Fix Housing Megathread

[Kenky]

Then it would be nice to get an explanation of why, in a game where they stress they want players to enjoy the game and have many times made changes in response to player feedback, they insist on keeping a system that generates such anger and frustration.

How is it benefitting the game? How is it creating a more enjoyable player experience?

It's benefiting the game by keeping people actually -playing- the game and on the servers. Some of which continuing to make gil to buy the housing plots, while others (sadly) lock themselves to the obsession. It isn't so much "enjoying" the game, as it is trying to claim you are one of the few with the only "luxury" in the game (which is debatable.)

Once they finally buy the house, they will fall into one of three camps. Always one of the three. No exception.

1. They regret buying the house, yet at the same time, do not want to relinquish ownership just incase they can get their money / times worth.
2. They obsess over making their house the best, both inside and out and continue to drive themselves to exhaustion, trying to upgrade to a bigger house. (this is usually the least evil camp)
3. They strive to get the biggest, or most desirable plot, then decide to do nothing with it purely to spite other players. (Sadly, from what I've seen this is the biggest camp.)

Instanced housing would fix, yet at the same time, ruin the housing system. Once everyone can get a house (which they currently can do, but people are needlessly picky..) then it loses its prestige and you can no longer brag about it.

A clear example of this would be the Cerberus four-seater for clearing Delubrum EX. Within the week it came out, plenty of people showed it off and waved their metaphorical ego around to see themselves as superior. Within 2 weeks, there were plenty of other people that bought their way to the EX clear and now the Cerberus mount is just "another mount". The people who once bragged about having it seemingly fallen silent and are looking for something else to brag about. Perhaps the new Bike from Bozja, or the Mecha-dragon mount for all Primals.

"People want what they cannot have. Once they have it, they no longer want it." A rather systemic problem most of the developed world has.. But that's a whole can of worms I do not intend to open.

[MilkieTea]

1. They regret buying the house, yet at the same time, do not want to relinquish ownership just incase they can get their money / times worth.
2. They obsess over making their house the best, both inside and out and continue to drive themselves to exhaustion, trying to upgrade to a bigger house. (this is usually the least evil camp)
3. They strive to get the biggest, or most desirable plot, then decide to do nothing with it purely to spite other players. (Sadly, from what I've seen this is the biggest camp.)

This is a rather limiting list and assumes the worst in people. What if someone wants a small house to decorate for themselves, using resources such as gardening, for themselves?

Full Quote for context

It's benefiting the game by keeping people actually -playing- the game and on the servers. Some of which continuing to make gil to buy the housing plots, while others (sadly) lock themselves to the obsession. It isn't so much "enjoying" the game, as it is trying to claim you are one of the few with the only "luxury" in the game (which is debatable.)

Once they finally buy the house, they will fall into one of three camps. Always one of the three. No exception.

1. They regret buying the house, yet at the same time, do not want to relinquish ownership just incase they can get their money / times worth.
2. They obsess over making their house the best, both inside and out and continue to drive themselves to exhaustion, trying to upgrade to a bigger house. (this is usually the least evil camp)
3. They strive to get the biggest, or most desirable plot, then decide to do nothing with it purely to spite other players. (Sadly, from what I've seen this is the biggest camp.)

Instanced housing would fix, yet at the same time, ruin the housing system. Once everyone can get a house (which they currently can do, but people are needlessly picky..) then it loses its prestige and you can no longer brag about it.

A clear example of this would be the Cerberus four-seater for clearing Delubrum EX. Within the week it came out, plenty of people showed it off and waved their metaphorical ego around to see themselves as superior. Within 2 weeks, there were plenty of other people that bought their way to the EX clear and now the Cerberus mount is just "another mount". The people who once bragged about having it seemingly fallen silent and are looking for something else to brag about. Perhaps the new Bike from Bozja, or the Mecha-dragon mount for all Primals.

"People want what they cannot have. Once they have it, they no longer want it." A rather systemic problem most of the developed world has.. But that's a whole can of worms I do not intend to open.

[Almagnus1]

This is a rather limiting list and assumes the worst in people. What if someone wants a small house to decorate for themselves, using resources such as gardening, for themselves?

It's also ignoring the people that get the house... and then something happens where they get sidetracked (or can't figure out how to decorate the house) and it just sits. Sometimes houses sit empty not out of spite, but because of other (perfectly valid) reasons.

[Kenky]

This is a rather limiting list and assumes the worst in people. What if someone wants a small house to decorate for themselves, using resources such as gardening, for themselves?

With the way people rip each other apart for a virtual thing in a virtual world, I am more inclined to see people negatively. Plenty of times I have seen people report, harass and become vile beings just because they didn't get what they want. Their entitled selves unable to accept the fact that they lost. While I am certain there are people who do not fall into the three camps, the majority will. Though mind that is not a permanent state. One can be part of Camp 2, then leave after a while.

It's not set in stone, but everyone (that I have seen and interacted with, mind) have spent some time in at least one of the camps I outlined. For different reasons, expectations and durations.

[MilkieTea]

With the way people rip each other apart for a virtual thing in a virtual world, I am more inclined to see people negatively. Plenty of times I have seen people report, harass and become vile beings just because they didn't get what they want. Their entitled selves unable to accept the fact that they lost. While I am certain there are people who do not fall into the three camps, the majority will. Though mind that is not a permanent state. One can be part of Camp 2, then leave after a while.

It's not set in stone, but everyone (that I have seen and interacted with, mind) have spent some time in at least one of the camps I outlined. For different reasons, expectations and durations.

you said “always one of the three. no exceptions.” And also gave specific reasons. Stick to your guns if youre going to pull them out, my guy.

[Kenky]

Yes, because everyone visits at least one of them. Though whether they remain there or not varies from person to person. The "No exceptions" was in regards to going to the camp, not avoiding them entirely.

[MilkieTea]

Yes, because everyone visits at least one of them. Though whether they remain there or not varies from person to person. The "No exceptions" was in regards to going to the camp, not avoiding them entirely.

And again, you’re assuming the worst.

Take me. I just want a house so I can decorate it. Not make it look “the best, inside and out!” Not trying to upgrade to a bigger house (Though if I did manage to get a house, and did manage to find a medium in somewhere like the mist or shirogane, if no one else was camping i’d move there, if only because they are beautiful areas. i wouldnt move from small to small, though, because i would prefer to let someone else get a house.)

I’m not obsessed with making my house the best kf the best, so i dont fall into camp 2 and i never would, when i get a house.

I would not regret buying the house, because I dont really ever experience buyers remorse? but if i did, I’d just refund it. Not keep it. So I wouldnt fall into camp 1.

And, quite obviously, I wouldnt fall into camp 3.

Your camps are rigid, and because youre providing reasons for them, you contradict yourself.

[Kenky]

Look through all of the previous threads in the Housing Forum and you will see plenty of people openly attacking each other for the most insignificant of changes, or demanding the system in general changes to something they think will give them an advantage, instead of equal chance. (The more common ones being the Lottery / Bidding systems. Both of which are laughably easier to break)

Or even then, talk to people on Balmung, Mateus and several other "high profile RP" servers and you will be told 9 times out of 10 that the new home owner would immediately be harassed and assaulted by a majority of the other players camping the same plot. Demanding they relinquish it because they "don't deserve it". I can regale you with the list of people that decided to come after me for getting lucky with the worst plot in The Goblet and even then, I was harassed and attacked for weeks on end and they only stopped, once I got a GM involved.

I assume the worst because there are very few (if any) people that are genuinely kind in this community anymore. Something that will continue to confuse me, when Savage Raiders and Ultimate Raiders are more civil than people fighting over a virtual house.

And yes, the reason I say talk to Balmung / Mateus / Other RP servers is because I'm from Mateus and that is the only community I am frequently subjected to. Other servers may be far more civil and tame, but I wouldn't know as I don't interact with them. The "camps" in question I put down are entirely relating to those servers in particular. Because once again, those are the only communities I know.

[rxantos]

What good those this thread do if Square is not willing to listen?
There is obviously a housing problem. But is also obvious Square does not care.

[Jojoya]

I assume the worst because there are very few (if any) people that are genuinely kind in this community anymore. Something that will continue to confuse me, when Savage Raiders and Ultimate Raiders are more civil than people fighting over a virtual house.

I'm confused that you're confused by this. Anything competitive tends to breed hostility.

Getting a Savage/Ultimate clear isn't competitive. One group entering the instance doesn't block another group from entering an instance. One group getting their clear for the week doesn't block other groups from getting their clears for the week. There's nothing about the system to generate hostility.

With the very limited supply, ward housing is competitive. Someone getting a house means others who want one didn't. There's no telling when another plot will become available and when one does, the competition starts all over again. That builds resentment and resentment frequently turns into hostility. It builds even more resentment and hostility because it's something that players don't have to deal with in other MMOs with housing. Even the only other MMO I know that has something similar to the ward system (LotRO) adds more to a server as soon as that server's existing supply is close to sold out.

But not here. There are only 2 confusing things here.

The first is why SE perpetuates using a failed system instead of fixing it. They could switch to what LotRO does and solve the problem if they're insistent on keeping wards instead of moving to an instanced system similar to what most other MMOs use. But no, they'd rather see players denied access to the content and fighting with each other.

The second is why players take it out on each other instead of directing their anger at SE who refuses to fix the system.