Revisions to Housing Ward Classifications

[Azuri]

I wonder what this text means in the update relative to new EU worlds.

* Housing areas for the four New Worlds added to the European data center will be classified differently. Further details will be announced at a later date. Perhaps the split will be different.

It means that when housing is released on those worlds it will start with most wards FC only. And they will be gradually released over time. This is literally the same personal moratorium that SE has used for most ward additions. I don't understand why is it such a difficult concept to grasp for most "housing enthusiasts".

[Batbrat]

While this is a step in the right direction, it'll still lead to a dead end in a month or two.

Currently on most servers, there are only a handfull of houses left being bid on (like maybe 5 or so, right)
Now what does this mean.
This means that the current houses that are being bid on are either people relocating from less favorable locations, or first time buyers.
Now lets say that it's all 5 relocators. The next bidding period, there will be 5 houses available again.
But lets say that it's all 5 first time buyers. Then that's it! There are no more houses available for anyone to bid on whatsoever in the entire server. (until housing demolition is turned back on, but even that will be slim pickins.)

So, what is this current move going to do?
Prolong this situation. But the end result will be inevitable.
Once first time buyers finally get their plots, the housing supply will fall right back at 0, with no way for any new ones to pop up on the market until the next housing ward installations. This isnt to say that I dont appreciate the move. It's a great step in the right direction (after successfully ensuring that FC's got all the mediums and large lol). But I just hope they're keeping in mind that within the next two months or so, the housing issue will become louder than ever. Because sure it was annoying before, but at least before you might suddenly happen upon a house that just went up for sale. Now? With no demolition, that will not be possible. Everyone will just have to collectively wait for more servers. Just hoping they're keeping that little bit on the brain there.

[LaylaTsarra]

It means that when housing is released on those worlds it will start with most wards FC only. And they will be gradually released over time. This is literally the same personal moratorium that SE has used for most ward additions. I don't understand why is it such a difficult concept to grasp for most "housing enthusiasts".

I don't know perhaps they learned something from the Materia worlds with 6 new servers as opposed to 4.

Personally I'll be surprised if they have a 75/25 split like they did on Materia. I'd be leaning towards more privates then more access to FC's given all areas will be open and not just Ishgard. There are 5 districts that will be available and not just one. My FC ward on Sophia has one house taken after what 5 or 6 rounds of lottery and it's mine.

One can project wishfully thinking they've seen how shell FC's are buying up wards and would like to lessen the impact of low populations by letting private buyers get a shot.

[Meowdyj]

Well well, there it is. Back to hoping not being street kitty anymore soon.

[Avoidy]

It's already too late because all of the Medium and Large on old residential area already taken...

But nice for those who only into Small plots

Additionally, by the time these changes even occur (17 days from now), even the smalls will be chipped into by shell FCs. Every day that passes is another shell FC hitting that 30 day mark and being eligible to abuse the system. Then you have legitimate FCs that have been trying to win mediums/larges this whole time, and this news lit a fire under their butt so they'll probably take this bidding session or the next one to just settle on a small. Eyeballing it on Balmung, Empyreum's got about 100 unclaimed small plots in that ward range right now. Obviously this number will continue to shrink as more shell FCs gain eligibility and more real FCs just give up and settle or people move their FCs into empyreum, etc. Basically that number's gonna do nothing but drop, and Square's giving it 17 days to fall before letting individuals in to fight each other over scraps.

I don't understand the 17 day wait. The situation's been dire since the second bidding session on some worlds, and they're talking about delaying a fix into July. It's a good change, but I can't help but feel like it'll be too late to matter.

[Shibi]

...I don't understand the 17 day wait...

The change can only be done at patch time. That's when Yoshi said the adjusts would be made, at patches.

This 10th of July change is the first bidding day after the 5th of July maintenance.

[Jaquan]

Additionally, by the time these changes even occur (17 days from now), even the smalls will be chipped into by shell FCs. Every day that passes is another shell FC hitting that 30 day mark and being eligible to abuse the system. Then you have legitimate FCs that have been trying to win mediums/larges this whole time, and this news lit a fire under their butt so they'll probably take this bidding session or the next one to just settle on a small. Eyeballing it on Balmung, Empyreum's got about 100 unclaimed small plots in that ward range right now. Obviously this number will continue to shrink as more shell FCs gain eligibility and more real FCs just give up and settle or people move their FCs into empyreum, etc. Basically that number's gonna do nothing but drop, and Square's giving it 17 days to fall before letting individuals in to fight each other over scraps.

I don't understand the 17 day wait. The situation's been dire since the second bidding session on some worlds, and they're talking about delaying a fix into July. It's a good change, but I can't help but feel like it'll be too late to matter.

Shell this, shell that. It's been two months since the new Neighborhood has been released. If shell were to be that prominent then by now you'd have no house left even in the FC wards. Yet it's always about shells. And what about small FCs that have been made during that time? Are they shells too?

[sagacious]

Shell this, shell that. It's been two months since the new Neighborhood has been released. If shell were to be that prominent then by now you'd have no house left even in the FC wards. Yet it's always about shells. And what about small FCs that have been made during that time? Are they shells too?

I agree the shell talk has to stop. If there were as many shells as they say, my ward would be filled up. My ward is a ghost town except for the larges and one medium.

[Avoidy]

Shell this, shell that. It's been two months since the new Neighborhood has been released. If shell were to be that prominent then by now you'd have no house left even in the FC wards. Yet it's always about shells. And what about small FCs that have been made during that time? Are they shells too?

Maybe our world situation is just different, but I already gave the hard numbers on the amount of FC plots available in wards 10-18 on Balmung. And when I walk around those plots, most of the FCs I see have like 3 dudes in the FC.
I know it's anecdotal, but I know loads of people who've made solo FCs for this exact purpose; they were tired of waiting, they didn't trust Square to handle the situation, and they just wanted a house. The FC I'm currently in lost members who departed to make their own FC so they could finally purchase a house for similar reasons. Not all of this happened at the same time, though, which is why you aren't seeing all of the homes vanishing on the same day. Some people made shell FCs two weeks ago, for example. In two more weeks they'll be eligible to purchase a home. After the first bidding cycle, when the issue of shell FCs wasn't a problem because anyone making an FC for this purpose was still on a one month timer, there were actually looooads of empty homes in the FC wards. Then the bidding was put on pause for a month (something you and many others always gloss over) and suddenly wow! In the second bidding cycle all these "new FCs" came out of nowhere and started buying up small plots, and more of them just kept appearing with each passing week! How crazy, haha :^) must be a coincidence though xD

But hey, maybe things are better on Spriggan. I wouldn't pretend to know what your situation is like.

The change can only be done at patch time. That's when Yoshi said the adjusts would be made, at patches.

This 10th of July change is the first bidding day after the 5th of July maintenance.

This makes more sense, thanks for illuminating.

[SnowVix]

Maybe our world situation is just different, but I already gave the hard numbers on the amount of FC plots available in wards 10-18 on Balmung. And when I walk around those plots, most of the FCs I see have like 3 dudes in the FC.

sounds like it's small RPFCs, not shells, given you're talking about Balmung.