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* Sets up a Pre New Years Eve ABM *

CaesarDoP

Journeyman
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
*Fills his U-Hall Mug with Seattle’s Best and sits by the window*

Well I received a NEON Gift Box, and after a day or 2 of standing in LUNA I sold it the other day for $5 MILL. So I can now Build on my 17 X 14 3 Story plot. I have been looking at the Homes and Castles Forum for Ideas, but it is just like an Artist with a Blank Canvas, where do you start? Put the walls up first then the floors? Draw the Exterior out on paper and Hope the Interior will be Workable. OR Just Put up some walls and use it for storage? (JK about the last one)

But seriously, how did all of you come up with your designs? Hey maybe I can hire a Builder to come up with my house. * Thinks for a minute * That might not be a Bad Idea.

If any one would be interested in helping me with some Ideas, PM me.

Peace be with all of You My U-Hall Friends and Family

Caesar
 
C

Connor_Graham

Guest
*orders up the usual coffee*

Congrats on the sale. For you house the best way to start is to think about functionality first, then form. Are you going to be crafting, such as Smithing or Tailoring? If so, you'll want to plan a workshop including storage. Do you want it to be like a RL house with bedrooms and such? Do you need a kitchen for Cooking? Once you get the functionality put in the way you want, the rest kind of falls into place.

There's a pic of my house in the Homes & Castles forum along with many others if you'd like some ideas.
 

Nine Dark Moons

Certifiable
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
agreed - it has taken me about 3 years to get my house design perfected. i have tried out all kinds of different designs. i usually start with the floor, then add walls (with or without windows), then maybe a few archways (i prefer arches to doors you have to open and close).

i have a large work room on one side of my bottom floor for my crafter, and a smaller work room for my scribe. and a garden too, since i love my rubble and flowers. i have a bedroom and a "study" on the 2nd floor. 3rd floor has my evil room with blood and all that good stuff, as well as a patio to display my collections of cool things. the roof is pretty small and only has a black and white rubble garden for decoration :)

i have an 18x18, i love having the room to fool around with different designs. the homes and castles forum is awesome for getting advice, and for seeing pics of what other people have done. some people are so damn creative :)

and congrats on the neon box sale!!!
 

Schuyler Bain

Lore Master
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
*Pours some fresh java and picks up a pumpernickel bagel and plain schmear*

Thanks Caesar and Congratulations on the gold!

I love playing around with a custom home. I find that I typically create the outer walls first. I also like to get creative with the outer design so as not to end up with a 2 or 3 story block. I have even been known to pullout an old fashioned pencil and pad of paper to come up with designs. When it comes to stairs and doors I am a nut about how they affect the room above and below as well as the direction the doors swing open and close. I'd be happy to show you my current design in game and chat about some design ideas if you like.

Happy New Year (early) to you and yours my friend!

*walks back to his office*
 

CaesarDoP

Journeyman
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
*Pours some fresh java and picks up a pumpernickel bagel and plain schmear*

Thanks Caesar and Congratulations on the gold!

I love playing around with a custom home. I find that I typically create the outer walls first. I also like to get creative with the outer design so as not to end up with a 2 or 3 story block. I have even been known to pullout an old fashioned pencil and pad of paper to come up with designs. When it comes to stairs and doors I am a nut about how they affect the room above and below as well as the direction the doors swing open and close. I'd be happy to show you my current design in game and chat about some design ideas if you like.

Happy New Year (early) to you and yours my friend!

*walks back to his office*
Thanks every one, Yes, Receiving the NEON Box was a Great Suprize, as I was wondering how I would pay for the house.

As for the type, I only have One Char that I play, I do not have a Crafter, So no need for a Forge or any of the other stuff. I guess I could creat one, Heay that's an idea, maybe I'll start some new Chars.

Ok Now if I only knew how to get my New chars to the house... Ah more for me to think about .

Thanks again guys, Peace be with all of You.

Caesar
 
C

Connor_Graham

Guest
I'd strongly suggest starting up at least one crafter with Smithing, Tailoring, and since you have an archer as your main character now, Bowyer/Fletcher. This way you'd have a support character to repair your gear and enhance loot that you find so you can improve your armor as you go without having to worry about trying to find someone to do your enhancing for you. When I first started playing UO, I built my dexxer Connor first, then started my first crafter after bugging friends for the umpteenth time to enhance loot that I'd come across. It pays off in the long run, especially the Smithing, as you can work Bods for the PoF that you'll inevitably need.
 

Elixar

Sage
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Perhaps I am ignorant, but are the neon boxes that rare? I have 9 and I only pulled about 60 off of chars. Did I just get really lucky? I only got one repeat Neon two, the rest are all different from one another. I would be surprised if I had that much gold locked down in my house.

As to the house design, I would like to suggest a few things not often implented in today's house design. Tricks and Traps. If you have a large house and alot of house decoration, think about how different house decoration items can be used in conjunction with house design. For instance, I made a maze out of the third floor of an 18 by 18 and made holes in the floor that dropped in to cages on the second floor. I covered the holes with different walkthru-type shrubs and decos, and I used non walkthru items like old-school potted plants to frustrate them in there quest. I made it so that only one route thru would work. At the end I had a box open to everyone, and I often kept it stocked with mid range items and gold checks just to reward the diligent.

Other ideas: Have alot of monster statues? Use the Dungeon Floor Tiles and create your own dungeon, including monster spawn. With the evil furniture and the Coffin and stuff that came from the heritage tokens you can make a pretty sick dungeon in the top tower! I suggest looking for the full body parts that fell during halloween, they are the best for that real gore effect.

*Hoping Beyond Hope That Neon Boxes Aren't Common On Pacific!"
 

Phaen Grey

Lore Master
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
*stumbles in groggily and picks up a coffee and a raisin bran muffin*

Gratz on the sale, I have taken design ideas from real life architecture. I see something I like and try to repeat it with the tools in game. I would love to see some kind of dome included with SA but that's a pipe dream I know.
 

CaesarDoP

Journeyman
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Perhaps I am ignorant, but are the neon boxes that rare? I have 9 and I only pulled about 60 off of chars. Did I just get really lucky? I only got one repeat Neon two, the rest are all different from one another. I would be surprised if I had that much gold locked down in my house.

As to the house design, I would like to suggest a few things not often implented in today's house design. Tricks and Traps. If you have a large house and alot of house decoration, think about how different house decoration items can be used in conjunction with house design. For instance, I made a maze out of the third floor of an 18 by 18 and made holes in the floor that dropped in to cages on the second floor. I covered the holes with different walkthru-type shrubs and decos, and I used non walkthru items like old-school potted plants to frustrate them in there quest. I made it so that only one route thru would work. At the end I had a box open to everyone, and I often kept it stocked with mid range items and gold checks just to reward the diligent.

Other ideas: Have alot of monster statues? Use the Dungeon Floor Tiles and create your own dungeon, including monster spawn. With the evil furniture and the Coffin and stuff that came from the heritage tokens you can make a pretty sick dungeon in the top tower! I suggest looking for the full body parts that fell during halloween, they are the best for that real gore effect.

*Hoping Beyond Hope That Neon Boxes Aren't Common On Pacific!"
Not sure how rare they are, but by your numbers, you got about 15%. In my case, I only had 2 chars and I got one, so I am @ 50%.

I have not seen them on any vendors, But I have seen them being sold at the Luna bank on GL. I may just have been lucky and some rich player wanted to help me out. Oh well I like your Ideas about Traps. Thanks for the Impute

Peace be with you Elixar
Caesar
 

Maplestone

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
I'm not sure how rare they are either, but here's another random data point for your calculations: 24 characters on my home shard and a scattering of placeholders elsewhere: no boxes that looked bright or unusual.

*finishes up end-of-year stuff, gets ready to start setting the new year priorities*
 

DevilsOwn

Stratics Legend
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Caesar, you can also go to test shard, find a spot the same size and build and rebuild to your hearts content... there's more than enough gp given to you on test center to play around with any number of designs, commit and demolish over and over again... I keep two plots there just for that purpose

fair warning, housing is one of the stronger addictions in these lands ;)
 
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