Istaria: Plot Reclamation Lock Down‏

[Knossos]

If a plot is reclaimed by "the Empire" on July 11th, there is no guarantee that it is going to remain in existence come July 25th after community revamps. If a plot is unowned on all three servers, regardless of size, it is up for deletion in order to make room in the community. So if your guild has things stored on a plot and you don't KNOW that someone has an active subscription, I suggest you get the things out of that storage, or you may lose them after July 11th.



In a blunt word... No. The game design team is just that... the design team. Any tickets, PM's, IM's, emails, etc, are being given the same answer.... that while we appreciate the thought and concern that went in to the communication, the design team has their goals and guidelines (and no, they won't be posted publicly) that we are working toward at this time. We are focusing our efforts on meeting those goals for this revamp in a timely manner.



If it is unowned, regardless of size, you should consider the plot potentially "lost". We realize that this will mean that some plots which are considered valued in various places in the world will be deleted, but there is nothing we can realistically do to change this. Players can either choose to look at this on the bright side and see it as an opportunity to rebuild the world to their liking, or not, but in the end it isn't going to change the fact that we do not have time to consider dozens (or more) of specific "please do not delete this plot in this community on this shard because....." requests in addition to all the other issues that come up on a daily basis.

Thank you for the questions, awdz, and I hope you (and others) understand the reasoning behind them.

-Velea

Thank you for your frank response - we will do with it as best we can - and we hold our breath as to ultimate reaction from the guild members in the three shard player bases.

Hopefully that there was not time to study the specifics of the concerns of the multi-year surviving guilds ( few guilds having major assets are other than the product of multiple guild mergers as the player base shrunk over the past few years) will prove to be a good business decision on Virtrium's part.

Virtrium does have my continued support. I have not been favored with the visibility to understand the exposure that this issue may entail.

Knossos

[Guaran]

If a plot is reclaimed by "the Empire" on July 11th, there is no guarantee that it is going to remain in existence come July 25th after community revamps. If a plot is unowned on all three servers, regardless of size, it is up for deletion in order to make room in the community. So if your guild has things stored on a plot and you don't KNOW that someone has an active subscription, I suggest you get the things out of that storage, or you may lose them after July 11th.

If it is unowned, regardless of size, you should consider the plot potentially "lost". We realize that this will mean that some plots which are considered valued in various places in the world will be deleted, but there is nothing we can realistically do to change this. Players can either choose to look at this on the bright side and see it as an opportunity to rebuild the world to their liking, or not, but in the end it isn't going to change the fact that we do not have time to consider dozens (or more) of specific "please do not delete this plot in this community on this shard because....." requests in addition to all the other issues that come up on a daily basis.

Thank you for the questions, awdz, and I hope you (and others) understand the reasoning behind them.

-Velea

Let me start by saying I think it's a nice long overdue change to enlarge many plots around Istaria. Myself and many others are all looking forward to this.

For guild subplots that fit into the too small category (pretty much all of my guilds subplots fit this), other considerations should be made: Allow these to be "reclaimed" for guild purchase BEFORE any deletion/resizing/lockout from purchase occurs. Keep in mind I am only referring to guild SUBplots.

This is because among my guilds' subplots alone (I am sure others fit my situation as well), 4 of them are owned by long inactive accounts, I do not have the account information. Therefore we cannot transfer the plot to an active "subscription" to mitigate/avoid the summary deletion.

Easy solution: Reclaim those plots (with structures in place) which will allow the guild to take care of things ahead of the resizing process. Time will be needed, therefore any guild subplots fitting this category should be delayed 30 days from the purchase lockout/resizing process.

I expect a definitive answer to these points before July 12th. I WILL NOT stand idly by while my guilds' hard work is wiped from existence.

[velveeta]

If a plot is reclaimed by "the Empire" on July 11th, there is no guarantee that it is going to remain in existence come July 25th after community revamps. If a plot is unowned on all three servers, regardless of size, it is up for deletion in order to make room in the community. So if your guild has things stored on a plot and you don't KNOW that someone has an active subscription, I suggest you get the things out of that storage, or you may lose them after July 11th.

If it is unowned, regardless of size, you should consider the plot potentially "lost". We realize that this will mean that some plots which are considered valued in various places in the world will be deleted, but there is nothing we can realistically do to change this. Players can either choose to look at this on the bright side and see it as an opportunity to rebuild the world to their liking, or not, but in the end it isn't going to change the fact that we do not have time to consider dozens (or more) of specific "please do not delete this plot in this community on this shard because....." requests in addition to all the other issues that come up on a daily basis.

Thank you for the questions, awdz, and I hope you (and others) understand the reasoning behind them.

-Velea

Let me start by saying I think it's a nice long overdue change to enlarge many plots around Istaria. Myself and many others are all looking forward to this.

For guild subplots that fit into the too small category (pretty much all of my guilds subplots fit this), other considerations should be made: Allow these to be "reclaimed" for guild purchase BEFORE any deletion/resizing/lockout from purchase occurs. Keep in mind I am only referring to guild SUBplots.

This is because among my guilds' subplots alone (I am sure others fit my situation as well), 4 of them are owned by long inactive accounts, I do not have the account information. Therefore we cannot transfer the plot to an active "subscription" to mitigate/avoid the summary deletion.

Easy solution: Reclaim those plots (with structures in place) which will allow the guild to take care of things ahead of the resizing process. Time will be needed, therefore any guild subplots fitting this category should be delayed 30 days from the purchase lockout/resizing process.

I expect a definitive answer to these points before July 12th. I WILL NOT stand idly by while my guilds' hard work is wiped from existence.

i am not sure i am understanding, gua.....
you quote velea's post, which seems pretty strait forward to me.
inactive plots will be reclaimed, guild plots included. if they fit the requirements, they will be closed for resize. if not, they will be available for purchase.
if guild plots become available for sale, only guildies will be able to buy them, and it is my understanding that structures will not be torn down by the empire. if the plot is closed for resize, the buildings will be lost anyway - either by the owner tearing them down or by the empire to resize.

is that what you are asking?
and, at risk of being misunderstood with this question, what will you do if you do not get an official answer by july 12th?

[Barrak]

i am not sure i am understanding, gua.....
you quote velea's post, which seems pretty strait forward to me.
inactive plots will be reclaimed, guild plots included. if they fit the requirements, they will be closed for resize. if not, they will be available for purchase.
if guild plots become available for sale, only guildies will be able to buy them, and it is my understanding that structures will not be torn down by the empire. if the plot is closed for resize, the buildings will be lost anyway - either by the owner tearing them down or by the empire to resize.

is that what you are asking?
and, at risk of being misunderstood with this question, what will you do if you do not get an official answer by july 12th?

I think what he's saying is this - and it's a situation I've encountered in the past as well.

A guildmember buys a subplot and the guild bands together to build an expert shop (for example) on that plot. Then the guildmember quits the game and vanishes forever, without selling the plot to another guildie.

What Guaran is asking (I think) is to allow the guild subplot to be auctioned, regardless of size. This would allow another guildmember to buy the plot and deconstruct it for the novians. Then the subplot could be resized/removed as per the original plan, but the novians for the guild's hard work would be preserved for future use on a (hopefully bigger) plot.

In order for this to work, there would have to be a limit set - anyone buying the plot would have to realize that the purchase was temporary and the plot would be resized/removed within X number of days. It would simply allow the guild to recover the novians from the structures on the plot before it's gone.

[Karya]

I just want to make sure that I completely understand how things will work for guild plot reclaimation since information about it seems to be spread over a number of different channels and forums.

I understand that every guild plot regardless of structures will be reclaimed with an inactive account. Guild key plots must be owned by an active member with the title of "Guildmaster". If a guild key plot is not owned by a current guildmaster, others guilds in the community will have an opportunity to purchase that guild town. Also, if a key plot does have an active account but it doesn't have enough active subplots (irregardless of the fact that no one current in the guild can purchase said inactive plots to make them active), then this guild town will also be "up for grabs" for any other guild master.

So if Guildmaster Daffy wants to (and is able to) purchase Guildmaster Bugs's guild land, even though no one in Bugs's guild can purchase land there because there is no available land and everyone else went away and hasn't sold it back to the community with no forwarding contact information, then Daffy can say "I want your land" and is able to purchase it after plot reclaim should he be the highest bidder? Would the existing guild have a chance after reclaim to purchase the now available plots or would Bugs have to buy the plot again (bidding on it) in order to try and keep their land?

It seems to me (and please correct me if I am wrong) that even though an active guildmaster owns a guild plot, it is possible that they could "lose" their land and be displaced because no one can or wants to (in the case of too small plots) purchase enough sub plots to keep the town alive and be open to the highest bidder. Will current guilds after the resizing and reclaim have the opportunity to keep their land? What if no one else wants the guild land? Will they still get to keep the land or have to "give it up" since there isn't a viable town?

Karya

[awdz]

Also, if a key plot does have an active account but it doesn't have enough active subplots (irregardless of the fact that no one current in the guild can purchase said inactive plots to make them active), then this guild town will also be "up for grabs" for any other guild master.

Where was this written? My understanding is that if an active account owned the master plot, it would continue to belong to that account. It was stated quite clearly that no plot owned by an active account would be taken away during this process.

Would this mean that guilds without enough active subs are going to be dissolved?? I did not consider guild name reclamation part of any of this, wonder if that will come up too. I think this goes beyond the scope of plot resizing and is not likely to happen right now, but your statement leads me to wonder.

[Dragoniade]

By back to an ON topic question. what happened to the 'trial account' emergency solution that was proposed during the initial annoucement? I opened a ticket and the only answer I got was it's not even a valid solution, only false hope thrown at us.

I don't even know if the game work with Windows XP x64. Is anyone using that version of the Os? I know I can't even start IE x64, totally bugged in that flavor of the OS.

[Deth]

By back to an ON topic question. what happened to the 'trial account' emergency solution that was proposed during the initial annoucement? I opened a ticket and the only answer I got was it's not even a valid solution, only false hope thrown at us.

Then you might want to sub the ticket again. Unless you have already used up your free return trial. I have read of a couple people getting the free trial accounts. But it may also be because of what your idea of emergency solution is. If you think it was for anything other then getting your stuff out of your plot into storage or to sale your whole built up plot to another player then you were incorrect.

[Guaran]

I think what he's saying is this - and it's a situation I've encountered in the past as well.

A guildmember buys a subplot and the guild bands together to build an expert shop (for example) on that plot. Then the guildmember quits the game and vanishes forever, without selling the plot to another guildie.

What Guaran is asking (I think) is to allow the guild subplot to be auctioned, regardless of size. This would allow another guildmember to buy the plot and deconstruct it for the novians. Then the subplot could be resized/removed as per the original plan, but the novians for the guild's hard work would be preserved for future use on a (hopefully bigger) plot.

In order for this to work, there would have to be a limit set - anyone buying the plot would have to realize that the purchase was temporary and the plot would be resized/removed within X number of days. It would simply allow the guild to recover the novians from the structures on the plot before it's gone.

Yes, this is exactly what I'm hoping for.

I suppose I will try opening a ticket to have those plots on accounts I do not have access to transferred to the guildmasters account. It will just be for a day to recover novians. Then the resizing can happen on them without worry.

2 of those plots have consignors, what is going to happen to things listed if the consignor gets deleted by Vitrium? What about if I decon the connie for novians with items listed? Just one more reason why Vitrium needs to be a little more understanding and patient with this process, and not rush out and start bulldozing quite so quickly. Please allow us a bit more time to react, get the plots recovered, etc.

[Knossos]

Where was this written? My understanding is that if an active account owned the master plot, it would continue to belong to that account. It was stated quite clearly that no plot owned by an active account would be taken away during this process.

(snip)

Awdz, your statement that no plot owned by an active account will be taken away durnig the plot reclaim process has been well documented by Virtrium. Karya is referring to a statement in a response to a support ticket submitted by our guild in an attempt to obtain additional information to allow us to most appropriately plan our actions relating to a Guild Town wherein only the Master Plot is supported by an active subscription (a Player titled Guildmaster), and none of the subplots are with active subs.




What is not stated is just how many others of the guild must move into the then resized subplots in order to "validly" own that Guild Town, nor is it stated, in the case where that Guild Town master plot is vacated, whether it may first be novianed before sale to the community (the other Guild's interested in the Town just might be impacted by the Master Plot not having any structures).

It seems that these "post reclaim" issues will not be discussed other than by general emails and community announcements from Virtrium Support. I guess we must stay in the dark until the lights are turned on.

Knossos

[Arietna]

that said, woohoo! Plot reclaims start on my birthday :P

[Drevar]

Ouch. A&A may be in the same situation, Knossos. I will be able to hold the master and one other plot, but that leaves another dozen or so plots which I am not sure have active owners. If someone can just come along and ask that we be kicked out so they can take over, we will definately be "taking it with me when I go". T6 pawn, bank, expert craft center, the whole shebang.

If such a thing happens, I will at least expect to be able to set the price on the master plot for sale.
A&A paid upwards of 28g in tokens and cash for Saritova proper back in the merge auction, giving up our nice position in South March (which we also shared with a couple from the Annatar *grin*) where we were the first to complete an Artifact. If whoever wants it is willing to pay that price and Tulga deems us unworthy to continue to hold the community, then so be it.

Drev

[cauri_order]

Where was this written? My understanding is that if an active account owned the master plot, it would continue to belong to that account. It was stated quite clearly that no plot owned by an active account would be taken away during this process.

Would this mean that guilds without enough active subs are going to be dissolved?? I did not consider guild name reclamation part of any of this, wonder if that will come up too. I think this goes beyond the scope of plot resizing and is not likely to happen right now, but your statement leads me to wonder.

Awdz, where did you read that? I can't fidn that info :\ Also has me worried. I hold Penza on Order and have since guild communities went live. I'd hate to lose it.

NM - just saw the other post which explained it. Still leaves me nervous.

[Trust]

If it is unowned, regardless of size, you should consider the plot potentially "lost".
-Velea

I think it would be wise of you to reconsider this stance, as several members of the community have stated. Many of those guild plots hold structures that entire guilds built, and have been waiting for the chance to purchase them with structures intact (I know we have a saris adventure center on a plot that has been inactive for so long, we had to have a GM activate it for us right after merge… are you going to rebuild it for us?). You are saying that they will be wiped because you have a plan, and can't be bothered by what us little people want. Personally I find that unacceptable and insulting. If I am misunderstanding what you are saying, then I apologise; however, the thought of losing all of those in-game hours simply because you have a schedule to keep and can’t be bothered to check really bothers me.

[Death-knell]

Awdz, your statement that no plot owned by an active account will be taken away durnig the plot reclaim process has been well documented by Virtrium. Karya is referring to a statement in a response to a support ticket submitted by our guild in an attempt to obtain additional information to allow us to most appropriately plan our actions relating to a Guild Town wherein only the Master Plot is supported by an active subscription (a Player titled Guildmaster), and none of the subplots are with active subs.

What is not stated is just how many others of the guild must move into the then resized subplots in order to "validly" own that Guild Town, nor is it stated, in the case where that Guild Town master plot is vacated, whether it may first be novianed before sale to the community (the other Guild's interested in the Town just might be impacted by the Master Plot not having any structures).

It seems that these "post reclaim" issues will not be discussed other than by general emails and community announcements from Virtrium Support. I guess we must stay in the dark until the lights are turned on.

Knossos

No what Awdz is referring to is kind of different then your response. If a plot is owned by an inactive account it's gone, if a guild key plot is ownded by an inactive account it's gone. That has been well documented.
What Awdz is referring to is a previous poster was saying....if a guild plot is owned by an active account denoted by guildmaster the plot is safe. But if the key plot is owned and a minimum number of plots aren't owned by active accounts the guild community will be repossessed.
I have not seen that either in writing or in dev posts.

[LaughingOtter]

I think it would be wise of you to reconsider this stance

Trust, please re-read the announcement. An unowned plot is just that, an undeveloped plot with NO OWNER. A developed plot owned by an inactive player is not an unowned plot.

[Trust]

LO,
Then I read something that was not there, and I apologise for my hasty words. I interpreted this:
quote
'So if your guild has things stored on a plot and you don't KNOW that someone has an active subscription, I suggest you get the things out of that storage, or you may lose them after July 11th.'
unquote
as meaning that inactive plots were considered unowned plots.

[Summerbreeze]

2 of those plots have consignors, what is going to happen to things listed if the consignor gets deleted by Vitrium? What about if I decon the connie for novians with items listed? Just one more reason why Vitrium needs to be a little more understanding and patient with this process, and not rush out and start bulldozing quite so quickly. Please allow us a bit more time to react, get the plots recovered, etc.

Guaran.. I can help you with this one. If something is on a connie & the connie is deleted you lose everything.. I had a full 50 stacks of items on a connie.. destroyed it to redesign the plot. Over 2 months after I destroyed the connie and a month after I had put in the ticket.. this was the responce.



50 stacks of items lost including about 10g worth of t6 foods.. many of which were desserts that I had to BUY some of the ingrediants to make!!!!

[Knossos]

Trust, please re-read the announcement. An unowned plot is just that, an undeveloped plot with NO OWNER. A developed plot owned by an inactive player is not an unowned plot.

LO

In context that answer that Awdz got ref no owner plots being lost, was in reference to Awdz's question about improved subplots she couldn't buy - that would only be the case if the subplot is owned by an inactive player - not if owned by the empire - if owned by the empire a guild subplot would be available for purchase by a guild member.

Did I miss something here?

Knossos

[Knossos]

LO,
Then I read something that was not there, and I apologise for my hasty words. I interpreted this:
quote
'So if your guild has things stored on a plot and you don't KNOW that someone has an active subscription, I suggest you get the things out of that storage, or you may lose them after July 11th.'
unquote
as meaning that inactive plots were considered unowned plots.

Hmmm - LO refers to unowned plots being unimproved and owned by the empire - no way to remove stored stuff from an unimproved plot...no storage available on an unimproved plot.

Knossos