I found this video from GDC on RIFT Junkies today. It’s a good find that elaborates on how Storm Legion will deliver player and guild housing. Essentially, instead of purchasing specially created “houses” and instead allowing players and guilds to purchase larger areas called “dimensions.” This are popular areas in the game, like quest hubs, that you earn a specialized instance of in the game world. From there, you can drop all manner of items, from standard decorations — tables, chairs, barrels, paintings — to trees and flora. You can also drop building blocks which let you create your own unique structures. The video below shows a tree house made from these. Also neat is that these dimensions are tied into the scripting system. You can experience weather by acquiring the right item. You can drop a birthday themed item and have a birthday party spawn around you. In the video, the demonstrator drops a telescope and the entire sky changes to mirror that of Conquest — which is really cool, by the way. Guild dimensions are larger but work largely the same by the sounds of it.
This system has a TON of potential to it by tying into the scripting system. It’s not just “this is my house, come see it” and more “this is my yard, come see the neat stuff it can do.” They talk a little about specialized wedding dimensions where players can customize the event. I expect the freedom we’re given to be quite limited, to be sure, but it’s a step towards player created content. It’s also worth noting that this seems very reminiscent of the Chronicle system, so we’re already seeing the possibilities of existing tech being realized. They’ve said for a long time that they have advanced tools and I believe them.
Big Points:
- “Super powerful tool, existing areas of the game, lots of flexibility, tons of dimensions to collect, hundreds of items that you can place in them, full customization — whatever you want to do you can do.”
- You can collect multiple dimensions, only one active at a time, you don’t need to own the expansion to tour them
- Social gatherings
- Tied into scripting system
- Guild and personal dimensions, guilds are larger areas
- Tied into achievement system
- Possible to craft items for them
- Trophies off of boss monsters possible, such as a Greenscale’s head wall-mount
