Quote Originally Posted by Ayan_Calvesse View Post
How do you figure?

Under the change the Workshop would still exist; it would just be linked to the FC master rather then the build he owns? Just trying to figure what you mean as the submarines are not really "FC content" with regards to voyages. If your referring to construction - simply have the projects be a seperate interactable maybe?
How do I figure that it should be a problem for an inactive FC? Because that's what has given rise to the sub farms in the first place.

The "FC" is just a facade for the sub farms, existing solely for the sake of purchasing a FC house so the workshop can be obtained. Once the FC house has been obtained and the workshop set up, no one in the FC has to be active outside of logging in to take care of the subs.

If subs and airships weren't intended to be FC content, they wouldn't have been limited to FCs that own a FC house in the first place. That it only takes a single FC member to run it on behalf of the entire FC doesn't turn it into non-FC content.

The Fabrication Station was at minimum group content when first introduced even if they later changed it in Stormblood. I remember very well the days of "Can anyone help? My FC is building an airship but nobody else online has a crafting class unlocked so I need 3 crafters to come AFK in our workshop while I add materials. I'll pay for your time".

SE needs to revisit their vision for workshops in light of how the player base has chosen to make use of them.

Do they still want workshops to be limited to FCs? Then they need to find ways to prevent workshops from being operated by solo players.

Are they okay with solo players running a workshop? Then take away the FC and FC house requirements.

Do they still want house ownership to gate access to workshops? If so, then they need to revamp the housing system so any FC (and player if not FC content) can get a house on demand on their home world instead of competing over what houses are available. If not, detach the workshops from housing.

Are they okay with the sub farms that have sprung up? Then give every character the ability to run subs if the player wants.

Regarding would the workshop be linked to the FC Master in the event it's detached from housing but otherwise remain FC content, that would be up to the FC Master just as it currently is. Ultimately, the FC Master has all the power in a FC. What access members have is at the discretion of the FC Master. SE stays completely out of what goes on in FCs (outside of Prohibited Activities violations), and so there's no formal system that allows FC members to hold a FC Master accountable for misuse of what the FC has.

That's the drawback of player FCs/guilds/clans/etc. in MMORPGs. In the end, the player at the top can do pretty much what they want and members have no recourse other than to leave. There is no punishment for mismanagement.

It's a good argument for why there should be no formal content with rewards unique to player organized groups in MMORPGs if one member or a small group of members can control who will get the rewards. It's too easy for the decision makers to abuse the system for their personal gain.

Remove workshops from housing and FCs to make them solo player activity, and then every player has equal opportunity to benefit dependent on how much time and effort they choose to put into the content.