I initially supported the timer system as I naively thought it would help combat plot flippers. However, time has shown this is not the case. The timer didn't stop flippers. It just changed who got the house initially and who bought it. It just gets sold as FCs or to relocators now.

The system does nothing but punish legitimate players who actually put in the effort to sit at the placard for hours on end, not knowing if they will lose the plot just by going to the bathroom or getting up to eat. And while no house is more important than your health, good luck getting one if you actually attend to your needs - taking time away to rest your eyes, stretch, go for a walk, is time that you could potentially lose the plot you just spent 10 hours camping. As a result you are stuck dealing with elbow, finger, and wrist pain from clicking over and over. Those who run bots to auto click are more likely to get the plot than a real person.

I knew they weren't adding many houses this time around so I was prepared for this eventuality. However, I think the timer is the most egregious thing this game has ever done. When I tell people who don't play about what you have to do to get a house in this game, they are shocked. They can't fathom why any company would do this to its players, and continue to leave it in when time has shown it does not do what it was intended to.

At this point, remove the timer. If people buy houses to resell, so be it. They're doing that anyways. I know of several people who banded together in groups and made shell FCs to grab as many plots to resell to relocators/FCs as possible, at insanely marked up prices. Just stop punishing real players.