Rift Player Housing Envy

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Rift. The class selections and soul system were real highlights. I enjoyed the dynamic events and LOVED the questing areas. I found crafting lack luster and was one of the only games where my max level character didn’t max out her profession. That aside, I thought it would be quite a while before another game topped my time in Rift. 

Guild Wars 2 quickly dispelled that idea. Tyria, in and of itself, is stunningly beautiful and feels alive. I don’t know if it’s possible for me to embrace traditional questing again, where I have one and only one, avenue of completing quest objectives and leveling. Not to mention that it bumped my previous favorite class of all time, Rift’s Cleric, to second place. I love me some GW2 Guardian. She’s pure questing bliss. Solo or group, it doesn’t matter; I adore this class’ versatility.

I’ve been sitting at max level for quite some time now in GW2. For the most part, I’ve only played my Guardian. I have a level 6 Necro but can’t count her. Since hitting max level, I’ve been doing 5-mans here and there but mostly finishing out my professions which is rapidly coming to an end as well. I have no desire to farm for legendary anything and the long WvW queues are not conducive to my play schedules. I want to be in Tyria, I enjoy it so much but I don’t want to force myself to find things to do just cause. I need my grind-worthy content and carrots.

I’d always planned to return to Rift when they released an expansion. I wasn’t motivated by the fake levels post max. Ember Isle was gorgeous, no doubt but not enough to keep me subscribed. In comes player housing. OMG, on the magnitude of which I’ve never seen in any MMO, including my beloved EQ2’s housing system. Rift’s dimensions are player housing on steroids. It’s EQ2 housing + MineCraft + Second Life user content tools. This is the sort of grind worthy content I enjoy doing long after I’ve finished leveling. Hell, EQ2 crafting and housing kept me re-subscribing and purchasing EVERY SINGLE EXPANSION even after I decided I disliked the questing style and never got above adventure level 45. I focused on a carpenter character that stayed level 27 but near max crafting on her and the 45’s cooking profession.

I’m extremely envious of the amazing housing that’s going into Rift. As a Harvest Moon fan, I’m intrigued by the farms type housing recently introduced into WOW. Both of these are temptations to return to those respective games. What I really want however, is housing in GW2. I expect it’s coming. I just hope it’s sooner than later. The fact is, I’ve enjoyed GW2 content so much, and I don’t want to return to other games.

I thought I wanted to return to Rift for an expansion and I may at some point. But I’ve recently come to the realization that the very limited gaming time I have available right now, I prefer spending it in GW2. And I only think of other games, if I don’t have an immediate goal in GW2, otherwise, other MMOs are pretty much dead to me. That’s how much I’ve enjoyed Tyria.

We need player housing. Guildhalls? Whatevs – I could really care less. I want a time sink of my own! Cash Shop is perfect opportunity to make a buck on housing similar to the EQ2 Prestige houses. Free starter homes for new players, bigger ones for in-game gold and themed/specialty ones for gems. Hell, I haven’t played EQ2 for months and I went in and purchased the Hobbit Hole in Sony’s Cash Station. No clue when I’d have time to build out that whole island. I’d have to re-sub for a time just to have enough space to transport materials. Even still, I couldn’t resist having a Hobbit Hole of my own. GW2 please do something for player housing soon.