Why add player housing?
- Add more depth to the game, with casual, horizontal content
- Built off features that this game already relies on such as customisation and collectables. and mainly used for display
- Purely cosmetic, no player power or services
- Reuse 18 years worth of assets
- Allow players to have somewhere to call their own and another way to visualise their achievements and memories, people have been playing for years and have become very invested into the world
- Add to the social aspect of the game, putting RP back into MMORPG
Player Housing customisation would mirror Player Character customisationThe obvious comparison for player housing would be the Warlords of Draenor's garrisons, but I would look at the features introduced in Mists of Pandaria instead.
- Housing would be a lot closer to Pandaren Farm than garrisons
- Scaled back, smaller in size and optional
- However it would make use of the entire world including all the old zones
Putting the world back into World of Warcraft.
The scope of the project would be similar to the “Pet Battles” feature introduced in MoP:
- Not limited to single expansion and would be ongoing with future patches
- Mostly focus on cosmetics and with limited utility if any,
Meaning you won’t feel forced to use it as there is no player power attached. - Allowed players to go back into the old world
- Reuse already made 3D models by being able to collect them
Also MoP introduced a feature for Archaeology known as “The Seat of Knowledge” which allowed players to visually display completed artifacts.
Between all these features, there is a good foundation for Player Housing.
Comparing it to garrisons and how it differs
Garrisons was the heart of the expansion, it was your base and everything you did in WoD revolved around it. From a technical aspect garrisons had almost all aspects of the game included:
- From minigames with the followers / mission table system
- A PvE invasions mode where the higher score you got the better the chest you were awarded
- As well as gathering for herb/mining
- NPCs had new AI technology
- Tons of utility with the different buildings:
(AH, bank, vendors, etc) there really wasn't a reason to visit a major city as you had it all for yourself - Brand new assets for everything, from the garrison site and multiple versions of each building, as well as the small prop models
Player housing wont have all of that, it would be much smaller in scope, focusing on cosmetics where you go out and collect furniture (reused models) that can then be used to decorate your singular building.
Section 1: Where is it located?
The idea is that every zone will have a singular house in it.
- Claim a house in the world
- These buildings would reflect the zone that they are in, much like a tier set represents the raid it's from.
- To start with I would say make houses based on the core races (6+1) zones, then newest zones in the latest expansion first
- As it won't be an expansion specific feature, over time with future patches and expansions more housing would be added (maybe 1 or 2 every patch).
- This would be a great way to get players back into the old world as there are many unique zones and ideas like living in a mushroom in Zangarmarsh to living in a witches cottage in Drustvar.
Some housing may be with factions, e.g. live with the Ogri'la Ogres of Outland, or The Oracle/ Wolvar of Sholazar Basin. - With over 100 zones there's plenty of options and content about
Making the world feel alive
Map of Ashenvale and location of the Player House- Possible to visit other houses in other zones, and if you don't own it, the house would phase to other players that way the world is not full of empty houses.
- Invite players into your house, if two people own the same house it defaults to the group leader's house.
Auction House System
The auction house will allow players to “bid” on making their house the “public” house for the week. This means the otherwise empty houses in the other zones will be filled with the winners of these bids.
Auction House for Player Housing- Can open it to visitors
- The other houses you didn't purchase can be entered and they would be owned by different players.
For example, if there's a house in Elwynn Forest and you own it, it's instanced for you, but a house in Ashenvale wouldn't be empty. On the "Auction House" you can bid to open it up to the server, making it public as if its baked into the game itself - For 1 week, resets with weekly raids
- That way the other properties in other zones are viewable by you making the world alive.
- This would have restrictions; if made public, your property is locked and uneditable for that week.
Option to set your house public or privateThus changing that property from personal to public, baking it into the world map:
- You can only showcase 1 property per week per account.
- As the game goes on and more zones have property added, more people would buy houses in older zones.
- This is only if the technology allows it, if not it would have to be instanced. But due to the limit of items you can place in a house it should be fine. (if everyone can have a garrison this should work?)
Section 2: The House
These Buildings would be uniquely made, drawing inspiration from other building architecture in that zone. The house will be customisable itself, using the character creation/barbershop UI template where you will be able to change the exterior features such as:
- Roof
- Entrances
- Windows
- Colour Schemes
- Decoration
- Unique option based on zone
Example of Exterior options for an Ashenvale houseInterior will focus on the texture/colours of:
- Floor
- Wall
- Ceiling
- Unique option per house style based on its zone (e.g staircase)
Having a few interior options leaves it open to be decorated by the players' furniture choice.
Example of Interior options for an Ashenvale HouseExample of Kul Tiran House customisation optionThere will also be an "other" options for:
- A postbox (The only form of utility a house will have)
- Music (unlock different music for house like garrison jukebox)
Example of Other options for an Ashenvale house- Include an outdoor area so you can place decorations for a garden too
- Not upgradable in size like garrison, you pick a house based on preference
Example of an Ashenvale HouseThe Ashenvale example will be inspired by Night Elf Architecture
- Customisation would include changing colour of vines, and other foliage
- Each house will have its own original design, some may have balconies, or open aired rooftops, others may have basements or larger gardens.
- A variety of multiple Night Elf houses for example. Where one can be a “Barrow Den” while another can be a "Tree House"
Example of unlockable coloursYou will be able to unlock customisation throughout the game, for example, run emerald nightmare raid to unlock corrupt red colour scheme for your night elf houses (like artifact weapon tints).
- Incentivize the old world and great way to add some possibly challenging content
- You will be able to “unlock” all houses however you can only have 1 active house at a time.
Collection Tab for Player Housing- Property is considered a sanctuary, so no PvP
- Also gives rested bonus so 200% xp
- Personal hearthstone for your house
- Forces you into the city to use services like bank, auction house, profession tools, etc
- For the actual buildings focus on "quality over quantity"
Section 3: Furniture and Decoration
The core concept of housing would be to collect furniture throughout the world and decorate your house. While the house would focus on new 3D models, furniture would use many of the existing models throughout the game. One thing WoW has over many other games is that each iteration of the game is an expansion rather than a standalone title, which should be utilised more. This allows you to go back to old content to replay it and for player housing this means there are 1000s of assets that can be reused.
- A lot of work has already been done by the artists
- Reuse, reuse, reuse
Unlike battle pets or mounts, furniture would be added somewhat passively. Let's say there's a new zone and the art team feels new assets are required then they can make them for themselves first and then give it to the players second. However if the art team feel there's enough assets already available to them then no new assets would be made. There wouldn't be any additional pressure as there's already many models to use, if the art team can make do so can players.
How to obtain furniture and decorations:
- New collection tab, Shared account collection, once you unlock something its style is unlocked on your account
Collection tab showing collected Furniture - BookcaseCollection tab showing collected Furniture - ChairsCollecting would follow in the footsteps of other collections where its obtained from: achievements, quests, raids, drops, crafting, PvP, reputation, etc
- Gives a reason to visit old world content
- E.g if you want a certain bookshelf in Dalaran you have to go back and get and buy from the Dalaran Quartermaster.
- Bosses from raids can drop items relating to that raid. e.g pyrite canister model from Ulduar
Example of potential drops for Ulduar- However professions can create items:
E.g leatherworking can create rugs/ hides, herbs from herbalists. (cosmetic only, not a farm) - Place archeological finds too
Anyone can use any model obtained, but the way you obtain it maybe faction specific
This gives an incentive to level up a character of the opposite faction as you can then use the furniture you unlock for your main characters house.
- Can extend to class specific items too
- Some restrictions on faction specific banners
- Possible limit on items with animation /lights / effects
- Trophies for PvP rating, mythic+ keys
Maybe heads of opposite faction races for PvP
No NPCS like garrison
Can use some premade "kits" or pre-assembled items
Some items that should not be used:
- It seems most items have a "ruined" or "destroyed" version of it (like a broken chair)
- Limit the outdoor stuff like no big walls, or ruins; Fences and gates are okay
Collecting Appearances:
- Use the transmog wardrobe collection system template to collect furniture and decoration
- Then click to use or drag item, is a good way of getting furniture out of collection tab
- Works like Toybox, once obtained then the item can be used infinitely
The collection system would be split into categories. Large categories have subcategories to make it easier to organise.
Category list:
- Ceiling Decorations - Hangs off ceiling: e.g. some banners, ropes, etc
- Wall Decorations - Placed on wall: e.g. shelves, portraits, banners, etc
- Floor decorations - Placed on floor: e.g. rugs, carpets, pile of gold, etc
- Furniture - large pieces: e.g. tables, beds, wardrobe, etc
- Lights - will incorporate all lights: e.g. chandelier, sconces, candles, etc
- Trophies - comes from PvE, PvP content, will be unique, can only place one of each. Statues of bosses defeated, with different difficulties having distinct textures:
Mythic = Gold - Heroic = Silver
- Normal = Stone (has been implemented in the game with the toy "Kang's Bindstone")
- Raid Finder = Wood
Miscellaneous - Items that don't fit into other categories: e.g. profession tools, food, smaller items, etc
House Structure Pieces - Large items: e.g. support pillars, fireplace, etc
Garden - "Cultivated" outdoor items: e.g. fence, flowers, lampost, etc
Outdoor - "Wilderness" outdoor items: e.g. trees, tents, large outdoor statues, etc
In addition to furniture here's a list of some other things that can be added:
- Incorporate the rest of the “collection tabs”:
Some toys have visible and interactable models like the Brewfest Pony Keg, and when placed on the outer world they have a limited duration and a cooldown. These toys should be allowed to be placed in player housing as a way of adding interaction, however they wouldn't have a limited duration as the trade off is they are stationary. - Mounts and battle pets should work like in garrison, where you can select your favourite and they can be placed in your house/garden, also probably stationary.
- Can be extended to class pets too
- Transmog appearance sets are often made, although you can only wear one set at a time, you should be able to put your unused outfits on “mannequins” so you can still show them off.
- Weapons can be mounted on a wall
There are many lore books you can read as well as an achievement “Well Read” once you unlock this achievement you should be able to have the books in your house to be placed on a bookshelf creating your own mini library,
- Can be extended to things like accessing cutscenes (like the NPC in garrisons)
Allow photos taken with selfie camera to be displayable
Hearthstone art: a cross promotional event to add some of the artwork of hearthstone to be used as decoration
A Daily event where a new zone is selected, if you visit the house in that particular zone you're rewarded with a currency which can then be spent on unique furniture. This would get players to visit other players houses
Section 4: Item Limits
- Can't place unlimited items.
- Resource system "Space" on placing item (Its for max capacity, not a currency)
- Different items will cost different amount of "space" to place:
A large item = like a table or bookshelf will cost 3 "space" when placing - A medium item = like a chair = 2
- A small item = like a book = 1
(All numbers used temporary, would be adjusted to find a good balance)
Restrictions on only using outdoor stuff outside (no trees indoors)
Unfurnished room in the Ashenvale house Fully Furnished Room in the Ashenvale houseList of items used in the furnished Ashenvale houseIn this image I've used an upper room of the Night Elf house, and then decorated it with furniture from multiple expansions to show how it would look, using the rules below.
Placing the Furniture (Pseudo-Technical):
- I think there would be some rules for how you would place the items, following WoW's design philosophy, (E.g. can't place a table on the ceiling)
- Simply dragging an item out of the UI, and then placing it down with a reticle similar to how you can place a toy or campfire down, the item would appear on top of it
- Focus on moving and rotating objects along the items specific axis, e.g. rugs would be grounded, won't be able to move on y axis
- Allow option to "snap" items to a grid if needed
- Won't be able to resize all objects, so a chair will be consistent across the world.
- Some items like statues would be resizable but from a preselected choice in the form of small, medium or large objects
Resizable statuesA UI graphic showing items you have placed, so you can keep track of the models usedExample of the UI used to furnish the players houseAn example of the final UI, which shows the “Player House” collectible tab, a crate being dragged out of the panel - along with the green glow and reticle. As well as the information being displayed while highlighted. And the graphics for the “space” system and a visual reference for the items being placed.
