Housing problem/solutions

[docvontod]

Of course there is no possible 100% guaranteed solution, but random timers is not beneficial for anyone and only promotes more botting. Random timers inhibits and limits gameplay.

Proposed alternatives:
1) A lottery system: Housing posts open up and stay "visible" for a certain period of time. At this time you can click on the post and submit your ticket. After the time period a ticket is drawn at random and awarded to that player. The tickets can have a "bad luck" protection to increase chances after a while (potential benefits and issues on that). This allows players to put in their interest and continue playing the game. Tickets could be purchased through the housing vendor, at current market price and only one ticket would be available for purchase/possession at any given time. Once the ticket is released, upon actual purchase of the house, the character could then purchase another ticket for available fc or private purchase house.

2) Houses should not devaluate when the market demand is high. Limit the timer to a set duration (i.e. 4 hours). Houses should only devaluate if their aren't any interest in the property. I also think clicks on the sign post should reduce the "non-visable" timer, if that system will continue to be used.

Just thoughts in my head of how to help the system.
Thanks,
Doc

[Nalien]

We really need dozens of threads saying the exact same thing? I'll just quote myself from another;

Just make plots instanced... Only thing we lose is the ability to seamlessly walk onto plots, but I really don't think that outweighs all the negatives we currently have... Limited plot availability being the biggest offender, significantly reduced outdoor furniture limit being another...

Make plots instanced, keep the zones as they are apart from that. Rather than one or two groups gathering at their nearest market board, you'd have a lot more people, since one plot could now have several peoples version instanced. Everyone would just walk to their plot, click on the gate and select which instanced version of that plot to enter, effectively the same as how we enter different wards/subdivisions/apartments now. Could have a system in place where a snapshot of players plots are randomly displayed in the zone to make it feel more lively, or just use template houses to fill the space... Either way, I think potentially being able to have unlimited availability of plots, higher furniture cap for gardens, and making the zones themselves more crowded are all massive benefits that I'd much rather see than "I can jump over the fence to leave my plot".

Heck, making the whole plot instanced might actually let you work some other seamless aspect in, namely letting us just walk into the house rather than selecting it and zoning in... Let that upper floor balcony door finally function, give us greater variety of furniture since outdoor and indoor furniture would now be the same thing, although placing a pond indoors does seem silly, but more freedom and options to create something is never a bad thing, IMO. Heck, could place stuff on the mansion balcony with such a system...

All SE needs to do is take the current plots, and move them to the instances, so if you're on say Plot 3 Ward 1, you're now first in the list of instanced houses on Plot 3, if you own Plot 3 on Ward 5, you're 5th (or 9th depending where you put subdivisions in that list). Everyone who currently owns a plot keeps it, by making it all instanced now the server strain is significantly reduced and additional versions of those plots can be created.

[Mirassou]

I would hate to see a lottery system - it's the ultimate RNG, and requires no effort whatsoever on the part of the player. I seem to recall years ago Yoshi-P characterizing housing as something that not everyone should have with little effort expended. So I would be surprised if something like this were ever implemented.

I agree that the duration of the RNG timer is too long - I would like to see it set lower than 4 hours actually. Devaluation doesn't really bother me either way.

As always, these are just my own opinions - yours are just as valid as mine!

Kindness and respect towards my fellow posters! <3

[Metallus]

All I really care about is interior decorating. I wouldn't even be fighting for a plot if I could buy more condo apartments or FC rooms or if they made apartments upgradeable in size.

Even in overpopulated worlds there are countless inhabited apartments, let me have more D:

[Jojoya]

A lottery system wouldn't reduce the level of frustration for players since it would increase the competition for an open plot and everybody except the one lucky player would still be left wanting.

Right now I suspect few houses are getting a chance to devalue more than once before they're purchased. Changing how houses devalue still does not make more houses available for those who want houses.

If you're going to insist on dreaming up ways to change the ward system so that more houses are available, request SE to implement a monthly property tax that must be paid or the house gets demo'd. A lot of players are going to lose interest in owning a house if they have to pay gil monthly in order to keep it.

Even better is to give up trying to find ways to change the ward system and focus requests on improvements to the instanced housing system (apartments) that would make them a more desirable alternative to owning a house.

[ern815]

How long is that RNG timer btw?

[Gula]

How long is that RNG timer btw?

I heard at minimum 5 hours. I'm going to start posting this just so people can have a clear idea. Loop for 10 hours for the housing experience.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BB1VS6sukY

[ern815]

Wow, that's a bit crazy having to click the plot for at least 5 hours.

[docvontod]

Lately, the average seems to be between 16-20 hours...it's crazy.

[docvontod]

Yes, i do agree it's not an absolute best case solution but it would allow people to play the game and not have to stand by a post clicking for hours. It seems they want housing to be somewhat exclusive, which I like; i just don't like the current method.

I wouldn't mind a "sub" 4-hour timer even with the random timer.

I also wouldn't mind a 4 hour bidding window, whether it is blind or not. Housing should be priced higher than it is right now economically speaking. I understand people don't want price hikes, but I don't see it being an issue. Just personal opinion of course and opinions are absolutely welcome.

Thanks for the reply!