Upgradeable "house"/hideout/base/etc?

[Maddas]

In the Kickstarter stretch goals, a player house is mentioned:

 

Get your own house in the game that you can customize, store equipment in, and where your companions hang out, or, as the elves say, "chillax".

 

However, no mention of whether it's just 'a house', a hideout, a base... whether or not it can be upgraded or not. I mean, it seems like you can adjust the furniture and so on -- but perhaps it could be upgraded in other ways too -- both functional and aesthetic?

 

For example:

• Going from a shack to a city mansion would not only lend you extra storage space, but perhaps have companion-benefits as well. And I wasn't thinking specifically of 'romance', but your companions might be in a better mood if they were sleeping on real beds rather than on the grass. Perhaps paid companions would be much cheaper if they had a place to stay for free as well?
  
• Depending on how notorious or infamous or wanted you are, picking a place that is well hidden might lend you additional bonuses as well. Perhaps buy you some time to avoid bounty hunters, or even to protect your stash(es?) from thieves.
  
• With a full estate or some 'training grounds', perhaps there could be benefits to skill gain or for one companion to teach another companion some skills?
  
• Perhaps your hideout, base, or estate could be upgraded defensively, so that if you were attacked by either would-be mauraders or a small pursuing army, you would be able to fend them off or defeat them?
  
• If multiple locations are possible for these things, perhaps in your 'home city' you could own an estate, but in more dangerous territories, have a cave hideout? Maybe your archmage companion, once you've gained his trust and pursuaded him -- could seal it with a stone, for example.
  

[HangedMan]

A thousand times yes. More choices are almost always better.

[mkreku]

I love being able to upgrade my crib!

 

But in most games, whenever I find the option to do so, I have already amassed enough wealth to buy everything at once, so I almost never actually see my love nest grow. If they implement a feature like this, make sure it's difficult to reach the highest upgrades.

[Maddas]

I love being able to upgrade my crib!

 

But in most games, whenever I find the option to do so, I have already amassed enough wealth to buy everything at once, so I almost never actually see my love nest grow. If they implement a feature like this, make sure it's difficult to reach the highest upgrades.

 

Along with this, perhaps the flipside to this argument is that it should be possible to have some upgrades early on -- or rather, have upgrades spaced across the game. That way I may be playing the game early on, but I can add in a library and study to my small home, or buy an anvil and have it dropped off so I can forge or sharpen my own weapons in my out-of-town shack.

[Covnam]

Being able to upgrade the house over the course of the game would be great. It could be tied to side quests (help the local carpenter get a new room etc), companions (who could add their own touches), a representation of your current standing in the game (reputation or power level for instance) or simply a money sink.

Along similar lines, if housing does make it in, then any major quest items/rewards need to be able to be displayed in said housing. Upgrade the house enough and it can get a dedicated trophy room

[ShadowScythe]

I posted this on another forum, it's mostly relevant I think, basically I think the house has to be a lot more relevant to the gameplay and story rather than the Skyrim approach of marrying an NPC and having kids in your little house where you can use the oven to cook bread:

 

"The new stretch goals seem interesting. New races and companions are always good and I hope we get to 2.4 mill to get the new region and faction which to me is the most important goal of all. I'm not as impressed with the house at the 2 mill mark though tbh if it's what I think it is.

 

If it's more like an upgradeable stronghold like Crossroad's Keep or the Sink that provides more quests and additional choices and consequences to the storyline then that's fantastic and I'm all for that but if it's just a house where you can 'cook' and have kids etc then personally I don't really want that.

 

If I wanted to play a game like Skyrim I'd play Skyrim but I love Obsidian's games because of the deep branching quest lines, faction reputations and interrelationships and the ability to actually make choices and consequences that affect the game world and story. Gimmicky things like owning a house and playing dress up inside it are just that."

Edited September 16, 2012 by ShadowScythe

[Humanoid]

Have to say that of my concerns for the project, the biggest one is probably this kind of scope creep. My admittedly selfish desire is for something a lot more low-key and less epic, at least for the first instalment of this IP, with very real limits to the extent of wealth and power the player can attain. No massive political influence, no earth-shattering power, no riches beyond the average middle-class merchant's dreams.

[Stun]

LOL who would ever vote no on this poll question?

[HangedMan]

LOL who would ever vote no on this poll question?

A contrarian would.

[Oerwinde]

I think it would be cool for your home/stronghold to be an inn. At first it could be a dive, simply having a couple crappy rooms, one of which is yours. As you do quests you could recruit a bartender, cook, serving staff, musicians, etc. and you could expand it, adding the requirements for the various hirelings, bar, kitchen, stage, more rooms, etc. As you expand it, each companion could get his own room with personal touches, you could begin attracting customers, earning an income, and even attracting quest giving customers. Depending on your character you could develop it in specific paths, each path giving different bonuses or quests. Maybe develop it into an upscale inn, earning more of an income, or maybe a gathering place for adventurers, with rumors of dungeons and adventure, or you could develop it as a front for the criminal underworld, running illegal gambling or learning of new areas to rob, or caravans to plunder.

 

I find in games where a house is simply a place to store my loot, I don't go back often, or even put much effort into the place. If it is actually some sort of hub of activity and gives me a reason to return, then I will.

[Stun]

My admittedly selfish desire is for something a lot more low-key and less epic, at least for the first instalment of this IP, with very real limits to the extent of wealth and power the player can attain. No massive political influence, no earth-shattering power, no riches beyond the average middle-class merchant's dreams.

Agreed with this. BG1 did it right. It started the series and it was quite limited compared to the sequel (which just went crazy with the God-mode crap). In BG1, There was a single digit level cap. +3 was the absolute enchantment limit on weapons and armor. Level 5 was the limit on Spells. In short, it was a "low level campaign" and every level you gained felt like a big deal. A true achievement. Every magic item you found had meaning because they didn't monty haul the system.

 

This is not to say that they should never explore the upper levels or design an epic campaign, just that, like you say, they shouldn't start the franchise off with such a thing.

[Flouride]

Voted yes, but only if there's actually something do at the locale and not just craft stuff and pick up your companions. I would like it to be upgradable and to have some quests. The Inn idea someone suggested sounded nice

[Bedlam]

I think it would be cool for your home/stronghold to be an inn. At first it could be a dive, simply having a couple crappy rooms, one of which is yours. As you do quests you could recruit a bartender, cook, serving staff, musicians, etc. and you could expand it, adding the requirements for the various hirelings, bar, kitchen, stage, more rooms, etc. As you expand it, each companion could get his own room with personal touches, you could begin attracting customers, earning an income, and even attracting quest giving customers. Depending on your character you could develop it in specific paths, each path giving different bonuses or quests. Maybe develop it into an upscale inn, earning more of an income, or maybe a gathering place for adventurers, with rumors of dungeons and adventure, or you could develop it as a front for the criminal underworld, running illegal gambling or learning of new areas to rob, or caravans to plunder.

 

I find in games where a house is simply a place to store my loot, I don't go back often, or even put much effort into the place. If it is actually some sort of hub of activity and gives me a reason to return, then I will.

 

This I could dig. Plus, an adventurer and an inn goes hand-in-hand.

[Sammael]

I voted "no" because I honestly believe the house mini-game should not eat up such a huge amount of development resources, which are going to be extremely limited. I think the house/stronghold stuff should be mostly left for the second installment in the series - you know, the one where they already have the world, the rules, and the engine pinned down.

 

People are having loads of unreasonable expectations already.

Edited September 16, 2012 by Sammael

[Stun]

A player home, with attached questing and upgrades, IS basic game content. I doubt it takes up more resources than, say, another questline and another dungeon. I don't see the problem. And it doesn't matter anyway. Extra funding is already assigned to make it happen. It's pretty high up on the Stretch goal tier.

Edited September 16, 2012 by Stun

[Sammael]

Sorry, but I don't agree that a base of operations is considered basic game content. I can name dozens upon dozens of great and good CRPGs that did not have a mini-game for the protagonist's house/base of operations. Starting with, let's see... Baldur's Gate I, Planescape: Torment, both Icewind Dales, Fallout 1 & 2, and, I'm pretty sure, Arcanum. That's like 90% of the games that Eternity is being an homage to.

[Stun]

LOL I meant basic, as in, it doesn't require a different amount of time and resources than say, a questline + a dungeon.

 

And again, it doesn't matter. It's already been decided that Home bases are in, and the amount of funding needed to put them in has already been earmarked/assigned.

[Maddas]

I think having home bases makes sense within the context of a gameworld too... and I liked how Dragon Age: Origins had 'camps' where you could see your party and also some extra people who would come along with you guys.

 

If you're going to travel from place to place and lug around heavy armor and loot and [realistically speaking] food and water etc. -- you're going to need to be able to set up camp, and also have a place for people to stay in when visiting towns or settlements. Maybe without a place of your own, you'd be paying rent at an inn, but it would be nice to be able to own your own properties in various cities/areas as you can afford and as you progress along the quests.

[Branimir]

Brilliant ideas man.

[Monkcrab]

Voted yes.

 

Suikoden 2, I'm still looking at you. Fondly.

 

IDK how much it'll cost, though.

[Starglider]

Just being able to buy a mansion is not a good use of resources. BG2 strongholds were great though, because they had unique quests associated with them : you had to work for it and having literally been to hell and back you felt you'd earned being able to live in the Planar Sphere. Taking over the Shadow Thieves was significant character development for the protagonist. Large bases like that can also support an interesting 'antagonist assaults your home base, have to defend it' mission. My personal favourite would be a sailing ship that you have to work hard to get, but once you have you could crew it, use for travel and dock at several different coastal towns/cities, and even access unique quests (e.g. on islands that would otherwise be impossible to get to). Of course I have no idea if that fits in with the story / setting / game world design.

[Zombra]

The main thing I want from the player housing is a true sense of it being a "home base". I'm sure there will be many adventures where the party gets trapped in a series of unfamiliar caverns or journeys to far-off lands, but when they are near their city of origin, it should feel very natural to go home between quests. My house should quickly become the most familiar place in the game. As others have said, a building with a crafting station is nice, but not enough. Messages and quest rewards should be sent there. NPCs (both friendly and otherwise) should come looking for me there. Special dialogues should happen there. Companions that get separated from the group should find their way back there. Maybe I should get a "well rested" xp bonus for sleeping there. Perhaps I can only "level up" by training there!

 

Whether upgradeable or not, I really don't care. The important thing is enticing me to return there, again and again, for good reasons. A "one-stop" town/utility place is cool, but again, not enough.

Edited September 23, 2012 by Zombra