I own Grand Topal, and for a year plus have played with it. So from the perspective of someone who has owned a giant property, here’s my take on this newest addition. I’m not really discussing price...please don’t spam the thread with price comments. I’m just reviewing the place as a place to build and play.

To the dev team: first I want to applaud you guys for creating a beautiful, unique homestead. This place is just gorgeous, with so many hidden features for players to discover. The idea to put it in a granite overhang cove was brilliant...I’ve been to places sorta like this, and you really captured the atmosphere.

So, for would-be builders, here’s my first take:

The ship. This is a really pretty ship, with a lot of features that I love (the wrought iron vine work is awesome). This is a deceptively large space for all you interior decorators. At first it might appear smallish, but it’s really not. You’ve got two large spaces at the top of the stairs that would be fun to decorate, then a downstairs with a large master, two bedrooms and a large common space, as well as a small offset. I think it’s a good size...plenty of room to fill it out but not so much that it feels sparse.

Dev team kudo: the sails sway and creak in the wind...nice touch!

The seaside beaches (east and west). When you disembark, you’ll find two small beaches to either side of the ship. These are some good spots with decorating potential. I can see pros and cons. The big pro is that if you put a craft area or set in either of these spots, it’s not far from the entry point. The con is that there are certainly cooler spots way up in the ruins. I am intrigued by the potential for the rotting hull on the east (left) beach. I think some people will do cool things with it...my first thought was senche cub kiddie pool, lol. The west (right) beach has a larger wreck that offers ambiance, but not a lot of decorating potential. I think a lot of players would prefer an open beach, so I don’t love the wreck, but it’s still pretty cool.

The “hidden” pool and major wreck

To the starboard of the ship you will find a giant wreck that creates a hidden swimming pool. This is a really beautiful space, and I like the wreck being there at the 30ish degree angle. A lot of players are going to have fun being creative with this set, and it might be my first stab at decorating the grotto.

Port (left) rear beach and ground level ruins

Behind the ship sits a really nice little swimming pool and waterfall, and a small beach bordering the ground level ruins. The ruins seem intended as a perfect spot for a basic crafting pavilion. For duelers, this could be a great arena.

Dev team kudos: the flowering cherry tree is really nicely designed.

Ruins level 2

You’ve got a medium circular area at the top of the stairs that would make another great crafting location. Or just to decorate as a patio or even living space. But it would make a GREAT arena. You can make it a rule that pushing someone off the side is a win.

Ruins level 3 and “secret ruins”

A nice covered area that could be a living space...lots of potential. From this spot you can (even in preview) trick your way into the secret ruins up along the east wall. You do this by very carefully rounding the corner on the tiny ledge in the column. The secret ruins don’t really have much decorating potential...maybe some Easter egg feature for determined guildies, lol.

Runs level...sheesh...4.

Another covered area...a huge patio formed by the roof of the lower level. Lots of potential here.

The S.S. WTF?

I’m referencing how it got up there, not the dev team choice to include a shipwreck up in the cliff...because that is SO COOL. Other reviewers complained about no proper captain’s cabin. Well, here you go.

I see the Skyrim pathfinding team came in for some assistance, lol. The front of the SS WTF is hard to get to, but can be done without ramps. It doesn’t have as much potential as I thought, but it’s yet another area that I think will engage some inspired decorators.

Beyond

That’s all the space you get to explore on a preview ticket without the ability to put up ramps and walkways. But I will spend a gazillion hours seeing how high I can go, and looking for other little features and places to explore.


Overall

I give this place an A+. I have read many valid comments...the desire for a boat-only medium sized home, the challenges of decorating this place with 700 items. But for what it was intended to be - a gigantic play set for explorers and builders, it’s pretty effing fantastic.

For those on the fence...I get the price concerns. My approach is to hoard my eso plus crowns. I pay a few buck a month for the plus features, and get my stipend. I pass up the silly cartoon guar mounts and jester costumes, and for me, I’ve gotten more out of decorating my grand Topal than I would 7-8 small crown store items. Yeah, mounts are cool. At Grand Topal I build a pirate deck up in the cliff’s with a tiki bar and treasure trove. I spent a ton of time doing that, and had a blast, so I’m probably buying this one too.