Plots everywhere demolished and open!

[SturmChurro]

That just sounds awful and demotivating

I went to several wards today to look at where the empty plots were and to see if it was a nice area and I didn't see a single soul in the wards in general, much less camping the placards. My MSQ roulette even popped in the middle of it and I ran all of Prae and still didn't see anyone when I got back out.

Anyway, I hope your persistence pays off and you get a house!

Problem is, I don't even actually want a house. I was just going to put all my seasonal decor in random locations. That's not the point though, I just don't want to let the game beat me.

I should correct myself. I want a house, but just to have it.

[Yencat]

Problem is, I don't even actually want a house. I was just going to put all my seasonal decor in random locations. That's not the point though, I just don't want to let the game beat me.

I should correct myself. I want a house, but just to have it.

I totally get it, if I'd been standing there for God knows how many hours I would've kept going until I had one too.

I never really wanted a house either as I didn't want to be shackled to the game indefinitely, I actually bought mine "on accident" sometime last year (saw an empty plot and wanted to see the dreaded placard message I always hear about, and then it was suddenly my plot.)

I suppose realistically I will lose it at some point because I refuse to pay a sub when I'm not playing, but I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

[Shougun]

I totally get it, if I'd been standing there for God knows how many hours I would've kept going until I had one too.

I never really wanted a house either as I didn't want to be shackled to the game indefinitely, I actually bought mine "on accident" sometime last year (saw an empty plot and wanted to see the dreaded placard message I always hear about, and then it was suddenly my plot.)

I suppose realistically I will lose it at some point because I refuse to pay a sub when I'm not playing, but I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

I believe that actually further dissuades house use.

Buy something, that for most casual players, very expensive that you can very readily lose if you decide to take a break for whatever reason (besides wanting to take a break because maybe you were burnt out or playing something else at the time there is of course just life being life, covid, job, natural disaster, etc - which SE tries to help with but they can't fully because it would mean locking houses).

Added with other reasons of course like the system doesn't flow very smoothly. like if the system started you out either massively tiny but free but then pointed you towards upgrading that to apartment scale, then to small, etc, etc (location theme also being like this in terms of smoother far friendlier transitions)- meanwhile the game wont threaten to remove progress either. I strongly believe people would more eagerly interact with the system then. At first maybe just because they can store seasonals, but each time you get in it would be like "how about that extra space.. eh? you want a garden don't you, it's right here just press upgrade ;3".

Instead we have situations where people are actively told to buy houses they don't want just so they can then later pay more to get the house they actually did want. Freaking what? It actually works, but seriously that's the way that is a "good way" to interact with the system? It's awful.

[Yencat]

Instead we have situations where people are actively told to buy houses they don't want just so they can then later pay more to get the house they actually did want. Freaking what? It actually works, but seriously that's the way that is a "good way" to interact with the system? It's awful.

You're right. You either don't buy one, or you buy one and hang onto it for dear life. (if you get the chance)

If they ever decide to do something instanced beyond apartments that will always be there even when you unsub and resub I will gladly relinquish my house and plot and just have that, the neighbourhood thing doesn't mean anything to me because no one ever seems to be in there anyway.

When housing first launched and my FC eventually managed to get a house the areas were bustling with people that were either looking to buy, were just curious and having a look, or wanted to socialize. Back then I could see what they were going for with the neighbourhood-feel. Now though? Maybe there's still wards like that but mine sure isn't, not where the FC house is and not where my personal house is.

I lucked out randomly so while I did enjoy crafting all my own decorations and I still use and visit my house daily, I'm not that invested. But if the alternative was possibly standing at a placard again clicking for 7+ hours because I really wanted a house I might also be more inclined to just pay the sub to keep it.

Aside from the fact that it encourages unhealthy behaviour it also pits players against each other rather than against the system itself, because people know SE is stubborn about how they designed it so it's little use getting mad at them. Of course they're gonna get mad at the person that relocated right under their nose or got it before them, even though that person didn't necessarily do anything wrong either. Provided they're not botting, of course.

Call me soft but if there had been several people standing at the plot I ended up relocating to I wouldn't have had the heart to relocate and snatch it out from under their noses, not because they might get mad but I'd just feel bad because they may have been there for hours.

It's just not fun for either side.