1.6 Update House Renovation Oddity? (Mild Spoilers)

[REtroGeekery]

With the new and improved farmhouse renovation system, does anyone else find it odd that the cellar wasn't added to the renovations list instead of remaining a separate house upgrade?
It doesn't have an in-game achievement attached to it like the first two upgrades. It also doesn't require any materials (just gold), the same as the other renovations. It isn't even the most expensive renovation/addition.
I guess the game would then need to be able to remove it, like the other renovations, but I think some players would actually like that option.

 

[FilthyGorilla]

I don’t really find it odd, there are a few main differences;
1. It’s not even on the same “map” in the first place and therefore wouldn’t fit the current placing scheme for upgrades.
2. Unlike the cellar, the expansions can be gotten rid of and you get your money back. Doesn’t really make sense for the cellar where you’re getting a recipe/items only usable in the cellar with the cellar.
3. The expansions aren’t needed so to speak, the cellar is necessary for perfection and has a set function and recipe that comes with it, it’s like the kitchen, should that also be an expansion? (Yes I know waivers exist, I ignore them for basically any reasonable comparison). Each of the house upgrades has one or more functions while the expansions are technically just extra space.
4. You get casks, would be weird to just keep toggling the cellar for free and getting infinite casks. If you remove the casks you lose part of what could help guide a new player. I know for sure that if there wasn’t a cask in the cellar I would have never tried crafting one or seeing what it is.

 

[REtroGeekery]

I don’t really find it odd, there are a few main differences;
1. It’s not even on the same “map” in the first place and therefore wouldn’t fit the current placing scheme for upgrades.
2. Unlike the cellar, the expansions can be gotten rid of and you get your money back. Doesn’t really make sense for the cellar where you’re getting a recipe/items only usable in the cellar with the cellar.
3. The expansions aren’t needed so to speak, the cellar is necessary for perfection and has a set function and recipe that comes with it, it’s like the kitchen, should that also be an expansion? (Yes I know waivers exist, I ignore them for basically any reasonable comparison). Each of the house upgrades has one or more functions while the expansions are technically just extra space.
4. You get casks, would be weird to just keep toggling the cellar for free and getting infinite casks. If you remove the casks you lose part of what could help guide a new player. I know for sure that if there wasn’t a cask in the cellar I would have never tried crafting one or seeing what it is.

1. That's a really good point. There wouldn't be a clear way to give it a vizual representatipn the way the other renovations do. That could confuse new players.
2. See original post.
3. See original post.
4. Well, you couldn't toggle it for free, as renovations come with fees and I assume it would cost the same amount. What if only the original build came stocked and there was a warning that all items inside would be destroyed upon removal? That way it couldt be abused for free casks?
It honestly never occured to me that someone would ignore a crafting blueprint if they weren't given an example of it. Most blueprints don't come with a free sample, so to speak. If it wouldn't occur to you to check it out, then there are probably others who are the same. That would be a concern, then.
Thanks for the thoughtful response. ^_^

 

[FilthyGorilla]

1. That's a really good point. There wouldn't be a clear way to give it a vizual representatipn the way the other renovations do. That could confuse new players.
2. See original post.
3. See original post.
4. Well, you couldn't toggle it for free, as renovations come with fees and I assume it would cost the same amount. What if only the original build came stocked and there was a warning that all items inside would be destroyed upon removal? That way it couldt be abused for free casks?
It honestly never occured to me that someone would ignore a crafting blueprint if they weren't given an example of it. Most blueprints don't come with a free sample, so to speak. If it wouldn't occur to you to check it out, then there are probably others who are the same. That would be a concern, then.
Thanks for the thoughtful response. ^_^

Yeah you can toggle it for “free”, all costs are refunded upon taking the expansion down. This would allow for infinite instant upgrades/downgrades with the only cost being an initial capital. Also while you’re right in saying most recipes don’t come with a sample, there is basically no indication of getting a new recipe for the cask unlike collecting one from Gunther or seeing in on the upgrade screen. You get very little info regarding it.

I also don’t see how your original point gave a preemptive answer to my third point

 

[REtroGeekery]

Yeah you can toggle it for “free”, all costs are refunded upon taking the expansion down. This would allow for infinite instant upgrades/downgrades with the only cost being an initial capital. Also while you’re right in saying most recipes don’t come with a sample, there is basically no indication of getting a new recipe for the cask unlike collecting one from Gunther or seeing in on the upgrade screen. You get very little info regarding it.

I also don’t see how your original point gave a preemptive answer to my third point

I see what you mean; there would be no additional cost as long as you kept the 100000 gold floating. But as long as only the intial purchase came with any benefit (casks), then it wouldn't really accomplish anything more or less than toggling the attic on and off. Or if there were no casks and the cask recipe came in the mail after building the cellar or an NPC showed up with it. Maybe Gus could give you one and a blueprint like Evelyn does with the garden pots? Then a deeper explanation could come with it than the one given when you buy the upgrade.

There is no acheivment direclty connected to the cellar as there is with the first two house upgrades. If you only get the cask recipe with a cellar and you don't get a cellar, then I assume the 'craft every recipe' bit would leave it out like it does the engagement ring from mulriplayer on a single player save. I've never paid that close attention to acheivments, tbh, so maybe thas not how it works.

 

[FilthyGorilla]

I see what you mean; there would be no additional cost as long as you kept the 100000 gold floating. But as long as only the intial purchase came with any benefit (casks), then it wouldn't really accomplish anything more or less than toggling the attic on and off. Or if there were no casks and the cask recipe came in the mail after building the cellar or an NPC showed up with it. Maybe Gus could give you one and a blueprint like Evelyn does with the garden pots? Then a deeper explanation could come with it than the one given when you buy the upgrade.

There is no acheivment direclty connected to the cellar as there is with the first two house upgrades. If you only get the cask recipe with a cellar and you don't get a cellar, then I assume the 'craft every recipe' bit would leave it out like it does the engagement ring from mulriplayer on a single player save. I've never paid that close attention to acheivments, tbh, so maybe thas not how it works.

Imo it feels weird to make so many of these exceptions to the rule just for something that isn’t even necessary. Making it so that the recipe isn’t needed, so that you only get casks the first time and then need to remove them before getting rid of the basement but then have useless casks….

It all feels like way too much effort for 0 benefit, there isn’t any tangible long term benefit in making the cellar a house renovation. (Maybe sure for the player its built a day faster or can be destroyed but that’s awfully niche/small, especially for something that take 2 months for its primary purpose of aging)

I personally also think a recipe is more important than an achievment in terms of what should define a game feature. Why not then just make everything an instant house renovation?
I think that it’s the house renovations that should change, everything else (besides magic buildings - and last I checked Robin isn’t magical) in the game takes time to upgrade, I think keep the ability to be refunded but add a small time cost to their construction with a preview of what it looks like, the same way requesting any other building would