FFXIV should take a note from SUIKODEN

[Risvertasashi]

My impression is that the dev team envisions something more or less like this for housing. Personally though, I'm a little bit in doubt of their ability to pull it off meaningfully (i.e. as more than just a gimmick or two).

And, well, housing in this game is its own messy ball of wax as is...

But all that aside, it would be pretty cool to have something like this.

[Felis]

What do you mean multiple versions? At some point in the story, they would move in.

One version.

So if anyone can persuade Yugi into moving in his castle, nobody else can have her? And everyone who have to talk to her for a quest have to go to the castle of that one player? ^^

[Risvertasashi]

So if anyone can talk Yugi into moving in his caste, nobody else can have her? And everyone who have to talk to her for a quest have to go to the castle of that one player? ^^

I don't think you understand. It's one version in your personal timeline. MMOs do this, as it wouldn't be very fun if only one person could do the main scenario quest (for example).

[Acyd]

Breath of Fire 2 did this back on SNES.

You find an old run down village. You start fixing it up, NPCs you find come live there, you can choose 3 different styles of architecture for the town, and all your characters you dont use kinda live there when not in your party. In the end if you did it right, the whole town could lift out of the ground, and you use it like an airship.

[HeavensSword]

And even though Suikoden did it way earlier, WoW fans would still say that FFXIV copied Garrisons if this feature were to be added.

[LystAP]

And even though Suikoden did it way earlier, WoW fans would still say that FFXIV copied Garrisons if this feature were to be added.

Well, going by the OP's description, it would essentially be a "Garrison".

[Nikita]

Well, going by the OP's description, it would essentially be a "Garrison".

Which in my opinion is pretty terrible since it cuts you of from the rest of the world by putting you in your own instance never to see another player again (mostly).

[Saseal]

Ahhh!! Suikodennnn! I love those games!!

YESSSS *Raises the Jowston Alliance flag*

or hells. *Raises the Merc group Bear.... Lion.... flag.... thing*

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Fair warning, a shitload of TL;DR -

Honestly, it would be nice, but there would be too much data in customization. I also think it would be messing with the storyline that they're crafting if you have NPCs moving in. If younotice, the NPCs move around depending on the part of the story you're on. One moment, Thancred, Yshtola and the others are hanging out - his another plot point in the story and they're gone or standing about elsewhere. Same with the more minor peeps like Haory and his buddy. I also wouldn't want to see multiple NPCs in random places - it kind of breaks immersion. I was finding myself looking for the guys in the Rising Stones/Waking Sands throughout the storyline and seeing where they moved to and said in relation to the events unfolding or have happened. It's subtle, but amusing. Also, you would have about a million Thancreds, Yshtolas and so on all over the place. Same with minor characters like Haory. As much as I'd want to horde some NPCs for something like my own castle, I don't think it's a good idea in immersion terms.
On the same vibe, I don't want to walk into some other player's castle to talk to NPCs I need. It still breaks storyline.

If the OP means a castle owned by ALL players, and not a single person (as in, having a large collaborative fight to free a stronghold, and not one FC or person will own it - just become a free agent castle that the NPCs techncially run.... thats different. That would have to be written into thier storyline.
Something like this could be a story trial or a weekly event. NPC run castle attacked by x enemy forces and needs the adventurers help defending (or raiding).

Which reminds me, I should try to find some of those other peeps after 3.5's storyline (trying not to give spoilers...) and see if SE snuck them in the background of some location.

As for the castles, if refering to multiple of them.... another option I'd love to have, but this is technically fulfilled by the housing.

In terms of freeing and occupying a castle that an FC or person would own - RO does something like this with the War of Emperium event every week. I'd only taken part in the earlier days of WoE with one of the major guilds so I don't know if it's changed much... - but, basically, there are territories of maps with several castles on the map. During the allotted WoE time period (2 hours on a set day if I remember correctly), the map you're transferred to once stepping in the 'door' to the castle is an entirely PVP map.
You have the current owners of the castle - and their alliance guilds - set up to defend their Emperium crystal at the center of the castle (which consist of several rooms and some are quite maze-like if you don't know the route) from both the 'courtyard' area (hunters traps, etc) or castle walls (snipers/wizzes, etc) and then the REAL test of defense in the emperium room itself.
Then, the invading guilds and their alliances trying to get through the defenses (Send in the vit tanks to rush the defenses, follow it up with FS vit priests, etc) and DPS down the giant Emperium. Once the Emperium is broken, the old castle owners are punted out and the new guild has to set up defenses (then the old owners can try to take it back) asap.
The catch and similarity is in the win - the guild who holds the castle by the end of the 2 hours owns the castle for the week and can reap the benefits of the guild treasure, economy and place to chill - as well as access to the castle dungeon (which only allows access to the occupying guild and alliances). Main towns in the regions (Payon, Prontera, Geffen, etc) display flags with the guild logos/names for which owns castles.
Then it starts all over again next week and guilds fight guilds for the castle and it's benefits.

Unfortunately, except for some unwanted castles, smaller guilds never stood a chance in hell other than to get slaughtered by either the defenders, or bigger guilds attempting to raid the same castle (getting rid of competition... or just blood lust. "You're not our guild/alliance! KILL!*Smash*").
Heaven save the newbies wandering into the castle area out of curiousity and confusion.

if you're thinking about doing something like that but against, say NPC forces (Garlean or otherwise), there could only be so many castles to be occupied before there aren't any left for anyone else. And just like in RO, it's only going to be the super big FCs and hardcore FCs that will get any of them.

Though, I will say, having experience raiding a castle with a larger guild - it is quite fun >.> .....but only if you know the right people/FC.

[odintius]

Knowing how the servers are, if they added this it might bring down everyone's internet service worldwide from the strain of resources required, besides from the obvious sarcasm I wouldn't mine something like this though. :P

[Fenral]

White Knight Chronicles called and want's it's Georama back...

I think you misspelled "Dark Cloud".
(not the FF3 boss :P)