Hearth and home

[Oona]

I wonder if we will be able to build a house, not like Skyrim's Hearthfire which had set designs, but our own designs. More like Minecraft! What do you think?

 

[fluffydino2000]

I hadn't even considered player houses, it's an interesting thought. I struggle to see how t would work but I'd love to hear BM's take on this.

 

[Pantheon]

If the game will feature any sort of multiplayer, how would player housings work?
If a player hosts the game, than ok, the joining players would have his house (and trash it, maybe ), but if it's some sort of dedicated server or something different?
It would seem like a nice feature for singleplayer, but I don't think it would work too well in multiplayer.

 

[Mimel]

If the game will feature any sort of multiplayer, how would player housings work?
If a player hosts the game, than ok, the joining players would have his house (and trash it, maybe ), but if it's some sort of dedicated server or something different?
It would seem like a nice feature for singleplayer, but I don't think it would work too well in multiplayer.

I disagree. I think it could work in single player and Lan, obviously. In multi-player, I think having a house, shack, room in an inn, cave, tower, etc. ALL would be doable. The only need would be to hire guards, have strong locks, traps, walls, dogs, servants, magic? and any other type of security to watch your house, while you were away.

If it's a persistent world, then the owners would not stay in their houses always. I would think that owning or renting a place would create many possible scenarios for adventure and intrigue. What about building taxes, hosting parties, renting rooms, owning a tavern. SOOOO many RP possiblities!

I don't want to be a homeless character in a persistent open-world. I want to work up to having a keep or tower, or just a room at the inn, but also an underground hideout. Why not?

 

[Algea]

Haha, just imagine coming after a hard battle to some tavern trying to rent a room to rest (in multiplayer) and receiving "No Vacancy" as the only answer.

 

[fluffydino2000]

Hmm, I doubt that actually building a house will be possible, now I think about it. However, customizing the inside of buildings you own could be a great feature. Especially with the level of detail I'm imagining BME would allow.

The concept of hosting parties is a great idea

 

[Pantheon]

Haha, just imagine coming after a hard battle to some tavern trying to rent a room to rest (in multiplayer) and receiving "No Vacancy" as the only answer.

Just make some rooms vacant then

Also, if NPCs are a "real" part of the world, shouldn't most of them have houses or some kind of home? So if one of those NPCs dies, for whatever reason, you could just make their home yours!
I also hope you can't just enter people's homes and go all Link on them, like grabbing stuff and throwing it around

 

[Tony]

I'm all for having player housing if there is enough reason to validate it. A house should offer real reasons and incentives for a player to want/need one. An obvious reason would be to have a place to store your items that you can't always be carrying around with you (disguises, weapons, armor, etc.).

It's hard to determine what other reasons might make housing a valid option since there is so much we don't know about the base mechanics. They've said they're probably not going to have player crafting and food in the game so that rules out using your house for those capacities; however, if they add poisons to the game that would be quite interesting. You could have a lab setup for creating and organizing poisons. Also, depending on what role(s) books play in the game it might be useful to have a library of books.

And the last way I can think of in which player housing might be functional is to have a meeting and/or gathering place for events to occur. The devs have said there will be a complex star/time system in the game so I'm assuming this will play a significant role in events that occur in the game.

 

[Roberto]

I think the use of a house to showcase various milestones is also a valid reason to have one (i.e. certain trophies, evidence of major quest choices, etc.). Especially if the world is quite hostile the use of the house as your safe zone is quite appealing.

 

[Pilluminati]

I think the use of a house to showcase various milestones is also a valid reason to have one (i.e. certain trophies, evidence of major quest choices, etc.). Especially if the world is quite hostile the use of the house as your safe zone is quite appealing.

Just for showcasing them to other people? No.
Showcasing to npc's and having some kind of actual impact? Maybe.
Safe zone? Sure.

I feel the same as Tony in this matter. There must be a good reason for you to get a house or it just feels like a useless add-on.

 

[fluffydino2000]

I think storing items is probably the best reason to have a home. Remembering ho the inventory system is designed, you may want a place to drop the spare armor you've been lugging around. Also, what about a place to look after/keep mounts or pets. Assuming that they're featured of course. You wouldn't necessarily want to use them all the time so keeping them somewhere is important.

 

[Pantheon]

I think the use of a house to showcase various milestones is also a valid reason to have one (i.e. certain trophies, evidence of major quest choices, etc.).

I for one don't want some silly trophies or similiar stuff in this game, it just wouldn't fit. If there is some sort of hunting and you could keep the heads of the killed animals (or monsters), maybe, but nothing that wouldn't fit to the game.

Especially if the world is quite hostile the use of the house as your safe zone is quite appealing.

Imo, there shouldn't be a really safe zone. Safer maybe, but not 100% safe. If someone wants to get to you, a simple locked door shouldn't keep them from doing that.
I want a world where nowhere is really safe, so if you bark up the wrong tree, you're in constant danger.

 

[Mimel]

I want to use it as a safe house, a meeting place, a storage place and more. If this doesn't become a multi-player, then there may not be a need for a house. I would use a house more for interactions, unless we do have a need for storage and studying, i.e. a safe place to read, go through the inventory, meet and talk with people without interruptions. If this can be done with NPCs, then put it in the single-player. It could also be a safe place to house animals, horses, mules in the stables, etc.

 

[walltar]

I don't like houses in Sp games. They don't add anything to a game ... in TES you can fast travel so you can go to your home in seconds, but if there is no fast travel then i would come home once maybe twice in whole gameplay. I would like something like a camp which i could move aroud, i can have my pack mule there and few guards to make it safe.

 

[Mimel]

@ Pantheon

I agree. There shouldn't be a "100% safe zone". That's the beauty of housing, employing security as I said before.

 

[fluffydino2000]

I want a world where nowhere is really safe, so if you bark up the wrong tree, you're in constant danger.

Until you cut the tree down and strip off all the bark to make a poison for your enemies.

 

[Roberto]

Showcasing to myself, love a good memory

Doing more is generally better but rarely do I dislike bases/homes unless they are completely static. Decided and organic growth of the base/home, ideally different variants dependant upon choices etc., is something I value quite a bit.

Neverwinter Nights 2 did a good job of it in my opinion.

 

[Rod_Lightning]

Showcasing to myself, love a good memory

Doing more is generally better but rarely do I dislike bases/homes unless they are completely static. Decided and organic growth of the base/home, ideally different variants dependant upon choices etc., is something I value quite a bit.

Neverwinter Nights 2 did a good job of it in my opinion.

Oh man, Neverwinter nights was like a really cool game until you got hold of that castle.

Suddenly best game ever lol. That's how I felt at least back then.

 

[fluffydino2000]

Now I come to think of it, didn't the pokémon games do a great job of bases? I remember taking in pride in my base and being jealous of my friends more advanced base. I think they were merely cosmetic but they were really good.

 

[walltar]

Neverwinter Nights 2 did a good job of it in my opinion.

Nwn2 did a great job with base ...