Reclamation of Inactive Housing announced

[Nalien]

I'm glad that people have the chance to get housing from others that have legitimately become inactive. I've vouched for reclamation in the past, as a homeowner, but having experienced just how short 45 days is, I don't think it's an appropriate amount of time to consider for demolition.

I think it would be fine initially. Right now the priority should be demolition those abandoned plots, the ones which have potentially just been sitting empty for up to a year, and a shorter countdown facilitates that nicely. Actual players will presumably be enjoying 3.1 when this comes into effect, so stopping by their land during that time shouldn't be a problem. In the long run though, I agree, 45 days is too short, I think 3.11 should perhaps come 45 days after 3.1 and should bump the countdown up to 90 days, or something like that.

That way we get the benefit of a nice timely eviction for all the non-players who've potentially been using up entire Wards worth of plots, without the long term implications of a fairly short eviction timer.

[Risvertasashi]

I'd been loyally subbed since 2.0 beta, and only just recently unsubbed for a month, but would have been considered "inactive" for 2 months. I took this break as a palette cleanser, a chance to enjoy other games and really give myself the luxury of sinking time into something other than FFXIV. I've since come back refreshed, but only after a period of inactivity that would have forfeited my house. Had I taken this break around the new reclamation rules, I'd have had to log in on the last day of my sub just to walk into my house, then resubscribe in no later than 44 days to ensure I kept my house. The point of taking a break is to refresh yourself, not to feel the clock ticking down on your virtual estate's demolition.

I'm glad that people have the chance to get housing from others that have legitimately become inactive. I've vouched for reclamation in the past, as a homeowner, but having experienced just how short 45 days is, I don't think it's an appropriate amount of time to consider for demolition.

You do realize that, to prevent it, all you have to do is log in for 5 seconds during your sabbatical? And you'll get emails reminding you if you forget.

[Seryl199]

You do realize that, to prevent it, all you have to do is log in for 5 seconds during your sabbatical? And you'll get emails reminding you if you forget.

Players that want to take a break for any reason need to stay subscribed for nearly half of every patch cycle just to keep their house, for that 5 second login just to walk through the front door of their estate. It's entirely unfair to anyone owning a house.

Now let's step it back, I know the argument. It's unfair to a subscriber to pay and not be able to own a house. I get that, I want everyone to have a house too. However, everyone means the casuals, the hardcores, FC's, bachelors, daily loggers, patch surfers, it means everyone. With this implementation, yes, we need a reclamation effort, because not everyone has access, but giving access to others potentially infringes on the access of a returning player; the result being not everyone has housing.

It's messy, it's imperfect, but the system is what it is for now. It gets currently subscribing players into houses, which is great. I just feel the margin between an unsubscribed player and an inactive player is too narrow, and that the system is implemented to prey on fear of demolition to maintain subscriptions where they might falter for a month or two.

[AeraLure]

45 days is too short because it basically enforces you to maintain the monthly subscription. 90 days would have been much more reasonable because you can safely take a month or two off from subscription and still get a lot of use out of your house. The distance between patches and expansions is far too long to enforce a monthly subscription imho.

[MeoTwister5]

Maybe now I'll actually see some of my neighbors about...

[Chewy2nd]

It should be upped to 70 or so days for private housing, 45 days is a little short for private, fine for inactive FCs though.

[Ayerinn]

This sounds like a completely reasonable implementation (80% refund is a surprise)with the exception of the timer - it should be increased to 90 days - 45 days is too short although it does keep people subscribed (meaning houses stay in the hands of regularly paying customers,) but I guess that is the point now, isn't it. Time to make more alts!

[Tsunenori]

On a positive note at least, there's someone in the Lavender Beds Ward 2 Subdivision on Excalibur who bought a plot and never built on it. It's been that way for a looooooong, long time.



With any luck nonsense like that will be cleared up with this. Next to my FC's house is a house that has been inactive for at least a year as well. I am glad these plots will be freed up for people, I just hope this is the first step of a bigger fix as well.

[Ayerinn]

On a positive note at least, there's someone in the Lavender Beds Ward 2 Subdivision on Excalibur who bought a plot and never built on it. It's been that way for a looooooong, long time.



With any luck nonsense like that will be cleared up with this. Next to my FC's house is a house that has been inactive for at least a year as well. I am glad these plots will be freed up for people, I just hope this is the first step of a bigger fix as well.

wow, that's crazy...yeah this is a great step towards more active people owning homes. I have been lucky on my server, happened to check plots at the right time (more than once...) in the last few months, but everyone needs access to housing - so much fun

[Chewy2nd]

I wonder if they will factor house sharing into private properties? Would be only fair if they did.