Stop asking for a playtime cap; you don't know what you're doing

[IDontPetLalas]

Which they undoubtedly will. Someone who can log in early and do stuff until their friends get through the queue later in the day now have every incentive to not log in early but instead jump in during peak hours to sync up with their friends who they wouldn't be able to play with otherwise. For example, my BFF gets off work at 7pm my time. I have zero reason to log in earlier than say 4pm (assuming an 8 hour playtime restriction) since any earlier means we won't be playing together—especially after how long it'll take her to get through the queue at that time. A queue which is now being made even worse.

You asked for a solution. Unfortunately, the only reasonable option is for SE to suspend our subscription so at least people aren't paying for an inadequate service. Will they do that? It remains to be seen...



Except it doesn't benefit just a small group. Most players are able to play by the very rationale we have server congestion to between with. Square Enix stands to gain absolutely nothing by essentially flipping 5,000 players already in-game with those waiting in queues. They do, however, risk pissing off even more players who are now all funneling into the same peak hour queue and whose scheduled commitments are completely infeasible; like having a static for raiding. Furthermore, such a restriction isn't easily implemented. Instead of working on the servers themselves or even future content, developers and resources are being pulled away to develop a band-aid "solution" that doesn't actually fix anything and will be rendered an entirely worthless endeavor within a few weeks/month.

Oh my..your "solution" is to suspend our subscriptions? My sides. SE has already provided some free time and I expect they'll provide more.

Have you considered that some people may be able to offset these issue to a certain extent by modifying their login hours and/or duration instead?

Should they have to do that? No , they should not have to to that. However at this point it's just as helpfully to argue that point as it is to argue with someone who can't swim on a sinking ship. At that point, just jump on whatever you can, learn to swim later.

Do peak times exist? Yes they do, and queues will still exist, however a certain number will still drop off if they just login (for example) early in the morning and get their access cut off 6 hours later, well before evening peak hours. Does that fit your case? No, but I'm sure that fits those people who login early just to avoid the queues when they do get in later at night.

[ForteNightshade]

Oh my..your "solution" is to suspend our subscriptions? My sides. SE has already provided some free time and I expect they'll provide more.

I can only assume you... massively misinterpreted what I meant. That, or you don't let free game time? Otherwise, you make utterly no sense here. Either way, yes. That is the only reasonable solution. To stop charging people for a service they aren't able to adequately provide.

Have you considered that some people may be able to offset these issue to a certain extent by modifying their login hours and/or duration instead?

Should they have to do that? No , they should not have to to that. However at this point it's just as helpfully to argue that point as it is to argue with someone who can't swim on a sinking ship. At that point, just jump on whatever you can, learn to swim later.

Do peak times exist? Yes they do, and queues will still exist, however a certain number will still drop off if they just login (for example) early in the morning and get their access cut off 6 hours later, well before evening peak hours. Does that fit your case? No, but I'm sure that fits those people who login early just to avoid the queues when they do get in later at night.

Have you considered they have already been doing that? Those same players who have friends that can't offset their hours due to work obligations now have every incentive to join the mass peak time queue otherwise they won't be able to play with their friends. That's the whole point you seem to be ignoring. Your "solution" encourages more people to funnel into peak hour timeslots to sync up with friends who have no other option. Not to mention, it's oddly hypocritical that you're telling people who aren't impacted currently but will be in this hypothetical scenario to alter their playtime so others trapped in log in hell don't have to alter theirs? What?

Those same people who logged in early are just going to join the queue they wouldn't be in. Which is precisely the issue: you're exacerbating the problem because now even more people are all trying to log in at the same time. This becomes even worse when Savage releases and every single raid has to log in during peak hours because most groups raid during the evening. Like I said, your solution is not only unlikely to accomplish anything but will likely piss off even more people.

None of this even covers the fact you're essentially asking SE to take time and resources away from FFXIV and server maintenance to develop a new system that will be rendered obsolete in weeks. That's a phenomenal waste of both their time and money.