I am honestly not sure how to feel about this update...and that's not just because I don't like it but simply because I see positives and negatives.
Preventing the ooc fueled transfer of quarters is probably a good thing, at least in the cases where certain quarters are getting hogged by factions without them seeing any actual use except additional storage space.
Likewise, largely inactive factions holding prestiguous places *are* an issue and I welcome measures taken to crack down on it.
I am just not sure at all that will really help with that issue. The idea is that everyone should have a shot at a quarter and I agree with that, but I don't think it makes much of a difference there if a quarter becomes available right away or after a random time.
On the plus side, it prevents ooc inheritance of quarters, on the downside, it actively prevents providing other players with a quarter.
Recently, I acquired a store in a fairly prestiguous location...and passed it off to someone that never got to hold their own shop despite being a very active and engaged player. This is something I could no longer do.
And that doesn't necessarily have anything to do with being well known, the same could apply to people having an interesting character concept that you want to help out with that.
Definitely not everyone would do that, no...but I've seen something like that happen often enough that it's not outlandish either. I've benefitted from that as well, especially given my fairly limited online time!
As for quarters opening after a random time...it favours extremely active players that can afford checking in on a quarter often. Those that can't still have little chances to get a quarter the regular way...but no chance anymore at all to being given a quarter by someone else. I think it makes the situation decidedly worse for more casual players that in my opinion are just as deserving of a quarter as the "pros".
Factions still benefit from that as well as they can check up on a quarter to be sold much more often than solo players. I think we'll see a shift from quarters transferring inside factions towards quarters transferring between factions.
I think a better way to address the quarter issue would be to find ways to make it less important to have one - aka increased storage capabilities. Some players have more need than others and having a way to "upgrade" citizen storage could be something. Or allowing faction storage at the bank in exchange for an upkeep that is steep enough to discourage everyone and their mother having one. I believe that way specific needs can be addressed while also rewarding people who actively play (and creating another gold sink!).
I still wouldn't fix the issue of quarter hogging but at least take some of the pressure of it.
I don't think the update is all bad...I just believe it creates new problems while adressing some older ones but in any case, it would have to be seen how it actually goes