Can someone explain to me how wards work?

[Aerlana]

The place in data for houses : same on both side.
Data due to ward : probably not so many (only difference from instance systeme "is ward taken : yes/no => is house built : yes/no" then, all would be same as instanced)

BUT servers are working all ward everytime (or nearly) due to the fact from 60 house, there is all time anyone on each (at least at rush hour)
Instance with instance housing, all house with nobody in area would be "off" waiting anyone coming.


Other reason for instance housing (the best i think!) : Houses size. (And place)
Lets say, need 12k house for a server to everyone to be happy. => 200 ward, so 50 on each Area
2 matters
-people doesnt want 25% to be on shirogane, 25% goblet etc... but (fictiv number) anything like 40/25/20/15 => too much people not enough house in one area... => salty people incoming
-12K houses with wards => 8k small 2k8 medium 1k2 large... What if more than 10% people wants a large and not a medium/small? => salty people
With instance system, we could have anything that allow to adapt the area demand, and each people to choose size (and better, begin with small, and when enough money, convert to medium/large!)

Some people also thinks that instance housing would make easier to add dynamically house.
1) adding ward isnt hard i think... The fact is, they added 1 ward, then 2 wards, then 4 wards from the 2.1 to HW (3.1? forgot exactly when the 9=>12 wards was added) and... NOTHING 'til now. They could add wards on each patch... They didnt. The matter there is not "they can't" but "they don't want" .

2) The systems looks not dynamic. 512 FC member, 128 LS member... why not 100? 500? Most other games dont show such clearly number due to hexadecimal system...
Instance system for quests/dongeon : We clearly saw it with Raubahn Xtrem. Too much people for Raubahn, AND for the lucky people who passed him, no matter after, Each personnal instance for quest get his slots. Not a whole server that "gives" dynamically slots. (btw, it would have made raubahn really faster to do...)
Then, same thing for party instance. We saw the xpert duty full, with at least 5, 15 or sometimes 30 minutes to wait, for tanks, or heal! (and more for DDs) and the same time, other dongeon get no matter to go in. LvL70 dongeon instance = full, BUT some slots for others. Here again, dynamic system should help or even, maybe we wouldnt see any issue...


I really think instance housing would not get dynamic system to add slots. (Else, it remain a possibility, but i think they have to recreate/modify the system for this)


The instance housing at least allow server to not work each plot... and so, easier for them. SO easier for SE to add enough house for all people => this is the first absolute step to get! (the possibility to choose size/area without restriction is a second needed step!)

[Alien_Gamer]

The difference is largely a technical one.

Wards are non instanced areas that exist in the world regardless of if anyone is in it just like any other PVE content. Adding a new ward is the equivalent of adding a new world map to the server. It must maintain and devote resources to that map the entire time even when nobody is there.

Instances are areas that exist on a different server than the world does and instances only exist when someone is using them. When not in use the data is just stored in a database and ready to be loaded. Instances require much less constant server overhead because they're not always on.

The inside of your house is an instance area, not a world area. Instance housing would mean individual houses held in an instance instead of in the world. Also, as others have said, instance housing would mean fewer items to render which means either faster load times or higher item limits per house, or both. Thats why people are asking for instance housing.

However housing for EVERYONE, whether instance or not, is still something that would place a large burden on the servers. Which is preferable depends on a lot of different variables and it won't be an easy or simple decision for SE to make.