Topic

Staff Topic

How to Test the New Houses

OK! Now you can test some parts of the new housing system. We're concentrating here on furniture and decoration (later releases will add the ability to craft new furniture, expand houses, cultivate land and use imagination to grow your yard and home street).

To try it out, get in the game type "/home" in local chat (it is deliberately hard to do right now so that people don't get confused and think this is *the* permanent switchover — this house is just for your testing and customizations will eventually be reset). When you're at home, there will be a new button which takes you back to the regular game world.

Once you go inside, you'll see the new furniture tab by your inventory and a "decorate" button at the top-right of the game. Go crazy. Upgrading furniture is all free right now (in the future, some upgrades will be subscriber-only and some will cost credits).

You can't get any more furniture for now and you also can't give, trade or sell furniture until the next release (or maybe the one after that). However, you can bring your stuff over to the new house and not worry about it getting lost when we reset (we'll keep it all safe) — it is just the furniture customizations that you'll lose.

To move furniture around and place items on furniture, you need to be in "decoration mode", which will hide your avatar and allow you to use the arrow keys to pan around your house.

You'll be switched to decoration mode automatically when you drag something out of your furniture bag, but you can also hit the "decorate" button in the top right of the game window.

To change wallpaper, ceilings and floors, hit the "swatches" button which appears in the top bar when you're in decoration mode. You can stamp the patterns on or drag them into place. For wallpapers you can either to a single segment or the whole wall at once.

Finally, though the land outside your house is fixed for now (you can't expand it or add/remove resources yet) you do have a customizable signpost outside: you can use that to add up to five signs pointing to the home streets of people from your friends list.

Any questions? Thoughts? ;)

See also:  Blog post  •  Video Demo

Note: If you don't see any furniture (or just your trophies) inside your furniture bag when you enter your house, type "/home" again.

Note 2: You can type "/home" from wherever you are in the world, including other people's houses.

Note 3: We will give plenty of notice before the real switchover to the new housing system and, if you own a regular in-world house at that time, all of the items inside it will be moved over automatically. You don't have to move everything yourself.

Note 4: Many questions and answers have been summarized in this (unofficial!) FAQ

Posted 12 years ago by stoot barfield Subscriber! | Permalink

Replies

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  • One piece of input, also. It'd be awesome to have a signpost on each side of the street! As it is, it's cumbersome to come in, harvest a tree, and then have to walk all the way back to the other side.
    Posted 12 years ago by Liza Throttlebottom Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Feedback: Would really love the WSAD keys to work in decorate mode.  Remembering to find the arrow keys is messing with my head.  
    Posted 12 years ago by Saucelah Subscriber! | Permalink
  • OMGOMGOMG
    Posted 12 years ago by Sororia Rose Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Kukubee, Bees!: Three, possibly four methods of storage? Displays? Ooooh, this will be interesting.

    Can't wait to see what people come up with once this goes live!
    Posted 12 years ago by Wrench Subscriber! | Permalink
  • sometimes I see the background flicker. it seems to happen when I am in decorate mode.
    Posted 12 years ago by bored no more Subscriber! | Permalink
  • WASD keys: good point!
    Posted 12 years ago by stoot barfield Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Shepherd Ralph: looking into that now

    Saucelah: good idea!
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Volkov, did you mean their street or their house? I can go to a friend's street but I can not enter their house.
    Posted 12 years ago by MaryLiLamb Subscriber! | Permalink
  • First off, looks very cool. Well done.

    Is there a way to remove friends from my signpost?

    It also seems that to return to my house from a friend's street, they have to add me to their signpost. Will this stay like that?

    It seems that friends I've added to my signpost show up as neighbors on my street. Will this info be visible to everyone? Or can we have control over what is visible to others?
    Posted 12 years ago by Joe Blow Subscriber! | Permalink
  • LOVE THIS. SoOOOOOOOO cool!!
    Posted 12 years ago by MsKelseyClaire Subscriber! | Permalink
  • joe blow: just type /home again .....you don't need their signpost to say it
    Posted 12 years ago by Pickle Bob Subscriber! | Permalink
  • " Is there a way to remove friends from my signpost? " Click the [X] icon next to their name (while in edit-mode)

    "It also seems that to return to my house from a friend's street, they have to add me to their signpost." - type "/home" from anywhere

    "It seems that friends I've added to my signpost show up as neighbors on my street. Will this info be visible to everyone?" - that's the point, yes!
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I'm having the same problem as Stevie Prickles where the only furniture that shows up under the furnature tab are my 5 trophies (no music block trophies). 

    Other than that, looking good so far (but I'm far less interested in the decoration than the expansion of the space.... just a personal preference)

    EDIT:  And it just started to appear as I'm playing with the wallpaper....  Thanks Bees!!!
    Posted 12 years ago by Sparkly Vampire Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Sparkly Vampire: we're looking into that now
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • So awesome.... lol, I've been having so much fun decorating and redecorating. whoooot. Love what you have for us to play with so far. THANK YOU!
    Posted 12 years ago by Soymocha Subscriber! | Permalink
  • " Is there a way to remove friends from my signpost? " Click the [X] icon next to their name (while in edit-mode)

    I don't see an X. Or I'm dumb. Possibly both.
    Posted 12 years ago by Joe Blow Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Thanks for your answer, stoot. I will resist filling my new place with my animals as I'm rather attached and don't want to lose them.
    Posted 12 years ago by Bexatious Subscriber! | Permalink
  • OMGOMGOMGMOMMGOMGGJ
    Posted 12 years ago by AwesomeCardinal2000 Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Joe Blow: Click the edit button on (bottom of) the signpost!
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Sorry, I had to refresh for it to appear. I was temporarily unable to add anyone, nor did I see the X. Thanks!
    Posted 12 years ago by Joe Blow Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Didn't read through all the comments in this thread, but two bugs or glitches that I've noticed so far. 

    1) Right after I first load up my street, the street background flickers. Every. time.

    2) I visited another glitch's street, then typed /home, then editted a TP point and clicked "Save this point". And it said it saved the other glitch's home street as a point. Though I can clearly see I'm on my street. In the TP menu, it's listed as the other glitch's street too. 
    Posted 12 years ago by Wynella Subscriber! | Permalink
  • If I move an item in my new house, will friends be allowed to remove them?
    Posted 12 years ago by bumblepuppy Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @People complaining about bugs: it's testing, not a finished product. ;)

    And now I shall calmly and rationally express my view on this.
    OMGOMGOMGOMG IT'S SO COOL
    Posted 12 years ago by SeerQueen Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Wynella: We'll fix both of those things

    bumblepuppy: If you place it while in decoration mode (on a shelf, etc), it can't be picked up by others
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Wall swatches; is it the same price for a panel and whole wall?
    Posted 12 years ago by MaryLiLamb Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Wow this looks full of exciting possibilities! Very interesting.

    As for feedback so far:

    *When dragging the wallpaper, the difference between only having one pane and having a whole wall seemed a bit fiddly.

    *The mood and energy loss of my Glitch while decorating could be made more obvious (or better still, not happen at all)

    *When placing shelves near the ceiling, my Glitch seemed able to climb too high - the feet were below the shelf's bottom. I could imagine people getting stuck on a shelf.

    *Will the doors be customisable? They seem to stick out a little at the moment.

    *Why is there so much furniture? I could have filled my house loads of times over!

    * There seems to be no particular logic behind which items of furniture come to the front when more than one item is placed in the same place 

    * Maybe disable the decoration ability once the glitch is in the back yard? Or add garden furniture. It was weird (but a little hilarious) seeing sofas fly across the screen

    *What will happen in the event that I add a friend to my lamp-post but they don't add me to theirs? How will I get home?

    *Is there a reasoning behind having patches/rocks etc in street and in home? Will only street trees be usable for visitors maybe?

    *Will exteriors be customisable? Are there a variety and if so, how are they assigned?

    *I love you guys! That is all
    Posted 12 years ago by Lund! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Exited the game while on someone else's home street...
    when I re-started the game I was inside their house!?!

    Haven't had a chance to see if this was a one time or reproducible issue... am at the office and won't be able to get in-game again till later this evening.
    Posted 12 years ago by Syruss Subscriber! | Permalink
  • MaryLiLamb: it's (currently) one price to just buy that texture for good, then you can use it as many times as you like
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • SeerQueen- I wasn't complaining. I was merely stating a bug, as requested.
    Posted 12 years ago by bored no more Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Also, if I have several furniture items in front of each other, I don't always appear to be walking on the one at the front of the screen.
    Posted 12 years ago by Lund! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Similar to Stevie and Shepherd, I only have access to trophies in the furniture tab, and not even all of mine. First I had 14 (7, and 7 duplicates). I refreshed and only had 7 when I came back. I refreshed a third time and still only had the same 7. Just to let you know :)
    Posted 12 years ago by Csophae Subscriber! | Permalink
  • "When dragging the wallpaper, the difference between only having one pane and having a whole wall seemed a bit fiddly."

    yeah, i agree

    "The mood and energy loss of my Glitch while decorating could be made more obvious (or better still, not happen at all)"

    yup, it should go on-hold

    "When placing shelves near the ceiling, my Glitch seemed able to climb too high - the feet were below the shelf's bottom. I could imagine people getting stuck on a shelf."

    which shelf does this? feet-below is a bug

    "Will the doors be customisable? They seem to stick out a little at the moment."

    Yup

    "Why is there so much furniture? I could have filled my house loads of times over!"

    So you can play around with it better. Want 10 chairs for your layout? ok! Once furniture is crafted, it'll be up to you how much to make

    "There seems to be no particular logic behind which items of furniture come to the front when more than one item is placed in the same place"

    Click on something to bring it to the front. Although there are a few groups which are ordered within themselves - against wall, behind player and on front of player

    IMaybe disable the decoration ability once the glitch is in the back yard? Or add garden furniture. It was weird (but a little hilarious) seeing sofas fly across the screen"

    Yeah, that's a bit odd. Garden stuff is coming in the next release

    "What will happen in the event that I add a friend to my lamp-post but they don't add me to theirs? How will I get home?"

    Type /home

    "Is there a reasoning behind having patches/rocks etc in street and in home? Will only street trees be usable for visitors maybe?"

    Yes, anyone can use your street ones. Only you can use the ones in your back yard.

    "Will exteriors be customisable? Are there a variety and if so, how are they assigned?"

    Yup! Lots of customization options. They look so good i can barely contain myself
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • " When you're at home, there will be a new button which takes you back to the regular game world."

    I can't seem to find the magic button :/
    Posted 12 years ago by Just Willow Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Just Willow: bottom right of screen
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Ahh found it :) Thanks so much Bees! xXx
    Posted 12 years ago by Just Willow Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Wonderful...gr8 work TS..
    Just changed the floor and the wall designs.. however, there is a bit of inconsistency near the entrance..don't know how to put into words :-(
    Posted 12 years ago by !$Harrump$! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • How do I delete an item of furniture that I no longer want?
    Posted 12 years ago by Oristia Subscriber! | Permalink
  • "When placing shelves near the ceiling, my Glitch seemed able to climb too high - the feet were below the shelf's bottom. I could imagine people getting stuck on a shelf."which shelf does this? feet-below is a bug

    I was doing it with a standard 'Shelf'. You can also move a shelf up while standing on it and you have to go way too high before the Glitch will fall off.
    Posted 12 years ago by Lund! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • !$Harrump$!: screenshot?
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Oristia: drag it back to your furniture bag
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Also, you're doing a really good job of keeping up, Bees! Thanks!
    Posted 12 years ago by Lund! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • ty!
    Posted 12 years ago by Oristia Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Lund: not sure what you mean. i fall off a shelf immediately when i drag it upwards. can you take a screenshot of the problem?

    [edit] actually, i just reproduced this in at least one way. set a shelf really high, then triple jump onto it
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Will we be able to put furniture outside in the future?
    Posted 12 years ago by Oristia Subscriber! | Permalink
  • My rook nest bed has turned invisible for some reason... I can stand on it, but I can't select it in Decoration Mode. I also can't drag out another bed.
    Posted 12 years ago by Quintus Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Will there be a maximum number of signpost entries?

    Would be nice to change the transitive nature of signposts. The idea that a friend of a friend can get to my street without my being a friend with him. I realize that this is the way things are, but it;s not as obvious here. some might think their street is 'semi-private' when it's not. Kinda like why everyone hated facebook...
    Posted 12 years ago by Joe Blow Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Did I mention this is so awesomely cool!!!! :)  Lobe it!
    Posted 12 years ago by Tibbi Subscriber! | Permalink
  • BTW, I could see all my trophies in Decoration Mode once I took them off the shelf in my OLD house.
    Posted 12 years ago by Quintus Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Oristia: different things will go outside (in the next release)

    Quintus: CAN HAZ INVISIBLE BED? try a reload?
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Quintus: yup, you only get it once ;)

    Joe Blow: your street is public. once we do the proper launch, that will be more obvious. maximum signpost entries is 5
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
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