Infinite problems require inifinite solutions

And thus came the collective sigh of disappointment across Etheriys. Thousands of heads dropping in expected unfulfillment.

While it may be quick and easy to throw the blame on the lottery system, it truly isn't at fault. It solved the issue of people clicking a placard for so many hours it became detrimental to their own health. There were always going to be 9/10 people who didn't get the house others coveted.

The Ishgardian housing became a firsthand experience for hundreds of players (at least) to be disappointed by the housing system firsthand. It became very obvious to me how dire the situation actually was, as I walked around, looking at placards stating anything from 4 to 20 participants. With only one person getting each plot, it's rather obvious that players want more. A lot more.

I've long pondered on the issue. Why would Square Enix be so opposed to adding more wards? Well,
1. Empty plots make a game look empty as a whole. If a game can be represented as empty, that's a deathstroke for most MMOs. The illusion of a dead game is likely to turn people away.
2. Server Space. I don't know what exactly is happening with server space in FFXIV, and it's a mystery to me. Glamour dresser limitations seem to be an indication of this as well.
3. Simply wanting it to be a limited thing for the sake of scarcity, although I can't guess why the heck they'd do that, considering that basically anyone could buy one if they have a minimum of 3mil gil.

It may be a mix of the 3, or just one. I have no way of knowing, but granted my knowledge of programming and server management is near 0, I still have to suggest a solution, as that is the only way to rid outselves of problems. By starting a discussion.

If there was to be added a new ward when every single other ward in that residential district was bought out, this would solve the problems thusly;

1. If every plot on every ward is bought out, save the most recent one, the game cannot seem empty. On the contrary, it will look busy, but still open to new players. They can still look forward to their own long-term goal of a house.
2. Server Space is an ever-present issue to every MMO everywhere, but other free-to-play MMOs have managed to make individual player housing available with no limitations. But a sub-to-play game like FFXIV will reasonably be held to the same, if not higher, standards. This is worsened with FFXIV being the biggest MMO currently. But also the game having such a high standard for all other corners of the game is not making the situation better.
3. Scarcity for the sake of scarcity needs to go, if this is the actual case. It does nothing but create resentment in those who do not get their own houses. For every one player feeling special, there are possibly hundreds sulking, and either just not having a good time, or actively annoyed.

To ignore the plight of those one might conceivably give housing is not wisdom - it is indolence.

It's 100% a combination of 2 and the unlisted option #4: they cannot fix the problem in a way that is satisfactory because it would require refactoring the entire housing system, and that is something they cannot justify the man-hours to do.

#5 "Safe an gain money" is the answer:

- Less servers = less costs

- Rare stuff with a bunch of restrictions
a) keeps players playing,
b) makes sure that they won´t drop their abonnement.

That said, a bunch of players will continue playing until their will is broken or they finally got that house. And while everyone knows how rare this content is, thousands of players will continue paying for their abonnement even if they don´t play especially in the contentlack-phases.

There is no other reason to keep such a system alive, to give a shit about instanced housing and the players enjoyment than money-making. It´s similar to all the other gamebinding-systems out there. You´ve farmed tons of gil, you invested a bunch of time to get the house / to decorate it, so of course you don´t wanna lose it since you might play the game again in 3 months. Those 40 days until your house will get wrecked are wisely chosen aswell.

Imagine how many millions SE would´ve lost without players continueing their sub because of their house, because it would taste really bitter to lose something you worked hard for in any game, and that only because you dropped the game for some months thx to lack of content or just other stuff to play. It´s bs.

All MMORPG`s want to keep their subs and this way is a prime-example to earn free money and to be like "The game is alive, look at our subs!".

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Originally Posted by Emerain

It's 100% a combination of 2 and the unlisted option #4: they cannot fix the problem in a way that is satisfactory because it would require refactoring the entire housing system, and that is something they cannot justify the man-hours to do.

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Do you think it really would have taken that many hours to revise the apartment system to house FCs and to allow players to choose size of interior when purchasing an apartment?

Don't forget housing interiors themselves are already instanced. If it works inside of a house, there's no reason why it can't work inside of an apartment. Not every player is trying to access intercross gardening or cares about outdoor furnishings since we're already so limited in that aspect. What they want is more room and higher item limits in interiors.

Just create pay wards and charge people $5 a month for a small, $10 for a medium and $20 for a large.
People will just fund the servers that way.

Club Penguin has a better housing system than this game.

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Originally Posted by Oizen

Club Penguin has a better housing system than this game.

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Rest in Peace Club Penguin OG

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Originally Posted by Masenko

Just create pay wards and charge people $5 a month for a small, $10 for a medium and $20 for a large.
People will just fund the servers that way.

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Like everyone's FFXIV sub, your account is always going to be there and ready for you to leap in-game because you have paid for your month. This would be the exact same case for the houses being on a sub-plan, so I have to say I would stir away from this idea.
This would mean they would be relinquishing the Demolition system; because people are paying to hold there plot at this point. This would mean people could go inactive for months...maybe years, and their plot is still on a sub plan and just sitting vacant because they're MIA doing who-knows what. They would have no concern of there plot getting demolished at that point..

I personally think a shorter demolition period would suffice, honestly.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Masenko

Just create pay wards and charge people $5 a month for a small, $10 for a medium and $20 for a large.

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After coming back to FF and trying to get a house every opportunity, Do this.

MORE SERVERS PLEASE :3