As the title suggests, I am proposing a new type of deco that renders invisible in any mode except when laying down decorations. To explain...

In attempting to decorate the Manaan Stronghold, I am struggling to fill the last 150 items needed without making the house look like an episode of Hoarders. This has been a common problem in all the strongholds I have decorated up until now, but Manaan really made it apparent. As of now, I am nesting decos inside of other decos and doing the best I can to disguise the clutter that ruins the sleek aesthetic of many Strongholds. And while I know that we no longer need to have our strongholds at 100%, I still like to complete them for the sense of fun and satisfaction it affords.

So in lieu of retooling stronghold layouts....why not a new deco type? It would need to be one that fits on most hook types and surfaces, that doesn't show up in any mode other than when the stronghold owner is in edit mode, and is there solely to contribute to item count. This single deco would need the functionality of being able to be placed on floor, wall, and ceiling hooks....and on all small, medium, and narrow hook sizes in order to maximize its effectiveness. In order for the stronghold owner to find and add/remove these decos, they would have an appearance only in edit mode. This appearance could be anything from a floor level ball of gold light, a column of gold similar to a flooring hook, or simply a box. Additionally, I foresee Stronghold owners needing a LOT of these items and therefore think that it should be sold on a common vendor for credits...as apposed to a pack item or tied to a reputation.

With this option, we can show off the decorations we want our visitors to see while preserving the look and feel we intend. Thank you for your consideration.

As you said, you don't "need" to have 100%. Personally, I'd rather go for aesthetics than 100%. Other than the fact that some people may mistakenly think your SH is unfinished, there's no real need to get to 100%, especially if the SH is not open to visitors.

With invisible decos, some SHs would end up "100%, but empty". 🤔

But, one way to fill up your SH without it looking too cluttered is to use personnel, companions, and pets to add some atmosphere. A bar/party area with some groups of people standing around, can use up some %. 🙂

As you said, you don't "need" to have 100%. Personally, I'd rather go for aesthetics than 100%. Other than the fact that some people may mistakenly think your SH is unfinished, there's no real need to get to 100%, especially if the SH is not open to visitors.

 

With invisible decos, some SHs would end up "100%, but empty". 🤔

 

But, one way to fill up your SH without it looking too cluttered is to use personnel, companions, and pets to add some atmosphere. A bar/party area with some groups of people standing around, can use up some %. 🙂

Indeed you are correct...and I have built many atmosphere areas stocked with companions for that "lived-in" feel. However, there are only so many of them you can place. In larger homes, you have to resort to some creative deco stacking to make it work. And to reply to your example of an empty house...someone who is inclined to do such a thing can already do that with basic chairs. No one decorates for a conquest bonus anymore, so item counts are unimportant to anyone but people who like to complete stuff(like me). My intention was to provide a way to accomplish this without resorting to filling it up with decos you don't want and sacrificing style. But thanks for your input.

I completely understand your point, but I would propose something different. I'd rather they get rid of the completion percentage and instead implement a completed checkbox. For example, my Coruscant stronghold is complete, as far as I am concerned, but it's only ~45% complete according to the current metric. I wanted a real apartment, not some penthouse McMansion, so I used one of the wall decos to block off the hall on the first floor so the entire stronghold now consists of the three starter rooms and part of the hall up to just before the doors to the stairs to the second floor. The stronghold is complete but you wouldn't know it from looking at the public listing. I could fill the upstairs with meat trees and push my listing up, but I'd rather have a way to mark that the stronghold is complete so the listing is based on my prestige rather than my indoor meat tree farm. Most of my strongholds are complete but have less than 100% completion for the same reason as you; putting anything more would make it look cluttered. Obviously, there would be people who abuse the system just like there are people who will publicly list a stronghold filled with chairs or meat trees. My proposal isn't going to do anything about those people, but it would make it easier for decorators like you and I who have a completed stronghold that isn't filled to 100% capacity.

Honestly, I'd like to see the prestige system go, as well, I'm just now sure what to replace it with. I've seen vote systems proposed in the past, but I don't think visiting public strongholds is as much of a thing as it used to be, unfortunately.