Quote Originally Posted by ryneheartsgaia View Post
I'm sure there's a better system than a priority system lottery, but a priority system lottery is far better than a free for all lottery on any plot...
The better system is a fully instanced housing system where players get their choice of the housing they want, and other players having the housing isn't a road block.

Let me use RIFT as an example since it's the housing system from another game I'm most familiar with.

There's a Dimension (what their housing is called) named Castle Fortune. It's a very large dimension (about the size of New Gridania) with a fairly highly starting item limit so it was pretty popular when I was playing. There is no limit on the number of players that can own that specific key. All they need to do is obtain one either by participating in the seasonal event where the key is sold, having one drop from a housing loot box, or purchasing from a player that had obtained the key from either source.

That is what this game needs. If every player wants to have LB 3 for their house plot, they should be able to get it no matter how many other players also own it.

Long time players shouldn't be given significant advantage by a MMO when it comes to obtaining items (though some advantage occurs naturally through player experience). When newer players face a barrier in obtaining the items they want to have (such as a house), it becomes discouraging and they are more like to quit the game. As other players leave through normal attrition but there are no new players coming in to keep world populations healthy, a MMO starts to die.

A free for all lottery truly is the best way because every one has an equal chance, and having an equal chance helps to keep them engaged in the game.