Maybe it's because I've been playing too long, or I'm getting too old, or I'm just too cynical. Whatever the reason, I'm rarely taken aback by MMORPGs nowadays. Many of them are quite enjoyable, don't get me wrong, but it has been quite some time since I've had a "holy insert-expletive-of-your-choice-here" moment.

Last night, however, brought just such a moment (actually an hour's worth of moments) courtesy of the guild housing in EverQuest II. I've played nearly every game in the genre that features housing, and while Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies remain favorites for sentimental reasons, I have to say that EQII's guild halls make them look rather silly and ineffectual by way of comparison. It's not just the sheer scale (immense), but also the myriad ways that players are allowed to place items and build virtual spaces.

The screenshot above, an interior of the publicly-viewable Destiny guild hall on the Lucan D'Lere server, captures a small slice of the creativity on display in homes throughout Norrath. What about you Massively readers? Which game do you feel has the most impressive implementation of player or guild housing?

Source - Massively.

TH