It would be interesting if there was some sort of community building project...

[TeraRamis]

What I mean is, instead of an individual buying a house, that somehow a whole server, or even like 10 FCs - just a big, significant part of the playerbase - could get together to work on something long term, like building a castle, or erecting a cathedral, or building a town, which is wholly unique to them. And - particularly with regards to the latter - I don't mean just a retread of the housing districts - I'm talking about you're given a plot of land (instanced/separated; like the present wards) that's essentially a blank slate (say, a grove in a forest, or a pasture on a mountainside, or a bluff overlooking the sea), and while there are some limitations to what you can build there, how you build it, and the pace at which you collect resources to build it, is really up to the people involved what the final effort looks like.

How would something like that be done? I don't have the nuts and bolts of it worked out, but it seems to be that one of the really cool things about FFXIV is watching all the nifty stuff that players create even with the exceedingly limited tools they are presently given. And it would be nice to see that system expanded to allowing them to lay out villages or fortresses or opera houses or... seaports or something like that, that they could truly, from the ground-up, call their own.

[Catwho]

We literally just had this and it was called Ishgard Restoration. No, it was not something unique that we could design ourselves, but it was absolutely a community effort from top to bottom on each server.

I hope that they repeat this for 6.0 because I had a lot of fun. Perhaps with the customization details like you suggested. Would we vote on what got built? Vote by contributing specific kinds of supplies?

[TeraRamis]

We literally just had this and it was called Ishgard Restoration.

But that's absolutely, one-hundred percent NOT what I am talking about. I don't mean 'contribute XYZ resources so that the game "unlocks" (but doesn't really unlock, because Ishgarde housing would be there even on a dead server once it opens) a housing ward' - I'm talking, as I said in the OP, about giving people a piece of land and the tools to build things on that land (within reason).

[Lunalepsy]

What I mean is, instead of an individual buying a house, that somehow a whole server, or even like 10 FCs - just a big, significant part of the playerbase - could get together to work on something long term, like building a castle, or erecting a cathedral, or building a town, which is wholly unique to them. And - particularly with regards to the latter - I don't mean just a retread of the housing districts - I'm talking about you're given a plot of land (instanced/separated; like the present wards) that's essentially a blank slate (say, a grove in a forest, or a pasture on a mountainside, or a bluff overlooking the sea), and while there are some limitations to what you can build there, how you build it, and the pace at which you collect resources to build it, is really up to the people involved what the final effort looks like.

How would something like that be done? I don't have the nuts and bolts of it worked out, but it seems to be that one of the really cool things about FFXIV is watching all the nifty stuff that players create even with the exceedingly limited tools they are presently given. And it would be nice to see that system expanded to allowing them to lay out villages or fortresses or opera houses or... seaports or something like that, that they could truly, from the ground-up, call their own.

That sounds like a good idea!

[Jojoya]

It would cause a lot of drama as players fail to agree on what the creation should be or destroy what others had already contributed. Many FCs already experience problems when allowing all members free access to furnishing placement. The problems would only compound in a more random and larger group of players.

It's not that I don't think it's a nice idea (games like Minecraft and Trove already allow this sort of cooperative building) but it takes only one rebel to destroy what everyone had worked to create (which has happened times unaccounted in those other games to the dismay of those who had put in hundreds of hours of effort).

[Shougun]

I've suggested they take a Dark Cloud meets Hamlet defense sort of concept for FC, I think that would be a rather interesting opportunity for FCs. GW2 also has some ideas that may be worth taking during that. Here you would make your own FC hamlet expanding territory, adding facilities, and then getting to protect it as well. Protection can be perhaps opted out but reduce in some sort of reward / rate, like you hire GC guards to take care of the hamlet (or another FC- which adds opportunity for other FC to see other hamlets, the system can just pull from the list "this place needs mercenaries" and another FC looking to do variety of hamlet content will get thrust into that area, even if they fail it might not impact the hiring FC, just the merc. FC's rewards). Adding onto this there then can be some NPC hamlets (like 1.0 hamlet defense was), also thinking of best ideas and systems from Aht Urhgan's siege, then also beast tribe strongholds where players can do assaults onto 'enemy' hamlets. FC can do FC vs FC content.

A strong opportunity to use the reputation system that FC has but doesn't really use currently. Now you could have players help build reputation both by their own and also group experience, this reputation unlocking new facilities and npcs that might exist within your hamlet.

While Island sanctuaries is for the solo player and casual the hamlet system would be for the group and more industrial focused.

[SturmChurro]

No thanks. I hate player created structures, towns, etc.. Often times they make absolutely no sense, garish, and ruin my immersion. At least housing plots are contained to the specific plot.

[Juun]

No thanks. I hate player created structures, towns, etc.. Often times they make absolutely no sense, garish, and ruin my immersion. At least housing plots are contained to the specific plot.

There is literally a house with 7 blow up bath tubs across from me. Its pretty much a sore sight in my eyes. Thankfully I dont really see it cause my house is elevated higher but man 100x this.

[Shougun]

No thanks. I hate player created structures, towns, etc.. Often times they make absolutely no sense, garish, and ruin my immersion. At least housing plots are contained to the specific plot.

I think that is why having it localized to a FC would do well. I know OP was thinking more big picture, and maybe I guess it could be 'alliance FC' content, but I think taking many of the core desires yet going a bit smaller scale (not Ishgard lol) and perhaps not 'as' free form (hence reference to Dark Cloud, although personalization capabilities would still be very important) would still maintain a lot of the desires end result wise but also add a lot of content that I think a FC needs (FC centric content, things to do with your FC). The group, industrial, focused brother variant of Sanctuaries.