Something could be done about the sheer amount of empty houses. Have an option to turn them into trees, refreshable trees with house signs. I'm sure it doesnt have to be a standard forest tree, or even just one, but a fenced perimeter, so people know they cant walk through with a visual cue. Doing so obviously renders storage impossible, have same IDOC timers, and line of sight boundaries. This would make Brittania beautiful!
I really like that idea! If there was an option to refresh "a tree" or a plant, even a stump instead of an empty small it would make Britannia look really amazing! There are a few places that looks like it will be a sea of small houses standing there for a very long time...could even be something sold in reward vendor.
I do like the idea of cleaning up the look of scattered empty blockers, maybe there is a way to show just the property outline when hovering over the grass, like owning a parcel of land. But there is still a sign of ownership that needs to be refreshed. Could decay faster if the land is not developed? I dunno just spitballing, but I do like the idea of cleaning up the UOR landscape.
Would be interesting if it was like a "cloak" ability for small houses, that when you place one you could have an option in the house sign to change it's appearance to grass, instead of the empty regular house.
And so, today I refilled the water in the pond, cut the grass, touched the tree, cleaned the stump. God, I'm out of my mind and I seem to have forgotten to update my library and my beloved 12 mil log house. Nooo damn this patch. Where is my classic, where is my era ?!?! ... ha j
i actually have 3 houses im desperately trying to give away, free for new players, deed cost for normal folks
One thing that can be done, is just make it so the actual owners of the homes have to refresh. If refreshing homes becomes a hassle for home hoarders, then they may just hold on to the ones they use, love, or are most convenient to refresh themselves. Then drop the rest. Current population is active and fair but not bursting at the seems where homes are in insane demand or you can be a real estate tycoon. It’s a bit silly to refresh 15 homes, just use what you need. Or, deco the ones you don’t use and make them public so people can explore and visit like any NPC home. Just spit ballin.
If you ask about grandfathered housing Chris will probably smack you on the head with a rolled up newspaper. Does it need to happen, yes. Will it happen? Nope.
Go on a dev version of the server... All the houses go IDOC and loot hits the floor, apart from a few houses, they never go past somewhat worn.
Here is a radical supposition. No one really gives a FUCK about the "masses of empty houses" across the server, Assuming this is even a fact. They care about not being able to place a house wherever they want at deed cost.... There are a glut of houses available of all sizes and locations, just not the ones folks want at the price they want to pay... So to justify their angst at not being able to afford the house they want in the location they want... it becomes a conflated issue voiced as "The server is full of empty house" or "I cant place a house there is no more room" I got here in the days when you COULD place a keep yourself for deed cost and a Fortress was only 3m gold. It was nice. I am sorry others didnt get here sooner and experience it. But the ride is already in progress, no going back now. And in 9 years here, I have not seen people leaving in droves because of "this problem"
I don't even own a house here anymore!!!!! I refresh about 18 though so I'm still part of the problem I mostly just refresh and log out these days too, been active doing other stuff. I think other things need to be fixed before the housing problem though