Midnight 12.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[Cheezits]

If Housing somehow includes an unexpected full revamp of Durotar+Azshara and Elwynn+Westfall+Duskwood, man I'd be over the moon. I really, really hope that's open world.

Yeah it seems very possible. Both very limited revamps but also crucial because capitals.

[milkmustache]

Yeah it seems very possible. Both very limited revamps but also crucial because capitals.

But it's definitely a start, which is great. I think this is also a soft confirmation that there's a possibility of combining zones in revamps.

[Sondrelk]

People wanting housing in the open world, how exactly do you imagine it working? With the amount of players and the space we have, the only way it might work is basically like the Garrison which had a lot of issues at the start and was only one unit per person, not a 50 house neighborhood.

It could in theory work. But would probably require going over every single zone in the game to scout out potential locations for each one. Areas with no quest mobs or anything important in them.
And of course, it would kill stone dead the idea that you can organically visit other people.

[Joshuaj]

The Neighborhood idea sounds so fucking cool ngl.

[Xilurm]

People wanting housing in the open world, how exactly do you imagine it working? With the amount of players and the space we have, the only way it might work is basically like the Garrison which had a lot of issues at the start and was only one unit per person, not a 50 house neighborhood.

Tbh I was expecting something like the Garrison. They'd give us specific locations in zones and you can put your house there and you phase in when you get close. But it seems like they want to go with the social aspect and make it so everyone see each other's house or something.

I guess what I described could also work if the new neighbourhood zone isn't behind a gated loading screen.

[Sondrelk]

Again, Garrisons were instanced and reachable without a loading screen aswell, so I doubt they will go the old "here is a blue portal in Org that sends you to somewhere in Durotar which isn't actual in Durotar route" of classic BG's.

I mean, maybe they do that, but it would be lazy and they already have the tech to have the housing zones being connected to the open world without a portal, Zaralek Caverns and Khaz Algar also work like that.

I am going to guess they will just carve out a new area in Durotar and Elwynn in which to have houses.
50 houses isnt a whole lot, so it should be easy to find a plateu in Durotar, or carve away a mountain in Elwynn in which to fit houses. For Stormwind for instance I could easily see one where they add the houses on the mountains next to Old Town. There is nothing there, and it should be easy enough to flatten that mountain out to make space for houses.

[Joshuaj]

The way they're talking about it reminds me a lot of FFXIV's stuff, which is hidden behind a loading screen. But then again everything in that game is. I'd be pleasantly surprised if this neighbourhood is part of the open world, because it seems like there will be multiple neighbourhoods there, (if not an unlimited amount?) considering you can enter one and just be by yourself or enter a public one where you share it with randoms or enter one where it's with your guildies and friends.

Based off this + what was leaked, it seems to be a mixture of FFXIV and Wildstar. I fw it, honestly.

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Private Neighborhoods are basically guild housing lmaooo

[Hitei]

It's gonna be rough wanting to live in like a nice immersive neighborhood and then having some meme neighbor who paints their house bright purple and slaps all the dumbest decorations on the outside.

[Joshuaj]

I know exactly what Blizzard's doing! They're gonna add in a whole new subsection in the Eastern Kingdoms/Kalimdor VIA the new seamless phasing technology, and that area is going to be your public/private Neighborhood.

[Sondrelk]

It's gonna be rough wanting to live in like a nice immersive neighborhood and then having some meme neighbor who paints their house bright purple and slaps all the dumbest decorations on the outside.

Yeah, that's the obvious issue with neighborhoods. Which is why I imagine most people will end up living in private guild areas.

[Joshuaj]

It's gonna be rough wanting to live in like a nice immersive neighborhood and then having some meme neighbor who paints their house bright purple and slaps all the dumbest decorations on the outside.

That's why private Neighborhoods exist. Though, I would like the option of being able to make your own house without any neighbors lol. However, Neighborhoods definitely make this place feel more like a world, ya know?

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Hmm.

Good bits and bad bits, in this post!

- Love that there will be lots and lots of customisation.

- Love that you can unlock a bunch of stuff in-game, but also some special items via the Shop.

- Love that there will be stuff from a bunch of expansions and different themes.

- Love that I'll be able to have a house around Elwynn forest.

- Love that it's accessible for my Warband.

That said, not so sure about the seemingly instanced "neighbourhoods," and the absolute lack of variety in terms of where to place your house.

If turning the neighbourhood private means you can use your house without other players nearby, then that solves one issue. I don't want LegolassXxLols jumping around my garden or BigDaddy57 dueling outside my window. I want my house to be private and immersive.

But the lack of variety is a bigger issue. What about players who want to live in a witch's hut in a swap someplace, or players who love Gilneas, or mountains, or specifically the Valley of the Four Winds? Are they meant to be homogenised into "Hooman Alliance"? Sure, it might be possible a couple of years down the line, but I think it's going to end up disappointing a lot of people in Midnight.

Your worries regarding house placement are solved in the literal article itself. More locations and housing options are gonna be made available throughout the coming patches/expansions.

[Sondrelk]

That's why private Neighborhoods exist. Though, I would like the option of being able to make your own house without any neighbors lol. However, Neighborhoods definitely make this place feel more like a world, ya know?

My fear is that the neighborhoods will end up looking too homogenic. A large plateau of identical houses, like we are in some hellish American suburbia.

[Joshuaj]

Yeah, that's the obvious issue with neighborhoods. Which is why I imagine most people will end up living in private guild areas.

100%. Most folks are gonna vibe in private Neighborhoods.

[Xilurm]

This is a concept for the Durotar neighbourhood.



Something I'm really hoping for is that there's not going to be any "visible plots" when someone doesn't own one of the plots in there. Make it so it blends well with the terrain by having some kind of rock formation or a bunch of trees. Just how the Garrison place was filled with trees before you built it.

Basically I don't want this thing staring at me whenever I walk around the neighbourhood.

[Cheezits]

I will say something maybe controversial and ask that they may consider solo/private plots. I get that this may encourage community with forced hoods but yeah, I wouldn't mind a private area.

[Hitei]

That's why private Neighborhoods exist. Though, I would like the option of being able to make your own house without any neighbors lol. However, Neighborhoods definitely make this place feel more like a world, ya know?

Yeah but there's an in-between. I play with a guild of like ~7 real life friends, most of whom aren't active beyond the first 2-3 months of an expansion. So it's either live in a basically dead neighborhood or public.

[Joshuaj]

My fear is that the neighborhoods will end up looking too homogenic. A large plateau of identical houses, like we are in some hellish American suburbia.

More options will exist in future patches and expansions. Also, based off what I've seen leaked, you will likely be able to customize the outside of your house.

[Pyrophax]

2 zones are fine for start. Same as Heritage armor was dealt.

My main issue - how that Neighborhood feature will be dealt. If I wanna house near waterfall (for example) and the place is taken? New shard?

And if I wanna exchange places with friend and don't loose my other Neighbors?

How much private Neighborhood will be "private"? Can I start with my own, for my alts only?
If I have like 5-6 human characters - can I buy house for each one of them?

Why should I use public Neighborhood?

Can Neighborhood kick one from them if they don't like that person?

Can I move my house to different Neighborhood or even different place?

Questions, questions. But I love that feature for sure. At least part of Durotar and Elwin Forest wil be updated!

And according to concept - Durotar one located near port, east mountains near Orgrimmar. Right now its barren rocks. Glad it will be updated.
Human one is quite a place, where Westfall, Duskwood and Elwin Forest mixing. Updated Hogger camp?

[Joshuaj]

Yeah but there's an in-between. I play with a guild of like ~7 real life friends, most of whom aren't active beyond the first 2-3 months of an expansion. So it's either live in a basically dead neighborhood or public.

Yeah, like I said, hopefully they can make it to where you can buy a house without a Neighborhood.

[Enteroctopus Magnificus]

I'm extremely disappointed, I didn't want a neighborhood system... I didn't like the part where they said they didn't want to put houses all over the place to avoid separating people too much. Let me have my house in my own quiet corner, I don't want neighbors.

I don't get it. Are they revamping durotar and elwyn forest to fit these neighbourhoods, or are they in another dimension?

I understood that these would be instantiated zones, cut off from the world. I hope I'm wrong, otherwise I'll lose interest in housing.