why is there no personal housing in GW2 yet

[Vieux P.1238]

> @"Celsith.2753" said:

> > @"Vieux P.1238" said:

> > I'm not against a **none instance player housing**

> > But ....playing Barbie's house now, will not bring more players in atm.

> > Espacially to spend money on a pink couch.

> > Just saying.

>

> The amazing housing was literally the only reason i continued playing Wild Star past the first two days.

 

Yes, thank God for Housing that save Wildstar from mmo oblivion.

[Trise.2865]

> @"Torzini.1523" said:

> > @"Trise.2865" said:

> > Why would anyone want to play lesser versions of existing games because they're added to another game? Wouldn't you rather just play those games instead and have a better experience?

>

> C'mon now, that's just a stupid question lol. That's like asking, why don't you go play a horse simulator instead of wanting mounts in-game? Wouldn't you have a better experience?

 

If Horse Simulator was a better horse simulator than Guild Wars 2's simulated horses, then yes, that would be the better simulated horse experience. Things that are better are better than things that aren't better. I feel like that should be obvious.

 

On the other hand, complaining about gameplay features you don't have in a video game is roughly equivalent to going to an aquarium and demanding they install a roller-coaster.

 

That's called "reductio ad absurdum", and it's a serious fallacy.

[Torzini.1523]

> @"Trise.2865" said:

> > @"Torzini.1523" said:

> > > @"Trise.2865" said:

> > > Why would anyone want to play lesser versions of existing games because they're added to another game? Wouldn't you rather just play those games instead and have a better experience?

> >

> > C'mon now, that's just a stupid question lol. That's like asking, why don't you go play a horse simulator instead of wanting mounts in-game? Wouldn't you have a better experience?

>

> If Horse Simulator was a better horse simulator than Guild Wars 2's simulated horses, then yes, that would be the better simulated horse experience. Things that are better are better than things that aren't better. I feel like that should be obvious.

 

Thank you for completely missing the point. lol

 

The point was that just because more specialised renditions exist outside the game, isn't a reason to not want a particular feature (a version of it, anyway) inside said game. Like, let's not have any costumes in Guild Wars because dedicated fashion simulators exist elsewhere and do it better, so go play that instead. It's a specious argument.

 

> @"Trise.2865" said:

> On the other hand, complaining about gameplay features you don't have in a video game is roughly equivalent to going to an aquarium and demanding they install a roller-coaster.

>

> That's called "reductio ad absurdum", and it's a serious fallacy.

 

Only if aquariums routinely happen to include roller coasters in them, the way that MMOs often have housing as a feature. Nice try with that analogy.

[Trise.2865]

> @"Torzini.1523" said:

>

> Only if aquariums routinely happen to include roller coasters in them, the way that MMOs often have housing as a feature. Nice try with that analogy.

 

Name five.

[Torzini.1523]

> @"Trise.2865" said:

> > @"Torzini.1523" said:

> >

> > Only if aquariums routinely happen to include roller coasters in them, the way that MMOs often have housing as a feature. Nice try with that analogy.

>

> Name five.

 

Wildstar, DCUO, Archeage, Rift, Elder Scrolls, SWTOR, Black Desert Online, LOTRO, Everquest II, Wizard101, Final Fantasy. And that's just what I can name off the top off my head.

[Yamazuki.6073]

> @"Clyan.1593" said:

> > @"MokahTGS.7850" said:

> > What I don't understand is why people get upset when the issue is brought up.

>

> Because it's totally useless and a waste of time and energy. What do you need a personal house for? It's pointless and irritating. It's nothing more than a "novelty" or a "toy" at best.

>

>

 

Any portion of the game could be pointless and a waste of energy, as well as irritating. Most people don't like pvp, wvw, or raids, so why do they exist? What about things like instruments or the other actual toys? Do we need them? No, we don't, but they exist. Why do these unnecessary things exist? Money. Do you enjoy cheaper expansions, free LW episodes, and not having to pay a subscription, or dealing with pay to win shenanigans? This is why toys exist, silly side content, and is why mounts were an inevitable addition to the game despite some of the anger towards the request for mounts. Mounts were not needed at all, but it is another source of cosmetic sales by having them in the game. Proper housing wouldn't be any different, and if someone hated it they could just ignore it, just like how someone would ignore wvw, or pvp, or raids, or fractals [and anything else] if they don't care about those.

 

Games are a product, and products exist solely to make money. Even if the devs enjoy making games, the people who invested in order for GW2 exist don't, they want a return on their investment. I don't care how much content is added to the game, even if it's content I have little to no interest in, or cosmetics I find ugly, because I actually like how low cost GW2 really is compared to many other MMORPGs. Even free to play games eventually cost you more either in the form of cash or a significant time sink.

[mauried.5608]

what happens to the houses of players who have left the game?

This was / is one of the biggest problems of the housing in Lotro because over time as players left the game , entire suburbs of abandoned houses were left.

The problem with housing is that it exists in the game even when the player who owns it isnt online, which is differant to everything else in the game.

 

[Goettel.4389]

> @"Vieux P.1238" said:

> > @"Celsith.2753" said:

> > > @"Vieux P.1238" said:

> > > I'm not against a **none instance player housing**

> > > But ....playing Barbie's house now, will not bring more players in atm.

> > > Espacially to spend money on a pink couch.

> > > Just saying.

> >

> > The amazing housing was literally the only reason i continued playing Wild Star past the first two days.

>

> Yes, thank God for Housing that save Wildstar from mmo oblivion.

 

This seems prescient :(

[Torzini.1523]

> @"mauried.5608" said:

> what happens to the houses of players who have left the game?

> This was / is one of the biggest problems of the housing in Lotro because over time as players left the game , entire suburbs of abandoned houses were left.

> The problem with housing is that it exists in the game even when the player who owns it isnt online, which is differant to everything else in the game.

>

Two words: instanced housing. Like the race instance everyone already gets.

 

[Gehenna.3625]

> @"Dante.1763" said:

> > @"MokahTGS.7850" said:

> > > @"kharmin.7683" said:

> > > > @"MokahTGS.7850" said:

> > > > What I don't understand is why people get upset when the issue is brought up.

> > > Because many of us would prefer ANet spend their resources elsewhere. That is probably the biggest reason.

> > >

> >

> > Accept that ANet will spend resources where they believe will make them money. So when something is added to the game, it's not because they are bored. Also, ANet has stated that there are more than one team working on things. Teams that work on player housing (theoretically) would not be the same people that are working on PvP, or raids, or cat collections, or fractals, or outfits, or the gem store or whatever it is you like.

>

> Im kinda in the same boat as the person above: If anet believes that their best way to make money is to sell furniture, or decorations for a player "home"..i fear for the game a little, not saying its the end, but it makes me a little cautious.

 

I find it intriguing and perhaps a little ironic that you fear people who are less inclined towards violent activities. Besides, it's just another form of cosmetics and the game already has plenty of that. In real life a lot of people do care about the clothes they wear, what they drive and their living space. So we already have 2/3 in game...

 

Perhaps you fear the feeling that the percentage of players that is into structured group content is getting smaller, but that's already the case without housing. Well, it might be that it just drives that point home more than you'd like.

 

Still, in modern games it's quite common to have housing, so people who really have a hard time with it are still stuck in the past afaic. That still doesn't mean that ArenaNet has to introduce housing, but if they do, there's nothing strange about it.

[Player.9621]

> @"Vieux P.1238" said:

> > @"Celsith.2753" said:

> > > @"Vieux P.1238" said:

> > > I'm not against a **none instance player housing**

> > > But ....playing Barbie's house now, will not bring more players in atm.

> > > Espacially to spend money on a pink couch.

> > > Just saying.

> >

> > The amazing housing was literally the only reason i continued playing Wild Star past the first two days.

>

> Yes, thank God for Housing that save Wildstar from mmo oblivion.

 

it didnt tho, widlstar is dead in the water

contrary to this thread the majority dont give a shit about fluff, people want balanced working content

[Gehenna.3625]

> @"Player.9621" said:

> contrary to this thread the majority dont give a kitten about fluff, people want balanced working content

 

Nice story. But it's just wishful thinking from your side.

[IndigoSundown.5419]

I play GW2 because I like the "fantasy" adventure genre. I have liked the genre since I saw a paperback book with a picture of a chained, shirtless man faced off with a giant snake on the bookshelf at the local drugstore. I picked up L. Sprague de Camp's compilation of R. E. Howard stories, _Conan the Usurper_ and have been interested in the broad "fantasy" genre since. That fascination has now lasted more than 50 years.

 

I do customize my characters in GW2. Doing so is a byproduct of play, which I can enjoy looking at while I play the game. I have yet to see a housing system which presented a virtual "house" in which I could have a simulated adventure. Thus my disinterest in housing. I would investigate a "housing" system in GW2 at first to see if there was a (vanishingly small) chance I'd find anything to _do_ there that I would enjoy. I expect there won't be, but who knows.

 

I'd be OK with housing if it added to my game experience by adding a crafting materials sink to the game. Selling mats via the TP provides gold, which I can use to obtain stuff which adds to my game experience. It's about the only non-intrinsic reward attached to game play that GW2 offers (the intrinsic reward is "fun").

 

If housing turns out to be another attempt to get _me_ to craft in order to obtain better gear, then I would oppose its inclusion. I only say that because of the mention of Upgradeable Armor occurring at the same time as the new instance which may or may not be an ANet take on housing. What those systems will actually entail is of course still unclear.

 

Best-case scenario for me would be that ANet housing would be yet another time-wasting sink, which is 100% what the longevity systems in MMO's are about anyway. If ANet can either: monetize housing in a way that allows them to create more content to _play_; or use it as a means to keep people around who will support the game in other ways because they're around, then so be it.

[Lucius.2140]

> @"crepuscular.9047" said:

>

 

To be fair, guild halls will never be a good example: they are decorated and managed by a few.

Housing is personal.

 

 

[Trise.2865]

> @"Torzini.1523" said:

> > @"Trise.2865" said:

> > > @"Torzini.1523" said:

> > >

> > > Only if aquariums routinely happen to include roller coasters in them, the way that MMOs often have housing as a feature. Nice try with that analogy.

> >

> > Name five.

>

> Wildstar, DCUO, Archeage, Rift, Elder Scrolls, SWTOR, Black Desert Online, LOTRO, Everquest II, Wizard101, Final Fantasy. And that's just what I can name off the top off my head.

 

And of those remaining, how many are "only worth playing for their housing features"? in other words, playable only for the features requested, and therefore are not counterexamples to the premise? According to the "polls":

Wildstar, DCUO, Archeage, Rift, Elder Scrolls Online, Star Wars: the Old Republic, Black Desert Online, Lord of the Rings Online, Wizard 101, and Final Fantasy XIV.

Which means you have given me one example: Everquest II, which is both ancient and hardly "representative".

 

> @"Torzini.1523" said:

> Nice try

 

So, I'll rephrase my original "stupid" question. Can you explain to these people why this top-rated MMO should bother emulating and chasing after games that are definitively behind and beneath it?

Furthermore, How do any of those games compare to the base-building power of base-building games, like Minecraft, or The Sims, or Ark, or Age of Conan, or... I'll answer that for you: They don't. They are inferior versions and suffer because of it. Why do you want GW2 to suffer? what did it ever do to you? (speaking of losing focus...)

 

The only possible answer is "because I want it!", and that's not good enough.

[Gehenna.3625]

> @"Trise.2865" said:

> The Old Republic does not have player housing, it has a home instance feature similar to ours.

 

That is factually false. SWTOR does have player housing and they're instances called Strongholds. And these Strongholds use a hook system where you can place decorations of which there are thousands, some of which can be earned in game, others crafted and (sadly) most via their cash shop.

 

But to say that it's like our home instance is false. Also you can have up to ten of them in a variety of locations. The only comparison to the home instance here is that you can also place gathering nodes, except you can place many of them and multiples of them as well. Also the Strongholds can have decorations for sending and receiving mail, bank storage, account storage, guild bank storage, their version of the TP (GTN) and traders.

 

However, you can also place carpets, lights, furniture, create army bases out of them with troops and vehicles, etc.

 

Calling that the same as our home instance here is not remotely a correct comparison.

 

[Purgatori.3645]

> @"GreyWolf.8670" said:

> Do people really want to sit in their ~~garrisons~~ personal housing all day instead of being out in the world and playing? I just never understood the point of it.

 

I think of it as a virtual "shelf" of trophies and awards. Yep ... it's a house or a keep or a hut ... but when you make it your own earning things out in the living world it enriches your player experience. Take "Armchair Commander" ...

Have achievements like that in game to earn a piece of furniture or something

.. add it to your house and voila! You played the game , won a trophy and now can see it always. This could get very luxurious... hence player happiness is increased :)

[Edelweiss.4261]

I don't mind them adding personal housing. I don't think it'll be as big of a hit as some seem to think, though. I just don't see how it acts as meaningful content. If you could customize your home instance, would you spend any serious amount of time there? I haven't gone to my home instance since about a week after the game launched. Some go there to use their personal nodes, but that's just a quick in and out sort of thing. If anything, player housing would just give me more junk to sell over the bltc.

[Torzini.1523]

> @"Trise.2865" said:

> > @"Torzini.1523" said:

> > > @"Trise.2865" said:

> > > > @"Torzini.1523" said:

> > > >

> > > > Only if aquariums routinely happen to include roller coasters in them, the way that MMOs often have housing as a feature. Nice try with that analogy.

> > >

> > > Name five.

> >

> > Wildstar, DCUO, Archeage, Rift, Elder Scrolls, SWTOR, Black Desert Online, LOTRO, Everquest II, Wizard101, Final Fantasy. And that's just what I can name off the top off my head.

>

> And of those remaining, how many are "only worth playing for their housing features"? in other words, playable only for the features requested, and therefore are not counterexamples to the premise? According to the "polls":

> Wildstar, DCUO, Archeage, Rift, Elder Scrolls Online, Star Wars: the Old Republic, Black Desert Online, Lord of the Rings Online, Wizard 101, and Final Fantasy XIV.

> Which means you have given me one example: Everquest II, which is both ancient and hardly "representative".

>

> > @"Torzini.1523" said:

> > Nice try

>

> So, I'll rephrase my original "stupid" question. Can you explain to these people why this top-rated MMO should bother emulating and chasing after games that are definitively behind and beneath it?

> Furthermore, How do any of those games compare to the base-building power of base-building games, like Minecraft, or The Sims, or Ark, or Age of Conan, or... I'll answer that for you: They don't. They are inferior versions and suffer because of it. Why do you want GW2 to suffer? what did it ever do to you? (speaking of losing focus...)

>

> The only possible answer is "because I want it!", and that's not good enough.

 

I...... what? Most people don't play MMOs solely for _one_ feature, they play them for a combination of several (i.e. story, dungeons, friends, etc). What kind of question even is that, lol? That's like saying most people play Guild Wars ONLY to stand around in Lion's Arch showing off their costumes. Which I'm sure maybe a few do. But that's hardly the sole point of the game. If you think it is, you're doing it wrong. It's just one (very nice) feature that complements the rest of what there is to do.

 

Calm down man, it sounds like someone hurt you. Other MMOs which are currently doing very well (Rift, Elder Scrolls, et al.) have housing and are doing just fine. Adding housing to the game isn't going to ''make it suffer.'' Talk about being a drama queen.

[Gehenna.3625]

> @"Edelweiss.4261" said:

> I don't mind them adding personal housing. I don't think it'll be as big of a hit as some seem to think, though. I just don't see how it acts as meaningful content. If you could customize your home instance, would you spend any serious amount of time there? I haven't gone to my home instance since about a week after the game launched. Some go there to use their personal nodes, but that's just a quick in and out sort of thing. If anything, player housing would just give me more junk to sell over the bltc.

 

I think people underestimate the time spent there actually decorating the place. But realistically this is a video game and to speak of meaningful content is kind of funny really. In the end games are entertainment and hardly qualify as a meaningful activity to begin with. I've played SWTOR and wasn't lured into it with housing as someone incorrectly suggested but once I tried it, I spent hours and hours getting the place right. And then they added more places. There is a lot of creative thinking that can go in there and you do spend a lot of time also collecting and crafting the decorations you want or need for a theme or a certain look. I don't expect everybody to get that this can be fun, but I do wish people would at least accept that combat is not everything to everybody.

 

All in all, it's certainly an activity that will not appeal to all people, but then neither does raiding nor sPvP for example. What is unfortunate that there is a group of people that sees anything non-combat related as pointless and a horrible addition to the game. To me that's a sad state of affairs but there it is.

 

But rest assured, the activity of decorating can take many hours as well as getting the decorations together for it. I also don't think that the majority of players will go wild over this but I do think there are enough players to make it a solid addition to the game that also can be beneficial for non-decorators since they would be able to also craft and collect decorations but for the purposes of selling them on the TP. In my view it would be a real miss if they implemented housing but made everything account bound. And new loot to sell is never a bad thing in an economy.

 

Still, I'm not convinced yet it's going to happen. I'd like it but I'm not actually expecting it.

 

[hugo.4705]

Agreed with Gehenna, can't said it better than that. With many post I made and polls, I can affirm that a lot of players will enjoy to have housing, BUT not as the main mastery of an extansion. They want a SOLID and cheap system, optimized in uses of materials not a gold sink. AND the last point is, many players wonder if the quality will be here after looking at the home instances....

[Linken.6345]

> @"hugo.4705" said:

> Agreed with Gehenna, can't said it better than that. With many post I made and polls, I can affirm that a lot of players will enjoy to have housing, BUT not as the main mastery of an extansion. They want a SOLID and cheap system, optimized in uses of materials not a gold sink. AND the last point is, many players wonder if the quality will be here after looking at the home instances....

 

Yea dont set your self up for disapointment it will be a gold sink just look at guild halls.

[hugo.4705]

You know.. personally it doesn't matter if gold sink or not, I enjoy crafting and placing decos, I never gave attention to the price, would continue to spend gold because that's my sink with gemstore (rarely).

[Gehenna.3625]

> @"hugo.4705" said:

> You know.. personally it doesn't matter if gold sink or not, I enjoy crafting and placing decos, I never gave attention to the price, would continue to spend gold because that's my sink with gemstore (rarely).

 

Particularly with crafting it's pretty much automatically a gold sink. I don't have a problem with that, as long as it doesn't become too prohibitive. Also vendors in normal and daily zones can have decorations themed on their area available in their listing, so currencies can get a new purpose as well.

 

All in all there are many opportunities. It just needs to be a good mix really.

[hugo.4705]

Yeah, I don't see why that isn't the case actually... They could have put vendors in capitals selling race-based decos for guild hall... but I really feel like all of these home-guild thingies are beta... home instance = v1.0, guild hall = v2.0.. maybe a better system coming? Will not bet on the sunspear sanctuary.