide among Reddit, MMO-C, various server forums, Blizz's official forums and server forums but what could be the case? A minority number? Like End-game mythic raiders are? Like roleplayers are?

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Yeah, players should be able to have different houses, but at the same time making house on every character is exceeding. This is one of my problems in Wow. In many cases things are done just for tick - to avoid "incomplete" characters. This requires thinking over some "system" not to do things just randomly. Sometimes it blows my mind.

If that is an issue in WoW's system, which we don't know, then you would need an account restriction but then, you would need that on Garrisons too, as they are also taking assets every time someone makes a character and sends it to Draenor - not to mention when they unlock the outposts, etc. Else the big win could be finally update some of the game, killing Garrisons for the chance to give housing a shot.

[WowIsDead64]

If that is an issue in WoW's system, which we don't know, then you would need an account restriction but then, you would need that on Garrisons too, as they are also taking assets every time someone makes a character and sends it to Draenor - not to mention when they unlock the outposts, etc. Else the big win could be finally update some of the game, killing Garrisons for the chance to give housing a shot.

Garrison is different thing. Each character can have different professions, so different buildings are needed. But overall I just hate to copy-paste things between characters instead of having them account-wide.

[Sinfelle]

People just cling onto this idea of player housing because they can't afford one in the real world

[Lochton]

Garrison is different thing. Each character can have different professions, so different buildings are needed. But overall I just hate to copy-paste things between characters instead of having them account-wide.

Indeed, each character should be treated as a new character, the only thing that could be account-wide is possible unlocks, nothing else.

People just cling onto this idea of player housing because they can't afford one in the real world

I give you an F for your lame comment. People can have an interest in whatever. Are you saying people interested in racing/cars can't afford a car in real life?

[Sinfelle]

Indeed, each character should be treated as a new character, the only thing that could be account-wide is possible unlocks, nothing else.


I give you an F for your lame comment. People can have an interest in whatever. Are you saying people interested in racing/cars can't afford a car in real life?

I bet you're fun at parties. Clearly you must be the one people have to sit down and explain every joke and meme to. This is a common joke about how absurdly expensive the housing market is, most commonly joked about with millennials (the main audience of WoW) and how most of them will not be able to afford it. So the only way they'd be able to afford one is in WoW or some other fantasy game. Do you get it now? Has the joke been murdered and dissected enough for you to digest? Or will a more condescending tone be needed?

[Lochton]

I bet you're fun at parties. Clearly you must be the one people have to sit down and explain every joke and meme to. This is a common joke about how absurdly expensive the housing market is, most commonly joked about with millennials (the main audience of WoW) and how most of them will not be able to afford it. So the only way they'd be able to afford one is in WoW or some other fantasy game. Do you get it now? Has the joke been murdered and dissected enough for you to digest? Or will a more condescending tone be needed?

I guess one has to expect it as a joke, though first time I have heard it. Then again, not that good a joke if it needs explaining.

[aarro]

A small village area similar to a garrison with different buildings for all guild members and then there is one plot which phases to each individual player with the option to invite other players to your house.

[NineSpine]

I suppose; the problem that Blizzard has with any of these types of features is that it seems like if it requires a lot of development time they need it to be engaged with. That's why Garrisons were central to WoD's storyline. You literally couldn't continue the story if you didn't construct a Garrison. (Same thing happened with Torghast in SL.)

Perhaps if they can pick apart the bones of what they used to develop Garrisons and make something less... expansion-defining, I'd say go for it. But I'm skeptical such an endeavor is ultimately worth it in the end.

The idea that everything needs to be part of the core gameplay loop is the main problem with how wow has been developed.

[Lochton]

The idea that everything needs to be part of the core gameplay loop is the main problem with how wow has been developed.

Indeed. We need something that is disconnected from the path of the story told and the progression streak.

[Sinfelle]

I guess one has to expect it as a joke, though first time I have heard it. Then again, not that good a joke if it needs explaining.

Nah the joke was fine. Just need to be smart enough to understand the simplest of jokes, or be even slightly aware of the world around us.

Looks more like you just wanted to be offended and play the victim. How many times have you heard that in your life?

[hulkgor]

The OP's idea, aye but you are welcome to share..

Fair enough.

The best player housing i've ever experienced was Wildstar's take on it (as well as transmog\coloring, but that's besides the point).

It was an instanced plot, with several sized plugs for your leisure. Either flavor, minigames, thematic, and what not, and then you could fill the rest to your hearts content. There are amazing examples on youtube, from jungley stuff, to desertey stuff, even a full sized AT-AT... some dude even made a wildstar-esque Iron Throne.

The neat part, was that most of the stuff you used there, assets, models, plugs, were obtained from every facet of the game. Dungeon drops, raid drops, world drops, crafted by players, traded on the ah, etc. So, it not only boosted a player-driven economy, it also pleased the collectibles and achievement hunters.

It was very well thought out, unlike several other aspects of the game, but it was the best player housing i've ever experienced, and very easily expanded on.

[Celement]

It is a massive investment especially given how wow designs objects to work in specific lighting and environments. I lean towards the " this would be nice but I can't see it being worth the resources" crowd.

I can understand the desire for it and found it a neat addition in games that had it. I just would want an entire team hired to do it separately from other content rather then moving anyone off anything to see it happen.