So since we're adding submarines...

[LinaDoodle]

I think workshop really is in need of a desperate update. A lot of FC's shrunk in active people. Asking people to stand there and do nothing over and over is a pain. Sure it was OK when it was released but it's getting really old. I agree as in what was said already changing it down to 2 people being required instead of 4 would be sensible. Or change the projects so you can turn in the entire project and only need 4 people to complete it rather than each phase.

Make workshops fun again!

[TitaniaZero]

My FC is crippled. It was hard enough to get them online and subbed for my one Airship. Now I'm the only one because there is nothing worthwhile for them to do. (and money is tight for them) I'm unwilling to hunt for people, that sounds like trouble I don't want. I would so love this phase transition thing removed. It's already time-consuming to get the materials for these projects if I'm doing this alone then I best be able to progress it alone!

I'm already dreading the materials I need to get for Sub 1! I'm the only lvl 70 omnicrafter in my FC. ; ;

[illgot]

My FC is crippled. It was hard enough to get them online and subbed for my one Airship. Now I'm the only one because there is nothing worthwhile for them to do. (and money is tight for them) I'm unwilling to hunt for people, that sounds like trouble I don't want. I would so love this phase transition thing removed. It's already time-consuming to get the materials for these projects if I'm doing this alone then I best be able to progress it alone!

I'm already dreading the materials I need to get for Sub 1! I'm the only lvl 70 omnicrafter in my FC. ; ;

it's a very annoying feature that honestly has no purpose in the game. The only purpose I see for this is getting your FC to work together but it doesn't even require the people to be in your FC. If anything having 4 crafters from your FC should give you an increased chance of reducing materials required, not being a requirement to craft.

[StouterTaru]

The comparison to gardening and remodeling is false equivalence given that it's also an activity available through private housing while airships are not. The aetherial wheel is minor enough that it's not actually super relevant. Which then makes Diadem an exception to the 4 person thing.

If that's the exception, what's the rule? What exactly is the "fc stuff" that requires 4 people?

[Elamys]

If that's the exception, what's the rule? What exactly is the "fc stuff" that requires 4 people?

There is no other FC thing that requires 4 people. IDK what he's going on about.

In terms of things that are exclusive to FCs, it only requires one person. You only need one person to buy and set up buffs. You only need one person to set up a house and its permissions. You only need one person to manage all the other aspects of an FC. But ultimately, there isn't much FC only content, and this ridiculous bandaged on requirement of "have 3 other people come to the workshop while one person presses the button" doesn't fix any of that.

[ManuelBravo]

If that's the exception, what's the rule? What exactly is the "fc stuff" that requires 4 people?

There is no other FC thing that requires 4 people. IDK what he's going on about.

Besides the upcoming changes to purchasing Housing requirements for FC. New rules are going to affect sooo many people who have multiple houses. With that being said, there are certain things that require 2+ members and 4 members present. Diadem ( airship exploration missions ) . FC projects ( sucks you need for members present at workshop DoH ) to proceed on phases to complete projects.

[StouterTaru]

FC projects requiring 4 people is what was being discussed, so using it as an example of why it should be the way it is doesn't work; it's the old "Brawndo has what plants crave" argument.

[worldofneil]

Diadem requires 2 people, but only 1 has to actually be in the FC.

Workshop projects require 4 people, but like diadem, only 1 has to actually be in the FC.

Creating an FC and purchasing a house for the FC from 4.2 will both require 4+ people, but only in the FC member list. They don't need to actually be online at the time and the actual registration purchase is only done by 1 person.

Activating actions/creating new actions via the aetherial wheel only takes 1 person.

Gardening only takes 1 person.

Decorating only takes 1 person.

So basically there are no 4 people FC activities or anything that actually requires 4 FC members to be online at the same time.

The 4 person requirement for workshop is just a major inconvenience with no real point as it doesn't require FCs to work together and I'd really love to see it removed. Going the other way and actually changing it to require 4 FC members would just cause more problems for people and also penalise legitimate small FCs.

[MistakeNot]

It's not really arbitrary though, four is the minimum number of people you need for fc stuff.

What "fc stuff" are you thinking of?
Creating an FC in the first place requires four people - three of which can leave once the FC has been created.
Come 4.2 you will need four people in the FC to buy a house - but no need for the extra people to actually do anything except be part of the FC.

And then there is the workshop, which is the only actual FC activity that needs four people present that I know of. And here three of them just needs to stand around and twiddle their thumbs.

[OMega_ARcane]

What if having others present at the time of using the items is a way for others to acknowledge that "hey we are a fc doing a fc project. persons 1, 2, and 3 personally took the time to gather/craft these materials, and we are here to make sure person 4 doesn't dump them into some project that persons 1-4 or our fc as a whole agreed upon." Maybe its like this so one person doesn't screw multiple people over who took the time to get the turn ins? Who knows maybe we should be thankful? I know I wouldn't appreciate someone just dumping lots of DS nuggets away for example.