Idea: Premium Wards

[Dustytome]

Well technically the sheer number of wards and plots WILL increase, its just will only be available for real money. Whats so bad about it? In your opinion, is it better to use third-party RMT services then for the same purpose of buying a house from an underground seller or legalize it completely so now you will be buying house directly from SE? And those who arent wealthy wont be affected at all, its not that ALL of housing will be for real money. It probably wont help in increasing housing shortage directly but considering that there wont be any form of instanced housing or something else in near future, it would be nice to at least have a choice.

If they find it profitable, what's going to motivate them to add any new wards for subscription-only users? How does the new paid ward function? If everyone paying wants a large house and it's just a duplicate of the current ward system, they have to charge enough for 3-6 mansions to support each of the paid wards. What if everyone paying wants Shirogane Plot 30? You now need 60 paid wards running just so people can have that plot?

[Jojoya]

Well technically the sheer number of wards and plots WILL increase

Except it won't increase it past what would exist without the premium housing.

You saying that you will pay extra in the future does not give SE the resources to create that special premium housing today. They would have to divert their existing resources to create your project. Housing that would have been created for all players ends up being made for a privileged few, a net increase of 0.

[Alyanna_Elingval]

Except it won't increase it past what would exist without the premium housing.

You saying that you will pay extra in the future does not give SE the resources to create that special premium housing today. They would have to divert their existing resources to create your project. Housing that would have been created for all players ends up being made for a privileged few, a net increase of 0.

It wouldn't be a privileged few, if SE were to do it, they would have to believe that there was enough demand to support what they're putting into it (ie...a lot of players). All people who would be giving up current houses in wards to move to whatever wards they set up for premium subscribers, along with players bypassing looking in current wards for house, which would lower demand in current wards. Yeah, more non premium players would get houses.

Another way they could do it would be to switch to an instanced housing model and just offer premium subscribers more perks. More item capacity, balconies, back yards, etc. This, along with letting people pick whatever size house they wanted may be enough to get enough players to support it, as well a giving a base version of houses to non-premium subscribers. So yeah, more housing for everyone.

But it all comes down to demand, just like the current housing situation. People don't play this game or remain subscribers based on the housing system. Probably two-thirds of the player base or more don't have houses, and what percentage of them really care? To the point where they'll walk away if they don't have one. There's a difference between having a house just because it's offered and thinking that having a house is essential to the player experience. So what percentage of players really, truly care is the question. Obviously, at this point, SE does not believe that percentage to be high enough to do anything more than band-aid, and add a few new wards here and there.

SE said that they would never charge for housing, so this is all just an intellectual exercise anyway.

[ERMITANYO]

Credits to Meoni,

Ishgardian Restoration from Tonberry Server.

https://youtu.be/3Klzo0y3fLc

I hope the first small, medium and large houses are not just model houses.

[Dyvid]

Or you could suggest something that could actually happen like improve apartments.... Just a thought.

[Solarra]

I definitely don't want to see Premium Wards introduced. I'm already paying extra to have alts on the same world as my main and I'm paying extra for retainers. The game isn't FTP, so I don't want to see housing put behind a second paywall.

Apartments were a step in the right direction but they are not very attractive due to size and lack of features such as Gardening and Workshops for FCs. I would much rather see an improvement on apartments because that would benefit everyone at no extra cost.

As I understand it, the ward system is a part of the problem, because wards are persistent. They are up all the time and that uses a lot of resources.

[Kytrin]

As I understand it, the ward system is a part of the problem, because wards are persistent. They are up all the time and that uses a lot of resources.

That's my understanding as well. From what I've heard, Yoshi-P was going for an interactive neighborhood idea so there would be actual communities of players and such, buuuuuuuuut it didn't really work out that well. Folks are always out in the world doing things and not being Animal Crossing FFXIV Edition.

[SmileyXIII]

Having premium wards will turn this game to pay 2 win where you have the option to buy a house with real money and then use the gardens to grow seeds and sell them for a lot of gil. I am making a lot of gil from gardening.

[Jojoya]

Having premium wards will turn this game to pay 2 win where you have the option to buy a house with real money and then use the gardens to grow seeds and sell them for a lot of gil. I am making a lot of gil from gardening.

Pay to win refers to someone ability to use real money to get a power or progression advantage over other players who don't pay.

There's no power or progression advantage to owning a house in this game. You'll make more gil doing treasure maps on a semi-regular basis than you'll make from gardening. Gil itself offer no power or progression advantage because it's nearly useless except as a tool to simplify bartering for non-essential items.

I'm still not in favor of having premium housing but it would be silly to call it pay to win.

[Doozer]

Sweet necro.