Housing demolition and the inevitable loss of items

Hey everyone!

I'm not one to post much, but I think this needs to be discussed, and hopefully, changed.
This is about the loss of items after a house gets auto-demolished.

I've been playing since the beta, and I briefly played 1.0 (I stayed in XI instead). This is to say, I'm not one to complain much, and I've seen a lot of changes come and go, including the housing system, of course. After many years, I landed my dream plot in Mist, an L house, which I got to enjoy for a few years as well.

I recently stopped playing for a while, while still playing my subscription, to keep my house. Sadly, I missed a demotion warning, and lost my house. As many more who have lost theirs, I was absolutely devastated, and it took me a while, until very recently, to decide to get an S one in the same place I used to have many many years ago.

While I understand the need for the housing demolition, as sad as it can be for some of us, since the item storage is also time restricted, I lost so many things, so many, most of which I can make or obtain again, but there's a lot of exceptions. The event items I obtained over the years I would have to pay money for, which I absolutely refuse. I have the achievements to prove, and there should be a way to obtain them if you've completed the event previously. The Sakura trees, little ladies decor, many new year items, posters, and so much more that probably now translates to at least over 200 euros. Not only that, but there's some items, like the Lupin Plots, that are nearly impossible to get back, considering I had 6 of them.

Since the devs encourage you to take breaks from the game, this feels like a big punishment for not doing so. The storage/reclaim of items should be permanent, or at least have a long period, like a year, for people to be able to take said breaks and come back and not having lost absolutely everything. Also, since we can re-purchase gear from events we've completed and have the achievements for, I think it would be reasonable.

What do you all think? I really hope they take this into consideration.

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Originally Posted by Olvido

Hey everyone!

I'm not one to post much, but I think this needs to be discussed, and hopefully, changed.
This is about the loss of items after a house gets auto-demolished.

I've been playing since the beta, and I briefly played 1.0 (I stayed in XI instead). This is to say, I'm not one to complain much, and I've seen a lot of changes come and go, including the housing system, of course. After many years, I landed my dream plot in Mist, an L house, which I got to enjoy for a few years as well.

I recently stopped playing for a while, while still playing my subscription, to keep my house. Sadly, I missed a demotion warning, and lost my house. As many more who have lost theirs, I was absolutely devastated, and it took me a while, until very recently, to decide to get an S one in the same place I used to have many many years ago.

While I understand the need for the housing demolition, as sad as it can be for some of us, since the item storage is also time restricted, I lost so many things, so many, most of which I can make or obtain again, but there's a lot of exceptions. The event items I obtained over the years I would have to pay money for, which I absolutely refuse. I have the achievements to prove, and there should be a way to obtain them if you've completed the event previously. The Sakura trees, little ladies decor, many new year items, posters, and so much more that probably now translates to at least over 200 euros. Not only that, but there's some items, like the Lupin Plots, that are nearly impossible to get back, considering I had 6 of them.

Since the devs encourage you to take breaks from the game, this feels like a big punishment for not doing so. The storage/reclaim of items should be permanent, or at least have a long period, like a year, for people to be able to take said breaks and come back and not having lost absolutely everything. Also, since we can re-purchase gear from events we've completed and have the achievements for, I think it would be reasonable.

What do you all think? I really hope they take this into consideration.

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I seriously took 2 extra years off when I discovered that all the event stuff lost would have to repurchased from the mogstation. I had a ton of stuff. I thought I could just go to the calamity guy, and it would be there. NOPE. It's gone and you will never get it back. It's SAD. I almost didn't come back at all. I refuse to take part in housing now because of it. Just thinking about it now makes me pissed xD

i am sorry this happened to you OP as a long time goer myself i feel this disconnect between players and developers in terms of providing and receiving feedback but more than anything this is just likely a localization issue more so than a developer one we can only hope that yoshida, foxcon, or koji sees our feedback as they seem to be the ones that care the most about it.
that aside the only solutions i can think of which i proposed in another thread is that they need to extend the timer to a longer period of wait but not too long 6 months i feel would be more than ample time to tell if someone's interest dwindled an that they may not return anytime soon or at all.
there is that but also a completely new house ownership system would go a long way to satisfy the majority who want to own or experience the features allowed with housing in ffxiv an my idea is to make that new system for solo owners only in a completely new instanced server an have that also be tied to the account an shareable among created alts on that same world etc.

@SmokeyTheSequel

My thoughts exactly. The event stuff should be at the calamity salvager. I feel your pain too, it took me another three months to come back after that. I was truly devastated.

@ShadowyZero

Your proposals seem insightful. I do not know how viable they are develpment-wise but a longer period, or even letting us have our own instanced houses in the personal islands would be a huge improvement. I really hope they somehow get to see this and think about it.

This thread is exactly why my large will forever keep me bound to this game. I have experienced what you've experienced OP, and I was very fortunate to be able to get another less than a year later against all odds and many bidders. I know people try for years without getting one.

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Originally Posted by Olvido

What do you all think?

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You didn't enter your house once 45 days? 45 days from the last time you entered your plot plus the 30 days the items would sit with the housing npc. That's the minimum amount of time it would have taken you from then to writing this post.

It's common knowledge that you must enter your plot at least once in 45 days. So your loss is on you.

The reason they're not going to be on the Calamity Salvager is because that would make it too easy for players to open up their own "Mogstation" in-game to sell the seasonal event items. Invite someone to be tenant, they remove the items they want and pay you, you go back to the Calamity Salvager to buy more, etc.

Personally I wish they had not bothered putting them on the cash shop and instead would give players a way to earn them (or rebuy them) each time the related seasonal event returned to the game. I miss some of the mini-games we used to have with the seasonal events.

Why do we only have 35 days after a house is demolished to reclaim them? It's only speculation on my part but I suspect it's a database issue related to housing items being registered to the plot and not the player, and then the plot or previous ownership of it being linked to the player. They want to make certain the items are gone from the Resident Caretaker before the plot ends up demolished again and a new set of items added. Personally I think they could extend the hold to 60 days safely but who knows what lurks in the heart of their coding to prevent that.

What I do since there's no telling when a real life emergency might happen is store all of my seasonal event items either in my apartment or on a retainer (outdoor items) if they're not currently being used in my house. That way if I can't play and end up losing my house, most of the hardest to replace items are safe.

Ya been playing since 1.0 but didn't know the housing system nor do research. Lol dear lord.

I lost my wedding cake (from my in-game marriage with my real-life spouse) when I took a break during Stormblood. That was a bummer to come back to. I've mostly moved on, but it would be nice if there was a better system for that sort of thing.

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Originally Posted by Jojoya

The reason they're not going to be on the Calamity Salvager is because that would make it too easy for players to open up their own "Mogstation" in-game to sell the seasonal event items. Invite someone to be tenant, they remove the items they want and pay you, you go back to the Calamity Salvager to buy more, etc.

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My subjective take is that the solution to this would be to prevent players who didn't place the item from picking it up; I literally never hear about the ability to pick up something someone else placed in a house outside of players exploiting it, so they should probably just remove the exploit.

To be clear, I don't expect them to, because it's not a high enough priority. But in a more ideal scenario, that would be the best fix for that specific issue.

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Originally Posted by Jojoya

The reason they're not going to be on the Calamity Salvager is because that would make it too easy for players to open up their own "Mogstation" in-game to sell the seasonal event items. Invite someone to be tenant, they remove the items they want and pay you, you go back to the Calamity Salvager to buy more, etc.

Personally I wish they had not bothered putting them on the cash shop and instead would give players a way to earn them (or rebuy them) each time the related seasonal event returned to the game. I miss some of the mini-games we used to have with the seasonal events.

Why do we only have 35 days after a house is demolished to reclaim them? It's only speculation on my part but I suspect it's a database issue related to housing items being registered to the plot and not the player, and then the plot or previous ownership of it being linked to the player. They want to make certain the items are gone from the Resident Caretaker before the plot ends up demolished again and a new set of items added. Personally I think they could extend the hold to 60 days safely but who knows what lurks in the heart of their coding to prevent that.

What I do since there's no telling when a real life emergency might happen is store all of my seasonal event items either in my apartment or on a retainer (outdoor items) if they're not currently being used in my house. That way if I can't play and end up losing my house, most of the hardest to replace items are safe.

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You pose some great possible explanations! I hadn't thought you can actually "trade" stuff if you place them as a tenant.
The other speculations seem reasonable too. Perhaps the "mistake" was putting them on the cash shop to begin with.
However I'll take your advice about apartment storage! That's probably the most sensible thing to do.

PS: To the mean spirited people who absolutely didn't bother reading my thorough explanation: I wasn't playing much, and I missed the demolition warning email (It went to spam folder for whatever reason), and things can slip your mind if you have a busy life. And, again, if you read instead of being mean for no reason, I'm also not complaining about the loss of the plot OR the house generally, but how *perhaps* the previously obtained items could be repurchased through the calamity salvagers. If you're gonna be unkind for no reason, instead of skipping to comment, at have some reading comprehension.

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Originally Posted by Olvido

words

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You asked for opinions from others and you got it. Just because you don't like the opinion, doesn't mean the person stating it is being mean.

You talk about reading comprehension and how others don't seem to have it but you're the one who didn't read the fine print about SE house ownership and what happens when you don't enter the house for 45 days.

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Originally Posted by WinglessSeraphim

You asked for opinions from others and you got it. Just because you don't like the opinion, doesn't mean the person stating it is being mean.

You talk about reading comprehension and how others don't seem to have it but you're the one who didn't read the fine print about SE house ownership and what happens when you don't enter the house for 45 days.

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Such irony. That's twice you haven't read what the OP posted to understand what happened.

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Originally Posted by Jojoya

Such irony. That's twice you haven't read what the OP posted to understand what happened.

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I read what they were moaning about. Wanting the stuff they lost instead be safe with the calamity salvager. That's not how it works. Then we got you, the wannabe SE MVP chiming in, again. The teacher's pet that even the teacher hates.

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Originally Posted by Jojoya

Such irony. That's twice you haven't read what the OP posted to understand what happened.

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Right? By the way, I'm telling my friends about storing stuff in the apartment. I wish I had thought of that earlier.

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Originally Posted by WinglessSeraphim

I read what they were moaning about. Wanting the stuff they lost instead be safe with the calamity salvager. That's not how it works. Then we got you, the wannabe SE MVP chiming in, again. The teacher's pet that even the teacher hates.

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Your veiled insults and lack of empathy aren't really adding to the conversation so perhaps take the L and refrain from commenting further.

To clarify, and actually add to the conversation:

As mentioned before, perhaps a solution could be for them to remove the option of having people purchase and place stuff in other people's places, but you can also buy stuff at the mogstation and place it, so that's money they could make in the form of gifts. I don't know the tech involved but we do have permanent inventory in apartments, and the "glamours" stored in the Island Sanctuary, so perhaps a similar registry you can "collect" and then place as much or little as you want once you collect those? You should only be able to place those in your own home, after all. Make it like character and plot bound? I'll keep thinking of stuff. If we get any traction perhaps they could make any of these a reality without affecting the sale of furniture items too much. Or make it just so certain stuff can be "stored" as "glamours", like the Armoire, where it's like a separate inventory. I think a combination of those could maybe work!

It's a public forum and you asked for opinions. If you don't like what someone has to say put them on the ignore list.

As for your suggestion that things be put on the calamity salvager, I don't agree with it. You had 45 days to enter your house so you wouldn't lose your stuff. You didn't and the your stuff is with the housing NPC, you didn't claim your stuff within the timeframe which is I believe 30-35 days. So 75 to 80 days to claim your housing items is quite generous, in my opinion. Or do you want to give me an opinion so it appeases you?

I think everything is fine as is. People need to take accountability for their own mistakes. The fine print/rules are stated pretty clearly, and if people choose not to read them, then that's on them. Adding more restrictions would only hinder people from using items they would prefer. If you're not using an event item, then your retainers and apartment should be good enough. Use an alt's inventory if necessary.

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Originally Posted by WinglessSeraphim

It's a public forum and you asked for opinions. If you don't like what someone has to say put them on the ignore list.

As for your suggestion that things be put on the calamity salvager, I don't agree with it. You had 45 days to enter your house so you wouldn't lose your stuff. You didn't and the your stuff is with the housing NPC, you didn't claim your stuff within the timeframe which is I believe 30-35 days. So 75 to 80 days to claim your housing items is quite generous, in my opinion. Or do you want to give me an opinion so it appeases you?

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Manners maketh man. Your opinion is noted, you disagree. The last part you added to "appease me" to be bitchy, however, you could've skipped. You see, there's a difference between "giving an opinion" and the way you choose to express it. If you like giving your opinion on public forums, take you own advice and if you don't like what someone has to say, ignore them. If you can't, at least do the bare minimum and be civil.

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Originally Posted by Eirlyss

I think everything is fine as is. People need to take accountability for their own mistakes. The fine print/rules are stated pretty clearly, and if people choose not to read them, then that's on them. Adding more restrictions would only hinder people from using items they would prefer. If you're not using an event item, then your retainers and apartment should be good enough. Use an alt's inventory if necessary.

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This is a polite way of saying "I disagree" without attacking me personally. Thank you Eirlyss. That's what Jojoya suggested and I'll be doing that but I wish there was another way, since the island sanctuary already seems to show different ways of doing things that perhaps could be changed somehow without having to add restrictions. A checkbox of "glamour" items or something could be one, like how the inventory in the Sanctuary works. But I understand if you think it's fine as it is, I just think it could be better.

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Originally Posted by Olvido

Manners maketh man. Your opinion is noted, you disagree. The last part you added to "appease me" to be bitchy, however, you could've skipped. You see, there's a difference between "giving an opinion" and the way you choose to express it. If you like giving your opinion on public forums, take you own advice and if you don't like what someone has to say, ignore them. If you can't, at least do the bare minimum and be civil.



This is a polite way of saying "I disagree" without attacking me personally. Thank you Eirlyss. That's what Jojoya suggested and I'll be doing that but I wish there was another way, since the island sanctuary already seems to show different ways of doing things that perhaps could be changed somehow without having to add restrictions. A checkbox of "glamour" items or something could be one, like how the inventory in the Sanctuary works. But I understand if you think it's fine as it is, I just think it could be better.

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We know one of the updates coming to housing in 7.x is something called Housing Mirage. There's a lot of information circulating about what it might be. Part of it seems to be the ability to change the interior architecture of a house to the design for the district of your choice (regardless of what district your house is in) or even without any pillars at all. There's a possibility that it might include the option to choose the interior size of your house (that one is less certain, many thing something was mistranslated).

But furnishings added to Island Sanctuary were originally referred as mirages when first announced before they changed it to glamours for EN. Could be complete coincidence or could be a sign that the system will eventually be adopted for general housing. It shouldn't change precautions that players currently take for now but it may helpful in the future.

Not being able to buy new duplicates of items from past events is fair - those are to be bought from the mog station now and not from other players.

However, every item that was already placed in a house that got demolished should be kept at the NPC forever (or at least until that same player loses another house to demolition). Auto demo is meant to give plots to active players, but it would not hurt the game in any way if people taking breaks could keep their decorations.

They need to fix the housing bug where you be in your house but doesn't show you ever was for the timer. They also need to add a in game warning about your house timer coming up.

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Originally Posted by hynaku

They also need to add a in game warning about your house timer coming up.

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Cool another annoying window which FF14 players will ignore anyway. For those dumb individuals of our species the ingame timer exists.
If they arent capable of tackling this easy task to open a simple window in lets say 30 days they probably need a reminder even for breathing.

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Originally Posted by hynaku

They need to fix the housing bug where you be in your house but doesn't show you ever was for the timer. They also need to add a in game warning about your house timer coming up.

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Honestly, all they would need to do is adjust the timers menu. It already shows if your house is "close" to demolition and obviously we know the servers are keeping track of the timer. So rather then just showing the time left when you get close, have the timer always visible from that screen.

They should implement a system like WoW where you can save glams and housing items you have to stay in your glam storage for good so you can simply duplicate any items that may have been destroyed when your plot was demloished and also update the trading between tenants at least for event items on Mogstation to be untradable to prevent mass producing and handing out duplicate things stored in your glam dresser for housing items kinda like Island Sanctuary has.

People like you make me want to tear out my eyes. I owned my house for 10 years. I'm sure you have never let your car go to 3001 miles before changing the oil and you've never missed a bill in your entire life. Perfect credit score right here.

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Originally Posted by Yodada

Cool another annoying window which FF14 players will ignore anyway. For those dumb individuals of our species the ingame timer exists.
If they arent capable of tackling this easy task to open a simple window in lets say 30 days they probably need a reminder even for breathing.

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Oh wait. This quote

I lost my Medium plot of many, many years earlier this year after having an extremely busy and draining beginning of the year. I just never had a moment to sit down and be on my computer and was basically working, busy taking care of things outside of work or passed out exhausted. I noticed the day, logged on probably within 24 hours of my house being demoed. I put a bid back on my plot and logged out because I was upset. I un-subbed and took a break from the game.

I resubbed for the new expansion and logged in. I didn't realize that I would not only lose all of my items I didn't collect but, I also lost ALL of my gil I put in the bid. So, I am now just out over 20 million gil, have no housing plot and nowhere to store all of the stuff I did pull and put in my bags and retainers. And to top it all off, I haven't been able to get any house yet since coming back, not even a small.

I don't know how anyone can justify this wacky system. It is predatory to the customer and forces us to not only stay subbed but, for us to get into the game once a month just to hold a house we have owned for years. I would be fine with an instanced medium or large house just so I can have fun decorating and not stress about having to keep my plot of land during busy times of the year.

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Originally Posted by Gunz_Zbestest

Oh wait. This quote

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Some people are just nasty for nasty's sake. It's frustrating, but so is trying to reason with them or rationalize their behavior.

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Originally Posted by Impia

Some people are just nasty for nasty's sake. It's frustrating, but so is trying to reason with them or rationalize their behavior.

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I mean just look at the poster right before you. I mean i can relate to the "I totally swear I had never ever no time to login for 30 seconds to move my character into my house" stuff.
Sure. Sometimes RL happens somehow.

But then the next part. The Game tells you exactly what is going to happen if you place a bid and ask you to confirm your life choice to even proceed further.
And people thinking a large timer appearing ingame when logging in would help those individual preventing the demo of the ingame house? Really?
Sometimes people has to be left behind or they need a legal guardian for their own safety if they are failing at such simple things to read 2 sentences.

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Originally Posted by hynaku

They need to fix the housing bug where you be in your house but doesn't show you ever was for the timer. They also need to add a in game warning about your house timer coming up.

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there is timer and notification of being close to demo in the Ctrl+U window as far as I remember.

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Originally Posted by Bawk

I lost my Medium plot of many, many years earlier this year after having an extremely busy and draining beginning of the year. I just never had a moment to sit down and be on my computer and was basically working, busy taking care of things outside of work or passed out exhausted. I noticed the day, logged on probably within 24 hours of my house being demoed. I put a bid back on my plot and logged out because I was upset. I un-subbed and took a break from the game.

I resubbed for the new expansion and logged in. I didn't realize that I would not only lose all of my items I didn't collect but, I also lost ALL of my gil I put in the bid. So, I am now just out over 20 million gil, have no housing plot and nowhere to store all of the stuff I did pull and put in my bags and retainers. And to top it all off, I haven't been able to get any house yet since coming back, not even a small.

I don't know how anyone can justify this wacky system. It is predatory to the customer and forces us to not only stay subbed but, for us to get into the game once a month just to hold a house we have owned for years. I would be fine with an instanced medium or large house just so I can have fun decorating and not stress about having to keep my plot of land during busy times of the year.

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MAU/QAU and revenue generation. Ill take it if it keep even more predatory aspects of monetization away.