Congratulations to the additional wards in 5.1!...

...and the 720 companies which may luck themselves into them.

I'm split on Mateus and Balmung as my home worlds, they are names that have become synonymous to roleplay; of the years since release there are still companies fighting for homes. I'll use Mateus just as an example.

The one problem addressed which is appreciated is setting Free Company Only restrictions upon the additional 3 wards, however with an estimated over 4000 free companies on Mateus alone, maybe more, added with the exceeding amount of players, exactly what did these additions do?

In a scenario where only free companies were allowed estates, perhaps this could have been the answer to a prayer, but due to individual purchases, that's pitting four thousand companies against the tens of thousands. (To give people a rough idea of population, you can't even get through 1000 people on a Mateus character lookup and finish "Aa")

This average unfortunately includes all the bots with companies as the botting problem has yet to be aggressively addressed.

This also does not address the outrageous off-client scalping and black market realty which they are aware exists.

What some players don't know is that the care for this issue is little if existent. Since the introduction of apartments, if we consider 198 apartments per ward stretched across the soon to be 21 wards across the four current locales, the response is always "but apartments exist" which, ironically, if everyone bought an apartment it still wouldn't accommodate the home world populations. If this is always going to be the response, why not just give the instanced housing? Discontinuing wards and moving to that model would not only be far more lucrative, it would address the demand, slow the scalping and back alley dealings, and be easier to make greater if need be.

I would not believe those in power who charge over housing would think that the rectification of such an oversight is the equivalent of a tiny bandage on a gaping wound. I think the statement at the end of the LiveLetter, "We will evaluate the housing market and decide when to remove the restriction on sales to individuals" is a slap in the face to the community which knows that even with free companies the demand will be considerably exorbitant. Whether it be instanced housing or otherwise I would have preferred these issues be addressed rather than seeing players camp for a chance on a chance, elbowing and clawing their way to placards...again.

Considering that FCs are the most exploited for house flipping and bots vs player housing, I wonder why they did it that way.
Ah well, hopefully the houses get snapped up by proper FCs.

They did it last time. When there was a ward expansion, FCs got first pick. I don't know about Bal or Mateus, but in Zalera, it took weeks for the single ward I got my FC house in to fill up. Granted, it was Goblet, but still. That might be what they look at.

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Originally Posted by Kidria

They did it last time. When there was a ward expansion, FCs got first pick. I don't know about Bal or Mateus, but in Zalera, it took weeks for the single ward I got my FC house in to fill up. Granted, it was Goblet, but still. That might be what they look at.

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Not a single server ever got capped on houses by the time the moratorium on personal house purchases was lifted during patch 4.2

Hyperion was filled in less than 10 minutes when they released Shirogane. I expect the same bloodbath when this gets released.

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Originally Posted by Greyhawk

I expect the same bloodbath when this gets released.

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May the odds be ever in your favor.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Greyhawk

Hyperion was filled in less than 10 minutes when they released Shirogane. I expect the same bloodbath when this gets released.

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When they opened Shirogane all players were able to purchase, not just FCs. It's not the FCs that filled up Shirogane. It was the individual players who were buying/relocating.

With this being limited to relocation and FC purchases at first, there will be open plots still available when they remove the restriction on most if not all worlds.

Just gonna throw this out there...

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...58/unknown.png

My ward near the end of the FC only period last time they added plots.

https://i.imgur.com/62XhPvi.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Kkd5xfU.jpg

Either there weren't as many FCs really looking for houses as they thought, or all the FCs were Mansion or bust. I'm sure there will be plenty of plots for individuals available after the FC only period this time as well.

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Originally Posted by Alyanna_Elingval

Either there weren't as many FCs really looking for houses as they thought, or all the FCs were Mansion or bust. I'm sure there will be plenty of plots for individuals available after the FC only period this time as well.

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I doubt it's an issue of thinking more FC are trying to get a house than really are. They just want to make certain FCs have a reasonable opportunity get a house first if they want one. A FC house is generally serving more players than an individual house that's limited to owner plus 3 tenants.