The War Within 11.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[Nymrohd]

I don't know how to feel about this. I like the Neighborhood concept but the fact that these seem to be instanced zones does not work with me. I'll still use it and I think my guild will love building a private neighborhood together.

[Cheezits]

Actually I don't think they say the neighborhood zones AREN'T in the open world, so I'll admit it's possible. They probably are though because otherwise a revamp or gradual one is required.

[Hitei]

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

They are their own dimension. If anything the new assets may be used for a revamp later.

Gonna guess that the Ratt's instance was a testbed for this persistent state in instance tech.

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I don't know how to feel about this. I like the Neighborhood concept but the fact that these seem to be instanced zones does not work with me. I'll still use it and I think my guild will love building a private neighborhood together.

How exactly did you expect a non-instanced housing system with several thousand players on larger servers to work?

[Xilurm]

It looks like the zones are part of the open world, hence you have your neighberhood (and can also visit different ones prolly similiar to garrisons?).

Also while we start with "just" two houses, it seems like the plan is to add more zones with one house each as time goes by?

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.

[Kiivar86]

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.

[Lady Atia]

I don't know how to feel about this. I like the Neighborhood concept but the fact that these seem to be instanced zones does not work with me. I'll still use it and I think my guild will love building a private neighborhood together.

Just because it's instanced doesn't mean you can smoothly transit to it. Garrisons were also instanced but part of the open world, remember?

[milkmustache]

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.

[Lady Atia]

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.

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.

[Cheezits]

...wait, maybe it's like Delves with a smokescreen, menu option and then you walk in? So it's disconnected but it's a mostly seamless walk-in.

Again I think this is only feasible if both the capitals are getting revamped in Midnight, which is possible. That may be the reason for the human/orc focus to start.

[Sondrelk]

They're going the FFXIV route with neighbourhoods, but you won't have to worry about your house getting demolished.

I really wish the houses were out in the open world...

Well either way all the other stuff sounds amazing.

But I wonder, this seems like a Warband feature, can you have only one house per account?

Houses out in the open world is one of those things that kinda precludes being able to have other people see it.

[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.