New troll focused on housing. They had started over in the Housing subforum, quickly got ignored by almost everyone there, then moved here to General Discussions where they get more attention.
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I find it funny that FFXI had an infinite number of 'apartments' (mog room), that could expand to two floors, and FFXIV is like HHHHHHNNNNNNNRRRRRRGGGggggGGGGGGG .... FWEH- have 500 more rooms guys ^_^; - w-what you want them to be BIGGgER? No, absolutely not- that's asking too much!
Instanced housing, apartments are absolutely not that. Maybe one might split hairs on definitions, but the intended meaning of the phrase is clear if you're sincerely paying attention. Although, even if they were able to meet 1:1 demand they're obviously hobbled in features. I think that is where, even if Island Sanctuary(s) are not instanced housing (which I doubt they will be), I think Island Sanctuary MIGHT make some people who really wanted a home happy because it will come with a different feature set and will very likely 'feel' like owning something substantial. The element of home, I think, has a decent chance of being realized with the system (though the other features of housing, like minute customization- not). Unlike an apartment with one little dinky room when you know people have multi-floored houses with a garden, it's a bit sad and feels like a consolation prize for coming in last or something. But an entire unique feature set (Island Sanctuary) with a large space and progression... I think it might just do in some situations.
Though, and said it a few times recently, I think it would be really smart to push the system further as soon as possible (if it's not already in plans). Including with the first push being just making sure players can build a house like place, for example if players can slap an inn room in their Island that has all the inn room functions. Then making apartments no longer have a physical sense where they grow/shrink to ALL demand (perhaps they can still have some association to location if SE really wants but that's not exceptionally important). Allow players to connect their inn room into the Island. Then upgrade the apartment system when possible (like FFXI, lol, having two floors, etc). If possible consider small amounts of outdoor housing objects to go along with the construction of large structures we already have heard will be a feature of the system. Even if it's like "25 outdoor slots" and like glamour slots making it larger over time. I think all of that would go a long way.
Personally I think I'd be fine with SE being my decorator if Island Sanctuary was mostly node and pre-fab interiors (hopefully there are interiors- especially if they consider something like pre-fab housing interiors with functionality, at least akin to an inn room... could literally be the inn rooms already in game with a 'magic door'), but I'm sure some people are going to really want to put down some finer details. I do really want a home base of operations, something I can generally customize and progress on which does seem to fit the bill. So for that I'm happy.
I also like those farm-y like content games, so I'm happy on that other level too. (Not everyone who has housing issues will be housing satisfied with Island Sanctuary but still might find Island Sanctuary fun, just to be clear I'm not claiming it'll be a panacea for all).
Yeeeehaa... :3
https://c.tenor.com/wBDWG1vzg-YAAAAd/josua-joshua.gif
It's not just the house pictured in the advertisement.
It's the lack of promotion of apartments at all whether in their public advertising or through the in-game content. Mentioning a room as an afterthought in an ad or burying mention of apartments several topics deep on a NPC that most players never talk to isn't promotion.
Apartments are not bad. They just are not as good as a house. They also have the added bonus of no demolition for those who are concerned about taking long breaks from the game.
What the game needs to be doing is promoting them. "Where the Heart is" quests shouldn't talk only about houses. They should talk about apartments being available to all, though some wealthy adventurers might get lucky enough to purchase a house.
Or better yet, add house plots to the instanced housing system. Imagine a ward where every plot placard was like the entrance to the apartment building but instead of leading into an apartment, it would lead into a house plot. The wards would see a lot more activity because instead of 30 owners sharing a huge area (but rarely being in that area at the same time), you could have 600 or more owners coming and going throughout the day. It would bring life to the ghost towns called wards.
Now you just need to actually win a lottery.