Would you like to see NPCs added for housing? (EDIT: House Guests announced!)

Sir Tanks a lot

Many of us invest a good deal of time and energy into planning, designing and building our player homes. The addition of non-player characters would help take our homes to the next level as they would add so much more life to our often still and quiet homes. Would you like to see NPCs added as an option to bring more life into the homes that we take so much care to design and furnish? And if so, would you like to be able to design a route for your NPCs to follow as well?

EDIT:
Feel free to continue to cast your vote but I wanted to add an update from the official ESO website regarding update 27:

Homestead Character Pathing

With the addition of Character Pathing to the Housing system, you can build paths for your abode’s many residents (including pets, mounts, and assistants) to follow. You can specify many locations (nodes) for each path, and pick their walk speed, add delays, and even decide whether they loop through to their original location, ping-pong back and forth along the path, or travel between nodes at random. With this new addition, your homes will feel more alive than ever before!

katanagirl1

This topic keeps coming up, I don’t care for NPCs in my house but if others want have them I have no problem with that

SilverBride

No. I have friends come to my home and that is enough.

I don't want strangers walking around my house. This is one of the reasons I chose Serenity Falls Estate, because it has a barn I could turn into a guest house. The very first thing I did when I purchased it was to move the guest beds over and out of the main house.

Call me antisocial, but my home is my private sanctuary.

volkeswagon

Yes. I would like to see NPCs added and be able to design a different routine for each character to follow.

would be nice to add a bard or adopt childten and have pets that move around

Nestor

Yes. I would like to see NPCs added and be able to design a different routine for each character to follow.

We need NPCs with Pathing, we need Pets and Mounts with Pathing. Give both some idle animations.

Heck, if they have to, toggle off the ability to run duels in our houses to give us this feature (as an option).

kinguardian

Yes. I would like to see NPCs added and be able to design a different routine for each character to follow.

Yes badly. I have wanted this for a long time. The houses are to lifeless for me and it stops me from buying other big properties. It would be so lovely to have life and chatter in the houses.

LadyNalcarya

Yes. I would like to see NPCs added and be able to design a different routine for each character to follow.

SilverBride wrote: »

I don't want strangers walking around my house. This is one of the reasons I chose Serenity Falls Estate, because it has a barn I could turn into a guest house. The very first thing I did when I purchased it was to move the guest beds over and out of the main house.

Call me antisocial, but my home is my private sanctuary.

Well, with npcs you'd still technically be alone. It would just be an option for people who build locations like markets, thieves refuges, huge mansions etc.

karthrag_inak

Yes. I would like to see NPCs added and be able to design a different routine for each character to follow.

This one wishes that all his characters that are not logged in could wander his house until "called upon".

AWinterWolf

No. I have friends come to my home and that is enough.

I vote no, purely and simply because of lag. If it wasn't going to potentially be incredibly laggy, I'd say absolutely.

kaisernick

Yes. I would like to see NPCs added and be able to design a different routine for each character to follow.

SilverBride wrote: »

I don't want strangers walking around my house. This is one of the reasons I chose Serenity Falls Estate, because it has a barn I could turn into a guest house. The very first thing I did when I purchased it was to move the guest beds over and out of the main house.

Call me antisocial, but my home is my private sanctuary.

Well no one would force you to have npc's but for people like myself who have quite a few homes designed as towns the lack of npc's makes them feel a little empty.

Ye_Olde_Crowe

Yes. I would like to see NPCs added and be able to design a different routine for each character to follow.

Always the same five NPCs in my homes feels a bit, well, repetitive, so yes, I'd love to see 'real' NPCs for homes. And pets that move around. While I like the mini farm I installed at the Riften home, I would like it even better if the chickies and piggies and ponies and yard dog moved around a bit.

Tigerseye

Yes. I would like to see NPCs added and be able to design a different routine for each character to follow.

SilverBride wrote: »

I don't want strangers walking around my house. This is one of the reasons I chose Serenity Falls Estate, because it has a barn I could turn into a guest house. The very first thing I did when I purchased it was to move the guest beds over and out of the main house.

Call me antisocial, but my home is my private sanctuary.

But, would they be strangers, if you selected them, or even made them like you do your own characters?

Or, ideally, if they were actually your own characters (the ones you weren't playing on, currently) and you could select which ones would appear and where?

You could always place them in the guest house.

AWinterWolf wrote: »

I vote no, purely and simply because of lag. If it wasn't going to potentially be incredibly laggy, I'd say absolutely.

I don't currently suffer lag from my merchants and bankers, even if I have all of them in one house, plus the pet/mount limit maxed out.

So, I doubt such a currently lag-free environment (especially compared with the rest of the game, in general) would suddenly suffer from incredible lag due to a couple of NPCs wandering about.

Tigerseye

Yes. I would like to see NPCs added and be able to design a different routine for each character to follow.

LadyNalcarya wrote: »

SilverBride wrote: »

I don't want strangers walking around my house. This is one of the reasons I chose Serenity Falls Estate, because it has a barn I could turn into a guest house. The very first thing I did when I purchased it was to move the guest beds over and out of the main house.

Call me antisocial, but my home is my private sanctuary.

Well, with npcs you'd still technically be alone. It would just be an option for people who build locations like markets, thieves refuges, huge mansions etc.

Yes and restaurants.

I have always wanted to be able to make a char and then dress him/her as a chef, or a waiter/maid and then select an emote for them to do, periodically.

Even if they didn't move, I could then have a chef chopping vegetables and a waiter/maid taking orders at a table.

If we could also write a line of text for them to speak, like "These vegetables won't chop themselves...", or "Are you ready to order?", before they then did their chosen emote, that would be particularly good.

They could always have an automatic censor of any swearwords (curse words).

Or even if they just gave us a few preset options, for different professions, that would be OK too.

Obviously, there would need to be a decent gap between them speaking, each time, so it didn't get too annoying.

The rest of the time they could just idle and do their emote, every now and then, without speaking.

Also, would be nice to have more variety with the merchant/bankers, so I would have thought these NPCs could also be given the ability to double as that.

SilverBride

No. I have friends come to my home and that is enough.

LadyNalcarya wrote: »

Well, with npcs you'd still technically be alone. It would just be an option for people who build locations like markets, thieves refuges, huge mansions etc.

But they aren't markets or thieve's refuges. They are personal homes.

Maybe they should introduce some commercial properties, instead of changing the functionality of our personal homes.

SickleCider

Not personally interested, but chase your bliss.

kargen27

Yes. I would like to see NPCs added and be able to design a different routine for each character to follow.

I'm working on an outdoor bazaar and a few people around would really help.

What I want more though is birds bunnies squirrels and other critters for some of my yards/gardens.

Tigerseye

Yes. I would like to see NPCs added and be able to design a different routine for each character to follow.

kargen27 wrote: »

I'm working on an outdoor bazaar and a few people around would really help.

What I want more though is birds bunnies squirrels and other critters for some of my yards/gardens.

I totally agree.

Would make outdoor spaces feel far more alive.

Tigerseye

Yes. I would like to see NPCs added and be able to design a different routine for each character to follow.

SilverBride wrote: »

LadyNalcarya wrote: »

Well, with npcs you'd still technically be alone. It would just be an option for people who build locations like markets, thieves refuges, huge mansions etc.

But they aren't markets or thieve's refuges. They are personal homes.

Maybe they should introduce some commercial properties, instead of changing the functionality of our personal homes.

I make most of my homes into commercial properties.

Many of them are not really very well designed to be houses, but make great restaurants and inns.

Also, there is a home named Thieves Oasis and lots of people build little towns in their homes (including that one).

SilverBride

No. I have friends come to my home and that is enough.

Tigerseye wrote: »

SilverBride wrote: »

LadyNalcarya wrote: »

Well, with npcs you'd still technically be alone. It would just be an option for people who build locations like markets, thieves refuges, huge mansions etc.

But they aren't markets or thieve's refuges. They are personal homes.

Maybe they should introduce some commercial properties, instead of changing the functionality of our personal homes.

I make most of my homes into commercial properties.

Many of them are not really very well designed to be houses, but make great restaurants and inns.

I've looked at all the houses and find them all suitable for personal homes. But I see how some could also be turned into commercial properties.

But my point was that they were created as homes. I think they should create housing specifically for commercial businesses. And these businesses should be open to the public, so actual players could come in and patronize your business.

moonsister

They just told us on the stream that there will be collectible NPCs you can put into your home- coming with the next DLC AND you will be able to make moving paths for them ( I believe) as well as your assistants and pets.

MageCatF4F

Yes. I would like to see NPCs added and be able to design a different routine for each character to follow.

Apparently to be added with update 27 "StoneThorn", in addition to pet/assistant pathing, will be "house guests" - described as NPCs you can acquire for your house.

For some reason the "house guest" feature did not make the cut for the website article, but was very briefly described in the stream. So, assuming it is true, I'm looking forward to PTS.

Edit: SECOND!!!!

Tigerseye

Yes. I would like to see NPCs added and be able to design a different routine for each character to follow.

SilverBride wrote: »

Tigerseye wrote: »

SilverBride wrote: »

LadyNalcarya wrote: »

Well, with npcs you'd still technically be alone. It would just be an option for people who build locations like markets, thieves refuges, huge mansions etc.

But they aren't markets or thieve's refuges. They are personal homes.

Maybe they should introduce some commercial properties, instead of changing the functionality of our personal homes.

I make most of my homes into commercial properties.

Many of them are not really very well designed to be houses, but make great restaurants and inns.

I've looked at all the houses and find them all suitable for personal homes. But I see how some could also be turned into commercial properties.

But my point was that they were created as homes.

Well, except technically a lot of them weren't created as homes, at all.

A lot of them were copy-pasted from existing in-game buildings with other purposes.

Palaces, mage's guilds, shops etc..

Some of them have flavour text that suggest they were formerly homes, but you know they weren't designed to be that, as you recognise them from in-game locations.

Which is why a lot of them don't really convert into particularly satisfactory family homes, in terms of layout, unless you change them.

Others seem like they might have been homes, from the layout, but when you look at the flavour text, they talk about their former uses.

For example, the Alinor Townhouse was a consulate.

I think they should create housing specifically for commercial businesses. And these businesses should be open to the public, so actual players could come in and patronize your business.

Well, that could be fun, yes.

People have asked for that.

But, I'm not sure how it would work, given the number of players and lack of space?

I guess people could port to your Business, like they port to your Primary, but then it would mainly be people on your friendslist/guildlist, presumably.

Either way, they could still let you use many of the current houses, for these businesses, as they were originally designed to be commercial businesses in-game.

SilverBride

No. I have friends come to my home and that is enough.

Tigerseye wrote: »

Well, except technically a lot of them weren't created as homes, at all.

A lot of them were copy-pasted from existing in-game buildings with other purposes.

This is true. My home, Serenity Falls Estate, is the same model as a couple of buildings I've seen in Reaper's March, the Inn at Rakhwala, for one. But there is one major difference. My estate has a wall around it, and a waterfall, and a stream and a pond, and stone terraces, and a yard, and a 2 story barn. These additions transform the building into a home.

Athyrium93

Yes. I would like to see NPCs added and be able to design a different routine for each character to follow.

We are getting pathing for the existing npcs and mounts/pets so thats something. (I think it was just announced today?)

NotaDaedraWorshipper

Yes. I would like to see NPCs added and be able to design a different routine for each character to follow.

I have wished for placeable npcs for ages. Servants, bards, guards, mages guild members, soldiers, nobles, you name it.
The big houses are so empty and lifeless, and with the coming pathing it would be a great time.

Who with a mansion wouldn't have some guards and servants? Those kind of houses aren't run by one single person.

Kittytravel

Pathing is confirmed, extra NPCs confirmed. OP has won the day.

SilverBride

No. I have friends come to my home and that is enough.

NotaDaedraWorshipper wrote: »

The big houses are so empty and lifeless...

...Those kind of houses aren't run by one single person.

I have a decent sized estate and find it far from lifeless. That's because I have set it up to receive guests... other players, not NPCs.

I turned the top floor of the barn into a guest house, with room for 2 overnight guests. I set up a firepit outside, with a large table covered with food and a keg of ale. And I have 2 outdoor sitting areas for relaxing with friends.

Inside the main house, I have 2 seating areas for good conversation, a dining room for enjoying a meal together, and a hookah lounge for complete relaxation.

And, yes, I manage the upkeep all on my own.

Salix_alba

Yes. I would like to see NPCs added and be able to design a different routine for each character to follow.

bar maids, chefs, maids and butlers etc

bluebird

Sounds like they are adding something like this in the next Update!

"Coming in Update 27 are 'House Guests' A type of collectible character. They are all unique, they have different appearances. You can add it to your home, they are there to give more life to your home. Cause it's cool to have your assistants there, but your assistants want some friends too!" - Gina, in the Stonethorn DLC announcement stream yesterday.

NPCs for our homes, woohoo! ESO is finally catching up to SWTOR on this front. ESO's editor is far superior to SW's, but ESO homes are perpetually empty and lifeless due to the pathetically low limit on pets/mounts/assistants, while SWTOR allows us to have whole crowds of dancers, musicians, guards, henchmen, scientists, Jedi and Sith to hang around our houses.

So I hope the 'House Guests' of ESO will bring similar life to our homes. I'm interested to see the details on the PTS next Monday, to see the variety of guests and to see how they work around the special collectible limit.

Tigerseye

Yes. I would like to see NPCs added and be able to design a different routine for each character to follow.

SilverBride wrote: »

Tigerseye wrote: »

Well, except technically a lot of them weren't created as homes, at all.

A lot of them were copy-pasted from existing in-game buildings with other purposes.

This is true. My home, Serenity Falls Estate, is the same model as a couple of buildings I've seen in Reaper's March, the Inn at Rakhwala, for one. But there is one major difference. My estate has a wall around it, and a waterfall, and a stream and a pond, and stone terraces, and a yard, and a 2 story barn. These additions transform the building into a home.

Well, it's a home, in the sense that it's been turned into a player home, but is it a home in the sense of being a purpose-built house?

No.

I totally respect that you feel it is your private home and so, you don't want NPCs wandering around it, though.

Fortunately, I don't think it is likely we will be forced to have them.

Tigerseye

Yes. I would like to see NPCs added and be able to design a different routine for each character to follow.

SilverBride wrote: »

NotaDaedraWorshipper wrote: »

The big houses are so empty and lifeless...

...Those kind of houses aren't run by one single person.

I have a decent sized estate and find it far from lifeless. That's because I have set it up to receive guests... other players, not NPCs.

I turned the top floor of the barn into a guest house, with room for 2 overnight guests. I set up a firepit outside, with a large table covered with food and a keg of ale. And I have 2 outdoor sitting areas for relaxing with friends.

Inside the main house, I have 2 seating areas for good conversation, a dining room for enjoying a meal together, and a hookah lounge for complete relaxation.

And, yes, I manage the upkeep all on my own.

Well, good for you, but other players can't really stay overnight, as they can't log-out their chars, while they are lying in bed in your guest house and then log them back on, the next day, to find them still there.

...and you can't log back on and find them still there, unless they have travelled back to your guest house just before you logged back on yourself.

Maybe they should be able to do that and in fact, maybe there could be some sort of incentive to do that(?), but that would be a separate request.

The NPCs will enable people to feel like there is always someone living, working and/or staying in a house (or business!).

After all, some people have the Princely Dawnlight Palace.

Somewhere like that really does feel empty without several people living in, working in and/or visiting it.

Then we have villages, which feel totally deserted without people in them.

I agree that a less huge house, especially if you have the merchant and banker in it, doesn't necessarily need NPCs wandering around it, but most people feel the really big ones do.