Player Housing

So, what are your opinions on player housing? I'm considering implementing it in my game and was wondering what the community thinks about it.

It may be a fun addition but what kind of game is it?

If it's battle heavy, that may not be relevant.

I added a custom house decorating feature to my game, where players can buy furniture for their house for small (not required for game completion) bonuses, and mostly for fun, and all of the feedback regarding it has been positive even if it doesn't have much to do with the story itself. (HOLY RUN-ON SENTENCE BATMAN!) I introduced it with a fun little side-quest and just left it at that. It helps that my game features an achievement system where you can get little extras for your house, which helps the players get more fun out of it.

PS: Some of the small bonuses I added were:

• Pantries, stoves, cupboards that yield free cooking and crafting supplies (Player can loot these once every few minutes for free stuff).
• The bed gives players a "rested" bonus that gives a large boost to exp in their next battle.
• Pets (these don't do anything, but having them is fun!)
• And a few other things here and there.

I personally like player housing regardless of the game type, it makes it feel...I guess more 'real' to me. Like you can properly get sucked into it. Long as the items aare either in a set place or stay where you put it, unlike the hours I spent decorating my skyrim house only to return and everything be on the floor >.o

My game is going to be open world, at least as much as I can make it so, like Skyrim.

Open world game is the perfect setting for player housing.

Yes, open world games need to feel alive and real.

Player housing is one those little touches that connects the player to the game's world.

Player housing is always a good option, I think, even if not useful they can be fun. Also they do help an open world setting a lot.

I feel like player housing is just a gimmick in most games, but that doesn't mean it can't be fun, nor does it mean there can't be significance.  Functionally, the ability to have a house/ secret base / whatever in the game world is just a free inn and maybe a place to store items.  After all, there's little benefit to interior decorating if you need to save the world.  Items for the player's home will also drain the player's funds, which they will of course need for equipment, potions, etc., so it's something a designer should be careful about.  

On the other hand, I think it's great when the player's "residence" can give back your investment.  The Rune Factory games, for example, allow you to have your own Harvest Moon style farm, and you earn money by selling your crops.  In some Dragon Quest games, you are able to start a town somewhere, and invite NPCs to move there.  Depending on your choices, your town can grow into farmland, a merchant hub, etc, and you will get access to new shops, treasure, etc.  I think that if the player invested in a house, it should provide and ample amount of services to them, so long as it's managed properly.