Some arguments and counterarguments regarding Player Housing

[DarcShriek.5829]

I strongly believe that player housing will be in the next expansion. The reason I believe this is because it should be easy to monetize. Anet can charge large amounts to people to decorate their homes. While I can't see myself really participating much in player housing, I'm all for Anet charging large amounts for things I couldn't care less about.

[Chamelion.9536]

As some of said, we already have our 'home instance' where are nodes and so on go. Personally, I'd rather have all my nodes to be lined up next to each other and a smaller area to roam. Perhaps go into one of the rooms above the bar or whatever where you could have decorations and your various titles as objects/plaques on the wall.

 

But I'm also with those who think ANET should focus on fixing any and all bugs in the game from core Tyria through PoF before adding a ton of QOL items that is more for 'show' than anything else.

 

 

[Logos.5603]

**On the home instance being a personal home:**

The home instance lacks the personal aspect of a home: a place that you can call your own. But what does this mean in an role-playing context? It means a home for your player character. A place in which your character's personal story, achievements, and victories are represented in some shape, matter, or form (I'm aware that some of the NPCs that you've meet in your travels join you in you home instance and this is great, but more is needed).

A player home is one good place to make your character feel connected (i.e., feel that you matter) to the world in an MMO. The home instance is great for this, but it is currently lacking the personal aspect of home. FYI, I'm not opposed to a revamping of the home instance.

 

**On monetizing player housing:**

Monetizing role-playing in an role-playing game seems oxymoronic. (And we wouldn't want to limit this RPing experience to only those that have the budget to pay.) But, I guess some aspects will be...and that's fine (they need to make money).

 

**Other aspects/benefits from personal housing:**

Like it was mentioned above, some players would grind to decorate their homes. This also presents ANet an opportunity to revisit past content (new achievements, rewards, etc., etc).

[DarcShriek.5829]

> @"Logos.5603" said:

> **On the home instance being a personal home:**

> The home instance lacks the personal aspect of a home: a place that you can call your own. But what does this mean in an role-playing context? It means a home for your player character. A place in which your character's personal story, achievements, and victories are represented in some shape, matter, or form (I'm aware that some of the NPCs that you've meet in your travels join you in you home instance and this is great, but more is needed).

> A player home is one good place to make your character feel connected (i.e., feel that you matter) to the world in an MMO. The home instance is great for this, but it is currently lacking the personal aspect of home. FYI, I'm not opposed to a revamping of the home instance.

>

> **On monetizing player housing:**

> Monetizing role-playing in an role-playing game seems oxymoronic. (And we wouldn't want to limit this RPing experience to only those that have the budget to pay.) But, I guess some aspects will be...and that's fine (they need to make money).

>

> **Other aspects/benefits from personal housing:**

> Like it was mentioned above, some players would grind to decorate their homes. This also presents ANet an opportunity to revisit past content (new achievements, rewards, etc., etc).

 

How is monetizing player housing Oxymoronic?

[Vayne.8563]

I'm not against housing. In fact, I'm pro housing. That said, I don't see the OP's reasoning for housing.

 

Giving opportunties for role play only matters if most people role play. If most people don't, you'd be spending tons of resources for a minority, possible a tiny minority. So depending on the number of people who role play it may or may not be worth implementing housing.

 

More to the point, in most games I've seen, people who have houses either set them up and never use them, or they don't bother with them at all, because they're not social. Many many people solo in an MMO and they're not suddenly going to become social because Anet gives them a house.

 

Finally housing can be great or terrible depending on how it's implemented. If you have a guild and the guild has a hall, you can build "houses" in those areas with a scribe, call in your home and roleplay there. That option already exists for a guild that doesn't have hundreds of people. Plenty of nooks and crannies you can settle in in the lost precipice. My guild made a pet cemetery, I have an office, etc.

 

If Anet implements housing it'll likely be instanced and likely take a lot of solo players out of the world, which is a downside. It might make life better for some RPers but it might make life worse for people who don't RP by having less people walking around and doing stuff in the zones. Solo players often can rez or join events, or help out in other ways that wouldn't happen if they were off in their home instance.

 

So yeah, even though I'm not against it, I'm also not necessarily for it. Either way it's going to be a mixed bag.

 

 

 

[Logos.5603]

> @"Vayne.8563" said:

> I'm not against housing. In fact, I'm pro housing. That said, I don't see the OP's reasoning for housing.

>

> Giving opportunties for role play only matters if most people role play. If most people don't, you'd be spending tons of resources for a minority, possible a tiny minority. So depending on the number of people who role play it may or may not be worth implementing housing.

>

> More to the point, in most games I've seen, people who have houses either set them up and never use them, or they don't bother with them at all, because they're not social. Many many people solo in an MMO and they're not suddenly going to become social because Anet gives them a house.

>

> Finally housing can be great or terrible depending on how it's implemented. If you have a guild and the guild has a hall, you can build "houses" in those areas with a scribe, call in your home and roleplay there. That option already exists for a guild that doesn't have hundreds of people. Plenty of nooks and crannies you can settle in in the lost precipice. My guild made a pet cemetery, I have an office, etc.

>

> If Anet implements housing it'll likely be instanced and likely take a lot of solo players out of the world, which is a downside. It might make life better for some RPers but it might make life worse for people who don't RP by having less people walking around and doing stuff in the zones. Solo players often can rez or join events, or help out in other ways that wouldn't happen if they were off in their home instance.

>

> So yeah, even though I'm not against it, I'm also not necessarily for it. Either way it's going to be a mixed bag.

>

>

>

 

On RPing:

This is true. However, I would argue that if you play RPG games (MMORPGs being a subset of these) you also roleplay (minimally at least). So, it could also be a possible majority.

 

On Solo Players and Housing:

Well, if housing doesn't contribute to the social atmosphere, and many players solo game in MMOs, then there aren't any contradictions here.

 

On the Implementation of Housing:

I'm assuming that it gets implemented well. At this point is anyone's guess. But to even put the argument forward I have to assume that it will be implemented well.

 

Housing and Desert Maps

This depends on implementation. It could motivate players returning to unfrequented areas in search of special resources for instance. PCs already hangout in the major cities and outside of opportunities to contribute to any event. I don't think that players will just stay in their homes, just like they just don't stay in Divinity Reach or Lion's Arch.

[Vayne.8563]

> @"Logos.5603" said:

> > @"Vayne.8563" said:

> > I'm not against housing. In fact, I'm pro housing. That said, I don't see the OP's reasoning for housing.

> >

> > Giving opportunties for role play only matters if most people role play. If most people don't, you'd be spending tons of resources for a minority, possible a tiny minority. So depending on the number of people who role play it may or may not be worth implementing housing.

> >

> > More to the point, in most games I've seen, people who have houses either set them up and never use them, or they don't bother with them at all, because they're not social. Many many people solo in an MMO and they're not suddenly going to become social because Anet gives them a house.

> >

> > Finally housing can be great or terrible depending on how it's implemented. If you have a guild and the guild has a hall, you can build "houses" in those areas with a scribe, call in your home and roleplay there. That option already exists for a guild that doesn't have hundreds of people. Plenty of nooks and crannies you can settle in in the lost precipice. My guild made a pet cemetery, I have an office, etc.

> >

> > If Anet implements housing it'll likely be instanced and likely take a lot of solo players out of the world, which is a downside. It might make life better for some RPers but it might make life worse for people who don't RP by having less people walking around and doing stuff in the zones. Solo players often can rez or join events, or help out in other ways that wouldn't happen if they were off in their home instance.

> >

> > So yeah, even though I'm not against it, I'm also not necessarily for it. Either way it's going to be a mixed bag.

> >

> >

> >

>

> On RPing:

> This is true. However, I would argue that if you play RPG games (MMORPGs being a subset of these) you also roleplay (minimally at least). So, it could also be a possible majority.

>

> On Solo Players and Housing:

> Well, if housing doesn't contribute to the social atmosphere, and many players solo game in MMOs, then there aren't any contradictions here.

>

> On the Implementation of Housing:

> I'm assuming that it gets implemented well. At this point is anyone's guess. But to even put the argument forward I have to assume that it will be implemented well.

>

> Housing and Desert Maps

> This depends on implementation. It could motivate players returning to unfrequented areas in search of special resources for instance. PCs already hangout in the major cities and outside of opportunities to contribute to any event. I don't think that players will just stay in their homes, just like they just don't stay in Divinity Reach or Lion's Arch.

 

I have to disagree with these assertions as well. You're making the error of using terms literally. RPG once meant one thing but a very very long time ago the definition has changed. Adventure games are more like games you might RP in. RP games were used to denote games where each character had seperate stats that could increase. It's easy for me to immerse myself (RP) in a game like Tombraider, which isn't an RPG per se, than an RPG where the whole stat thing is the main thrust of the game. It's saying a first person shooter shouldn't use swords because you don't shoot with a sword It's not the usage of the word RP that most people would associate with the game.

 

The single player element is a big deal. You're saying there's no contradiction. If giving solo players a place to not be part of the world is going to hurt the game, then it's going to hurt the game even if they like it personally. There are plenty of times a company has given people what they asked for, only to have it ruin the game for other people.

[maxan.7836]

I've played games with housing - It offered a bit a fun relief - Sometimes there are moments in this game where it is same old for a while - So maybe it would be a good thing. If you don't want it no-ones going to make you participate - However, I would like it to be open to at all to simply start their house with out having to comply to strings attached before being able to start. Keep it simple - Keep it a personal fun aspect, and off course, be able invite a friends over if you want-

[Xenash.1245]

I'm here to add no credible help that would advance this discussion in any sort of meaningful way.

 

I just wanted to say I hope that add custom npc's at some point, which could be a nice touch for personal housing or guildhalls. Like just set an npc in a given spot, maybe dress it up a bit, and type in a box it's dialogue tree. I just want to have someone there, to remind me whenever I forget, to watch the ledges.

 

Good luck with the discussion topic, even though again I have nothing of note to really add I think it's something that should be continued to discussed. It's another possible route of revenue for them with all the things they could add in the cash shop to slap into your player homes. Though now that I've brought that thought to mind, I guess it's a personal question as to what players would/wouldn't accept being thrown into the cash shop if they did go down this avenue of course.

[Rinn.2375]

Maybe the simplest solution is to turn on the guild decoration feature in the Home Instance _when no story event involved_. The home instance already has the guest functionality and has a good place in all mayor cities. I think it would be a good solution.

[Boulder.3589]

> @"Tasida.4085" said:

> We already have it, it's called home instance. Aside from a wood building holding it, It's the same thing. Heck you can even have gardens now. Stop with this suggestion and let anet spend resources on something that's actually useful like more challenging content. Big Ol' NO to the idea of housing, fishing, and marriage etc.

 

Yes home instance can be used as a base for player housing. Just like how there's now space for a garden plot they can make space in there for a custom house. I don't personally care about player housing so I'd rather see development time spent on other things. But I think housing would be good for the GW2 players and community in general.

[MarshallLaw.9260]

Although it should be very low on the list of priorities in GW2, I would support this idea for RP members.

The issue is that it would take up a lot of resources to make this happen so if things come to it, I would expect to see housing plots sold for decent values. Starting at perhaps 80k gems for your basic house and extra 500-3k gems for upgrades like furniture sets and decorations. Since the RP community is so small, the price is justifiable when compared to the efforts made to create the content and the time/resources taken away from developing other aspects of the game.

[miraude.2107]

Right now with the home instance, they could easily add player housing into that with the 'dead' buildings. IE, the decorative buildings that serve no purpose. In the Divinity's Reach home instance, there is a home you can open the door to that is off the Black Lion garden plots but is empty. Boom, make it something empty and have fixed places for decorations/trophies/etc. I'm sure every other home instance has a building or area just like that that is there but empty.

[dominus nok.9263]

Too many people are getting hung up on the word "house". The sunspear sanctuary is exactly what I was suggesting, except I used the eye of the north.

[TwiceDead.1963]

> @"Inguiomerus.1504" said:

> I'm all for player housing, but one giant obstacle is in the way for me: space. If these are meant to be custom-built and placed structures for players, would they be placed in the world itself to reinforce immersion in the world, or would they have to be relegated to Runescape style "dimensions" where people go to each others' houses? The latter would probably be the most reasonable and attainable, but it kind of brings away the immersion (and thus roleplaying aspect) if all we can see beyond our houses is the Mists or something that isn't Tyria.

 

If anything, the latter expands the Roleplay potential because you can create your own locations with their own scenarios instead of being locked to one location.

[perilisk.1874]

Maybe if they made a gemstore item that teleports you to a fancy new personal instance with all the normal PI amenities, but also GH decoration-related amenities (including a scribing workbench)?

 

Sort of like a less-useful guildhall with more nodes?

 

Then the question is whether they would make it generic and release gemstore options to decorate it, or instead offer a variety of "houses" on the gemstore.

[mauried.5608]

Whats the house actually for ?

If you are spending significant time in the house then you arnt out in the world playing the game which will lead to less players in the world.

Thats not good for the game.

If you arnt spending much time in the house, then why do you need one?

 

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

If 'decorations/items' for the house were obtained from content out in the world, then players would be found in said content. Just another way to incentivize players to play content/visit maps.

[Eloc Freidon.5692]

I'm fine with homes that are just instanced and we can choose the setting for them. Location, theme, etc not tied to race but to our accounts as a whole. They don't have to be unique per character, just let us have space in set familiar locations and the parts and models to put whatever we want in them. Node placement and engaging Story beats involving our home/base being the top key features.