Topic

Staff Topic

New key system to share your home with friends

Remember how much you loooonged to have roommates in all those hard-earned homes, cottages, and tree houses? You had friends you wanted to be able to drop by whenever they felt like it (whether they were online or not), loved ones to share all of your possessions with, and appointed caretakers to feed and pamper your piggies while you were away.  

Well now, we've made all that possible. To share your home with others, all you need is to give 'em a key. It's pretty darn simple. You now have a keyring icon that lives to the left of your inventory. This is where alll of the magic happens: the keyring menu that will let you share a key with a friend (if you have a house) and view keys others have shared with you.

Anyone with a key to your house can (1) enter it at any time, and (2) have access to everything in your house (cabinets, gardens, etc), with the exception of icons.

To make the pilgrimage to a friends home you have a key to, you'll have the option of either setting it as a destination or teleporting right over.  

So try it out! Put down the proverbial welcome mat and let someone in. 

Posted 13 months ago by Blanky Subscriber! | Permalink

Replies

  • I think there should be a video surveillance system.  When anyone moves in your house other than you it begins to record.  If something goes missing you can review your recording. The recording could be in a log file with date and length of the recording.  Video surveillance could be a skill under Snapshotting 1.

    Proof of theft could be submitted to Glitchen Counsel for review.  

     
    Posted 13 months ago by Webbie Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Thank You to God, The Giants and the wonderful TS staff, 
    This is awesome something I thought was missing now when I tell my daughter I have stuff at my house for her she can go get it herself  :)
    and those with concerns, don't give your key out to anyone if you are afraid things will be missing,
    as was stated by crystaz "Seriously you wouldn't give a key to someone you don't know or trust 100%. Same in real life..If your friend /neighbour/family member that you trust is looking after your home while you go on holiday, you give them a key..you wouldn't be trying to lock everything to the floor before you left..LOL !!  "

    No one is forcing anyone to give out their key, it is an option that was requested by many and TS responded as such  :) Thank you again for this awesome feature
    Posted 13 months ago by Crazi Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! :D
    Posted 13 months ago by Fstra Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I've been anxiously awaiting this feature.  Thanks, devs!
    Posted 13 months ago by Homsar Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I just realized that we can put stuff that normally cannot be traded (my faded heart) inside a friend's closet and they can take it... was this planned?
    Posted 13 months ago by < This is me > Subscriber! | Permalink
  • This is WONDERFUL!

    One request, though: Could the keyring have an added function of holding your actual keys as well? Been dying for a special bag for them, to keep them from cluttering up my other bags (they've messy enough as it is!).
    Posted 13 months ago by Slappy Squirrel Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I thought cabinets were always off-limits to anyone but the owner of the house?
    Posted 13 months ago by TomC Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Hmmm.... Not really useful for me.
    But a welcome addition to a wonderful game nevertheless. :)
    Posted 13 months ago by SolidAqua Subscriber! | Permalink
  • TomC,

    That is true if you let someone in to your house to visit.  Gardens are off limits to visitors as well.

    But if you give someone a key, they have access to everything, including the cabinet and garden plots
    Posted 13 months ago by WindBorn Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Love it! But now cabinets need keys too. Not sure if I would give anyone a key with my cabinet wide open.
    Posted 13 months ago by Eye Wonder Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Oh, this is wonderful! Even just having this option, even if we're not the type to use it, is fantastic.  Thank you so much, TS!
    Posted 13 months ago by Tryvalen Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Is it using up a map teleport? Anyone? I know it was asked earlier in thread...
    Posted 13 months ago by snarkle Subscriber! | Permalink
  • AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Posted 13 months ago by Innie✿, Obviously Subscriber! | Permalink
  • +1 - Fantastic to finally be able to share our houses/etc!!
    Posted 13 months ago by BumbleBeez Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Love this!! TY!!

    I do have a question, tho - 
    Is it ok to let someone move in with you (like a permanent living arrangement) or would that be against the rules?
    Just wondering if, say, I gave one of my family members (who, of course, plays the game on a very limited playtime schedule) a key...could that family member be allowed to give up their house and move in with me?
    When this family member can play...we do so together (and have a blast!! lol) so we would be on at the same time (but rarely coz their schedules do not permit much time for game playing)
    Or would more than one account living in the same house be against the rules? (Thinking about the threads that talk about freeing up houses...this could help that situation, I would think?)
    Posted 13 months ago by sgjo Subscriber! | Permalink
  • There's nothing in the ToS or Community Guidelines against sharing houses and with the keyring it's now possible.
    Posted 13 months ago by Mal'akh Subscriber! | Permalink
  • LastChance, the deed would still be under your name but I don't think there is anything against having your family moving in.  It would be like letting your deadbeat cousin crash on the couch indefinitely.  Except maybe in this case, they can do some chores.
    Posted 13 months ago by Malus Agricola Subscriber! | Permalink
  • LMAO @ what Odracir just said!!

    I just want to be sure before having peeps move in with me and then find out that "oopsie...not allowed" and then they be homeless - being poked with a pointy stick after screwing up is never nice :D :P
    Posted 13 months ago by sgjo Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Also, unless they are dying for currants, there is no real need to sell their homes.  In fact, they could give you a key and you can have a summer home. 
    Posted 13 months ago by Malus Agricola Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I really like the keys, but I don't think other players should be able to take stuff from your house.
    Posted 13 months ago by Sludge Subscriber! | Permalink
  • If you get robbed by someone you trust, you should rethink whom you trust.  Also, small claims court.
    Posted 13 months ago by Malus Agricola Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I think I will wait to give out a key, until I know if I can revoke the key privilege if needed.  I'd like to be able to have my cabinet locked too. 
    Posted 13 months ago by Copper Moth Subscriber! | Permalink
  • thanks
    Posted 13 months ago by tiptronic Subscriber! | Permalink
  • love this, thanks TS . so cooolll ;)
    And like others , not to be un-grateful , but a keyring for door keys to seam streets and such would be awesome as they sure take up a lot of room .;)
    Thanks again ;)
    Posted 13 months ago by serenitycat Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Maybe the keyring could have an option on it whether you want to allow full on access to everything or partial access to your house - full on they could use everything while partial keeps them from removing things and getting into your cabinets.
    Posted 13 months ago by sgjo Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Thank you, thank you, thank you. Awesomely wonderlicious.
    Posted 13 months ago by Crispa Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Like the idea in general, but would prefer it if we could lock our cabinets - Just to guarantee we have one place where special possessions couldn't be taken from if a friend turned out not to be as trustworthy as we thought. 
    Posted 13 months ago by Lynnt Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Copper Moth: You can revoke the key. A Revoke action comes up on the key after you give it to someone.
    Posted 13 months ago by Little Miss Giggles Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @little miss giggles  so you have a list of who all you've given keys to? I feel a little better about giving them away, still would like to lock my cabinet.  :)
    Posted 13 months ago by Copper Moth Subscriber! | Permalink
  • When I saw this feature I was excited then I realized I have no one to give a key to. Oh well still a cool feature.
    Posted 13 months ago by koolaroo Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Omg, I love you guys! Thank you, thank you, thank you.......
    Posted 13 months ago by Gertie Mack Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Pretty genius idea, thanks!
    Posted 13 months ago by Muncey Mango Subscriber! | Permalink
  • That is awesome!  ...I totally do not trust my friends though.  If I give them a key they will take revenge for ... things.  *shifty look*
    Posted 13 months ago by Rathany Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Cabinet access control as an option is something we might well add at some point. Our goal for this first iteration was to do something that was pretty simple (interface-wise) and see how it goes from there.

    Regarding questions along the lines of "is it okay to have someone 'move in' with me?"... of course! That was one of the main reasons we did this!

    The only thing to be aware of is that there are slight differences between being an "owner" vs. a "keyholder" of a house. The main one is that only the house owner will receive "knocks" at the door and be able to answer them, and only the owner can give out new keys.
    Posted 13 months ago by hitherto Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Thanks for the official word hitherto!.

    ^_^
    Posted 13 months ago by Mal'akh Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Just to make sure things are completely clear, though... nothing about this feature changes the following community guideline... "Multiple accounts controlled by one person playing at the same time is not allowed" :)
    Posted 13 months ago by hitherto Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Very cool!!

    TY, hitherto!!
    Posted 13 months ago by sgjo Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @hitherto does that mean we are allowed to have another glitch as long as they arnt logged in at the same time? ive never really understood that guidline completely
    Posted 13 months ago by Clone Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Clone
    That's the current TS policy, you are allowed to have multiple accounts as long as none of them are online at the same time.
    Posted 13 months ago by Mal'akh Subscriber! | Permalink
  • it's a feature i don't anticipate using anytime soon, but i love it for the main reason that it's a thing a lot of people have asked for and it makes my heart glad to see the developers constantly changing things to make them better.

    that gives me the feeling this game is going to hold my attention for a long time.

    so thanks, devs.
    Posted 13 months ago by flask Subscriber! | Permalink
  • There is ONE thing that the devs should contemplate changing ASAP. Keys should be given only to online players to prevent abuse.

    Scenario 1 (courtesy of Lazy Cubimal)
    1 main with multiple alts sharing the main's house

    Scenario 2
    1 main, with mutiple alts with the main sharing the alts' houses.

    Both scenarios can be avoided by restricting the giving of the key only to online users since it's TS' policy to not have multiple accounts online at the same time.
    Posted 13 months ago by Mal'akh Subscriber! | Permalink
  • love it, really awesome :)
    I wonder how many times can we tp using keyring... and I don't care too much about cabinet (since my precious is outside anyway) but I'd like to measure keyholder followers guests, like some list with all the names of who visit the house or something like that (a guestlist maybe?). Whatever, this don't make much difference after you read lol
    Posted 13 months ago by acreditando Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Mal'akh,

    That doesn't solve anything, and it makes it difficult for those of us who want keys so that our friends who aren't online when we are can access our house.  

    If people are breaking the rules by having two accounts online at the same time, it is simple to give the key to the other account under your system.  

    For me, the main benefit is that I can send a key to a friend who doesn't usually play when I do.  Previously this involved laborious sending of single stacks of items at a time via the mail system.  Now my friend can simply come to my house and pick up the bag I've prepared for them.  Neither one of us ever need to be online at the same time.  

    People who cheat by having two alts online at the same time wouldn't have any problems at all meeting your requirement.

    People who cheat by "using bots, mules, or other hacks to gain significant and unfair advantage in the game" are already breaking the rules.  Forcing them to break another one isn't likely to stop them.
    Posted 13 months ago by WindBorn Subscriber! | Permalink
  • i don't think there's a problem with multiple alts sharing the same house as long as they're not online at the same time.

    if i had an alt, maybe i wouldn't want to use it to take up real estate.

    i think there's a grey area in the way terms are written so that if the staff think your alts are somehow giving you unfair gain, that's illegal but an alt may be used fairly and therefore allowed.

    i think if you used your alts to hog up  lot of real estate you'd be in violation, but we have some indicators that it is not considered illegal to have one alt/house for vegetable gardening and one for herb gardening.

    i also thought i saw a shadowy rumor thingy to the effect that people seen to be abusing this grey area are going to be out of luck.

    i also think that upcoming house customization will make this mostly moot.
    Posted 13 months ago by flask Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Windborn

    Cheaters will always cheat, but by restricting the giving of keys to online players the devs can better track cheating. I was one of those who loved, and still loves, the idea of keyrings, but I also dislike cheating. It's the simplest way I could think of to have the keyrings be of benefit without opening it up to rampant abuse.

    Sure it may be inconvenient for both parties to be online at the same time, but you only need to do it once.
    Posted 13 months ago by Mal'akh Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Yes this is a nice idea, but I think much too tempting for someone who isn't a VERY, good friend. It would just be great if everything in your home and yard can not be accessed by anyone but the owner.
    Posted 13 months ago by Princess Zircon Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I'm sure if the devs think that cheating is a problem, they have far more sophisticated tools to track it than simply noting  when two players are online.  

    If you see a player that appears to be cheating, just bring it to the attention of the devs so they can look into it.  
    Posted 13 months ago by WindBorn Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Copper Moth: Yup, there's a list of who you've given keys to! So you always know who has access, and you can always take that access away! Just make sure that it is someone you trust completely, since they will have access to your things. :)

    I am glad to hear that the option to restrict cabinet use may be added in the future. I figured it would be a possibility once the system got worn in a bit. :)  I don't have anyone I'd give a key to that I wouldn't trust with the contents of my cabinet, but I can see how some people might.
    Posted 13 months ago by Little Miss Giggles Subscriber! | Permalink
  • AwesomeRAWR!!!

    My 2 currants:
    I love it.  Finally I can pop into my brothers' place who isn't online all that often.  He was complaining that his butterflies died because he didn't sing to them enough; I can do the singing!

    The keyring would be ULTRA-cool if there was a third tab where you kept all of your colored keys to seam streets (red-purple square, purple-yellow triangle, etc)

    I think the default behaviour should be that the cabinet is locked for the person with the housekey.  If I have someone piggy sitting for me when I'm on vacation,  I may have no problem with them gardening, but I'd like to be able to keep all my stuff in the cabinet safe.  If I want to leave out any treats for them, I'd leave them in a bag on the floor.

    Also I don't really get how I can teleport directly into my brothers' house, but when I teleport to my own house, I'm outside the front door.

    Anyway, thanks devs for the addition!
    Posted 13 months ago by Awesomasaurus Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Do we have key collector badges?
    Posted 13 months ago by Utopia Subscriber! | Permalink