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Star Wars: The Old Republic: A Hint at Player Housing?
MikeB
Community ManagerAdministrator RarePosts: 6,555
SWTOR-Station.com have a short preview of Star Wars: The Old Republic (in German) describing some of the things they heard at Star Wars: The Old Republic demo at GamesCom. One bit that stood out in particular was the mention of player housing, something I don't think any of us were expecting to be included in Star Wars: The Old Republic.
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As translated over at the Darth Hater blog:
And this article will also contain the following information we heard at the demo cinema the last day. As the typical MMO features of the game were enumerated not only PvP, auction houses and crafting were mentioned, but also housing was part of this list. You can imagine that we stared at each other in disbelief! Nothing has been confirmed yet, but it’s a good hint at the fact that conventions make you tired and even BioWare employees let something slip out then.
Could we really see player housing in Star Wars: The Old Republic? I don't see why not. After all, with as ambitious (and expensive) as the project seems to be, why not go for broke? More features? Yes, please!
Via Darth Hater.
Comments
That would be awesome. this game keeps getting better
If Bioware does manage to pull this off on top of everything else, I will be in heaven. I'm not expecting anything like what SWG had (oh how I loved the fish tanks), but it'd still be very nice to have a place to make your own.
IF this is true and the housing isn't instanced (which is not to say it can't be restricted to certain areas).
IF the crafting in the game is something I can deal with.
Then I'll give it a try.
Player housing and crafting were my two sticking points to playing a SW setting game. If they aren't there in a manner I like, well, no play for me. Either way I'm good.
"Many nights, my friend... Many nights I've put a blade to your throat while you were sleeping. Glad I never killed you, Steve. You're alright..."
Chavez y Chavez
This game just gets better and better
eh, no windows?
it would be nice if they offered the opportunity to drop stuff in them as in swg: crafting stations, furniture, weapons etc.
Housing and crafting are the main reasons you would play a Star Wars MMO? Wow. Just wow.
The same rampant speculation about an off-handed comment is occuring on the official boards. I'll say the same thing here that I said there.
It never ceases to amaze me the lengths to which people will go to jump to conclusions.
I hope to gawd there isn't some awfully bloated, environment choking free for all housing allowed in TOR. Please for the love of all that is good and decent in the world, BioWare do not allow players to clog every square inch of every server with ghetto housing.
Stop crying in my beer.
Hmm, just noticed that. More than likely means instanced. Ah well...
"Many nights, my friend... Many nights I've put a blade to your throat while you were sleeping. Glad I never killed you, Steve. You're alright..."
Chavez y Chavez
Yeah, they are. Is there a problem with that? Wait, nevermind, if you have a problem with that keep it to yourself. Your judgment of why I like to play doesn't really interest me.
"Many nights, my friend... Many nights I've put a blade to your throat while you were sleeping. Glad I never killed you, Steve. You're alright..."
Chavez y Chavez
Hmm, just noticed that. More than likely means instanced. Ah well...
maybe not....there were no windows in SWG houses either.
I'm almost beginning to hope that there's more to this game than meets the eye.
I'm really hoping that this game will be all that it's cracked up to be, but I can't get rid of this feeling of tiny dread that it's all smoke and mirrors and will turn out as boring and repetitve as the rest of the MMORPGs that have come out recently.
I had my doubts and then I saw the trailer for the game with one of the coolest Star Wars action sequences ever. I started to give in to the hype, but still remained on the side-lines.
Then I saw the animations for the classes that have been revealed so far. I got even more excited and became a lurking fan... waiting to see what would happen.
I saw the 4 part gameplay vid with like 20 mins of footage. I was floored. I felt relieved because I thought to myself that someone finally got it right. The gameplay looks fun, the animations are cool, the dialogue seemed very well done and even had good voice acting.
The gameplay footage left me with a sense that the game kind of played like Mass Effect in the Star Wars Universe.
Now, hopefully, they are adding player housing.
I've been on the fence about the whole MMORPG genre for awhile now and was about ready to just turn my back on the whole genre, but now I'm so excited my head asplode.
I can't wait for this game. I really hope that it's all it's cracked up to be.
I would absolutely love some player housing. It's tough to pull me away from FFXIV the more I see though. I'm worried about the limited scope of grouping in SW:TOR but hopefully time and more information will allow me to make a more justified decision.
Hmm, just noticed that. More than likely means instanced. Ah well...
maybe not....there were no windows in SWG houses either.
I'm almost beginning to hope that there's more to this game than meets the eye.
Oh, wait, yeah. Man, it's been a long while since I've played SWG. Had FE on the brain in being able to look out windows from buildings and see what's actually out there.
Well, it's back to waiting on how they define "non-heroic interfering" crafting, lol.
"Many nights, my friend... Many nights I've put a blade to your throat while you were sleeping. Glad I never killed you, Steve. You're alright..."
Chavez y Chavez
Yeah, they are. Is there a problem with that? Wait, nevermind, if you have a problem with that keep it to yourself. Your judgment of why I like to play doesn't really interest me.
Make me.
It is a Star Wars game, made by BioWare with over a thousand hours of voice acting and eight entirely unique story lines, resulting in essentially eight unique games. Did I mention that the stories were written by BioWare? Hundreds of voice actors recording content in three seperate contries.
And you'll play for crafting and ghetto free-for-all housing?
AHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHhAHAHhhahahahah!
Dude, you just made my day.
Stop crying in my beer.
Hmm, just noticed that. More than likely means instanced. Ah well...
maybe not....there were no windows in SWG houses either.
I'm almost beginning to hope that there's more to this game than meets the eye.
i think a mid-term solution to please both groups of people who want non-instancing to promote socialisation and those who want instancing to prevent urban pollution would be to instance entire cities, which everyone could access.
Yeah, they are. Is there a problem with that? Wait, nevermind, if you have a problem with that keep it to yourself. Your judgment of why I like to play doesn't really interest me.
Make me.
It is a Star Wars game, made by BioWare with over a thousand hours of voice acting and eight entirely unique story lines, resulting in essentially eight unique games. Did I mention that the stories were written by BioWare? Hundreds of voice actors recording content in three seperate contries.
And you'll play for crafting and ghetto free-for-all housing?
AHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHhAHAHhhahahahah!
Dude, you just made my day.
these are really nice features, but different players have different styles.
whilst i am sure i will very much enjoy the story lines and dialogue, after completing two or three on a given day i will want something else to do: something i have complete control over.
i do not see how variety is a negative thing.
double post. *delete*
these are really nice features, but different players have different styles.
whilst i am sure i will very much enjoy the story lines and dialogue, after completing two or three on a given day i will want something else to do: something i have complete control over.
i do not see how variety is a negative thing.
The negative thing is the slop that "real" world, free-for-all housing has on the astestics of the carefully designed environments. I have yet to see housing implemented in a non-instanced fashion that doesn't detract from the experience of playing the game in some way.
I'm not being negative just because I like to bark at other people's ideas. But there are a myriad of reasons to play a BioWare game that have nothing to do with slopping up their envornments until every square inch is covered with somebody's else's personal expression.
There is no good reason why housing cannot be instanced and still give you the freedom of expression and control that you want.
Stop crying in my beer.
Yeah, they are. Is there a problem with that? Wait, nevermind, if you have a problem with that keep it to yourself. Your judgment of why I like to play doesn't really interest me.
Make me.
It is a Star Wars game, made by BioWare with over a thousand hours of voice acting and eight entirely unique story lines, resulting in essentially eight unique games. Did I mention that the stories were written by BioWare? Hundreds of voice actors recording content in three seperate contries.
And you'll play for crafting and ghetto free-for-all housing?
AHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHhAHAHhhahahahah!
Dude, you just made my day.
Yeah, I don't really care about all that other stuff. Thousands of hours of voice acting. Woohoo. Sounds like someone has never heard an actor talk before in a game. As far as the unique story lines, yeah, again, I couldn't care less. I don't play MMOs to be lead by the nose, even if I have the option of making a few choices here and there. Oh, and I'm glad you just noticed Bioware's writing the stories. I plan on buying Dragon Age specifically for that reason! And look maw, no monthly fee!
And one other point to correct your in-ability to read and comprehend. As I mentioned in other posts, I'd like a restricted area housing system. So you can drop the "ghetto free-for-all housing yammer.
"Many nights, my friend... Many nights I've put a blade to your throat while you were sleeping. Glad I never killed you, Steve. You're alright..."
Chavez y Chavez
This game sounds better and better. I cant wait for it to come out!
Played : WOW, LOTRO, COH/COV, EQ2, SWG, and WAR.
Playing EVE Online and AOC.
Wtg for SW:TOR and WOD
Yeah, I don't really care about all that other stuff. Thousands of hours of voice acting. Woohoo. Sounds like someone has never heard an actor talk before in a game. As far as the unique story lines, yeah, again, I couldn't care less. I don't play MMOs to be lead by the nose, even if I have the option of making a few choices here and there. Oh, and I'm glad you just noticed Bioware's writing the stories. I plan on buying Dragon Age specifically for that reason! And look maw, no monthly fee!
And one other point to correct your in-ability to read and comprehend. As I mentioned in other posts, I'd like a restricted area housing system. So you can drop the "ghetto free-for-all housing yammer.
If housing could only be in restricted areas as you suggest, then what would be the difference of having it in an instance?
Voice acting completely changes the feeling of a game. If you don't believe me, then go and play Jade Empire and follow it up by playing Mass Effect. The difference? Your character has a voice in one to respond to the NPCs and doesn't have a voice in the other. The difference in the flow of the game is quite noticiable.
I actually enjoy listening to good voice acting, as opposed to reading Zork style quest dialog test. I've done that for 30 years. I've had enough of reading text. This is the age of the interwebz.
Text boxes and reading detracts from my gaming experience. Just like 95% of the ugly ass housing "real worlders" impose on everybody.
The only difference between instances and "restricted areas" is in your mind.
Stop crying in my beer.
Yeah, they are. Is there a problem with that? Wait, nevermind, if you have a problem with that keep it to yourself. Your judgment of why I like to play doesn't really interest me.
Make me.
It is a Star Wars game, made by BioWare with over a thousand hours of voice acting and eight entirely unique story lines, resulting in essentially eight unique games. Did I mention that the stories were written by BioWare? Hundreds of voice actors recording content in three seperate contries.
And you'll play for crafting and ghetto free-for-all housing?
AHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHhAHAHhhahahahah!
Dude, you just made my day.
Why don't you try adding something useful to the conversation besides harassing someone over why they would like to play the game. And housing doesn't always translate to FFA housing. There should be a proper way to add it to the game and the more choices available in a game the better, whether you are interested in them or not. I for one am more interested in the combat and story but without other things to set it apart from other games ... its just another run of the mill game.
* Oh snap, you actually did ... good job .
Yeah, I don't really care about all that other stuff. Thousands of hours of voice acting. Woohoo. Sounds like someone has never heard an actor talk before in a game. As far as the unique story lines, yeah, again, I couldn't care less. I don't play MMOs to be lead by the nose, even if I have the option of making a few choices here and there. Oh, and I'm glad you just noticed Bioware's writing the stories. I plan on buying Dragon Age specifically for that reason! And look maw, no monthly fee!
And one other point to correct your in-ability to read and comprehend. As I mentioned in other posts, I'd like a restricted area housing system. So you can drop the "ghetto free-for-all housing yammer.
If housing could only be in restricted areas as you suggest, then what would be the difference of having it in an instance?
Voice action completely changes the feeling of a game. I actually enjoy listening to good voice acting, as opposed to reading Zork style quest dialog test. That detracts from my gaming experience. Just like 95% of the ugly ass housing "real worlders" impose on everybody.
The only difference between instances and "restricted areas" is in your mind.
Great, I'm glad you like to listen to someone read for you. It probably works out best that way.
Don't let the heat of debate cloud your mind. Heh. Instancing and restricted areas on the overland world are two different things. You can be inside your house and look out and see happenings in the real world if your house is in a restricted location. There are no loading screens. With instances, you're taken away from the "real world" via a loading screen. Your house, in an instance, is "supposed" to be in X location of the real world, but you can't look out and see what is actually happening there.
I just prefer less loading screens and more seamless fluidity in the realization of the game world. You are more than welcome to like loading screens. Your perogative.
"Many nights, my friend... Many nights I've put a blade to your throat while you were sleeping. Glad I never killed you, Steve. You're alright..."
Chavez y Chavez
This is a long post. All you tl;dr morons can move along to the next post. (or learn to read faster)
There are several problems usually associated with instanced housing in Theme Park games which make them pretty useless for anything other than storage. I'm going to use SWG as an example for this, but that DOES NOT mean I expect this game to be SWG2. I'm using it for contrast only.
1) Instanced housing takes the homes away from the persistent part of the world, and very few people bother going to them as a result. In SWG the missions and quests took you through all kinds of player created cities, shops and homes which you could explore. Also see number 3 on this list.
2) Theme park games do not make 3d representation of most games items that you can use to decorate your home with. In sandbox games like SWG, you could drop almost ANYTHING you had in your inventory, and use it to create a unique space. SWG literally had 3D models for nearly EVERY item in the game, including crafting materials and crafting sub-components. Even food items could be dropped and arranged on a table top to look like a meal was being served. These food items were the same consumables you used for buffs and heals. You name it, you could drop it and decorate with it. Hell, there was an entire crafting line that let you make everything from furniture to plants and candles for home decorating.
3) Due to the Auction House systems in Theme Parks, people usually cannot set up a shop in their homes so they can sell their crafted and looted items. They cannot set up vendors. This also limits traffic to the housing areas.
4) Decoration is very limited. You do not have full freedom to place things however you wish and instead have have certain "zones" in your house that are made for specific items (rugs, paint, wall space, small, med, large furniture, etc). It's very restricting and repetitive and create a large yawn factor very quickly after the initial novelty wears off. SWG allowed you to move the items in any direction, and put them together if you wanted to make a new item.
5) You cannot set up crafting "stations" and craft in your home. This takes away another huge motivator to spend time and effort setting it up or even visiting it. When I wanted to craft in SWG I would usually head to my pad, and I would have one of the rooms set up as a crafting area complete with crafting stations and bags full of crafting materials I had purchased or harvested. Combined with a "store front" in one of your other rooms, it really felt like having a business.
Please do not bring up the mess that persistent world housing made in SWG. Those were design flaws that can be addressed in development. SOE learned a lot about what not to do with persistent player housing, and if they did it again, I'm sure it would be much better.
Lotro is probably the main AAA theme park with player housing currently. Really they are a novelty that most people ignore because they are out of the way and very limited as stated above. As much as I am a fan of player housing, I got bored with mine in Lotro before I even started, and ended up using the house just for the storage it allowed. Even that became a pain because I hated heading clear out to the instanced area just to get things. There wasn't much motivation to do anything else with it. After a while I let the rent lapse and just walked away from it.
I spent countless DAYS setting up my homes and shops in SWG. Game developers forget that this is a form of game play, and many, many people enjoy it. In fact, I would say that my homes and the time I put into them were one of the things that kept me coming back to the game for three years, not to mention being able to visit other people's spaces.
Since you had such freedom to drop items and design the homes, people would open them up to the public as temples, retreats, museums, libraries and any other kind of structure you can imagine. I once decorated and opened up a "Hunting Lodge" out in the game world, and I regularly received IM's and in game emails from people telling me how cool it was, and how they spent their time using it. I'm sure many other SWG players can relate to this. Some of the shops and malls I visited in that game blew me away. Decorating these spaces was an art form all it's own, and SWG gave you the tools you needed.
Any shallow theme park housing system will end up being a wasted effort unless they are going to really invest some time into making our homes "sandbox" like. Hell, this might even be enough for me to try SWTOR.
A sure sign that you are in an old, dying paradigm/mindset, is when you are scared of new ideas and new technology. Don't feel bad. The world is moving on without you, and you are welcome to yell "Get Off My Lawn!" all you want while it happens. You cannot, however, stop an idea whose time has come.
Excellent read and post MT.
"Many nights, my friend... Many nights I've put a blade to your throat while you were sleeping. Glad I never killed you, Steve. You're alright..."
Chavez y Chavez
I can tell you right now that the SWG-style player housing will not happen in this game...
If that is what you are hoping for, don't bother.