The Case for Instanced Housing

Don't make it like other games' instanced housing where each player has his own little private world that no one else can see unless they're in a party with the owner. They need to keep the neighborhood feel or existing housing but enhance it by eliminating the wards.

Each plot would have multiple owners, and you can select which owner's stuff to display via the placard. Your house will always appear on your lot by default, but you could still visit the other owners' properties via the placard.

The current system of one owner per plot results in the deserted neighborhoods we have now. With instanced plots, you'd have hundreds / thousands of residents in the same area.
When you're on your plot, others can still see it if selected, but they can't see you from the street. Once you leave, you're on the street with everyone else that's "outside"
Another advantage is that the house would no longer be a separate instance, so you could freely move in and out, and even have rooms open to the outside.

Since we are slightly on the subject of "what the developers have said about housing" I will just leave this here.

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...44#post1685344

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While I cannot give a specific date on when personal housing will be implemented, I can say that prices will be completely separate from free company housing, and, naturally, far more affordable.

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http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...-%2810-30-2013

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A: In older MMOs, such as Ultima Online, there was a house maintenance fee you had to pay weekly, but in FFXIV: ARR we decided against this system. Similarly, these older MMOs also had a system where your house would break down if you didn’t log in after a while in order to have you continue your subscription, but this is a thing of the past and we won't have any system like that.

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On original post topic:

We absolutely should have instanced housing. There is literally no reason why we shouldnt. They can keep their "neighborhood" feel for housing with the wards, and have personal housing for everyone else. Literally no reason why it cant be done. We're literally already over half way there with apartments and private chambers.

I've probably written near a small book and a few hundred posts on instanced housing... Just yes.

The node concept can work well for high level of upgrade-ability without too much memory concerns, and has some light hints of WoW Garrisons (with more customization on the house). Also if we /had/ to for memory reasons the node system could be used in a lighter format for things like pre-decorated setups like you might imagine housing in some sRPG (like in skyrim and you pick a theme). The super memory friendly option is what I suggested for airship content so that it could be loaded quickly and carried around with you in the wild, and could work well with people who already own houses (as well as be an option for people who want a home back just can't be bothered or don't feel skilled enough to decorate).

But really whatever, Dark Cloud, Garrisons, Node Based, Free form, Wild Star..

In sandbox games I feel limited housing makes more sense but with our super themepark super charged hero with a super magical game.... super feels bad, imo, that we've a system that, imo (again lol), feels like it has no belonging to the world it exists in. Even in the series as a whole it feels off, FF is such an 'extra' series, and yet here we are with our real estate simulator.

Also lol glad someone else sees the Azim Steppe feels like a great place for a house, I keep mentioning it but seems hardly one that gets attention. That and nice map ;)

(/hype I think this is my shortest post on housing xD)

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Originally Posted by Shougun

Also lol glad someone else sees the Azim Steppe feels like a great place for a house, I keep mentioning it but seems hardly one that gets attention. That and nice map ;)

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...I would immediately relinquish all 3 houses for a yurt on wide open plains. Or an airship like the Ivalice raid. Give me either and take all my money. Real money negotiable.

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Originally Posted by kaynide

Real money negotiable.

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Don't give them ideas :eek:

I would really love having my own personal floating island in the Sea of Clouds. Airship housing would be nice too so you can change the view when you feel it.

Low key, I would give up every plot I have across many different servers and characters if we were able to have an instance airship that one could keep even if they unsub.

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Originally Posted by Awha

Low key, I would give up every plot I have across many different servers and characters if we were able to have an instance airship that one could keep even if they unsub.

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YES!
But.......only if I could share it across my entire account, because seriously, what the actual F with this current situation.

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Originally Posted by kaynide

YES!
But.......only if I could share it across my entire account, because seriously, what the actual F with this current situation.

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Yes that would also be helpful a means of allowing alts to use the property would be most welcomed.

I can imagine a PSO2-style apartment with small outdoor section, or something like Bokairo's Inn room but being able to use that outdoor yard section as garden / limited outdoor furnishing area.

As revenue incentive, they could maybe put on the 45-day demolish time limit for these "extended apartments".

I for one would let go of my plot if apartments would let me garden. Maybe just on my server, but the housing zone is usually pretty dead social-wise.