Instanced Housing Seperate from Wards

[Kisagami]

The housing situation is a mess in this game. It feels like only the long term, Elite players are able to get housing, especially if they level up multiple characters just to price gouge other players and FCs who would like to have a chance. Wards are a sensitive topic - and people love their yards and the like. But there needs to be some kind of compromise - as Square Enix is leaving thousands of players out of an experience of the game. Especially those who work and can’t play 24/7.

My solution is to offer some cheaper, affordable housing that is instanced - seperate from the current wards. Provide such housing to Free Companies and single players. This would then allow people to do more basic things the majority of players would love access too: like gardening so they can color their chocobos. You didn’t even give a garden to apartment owners.

I’m not saying interferring with the current wards is a solution. They can stay the status symbols of the elite and the more active players who managed to rush in and grab as many plots on as many alts as possible. I’m saying offer some instanced housing for Free Companies who just want a house where they can farm, decorate, hang out, and potentially have access to like a community airship or something.

My free company wants a house so bad it hurts me not to be able to provide one where everyone can teleport to it. That everyone, including those that need to work for the day, has a chance to have some semblance of housing. Even if it doesn’t include a yard.

I’m perfectly fine settling for instanced apartments for Free Companies. With farming and access to a community airship. Like I said, you’re building resentment and Elitism keeping the housing system the way it is. The people who have jobs and must work during the day -pay your salaries- and subscriptions. A little consideration thrown their way goes a long way towards building a loyal playerbase that feels valued.

[Calteru]

My solution is to offer some cheaper, affordable housing that is instanced - seperate from the current wards. Provide such housing to Free Companies and single players. This would then allow people to do more basic things the majority of players would love access too: like gardening so they can color their chocobos. You didn’t even give a garden to apartment owners.

The problem I see with this proposal is that it consumes server resources without returning anything back to the community. I've played games with separate instanced housing apart from any wards or other sense of community. Those housing instances are, for the most part, wastes of server resources as no one even so much as sees the vast majority of them.

(Continued due to draconian text limits. What is this - Twitter?!)

[Naunet]

The problem I see with this proposal is that it consumes server resources without returning anything back to the community. I've played games with separate instanced housing apart from any wards or other sense of community. Those housing instances are, for the most part, wastes of server resources as no one even so much as sees the vast majority of them.

Are you high? Rift and WildStar - both MMOs with instanced housing - have extremely rich communities. In fact, the housing communities in those games are some of the most dedicated and close-knit players I've seen.

[Abelfei]

I have met pretty much everyone I interact with in XIV through my wards and neighborhoods of my personal and FC house, even though I don't have a personal anymore. I think instanced housing, while it probably wouldn't kill community, it would take some of it away. Also, using the the " I work and can't play as much as others " isn't a valid argument for any development alterations. There are plenty of people who work and play this game that have houses, hundreds of millions of gil, and do end game raids, so in my experience that isn't any sort of restraint on the progression through an MMO.

[Abelfei]

Also OP, saying that only certain subscriptions, those of people who are employed, pay the wages for Square employees is downright rude. Are you implying that subscriptions of unemployed people do not count, and their money is no good? " We pay your salaries " is such a rude thing to say. That argument in my eyes is one of ignorance.

[Kisagami]

Also OP, saying that only certain subscriptions, those of people who are employed, pay the wages for Square employees is downright rude. Are you implying that subscriptions of unemployed people do not count, and their money is no good? " We pay your salaries " is such a rude thing to say. That argument in my eyes is one of ignorance.

I say this because my boyfriend pays for my subscription and the subscriptions of multiple people who are disabled. We are adding to the community. All we’d like is a small house, but 20 million to get it from one of the house flippers is ridiculous. All the wards I’ve gone into are typically empty. We hang out at my friend’s personal, ans we’ve seen 0 other people despite spending hours there.

[Calteru]

Are you high? Rift and WildStar - both MMOs with instanced housing - have extremely rich communities. In fact, the housing communities in those games are some of the most dedicated and close-knit players I've seen.

Are you 12? Comport yourself with a bit more decorum if not.

All the pictures I see of these two examples show one, maybe two people in them. Lots of empty space. I think the idea of "community" is being taken out of context in your reply to better fit your argument, which is disingenuous.

I have a walk-up store in Shirogane. People can come and go without the need for special permissions other than setting my house public. This can also be done in SWTOR. I have EASILY had more traffic in Shiro than I ever did on Tatooine. And it's because the housing is completely instanced in the latter. There are no neighborhoods in SWTOR. There's no sense of community like there can be and is with FF's neighborhoods.

[Naunet]

All the pictures I see of these two examples show one, maybe two people in them. Lots of empty space. I think the idea of "community" is being taken out of context in your reply to better fit your argument, which is disingenuous.

No, I'm not taking anything out of context. I'm describing my actual experiences - not making assumptions based on "pictures I see". I constantly see people visiting my housing plot/community in WildStar. There are TONS of public plots where roleplayers gather on a regular basis. Many have created plots dedicated to hosting dueling events. People chat constantly in housing zone chat and share ideas, offer suggestions, and generally help each other build creatively. It is far more of a community than I have ever experienced in FFXIV's housing.

[Calteru]

No, I'm not taking anything out of context. I'm describing my actual experiences - not making assumptions based on "pictures I see". I constantly see people visiting my housing plot/community in WildStar. There are TONS of public plots where roleplayers gather on a regular basis. Many have created plots dedicated to hosting dueling events. People chat constantly in housing zone chat and share ideas, offer suggestions, and generally help each other build creatively. It is far more of a community than I have ever experienced in FFXIV's housing.

Your experience is foreign to me. All I can go off of is what I've seen. Apparently that's all you can do too. Hope you enjoy WildStar then.

[Claviusnex]

The problem I see with this proposal is that it consumes server resources without returning anything back to the community. I've played games with separate instanced housing apart from any wards or other sense of community. Those housing instances are, for the most part, wastes of server resources as no one even so much as sees the vast majority of them.

There is no sense of community that I've witnessed on my server. In the 1+ year I've owned a house I actually saw my second player in the ward while I was at the MB last week. I waved and didn't get a response instead they just ran off. The same is true for the FC houses I visit when walking about. They are always empty and never seem to hold events. I had much more activity and chat when I was playing Wildstar and Rift. I see no reason for SE not to introduce instanced housing in parallel with the current wards. It will allow players to get a house and if they wish to wait to acquire one in the wards they still can. Instanced housing would also allow the limit on outdoor items to be lifted and to provide for a housing upgrade/downgrade path that is also hard to do with the current ward system. To be honest it is what they should have done when they introduced apartments but we all know SE doesn't always see the big picture.