EDIT: Forgive the wall of text, I got too into the idea and typed it out in great detail :P
So, we all know construction is coming soon. If memory serves me right, we pretty much just get to choose from pre-designed structures to build. While I guess this is alright for now, I can't say I wouldn't be disappointed if no more depth was ever added to the construction system. I just think that limiting players to building the same structures as everyone else doesn't really go along with the general feel of freedom that the game gives you otherwise.
Maybe you could have this be when (going with the lore) we make 'technological advances'. That way the devs would have plenty of time to iron out the kinks. It seems like such a system I will describe below would take months, maybe even a full year to develop. This would be perfectly fine because like I said, it would kinda go along with the advances in technology aspect of the lore.
Forgive the reference to a shitty game, but take a look at the Sims. In that game, you can build your house however you want. You can make it any dimensions you please (as long as it fit in your lot), add a second or even third floor if you had the money, etc. I would hope to see freedom in building design later on in Xsyon. Here's my idea of how it would work:
First off, lets pretend your tribe has allotted you a certain size plot of land within city limits to build your house/shop. You go and right click on the lot (only you would be able to do this because this particular plot was assigned to you) and click something like Begin Design. You then would design your building by placing walls and floors down where you see fit (not sure exactly how this would work). A low level architect would only have basic components they would be able to place in a building, but as he/she leveled up, they would be able to place more advanced things such as stairs, a counter, a locked storage unit, etc. Now, once you click Submit, it wouldn't just appear out of nowhere. You would then get a screen telling you what resources you would need to put into the building to complete it based on your design. Lets say just for the sake of this conversation that you make a simple square 1 room house that requires 25 logs (for the walls and roof) and 25 boards (for the floor). The architect would then bring a single log over and "put" it into the building. They would get a timed bar at the bottom (just like when crafting other items) that once depleted, the resource would then be "in" the building. (EDIT: Maybe within this window, you could have a tab for each component that you placed in the house--the roof, walls, stairs, window, etc, each with its own required resources). I would imagine that putting each piece of resource into a building would take a longer period of time than simply putting a weapon together. Each resource added, depending on the complexity, would raise the architect's skill. This would be how they would level up their construction skill.
Back to the more advanced components idea. Maybe early on the architect would only be able to build log cabin type buildings (think Lincoln Logs) that would require much more resources, but once they leveled up their skill enough, they could then build actual flat walls out of boards/metal sheets like you see in normal buildings that will be much more efficient in terms of resources used. Maybe we could be able to scavenge in junk piles for glass to use as windows?
Oh, and you could also have a toolcrafter and woodworker fashion you a door. The woodworker could fashion the door out of wooden boards and the toolcrafter would make the lock & handle and put it all together. The toolcrafter could then make you a set of keys you could hand out specific to the lock they just made for you (this would be your way of setting permissions to enter the building).
What do you guys think? I kind of just went on with my ideas so hopefully you guys understand where I was going with it all :P
