The Housing problem and my proposed solution

[Kosmos992k]

*SNIP*
In a nutshell: FFXIV's housing system was poorly designed, poorly implemented and is far far too restrictive and limited in its current form. The band-aids they are applying to "remedy it" are not what it needs. In my opinion, it needs a complete overhaul, from the ground-up.

Well, I'm not certain, but I have a suspicion that some or all of the housing system in those games operates at the client or peer to peer level rather than running entirely on the server side. FFXIV has adopted the much more server centric architecture as a countermeasure to cheating. Games that use more client side processing or peer to peer networking are open to cheating, even on the consoles.

Yes the housing system has many problems, yes we need them fixed, but, when comparing alternatives and trying to pull from those alternatives possible modifications or additions to the FFXIV housing system, we all have to be careful to remember that whatever is implemented will be done on the server side. The key point being that the load imposed by housing is real and no matter how much hand waving and assuming people indulge in; the truth is that there are real limits imposed by operating server side. Those limits exist both in terms of what a given server can handle, and also in terms of the bandwidth between the server and client (and/or the cummulative bandwidth inbound and outbound from the server itself).

In other words, consider the load on the servers of any changes to the housing system and try not to scoff at the concept of server load being an issue.

[Preypacer]

Well, I'm not certain, but I have a suspicion that some or all of the housing system in those games operates at the client or peer to peer level rather than running entirely on the server side. FFXIV has adopted the much more server centric architecture as a countermeasure to cheating. Games that use more client side processing or peer to peer networking are open to cheating, even on the consoles.

Yes the housing system has many problems, yes we need them fixed, but, when comparing alternatives and trying to pull from those alternatives possible modifications or additions to the FFXIV housing system, we all have to be careful to remember that whatever is implemented will be done on the server side. The key point being that the load imposed by housing is real and no matter how much hand waving and assuming people indulge in; the truth is that there are real limits imposed by operating server side. Those limits exist both in terms of what a given server can handle, and also in terms of the bandwidth between the server and client (and/or the cummulative bandwidth inbound and outbound from the server itself).

In other words, consider the load on the servers of any changes to the housing system and try not to scoff at the concept of server load being an issue.

They already have instancing in place that handles who-knows-how-many players, across who-knows-how-many dungeons and other instanced areas at any given time. They can clearly handle high-stress, high-volume instancing scenarios.

If it is a case of them keeping everything server side, well, then that's a problem for them to work out. And I have full faith that they could and would, if they felt it was important enough to address. They'd have to change things up, reallocate resources and such, but I'm confident they could do it.

Generally speaking...

At this point, with how much SE has accomplished with this game, that some people are still so quick to believe they can't do something, simply because they haven't yet, is mind-boggling.

People thought 1.x could never be improved enough to be playable, or worth a subscription to anyone. SE turned around, improved 1.x, and managed to not only get people to pay a sub, but tripled the number of players playing besides (all those names in the credits of 2.0 are not all of them; not everyone got their name in the credits).

People thought 2.0 could never happen. That a MMO could never get a second chance, and that SE would never succeed with it; that it would crash and burn a second time. Yet, they did the impossible, and didexactly what most everyone said they couldn't.

People insisted that large, sprawling open areas could never be done "because PS3 limitations". SE turns around and delivers us Heavensward, with massive open areas, that you can see clear across from some vantage points.

And so on.

Yet, here we are again with people quick to assume SE can't perform improvements/changes to a housing system - which are greatly needed - for whatever reasons.

I can be skeptical about things... Very skeptical. I was one of the people who believed 2.0 would crash and burn for a time (specifically around its final betas and launch). Still, even I reached the point where I had to acknowledge that what seemed "impossible" to me (and others), was quite within SE's capacity to do... if they set themselves to doing it. At some point, you have to start giving them benefit of the doubt, I think.

I don't buy for a second that turning the housing situation around completely is a matter of "can they do it". I believe it's a question of "will they do it".

[Kosmos992k]

I don't buy for a second that turning the housing situation around completely is a matter of "can they do it". I believe it's a question of "will they do it".

Oh no, don't misunderstand, with sufficient time, resources and infrastructure I am sure practically anything can be done. However, rearchitecting systems or subsystems pretty much from the ground up while they are in place and operational, is easily the most expensive way to affect change. They'd be better suspending further work on housing as it is and starting over on housing 3.0. In terms of realities and practicalities, there are thing than can be done, and things that cant realistically, or practically, be done at this time.

I'm not defending SE here, I think the housing system we have makes sense for free company housing, but absolutely fails at addressing personal housing. I also think that blending personal housing into the FC wards as they have both dilutes the worth of housing to a free company, and offends those FCs unable to obtain a plot because someone bought a medium(or small, or large) lot for personal use and subsequently quit... That doesn't even begin to addrsss how badly it fails the vast majority of players.

Actually, I'll go one further, the housing system as it is fails both gatherers and crafters as well. Instanced personal housing within the reach of any active player would have stimulated the market for furnishings and related items creation much more cash flow in the economy. Howver, as it is it became nothing more than a property bubble and the economy as a whole suffers from that.

I aleady made my suggestiojs on fixing things;

• Create 'condominium' style system with an entrance lobby accessible from the main square in each ward.
• The homes are expanded versions of personal chambers with an outdoor area.
• The starter unit costs twice the amount of a private chamber in a FC house, but is larger.
• The starter unit also has a back yard outdoor area permitting indoor and outdoor furnishings and things such as garden plots and chocobo stable.
• The existing wards are locked for future purchase by FCs only.
• Abandoned lots in exitsting wards are actively recovered and offered for sale to Free Companies.
• Additional expansion of the personal house would be added through in game purchaseable items using gil.
• The homes are instanced, but visitors can enter them the instance only exists while an owner or guest is present.
• A premium version of this is also available for a small additional monthly fee expanding, similar to the retainer fee.
• The premium version has a full outside instance with a home and larger yard.
• Item limits would be doubled (except for gardn plots and the like) within a Premium house.

This makes housing available to all, provides a potential revenue stream from people who want a bigger and better personal home and preservesthe existing system intact without unduly penalizing existing owners of personal homes. It makes use of existing systems in the game and can be developed in parallel to the existing system without impacting that system negatively - IMHO of course...

[Naunet]

[*]A premium version of this is also available for a small additional monthly fee expanding, similar to the retainer fee.[*]The premium version has a full outside instance with a home and larger yard. [*]Item limits would be doubled (except for gardn plots and the like) within a Premium house.

While most of those are decent suggestions... holy crap, no. We do not need to be asking SE to charge even more on top of their sub. The added monthly fee thing is one of the most disgusting practices they've introduced. Just think about how much that will cumulatively cost you one year, two years, or more from now. Let's not bring this into housing, please.

[Kosmos992k]

While most of those are decent suggestions... holy crap, no. We do not need to be asking SE to charge even more on top of their sub. The added monthly fee thing is one of the most disgusting practices they've introduced. Just think about how much that will cumulatively cost you one year, two years, or more from now. Let's not bring this into housing, please.

I completely support subscription as the basisfor paying forthe game. However, I also realize that as long as an additional service is purely cosmetic, it doesn't impact thegame negatively. The premium house I am referring to offers no functionality above or beyond the regular homes. It would purely be a way of upgrading to what is effectively a detached home with a higher limit on the number of furnishings. Purely cosmetic, and totally optional, to me that is an acceptable way to generate additional revenue with very minimal impact on players ingeneral.

By the way, how is having a service such as I describe any different to the different tiers of subscription and the number of characters available? You are essentially saying subscriptions are bad, which I am sure isn't what you mean.

[Naunet]

By the way, how is having a service such as I describe any different to the different tiers of subscription and the number of characters available? You are essentially saying subscriptions are bad, which I am sure isn't what you mean.

Don't try and twist my statement. >_> We have an established sub price - the $15/month for the full game. I vehemently disagree with additional monthly fees for supposedly "extra" things. All these things should be included in the actual subscription we already pay.