1 Instanced House Per Account

As Envy / Midian said....I really just see instanced housing as tacky, devaluing the game and visions in general.

+1
I agree 100%

 

Why not create and sell special settlement plots that allow multiple small houses that can each be rented to players. This would benefit both Portalarium, who will see a cash infusion, older backers who will be able to collect in game rent, and new players who will have easier access to the housing market.

There could also be lower and upper tier pledges to support it with a title of Seigneur and extra game keys given as rewards to encourage these backers to recruit new people.

Win/Win.

 

@Mythical, @herradam, @Rufus D\'Asperdi

I think instanced housing can be done well in a way that doesn't devalue lot housing.

I'd be happy to discuss my idea with anyone who wants to read it. It gives people a place to call home and build a connection with the game without giving them all the benefits of a lot or taking away from those who pledged high enough to get one or bought it off the store. Have a read and let me know what you think.

 

Wouldn't this then turn the 'Landed Aristocracy' as you put it into Landed, Aristocratic Land Lords? Not only would they control the land on which you live, the house you inhabit, but would, presumably profit from it, and have the ability to evict you should they decide to.

How is this a win/win?

It seems to me that the primary objection stems from the belief that once the Backers (Royal Founders, Nouveau Founders, and Benefactors) claim all their lots, there will be none left for the those that don't fall into the Backer categories. Is that correct? Or, is the basic objection that Anything in the game is available for real world money?

If it is the first, then you have to believe Portalarium, who alone know how many lots exist, and how many have been pledged or bought, and control their availability are selling them all, or allowing them to be pledged without regard for those that have not pledged at at least a Citizen level, or bought a lot through the Add On store. I believe that Portaliaium has stated publicly that this will not be the case, and there will be un-apportioned lots available after launch.

Do you believe there will be no lots available?

If it is the second, then how would you have funded this project? Also, the trend in console, PC, and mobile gaming, for better or worse is to move away from Subscription membership, and to Micro Transaction (MTX) or buying things in game for real money... I'm not a fan, but that is the reality of the market. Those that do not wish to pay may play for free, but will be limited, or disadvantaged in some fashion.

 

I would have not based the crux of funding around what has been described to be an extremely finite resource. Yes, the market is changing, but there are a plethora of other kickstarted projects that have had no problem getting funds without such a conflict. I mean, look at Star Citizen. You can buy almost everything, but they are not finite things, and they will all be available for anyone who comes into the game at any point if want to earn them ingame.

I think this is the main concern. Couple with accounts being allowed to own multiple deeds, if not use more than one, it's a concerning separation between the haves and nots. But out of all of this, no one is walking away from the game. It's the uncertainty that is the problem. I'd love to pledge more money to this game, somewhere between $100-200, I'm willing to. But not with these concerns still floating about.

 

You may of missed the devs and RG posting that there will be enough housing created for launch for all the backers and each episode will be more housing in new towns.

It was a posting made a few months ago.

 

The flaw in your argument is two things:

• Finite resources create a demand, especially a timed availability, and that helps move units.
• Star Citizen most certainly has time and/or number limited ships and insurance, and you could watch the pledge totals jump as the deadlines approached.

Yes, some might be available for purchase in the game, however, many of those will be similar, but not the same models. They're going for something similar to the car industry. Sometimes a brand new model comes along, but most years it's just an iteration over the last year's model. If you have an older model and take care of it, it will eventually become a relic.

 

For better or worse, history is history, and cannot be changed without upsetting people who've contributed $3,500,000.00 to this enterprise. Dwelling on it is non-productive.

And still... Portalarium controls the supply, and have stated that they are not releasing all available lots to the public prior to the launch of the game. I don't see a benefit to them lying about that, at least not in the long term. Everyone has a different measure of value, and their own unique risk vs. reward index. There are somewhat north of thirty thousand people for whom the potential reward is worth the inherent risk.

 

Yes, it would. But it would also ease access to the housing market while both privileging existing backers as well as supporting the game's development. The ability to evict may be dependent on payment of rent, so that's really an issue with game mechanics.

The idea of renting spaces is nothing new and this just continues that. The real benefit here is access to housing.

The point is that the uncertainty over the availability of housing is a significant barrier to enticing new pledges. It really needs to be dealt with.

 

It seems your issue is rooted in the belief that there will be no lots available after launch... Is that true?
Only Portalarium knows how many lots are available, and how many they are making available to Backers and on the Add-on Store, and how many they're holding in reserve. They Have, however, stated that there will be lots available post launch. Barring evidence to the contrary, I would take them at their word, as there is no long term benefit to lying about lot availability.

 

My concern lies with the uncertainty of housing. I know several people whose reason for not pledging is because of this uncertainty.

Housing and decorating is a significant part of this game, so where's the incentive for new backers who don't want to outlay a large cash payment to secure a deed?

That there is a chance that one might be locked out of that part of the content is a significant disincentive. It's an issue that needs to be dealt with and articulated as part of the pitch to entice new backers.

 

It's an unfinished game, that is still in production... Nothing is certain.

Each person has their own level of risk aversion... 30,000+ people have accepted the current level of risk amounting to more than $3,500,00.00. You are, empirically, more risk averse than they are. What would it take to make the risk acceptable for you?

 

No, nothing is certain but the point of running a campaign such as this is to make the game appealing so that people will come and spend money to (eventually) play it.

This isn't about me personally, as I've already pledged at an appropriate level to obtain housing. My concern is in attracting new backers, which will ultimately benefit all of us by allowing Portalarium more financial freedom in developing this game.

 

Short sightedness and greed will take it's toll...it always does.

 

I would disagree... the primary point is to raise funds to get the game built... I agree that a valid secondary goal would be to use the more public than normal development of the game to help promote it and widen the appeal.

I'm still not sure what you would have them do... They've stated that they will have more lots than are being allocated to backer, either as tax free Founder lots, or as Add-on Store purchases... So, unless you think they're lying to us, there will be lots available in-game for the earning/purchasing post launch. I don't see how altering the design in some major way at this point in development, or diverting resources to build some new major, unplanned, subsystem would increase certainty... What other system would you have them abandon to create guaranteed housing for all?

While that may raise confidence for some, and add enough value for them to make the Reward/Risk ration greater than one, it would have the opposite affect on me.

 

My request is for clarification and a suggestion on improving the availability of housing to new backers.

As it stands now there is no certainty of housing without a large initial cash outlay. The long term health of the game and its continued development hinges on the continual enticement of new pledges.

Do I think they're lying? No, but I'm already invested in this system, so I'm biased because my housing is secure. Rarity of housing will ultimately drive people away from pledging and this will hurt your investment in the long run.

 

I'd be interested in links to the information that there'll be enough lots available at launch for all backers. The add-on store currently states:

This is the uncertainty. And risk-aversion can be brought up and explained like we don't understand what's going on (really?), but it's still not an answer to the concern. The same question can easily be reworded: what is gained in a fantasy roleplaying game where our risk-aversion in the real world translates into such an important far-reaching mechanic within the game? What harm would come from representing the current philosophy on housing and lot availability clearly to speak to these concerns? Because there seems to be definite momentum towards an ongoing relationship with exorbitant real world costs and the future expansion of this area of the game.

 

There are many (very many, possibly the majority) current backers who are invested but can't for whatever reason, get to the $500.00 mark , those persons may have a huge negative impact on the future of the game if they feel dis-satisfied or burned.
Outside forums including the forums of other games, YouTube and YouTube comments, Steam (even if the game doesn't go on Steam, there is a massive active community).

*Edit-I should have said $550.00, I didn't realize the price went up.

 

It was from this thread https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/f...tion-sequence-process.8442/page-7#post-146654
where DarkStarr said, "I have stated over and over that we will never sell more deeds than there are lots".

 

So, it's only been promised that there will be at least enough lots for everyone who has backed at citizen level or above, or purchased a deed add-on. Which again, brings us back to the same concerns.