Buildings, Furniture, and Entrances

[Aamer Khan]

From the little we have heard about the announced expansion to Horizons, called "The Settlements", I would like to see if we can get further information.

The other day, David logged into Chaos and was chatting with players. He made mention a few details about the expansions technology, and what we can expect.

So far, we have been told, that there will be furniture that can be placed in "new" structures, and that eventually, "old" structures will be replaced with "new" versions that will allow for furniture. The stated reason that old structures need to be replaced, is due to them needing "entrances" It was also mentioned that furniture would only be "seen" if you pass through the "entrance".

So, here are a few questions that need to be clarified by the Dev's or anyone that actually knows what will happen.
( I do understand that this expansion will be done when it's done, but a few more details will help us all )

1. What exactly are "entrances" and how will they work?
2. Will furniture be visible to all players that enter a structure?
3. Will even mundane furniture be added like bleachers for large guild houses?
4. Are there any plans to allow players to drop items from inventory onto tables or shelves?

Please answer these questions if you really know the answer. Guesses, or rumors are NOT what I'm looking for.

[Starna]

As one of the people who have been harrassing the Devs for more information (much of what came from that above-mentioned Chaos chat was my fault ) I can reasonably answer questions one and two. Three and four are still in the hands of the devs.

The new buildings are going to use a different way of loading - they're basicly broken into 'pieces', as it was explained to me, which helps the loading speed. The 'entrances' are then going to be a loading threshold - crossing that line will cause the spawning of the furniture on your client; not crossing that line will mean it doesnt load, and so wont pop up just for passing by.

The whole way the new buildings are made, and loaded, is why old buildings can't just join into the new fun right away. So please, all, as a replacement for your favorite building comes along in the future, do the lag a favor and convert!

Once in the structure, you'll see whatever's there, at least while you are in it. (I cannot speak as to its unloading when you do things like step out, recall out, etc. Here I can only presume.)

Tangental to your #4, it was mentioned that the new buildings have no inherent storage capacity - you build the furniture/etc for your house to MAKE the capacity for storage. It was also mentioned you interact with each individual container seperately. Im not too sure I like this bit, myself, but 1) it's early in the planning, and 2) if it helps the DB bloat and loading times, then it's better for us... even if the medicine does taste yucky.

(Yes I know that wasn't really question 4, as I said, it was kinda sorta related (tangental's a big word for such a small sprite!) and thought it bore mentioning.)

Hope this helps until such time as one of othe Wizardly God-Like Powers That Be can come along and tell you if I'm right or if I'm just Pixie-Speeching.

[Justa Mirage]

#4 is akin to Asheron's call, if you played it... and was a big draw for a lot of players. each house had 25 hooks, villas had more, and mansions had 100 usable hooks.

They made just about every item in the game "hookable" including "new tech" that would allow you to hook an item that either gave you buffs, or teleported you to a section of the world. They even made a "doorbell" that you could hook to your front door hook so you could ring it.

So I see how that could be a big draw for many.

[LaughingOtter]

Dropped items have not been mentioned to the best of my knowledge. I suspect that it will be a case of "open a chest and drop it in that". As Starna said, the new buildings will have no storage of their own; that's the trade off with existing structures.

What is an 'entryway'? Well, right now dragon lairs are the only building types with an 'entryway'. Current building assets cannot support the technology and cannot be updated to use it. Already asked about that idea.

The only other clearly stated tidbit about furniture is that the current plan is to allow object movement in full 3D; that is, no specific spots or 'hooks' it has to be placed at.

[Droth]

ahh good post otter

[tramsan]

An "entryway" in this case would be a door - ie something that obscures vision between outside and inside. This is necessary in order for this kind of visportal system to work. (The whole furniture does not lod until you enter a building thingy.)

[Smeglor]

1. What exactly are "entrances" and how will they work?
2. Will furniture be visible to all players that enter a structure?
3. Will even mundane furniture be added like bleachers for large guild houses?
4. Are there any plans to allow players to drop items from inventory onto tables or shelves?

1. An entrance is something that prevents you from seeing the furniture inside a building until you have entered it. Dragon lair entrances are a good example.

2. Most certainly.

3. Very minimally, if at all.

4. No, that would require a 3D asset to be created for each item. The only existing items that you may be allowed to place in your house would be equipment that goes in your hands. Whether or not that will actually be possible will depend on the final tech, but at least the assets already exist.

And to back up the other statement, indeed the current plan allows you to place objects anywhere you want, not on predefined "hooks". You will, however, be limited in how many pieces you can place based upon the structure. The current plan also sets different limits on types of furniture based on the type of structure that it is. For instance, a medium sized "workshop" structure may allow for two machines, one storage container, and some number of decorative pieces, while a medium sized house won't allow any machines, but you can put three storage containers in it.

Disclaimer: All of the above is subject to change.

[Deth]

1. An entrance is something that prevents you from seeing the furniture inside a building until you have entered it. Dragon lair entrances are a good example.

So just like Dragon lairs if we stick our head throught a wall we will be able to see whats inside? or is that something that is being worked on being fixed?

[Fratricide]

For instance, a medium sized "workshop" structure may allow for two machines, one storage container, and some number of decorative pieces, while a medium sized house won't allow any machines, but you can put three storage containers in it.

Disclaimer: All of the above is subject to change.

Woot... so I might be able to get a small storage piece next to my crafting machines afterall...

<Gets ready to rip out all the buildings, sequentially of course, on his plot and start anew. ceptin the silo's of course>

[Vlisson]

1. An entrance is something that prevents you from seeing the furniture inside a building until you have entered it. Dragon lair entrances are a good example.

hmm whats this: if i port to somewhere a lair is close to then i see all chambers before i see the terrain

so the entrance thing dont work correct? i should not see anything from the lair?

[Goriax]

4. No, that would require a 3D asset to be created for each item. The only existing items that you may be allowed to place in your house would be equipment that goes in your hands. Whether or not that will actually be possible will depend on the final tech, but at least the assets already exist.

And to back up the other statement, indeed the current plan allows you to place objects anywhere you want, not on predefined "hooks". You will, however, be limited in how many pieces you can place based upon the structure.

It would be cool to be able to mount a sword on your wall. I suppose that would count towards the limit though

[Fratricide]

I dont know.. I would have some sort of tiered system... something like

tier 1 - Misc tools, weapons, armor, chairs.... small items

tier 2 - Benches, tables, couches... med items

tier 3 - Craft machines, storage units, chests... large items

if it were a med craft shop.. you could have say 3 - T3, no more of which can be a machine, 3-6 T2 objects, and 15 T1 objects...

Large craft shop... 4 - T3 objects.. 2 or 3 machines max... 5-6 T2 objects..a nd 25-30 T1 objects..

or something of that nature.. but I spose this speculation/suggestion is not necessarily in line with the OP request for info.

[Justa Mirage]

Smeg, how does the "15 megs" of storage work?

If you have 2 houses on a plot, and a few silos, you had mentioned that you cannot open them from afar because unlike the vault, they are not an extension of your character, but storage that is apart from your character.

Is this part of the 15 megs you are allowed to have.

I saw in another post that the reason they don't increase the library stack and holding size is because of the "15 meg" per player limit on the database. If the library is the same as a silo or house storage, and it's not part of the "character" how does this affect the limit of what 1 player can amass?

bottom line is: What is really counted against your 15meg limit and what does each item you packrat away really take up in your "character allotment?"

[tramsan]

Vlisson, I believe that while lair entrances are created with portals in mind, the actual technology is not in the client yet, which is why you'll see the complete lair.

* In the current live client, at least

[Peaches]

are grandfatherered, correct? The way I have it all set up now, is barely enough storage for what I have for cargo gear and tool wise. I do not plan on changing my buildings, that is, unless they aren't grandfathered?

[Fratricide]

While I dont know about how much Actual storage the new buildings will be capable of holding compared to the old ones... If the graphics lag can be reduced drastically by putting up more of the new buildings.. Im more then willing to do my part.. though it may take a few months.. well prolly a year..

[tramsan]

If they are, Peaches, it will probably take quite some time. I think they'll first focus on dryad/dwarven housing, which will be built from the start with furniture support. Adding furniture to existing structures will require a rework of pretty much the entire structure - model, data, appearance, the works. They just weren't made with this system in mind. (If they did, they'd have some sort of door, for one.)

[LaughingOtter]

are grandfatherered, correct? The way I have it all set up now, is barely enough storage for what I have for cargo gear and tool wise. I do not plan on changing my buildings, that is, unless they aren't grandfathered?

The answer I have been given is that the buildings you have now will remain as they are. New racial structures will have to be created which are able to use the furniture, but these new buildings probably won't look like the current racial ones.

So, everything you have will keep working as it does now - nothing less, and, sadly, nothing more.

[Peaches]

The answer I have been given is that the buildings you have now will remain as they are. New racial structures will have to be created which are able to use the furniture, but these new buildings probably won't look like the current racial ones.

So, everything you have will keep working as it does now - nothing less, and, sadly, nothing more.

I don't have a problem with it if I can keep what I am currently building. I would absolutely hate to lose 20 percent of my novians on expert shops, totally would hate that, heh.