Plot Purchasing: You are KILING the Player Experience - Summary

In summary, if you care about the player experience AT ALL, you need to change this trashy invisible random lockout timer that just causes a swarm of players to gather in herds and waste hours NOT playing the game, only for all-but-one-of-them to end up frustrated and disappointed. Do you want disappointed players? If yes, continue this nonsense and change the housing NPC's text dialogue as mentioned before. If not, then make changes QUICKLY! I recommend this change: When a property is abandond or otherwise vacated for whatever reason.... use your random lockout timer. However, during the time of this random lockout timer, display the property in orange on the residential list with the word "transferrable" on it. After the random lock out timer expires, change the test to white and show the listing price. Then allow the very first person who touches that placard and selects "purchase" the rights to purchase that plot. That way it still truly is "first come first serve" and people will only be able to get angry with themselves for missing the moment that "transferable" property went for sale. People won't be able to get angry at the game or Square Enix because there is a TRANSPARENT and obvious system in place for purchasing a plot. People send their precious hours not camping in front of a sign but actually PLAYING THE GAME. A major win for you guys, if you have any faith in your content.

I truly hope you heed this advice and implement these changes BEFORE I finish up with Heavensward. Because with how I'm feeling now, once that is done, I'm done with Final Fantasy XIV for good. I have no interest in buying any more content for this game when the BIG, MAJOR goal I have worked so hard for is so difficult, frustrating, and time consuming (in the form of camping out in front of a property for 30 minutes - 22 hours) to obtain.

I said houses should be auctioned earlier. I imagine it would be less frustrating to compete against other players than against an invisible timer. And use the game time doing something meaningful and getting gil for that house. Even if that small was 6 million or even 10 million instead of 3. If they would be too expensive, there needs to be more of them. If they're too cheap, well you can have a minimum price. That is just my opinion. Sitting next to a placard clicking away against a timer is not playing the game.

The only problem I have with the lotto concept is that it involves next to no effort on the player to get the house. It would be no different than buying the weekly lotto tickets from GS. There needs to be some action on behalf of the player to actually look for a house. With the lotto concept you'd have a TON of players who are indifferent to home ownership entering the lotto just b/c they can.

Let me explain it this way. Assume we rank players on a scale of 1 - 10 with 1 = player doesn't care about home ownership and 10 = player is willing to sacrfice livestock for a house. With the lotto system you'd probably have all players who are at a 3 or higher buying lotto tickets just b/c they is easy and is little effort. However, it's probably only players at an 8 or higher that are interested enough to go through all the community tabs in each of the separate cities to look for homes for sale. This method increases their chances of getting a home.

And the reason I'm ok with the random lockout timer is b/c it gives current home owners an opportunity to get closer to a location they desire. It makes home ownership a tiered process that doesn't just end with getting your first house. So tier 1 would be getting your foot in thr door on home ownership and tier 2 would be getting to live in the district you want to live in. And, like with getting the home, this process is only going to reward those who want it bad enough to look for it. With a random 1 - 22 hour timer, if they aren't looking they're going to miss their chance to transfer.

I just want that time to read as "transferrable" and NOT show a listing price since the land can't be technically purchased at that time. Now, I know that players who are at a 10 will probably camp out on transferrable properties anyways. But the vast majority of us aren't at a 10. Let them waste their time and experience their frustration if they lose. If they want it THAT BAD they'll get their reward ahead of someone like me, who is at a 9. And I won't miss a thing b/c the 10s will have the land purchased so quickly that I won't even know it was for sale. All I care about, as a 9, is that if I'm looking and I see a price, I want to know I can walk up to that placard and buy the freaking land on a first come first served basis, as the game states it's supposed to be. If the land isn't available for sale then I want to play the game, not standing around waiting. I'm not at 10! I value my time too much. Lol

And while writing this I just thought of a better idea! While the property is only transferrable, ONLY let the current home owners see that. Let everyone else see the old estate information in its place. That would put all the 8s and 9s on a level playing field with the 10s (since they won't know the land will be coming up for sale). This would also keep players who transfer safe from harassment for transfering. THIS would be better!

Why does housing seem to be so bloomin important? I really dont get it. an FC having a house is good enough why does everyone think they need a time and gil sink ?

because housing is seen as a status symbol.

Nah. Maybe to some, but I could care less about status. It's important to me b/c it's something big to achieve and I like to achieve big goals (hence my doctorate, as an example). Plus I like to decorate the outside to my liking. The whole building and decorating is something I enjoy. In fact, I had ALL the disciple of hand AND land jobs to level 50 well before I got a single disciple of war to level 50. Lol. Also, I like the gardening and trying to crossbreed all the special/hidden seeds. I'd like to have a large garden or 2 all to myself. In my FC I had to earn a promotion before I was even able to use their garden. Well... I say earn... But I just asked... And they complied b/c they're so nice! Lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kidalutz

Why does housing seem to be so bloomin important? I really dont get it. an FC having a house is good enough why does everyone think they need a time and gil sink ?

---

For roleplayers, it's opportunity. For hobbyists, its fun.Have you seen housingsnap? It can be seen as status for some, but some people, like myself, want to use what the game gives to make all kinds of structures and ideas.

Sometimes restrictions add to the challenge. I could go to minecraft or sims and do whatever I want, but I'll still want to see what kind of amazing space I can come up with in 300 pieces or less using XIV's mansions and house rooms.

Best just would be to add more wards. I mean, why not? What harm does it do to let more people to buy houses?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kickoff

Best just would be to add more wards. I mean, why not? What harm does it do to let more people to buy houses?

---

On bigger worlds, those plots will be filled. Great, a good several dozen people get houses. But that does not eliminate Medium and Large scarcity, which people with smalls will instantly relocate to, and people itching to sell on the housing reddit.

It's toilet tissue on a gaping wound for larger worlds, and heart surgery for heartburn on smaller ones.

The game would have to be Final Housing XIV to accommodate every single player who wants a house. And many of them wont be happy till they get their dream plots.