The Inn

I completely agree. Owl's head did not even look like a sort of medieval city, where inner city homes around the market square were build right up to each other or sharing walls, and where higher stories hung over as tax was calculated by the area of the ground floor in many places. Most of the inner city buildings were tall, adding space by growing in height in the denser areas within the walls.

Even the residences of nobles used space very efficiently as there needed to be space for stables and lifestock as well as for the serves running the estate. Only the lordly quarters were large and lavish.
With a couple of exceptions, the smaller homes have similar issues, with lots of wasted space. Given the cost of construction this is quite unrealistic.

I cannot help but think that whoever designed the inner city layout never saw any authentically reconstructed homes, neither countryside homes and workshops nor inner city.

As far as this is concerned, realism (facing the realities of period rural or city life) is left up to the players decorating their outdoors, yet those players are judged as unable to construct something not looking like an eyesore.

 

I like the idea of Inns, player run or otherwise. It does occur to me that as far a safe logging off, inns, camps, or homes may not be necessary. If the log out is fast (compared to old UO) such a need is irrelevant. Then the need for inns is social and storage. If the bank boxes are big enough, this is less important, and we are left with social. If the only purpose of inns is social (which I think IS a big thing) it really doesn't need to be addressed in episode 1.

I am of course assuming there will be public utilities like UO had for refining, smithing, tailoring etc. that can tide a player over until a private residence is obtained. If this is not the case, then I would like to hope that some nice landowner will open their home to the public for such things, much like the players of old.

 

Maybe the best RPd inns will be given an official license to operate their business and test an integrated room-rental service. This sort of roll-out could possibly take place with Episode 2. Just a thought.

 

Still recommend implementing Inns and my ideas. You can see from the alpha, the importance of areas to gather in. Especially to those without housing.

People always complained about not having housing in UO (pre-trammel), but even those with castles would spend more time around the brit bank or in town hanging out with people.

Firelotus Tavern was hopping last night !! I had ladies on both my arms and even Winfield was telling fortunes. Except, i'm suppose to become a monk and have no wives....

Anyway, the focus now has to change from the player housing to providing and improving upon the areas where most of the player base will be.

 

Maybe Portilarium should consider selling and renting access to instanced rooms in the store, not only would this satisfy the "un-landed gentry's" need for housing, but generate extra cash and possibly add incentive to non-house owners to upgrade their status within the community.

Instanced single-occupancy rooms could be easily sold for between 200 and 300 dollars, which could go towards the eventual purchase of Permanent Housing.
Instanced single-occupancy rooms could be rented for 75 to 100 dollars a month, which would not go towards upgrades toward an Instanced Inn Room or Permanent Housing, but would provide a tangible incentive for upgrading, something that is currently lacking.

Generating revenue for this exciting and awesome gaming experience and generously providing a much wanted feature seems like a Win/Win, and a solid and profitable compromise.

 

I'd agree with this. Not everyone can afford to buy housing, and a limited storage area would be nice.

 

No inns does not mean no taverns right? Will there still be alcohol?

 

Atta boy!

 

Hey, at least he didn't tell you you'd die a horrible death while surrounded by gypsies.

Interesting public social spaces will always have more traffic. Once local bazaars, banks, or other interesting social spaces are created within towns, people will naturally go there. This was proven in all the towns.

Owl's Head: the tavern and crafting stations were the only two hot spots and the rest of the town was usually dead
Kingsport: the houseboat was the hotspot because well, it's a houseboat! ok, the lighthouse got some crowds but only to the top for the view
Braemar: the tavern and the cemetery

But in regards to Inns....it was the Inn itself, as a public building, that motivated people to flock to it. It wasn't the housing (rooms), because there were none. So while I'd love to run an actual Inn with rooms to rent, I'd be just as happy if we could own and run Inns that offered no real housing because it's simply another social space to gather.

Would love to see them continue to enhance the towns with more content and interesting social spaces to motivate people to visit and hang around.

 

All I saw inns used for was quick log out and log in of another character. People did not gather at inns. Even NPC owned taverns were empty. Player ran taverns were a gathering spot.

You are right that most people gathered around the bank.