Implement a lottery for house plots

[Amenian]

You are wrong it gives EVERYONE that wants a plot a better chance then how its currently implemented. I and about half my friend list will nto even have a chance because of scheduling. The people that would really be burned are those who are going to be engage in the initial rush once servers are brought up.

So what really concerns you isn't the problem of not enough housing, but that you personally won't be able to be on to get one. Gotcha. You're not really interested in solving the problem at all, just in what you can get out of it.

[Vladmiere]

So what really concerns you isn't the problem of not enough housing, but that you personally won't be able to be on to get one. Gotcha. You're not really interested in solving the problem at all, just in what you can get out of it.

Not sure how a personal attack actually contributes to this discussion. Why would it be a worse idea then the current system of how people get housing? You think it is fair that 90% of the player base not being able to have a shot is better then only those who can afford to commit to the time for the running of the plot buyers?

[Rokke]

You think it is fair that 90% of the player base not being able to have a shot is better then only those who can afford to commit to the time for the running of the plot buyers?

Everyone who is eligible has a shot. Whether or not you're willing to take it is entirely on you, the player.

[Wade]

Everyone who is eligible has a shot. Whether or not you're willing to take it or not is entirely on you, the player.

So if someone has a job that refused to let them have the the time off, they should do what? Or if you have to suddenly stay late at work due to an emergency and not dealing with it could cost you? Or you get stuck in traffic on the way home?

The OP suggested a fairer way and so many people cannot grasp that not everyone can log in at the right time and thus miss out. For a game that loves to dumb its ass down for everyone, housing is a constant failure.

[Vahlnir]

Not sure how a personal attack actually contributes to this discussion. Why would it be a worse idea then the current system of how people get housing? You think it is fair that 90% of the player base not being able to have a shot is better then only those who can afford to commit to the time for the running of the plot buyers?

Despite what you seem to think, everyone has a shot. They just need to plan accordingly. If you can't or aren't willing? It sucks, but that's just the way it goes. The issue isn't that players have to rush, it's that there's not enough houses to buy. So...I think your plan is making an already dysfunctional system even more so. With how things currently are, everyone has a chance. Just gotta be ready to hit the ground running. Or keep an eye out for an open plot, because they do happen on occasion (that's how I got my house in the Goblet). We need more wards and/or plots. That's the real issue. Adding a lottery into the mix? Good lord, just...no.

[FoxyAreku]

Worst idea I've ever heard. First come first serve at least rewards effort, no one should ever get anything as major as this just because luck decided it.

[Alter183]

Why does it have to be fair? and what is not fair about it in the first place? You put in the effort and you get the reward, everyone has the same opportunity to log on early or stalk out the maintenance. It seems pretty simple to me. What i hear from you is, oh i don't have time to wait/go online early to try and get a plot so i don't want anyone else doing that because I can't do it. Seems kinda selfish to me.

If you are not able to put in the time or effort then guess what? you will just have to hope there's left overs when you are able to go online or wait for new plots to open up in the future.

Once you stop trying to "equalize" everything in your life, you'll be much happier.

[Gun-Cat]

Why does it have to be fair? and what is not fair about it in the first place? You put in the effort and you get the reward, everyone has the same opportunity to log on early or stalk out the maintenance.

I am all for an effort/reward system. But as it stands it is just as much a lottery getting into the server first than it is doing an actual lottery. If you are one second off you are stuck in a 500 queue and you can kiss the plots goodbye on the more populated servers.

If you really wanted to reward people who worked hard, it should be a 24 hour auction, with potential buyers being able to bid whatever they want for each plot. That way people who worked hard and got a lot of money can get what they want and people with less will have to settle for a less desirable plot. That would be the fairest system I could imagine* and would help fend of Gil inflation.

*under the pretext that plots will be kept in limited supply.

[NolLacnala]

24 hour auction

Gil sellers invalidate auctions and bidding.

[KisaiTenshi]

Gil sellers invalidate auctions and bidding.

Bingo.

The only "fair" way to deal with housing is to get rid of the housing entirely and just give everyone instanced apartments that they can expand with cash shop money. That's not very fun though. Giving everyone a "house" instance likewise doesn't give players any ability to explore the housing area because the instance switching takes forever.

The alternative requires a sort of Minecraft/Landmark solution where you simply get a large housing "area" and you claim a chunk of land (to place your house "instance", which all editing takes place in the instance except when outside) and when all the land is used up, another housing instance pops up. Unfortunately it's not a solution to bots and RMT jacking entire instances.

Basically no game has ever solved the housing problem and it's unlikely that it can be solved without identity tokens attached to all users.