I beg to differ. Vanguard has as much house customization as UO. Of course, the model choices are limited but once you have your house, you literally can decorate it any way you want. Every crafting class makes housing items. Carpenters make furniture, blacksmiths make lights, plates and flatware, tailors make cushions. These are just a few of the things that can be made for a house. and, for example, you can make awesome looking sofas by placing tailor made cushions on carpenter made benches, because all items can be turned and placed in all directions. Carpets can be turned around to function as tapestries. The choices are really almost limitless and the housing system is very player creativity friendly. Storage is also very generous.
You just described UO on how crafters make furnishings.
But after playing both, UO has by far the better exterior customization and building the house itself. UO has more items to place inside as well, though Vanguard wins in the flexibility of using those items. I prefer still UO, myself.
My favorite was SWG, where it was noninstanced. I built it, placed it in our city next to my buddies house and across from the shuttle port and cantina: perfect spot for watching the comings and goings of traffic through town. I also built most of my furniture, and spent a lot of time decorating it. I loved it.
SWG was basically perfect for housing. You didn't have to be end game to experience it. You could get a little place, build it, decorate it, and the upkeep was not too bad. Later as you progressed through the game and got a little more coin, you could upgrade and get a bigger place.
I do not like instanced housing, or housing that is end game only to experience, very expensive or in other ways punishing to the player. It should be something there to enjoy, to stimulate creativity, not become a justification for turning the game into a second job. Many games that have player housing make it punishing in some way. If I want punishment, it will be from a six foot blond in 6 inch stilettos and a whip, not some silly game.
As great as housing is in Vanguard and EQ2, these games seem to be empty right now with no player run economies to speak of. I am also sick of Lotro after playing it continuously since 08. Is SWG worth playing at this point in time? I'm looking for a game with great housing and SWG seems to fit the bill. However, since its a few years old, I wonder if I will be walking into another empty server.
Star Wars Galaxies was shut down by Sony Online Entertaintment, sadly. It was a fun game. The Repopulation is looking similiar to it, though, and it is currently in development.
I beg to differ. Vanguard has as much house customization as UO. Of course, the model choices are limited but once you have your house, you literally can decorate it any way you want. Every crafting class makes housing items. Carpenters make furniture, blacksmiths make lights, plates and flatware, tailors make cushions. These are just a few of the things that can be made for a house. and, for example, you can make awesome looking sofas by placing tailor made cushions on carpenter made benches, because all items can be turned and placed in all directions. Carpets can be turned around to function as tapestries. The choices are really almost limitless and the housing system is very player creativity friendly. Storage is also very generous.
You just described UO on how crafters make furnishings.
But after playing both, UO has by far the better exterior customization and building the house itself. UO has more items to place inside as well, though Vanguard wins in the flexibility of using those items. I prefer still UO, myself.
I love UO housing. It is also very flexible and well supported by player crafting. It is, after all, the ideal template for mmo player housing. EQ2 and Vanguard incorporated many UO housing and crafting elements successfully into those titles. If they made a REAL UO2, I would certainly return but unfortunately, I have little confidence that EA could or would be able to surpass the classic game that is UO. I just can't see EA being faithful to Richard Garriott's brainchild. They have not since he left. Why would they do so now? Besides they are not even planning it as an mmo... but I digress.
Yes, the UO player housing and crafting systems are the models that new mmo's should strive for but sadly they do not. If developers consider housing at all, they will most likely go with an afterthought appendix housing like Lotro. That lack of insight costs them money, because there are many of us out here who would gravitate toward a game with awesome crafting supported housing and stay there.
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You just described UO on how crafters make furnishings.
But after playing both, UO has by far the better exterior customization and building the house itself. UO has more items to place inside as well, though Vanguard wins in the flexibility of using those items. I prefer still UO, myself.
Star Wars Galaxies was shut down by Sony Online Entertaintment, sadly. It was a fun game. The Repopulation is looking similiar to it, though, and it is currently in development.
One does not simply telnet into Mordor.
I love UO housing. It is also very flexible and well supported by player crafting. It is, after all, the ideal template for mmo player housing. EQ2 and Vanguard incorporated many UO housing and crafting elements successfully into those titles. If they made a REAL UO2, I would certainly return but unfortunately, I have little confidence that EA could or would be able to surpass the classic game that is UO. I just can't see EA being faithful to Richard Garriott's brainchild. They have not since he left. Why would they do so now? Besides they are not even planning it as an mmo... but I digress.
Yes, the UO player housing and crafting systems are the models that new mmo's should strive for but sadly they do not. If developers consider housing at all, they will most likely go with an afterthought appendix housing like Lotro. That lack of insight costs them money, because there are many of us out here who would gravitate toward a game with awesome crafting supported housing and stay there.