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

[Yencat]

Sure, if everyone logs on during peak time. However, as some of the more strenuous objections "but mah non-peak hours" , clearly there are people who are either logging in early and just staying logged in - so they don't want to see a queue - OR they log in and play during non-peak hours, in which case server capacity really doesn't apply. However if we cap play time, sure it would, it should improve the situation in the sense that the more hours spent in non-peak time, the less hours someone could spend in peak hours.

Doesn't the fact that it's still the worst during peak hours mean that's the only time a majority of people are able to play? So when they try to log in en masse they all get stuck in the same queue they do now.

I don't doubt there's afk-ers but the explosive population growth seems to be the bigger culprit so it would have to be a pretty short cap for it to actually make a difference then, no? Like 2-3 hours max.

[ForteNightshade]

Sure, if everyone logs on during peak time. However, as some of the more strenuous objections "but mah non-peak hours" , clearly there are people who are either logging in early and just staying logged in - so they don't want to see a queue - OR they log in and play during non-peak hours, in which case server capacity really doesn't apply. However if we cap play time, sure it would, it should improve the situation in the sense that the more hours spent in non-peak time, the less hours someone could spend in peak hours.

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...

We need to accept a solution that benefits everyone and not a small group of people.

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.

[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.

[Catwho]

When I see stuff like YouTube showing me streamer Zepla is already finished Endwalker MSQ, I'm raging and basically ready to endorse this or anything else.

The streamers log in in the morning, when the queues don't suck, because they've monetized playing video games for a public audience as their job. I don't begrudge them that - entertaining people is difficult, and monetizing your hobby is a hell of a lot more work than most people realize.

[Serenitey]

You need to realize something: FFXIV is currently the industry leader. Everyone is looking at this game to see what it does so they can mimic it. So what's going to happen if they cap playtime and people don't unsub in droves? Every single MMO will now have this bullet in their gun for every server overload ever. Can't buy new servers for a while? Cap playtime. Don't want to spend the money? Cap playtime. ISP bandwidth a problem? Cap playtime.

And no, a "reasonable" cap like 12 hours won't help, because once they get away with that, the number creeps downward. Today its 12, tomorrow its 10. Soon its revolutionary when someone caps your playtime at 5 hours instead of the industry standard 3.

I feel like I'm standing here at the moment when players said en masse "hey, I'd pay real money to get an advantage" and loot boxes were born. This is also an overwhelming negative for the entire MMO industry. Don't give them an easy way out to spend less money and give you less for the same sub. You can't buy servers today. You will be able to soon. Don't ask for a permanent nerf to your experience in response to a temporary problem.

People can ask for whatever they like, still free speech. Doesn't mean they will even get it - so stop overreacting on the forums. That is all I have seen your account do is overreact and troll to make arguments in threads. If forums upset you so... maybe go outside for a bit, let that translucent skin get some sun.

[Seera1024]

This will also have problems in game once you're in queue.

Let's imagine this situation:

A group of 4 players in one of the harder dungeons for people to grasp or a newer dungeon that not everyone's memorized yet. 1 of the players is new and isn't the best with picking up mechanics but they usually pick it up after a few tries through the content. Their mistakes are currently causing wipes.

1 of the other players is on their last hour and wants to spend some time with his FC and had hoped for a quick leveling queue. This player is either going to leave and eat the penalty to spend time with his FC or initiate a kick on the player causing wipes in order to hopefully get a quick replacement that has the mechanics down.

This will also cause more players to be antsy about anything that slows a dungeon down. Causing more tension in dungeons increasing chances of someone saying something they should say out of frustration.

[shiroxkatsuya]

No one should get to dictate how much time we can play a game we pay for monthly. Not to mention prime time ques would still be ass, because those people who play all the time would use there time to play when the majority of there friends are online which is most likely going to be primetime.

Trust me i know all about crappy queues. I play on Gilgamesh that always has 5k+ queues at primetime and i often get multiple 2002 errors. Capping someone else's playtime just so you can play is not the answer and also incredibly selfish because basically you say your right to play is more important than someone else's. Point is if someone wants to play 8-10 hrs a day no one should be able to tell them they can’t.

[ArkenaeuxBelmont]

1.0 put arbitrary, useless caps on playtime by hardcapping XP. You could still log in, just not actually get anything accomplished. As we all know, that went over SO well.

Simply put, no. There should be no cap on player time. We all pay the same sub fees. I'm sorry that there are people that cannot alter their schedules, use PTO from work, or have conflicts with IRL issues such as family, friends, etc that prevent them from playing at any times other than the peak hours.

That doesn't mean that there should be a cap on playtime, just because the queues are astronomical. Even if you cap playtime, you're not telling people WHEN to use their cap, so it doesn't solve anything. Everyone will still try and funnel into the peak hours, the queues don't change. Assigning timeslots to players would be the only way to ensure even distribution, and that is MASSIVELY unfair to everyone. Imagine asking for that, and then getting assigned the early morning timeslot which would be useless to you as you have work. What did that accomplish? Nothing. You wasted your "allotment".

There is no magic fix at this point. The queues are going to exist until all the sub-renewers that came back to do MSQ and then unsub are once again gone. Instead of asking for unrealistic things like this, people should be focused on realistic things.

1) Keep pressure on SE to further address the 2002, 90002 and 3001 errors. There's a TON of room for improvement by them on this part. Many people have shown that packet loss is not entirely the reason for the dreaded 2002. SE should keep working on investigating and attempting fixes for these errors, which would go a LONG way of improving the community's moral.
2) Daily reports of the queue lengths, and by all means, voice dissatisfaction. As a consumer you have every right. Voicing problems will lead to realistic compensation, I.E. the continued handing out of free sub time from Square. Every time they extend the grace days added are days you are effectively not paying your subscription during this period.
3) If you CAN, consider changing the hours you play. This can't be done by everyone, I know. Those of us that can though, should, since it helps lighten the load during peak times. I had PTO, and now I log in during the mornings and get my dailies done after finishing MSQ and do my leveling for other jobs then, and log out, freeing up server space in my own small way.

[lezard21]

The whiteknighs trying to strawman the suggestion by saying "12 hour cap won't prevent people from queueing during peaktime".

Yes, you are right. Cookie for you.

That's not what the suggestion is intended for. The 12 hour cap suggestion is to kick AFK bypassers and bots. There's an average of 2000 players AFK right now in Leviathan, probably the same in other worlds. That 2 hour long 4k queue you see in your login screen at peak time? It could be a 1 hour 2k queue at peak time if AFK bypassers and bots were forcibly purged.

It's really not rocket biology science.