If housing would have been implemented correctly in the first place, this wouldn't even need to be a thing. :P
Printable View
If housing would have been implemented correctly in the first place, this wouldn't even need to be a thing. :P
I can't blame SE for taking a risk and trying something different. The neighborhood idea is a good concept that would have worked if the demand for housing was primarily from FCs instead of individual players.
The increasing popularity of the game at this late stage in the game's life cycle only made the problem worse.
Or they can keep it disabled forever and fix how they handle housing and instancing from the ground-up. If they would just spend time on it, they have amazing developers (world class) who could rectify the system so that everyone can get a house if they desire without any overhead and perhaps require less server resources than there is right now.
The problem is we are not only dealing with Covid. Specifically speaking for the United States, you have had massive wildfires on the West coast from the southern most parts of California all the way into British Columbia in Canada that have displaced a large number of residents. You've had some pretty nasty hurricanes and tropical storms that have hit the South East US, specially parts of Louisiana were hit very hard by hurricane Laura where some cities still do not have power because their electrical grid got effectively destroyed.
While I agree demolition should be turned on again eventually, now is not the time to turn it on.
There's usually some situation going on in some part of the world that's affecting people in a manner that obstructs them from playing the game for an extended period of time.
Where does the line get drawn for when it's okay for demolition to be active and when it's not?
For how long should someone be allowed to retain their house without an active subscription before SE has to acknowledge "this player likely won't be returning and another player should have use of the plot"?
How many players are taking advantage of the blanket suspension to avoid paying a sub to keep their house even though there is nothing preventing them from playing, which in turn is locking out players who are active and paying their sub from having access to a house?
How do the 2 numbers compare - those genuinely impacted and unable to play versus those who could be playing but choose not to and have no risk to worry about?
Back to "this discussion wouldn't be necessary if SE had implemented a proper instanced housing system similar to one in other MMOs".
It's not really that different. Archeage, released in 2013, with contestable open world housing, and a demolition timer. Landmark (voxel building game) did it, with payment in Tin (from memory). Secondlife has open world housing, but that's paid for with real dollars (up to hundreds a month). There are more with open world, non-instanced housing, all predating FFXIV's housing.
The issues are clear in all these games, from fighting over plots, to the equivalent of Piassa houses topped with brightly glowing carbunkle ears littering the landscape.
https://i.redd.it/9di2mig70ct21.png
I would say change the to current pricing if your buying it as an FC and Orginal pricing for private housing.