Lag: "Same character already logged in". Someone else logs in: You're kicked.

[noodles355]

If your computer or internest lags out and you're DCd from the game, occasionally when you try to log back in you are met with the message "Same character is already logged in. Please try again in a few minutes". Before, when this has happened to me, I've actually been able to log my mule in, do a /sea and spot my main character online.

What I don't understand is that if I can't be logged back in again because my character is online already, then how come if someone else logs in my account whilst I'm playing, they get access and I am immidiately booted?

Furthermore, why can they boot me like this without even successfully logging on? If a log on attempt is made on your account, even with the wrong password, you are still kicked because "Account accessed from another terminal".

I'm not saying something needs to be fixed (although last point on wrong password booting you could be...). I'm just curious why in some cases (a 2nd person trying to log your character on) you are immidiately kicked from the game, but in some cases (your internet is lagging and you time-out) you can't log on because you're already logged on. It just doesn't seem to make much sense.

[Rexen]

Well from what I know, you get kicked from the game when someone logs into Play Online. I'm guessing that the time it takes for them to get from POL to FFXI is how long it takes for your character to actually be completly kicked from the game.

[Arcon]

Well from what I know, you get kicked from the game when someone logs into Play Online. I'm guessing that the time it takes for them to get from POL to FFXI is how long it takes for your character to actually be completly kicked from the game.

The time doesn't match though. It takes several minutes for the "The same character is already logged in." message to disappear. It's something else and I agree it doesn't make much sense. But especially the second point is bothering me, I actually do consider that a bug. It allows for people to abuse disconnecting others if they get their POL-ID, even without the password.

[Runespider]

They added it by design. There is a 30 second cooldown (when if interupted logout fails) when you logout to stop you doing stuff and immedately logging.

For instance nuke a mob, dot it then insta log > repeat. If you force log to get around being interupted they make sure it's long enough so that when you get back in any dots would of worn.

[wish12oz]

My guess is that when you first log into pol, it checks if the characters associated with the account are logged in, and if so it kicks them.
This step is obviously skipped if you DC out of ffxi and not pol, resulting in what happens.

[Duzell]

My guess is that when you first log into pol, it checks if the characters associated with the account are logged in, and if so it kicks them.
This step is obviously skipped if you DC out of ffxi and not pol, resulting in what happens.

except even when I have a connection hiccup and have to re-enter PoL I've had instances where my character was still logged in if i get back on fast enough. It probably has something to do with not being able to confirm the error message the server is sending that you are being disconnected cuz someone else is logging in.

[GlobalVariable]

It may have to do with countering an old old old dupe cheat. Back when the game was new people were able to log in fast enough to trade to themselves.

[noodles355]

It may have to do with countering an old old old dupe cheat. Back when the game was new people were able to log in fast enough to trade to themselves.Is that true? That's pretty interesting.
I do still think it's a bit annoying if someone tries to log you in, they can affectively kick you without knowing your password. Given it doesn't happen if you are smart enough to keep your POL and SE IDs secret, but it's still wierd. (And annoying when I go to log on my 2nd account, accidentally choose my main acct because I'm not paying attention, type in my mule's password, fail to log in the mule whilst also kicking myself from pol lol)

[bungiefan]

It's 60 seconds after the server recognizes that you have disconnected that it removes the character from the server, even if kicked by another login attempt. Until the server starts that countdown and removes your character, you cannot log back in with that same character.