[Suggestion] Solving the "Housing Problem"

[Okita]

Hi everyone!

Before moving on to the solutions, I would like to highlight the problem areas first!

PROBLEM AREAS

• Buying and selling houses between players is against the game policy and is for all intents and purposes deemed "illegal"

• However, this still occurs rampantly and is considered by many to be a justifiable wrong due to 2 reasons:

1. The lack of a house trading system that enables the transfer of houses from one player to another; and
2. The lack of availability of houses on the market for players to purchase of the server directly.

• The lack of housing inflates the prices of houses since players set the price themselves:

1. Players looking for houses are forced to fork out almost 2-3 times the actual amount of the house.
2. The rise of "real estate tycoons" who buy and sell houses to make an exorbitant profit.

[Okita]

SOLUTION

1. Create an infinite number of wards. This would truly settle the housing issue once and for all as the supply would always meet the demand; and (or in the alternative)
2. Create a proper housing market. The present housing market is without a doubt mainly controlled by players who set the price themselves and sometimes form part of an elaborate scam.
3. Limit player housing to 1 personal house per server. There are recorded instances of players owning up to 8 houses in one server using different characters and Free Companies.

While some players may say that the housing system at the moment is fair an just, a majority will agree that there is a form of exploitation going on. Furthermore, it must be pointed out that as player set housing prices skyrocket, new players are tempted into trying to obtain Gil in order to afford a house. System set prices are reasonable, but player set prices are far from that, thus creating a temptation for new players to obtain Gil through illegal means.

I sincerely hope this does not fall on deaf ears!

[P4X0R10N]

TBH, I think it should be limited to one house per ACCOUNT. People don't need to be playing on multiple worlds and owning a house (or houses) on EACH world.

[Penthea]

TBH, I think it should be limited to one house per ACCOUNT. People don't need to be playing on multiple worlds and owning a house (or houses) on EACH world.

I agree with this as long as a player can have both a fc house and a personal house. I don't think being a fc master should prevent you from getting a house for yourself. Most fcs furnish their house for the fc's needs. Very often a team of people are in charge of furnishing the house, not just one person.

It would be really unfair if a fc master couldn't have a personal house because if multiple officers have permissions to edit the house (which is how it is 99% of the time) the officers would still be able to get a personal house while the fc master cannot. This issue would likely result in some fc masters not giving house editing permissions to anyone else.

Yes there is the issue with shell fcs but that's not going to go away. Players will always find ways to control multiple plots if they really want to. The best we can do is make it more difficult for them without hindering a normal player's experience with housing.

[LatinLegacy]

TBH, I think it should be limited to one house per ACCOUNT. People don't need to be playing on multiple worlds and owning a house (or houses) on EACH world.

This needs to happen! Something I would like to see but know won't happen is new wards that lock out accounts. Meaning that if you already own a house, you will not be allowed to purchase one on a new ward. You would think that would be difficult to code in but in reality, it would be no different than trying to access a quest/area that you do not meet the requirements for. That would at the very least make it a tad bit easier for players looking to own their first home.

[Besame]

I have played about 1 yr and have a lovely medium house all decorated. I spend time there and enjoy it and share with my husband who recently started playing also.

I have the usual job alts from the Bard but recently made a lone char to play when I want to see and enjoy all the old content again. While doing the housing tours, I was thinking of buying another house. Then I thought, no, let others have a shot at them that do not even have 1 and I just use my FC. If they would allow separate chars on the same acct/server to log to the house this would help stop people that have chars on the same server from buying yet another and help with the housing crunch.

I have experienced and enjoyed housing in other MMOs but this is the first that is poorly thought out and implemented. Bad housing is bad hehe. Start over and instance each at minimum then make it better along the way.

[Berret_Snowbear]

I have experienced and enjoyed housing in other MMOs but this is the first that is poorly thought out and implemented. Bad housing is bad hehe. Start over and instance each at minimum then make it better along the way.

Yeah, I haven't seen another MMO with housing that's this bad. Even in LOTRO which has the same style of housing (Neighborhoods which you can freely walk around) doesn't have this problem since people are limited to one house per account and as soon as a neighborhood is filled a GM comes to open a new one.

But this form of housing is just bad. I see Wards that are owned by two or three people with the houses just downright empty. While I REALLY want a house in the new housing district I'm going to have to get really lucky.

[Canadane]

My petty one-liner solution: Be quicker on the draw.
See you in Shirogane!

[Acilith]

Even if they had a set market, on servers like Balmung other players would still request additional money on top of whatever the game will charge.

[Okita]

Even if they had a set market, on servers like Balmung other players would still request additional money on top of whatever the game will charge.

True, but the present problem (which I should have brought up on top) is the risk involved. Assume I buy a cottage from a fellow player for 10 mil. I either pay him first and risk him running away with my Gil OR he risks relinquishing his property and I buy it without paying him anything. Either way, we cannot report the incident to the Support team as it involves an illegal transaction. Furthermore, I know of 1 player on my server who owns 4 houses (2 of which are mansions) that are all empty. He constantly advertises it, clearly looking to cash in on his investment. Why should 1 player have that many houses?

These are exploits that are happening in the game and it really should be resolved.