Summary
Tales of the Shireis a cozy game based in the world ofThe Lord of the Rings. One of the key draws is the customization, which allows players to customize their very own hobbit hole. This is a major feature ofTales of the Shire, and so needs to be fully integrated. This means that customization cannot be limited to just a couple of rooms in the hobbit hole and, rather, every room should be fully customizable.
As the first cozy game set in the world ofThe Lord of the Rings,Tales of the Shirewill allow players to create their own hobbit, farm, fish, cook, build relationships with members of the community of Bywater, and eventually grow their small village into a thriving hobbit community. Hobbits will be able to host dinners, brunches, and parties. As they increase their skills and expand their influence in the community, they’ll be able to upgrade their hobbit hole and garden. Customization is one of the most important parts ofTales of the Shire, and ensuring that hobbit holes can be customized top-down, rather than just a few bits and pieces, will give the game more replay value.
Fully Upgrading and Customizing a Hobbit Hole as Tales of the Shire’s Goal
Hobbits are depicted as enjoying comfort and luxury, and if they can afford to, they don’t skimp on getting the best comforts.Tales of the Shireneeds to lean into this by giving the player full control over their hobbit hole, including the ability to choose the type of rooms that go into the home, and what kind of furniture and decor goes into each one. Rooms with functional equipment, such as the kitchen, cellar, or even the garden, should also have fully specialized equipment for things like baking, cooking, or crafting.
Hobbit holes could begin as small homes with only one or two rooms with basic furniture. As players progress, they could choose to expand the hobbit hole, or upgrade the furniture or decor, eventually gaining enough resources to invest in both choices. After dozens of hours of gameplay,players could have beautiful, expansive hobbit holes, filled with customized decor, furniture, and crafting equipment. In addition, beyond the rooms in the hobbit hole, players should also be able to upgrade their hobbit’s garden beyond a few aesthetic choices.
Upgrading Homes Gives Replay Value for Tales of the Shire
Being able to customize the rooms and layout of the hobbit holes will not only mean more gameplay and value from the game, but it would also giveTales of the Shiremore replay value, and make each hobbit feel unique. Hobbits have strong personalities, and giving players a chance to show their hobbits' personalities through their home and decor could become one of the winning draws ofTales of the Shire.
Conversely, only being able to customize a few furniture elements in each room, or only a couple of rooms in the entire hobbit hole, would feel extremely limited, and would be a missed opportunity. AsTales of the Shireis a game centered on the homeand is about growing it into something more, to only be able to change a few things about it to reflect individual hobbits in each playthrough could make gameplay feel repetitive, with little incentive to play beyond a first playthrough.
