Anyway We can get more Premium housing each year rather than every 4 years?

[wrath247]

Mostly just a repost, cos I didn't realize there was a housing forum thread, but like the title says, Ik the development for it would take awhile and the staff isn't alot but if priced right I can honestly see the community purchasing more of it. This side content has alot of potential for improvement and even monetization. Plus waiting every 4 years for new premium housing is a bit of a downer.

Premium housing:

Gundabad housing: So this could capture two idea, dwarf housing atop the side of the mountain where you can see the ground below, as you're high above the skyline. And old ancient dwarf housing which are wide spread and brightly lit (opposite of the dark pit, Moria). Thorin's halls isn't the most popular due to it being underground and somewhat claustrophobic.

Lothlorien flets: Ok I'm sure many of us have wanted lohtlorien flet housing, but where? Well I feel like adding a neighborhood in current lothlorien would probably ruin the open roaming feeling of the zone. What they could do is what they did with Minas Midsummer: make a separate layer for it. So you'd still need to go to lothlorien proper, but when you enter neighborhood you'll be teleported to the neighborhood, maybe via a rope or just a horse? We're seeing more separate layer landscapes like Mordor Besieged, Minas Tirith and now WOTP.

Bree Apartments: Speaking of separate layers, someone on chat, suggested to me Bree-land apartment housing. So same thing, you enter a housing broker room for it -- similar to the current one in Bree -- where you view the "buildings" which are basically you're neighborhoods, and you're teleported to your room. You can go about the "building" like normal neighborhoods and to leave it you'd just need to exit through the main entrance which teleports you back to the housing broker.

Dale/Lake-town: Same with the two. But we've been getting alot of men housing already. Can we get some other race premium housing lol.

How to get more ppl to fill up the neighborhoods: There are players who like premium housing, it's a cosmetic thing and alot of players nowadays are into cosmetics and even housing. Price it right, and theoretically you're able to reach beyond you're break even or minimum amount spent on production + employee salary. Best comparison would be Rohan and Gondor, how 1 neighborhood is quite literally dead compared to Gondor's.

Would probably work if news on the hooks, and housing features were posted on the forums or articles a month prior to release to get more hype known about it and so MMO websites can report on its features more, just to get the news more widespread. Maybe even do a poll for next possible premium housing? Just be open and communicate more. And speaking off ---

Neighborhood features: So Gondor got the feeling of luxury manors. Rohan seemed to be focused on community's around a single "kin" type house. Which would have worked more if you could trade housing writs with kin memebrs which in fairness is a benefit to LOTRO if more ppl keep buying them. The future premium housing could maybe add different features for them like what Rohan did? So lothlorien flets could have a garden forest planting feature since the golden forest. Dale/Lake-town ish a market mechanic idea. Or even lyndelby having something related to the culture of the hol-budan. Making the premium content feel more alive outside of just being a different setting would go a long way to enticing more ppl since by the point you can afford PM, upkeep really isn't an issue so it's more of: how good is it + what do I get in return.

Any ideas/comments/suggestions?

[RayvenWolfe]

I think it would be fun if kinships could buy up a neighborhood. And have kin members move into various housing all in the same area. Kinships could be their own villages in a way.

[Laurelinarien]

Any ideas/comments/suggestions?

I'm all for these ideas and I'd add Lyndelby style hobbit housing too - preferably not just a re-skinning of the same ol' shire hobbit holes xD (edit: I see now you mentioned them outside the list tho). I think it's a good way for them to get revenue & it doesn't affect gameplay so it can't be singled out as p2w.

It's just that I don't think they are able to make a new place every year... even Rohan ended up being weird (the lack of hooks, the wooden beams interfering with the surfacing, the augmented tiles sizes, the lack of ceiling/light in the tower/cave, the lack of wall surfaces in the basements, yard hook mobility being very crippling). And I don't know if any if of these things will ever see improvements...

I've never bought a house in Belfalas coz it feels like an old cemetery (to me) - those houses looking like big family pantheons... so yea, I would like to have more Premium options, but I'd also love if they lifted the 1 classic house per account per server restriction (maybe allowing for 2 or 3 per account?).

[shoreless]

I don't understand why instanced apartments aren't a thing right now. Just pick a building in Bree and teleport us to the inside of a standard house when we walk in.

(Of course it's probably more complex than that)

[wrath247]

I don't understand why instanced apartments aren't a thing right now. Just pick a building in Bree and teleport us to the inside of a standard house when we walk in.

(Of course it's probably more complex than that)

It probably might be. Also I think everything boils down to them having limited staff and small funding (i cannot stress enough how the 10mil/year is pocket change for MMOs).

Our only hope for steady stream of side content is EG7 who officially acquired SSG on the last week of december.

Hopefully they give LOTRO a bigger team, since they're doing the porting to consoles update anyway, so we get more premium housing each quarter. Guaranteed income there and so much possibilities to explore.

Esp for different mechanics in the neighborhoods and unique housing hooks. So it's more than just an environment change (though that's also important too) but it feels like the house itself is unique to that region. The rohan neighborhood rep was a neat idea, that can and should be expounded on.

All priced properly, and cheaply, ofc. Since economics should come into play here and you loose way more players who would spend on player housing by pricing it so high.
Keep in mind you are paying at least $20 for a base house, at least $40 for a deluxe house, and $60+ for a kinship house. Anything wrong with these to a modern audience? Yes. Alot. It's overpriced, like with generally everything in this game...

[Scenario]

With any new housing offering, we want to be careful about the timing of it. We are happy that people are excited about housing but we don't want to produce it at a pace that causes people to be burnt out. Conversations among the team about what the next neighborhood offering will be have been had, there are a lot of options to choose from. Safe to say, our next offering will not be another human styled neighborhood. We have other races and cultures with interesting and distinct styles that we would like to leverage next.

[SingularityNow]

With any new housing offering, we want to be careful about the timing of it. We are happy that people are excited about housing but we don't want to produce it at a pace that causes people to be burnt out. Conversations among the team about what the next neighborhood offering will be have been had, there are a lot of options to choose from. Safe to say, our next offering will not be another human styled neighborhood. We have other races and cultures with interesting and distinct styles that we would like to leverage next.

Please put the next housing area out in the dead middle of Rohan again, though. That area needs to be filled up.

[maartena]

With any new housing offering, we want to be careful about the timing of it. We are happy that people are excited about housing but we don't want to produce it at a pace that causes people to be burnt out. Conversations among the team about what the next neighborhood offering will be have been had, there are a lot of options to choose from. Safe to say, our next offering will not be another human styled neighborhood. We have other races and cultures with interesting and distinct styles that we would like to leverage next.

If you are taking suggestions....

- Lothlorien tree flet houses! Entrance within the north side hill range.
- Moria based Dwarven housing! Entrance located on the west side of Jazargund.
- Something different: Dark, sinister housing based on Mordor or Minas Morgul architecture.

[Widmore]

If you are taking suggestions....

- Lothlorien tree flet houses! Entrance within the north side hill range.

Only if they come with railings pre installed.

[Merlindor]

If you are taking suggestions....

- Something different: Dark, sinister housing based on Mordor or Minas Morgul architecture.

Unfortunately Scenario stated that the new housing would be non-human so the options would be limited: Orc Tents, Morroval Roosts, Spider Webs or, perhaps, Watching Stones. In all cases, you would fix it up beautifully (with your two interior and exterior hooks) only for every passing hero to burn it down. Unless, of course, we were allowed the Nazgul palaces from Mordor...

Merlindor

[SinordLoresearcher]

Might I suggest Erebor instead for Dwarven-Premium Housing? For lore-reasons, i'm not sure the aforementioned idea of Moria would be an entirely plausible idea. Erebor really does need some expanding, and that could have great potential in terms of architecture, structure and services!

[WeirdJedi]

Might I suggest Erebor instead for Dwarven-Premium Housing? For lore-reasons, i'm not sure the aforementioned idea of Moria would be an entirely plausible idea. Erebor really does need some expanding, and that could have great potential in terms of architecture, structure and services!

I've kept a few interviews in the past whenever they were hinting at Rohan Housing. In one of them, they discussed Erebor. However, they have been real careful not to mention any specifics regarding future locations when "the question" pops up in interviews.

PAX April 5, 2019: https://www.mmo-central.com/2019/04/...lin-ciccolini/

GenCon August 14, 2019: https://thedwarrowscholar.com/2019/0...-talk-dwarves/

Lotro Decorating Website June 17, 2020: https://en.dcodumilieu.fr/rohan-hous...AoC5alkij7DKlk

[Wanderv]

I'm for Erebor! It would be nice to hve houses with exits to terraces on slopes of the mountain with incredible views on Dale, Grey mountains, Mirkwood and so on.

Also i'd like to see elven housing in Thranduil elves styles. There are two of them - underground (Felegoth) and beautyful green houses like in Loeglond. These two can be combined in a great neighborhood.

[Gildoriel]

Definitely would love a house in Lothlorien or Loeglond. Whenever there would be a chance for more human housing: My main would definitely love to live in her parents' house at Minas Tirith. And Imloth Melui <3 - just saying ;-) Erebor sounds cool as well though.

[Tirian-Hammerfist]

With any new housing offering, we want to be careful about the timing of it. We are happy that people are excited about housing but we don't want to produce it at a pace that causes people to be burnt out. Conversations among the team about what the next neighborhood offering will be have been had, there are a lot of options to choose from. Safe to say, our next offering will not be another human styled neighborhood. We have other races and cultures with interesting and distinct styles that we would like to leverage next.

I'd love a new housing neighbourhood and really love the aesthetic of the Rohan neighbourhood, but have a really significant problem with it - there are nowhere near enough internal small or large hooks to actually fill up the space!

I bought the one with the tower in the hills region and it is impossible to actually create any room set up - you can't put a table, a couple of chairs and a fireplace, because by the time you've done that you've used all of the small or large hooks in the room!

I beg you to please consider improving the peg density to make it equal with that of the Bree-land homesteads. I know there are fewer hooks there overall in the Bree-land ones, but the density means you can actually create homes in there, rather than cavernous rooms with nothing much in them, which has been the fate of my the Rohan homestead I paid for - it feels like a lot of wasted mithril coins!

[Starstorm01]

Some type of Mordor or Minas Morgul housing and Beorning housing please.

[WeirdJedi]

While doing The Black Book of Mordor, I actually really enjoyed exploring the rooms Erebor had to offer. I could foresee a problem with some items being a bit big to fit if they did decide to make them into housing districts. That's why I think it would be perfect to have some sort of small purchase like the stately houses in Gondor. Think of it like a small apartment you can buy with 6 Housing Writs or something.

[Scenario]

I'd love a new housing neighbourhood and really love the aesthetic of the Rohan neighbourhood, but have a really significant problem with it - there are nowhere near enough internal small or large hooks to actually fill up the space!

I bought the one with the tower in the hills region and it is impossible to actually create any room set up - you can't put a table, a couple of chairs and a fireplace, because by the time you've done that you've used all of the small or large hooks in the room!

I beg you to please consider improving the peg density to make it equal with that of the Bree-land homesteads. I know there are fewer hooks there overall in the Bree-land ones, but the density means you can actually create homes in there, rather than cavernous rooms with nothing much in them, which has been the fate of my the Rohan homestead I paid for - it feels like a lot of wasted mithril coins!

This is actually something I have very recently been putting thought in to. Finding the right balance between size of an interior, number of hooks in it, and how those combine for performance in the space. I've been spending time thinking about what hook types can be expanded to include additional size categories and extending interior hook movement ranges to give home owners greater flexibility. Another thought exercise is consolidation of hook types - but that would be something we implement going forward in new neighborhoods as we don't want to risk damaging existing layouts.

The temptation for housing, premium housing in particular, is to give home owners as much space as possible (within some limitations based on the type of house). But we also have limits on the number of hooks we can offer in a space. Hopefully each new offering will show that we're learning from previous homesteads and adjusting based on that feedback.

[Laurelinarien]

I sincerely hope you can find the balance between room size and number/type of hooks! I love playing around with hooks & closing off areas to see what I can get done. But it is a struggle in Rohan in particular to achieve a well furnished room without having to close off access to other rooms that will stay empty after sacrificing their hooks xD

And new features are always welcome

[gildhur]

Safe to say, our next offering will not be another human styled neighborhood. We have other races and cultures with interesting and distinct styles that we would like to leverage next.

When Men are back on the table for a housing area, Lake-town would be a fun idea. There's plenty of room in the lake to add it without interfering with existing landscape. Woodsmen housing near Hultvis, Hillmen housing in Trollshaws

But if not Men, then what options remain? Elves of Lorien would be nice, but it should require a rep level to purchase. Or Lindon once we get a Grey Havens area. Erebor or Moria for Dwarves. Maur Tulhau and Lindelby (should require quest completion) for Hobbits. Beorning housing in Vales? Woses housing in Taur Druadan? Merrevail housing in Agarnaith or Angmar?

[Phantion]

This is actually something I have very recently been putting thought in to. Finding the right balance between size of an interior, number of hooks in it, and how those combine for performance in the space. I've been spending time thinking about what hook types can be expanded to include additional size categories and extending interior hook movement ranges to give home owners greater flexibility. Another thought exercise is consolidation of hook types - but that would be something we implement going forward in new neighborhoods as we don't want to risk damaging existing layouts.

The temptation for housing, premium housing in particular, is to give home owners as much space as possible (within some limitations based on the type of house). But we also have limits on the number of hooks we can offer in a space. Hopefully each new offering will show that we're learning from previous homesteads and adjusting based on that feedback.

Here's a thought for current Rohan neighborhoods in particular: adding a couple more new-ish types of hooks on the same scale as, say, the "fire pit" in the Mead Hall that - mirrors - the kinds of phasing / shifts you get when doing Hytbold.


So, for example, say I went to the vendor and bought "Rohirric civilians / Enormous Wall slot" designed specifically to "fill" the Mead Hall just as in Hytbold, and the same for wall decorations, etc., so that it can really feel like a full Mead Hall while greatly limiting the number of "hooks" involved.

It's just a thought- I get that Hytbold might run on very different tech. But that would be a way to at least tackle the huge empty Mead Halls (and maybe a "Huge Wall slot" or two in the regular Rohirric houses, more or less mirroring- as an option- what you're able to do in the District homes in Hytbold).

You could then keep the current hook layouts as they are for players to use as they see fit and simply add those other options, if it worked tech-wise

In short: if there were only a small little way to do the same sort of stuff we do in Hytbold but without quests involved and just via larger wall and floor slot options- that would pretty much "fix" the space issue in the Rohan homesteads

I'd imagine it would be possible because you did it with the "fire pit" hook for long feasting tables and fire pits. So what I'm thinking is that if you did the same for Rohan civilian NPCs, the various wall items and provisions that you phase-into the Hytbold Mead Hall, the large tapestries (*love that Sutcrofts red tapestries you get in Hytbold), and so on, that would solve the space issue in the Mead Halls to go along with the fire-pits, etc.

With regular Rohirric housing, my idea is to take the same kinds of groupings of NPCs and decoration items that you gradually "phase-in" during the Hytbold quests and translate those into larger wall and floor slot items that are usable only for those purposes in those specific circumstances.

I also really find it a pity there isn't a way to go put lighting hooks in Gondor premium housing. There's just so many awesome ideas that could work if only the "white light" wasn't the sole appearance. I know I'd love to make a Gondor house into a "Dawnless Day" themed place with minimal lighting, for example, along with other concepts. I also find many of the pillar decoration items would look pretty cool in Gondor premium housing on some of those wider columns; for example, a "Mordor-themed" Gondorian house interior would work pretty well with those Gorgoroth wall and floor textures combined with some red or purple lighting and those Mordor column textures (i.e. they'd "feel more at home" there than in the wooden Rohirric style of the Mead Halls, etc.). I could similarly see an "Ered Mithrim" themed house using ice column textures and some of those other items.

But again, those ideas are far less possible without column-texture or lighting hooks in the Gondor houses... Ah, so much potential! Well, ty for listening