Lord of the Rings Online: Housing Solution

Lord of the Rings Online Vault has revealed more about how housing will work in the Book 10 expansion for the fall. Housing has been one of the most requested features from LotR players. Turbine is looking for a solution that doesn’t clutter the world as in Asheron’s call or Star Wars Galaxies and ret seems real unlike the instanced Everquest II or Final fantasy XI.

The gist of the idea is this: an entire area of houses – literally like a neighbourhood – instead of individual residences are instanced. Players can then purchase houses (or holes) within these neighbourhoods. There is some semblance of realism because players are no longer entering into one house to live in — neighbourhoods are used instead. Which, of course, is acceptable: many players forseeable live in there. Then, obviously, there are the bonuses to instanced housing: no clutter, minimal lag, and prime real estate is available to everyone.

The execution is still being hammered out, but Turbine plans to have housing available for players sometime in October.