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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  • Pretty good so far. Some observations:
    1. The counter item uses a different perspective from the other furniture. The counter has a two-point perspective, with its vanishing point on either the far left or right, all other items and the house use a one-point perspective, with  the vanishing point into the back. This tends to throw the look off; counter needs to use one point perspective to fit all the other items (and the house).
    2. The shelf's perspective has its horizon higher than other items so it looks tilted toward the viewer. Just pointing it out, it *could* work, it's not as jarring as the counters.
    3. It would be great to be able to decorate the floor like the walls, so different parts will have different flooring
    4. Will we be able to put items in the foreground (e.g., in front of the avatar, which is in the middle ground)?

    I'm also in support of non-credit items (bought with currants or craftable), as not everyone may want to send money on credits.

    *I can provide illustrations on the perspective if it's unclear from my descriptions*
    Posted 12 years ago by Zurin Subscriber! | Permalink
  • First test of decorating   (can't sit but I can stand on the furniture!) 
    Posted 12 years ago by Eye Wonder Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Herb Herbally: signposts intentionally work like that. trophy issues are bugs we're working on.
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • WHY have I been cleaning my RL house for the past two hours when I could have been playing with this?!
    Posted 12 years ago by Avery♥ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Zurin:
    1 & 2) we'll look into it
    3) possible future change, though release 2 will show why it's like that now4) no items, just (some) furniture
    we'll have (more) non-credits options for all furniture
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I now have furniture :)

    UI Suggestion: When I upgrade a furniture item and then put it back in my bag, I can't see the upgrade. This makes it hard to keep track of what's what. It would be very helpful to be able to see the upgrades for items in the bag.

    Question:  Will we continue to have two houses until we have the ability to expand houses/land to include a dark patch?  Right now it's impossible for me to grow an eggplant.
    Posted 12 years ago by Splendora Subscriber! | Permalink
  • It's all so adjective adjective.  squee.
    Posted 12 years ago by Polo Reede Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Splendora: not being able to see upgrades in your pack is a bug. we wont switch over to the new houses system until it's completely ready. this is just a test
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Well done Devs.  I am having a great time playing with everything!
    www.flickr.com/photos/bribl...
    Posted 12 years ago by Brib Annie Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I love it. No, I LOBE IT!
    Posted 12 years ago by Mollie Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @ Bees
    www.flickr.com/photos/57771...
    Why does it need to show 3 stools, 3 chairs and 2 counters? Is that because we are allowed that many of each?
    Posted 12 years ago by MaryLiLamb Subscriber! | Permalink
  • MaryLiLamb: that's how many you have!
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Not crazy about the design of the furniture.  One-point perspective doesn't work if every object has its own point.  Isometric perspective is really the only way to go with this kind of thing.

    But then, I don't really see the point of the furniture in the first place, so, meh.
    Posted 12 years ago by E D D I E Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Sys Rq: ok!
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Ok, I guess that was obvious of me to miss :) But would it make more sense to show one item and then be able to choose the design of what we want from a menu? Or I am I not understanding the situation?
    Posted 12 years ago by MaryLiLamb Subscriber! | Permalink
  • The bushes under the floor of the tree houses provided a nice screen for stacks of bags and unused herd keeping equipment.  

    I'd love to have something like that at the new house.
    Posted 12 years ago by WindBorn Subscriber! | Permalink
  • And one last suggestion: I found it a lot easier to decorate and line things up when zoomed out.  I know that, as a slash command, it's temporary, but pwease, pwease, pwease leave it in when housing comes out until the UI is ready.  Just made life easier.  
    Posted 12 years ago by Saucelah Subscriber! | Permalink
  • MaryLiLamb: not sure what you mean. they are just items. if you have 3, there are 3. if you have 10, there are 10. if you have none, there are none.
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Not sure if this has been asked but... will friends still be able to visit?
    Posted 12 years ago by Penelope Garcia Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Penelope Garcia: of course!
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Ahh, I got it now. Each pc of furniture occupies a slot but I was thinking the all the chairs should stack and then be able to pick from a list. Sorry for that.
    Posted 12 years ago by MaryLiLamb Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I love the egg rug.  will there be a plop rug to go with a piggy decor?
    Posted 12 years ago by Cat A. Tonic Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Cats1524: neat/gross idea!
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I think I understand what MaryLiLamb is confused about -- though I apologize if I'm wrong.  The plain wood version we have in our inventory will eventually be craftable, but only the plain, unfinished versions.  So right now we were all just given a number of basic furniture, which I would bet is the only type that is tradable or sellable or stuff and things, and after we craft, buy, or receive the plain one, then we choose the customization.  

    I suppose you can think of each piece as a single cherry with the option to become different fruit.  But we can only make the cherries ourselves, and we change it to free or credit style fruit via the menu.  

    Did I help at all or screw everyone up more?
    Posted 12 years ago by Saucelah Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I can't wait to make my decor permanent!

    www.flickr.com/photos/kiara...

    (Trying to take a zoomed-out photo was cropping it to just the upper left corner. Not sure why.) :(
    Posted 12 years ago by Kiachan Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I didn't go thru all 5 pages, but if I change the color on the walls, then change the ceiling, the walls go back to default and visa versa if you change back to wall the ceiling defaults to when you started.  Deepest apologies if someone else has reported this.  I love it!!!! Great beginning.  Edited to add, when you exit from the decorating mode the walls and ceiling change back to the default.
    Posted 12 years ago by AlmostSilver Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Saucelah: almost exactly right, but you will also be able to trade/sell the upgraded versions (probably!)
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • AlmostSilver: hit save/purchase after selected a new wall/floor/ceiling texture you don't yet own
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Oh excellent!  (now do that for clothing so we can help friends out, and I'll buy you a cookie.  Two cookies even!)

    ETA: I do just want to go ahead and express the concern that being able to sell customized furniture will basically allow some players to use real money to purchase currants, if only indirectly.  Not that such would chase me away really, since I don't care who has the most currants, but that often is something that upsets other MMO gamers.  
    Posted 12 years ago by Saucelah Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Utterly awesome how this update has taken place--I'm glad we get to test the new housing out before we lose our old ones. Well done, T.S.... and @Bees!: you are blowing my mind with your ninja-like focus in replying to the comments here!
    Posted 12 years ago by Shepherdmoon Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Saucelah: clothing is a bit different since you can only ever own one of each piece and doesn;t exist as items in-game. no plans to change that any time soon
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • That was it exactly Saucelah! Thanks!
    Posted 12 years ago by MaryLiLamb Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I lost some of my basic furniture during a refresh (had 5 rugs, for example, put 2 out, refreshed, lost other 3)

    Can I get that back?  (I filed a bug report, but forgot to ask for the rest of the furniture back).
    Posted 12 years ago by WindBorn Subscriber! | Permalink
  • WindBorn: does typing /home again fix that?
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • once we decorate our home do we get to keep the items?
    Posted 12 years ago by Penelope Garcia Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Totally loving this!!

    I have an underwater theme going on (well, mostly) will we be able to eventually have everything match if we want (for instance, there's no matching table lamp or desk upgrade for the underwater theme)
    Posted 12 years ago by sgjo Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Penelope Garcia: keep the furniture? no, the furniture will be taken away (and new stuff given) in the next reloease
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • sgjo: (many) more furniture options will be coming. let us know what you want most!
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Think I did that Bees but I'll try again.  Little glitch when I go home I can't remove any of my bags from my cabinet.  Refreshed.  Any thoughts?? It doesn't matter which bag I pick.  I can pick up any bags left on the ground but the cabinet won't load into any empty slot.  Help appreciated along with suggestions.

    Addt'l edit to add worked Bees.  I didn't get the buy screen but did this time when I tried again.  I still can't any bags from my cabinet tho.  Suggestions on what I might be missing appreciated.  Okay 3rd refresh and journey back to my home and the bag from cabinet loaded. Not sure what that was about but it truly did happen.  I'm not crazy, at least I think I'm not.

    Edited to add:  I had a BLAST!!!TY TY TY My place looks funky but I love it!
    Posted 12 years ago by AlmostSilver Subscriber! | Permalink
  • *sob*

    I so want to be online right now...
    Posted 12 years ago by Mal'akh Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Mal'akh: i'm pretty sure you are... ;)
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I noticed an interesting bug while playing with wall decor. The tile used on the right hand side of the house doesn't always get flipped properly, particularly when reverting to the default blue paper.

    I also do not seem to be allowed more than one rug on the floor.

    Anyway, this seems an interesting variation on the housing thing. No doubt decorators will get additional badges?
    Posted 12 years ago by Hugo Q Zackenbush Subscriber! | Permalink
  • This is awesome :)
    Posted 12 years ago by Penelope Garcia Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Hugo Q Zackenbush:
    wallpaper: known bug
    rug: i can drag a few. what happens?
    badges: probably!
    Posted 12 years ago by Bees! Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Happy Birthday to ME!  Woohoo!  Thanks, Tiny Speck!  <3
    Posted 12 years ago by Mahalla Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Yay!!!!! This is awesome!! Good job n_n
    Posted 12 years ago by Cocomoes Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Y'all are awesome, Bees!! TY!!

    ETA: 
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Mahalla!!
    Posted 12 years ago by sgjo Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Hi, I just took some bags to my new place to drop on the ground. When I dropped the first one (full of gems) it completely vanished! I've reloaded, gone to another street, checked to see if it reappeared at my old house and nothing. Help, please! My poor gems :(
    Posted 12 years ago by Bexatious Subscriber! | Permalink
  • *argh!*  I'm dying to play with the new stuff, but I'm having game server port failures and can't log in.  (Yes, I tested/reported.)  

    Here's hoping I can get in sometime soon!
    Posted 12 years ago by Ashbet Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I can't drag anything around in my inventory anymore (move things to different bags, etc.)

    Edit: Fixed itself after reloading the second time (not the first)
    Posted 12 years ago by Humbabella Subscriber! | Permalink
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