A small concern I have about housing

[Skivvy]

The demolition isn't in a vacuum. It gives the homeless a miniscule chance of grabbing the house belonging to someone who doesn't even log on for the specified time. Would be extremely saddening if people having bought houses years ago just... sat on them, while being absent for 1+ year. Especially if they bought up entire wards during first-come-first-serve. I'm fully supportive of the demolition - they even turn it off often, like right now it's off because of the Ukraine situation since months.

Also hi Buka, welcome to FFXIV. I'm Heaven from the EU WoW forums in case you remember.

This thread isn't really about whether or not the demolition timer should be a thing. It's about the fact that you lose all of your furnishings from that demolished house if you don't claim them within 35 days.

[DixieBellOCE]

In all fairness.

Its 45 days, then an extra 30 days to pick up your items.

If you aren't logging into the game for 2+ months then you probably don't actually care about those items to begin with.

[Ilisidi]

The demolition timer is a stark reminder that plots were intented for FCs and apartments and FC rooms for individual players.

For FCs it just prunes completely inactive FCs since it takes only one FC member to reset the timer. The issue is mixing private people into that system.

[Reinha]

The reason for having this sort of time limit is either technical or punitive. When a house is demolished, the system has to store hundreds or items per demolished house. Having a limit makes sense, although a month seems short. I hope it isn't because they hope to discourage players from taking breaks or from wanting to try out housing.

[Jojoya]

Yup this is Exactly my point. It just looks like a way to keep people subbed.

If it was just a way to keep people subbed, auto-demolition would never be suspended and the reset period would be 14 days instead of 45.

Demolition exists because players asked for a way for houses owned by players who have quit the game to be made available to active players, and SE recognized the necessity was created by going with a ward system over instanced housing.

As it stands now, you only need to be subscribed for about 5 months a year to keep a house (one month subbed, 6 weeks unsubbed, repeat). Or you can choose to own an apartment instead.

I will never understand players who keep paying a sub for a game they aren't playing for the sake of a house they aren't using. Wouldn't it make more sense to spend that money on the games they are playing instead?

The reason for having this sort of time limit is either technical or punitive. When a house is demolished, the system has to store hundreds or items per demolished house. Having a limit makes sense, although a month seems short. I hope it isn't because they hope to discourage players from taking breaks or from wanting to try out housing.

The data has to be stored regardless not to mention it's a trivial amount (even when added up over hundreds of thousands of players) compared to the total data a game stores. More likely it's related to the awkward way inventory data is handled in the game as opposed to memory limits.

If it were a memory limitation, deleting characters that hadn't been used after X period of time would be a more efficient way to create more room than deleting a few housing items.

Players who want to try out housing have access to apartments.

[NekoMataMata]

In all fairness.

Its 45 days, then an extra 30 days to pick up your items.

If you aren't logging into the game for 2+ months then you probably don't actually care about those items to begin with.

Or you know, something might've happened to them? People have lives. I understand that you most certainly don't but other people actually do.

[Wolwosh]

Yes make 0,01% of the players who own a house stay subbed instead making it so that 99% of the players stay subbed 12 months a year! Business indeed

If housing would become instant I wouldn't think twice about unsubbing anymore.
If I could just have the exact same house back put all my unique stuff on my retainer and most def unsub when I'd get bored.
There would prob exist a mod that would safe your exact layout as well
My friends would do the same.

[Elesh]

Valid complaint. Not really any reason has ever been given. Same as why you can only reclaim your deposit from a lost lottery for a certain length of time. Doesn't make any sense.

[Bukachu]

Also hi Buka, welcome to FFXIV. I'm Heaven from the EU WoW forums in case you remember.

How could I forget!

[DixieBellOCE]

Or you know, something might've happened to them? People have lives. I understand that you most certainly don't but other people actually do.

'people have lives'

Correct, they do. Telling somebody they don't have a life because they choose to stay subscribed to a video game is a bit childish no?

About the average NA reaction i'd expect on these forums.