You’ll eventually build up sprawling industries and a thriving economy in the new medieval city-builder indie Manor Lords, but before establishing that empire, you’ll need to construct places for its people to live. The Worker Camp new settlements start off with has space for five families, but it’s temporary, and the people in it will need permanent residences in the long-term. Until you make some, they’ll be assigned the “Homelessness” effect — a status that indicates they can’t join a militia force, will reduce your overall Approval rating, and freeze to death in the winter.
Homelessness can cripple progress in a sprouting town if you don’t take care of it quickly, so doing so is critical. Luckily, fixing Homelessness is pretty easy, and will only require a bit of Timber. The guide below goes over everything you need to know, so read on.
How to fix Homelessness in Manor Lords
To fix Homelessness, you’ll need to construct Burgage Plots, which are selectable in the Residential section of the Construction menu. These are Manor Lords’ residential zones where citizens can build a home for themselves, and similar to Marketplaces or Pastures, they’re Flexible Plots you can freely adjust the size of by changing their corners. Note that the first two points you select indicate which direction the homes built on the plots face; it’s best to have them facing roads so they’re connected to them.
While adjusting the size and position of Burgage Plots, icons that indicate what your serfs can or will build there will be visible. Here’s what each of those indicates:
- Large house: The main house on the property where one family can live.
- Small house w/ plus sign: An additional small home you can build on the property later. Has room for one family.
- Shed w/ hammer: A workshop addition you can build later. Depending on what you choose, these will either provide resources passively or convert the citizens on the plot into Artisans that create specialized goods.
Each individual Burgage Plot in a zone requires 2 Timber (as do living space expansions), so make sure you’ve got a Logging Camp built and manned before you start placing lots of them. Another thing important to note is that homes consume one Firewood per month, so have a Woodcutter’s Lodge up and running, too.
Eventually, as you progress further and get additional materials and resources, you’ll be able to upgrade Burgage Plots to Level 2, and then finally to Level 3. Like living space expansions, Level 3 Burgage plots add room for one additional family, which is another way you can deal with Homelessness in the mid-to-late game.
Manor Lords is finally here, and it’s fantastic. Without a doubt, it’s one of the best PC games of 2024 so far, and as I wrote in my review, a must-play for anyone who enjoys city-builders. It’s on sale until May 10 for 25% off, and it’s also playable through PC Game Pass (and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, by extension).
