What are the best NPC housing designs for pre-hardmode Terraria?
In pre-hardmode Terraria, designing effective NPC housing is crucial for managing your town and ensuring NPCs are happy, which can lead to discounts and other benefits. The NPC happiness system, introduced in the 1.4 update, means that NPCs have preferences for specific biomes and neighbors, and their happiness affects the prices of their goods. To create the best NPC housing designs for pre-hardmode, you need to consider biome preferences, neighbor preferences, and the basic requirements for housing.
First, let's discuss the basic mechanics of NPC housing. Each NPC requires a valid house to move in. A valid house must have walls, a light source, a flat surface item like a table or workbench, a comfort item like a chair, and a door or other entryway. The house must also be enclosed and have a certain amount of space. NPCs will not move into houses that are too small or lack any of these basic requirements.
To start, you should gather the necessary resources for building. Wood is the most common material for early-game housing, but you can use other materials like stone or bricks if you have them. You will also need torches for light, a workbench or table, and chairs. These items are easy to craft and can be made from wood. If you want to add some variety, you can use different types of furniture and walls to make the houses more visually appealing.
When designing your NPC housing, consider the biome preferences of each NPC. For example, the Guide prefers the Forest biome, while the Merchant prefers the Forest or Underground biomes. The Nurse prefers the Hallow biome, but since the Hallow is not available in pre-hardmode, you can place her in the Forest biome instead. The Demolitionist prefers the Underground biome, so you should build his house underground or near the entrance to a cave. The Arms Dealer prefers the Desert biome, so you can place his house in a desert area.
Neighbor preferences are also important. Some NPCs like certain neighbors and dislike others. For example, the Nurse likes the Arms Dealer and the Wizard, but she dislikes the Dryad. The Merchant likes the Golfer and the Nurse, but he dislikes the Tax Collector. You should arrange your houses so that NPCs who like each other are neighbors, and NPCs who dislike each other are separated. This will increase their happiness and lead to better prices.
A common mistake is placing too many NPCs in the same area without considering their preferences. This can lead to unhappy NPCs and higher prices. To avoid this, spread out your houses across different biomes and arrange them according to NPC preferences. Another mistake is building houses that are too small or lack basic requirements. Always make sure your houses meet the minimum size and have all the necessary items.
Advanced techniques include creating themed houses that match the NPC's preferences. For example, you can build a cozy wooden cabin for the Guide in the Forest biome, or a stone bunker for the Demolitionist in the Underground biome. You can also use different types of furniture and decorations to make the houses more unique. For example, you can use bookshelves and candles for the Wizard's house, or barrels and crates for the Merchant's house.
Resource requirements for building NPC housing are relatively low in pre-hardmode. You will need wood, stone, and other basic materials, which are easy to gather. You can also use furniture and decorations that you find while exploring. If you want to make your houses more elaborate, you can gather additional materials like glass, clay, and different types of wood.
Class and equipment considerations are not directly related to NPC housing, but having the right tools can make building easier. For example, a good pickaxe will help you gather stone and other materials faster, and a good axe will help you gather wood faster. You can also use platforms and ropes to create multi-level houses and make better use of space.
In summary, the best NPC housing designs for pre-hardmode Terraria involve considering biome and neighbor preferences, meeting basic housing requirements, and avoiding common mistakes. By spreading out your houses across different biomes and arranging them according to NPC preferences, you can create a happy and efficient town. Use different materials and decorations to make your houses unique, and gather the necessary resources to build them. With these strategies, you can create the best NPC housing designs for pre-hardmode Terraria.
First, let's discuss the basic mechanics of NPC housing. Each NPC requires a valid house to move in. A valid house must have walls, a light source, a flat surface item like a table or workbench, a comfort item like a chair, and a door or other entryway. The house must also be enclosed and have a certain amount of space. NPCs will not move into houses that are too small or lack any of these basic requirements.
To start, you should gather the necessary resources for building. Wood is the most common material for early-game housing, but you can use other materials like stone or bricks if you have them. You will also need torches for light, a workbench or table, and chairs. These items are easy to craft and can be made from wood. If you want to add some variety, you can use different types of furniture and walls to make the houses more visually appealing.
When designing your NPC housing, consider the biome preferences of each NPC. For example, the Guide prefers the Forest biome, while the Merchant prefers the Forest or Underground biomes. The Nurse prefers the Hallow biome, but since the Hallow is not available in pre-hardmode, you can place her in the Forest biome instead. The Demolitionist prefers the Underground biome, so you should build his house underground or near the entrance to a cave. The Arms Dealer prefers the Desert biome, so you can place his house in a desert area.
Neighbor preferences are also important. Some NPCs like certain neighbors and dislike others. For example, the Nurse likes the Arms Dealer and the Wizard, but she dislikes the Dryad. The Merchant likes the Golfer and the Nurse, but he dislikes the Tax Collector. You should arrange your houses so that NPCs who like each other are neighbors, and NPCs who dislike each other are separated. This will increase their happiness and lead to better prices.
A common mistake is placing too many NPCs in the same area without considering their preferences. This can lead to unhappy NPCs and higher prices. To avoid this, spread out your houses across different biomes and arrange them according to NPC preferences. Another mistake is building houses that are too small or lack basic requirements. Always make sure your houses meet the minimum size and have all the necessary items.
Advanced techniques include creating themed houses that match the NPC's preferences. For example, you can build a cozy wooden cabin for the Guide in the Forest biome, or a stone bunker for the Demolitionist in the Underground biome. You can also use different types of furniture and decorations to make the houses more unique. For example, you can use bookshelves and candles for the Wizard's house, or barrels and crates for the Merchant's house.
Resource requirements for building NPC housing are relatively low in pre-hardmode. You will need wood, stone, and other basic materials, which are easy to gather. You can also use furniture and decorations that you find while exploring. If you want to make your houses more elaborate, you can gather additional materials like glass, clay, and different types of wood.
Class and equipment considerations are not directly related to NPC housing, but having the right tools can make building easier. For example, a good pickaxe will help you gather stone and other materials faster, and a good axe will help you gather wood faster. You can also use platforms and ropes to create multi-level houses and make better use of space.
In summary, the best NPC housing designs for pre-hardmode Terraria involve considering biome and neighbor preferences, meeting basic housing requirements, and avoiding common mistakes. By spreading out your houses across different biomes and arranging them according to NPC preferences, you can create a happy and efficient town. Use different materials and decorations to make your houses unique, and gather the necessary resources to build them. With these strategies, you can create the best NPC housing designs for pre-hardmode Terraria.