Lottery is a joke.

[Jojoya]

This new lottery system is a joke, it is certainly better than before but having every single player be on the same level when it come to the lottery actually feels terrible.
Bidding against 150+ other people is a joke, .75% chance at best on just about any house.
Getting a house before you were click warring against like 20 other people, which means about 5% chance (given all players were equal).
The lack of effort/camping effectively increased real demand while real supply has not changed, in fact, real supply decreased with the locking of more wards to FC only.

You're contradicting yourself. You state the lottery is better than what we had before then you go on to glorify the ways you feel the previous system is better than the lottery.

Real supply has not changed beyond the addition of Empyreum. Real supply includes plots already purchased.

What changes (and always has changed) is available supply.

• 1. There should be priority given to people just trying to move house location instead of leaving it wholly open.
  If I move my house there will still be an open house for those people to bid on, effectively leaving real supply unchanged.
  If someone wins who didn't have a house it further decreases the already constrained supply.

So in other words, reserve plots for the already haves and screw the have nots.

I don't think so. SE needs to be making changes so that all players have access to houses instead of making changes to limit it to those who got lucky first.

• 2. Limit the number of people who can actually bid on a house.
  Locking it to 100 people would increase the odds of winning in nearly all cases.
  This increase would more likely reward people who are dedicated to getting a house.
  Would likely decrease real demand on a per house basis while still allowing plenty of people to engage with the system.

So you want to hand the system back over to RMT to control as they move in with their bots to have the first 100 entries placed within minutes of the entry period starting?

Players desperate for a house probably won't blink an eye at buying entire service accounts with a house attached. They can always Fantasia the character and buy a name change.

It would do nothing to decrease real demand. It just sets more barriers in the way that make it difficult for players to access the system. Someone's already at work when the lottery entry period starts? Sucks to be them. They don't get a chance to have a house unless they buy from RMT.

• 3. Limit the time-frame that players can bid.
  Leaving it at 1 week means people who only slightly want a house can more easily bid.
  This drives down the chances for players who would otherwise dedicate time to look and try for housing.
  This change could lower real demand by allowing more dedicated players to log on daily for a chance at more frequent bids, leading to an elevated chance across larger time spans.

Players who only slightly want a house don't need a week to bid. All they need is to be online at the right time and 2 minutes, same as the players who desperately want a house.

It still does nothing to lower real demand. The demand will still be there but SE will be left stuck with a lot of angry players who are being locked out of the system because they have real lives they can't reschedule for the sake of a game lottery.

*****

Stop with the stupid band-aid ideas that fix nothing and make things actually worse. Making it more difficult to get something doesn't reduce the demand for that something. It just means fewer are likely to get their demand met.

You know what would lower real demand? A system properly designed so that every player could get the house they want when they want it without having to worry about fighting over a spot with other players or going through RMT, and which offers no in-game advantages to the player.

Those who only want a house for the prestige of having something others can't get or want one simply to feel a sense of power and control by denying a house to others would no longer want one. Demand reduced.

Players only slightly interested in having a house wouldn't be thinking "I have to get one now because if I wait until I really want a house I might not be able to get one then". Instead they'd be free to wait until they really want the house. Demand reduced.

Remove workshops from houses. Demand reduced.

Remove gardening from houses. Demand reduced.

Remove the tier 3 FC actions from houses and put them on the GC QMs. Demand reduced.

I could waste time providing suggestions for better housing, but I realize the devs won't read this, nor care. I think I'm done yelling into the void on this forum. Grats to those who won, but for those of us who have done nothing but lose, this system seriously blows.

Sorry that you're feeling just as frustrated with the system now as you were in the past.

You're right. The system blows. That's why we need to get SE to fix the real problem - supply. If every player could get what they want when they want it, there would be no need for lotteries, no need for placard camping, no need for demolition.

[Zedix]

I wanted to thank you for actually giving a thoughtful response instead of just making jokes about this.

You're contradicting yourself. You state the lottery is better than what we had before then you go on to glorify the ways you feel the previous system is better than the lottery.

I feel some aspects of one system are better than the other, neither system is perfect. I thought this came across with my comments, I apologize if it did not.

Real supply has not changed beyond the addition of Empyreum. Real supply includes plots already purchased.

What changes (and always has changed) is available supply.

You're right, available supply, my mistake, but that doesn't change my point. SE adjusted the wards that were available for FC only vs player only, and then further released more houses after realizing 6 Wards per district was in no way acceptable to the general player base.

https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodes...ea1af7ef0cb27b

Free Company Housing
Previous Revised
Ward 1 to ward 18 Ward 1 to ward 9
Private Housing
Previous Revised
Ward 19 to ward 24 Ward 10 to ward 24

All this did was further concentrate the demand onto even fewer houses than were already available.

So in other words, reserve plots for the already haves and screw the have nots.

I don't quite understand what you mean, if someone bids for the purpose of moving house, that still leaves an open plot in a different ward that those people can bid on. I don't understand how this inherently screws the "have nots" since they will still have the opportunity to bid (on a different property).

So you want to hand the system back over to RMT...they buy from RMT.

I did not think of the bots/purchased accounts. You are absolutely correct on this.

Players who only...of a game lottery.

This would for sure lower real demand. Less window to bid, less bids. If you want something bad enough you can make the 15m it takes to check housing every 2-3 days.

Stop with the stupid band-aid...on the GC QMs. Demand reduced.

The only reason I make these "band-aid ideas" is because it is abundantly apparent that no matter how much the community complains, SE will never make instanced housing, or at least not for quite some time. Perhaps Island Sanctuary will be the reprieve for some of this but only time will tell.
I agree workshops should be removed from housing. Gardening should at least allow a simple 3 plant garden for everyone to do crossbreeds.
Grade 3 actions aside from the XP one are almost worthless. Having used them in the past, their benefit is marginal. Marginal benefits for extra effort being supplied seems fair if you're trying to min-max everything

[Amenara]

I don't quite understand what you mean, if someone bids for the purpose of moving house, that still leaves an open plot in a different ward that those people can bid on. I don't understand how this inherently screws the "have nots" since they will still have the opportunity to bid (on a different property).

Let me reverse your sentiment on this one, let's say that SE adopted the opposite, new home buyers would have a priority over relocators on a plot. It would accomplish the same thing, 2 people have a house instead of 1. Would that feel fair to you as a relocator that you can't move your house because someone had priority over you in buying the plot? That is what you are asking for in your case where the relocator has an advantage over a new home buyer. It accomplishes the exact same goal of 2 people owning a house.

That is why the current system of having equal odds for relocators and new home buyers is the fairest solution. It gives everyone the exact same chance on the exact same plot without having a preference towards anyone.

[Zedix]

Let me reverse your sentiment on this one, let's say that SE adopted the opposite, new home buyers would have a priority over relocators on a plot. It would accomplish the same thing, 2 people have a house instead of 1. Would that feel fair to you as a relocator that you can't move your house because someone had priority over you in buying the plot? That is what you are asking for in your case where the relocator has an advantage over a new home buyer. It accomplishes the exact same goal of 2 people owning a house.

That is why the current system of having equal odds for relocators and new home buyers is the fairest solution. It gives everyone the exact same chance on the exact same plot without having a preference towards anyone.

I was running out of characters in that post so I had to shorten my explanation for multiple sections. So I will give the expounded answer here. Buying houses acts as a gil sink to help fight inflation. In order to maximize player opportunity as well as the gil sink, it would be in the best interest to remove the most gil possible [given 2 people own a house in both situations we can ignore that as justification]. So letting relocators have the priority allows more gil to flow out of the economy while still maintaining the same end opportunity for all [2 people owning a home; albeit not after a single auction]. If a new owner buys the house that house is now locked up and nobody will be able to purchase that house for the foreseeable future, thus less gil sink. Where as if a relocator buys the house it just moves the available plot and maintains the option for either more relocators [for more gil sink] or more first time buyers based on the scenario. I agree the current system is the fairest, but I don't think it accounts for the cascading impacts that the housing system supplies to the game. Not to mention, don't you think more investment into something should yield greater favor either for yourself or the broader community? But as I stated, the most fair outcome is the already implemented system, but fair does not always ensure the greatest possible outcome.

[UkcsAlias]

So letting relocators have the priority allows more gil to flow out of the economy while still maintaining the same end opportunity for all

As gil sink housing barely does anything. A single purchase that can last for years barely makes a dent. You can easily make millions of gil per month. Relocating on that therefor barely does anything, even on large houses. Most players that have a house will have it for a very long time (easily years).

Relocating is only disruptive towards new buyers. Since their opportunity of finaly getting a house might be spoiled hard. Seeing your 25% odds (which are already bad) turning to 10% just because of relocaters is not good. Especialy when the next cycle you end up at 0.5%.

At the same time, if as relocater you instead get a penalty in your odds. You wont be even closely harmed as much, since you already have a house anyway. You can just try without any risk of losing your house. 25% for someone without house, vs 10% for someone who already has one, still means a 75% chance for the one without, to remain without. And this is still the number that matters most. Since even with a 99% chance of winning as new buyer vs 1% of a relocater, if you get that 1% case, its still leaves him without house. Yet in the 99% case, for the relocator nothing changes, he still has a house, just at a less optimal place for him.

[Jojoya]

I don't quite understand what you mean, if someone bids for the purpose of moving house, that still leaves an open plot in a different ward that those people can bid on. I don't understand how this inherently screws the "have nots" since they will still have the opportunity to bid (on a different property).

An open plot that might well end up taken by another owner who wants to relocate. Then that player's old plot goes through the same process.

At best ends up a delaying action in helping players without a house get one, and an unnecessary delay at that. At worst, it ends up a toy in the hands of bored rich players who will play relocation leapfrog to keep available plots of out of reach of those who don't have a house or helping RMT gain more control over prime plot locations.

Someone who already owns a house has no need for priority over someone who doesn't. Both can enter the lottery and take their chances. It was one thing when in the past relocation delayed the availability of a house by only 24 hours at most. Now that delay could end up weeks depending on lottery timing and how long a relocation lottery period would last.

If you're thinking relocation would be instant like it was prior to 6.0, I can promise that won't happen. That would blow the gates wide open again on relocation RMT.

The only reason I make these "band-aid ideas" is because it is abundantly apparent that no matter how much the community complains, SE will never make instanced housing, or at least not for quite some time. Perhaps Island Sanctuary will be the reprieve for some of this but only time will tell.

Except we already have instanced housing. Every bit of housing except the outdoor area is instanced.

What we're looking for SE to do is improve the instanced portion of the housing system by giving it more options. Larger apartments to choose from. Instanced estate plots that allow players to have an outdoor space to decorate in addition to the interior space but without that annoyingly small outdoor item limit.

Island Sanctuary won't be a reprieve because it only addresses one of the many reasons players have for wanting a house over an apartment (the desire for a personal outdoor space). It doesn't even address the desire for larger spaces to decorate because we're not going to be able to use furnishings on Island Sanctuary. Our customization is limited to the buildings placed and their appearance.

Players will get their sanctuary - but they're also still going to want a house. After all, if 7000+ other players on their server get to have both, then they should be able to have both as well.

SE needs to stop clinging to how they want players to engage with the housing system and start redesigning the system to better work with what players want from housing and how they engage with it.

[Zedix]

As gil sink housing barely does anything...just at a less optimal place for him.

A player may earn millions in a week, but that isn't brand new currency. It takes months for a single player to generate a few million gil. Even when I go out to make money, I barely generate a few hundred thousand a week. Not to mention there is usually a house on the market every week, we can assume that's at least 156m a year on the LOW end. I don't quite understand where you are getting the 25% and the 10% nor how those numbers somehow leave 75%.

An open plot that might well end up taken...RMT gain more control over prime plot locations.

Let's assume youre right and the people who own homes are all out to spite the homeless (like I said before, I've literally never met anyone like this in my years playing this game) and are willing to waste all their gil just to prevent people from owning homes, that is a lot of gil removed from the economy. Yes it delays a vacant house from being filled. Unnecessarily though? I would say not, purchasing housing acts as a large gil sink, that alone is justification, all other gil sinks within the game can be circumvented in one fashion or another. (I expounded my original position in a post above responding to Amenara about the gil sink idea)

Someone who already owns a house...wide open again on relocation RMT.

You can decrease the wasted time by implementing the suggestion I mentioned before of just shortening the window from 1 week to 2-3 days, plenty of time to get what you want or have new housing circulate faster to ride out waiting on relocators. And no, it shouldnt be instant, having the lottery system is good, like you said to help prevent bots and RMT from running amok. There should be some friction and some chance in the lottery, but just with emphasis on optimum total outcome, not just filtering people into houses.

Except we already have instanced housing...housing and how they engage with it.

Instancing indoors was likely one of the only ways to get indoor housing to function on the engine of the game as a whole. Anything that SE implements costs server space, and SE has mentioned before that having individual instances for every single player would eat up large amounts of data on their current architecture. This game was built on the remnants of a game engine designed to run 'smoothly' on a PS3. They wanted housing to be designed this way for a reason, and I'm sure they will do more when it becomes a viable option that doesn't cannibalize the future prospects of the game. Not everyone can have everything they want, players or devs. The devs may not always be right and as players it is our job to tell them we are not pleased, but I also feel we should give possible "band-aid" solutions that may help the game in the short term until they come to agree with us.

[Silverbane]

Even when I go out to make money, I barely generate a few hundred thousand a week.

Then you're doing it wrong. Level 88 crafting levequests alone can generate 400,000 gil a week, every week, guaranteed, in about 40 minutes (or 280,000 gil in 10 minutes, typically, if you don't craft your own turn-ins.)

[Jojoya]

Instancing indoors was likely one of the only ways to get indoor housing to function on the engine of the game as a whole. Anything that SE implements costs server space, and SE has mentioned before that having individual instances for every single player would eat up large amounts of data on their current architecture. This game was built on the remnants of a game engine designed to run 'smoothly' on a PS3. They wanted housing to be designed this way for a reason, and I'm sure they will do more when it becomes a viable option that doesn't cannibalize the future prospects of the game. Not everyone can have everything they want, players or devs. The devs may not always be right and as players it is our job to tell them we are not pleased, but I also feel we should give possible "band-aid" solutions that may help the game in the short term until they come to agree with us.

Actually, A Realm Reborn was built on a new engine. This is something YoshiP has clarified many times. The "spaghetti code" that players always talk about has more to do with compromises SE had to make so the game would be PS3 compatible as they had promised it would be. PS3 support might have ended back in Stormblood but SE is still going through updating parts of the system that had been limited by it.

As for every player not being able to have a personal instance, this is demonstrably not true. Otherwise they would have never implemented solo duties, squadrons and Trust/Duty Support. Apartments would not be available for every player let alone every character like we have (unless you're on Balmung and that's a different issue) on top of every character being able to have a FC private chamber if they belong to a FC with a FC house. And we most definitely would not be getting Island Sanctuary in 2 weeks.

You're repeating misinformation that players personally invested in the ward system due to prestige, workshop farms or other reasons use to try to convince others that an improved instanced housing system is not possible.

None of the band-aids suggested by players have ended up improving the supply situation when SE has chosen to implement them. They all have come with their own set of problems. It makes no sense to continue slapping bandages on a wound that keeps bleeding instead of treating the wound so the bleeding will stop and healing can occur.

As for being a gil sink, I don't think you understand just how much gil is floating around out there. It's not just how much gil is currently being generated. It's all the gil generated in the past including the massive amounts of 1.0 gil that SE was never able to completely remove from the player economies along with gil earned by others who no longer play but had in various ways passed their gil to players that still do.

I've got enough more than enough gil on my account to purchase all 60 houses in a ward. I already have my one personal house on my dream plot (I would not relocate it to any other plot currently in the game) and one FC house that I'm not likely to be relocating even though it's just a small. Because I want other players to have the chance to enjoy house ownership, I make no attempt to purchase additional houses even though I easily could. So where's the gil sink for me with the current system?

There are other players that make me look like a penniless street beggar. They have multiple characters and retainers at gil cap. Where's the gil sink for them in the current system?

On the other hand, improve the instanced system so all my characters could have an instanced house or at least much larger apartment and I would be happy to spend a significant chunk of the gil I have getting them those houses. Improve the instanced system even farther so it's possible to have multiple houses per character like many of the other MMOs with instanced housing allow, and I would buy even more.

Now there's a gil sink.