Housing for All

[MicahZerrshia]

People spend the majority of their time in hub cities , or one of the city hubs

If that is the case this game is in a lot more trouble than we thought. A few dozen ppl around the aetheryte in LL may look like a lot in that limited space, but if that is the majority of the playerbase than this game's population is so small I wonder how they keep it afloat.

[Solowing]

If that is the case this game is in a lot more trouble than we thought. A few dozen ppl around the aetheryte in LL may look like a lot in that limited space, but if that is the majority of the playerbase than this game's population is so small I wonder how they keep it afloat.

Of course , a lot of players are around engaging with content. What I'm saying, those who just want to relax and enjoy a social experience tend to hang in the major city hubs.Because there's a lot of emergent interactions that are going on there. It's a virtual crossroads.

We are a social creature we like interactions, but the ward system isnt in a crossroad area. Had they been integrated into the city hubs? Oh yeah , you see a lot more interaction and use because its front facing and people wanna feel apart of it.

I do like housing , but the hunger on the forum doesnt match up to the hunger for it ingame. People are gonna say.Housing is as high of a priority as they think it is.Then the data needs to reflect that. Take a walk through several wards and keep asking yourself if people are so hungry for housing , why is it so empty in what's available?

Why does the forum say one thing? And in game shows another?

[Jojoya]

Of course , a lot of players are around engaging with content. What I'm saying, those who just want to relax and enjoy a social experience tend to hang in the major city hubs.Because there's a lot of emergent interactions that are going on there. It's a virtual crossroads.

We are a social creature we like interactions, but the ward system isnt in a crossroad area. Had they been integrated into the city hubs? Oh yeah , you see a lot more interaction and use because its front facing and people wanna feel apart of it.

I do like housing , but the hunger on the forum doesnt match up to the hunger for it ingame. People are gonna say.Housing is as high of a priority as they think it is.Then the data needs to reflect that. Take a walk through several wards and keep asking yourself if people are so hungry for housing , why is it so empty in what's available?

Why does the forum say one thing? And in game shows another?

Here's the thing - how do we know that housing is empty (even when almost every plot is owned) when the majority of housing takes place inside the house/apartment and not outside in the ward?

We may be social creatures overall but we also have occasions when we want to be away from the crowds, with some players feeling that need more often than other players.

Further more, the hub cities tend to have only one active "instance" going except at expansion launch. That means players that want to be in a city like Limsa are all being funneled into the same Limsa. On the other hand, players that want to be in Mist are being divided between 60 different instances just from wards/subdivisions alone or potentially up to 7200 instances if you break it down to houses and apartments. If there are 200 players that want to be in the sole Limsa and 200 players that want to be in their personal/FC housing in Mist, which is going to look busier? Limsa, of course, but that doesn't mean there are fewer players in Mist.

If there were 60 separate instances of Limsa running, with the game trying to spread players going to Limsa evenly between those instances, would it look any different from what one usually sees in a Mist ward?

I've pointed this out many times in the past. The current ward system does not offer a good visual in-game representation of how popular housing is because players are so spread out between multiple instances. It's not efficient as a social activity for the same reason. WoW's system is no better at those things (it's actually worse due to the size of Neighborhoods) despite the current hype though it is better at allowing every player that wants a house to get one.

Housing looks empty because of the poor system design, not because of a lack of interest. I've talked in the past about how it could be redesigned to make it not just feel more active and social but also address the player demand for more medium and large plots. Each district has one ward and every plot within the ward is instanced, with the placard allowing players to choose whose house to visit much as the apartment building entrance is used to select whose apartment to visit.

For the sake of numbers, I logged onto one of my Coeurl characters just now. Limsa shows 127 players (including those in the inn and barracks). Mist shows 81 players (38 of them inside of a house, apartment or in a company workshop). Limsa may be more popular because of people hanging out at the aetheryte but Mist still has a good number of players present. I teleport over to Gridania - 95 players including those in the inn and barracks. Lavender Beds has 111 players (71 inside of a house, apartment or a workshop).

Are you that certain that housing is that unpopular, considering several of the players in Limsa and Gridania were showing as being in cutscenes and so were actively doing quests as opposed to just being in the cities to chill and socialize?

[Solowing]

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The housing ward is empty, and that creates a feedback loop. Where players don't want to spend time in areas nobody else is in. If you're in the ward, you are likely there for your own curiosity, or you are there seeking something. If you are looking for emergent interactions, the hubs cities are better facilitators for player interaction. And since most players are here for the social aspect, the hub city is the defacto place for it.

I don't disagree.

And that perception of looking less busy, is what is going to be a reason why people would still prefer the hub cities. Social Motion creates Social Motion. If you are here for the social aspect, you are going to go where the social space is. And those who are also there for the social aspect are going to follow them. Its a zero sum. The more people in the City Hubs, the less are in the wards. Perception is everything. People like being in places where people already are.

People would find the fullest instance of Limsa and attempt to amass there. Which would bring other people. (I left Brynildr during Stormblood, and transferred to Excalibur specifically looking for a large population server to join, Balmung was first choice, but its consistently locked status prevents me from inviting new friends, so I looked for "not as full" servers)

I personally don't see the ward system as a representation of how popular housing is. I just see a Housing system, that has the unique attribute of having a neighborhood where you live alongside other players. If I want to visit another player like my friend, who lives in Excalibur's Mist in Ward 4 Subdivision Apt 50. I can just.... Go over there.... No need for a friends list, no need for them to be online. You, I, or anyone else in this thread can go visit it. Its has a "physical" address. I don't need their BattleTag, I don't need a friends list, I don't even need them online. For myself I REALLY like it. And personally, I am a fan of it, I like having neighbors, I like having a Ward that can organically change over time. Both Housing styles and tenants. I love having a permanent address that persists as long as I utilize it in some fashion. I get why you guys want what you want. But I like what this system offers. And I'd rather not see yet another system homogenized for accessibility sake.

So lets say you have 1 ward with 50 plots and 100 people living within it. Anyone not on your friends list will not appear. Its less social because of the limitations needed to make it accessible for all. Thousands of players may live in that instanced spot, but only friended or invited will see your name on this selection list? Imagine how Island Sanctuary works, but to get into someones plot


Never said housing was unpopular :P Housing just isn't top 5 of the aggregate player priorities. Not unpopular, it adds to the game. But its not game saving or game breaking. Those who are into it can get INTO it, but we are a minority in the general audience. If they delay the housing upgrade to 8.0 I wouldn't be shocked. Abit disappointed, but not shocked.