*GOLD SINK IDEA* DAoC House Deed Lease Concept
In Dark Ages of Camelot if you place a house in a designated area, you have to pay a lease. What would players think about the possibility of being able to place a secondary house on low populated shards only? The NPC that sells the house deed or the placement tools will only work on lower populated shards. Perhaps players could only place them in Malas/TerMur so as to avoid blocking Castle and Keep placement in Tram/Fel. Players would only be able to select smaller classic house styles, maybe small customizable would be okay, 500 max storage, the housing storage bonus would not apply to these houses. Only subscription accounts can place these houses. Make the cost like 1m/day, this could be changed. Maybe even allow additional houses, but with each additional house increase the lease price. Could make this a store item or feature if you don't like using it as a gold sink.
Alternative concept to personal placement.
Make them like New Magincia Stalls, you rent these little houses from designated areas within the game, they would only be available on low populated shards. They could be like little villages and hamlets. The game could make them fun by creating themes from Ultima lore. If you do this method, you could open it up to EJ accounts who would pay sovereign instead of gold for them. This concept would open it up to Atlantic, but perhaps increase the gold/sovereign price.
What would be the purpose?
1 - Might increase population on lower populated shards.
2 - Might encourage more community engagement.
3 - Might give players more reason to visit low populated shards.
4 - Might help players transition from one house to another.
5 - Gives a returning player, or quitting player time to consider their options.
6 - Gives a spot for visiting xsharders to store their idoc loot or storage for shopping.
Alternative concept to personal placement.
Make them like New Magincia Stalls, you rent these little houses from designated areas within the game, they would only be available on low populated shards. They could be like little villages and hamlets. The game could make them fun by creating themes from Ultima lore. If you do this method, you could open it up to EJ accounts who would pay sovereign instead of gold for them. This concept would open it up to Atlantic, but perhaps increase the gold/sovereign price.
What would be the purpose?
1 - Might increase population on lower populated shards.
2 - Might encourage more community engagement.
3 - Might give players more reason to visit low populated shards.
4 - Might help players transition from one house to another.
5 - Gives a returning player, or quitting player time to consider their options.
6 - Gives a spot for visiting xsharders to store their idoc loot or storage for shopping.
- Do you like this idea?38 votes
- Yes52.63%
- Maybe  2.63%
- No44.74%
Comments
https://forum.uo.com/discussion/comment/70966
I only pay for my subscription with real life $$ and in the game majority of my stuff is from me just playing the game. The things I do buy are for things I do not have time/desire to do like getting a 120 fishing scroll (I bought that).
The argument against what you are suggesting is clear; you should only have 1 house per account (aside from Siege) and allowing players to pay for more is just going to allow certain people to monopolize the housing market with 1 account; ie go place castles on every shard they can and then try to sell those castle for a higher amount because of the organic shortage of housing that will be created when people start placing multiple houses.
No insult intended on this but I also think it's ironic that someone that is a broker (which it says in your tag line) is saying they (supposedly) are in favor of making the rich poorer. I feel like there is likely a hidden agenda in this request that's being disguised as wanting to make the rich poorer because ironically enough, if you want to have a house on every shard you can if you just sub more accounts which will inevitably make you poorer for subbing all those accounts, but probably makes it hard to create a buying frenzy for home when others aren't willing to sub more accounts.
Anyway, they don't care about idoc, soulstones, returning players, marketing. The game is dying, so they expect the same population will keep paying for new accounts to get a new house.
ESRB warning: Some Blood. LOTS of Alcohol. Some Violence. LOTS of Bugs
These houses would be of limited size?
They would be rented, not owned - similar to the function of Vaults?
They would be not-transferable, and therefore couldn't be sold?
it’s really unfair on those who risk doing champs on live shards only to have their rewards worth less even though they often have to put in more effort to fend off rivals.
Evidently people will naturally just do what benefits them personally to the deficit of the community. It is very sad”
If your worry needs to be taken care, they can simply make champ spawn a special VVV system where at least 3 opposing forces are present before the Champ pops. And if there is no PK we need to open 3 accounts to pop the champ.
ESRB warning: Some Blood. LOTS of Alcohol. Some Violence. LOTS of Bugs
Never be afraid to challenge the status quo
Make PS shard bound, then that rules out anything to do with house to zero.
ESRB warning: Some Blood. LOTS of Alcohol. Some Violence. LOTS of Bugs
Included
4 Vendors (normal Vendor fees apply)
6 chests (125 items unlimited weight) 750 storage with 50 extra storage for deco (800 total).
Cost 100M a month paid accounts only so it does not compete with the extra storage system for EJ Accounts
1 Housing Stall per account per shard.
But it is aligned to the OP's intent for a gold sink.
ESRB warning: Some Blood. LOTS of Alcohol. Some Violence. LOTS of Bugs
YOU MAY NOT OWN A HOUSE ON THAT SHARD OR IT WILL CONDEAM ALL OF YOUR HOUSES ON THAT SHARD NO QUESTIONS ASKED. I know this seams a little extreme but it will prevent all of the ATL dealers taking all the House Stalls.
Never be afraid to challenge the status quo
But for Nails idea. I could agree with a tent in certain areas of malas for a High fee. 2 chests that hold 125 items each, 6 lockdowns, no vendors.
That would satisfy the need of a person transitioning to a new shard or living out of a suitcase.
Personal side note.
I did notice the personal jabs, and I accept them for what they are. Many people don't understand I broker for FREE, yes that's right, I broker for FREE any item in the game for gold across shards or otherwise. I give free price quotes based on research. I've done this for 18 years now after getting scammed too much. Before weightless gold, I was brokering up to 100 trades for free a day much to my wife's ire. The seller gave me the item, buyer gave me the gold, sometimes via vendors, and I exchanged them. No one got scammed. Occasionally I got a tip, but that was rare. However if someone asks me to save them time and sell something for them on my own time, I do charge a percentage for that. Flamestrike me if that bothers you.
ESRB warning: Some Blood. LOTS of Alcohol. Some Violence. LOTS of Bugs
For me I am thinking:
- Placing comms vendor
- Can lock down only deco.
- Fixed container space and location. e.g. comes with 4 built-in chests with up to 125 storage each.
- Not allowed to lock down containers or PS book if that is the issue.
It needs ideas to make it attractive to majority of the rich veteran population without making it a tool for scripters, etc.
If they are not useful, then the houses will become white elephant and empty.
ESRB warning: Some Blood. LOTS of Alcohol. Some Violence. LOTS of Bugs
The downside of this idea is that this could conceivably result in less accounts. I imagine a chunk of Broadsword's revenue comes from house-holding accounts. On the upside, more gold leaving the system and players logged in more to pay for the houses.
For what it's worth, you don't even need to pay the $13 a month every month to keep the house; just pay once every 3 months if you need to keep the slow selling house from falling. Pulse when you pay for the accounts to create a run on property (ie create the supply/demand). Only thing will be picking the right shard to do this on since there are so many. This is basically what the idea is suggesting; just on a single account level versus multi account level (cheaper for whoever is selling houses).