Real question; why do Housing "Subdivisions" exist? Why not other Wards? Just curious

[Terin]

No salt here! Just genuinely curious; I find "Subdivisions" to be such a strange concept. Is there a reason they were created, instead of just additional Wards? Is there some hardware benefit to Subdivisions over Wards?

Similarly, what was the decision behind "rotating" Subdivisions? Just to mix things up a little bit?

Something I noticed is that Subdivisions almost *never* see any regular foot traffic, whereas the "main divisions" often see random players running through from time to time. In my mind, it makes non-subdivision plots a bit more valuable, I assume because if a player is "just checking out houses", they're probably less inclined to also visit subdivisions.

No big deal, just honestly curious!

[Lihtleita]

you can use the teleport crystal between subdivisions and main divisions but not between wards, so im geussing the ward instances can hold twice the amound of houses than are displayed and its easier than adding new wards.
maybe the subdivision could be a part of the physical map of each ward, just hidden somehow like the overworld dungeons in 1.0.

[kaynide]

It’s derpy, however they do it in the backend, they should not have done subwards.

I assume it was done this way because it was easier to manageserverwise. Like if I shout in the main ward and you shout in the subward can we hear each other?

[Eldevern]

It's probably either related to data management or UI management or even both (most likely).

My bet is
- UI is easier to manage that way
- The program is built for one subdivision ward but the backend (data management - static memory) can handle bigger structures.
- One instance (dynamic memory) can handle the objects for one ward but not two.

[LianaThorne]

Little known fact: Sunrise/sunset in subdivision better than non-subdivision.

[ItMe]

Little known fact: Sunrise/sunset in subdivision better than non-subdivision.

Is it?
How so?

[LianaThorne]

Is it?
How so?

Not sure what they did but it just looks prettier. Like more vivid colors for example. I highly encourage to go sit in both areas and compare for yourself, it's relaxing at the very least.

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

Not sure what they did but it just looks prettier. Like more vivid colors for example. I highly encourage to go sit in both areas and compare for yourself, it's relaxing at the very least.

It's because they are rotated, so the sun is in a different position.

[kaynide]

Is it?
How so?

The sunset in Mist subdivision, for example, sets into the ocean (where it really should have originally for all tbh..how you gonna have a ocean villa zone and not sunset into the ocean…)

I forget exactly but main it sets like..behind the apartment building or something.

[Random0]

Each ward/subdivision is actually the same instance/map. Two clusters of houses out of sight of each other with no directly accessible path other than aethernet. It's very similar to how Upper La Noscea has two sections on either side of the lake. You can test this by having a conversation via the Shout channel (which hits the entire map) between yourself in the main ward and a friend in the subdivision.

Some years back the server team determined, based on utilization at the time, that the servers hosting the housing instances could handle enough additional load to double the number of plots per instance. So they copied the existing layout, rotated it 90 degrees, and pasted it on the far side of the map. This allowed them to make more plots available without actually needing to purchase additional server hardware - a quick and cost effective short term solution.