Housing: Let our voices be heard!

[Flickering Ember]

I wouldn't be surprised if they don't have the technology to split up wards to go to different servers that need it more. Seems like it could be the case considering they couldn't even create personal housing. (What we got was FC housing with a single bow on top and they called it 'personal' housing)

[Delilah Scythewood]

(What we got was FC housing with a single bow on top and they called it 'personal' housing)

Pretty much.

[Blue]

:dazed:

 

Oh, oh my... What's going on here? A thread to promote one of my threads?

 

:blush: Thank you, I didn't expect this kind of support! :love: Thanks Lili, let me give you a big virtual hug and the highest amount of sappy smilies I've ever used! :love::love::love:

[Delilah Scythewood]

:dazed:

 

Oh, oh my... What's going on here? A thread to promote one of my threads?

 

:blush: Thank you, I didn't expect this kind of support! :love: Thanks Lili, let me give you a big virtual hug and the highest amount of sappy smilies I've ever used! :love::love::love:

<33333333

 

On another note.

 

If others want to make a post for this on the main forums, by all means! Though it's been mentioned already in other housing threads. But it likely wouldn't hurt.

[C'kayah Polaali]

I wouldn't be surprised if they don't have the technology to split up wards to go to different servers that need it more. Seems like it could be the case considering they couldn't even create personal housing. (What we got was FC housing with a single bow on top and they called it 'personal' housing)

 

Sorry in advance if this gets a little esoteric...

 

You know, I was having an argument (in the civilized "debating an issue" sense of the word) with someone, and they brought that up. We both scratched our heads, because I've heard before that SE is struggling with a code base that's both old and unfamiliar to many of them. So we did some extrapolation:

 

• We know that the neighborhoods aren't on the same servers as the rest of the server - they're instanced
  
• We know that individual houses are instanced, with very little connection to the rest of the server you're on
  
• We know that housing is a new thing for FF, so the actual code for housing doesn't fall into the "old and unfamiliar code" camp
  

 

I figured that what's probably going on is they have one or more wards running on a single server, with multiplexing code at the ward entrances to handle shunting you into the proper ward. All fairly basic stuff, the only new thing they'd have to add would be the actual multiplexer, as well as the neighborhood design.

 

Now, once you're in the ward, the only connection you have to the rest of the server is through chat and your various player groupings: party, friends list, linkshells, etc. And I'd be really surprised if these aren't all implemented through chat*.

 

This means that there's no real hardware limitation causing the number of wards to be limited per server. Instead, they've probably got a pool of machines that limit the total number of wards they can offer. Each ward's connection to chat would be nebulous - the client would connect to the proper chat system based on your server, no problem at all.

 

This means that all you'd really have to do to replace the current system with one where you have a pool of wards would be to change the ward-selection multiplexer to handle a variable number of wards, instead of a set number. Now, I don't know how their multiplexer works, but I'd expect this would be something you could hand to a junior developer and have done in a week. Two, with QA. That would give you one where they'd manually assign wards to servers. Adding an automated system to do this would lighten the load on their end, but considering we're only talking about a small number of wards (a few hundred, tops), they'd get more bang from their buck by simply having someone look at server stats every week or two and manually doing it.

 

Now, granted, this is all extrapolation from a position of ignorance, but seriously: If I could figure out a way to do this with a typical MMO server architecture using a team of 3 in two weeks, how hard can it be for them? Even if you assume that their architecture is especially Rube Goldberg-esque, you're only adding an order of magnitude to this. A team of 3 operating for the length of time it takes to do a major point release (2.4 to 2.5, say). That's still a cheap and easy win.

 

*SE is known for doing their own crazy thing, but if I were doing it, I'd have chat be an XMPP server, with all the groupings handled by XMPP contact management, linkshells as multi-user rooms, etc. Now I don't think SE use XMPP, but the basic concepts are the same for any chat system. Other games do this, which makes chat a no-brainer in them - Eve Online and Star Trek Online, for instance, are known to use XMPP.

[Briggs]

Honestly, Wildstar housing was probably the best housing I'd seen in a long time.

 

o Affordable

o Heavily customizable, even to the biome

o Tons of furniture w/ little restrictions

o Lighting options

o LIGHTING OPTIONS

o LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHTING OPTIIIIIONS

o Music options

o Nearly everything could be scaled or modified on the xyz planes

o Personal nodes, mining, farming, training modules

o More...

 

I'm contemplating resubbing. I hate the endgame but love the game. Of course, I love FFXIV and don't plan on quitting anytime soon, but its housing is a farcry from what I know and love. I'm not rich enough to afford anything more than the personal quarters you can have branched off of the FC housing. It's... nice. It's not good, it's not bad, it's just nice. 

[DeletedUser]

It's... nice. It's not good, it's not bad, it's just nice. 

 

Wildstar's was pretty amazing, and even garrisons in WoW aren't limited by the players on the server. I really do struggle to see why it's the way it is in FFXIV.

[Aldotsk]

One of these reasons I've bought like two to three plots for myself early hand in case if I ever want to use them. I haven't sold any or given them away. I haven't customized either and I am still holding them to see if I can offer for trade to occupy any plots in Ward 7 main division . I do understand that the plots are so limited in Balmung though. I've noticed that some servers are not even filled yet, which is probably why the devs weren't so concerned about making new wards so far

[Branson Thorne]

One of these reasons I've bought like two to three plots for myself early hand in case if I ever want to use them. I haven't sold any or given them away. I haven't customized either and I am still holding them to see if I can offer for trade to occupy any plots in Ward 7 main division . I do understand that the plots are so limited in Balmung though. I've noticed that some servers are not even filled yet, which is probably why the devs weren't so concerned about making new wards so far

 

*in the voice of kyle*

"YOU BASTARD, YOU STOLE ALL THE HOUSING*

[ArmachiA]

Forever waiting for a medium plot.

 

I understand the crew is working on the Golden Saucer, and at least I can distract myself with it till more housing comes out - which I'm guessing won't be thought about till after the expansion.

[Delilah Scythewood]

Which I'm guessing won't be thought about till after the expansion.

 *Forever waits with you. QQ*

[Alothia]

It's... nice. It's not good, it's not bad, it's just nice. 

I'm not good, I'm not nice, I'm just right. I'm the witch, you're the world!

 

 

Yay for knowing Into the Woods. It is my favorite musical. I was really saddened by the movie. Anywho. /sidebar

 

 

 

 

 

 

I totally agree with the Wildstar housing thoughts. It was one of my favorite parts of that game. Sure, you couldn't walk through a neighborhood and randomly happen upon someone because they were all separate instances, but it was a lot more robust. Even with a little bit of money, you could do amazing things there. *sigh*

[Perth]

One of these reasons I've bought like two to three plots for myself early hand in case if I ever want to use them. I haven't sold any or given them away. I haven't customized either and I am still holding them to see if I can offer for trade to occupy any plots in Ward 7 main division . I do understand that the plots are so limited in Balmung though. I've noticed that some servers are not even filled yet, which is probably why the devs weren't so concerned about making new wards so far

 

[Dravus]

They really should limit the purchase of houses to one per account, at least until it's made more widely available and affordable. As others have mentioned already Wildstar's model was perfect and I really hope that FFXIV adopts something similar in the future. I don't mind waiting but I do hope that someday I'll be able to enjoy owning a house of my own without first throwing a ridiculous amount of gil at it.

[Naunet]

As others have mentioned already Wildstar's model was perfect and I really hope that FFXIV adopts something similar in the future. I don't mind waiting but I do hope that someday I'll be able to enjoy owning a house of my own without first throwing a ridiculous amount of gil at it.

 

Don't hold your breath. Changing from the disaster of a housing system that FFXIV has now to the actually enjoyable system WildStar has would mean trashing their entire concept and reworking everything from almost scratch. I really, really doubt that will ever happen. If you want WS-style housing, you're better off playing WS (or Rift, which has essentially the same thing).

[Delilah Scythewood]

Notice: Please do not forget to make posts on the main forum thread linked in the master post! Discussing here is fine as well but the main forums is what I want the focus to be on so our voices can be heard and more awareness spread Please and thank you!

[Dravus]

As others have mentioned already Wildstar's model was perfect and I really hope that FFXIV adopts something similar in the future. I don't mind waiting but I do hope that someday I'll be able to enjoy owning a house of my own without first throwing a ridiculous amount of gil at it.

 

Don't hold your breath. Changing from the disaster of a housing system that FFXIV has now to the actually enjoyable system WildStar has would mean trashing their entire concept and reworking everything from almost scratch. I really, really doubt that will ever happen. If you want WS-style housing, you're better off playing WS (or Rift, which has essentially the same thing).

 

Well, like I said I don't expect it to happen in the immediate future but I'm hoping that they'll find a way around it. We're getting Ishgard in the next expansion so maybe that will launch with a whole bunch of housing plots.

 

Though from what I hear Balmung has a huge amount of competition for houses whereas other servers don't. It's a bit frustrating that people can buy more than one plot per account when they're already so limited.

[Delilah Scythewood]

As others have mentioned already Wildstar's model was perfect and I really hope that FFXIV adopts something similar in the future. I don't mind waiting but I do hope that someday I'll be able to enjoy owning a house of my own without first throwing a ridiculous amount of gil at it.

 

Don't hold your breath. Changing from the disaster of a housing system that FFXIV has now to the actually enjoyable system WildStar has would mean trashing their entire concept and reworking everything from almost scratch. I really, really doubt that will ever happen. If you want WS-style housing, you're better off playing WS (or Rift, which has essentially the same thing).

 

Well, like I said I don't expect it to happen in the immediate future but I'm hoping that they'll find a way around it. We're getting Ishgard in the next expansion so maybe that will launch with a whole bunch of housing plots.

 

Though from what I hear Balmung has a huge amount of competition for houses whereas other servers don't. It's a bit frustrating that people can buy more than one plot per account when they're already so limited.

I can understand if its a character-to-character sort of purchase. Especially since many people have a main and sometimes even an alt they do a lot with so it'd make sense for characters to have their own housing.

[Knight Kat]

So yes. Housing. Must needs fix.

 

Totes just doing this to bump the thread.

[Caspar]

I hope there is Coerthas housing someday.

[Enzo]

I feel like it would have be better to keep FC houses the way they are. But make instanced Player housing. Then ANYONE can get a house. While FC's will still have some struggle. There will be a slight bit less competition. Instancing everything and removing the need for neighborhoods sounds like a drag that will never be done. But making some kind of buyable apartment that allows everyone to get SOME kind of house, even if it is small would be doable and just make it instanced. Even if it is far less than all the other housing options. It is still something.

[Caspar]

I feel like it would have be better to keep FC houses the way they are. But make instanced Player housing. Then ANYONE can get a house. While FC's will still have some struggle. There will be a slight bit less competition. Instancing everything and removing the need for neighborhoods sounds like a drag that will never be done. But making some kind of buyable apartment that allows everyone to get SOME kind of house, even if it is small would be doable and just make it instanced. Even if it is far less than all the other housing options. It is still something.

Yeah, this is a good idea. Maybe they could make it possible to buy a private room at a Grand Company-owned barracks or dormitory of sorts. Then you only need to pay the 300,000 gil, which really isn't that much in the grand scheme of things, to have a room. It's something, even if it isn't a full size house. You can still decorate it and get access to all the utilities a house has except the garden and stables, etc.

[Enzo]

I feel like it would have be better to keep FC houses the way they are. But make instanced Player housing. Then ANYONE can get a house. While FC's will still have some struggle. There will be a slight bit less competition. Instancing everything and removing the need for neighborhoods sounds like a drag that will never be done. But making some kind of buyable apartment that allows everyone to get SOME kind of house, even if it is small would be doable and just make it instanced. Even if it is far less than all the other housing options. It is still something.

Yeah, this is a good idea. Maybe they could make it possible to buy a private room at a Grand Company-owned barracks or dormitory of sorts. Then you only need to pay the 300,000 gil, which really isn't that much in the grand scheme of things, to have a room. It's something, even if it isn't a full size house. You can still decorate it and get access to all the utilities a house has except the garden and stables, etc.

^ this. I don't think I would want a dormitory but any kind of small housing complex or apartments could do. Perhaps a door in each of the major city is the entrance to an instanced housing. Then going up to it you can visit either your own house, or the house of your party leader, or the house of anyone on your friends list?

[Dravus]

I posted on the thread over on the official site. I'd strongly suggest others do the same if they haven't already as there's a stronger chance that it'll be seen by the developers there than here. Just a friendly reminder!

[Delilah Scythewood]

I posted on the thread over on the official site. I'd strongly suggest others do the same if they haven't already as there's a stronger chance that it'll be seen by the developers there than here. Just a friendly reminder!

Thank you <3 What he said! I know people want to discuss and I would suggest doing so mostly on the main forum listed