Different Homesteads, Decoration Limit and Scribe-System

[Vetkin.6041]

Hello!

Finally. It's been over 10 years and I thought I'd never see the day. Player Housing finally came to Guild Wars 2 and as a roleplayer, I couldn't be happier.
Though for it to be a good and enjoyable system, there's a few things that need to be done the right way and with this thread - if we're lucky - we might get answers to a few burning questions that could decide whether GW2-Housing will be something great or mediocre.

1. The Decoration Limit.
   To be clear: I'm not talking about the maximum decoration limit within the whole instance, no, I'm talking about the decoration limit within a chunk of that instance. The Guild Hall system with it's decorations is basically not usable because we're just allowed to place ~13 objects within a chunk (Devs said years ago that it was due to technical issues and they didn't want players with weak PCs to enter the guild hall and get 2 FPS).
   Will there be a decoration limit within a chunk?
2. Different Homesteads.
   I love Guild Wars. I want it to thrive. And they need to make money somehow. Implementing swimwear after all these years surely is a big step forward, but when it comes to housing, I definitely don't want to be limited to having a single Homestead only - especially when it's account-wide and not unique to my other characters. We also surely won't be able to build our very own home and set up walls, a roof, choose our entrance door and so on, so multiple homesteads would be all the more important. I'd love them to put more Homesteads into the gemstore: An asura-themed laboratory? A lush forest with a little farm for sylvari? A big war camp for charr? Sign me up. Not only that, they could also put specific decoration bundles into the gemstore for housing - like lots of other MMORPGs do.
   Will we get more homesteads in the future?
3. The Scribe-System
   We all know that the scribe-system is nowhere near as popular as other jobs. It's expensive, convoluted and not fun thanks to the matryoshka-principle (having to craft multiple items for items that then need to be crafted multiple times again for the final decoration).
   It's tedious - and really expensive. Not only that, the decoration system also lacks even the most basic stuff like doors, windows, roofs and so on.
   So for this system to be enjoyable - or even useable -, it needs a major overhaul.
   Will the scribe-system get a major overhaul, making it cheaper, more fun and faster?

 

Thank you for reading and enjoy your day!

[Cronospere.8143]

If scribing is needed.  Prices will even be more higher. 

Maybe make the decorations a tradeable item? 

[spooky.9853]

We really need different homestead themes and ideally buildings that can be moved. In order for a housing to be a success, the exterior customization is just as important. 

Like you mentioned, I hope we can have more than one instance for different themes.

Edited June 4 by spooky.9853

[Oneiroid.9245]

I would also DESPERATELY love some word on if there will be different homesteads! I've LOVED housing in other mmos, and it's something I like to invest time and $$$ into. However, all of my main characters are asura, and I'm not particularly interested in the norn-like aesthetic of the shown homestead for them. So, +1 to wanting news about homestead options/features!

[epicwizard.3861]

My biggest concern is that the homestead(s) really will be just account-wide, with no way for alts to have their own individual home.

[Eloc Freidon.5692]

13 minutes ago, epicwizard.3861 said:

My biggest concern is that the homestead(s) really will be just account-wide, with no way for alts to have their own individual home.

100% can't build a unique home per character.

[Aelin.9317]

I am guessing we cannot adjust the walls and flooring in the homestead like you can in FFXIV. I hope it is something they could consider adding or as others say sell other homesteads so we can have different kinds and decorate in different themes. People in ff make some really magical homes so I hope crafting the housing items is not a pain and that you can place objects with relative freedom. Not limiting on how many items are in a set area would be good, people with weaker PC's can simply avoid creating clutter in their own instances. Do let the item limit be high enough to decorate the space fully without it feeling empty, my mansions in ffxiv I wall off whole sections due to having problems with the item limit. 

I hope the majority of furnishings are available via gameplay but I don't mind some extra misc items in gem store. Having homes with different themes be in the store would work, similar to ESO. My main wish is for housing to get regular updates and not be abandoned after the expansion is done. It is a favourite content of mine along with fishing, soto fishing was rough! Don't make fishing in Janthir as painful please. 

[Ashantara.8731]

I'm sure they will drop more details on Homesteads in the course of the next weeks.

Edited June 4 by Ashantara.8731

[KindredPhoenyx.8976]

My only thought and concern here are two things.

A: they're going to use homesteads as the new monetisation guinea pig (which, free to play game, that's fine and all- they need to make money somehow- as long as there are in-game earnable homesteads we can collect as well. I'm kinda broke here man.)

B: my contribution to the alt problem is give us "loadouts" a lot like the equipment or build templates so if we switch characters, we can somehow swap the appearance of the homestead without compromising the account-wide benefits of the system. Might come at the cost of loudout slot limitations but its better than being stuck to the one across account. My OCD brain would prefer that than having to sit there and deco each individual character's home, because for me it feels micromanagey at that point (it's purely a me issue. I know I could just *not* do it but brain says no).

Edited June 5 by KindredPhoenyx.8976

[Linken.6345]

7 minutes ago, KindredPhoenyx.8976 said:

My only thought and concern here are two things.

A: they're going to use homesteads as the new monetisation guinea pig (which, free to play game, that's fine and all- they need to make money somehow- as long as there are in-game earnable homesteads we can collect as well. I'm kinda broke here man.)

B: my contribution to the alt problem is give us "loadouts" a lot like the equipment or build templates so if we switch characters, we can somehow swap the appearance of the homestead without compromising the account-wide benefits of the system. Might come at the cost of loudout slot limitations but its better than being stuck to the one across account. My OCD brain would prefer that than having to sit there and deco each individual character's home, because for me it feels micromanagey at that point (it's purely a me issue. I know I could just *not* do it but brain says no).

Since its a mastrery the homestead is 99% an account thing not a character thing.

Cant be 100% since the jade bot with its core and modules exsist.

[DeanBB.4268]

Homesteading gets its own new crafting, per Rubi.

[Batalix.2873]

The point of the homesteads being Kodans seems to be culturally neutral (and cozy) housing for any race. It is an efficient way to cater to all races while also being distinct from all the home instances.

So I think the request to customize it into Asura or Sylvari or Charr styles is quite missing the point and redundant. If you want that, you already have home instances.

This is just the other half of the "Kodan race now please?" coin. I think both sides are asking for things that the game's design really doesn't want.

(That said, I am sure we will get some cultural decor options, just nothing on the scale of entire remodels.)

[Ashantara.8731]

18 hours ago, Cronospere.8143 said:

If scribing is needed.  Prices will even be more higher.

They will add a new, separate Crafting Discipline for Homestead decoration crafting:

 

[Luthan.5236]

"Carpenter" maybe as name for the profession? I just remembered that english word ... one of the first english words I learned - amongst base words. When playing Breath of Fire 2 ages ago as little boy in my country (Germany) and the game for SNES was available in English only. You had a carpenter guy for your village.

I guess there won't be that much new/own resources? (I mean wood we can still use the one we have already.) Other refinement steps in between and maybe for more expensive/rare stuff a few new resource thingies to make things fancier.

[epicwizard.3861]

12 hours ago, Batalix.2873 said:

The point of the homesteads being Kodans seems to be culturally neutral (and cozy) housing for any race. It is an efficient way to cater to all races while also being distinct from all the home instances.

So I think the request to customize it into Asura or Sylvari or Charr styles is quite missing the point and redundant. If you want that, you already have home instances.

This is just the other half of the "Kodan race now please?" coin. I think both sides are asking for things that the game's design really doesn't want.

(That said, I am sure we will get some cultural decor options, just nothing on the scale of entire remodels.)

I think that's kind of fundamentally misunderstanding the point of WHY many people want housing.

Is housing not generally, mostly, cosmetic to begin with? There's typically no actual benefit to housing other than the "fun" factor. Sure, adding nodes and rest bonuses will give a little bit of practicality, but as a whole, the reason a lot of players in ANY game want housing is for the ability to customize it and cater it to their individual character(s). It's the roleplay factor, and I don't necessarily mean that in just the "walking around and writing out scenes with someone" kind of way.

So what's the point in not having homes that are stylized to cater to this? There's not any customization offered in home instances. People want to play with their dolls in their dollhouses. Anet would be missing out on a potentially huge cash cow by not offering different homes in the gem store down the line.

[Cronospere.8143]

5 hours ago, Ashantara.8731 said:

They will add a new, separate Crafting Discipline for Homestead decoration crafting:

 

Yeah i saw rubi's post. When i posted it, it wasnt yet known. But who knows. 

They might use same materials and such. Lets wait for more info. 

Lets hope both crafting disciplines will be better.. 

[Oneiroid.9245]

On 6/4/2024 at 11:57 PM, Batalix.2873 said:

The point of the homesteads being Kodans seems to be culturally neutral (and cozy) housing for any race. It is an efficient way to cater to all races while also being distinct from all the home instances.

So I think the request to customize it into Asura or Sylvari or Charr styles is quite missing the point and redundant. If you want that, you already have home instances.

This is just the other half of the "Kodan race now please?" coin. I think both sides are asking for things that the game's design really doesn't want.

(That said, I am sure we will get some cultural decor options, just nothing on the scale of entire remodels.)

Not redundant at all. Customization for housing to match your characters is excessively standard in other MMOs that have housing, and a home instance is not the same as "a home"-- there's actually not even any buildings in the 'home instances' that work as a character's house! It's all public buildings that are non-customizeable and filled with NPCs. And, again, you cannot place furniture in a home instance.

I'm a roleplayer, so what I actually want to do specifically is be able to customize my homestead to work as a roleplay location! I have a lot of "made up" locations in Tyria in my head, and I'm willing to sink significant time and money into making them real. It's something I enjoy, and that I've been able to do in the other MMOs that I play. All of my main characters are Asura like I mentioned, and I want to recreate some of their Inquest offices and labs! I really... can't do this in a kodan-themed homestead covered in wood beams and fur rugs and so on. Even if we get cultural furniture, the base structure breaks my immersion too much.

What I'm hoping for is some sort of 'blueprint' or 'glamour' that can be purchased from BLTC that alters the appearance of your homestead. They've already monetized other mastery-based objects-- jade bots, skiffs, fishing rods, and mounts-- like this, so I don't see why not homesteads! For me personally, it'd be a worthwhile purchase, which is specifically why I'm voicing this all in the forums-- I know anet looks to them for feedback and ideas! If the base kodan homestead is good for you, obviously you can keep it all you want! Nothing wrong with that. Some of us just simply want to know if there'll ever be other options.