Half of a ward being owned by one person

[worldofneil]

They never reversed it, it's just not a foolproof system.

Erm... sorry, but yes they did.

Way back in 4.2 (January 2018) they limited FC house purchases to 1 per world per service account and both the patch notes at the time and the housing purchasing guide mini site that was released at the same time reflect this:

4.2 Patch notes
Additional Plots and Purchasing Guide

If you tried to purchase an FC house when you had another character on the same world also with an FC house, the system wouldn't let you.

However, about a week later, Square Enix reversed that FC purchasing block and I think it was related to this emergency maintenance which talks about housing problems.

Since then (February 2018) there has been no limit at all on how many FC houses per world a service account can purchase, other than the 8 character per world limit. You don't need to use any tricks like have someone trade ownership, you can just walk up to the placard and purchase it with all the normal rules (you have the Gil, 4 people in your FC, invisible timer isn't active and you can actually find a plot!)

I can understand not updating the 4.2 patch notes, there's countless times patch notes have been invalidated with later patches, but I have no idea why they've never updated the purchasing guide site, especially since they have made other changes to it. Nothing in the game ever references that site, nor does anything in the game say about an FC limit (because there isn't one...).

[Jojoya]

I can understand not updating the 4.2 patch notes, there's countless times patch notes have been invalidated with later patches, but I have no idea why they've never updated the purchasing guide site, especially since they have made other changes to it. Nothing in the game ever references that site, nor does anything in the game say about an FC limit (because there isn't one...).

Probably because the intent of the system has never changed. They want players limited to ownership of one personal and one FC house so more players and FCs have the opportunity to own a house.

They failed to find a way to program that limitation into the game without breaking other game play related to FCs and so had to remove the restriction from the game's programming.

If the intent of the system has changed and they want players to own multiple FC houses, you would think they would clearly have stated so in some form of media whether Lodestone, Twitter, Live Letters, etc. Instead they leave the Lodestone information as is despite multiple updates to it since 4.2's release.

Clearly, they do not want players owning multiple FC houses but they're relying on players to do the right thing instead of manually enforcing it in the absence of enforcement through programming. It's just a shame some players are greedy and won't limit themselves so others have a chance to enjoy the content.

[worldofneil]

Clearly, they do not want players owning multiple FC houses but they're relying on players to do the right thing instead of manually enforcing it in the absence of enforcement through programming. It's just a shame some players are greedy and won't limit themselves so others have a chance to enjoy the content.

Sorry, but I think you're reading that the way you want to read it. Even if they technically can't stop it without a lot of work, they could still put it on the actual purchase message "We would prefer you didn't purchase more than 1 FC house", but they haven't done that.

They only say in two places about there being FC house restrictions per account: The 4.2 patch notes and the housing purchasing guide website. Nowhere else.

Nothing in the game (where you actually purchase the house) says anything at all about FC restrictions. Likewise nothing in the game even tells you to look at that website. That website is also tucked away on the Lodestone and it's not even that obvious that it's even exists. From the front page of the Lodestone you have to click "Play Guide" on the menu at the top, scroll down and there's the link for "Additional Plots and Purchasing Guide". It's literally the last thing on the page and definitely not prominent.

If the intent of the system has changed and they want players to own multiple FC houses, you would think they would clearly have stated so in some form of media whether Lodestone, Twitter, Live Letters, etc. Instead they leave the Lodestone information as is despite multiple updates to it since 4.2's release.

Well you could also argue the other way in that because they don't actively say anything more about FC restrictions or make it clear that was their intention, then they aren't bothered if people buy more than 1.

It's just a shame some players are greedy and won't limit themselves so others have a chance to enjoy the content.

New players joining the game aren't going to view 2+ year old patch notes or part of a website that they don't even know exists.

If the game let's them do something, then they're going to do it.

[Sindele]

There is a restriction that is still functional and in place, and there are methods of circumventing it that have also existed just as long, regardless of what patch notes tell you. You can choose to believe it or not.

[Frizze]

There is a restriction that is still functional and in place, and there are methods of circumventing it that have also existed just as long, regardless of what patch notes tell you. You can choose to believe it or not.

Neil isnt wrong. For a week or two the system hard stopped you from getting a second FC house on your account. Then after an emergency patch(which did mention fixing a housing issue), suddenly you could. Nothing at all stops you now. Unless you consider "using a second character in a seperate FC" a circumvention.

[CatStarwind]

Clearly, they do not want players owning multiple FC houses but they're relying on players to do the right thing instead of manually enforcing it in the absence of enforcement through programming. It's just a shame some players are greedy and won't limit themselves so others have a chance to enjoy the content.

Clearly.

There is a restriction that is still functional and in place, and there are methods of circumventing it that have also existed just as long, regardless of what patch notes tell you. You can choose to believe it or not.

I do wonder what it's called when you circumvent a restriction. Especially when done to a severe degree.

[Sindele]

If I'd known you were going to go dredge up posts nearly two and a half years old, I could have recommended some way better candidates.

Not sure what the point was, though. Are you mistaking me for another poster?

[CatStarwind]

Research. If you wish to aide by all means.

I found the following fascinating:

If you tried to purchase an FC house when you had another character on the same world also with an FC house, the system wouldn't let you.

However, about a week later, Square Enix reversed that FC purchasing block and I think it was related to this emergency maintenance which talks about housing problems.

[Sindele]

It should be noted that that never actually stopped the transfer loophole - this is from a time when there were no blocks at all, then one was implemented, then reversed briefly, then re-implemented.

[LordSunny]

.

Clearly, they do not want players owning multiple FC houses but they're relying on players to do the right thing instead of manually enforcing it in the absence of enforcement through programming. It's just a shame some players are greedy and won't limit themselves so others have a chance to enjoy the content.

Shoot, I suggested that on another thread just hours ago over a gent in our ward that bought 7 personal houses all in the same ward, and got ripped apart for it.

It's sad when if you're on a congested server, how dare players complain and not move?
If you're on a new server, players don't have a right to say what you just did.

Sounds like no one ultimately gets a voice.