ACD: Improvements for Housing

VycDarkshadow · February 2017

I'll put my two cents worth on all of these.

1: Chests for Storage: Still don't understand how people are still whining about not having room. I've got 120 Bank spaces, and even with 2 full sets of gear for 2 future characters, my bank is only 67/120 as of this post. I only keep what I use on a regular basis (including crafting mats that I sell), and only one stack of each item (consumables excluded, but I use one type of potion and two types of food for all my characters). Also, despite having ESO Plus, I disabled my Crafting Bag because, for me, it's more trouble than it's worth, esp. where guild banks are involved. My advice, if you have no space, get rid of stuff you don't need, or duplicate stacks of the same items, and quit hoarding. I cannot feel anything but rage and ridicule on this topic.

2: Armor Mannequins/Weapon Displays: Not a bad idea, although I would prefer to see mannequins of your characters, maybe standing in the bedroom or sitting in your courtyard.

3: Alchemy/Provisioning Farms: Proceed with caution here. If this becomes a thing, it should yield equivalent to the same node out in the world. I'd put it at once, MAYBE twice a day tops, and basically consider it an extra hireling, of sorts. Also, these should be bound, so they cannot be sold in guild stores and interfere with prices.

4: Bards/Performers: Not a bad idea, although bards should sing songs that are alliance-specific to the house they're in.

5: Summoning Circles: Guess it could look cool, but I don't see the point of killing something and getting nothing for it. I'd prefer to kill something that gives exp.

6: More Interactables: I'd be up for it.

7: Visitor Areas for NPCs: Unless you're gonna spend the rest of your ESO life in your house, I don't see the point of this at all.

8: Guild Trade Courier: I see this being buggier than a run-down $20 hotel.

9: Flea Market: This could be interesting, although most people won't want to litter their courtyards and rooms with "junk".

10: Guestbook: Great idea, but I could see this being a target for trolls to put derogatory comments. Even if their account is shown, I don't think they'd care.

11: Painting: I wouldn't mind changing the colors of walls, ceilings, or floors, as long as you have the dye you want to use. I'd treat it like you would dye armor or costumes.

Also, unrelated, making Bankers access guild banks, and Merchants repair gear, would defeat the purpose of cities altogether. I like that they're limited in what they do, so people can't just live inside dungeons and never feel the need to leave, ever.

GrafDresche · February 2017

Many great ideas, OP! 1 & 2 should be no-brainers. Really needed.

Also, regarding storage: To me it is not so much about quantity, but about immersion. If I have a home, I need to be able to put something out of my pocket and leave it there. Not just bulky furniture. It gives home a sense of a personal, private space. Otherwise it feels like a doll house or a museum where you cant touch anything.

I would also like if ZOS found a way to make the (instanced) surroundings more alive. At lease some animals/insects could roam behind the invisible walls. They could be unkillable / without collision check just like the birds you see throughout Tamriel.

Would this really be so hard to implement?

SaRuZ · February 2017

I just want static npcs. Static meaning non interactable but still scripted. Maids, Guards, Chef, Barkeep etc,

SantieClaws · February 2017

The wish list of khajiit yes:

The ability to set the permission to 'all' without having to add everyone individually.

Servants - or the ability to make the apprentices do work.

Some way of being notified when there is a visitor in your house or there has been a visitor while you have been elsewhere. How can khajiit return home to pour drinks if she does not know who is there and thirsty?

Others they have mentioned the need for storage yes - this is not in dispute. Khajiit would also like a 'guest chest' where you could leave food and drink and anything else for visitors - also they can leave things for you if they wish.

Yours with paws
Santie Claws

HeroOfNone · February 2017

VycDarkshadow wrote: »

I'll put my two cents worth on all of these.

1: Chests for Storage: Still don't understand how people are still whining about not having room. I've got 120 Bank spaces, and even with 2 full sets of gear for 2 future characters, my bank is only 67/120 as of this post. I only keep what I use on a regular basis (including crafting mats that I sell), and only one stack of each item (consumables excluded, but I use one type of potion and two types of food for all my characters). Also, despite having ESO Plus, I disabled my Crafting Bag because, for me, it's more trouble than it's worth, esp. where guild banks are involved. My advice, if you have no space, get rid of stuff you don't need, or duplicate stacks of the same items, and quit hoarding. I cannot feel anything but rage and ridicule on this topic.

This wouldn'tbe for everyone, but sone of us are hordes while others are picking up too much furniture right now. Wait a few more weeks and we might all feel the furniture bloat.

VycDarkshadow wrote: »

7: Visitor Areas for NPCs: Unless you're gonna spend the rest of your ESO life in your house, I don't see the point of this at all.

I would expect to see these NPCS every do often, not all the time, but it follows up with quests and gives another layer to a character and the immersion. Of course they did stuff while you away, of course they remembered you enough to come see you. Might even be an interesting way to start a random unfinished quests.

SaRuZ wrote: »

I just want static npcs. Static meaning non interactable but still scripted. Maids, Guards, Chef, Barkeep etc,

I figured I'd start with the performers and entertainers and then more like this might follow. The only issue I see with these types it pathing, unless all they do is stand around, which would be boring.

SantieClaws wrote: »

The wish list of khajiit yes:

The ability to set the permission to 'all' without having to add everyone individually.

Servants - or the ability to make the apprentices do work.

Some way of being notified when there is a visitor in your house or there has been a visitor while you have been elsewhere. How can khajiit return home to pour drinks if she does not know who is there and thirsty?

Others they have mentioned the need for storage yes - this is not in dispute. Khajiit would also like a 'guest chest' where you could leave food and drink and anything else for visitors - also they can leave things for you if they wish.

Yours with paws
Santie Claws

I can get behind a notification when someone is in your house.

Shunravi · February 2017

I would like to see some sort of "phantom actor" that you can place for a specific animation or activity. then have the ability to apply the appearance of your alts to these actors so you can see your other characters moving around your house.

GrafDresche · February 2017

It would be awesome if our alts could be placed inside the house. So, if you log out there, he/she stays at that position in a sort of idle animation. Of course, to reactivate it, you would have to relog.

MornaBaine · February 2017

Entertainers would be GREAT! Bards (PLEASE make at least one of them instrumental players ONLY and let us choose which instrument they will use) first of course. But dancers, fire breathers, jugglers, jesters, acrobats... these would be great also!

Duiwel · February 2017

I prefer the armour display case above a mannequin...

seaef · February 2017

I'm all for the things that don't encourage people to hide in their housing instances instead of being out in the game world, which is most of your list. Did we learn nothing from EQ2?

If people want a single player game, go play one.

Fudly_budly · February 2017

MLGProPlayer wrote: »

How about merchants that can repair armour and bankers that can access guild store?

^
I would drop the 5k crowns for Full Function Assistants!! I earned the TG one but what a tarnished award! 35% and can't launder? What a let down (kinda like the high school chick who stuffed her bra). Still I placed her in my home so at least something living is in my "Tombstead."

I would add to OP's list:
Free teleport FROM homes to Banking/Trade city in home zone. Why I have to pay 146g for this is simply stupid and should've never been implemented.

Fudly_budly · February 2017

postlarval wrote: »

I'm all for the things that don't encourage people to hide in their housing instances instead of being out in the game world, which is most of your list. Did we learn nothing from EQ2?

If people want a single player game, go play one.

Yes. But it's more of a "home base" or centralized location... Not a turtle hole

HeroOfNone · February 2017

Shunravi wrote: »

I would like to see some sort of "phantom actor" that you can place for a specific animation or activity. then have the ability to apply the appearance of your alts to these actors so you can see your other characters moving around your house.

Love this idea, especially if you can assign them a personality or assign an emote. Of course a chatacter should disappear if you log onto them.

KimoBitz · February 2017

ZOS needs a pro to unleash the true power of homestead

altemriel · February 2017

Taylor_MB wrote: »

Screw all these fancy extras, just get rid of the internal invisible walls that cut the airspace of my already small house in half and prevents from accessing the roof (of a Redguard house, the roof is everything).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnAJBK-wsl8

Original thread if anyone wants to bump.

this is too bad!!! ZOS pls fix this asap!!!

@ZOS_GinaBruno @ZOS_RichLambert @ZOS_MattFiror

FrozenSlayer · February 2017

In terms of chest storage, sure. But chests should not be able to contain armor, weapons or jewelry. Storing crafting mats, potions, glyphs is what this should be used for.

Mannequins: Need to be added ASAP. Should hold up to 10 items (7 armor, 2 rings, 1 necklace). Only takes up 1 house item slot. Weapon racks and stands should be different. Can come in a plaque (1 weapon), stand (2 weapons) and rack (4 weapons). Shield stands could work the same way in 1, 2 or 3.

Also, in place of the helmet stand it should be a Head mannequin still but it should hold 2 items (Helm and Shoulders) for the monster sets.

Edit: Also, a stand alone Jewelry neck mannequin would work well ( holds 1 necklace, 2 rings).

VampiricByNature · February 2017

I would love to have. Bard singing "red diamonds" lol

The idea about a farm appeals to me but I'm not sure how you would appropriately implement it.

seaef · February 2017

Fudly_budly wrote: »

postlarval wrote: »

I'm all for the things that don't encourage people to hide in their housing instances instead of being out in the game world, which is most of your list. Did we learn nothing from EQ2?

If people want a single player game, go play one.

Yes. But it's more of a "home base" or centralized location... Not a turtle hole

Funny, those were almost the exact words people said about housing concerns in EQ2...then they proceeded to use them as "turtle holes" and the complaints started about no players running about the world...usually from the very same people hiding in their homes.

Shunravi · February 2017

HeroOfNone wrote: »

Shunravi wrote: »

I would like to see some sort of "phantom actor" that you can place for a specific animation or activity. then have the ability to apply the appearance of your alts to these actors so you can see your other characters moving around your house.

Love this idea, especially if you can assign them a personality or assign an emote. Of course a chatacter should disappear if you log onto them.

It would be work to put in, but if you could get things like animations based on that characters skill lines. like with destro staff leveled the animation of wall of elements for example could be put on a timer so you could see them train at your testing dummy. Or with blacksmithing they could lean over an avil and hammer away. But that may be asking to much....

I would imagine for something like this the player would have to outline things like pathing. Wonder how that would work.

TheShadowScout · February 2017

HeroOfNone wrote: »

1. Chests for Storage:

Personally I would much rather have "container" type furniture that access your bank for your house only... possibly different chests that access different bank "tabs". The footlocker/trunk allows access to the "weapons" tab, the big "wardrobe" allows access to the armor tab, the chest of drawers or cupboard allows access to the consumables tab, et cetera...

I would also want...

HeroOfNone wrote: »

2. Armor Mannequins & Weapon Display Cases:

...this!
Armor stands that can be "filled" and placed as one object, weapons displays, and most of all... bookcases that can actually be filled with books and then placed as one object with two dozend books (or other items that'd fit as bookstands - potion bottles, skulls, etc) in them...

HeroOfNone wrote: »

3. Alchemy & Provision Farms:

Gety my vote as well, I soooo want a small potted nightshade I can harvest once per day...

HeroOfNone wrote: »

4. Bards and performers to entertain you and guests:

...for larger homes, possibly. Manor house and up.
Don't forget those argonian maids!

Thinking about it, they could be "temporary"... hire a bard/juggler/exotic dancer for an event, instead of having it stand in your manor corner forever...

Personally I'd also want a crystal ball that plays an "illusionary dancer/bard/entertainer" available in any well selected mages guild store... I mean, come on, that does sound like something mages would enchant, right? And something nerdy mage boys would have in their study...

But I definitely would like to see "living furniture" (aka, pets, mounts, NPCs) to be more active then our pets/mounts right now. Have an "action radius" where they randomly wander around. Have "interactable furniture", like, say, a feeding bowl where your pet will fo and play an eating animation, or a sleeping place where it will curl up for a random nap...

HeroOfNone wrote: »

5. Summoning Circles:

Hmmm... not so sure about that one. I mean, if you want to fight mobs, there is a whole world full of them... and if you want to train, that's what target skeletons are for, right?

I would like summoning circles as mere "effect" furniture... click circle, get an visual "summoning" display, summons depending on circle type... like, summon a dark seducer in the dark seducer circle, have it play a scene before being "banished" again... summon a flame atronarch in the flame atronarch circke, have it play a scene before... you get the idea?

HeroOfNone wrote: »

6. More intractables:

Definitely! All of the above!

HeroOfNone wrote: »

7. Visitor areas for NPCs:

That one sounds intriguing... for larger homes.

HeroOfNone wrote: »

8. Guild Trader Courier:

I keep thinking there should be a way to have the largest homes as "guildhalls" - this would fit for those...

STEVIL · February 2017

notimetocare wrote: »

1. No. A way to access your bank storage, maybe even alt inventory, sure, but extra inventory space makes it a bit mandatory. Housing needs to be vanity so players are not forced into it.
2. Sure, nothing wrong with manequins to display armor sets. This however should not make for a means of storage. Allow any item to be placed on the mannequin but remove enchant and item quality (make it white and unenchanted) or work on a wardrobe system (saved item appearances)
3. No, very much no. World of Warcraft did this in Warlords expansion and not only did it murder item value but it pretty much forced you to farm daily. And again, housing should be vanity.
4. Go ahead, as long as you arent looking for buffs for sitting near your bard (like some people ask for with beds and 'sleeping etc)
5. See the running argument, housing needs to be vanity to avoid being forced on players that don't want to do it. If its no reward? Doesn't hurt to add it.
6. Go for it, shiny toys are fun
7. Weird imo, but go for it. Might be fun to make npc copies for a short while of players that visit you.
8. No... just no. Again it comes down to forcing players to buy or participate in something.

Just as ZoS has to be careful of what they add in the crown store to avoid p2w issue, they HAVE to avoid making housing mandatory. If they add in buffs, rewards (item/currency/to some extent dyes), or extra storage (storage is a valuable commodity in MMORPGS) then people that do not want to participate in the grind or buy housing have no choice. Especially when it comes to things like alchemy ingredients.

IIRC buying a horse costs gold.
Buying a horse allows you access to a horse specific way to buy inventory.
its been a long while but iirc players do not automatically start with a horse unless they buy certain versions of the game which cost more.

So i think your notion that there should not be "buy this thing for gold and get to then develop extra storage" ship sailed and sank on release day.

horse saddle-bags did not destroy the game in an explosion of "forced into horsing around" and i doubt housing limited storage etc will either.

it is nowhere written that housing or anything else in the game cannot have functions.

Difference between horse storage and house storage - swap r for u.

Aimora · February 2017

A friend and I were discussing this further and we thought a couple of things to make the garden feel more alive would be to have a bush that attracted butterflies and a tree that attracted squirrels.

Also instead of your hireling posting you things you could have a bag/chest/box in your house/garden that the items could be delivered to

MornaBaine · February 2017

I would still really love to set the time of day in houses so that I can have the lighting effects I want in my personal spaces.

HeroOfNone · February 2017

Duiwel wrote: »

I prefer the armour display case above a mannequin...

This could easily be added into the mannequin solution, just as a different item to buy.

VampiricByNature wrote: »

I would love to have. Bard singing "red diamonds" lol

The idea about a farm appeals to me but I'm not sure how you would appropriately implement it.

Like I mention, a once a day harvest of either alchemy or provisioning ingredients, depending on the seed you use on the planter. If that simple idea passes then other systems and mini games can be tagged on to give better harvest for better investment or time or gold. That core concept is the start though.

TheShadowScout wrote: »

HeroOfNone wrote: »

1. Chests for Storage:

Personally I would much rather have "container" type furniture that access your bank for your house only... possibly different chests that access different bank "tabs". The footlocker/trunk allows access to the "weapons" tab, the big "wardrobe" allows access to the armor tab, the chest of drawers or cupboard allows access to the consumables tab, et cetera...

I would also want...

HeroOfNone wrote: »

2. Armor Mannequins & Weapon Display Cases:

...this!
Armor stands that can be "filled" and placed as one object, weapons displays, and most of all... bookcases that can actually be filled with books and then placed as one object with two dozend books (or other items that'd fit as bookstands - potion bottles, skulls, etc) in them...

HeroOfNone wrote: »

3. Alchemy & Provision Farms:

Gety my vote as well, I soooo want a small potted nightshade I can harvest once per day...

HeroOfNone wrote: »

4. Bards and performers to entertain you and guests:

...for larger homes, possibly. Manor house and up.
Don't forget those argonian maids!
Thinking about it, they could be "temporary"... hire a bard/juggler/exotic dancer for an event, instead of having it stand in your manor corner forever...

Personally I'd also want a crystal ball that plays an "illusionary dancer/bard/entertainer" available in any well selected mages guild store... I mean, come on, that does sound like something mages would enchant, right? And something nerdy mage boys would have in their study...

But I definitely would like to see "living furniture" (aka, pets, mounts, NPCs) to be more active then our pets/mounts right now. Have an "action radius" where they randomly wander around. Have "interactable furniture", like, say, a feeding bowl where your pet will fo and play an eating animation, or a sleeping place where it will curl up for a random nap...

HeroOfNone wrote: »

5. Summoning Circles:

Hmmm... not so sure about that one. I mean, if you want to fight mobs, there is a whole world full of them... and if you want to train, that's what target skeletons are for, right?

I would like summoning circles as mere "effect" furniture... click circle, get an visual "summoning" display, summons depending on circle type... like, summon a dark seducer in the dark seducer circle, have it play a scene before being "banished" again... summon a flame atronarch in the flame atronarch circke, have it play a scene before... you get the idea?

HeroOfNone wrote: »

6. More intractables:

Definitely! All of the above!

HeroOfNone wrote: »

7. Visitor areas for NPCs:

That one sounds intriguing... for larger homes.

HeroOfNone wrote: »

8. Guild Trader Courier:

I keep thinking there should be a way to have the largest homes as "guildhalls" - this would fit for those...

I say chests, but it could be another item. Important thing is not to make it look like an non interactable piece of furniture. You don't want it to be confusing.

The summoning area is to test other intangibles and to have a bit more fun with interactables. Say you want to test your tank's mitigation or your healer's ability, you can summon a guy for a mock battle. If you like making mazes, you can attach a set of switches to summoning circles or a door. Choose the wrong one and you've got to fight. It just gets some potentiallynew things to do.

STEVIL wrote: »

notimetocare wrote: »

1. No. A way to access your bank storage, maybe even alt inventory, sure, but extra inventory space makes it a bit mandatory. Housing needs to be vanity so players are not forced into it.
2. Sure, nothing wrong with manequins to display armor sets. This however should not make for a means of storage. Allow any item to be placed on the mannequin but remove enchant and item quality (make it white and unenchanted) or work on a wardrobe system (saved item appearances)
3. No, very much no. World of Warcraft did this in Warlords expansion and not only did it murder item value but it pretty much forced you to farm daily. And again, housing should be vanity.
4. Go ahead, as long as you arent looking for buffs for sitting near your bard (like some people ask for with beds and 'sleeping etc)
5. See the running argument, housing needs to be vanity to avoid being forced on players that don't want to do it. If its no reward? Doesn't hurt to add it.
6. Go for it, shiny toys are fun
7. Weird imo, but go for it. Might be fun to make npc copies for a short while of players that visit you.
8. No... just no. Again it comes down to forcing players to buy or participate in something.

Just as ZoS has to be careful of what they add in the crown store to avoid p2w issue, they HAVE to avoid making housing mandatory. If they add in buffs, rewards (item/currency/to some extent dyes), or extra storage (storage is a valuable commodity in MMORPGS) then people that do not want to participate in the grind or buy housing have no choice. Especially when it comes to things like alchemy ingredients.

IIRC buying a horse costs gold.
Buying a horse allows you access to a horse specific way to buy inventory.
its been a long while but iirc players do not automatically start with a horse unless they buy certain versions of the game which cost more.

So i think your notion that there should not be "buy this thing for gold and get to then develop extra storage" ship sailed and sank on release day.

horse saddle-bags did not destroy the game in an explosion of "forced into horsing around" and i doubt housing limited storage etc will either.

it is nowhere written that housing or anything else in the game cannot have functions.

Difference between horse storage and house storage - swap r for u.

I agree, housing is pretty accessible by everyone and like a mount, you don't need to do it unless you choose to.

Aimora wrote: »

A friend and I were discussing this further and we thought a couple of things to make the garden feel more alive would be to have a bush that attracted butterflies and a tree that attracted squirrels.

Also instead of your hireling posting you things you could have a bag/chest/box in your house/garden that the items could be delivered to

Might be interesting, but if you buy that tree maybe make it so you can't place it too close to walls? Otherwise you'll have the critters pass right through it. Pathing is the one thing that seems unfriendly with custom housing.

MornaBaine wrote: »

I would still really love to set the time of day in houses so that I can have the lighting effects I want in my personal spaces.

After you buy the house I'd say no, you shouldn't be able to unless it's a house in a pocket dimension of oblivion. But for previewing the house I agree. Some houses are better at night or at day.

Two additional ideas I thought of as trying to deal with the crown store:

Placement preview without buying - ZOS would really benefit from a way to let us preview how something looks in a house before purchase, maybe even multiple items. The current preview system is nice, but limited, and it doesn't show how something looks when added with other items. In a placement preview mode, multiple items could be placed and configured. When completed you'd be prompted to buy all the items previewed or to erase all changes.

Premade build sets in the crown store- similar to how the sims 4 handles it, bundles are placed in a preconfigured drop, so all you need to do is place it an open area or room. A few extras could be given like wall hanging and scions, which have to customized for most homes anyway. For external you could have themes like a khajiit trade troupe, a theater, bar area, and more.

Thanks for the feedback and ideas so far folks, been interesting to read =3.

HeroOfNone · February 2017

One last thought that is glaringly missing in housing

Guild banners and tapestries - A banner with your guild's crest upon it, similar to how it looks when you capture a keep in pvp. I'm actually shocked when I realized ZOS didn't have one in during this first release.

BenTSG · February 2017

HeroOfNone wrote: »

2. Armor Mannequins & Weapon Display Cases:

...this!
Armor stands that can be "filled" and placed as one object, weapons displays, and most of all... bookcases that can actually be filled with books and then placed as one object with two dozend books (or other items that'd fit as bookstands - potion bottles, skulls, etc) in them...

I think Bookcases can actually do this, in a way. (I haven't tried it, so I don't know if it works fully or not) but you could place your bookcase, and place guild reprints (Books you and guests can actually read, if you have completed a lorebook collection, doesn't count towards others progress though) or other items into it by turning off the surface lock thing, so you can place the items where ever you want, so you could put them on the shelves. I dunno if the books would still be usuable or not, and if you already knew this, sorry ^^'

Kodrac · February 2017

I'd like the ability to place a Mundus Stone, one per house. For example, have thief in one house and atronach in another. Then, if I change role and need to change my stats, I can port to my first home to change my Mundus. It would give more utility to housing besides crafting stations and dummies, and would give incentive to owning multiple houses. And add a little flavor to those people only interested in combat and possibly open them up to the decorating side of MMOs.