How did we get here?

[Mikki]

I think the major issue is the price being something most people can afford, along with the fact that there is literally no meaningful gil sinks in this game apart from housing itself. People are sitting on huge piles of gil and housing is one of the most attractive ways to spend it. Having the gil but the resource being too scarce that no amount of gil will get you what you want is frustrating. But I remember back in the day when full wards were empty and no one really cared because it was too damn expensive like you said.

If the prices were higher and were there more and better gil sinks, people would be less angry. Some would complain about the ridiculous price, sure. But it's even more frustrating when you have the money and still can't buy it.

Well, my post is ignoring the fact that the biggest issue of all is the lack of supply. But that's a different story... if they won't create adequate supply then the next place to look (after the rightful move of restricting housing to 1 personal and 1 FC house per server per service account) would probably be to increase price and create more gil sinks. Most people can more or less afford a small home just through doing the main scenario quests. Personally, while I do believe everyone should have the opportunity to get a house... I think there should be a sense of working for it and achieving it. The prices should be higher. But I'm sure a lot of people will disagree with me.

[Raven2014]

Some would complain about the ridiculous price, sure. But it's even more frustrating when you have the money and still can't buy it.

And this is the heart of a problem. I had played plenty MMO, and a house (or a guild hall) exist as an exclusive guild/FC feature. Yes, there are always complain, or more accurately said "wishful thinking" that such feature can be own privately. But for the larger part, most of the players base will move on with their life accepting it as a fact of life. Opening ward to private housing is like opening a can of worm, once you give the players a taste, they will not take no for the next answer.

Also the price, like I said even after private was made available, small cottage was the heart and dream of most, most "accepted" the fact that they will never own a mansion, or even a medium. The price was too much for personal reach, and again, because such was the way most people accepted that fact and was happy enough with the cottage. But the price neft put everything in reach. I'm not implying anyone a beggar here, just use the saying as a reference, but it says "a hungry beggar will only wish for a piece of bread. But give him a basket of bread and he will wish to have some ham, give him a load of ham and he may fantasize about some wine to go with it".

3 years ago, seeing this many cottage still remained open on the most popular server would be nothing but blasphemy. Right now I don't think anyone can complain there is not enough house to meet FC demands, we moved from not having enough house to not having enough BIG house. How SE see this as a problem, or even a problem at all to be seen. After all I think their current goal "people can get a house", and not "people getting the house they want".

[Sesera]

If the prices were higher and were there more and better gil sinks, people would be less angry.

Quite the contrary in fact.
People are mad because they wanted a house but since there were no plot available due to sad circumstances then they announced new house/plots/wards for 4.2 and people were happy because at long last they could get a house.
But a week before 4.2 was released they said "Nope sorry only leftover for you, if there is any that is."
So if people had to put even more effort to get an higher amount of gils just to get their hopes crushed they most likely to be even more angry.
Sure less people angry but the people who farmed enough won't be that's for sure.

[Mikki]

Quite the contrary in fact.
People are mad because they wanted a house but since there were no plot available due to sad circumstances then they announced new house/plots/wards for 4.2 and people were happy because at long last they could get a house.
But a week before 4.2 was released they said "Nope sorry only leftover for you, if there is any that is."
So if people had to put even more effort to get an higher amount of gils just to get their hopes crushed they most likely to be even more angry.
Sure less people angry but the people who farmed enough won't be that's for sure.

The idea would be that most people couldn't afford it, like when housing first came out. People just accepted that they couldn't afford a house. If it were the case that the majority of players couldn't afford the ridiculous prices, that would mean there would be more supply due to less people purchasing (especially when you lose the house if you don't enter it for basically just a single month). So the players who DO work their bums off for a house would be able to afford it and there would be more supply available. Yes, on huge servers like Balmung there may still be some issues but it would definitely be less so since not everyone and their mother would feel entitled to a house, since the average player isn't going to sit around making 20+ million gil - even less would do so if there were meaningful gil sinks in the game, which there aren't. 2 ~ 3 million? That's easy to get even if you aren't trying that hard, especially with no gil sinks. So everyone feels like they should be able to get a house by default.

I do think everyone should have the opportunity to get a house but I think we should be encouraged to work hard for it with a higher price tag. Cheap prices + low supply = HUGE demand aka disaster. High price + low supply = low to moderate demand aka not as bad. Also if apartments were better then that would help...........

[Raven2014]

Quite the contrary in fact.
People are mad because they wanted a house but since there were no plot available due to sad circumstances then they announced new house/plots/wards for 4.2 and people were happy because at long last they could get a house.
But a week before 4.2 was released they said "Nope sorry only leftover for you, if there is any that is."
So if people had to put even more effort to get an higher amount of gils just to get their hopes crushed they most likely to be even more angry.
Sure less people angry but the people who farmed enough won't be that's for sure.

And again, the whole reason they can be mad to begin with is because they can "afford" to be mad. I don't disagree that the reason people are mad because they can afford a house but can't get one, but that the only because they can afford the house. Do you own a Ferrari or a Rollroyce? Do you wake up every morning antagonizing over the fact you don't have one of those? Most people don't, we just move on with our Camry or Accord. But of course if a Ferrari is so cheap that you can buy it after just a year of saving, yet because supply is so limited your chance of getting one is next to none, of course you will be mad.

You always gonna have problem, you always gonna have people complain, but the fact of the matter is back when housing was expensive and not available to Private, SE had a much smaller problem on the plate than they do now.

[Mikki]

And again, the whole reason they can be mad to begin with is because they can "afford" to be mad. I don't disagree that the reason people are mad because they can afford a house but can't get one, but that the only because they can afford the house. Do you own a Ferrari or a Rollroyce? Do you wake up every morning antagonizing over the fact you don't have one of those? Most people don't, we just move on with our Camry or Accord. But of course if a Ferrari is so cheap that you can buy it after just a year of saving, yet because supply is so limited your chance of getting one is next to none, of course you will be mad.

You always gonna have problem, you always gonna have people complain, but the fact of the matter is back when housing was expensive and not available to Private, SE had a much smaller problem on the plate than they do now.

Spot on, basically what I was trying to say. I think housing needs to go back to it's former price points. Were they ridiculous? Yes. But if SE isn't going to increase supply to meet demand then they need to lower demand by increasing price. Simple economics. Sure it will suck for those who are casual players or dislike crafting/gathering. But it'll be much better if the price is so high that only the dedicated can get it. Then not only can they actually get what they worked hard to get BUT they will be able to have immense pride in it as well.

Apartments should be what the casual people who don't make a lot of gil can buy. Apartments should be better than they are with much more space so that it isn't so upsetting to be stuck with one. But housing should definitely be exactly as Yoshi-P intended it to be; a luxurious extra that would be limited to only the most dedicated. On that note, however, I think apartments for FC's should also be a thing and an apartment should be AT LEAST the size of a small house currently. This way it would not be blocking new or small FC's out of the benefits that come with a home.

[Brynne]

I think housing needs to go back to it's former price points.

I can agree with this suggestion if they stop gating content behind housing. Make a gardening instance attached to the apartment building so that anyone with an apartment can have a plot; put an entrance to the free company workshop in the grand company they're affiliated with - however these things fit. But if housing is meant to be scarce and expensive, and having it is simply meant to be a point of pride, putting content behind it is a very bad idea.

[Mikki]

I can agree with this suggestion if they stop gating content behind housing. Make a gardening instance attached to the apartment building so that anyone with an apartment can have a plot; put an entrance to the free company workshop in the grand company they're affiliated with - however these things fit. But if housing is meant to be scarce and expensive, and having it is simply meant to be a point of pride, putting content behind it is a very bad idea.

100% agree. That's why I think that apartments should be available to free companies and I definitely agree that gardening and workshops shouldn't be excluded. There's no reason for it and SE can't be surprised when everyone wants access to these limited things. If I recall correctly, they didn't exist at first (I couldn't ever hope to afford a house back then so I didn't actually look into what they offered but I never heard talk of it so I assume not). People weren't so upset and I bet that's a huge part of why. SE is shooting itself in the foot. Limited resource that offers content exclusive to it which gives desirable items as well as a the ability to decorate for fun which many people enjoy doing (just look at The Sims), offered at an extremely affordable price. Hm......... How did anyone think this was a good idea? lol..

[Brynne]

Limited resource that offers content exclusive to it

Honestly, if they removed the 'exclusive content' part, it would probably reduce a LOT of the outrage over the 'limited resource' part. I doubt anyone would object if gardening were gated behind apartments, since they can simply add more if supply runs out. Plus, if workshops were accessible for any FC of a certain rank regardless of housing, some of those shell FCs that are just holding houses for workshops would likely free up their plots for people who actually want to decorate, too. It wouldn't solve everything, obviously, but it would sure help a lot. >.> That's what I think, anyway.

[Zojha]

I think there should be a sense of working for it and achieving it.

I concur. And to that end, gil gained via the market board should not be usable for purchases.

You can get a lot of money on the market simply by getting lucky with drops or with relatively little effort if you're a crafter, even if you just do lower level housing items/glamours. That diminishes the idea of "working for it" and "achieving it". Instead, make only money gained from leves and selling to vendors applicable for housing so people really need to work hard for it and can't rely on abusing supply shortages or arbitrage for easy money.

And then we'll see how many people are still on board with "working hard" and how many people think standing next to the MB and selling crafts at 100% markup equals "hard work". Let_there_be_grind, lul.

(No, not an honest suggestion. It's a terrible idea, just finally get started on better instanced housing)