This series takes the Developers Journals and gives you all the facts and none of the fluff. Just straight up, no messing. If you want discussion then the Journal Discussed which will hit later this week is what you are waiting for.

“Home is where the heart is” however, if you have read the latest two page Developer Journal over at MMORPG.com you will also know that home is so much more than that. Oh and you will also know how to build one! Did I mention it was two pages this time? Better crack on!

Housing

• Housing is open world, along with all other buildings.

• The housing system is also used to build shops, black smiths, auction houses, and any other building you will need in the game.

Dimensions

• The maximum size of a building depends on the available resources, the terrain, and the technology discovered for construction.

• This means early on one or two storey homes might be the norm, however over time it will be possible to build massive castles with all sorts of rooms, courtyards, floors and features.

• It is also possible to construct bridges between homes.

Building Placement

• You can construct building almost anywhere the terrain is suitable.

• Land comes in 64m x 64m parcels and these can be further divided into zones, which can then be owned or leased.

• Not only can you build on any land you own, or lease with building permission, you can build on land you do not own. These will be covered in more detail next week.

Foundations

• Sometimes land is not immediately suitable for construction but there are a number of remedies.

• Rocks or trees preventing building? Then mining and logging can be used to clear the way.

• Land is uneven? Placing a foundation raises the area to one level.

• Shallow water such as bogs or beaches? Use stilts to raise you home.

• Up a tree? Build a platform on the side of it to make a tree house!

Housing Mechanics

Housing has been designed to have multiple uses in Elyria.

Survival

• While inside your home, and your town has supplies, you will not die of hunger or thirst.

• Resting at home means you will not gain fatigue.

• Your home also provides shelter, if constructed from the correct materials, meaning the risk of getting too hot or too cold are low.

Storage

• Houses, businesses, and warehouses will all act as areas for players to store items they do not want to (or can’t) carry on them.

• Security is still a consideration and will be discussed next week.

Crafting

• There are no patterns for particular types of buildings such as a smithy or lumber mill, they are created using the same floors, walls, etc. as all other buildings.

• There are however numerous important types of furniture, the examples given were anvils, looms, writing desks, bars, mayoral desks and judicial stands.

• A building or rooms use is instead determined by the furniture placed, and there will be rules regarding what can exist in the same space.

• For example to much a public smithy, make a publicly accessible room with an anvil and forge.

Customisation, Personalization, & Secondary Benefits

• There is a wide range of different furniture with different benefits that can be added to a home. The examples given were dressers, beds, changing and crafting stations, bookshelves, kitchen tables, ovens, fire places and furnaces.

• Cosmetic items are also in the game such as pictures, rugs, sculptures, coat of arms, and ornaments.

• Some cosmetic items can also provide additional benefits such as inspiration while crafting.

Socialisation

• This will be discussed in a latter journal but suffice to say as part of a the Dance of Dynasties you will be entertaining others at your home.

Family System

• Your social status, wealth and the size of your family are closely connected to your home.

• Having children relies on you having allocated a private space to that child, for example a bedroom in your home. So the size of your family is related to the size of your home.

• The wealthier and larger the house, the more noble you are considered.

Architecture

• Architects create blueprints which are the design of the home.

• Builders use the blueprints in order to construct the home.

Architects

• Housing is fully customisable with architects able to create a blueprint for almost any shape or size building, as long as they have the skill.

• The blueprint is made with the Architecture Tool. A special 3D environment used to draw the blueprint and help you visualise how it will look.

• A stand-alone version of the architecture tool will be released to the community next Spring (for free!) so we can get an idea of the design system.

• The skill of the architect defines a number of limits with in the tool, such as how many floors building can have, how complex the shape can be and which materials can be used.

• The materials you use are important as they have weight and strength. This determines where you need supports and the strength of your structure.

• The Architecture Tool makes you aware whenever your design would be inherently unstable. Though this only takes into account the structural design as it is in the tool and does not account for environmental conditions.

Builders and Construction

• Construction is an active process and requires numerous different professions to create individual components which are then combined in the right order to slowly build a structure.

• Some examples of crafts involved include carpentry, masonry, glass-blowing and metal working.

• Construction is modular, and components are often interchangeable.

• If a structure simply calls for a wooden, any type of wood can be used. However, it might state on the blueprint that a certain hardness or strength is needed. In that case only wood that meets that criteria can be used.

• This extends to a lot of other choices that can be made at construction, such as blue prints only stating ‘flooring’ so the floor of the owners choice can be installed.

• It is unlikely a single player will build a house, they are normally combined efforts due to the number of different crafts and the time taken to build each components.

Environment

• The region you build in will have an effect on the look of the building due to the resources available.

• The environment and biome also determine which resources and styles are suitable. Some materials work better in arid environments others work well in humid areas.

• Ground conditions will also affect structures, including how high or heavy they can be.

• Wind also plays apart in choosing materials.

Upkeep & Updates

• If you use materials suited to the environment there will be very little, or even no, upkeep.

• Choose to use materials that do not belong and your home will deteriorate over time be that through rust, mould cracking or other effects.

• If an element deteriorates it is best to replace it with a more suited material.

• Once a building has been built elements can still be demolished (and partially salvaged) and then rpelaced with higher quality materials.

• It is also possible to extend your home, such as adding rooms to house additional family members.

So there you have it. The one thing I can not stress enough this week is to go and look at the pictures. Really they are gorgeous and inspiring, well worth a trip over to MMORPG.com. The other thing that gets me excited id player content tools being released for free. The idea I actually get to be busy doing something Elyrian even if I can not yet be in the game is something that makes me incredibly happy. Roll on spring!