How did we get here?

[Mikki]

I can agree with this suggestion if they stop gating content behind housing. Make a gardening instance attached to the apartment building so that anyone with an apartment can have a plot; put an entrance to the free company workshop in the grand company they're affiliated with - however these things fit. But if housing is meant to be scarce and expensive, and having it is simply meant to be a point of pride, putting content behind it is a very bad idea.

100% agree. That's why I think that apartments should be available to free companies and I definitely agree that gardening and workshops shouldn't be excluded. There's no reason for it and SE can't be surprised when everyone wants access to these limited things. If I recall correctly, they didn't exist at first (I couldn't ever hope to afford a house back then so I didn't actually look into what they offered but I never heard talk of it so I assume not). People weren't so upset and I bet that's a huge part of why. SE is shooting itself in the foot. Limited resource that offers content exclusive to it which gives desirable items as well as a the ability to decorate for fun which many people enjoy doing (just look at The Sims), offered at an extremely affordable price. Hm......... How did anyone think this was a good idea? lol..

[Brynne]

Limited resource that offers content exclusive to it

Honestly, if they removed the 'exclusive content' part, it would probably reduce a LOT of the outrage over the 'limited resource' part. I doubt anyone would object if gardening were gated behind apartments, since they can simply add more if supply runs out. Plus, if workshops were accessible for any FC of a certain rank regardless of housing, some of those shell FCs that are just holding houses for workshops would likely free up their plots for people who actually want to decorate, too. It wouldn't solve everything, obviously, but it would sure help a lot. >.> That's what I think, anyway.