Is afking in chocobo races a bannable offense?

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Originally Posted by Syrellaris

I never said that you did AFK in a dungeon, but it falls in the same spirit so the comparison fits.

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No it doesn't?

Someone's afk in a dungeon. You probably can't even progress.

Someone's afk in a chocobo race. You might not even realize.

I find it pretty ridiculous that you keep claiming that both fall onto the same category. What's next? Comparing someone who afks in a chocobo race with someone who steals a bank because they are both doing something "illegal"?

Right or wrong, dick move or not, the answer to the original question is no you wont get banned.

You dont even get banned for afk'ing in dugeons, just kicked out of the zone.
There's no way they are going to ban your account because you walked away from your computer.

So let me get this right......people are mad because others are going afk in Chocobo races. hmmmmmm whats the problem, stop trying to control others and play the dam game. i dont see how afkers in the races affects anyone but the afkers.

I've never seen so much salt over 30 seconds.

Did they not add a penalty for the people who time out on duty finder. It wastes a theoretical 45 seconds. As someone else said there is a system in place if you don't press a button in an instance (PvP) it just boots you no penalty. If it bothers people that much.

No one is probably getting banned. But if enough people log GM complaints you will probably see some preventive measures.

2.1 Cheating and Botting. You may not create or use any unauthorized cheats, bots, automation software, hacks, mods or any other unauthorized software or hardware designed to modify the Game and gameplay. In addition, you may not take advantage of game system bugs and exploits during gameplay.

3. PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES
In addition to the License Limitations, there are other activities that you are forbidden from doing in connection with the Game ("Prohibited Activities"). In its discretion, Square Enix may use a variety of methods to deal with violations of this User Agreement and the Prohibited Activities, including, but not limited to, any of the following:
Issuing a warning;
Placing a character in a "virtual jail" for a specified period of time;
Removing or deleting ill-gotten in-game items or currency;
Temporarily suspending an account;
Permanently terminating an account;
Permanently banning your IP address, residential address, or credit card number;
Asserting a lawsuit for breach of contract, copyright infringement, or other cause of action as may be applicable; and/or
Seeking injunctive relief in any court or jurisdiction to prevent you from continuing such activity.

Personally I could care less if you do it or not because I'll get 1st either way. You wanted to know the truth and here is the letter of the gaming law.

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Originally Posted by Dyvid

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actually this doesnt fall into those places unless the devs say it does so stop trying to white knight it's nothing but annoying. you might have an argument here if the game didnt auto move you from the start of the race but you don't.

while it is a dick move to AFK during a race it is most certainly not an exploit at least not until the devs say it is actually an exploit.

yeah it does fall into a grey area at the moment. but you are not quoting anything that actually catagorizes this. not yet anyway.

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Personally I could care less if you do it or not because I'll get 1st either way. You wanted to know the truth and here is the letter of the gaming law.

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Thanks Dyvid for providing the ncessary information to show your wrong. Good job. Nothing in what you quoted is against the ToS.

Exploiting game mechanics would be utilizing something that is obviously unintentional such as:
-Breaking a party and reforming to duplicate loot
-Falling through a map to become invincible
-Standing in an area where a mob can't hit you but you can hit it
etc etc

AFK'ing while the game auto moves you(which it's built to do) is not an exploit - it's being productive when AFK. Or are we calling the stable chocos an exploit now to as they take you where you want when afk?

Can we end this thread now that the ToS has been quoted; and it's been established that there is no known exploit.

FWIW: The bannable offense here is if someone went afk - with a bot script that had them holding W ; and auto moving to items and auto using items when they got them. ( as items always spawn in same position ; wouldn't be difficult ). So yea~

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Originally Posted by 314159265358979323846264338327

Nowhere does it say that you NEED to be present during the race, either. If me going afk is an exploit, then you pressing W to go faster than me is a cheat.

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really? Are you one of those that would sue if you spilled hot coffee on yourself if the cup didn't say "caution hot"? It's called common sense. Look it up. I have no issue with people who want to AFK in a race. I do however have issues with people who use statements like you just did. Its like saying no one told me I had to be present at work to get paid. It is so sad its laughable that people honestly need to be told that they should be present and do something the willfully signed up for. No. Really, it is.

We should ban everyone who doesn't get first in chocobo racing because they waste everyone else's time. We should also ban all the PS3 players that load in more slowly than PC players, because they are wasting PC players time. In fact, we should ban anyone that doesn't press the que instantly when it pops because the difference between queing in at 44 and 45 seconds is the time it takes for a child in africa to die from (insert disease here).

#baneveryone

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Originally Posted by Gallus

No it doesn't?

Someone's afk in a dungeon. You probably can't even progress.

Someone's afk in a chocobo race. You might not even realize.

I find it pretty ridiculous that you keep claiming that both fall onto the same category. What's next? Comparing someone who afks in a chocobo race with someone who steals a bank because they are both doing something "illegal"?

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It falls under the same Spirit, not the same catagory. Honestly, I gave you what you what I thought of it, I don't care if you agree with it or not. I told you, I don't find it a bannable offense and I thought that /tell and threathening to report goes a bit far.
So stop being such a drama baby.

Whats the difference between someone who AFKed chocobo races and got the Fenrir horn and someone who came in first at least half the time and got a Fenrir horn?

Nothing.

If this does not bother you, then groovy, you are ok with people AFK'ing through choco race matches. If it does bother you at least a little, then something should be done. Honestly, we need to stop giving medals for coming in last. Make 8th just break even with the same MGP you paid to enter and 0 exp at the very least, then people who afk are going nowhere, so are people coming in last. At least you dont lose anything but you arent gaining either.

if it bothers you too much you could pf to make a full pt of afk chocobo racers and just enjoy the mgp while watching anything you want.

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Originally Posted by MageBlack

Honestly, we need to stop giving medals for coming in last. Make 8th just break even with the same MGP you paid to enter and 0 exp at the very least

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No, please no. There are already too many places where you can lose more MGP than you gain, and it's often due to sheer luck. I've spent tons of MGP on Fungah and failed every time, Landenel in South Shroud has already won my firstborn child, and I somehow have managed a net loss to minicactpot in the last week. At least in chocobo racing, when I get hit with choco meteor, gravity bombed twice, and lose all of my stamina to thorns halfway through the race, I can just laugh it off and accept my 8th place winnings.

i wouldnt worry about it too much, seems we have a maintenance tomorrow night. i would bet that it will set a DNF to 0 reward... and probably put a block or something so that if your riding the walls it will stop you all together.

probably will lower all the card drop rates since many have passed the 30/60 card levels too...

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Originally Posted by AzakaTonnerre

really? Are you one of those that would sue if you spilled hot coffee on yourself if the cup didn't say "caution hot"? It's called common sense. Look it up. I have no issue with people who want to AFK in a race. I do however have issues with people who use statements like you just did. Its like saying no one told me I had to be present at work to get paid. It is so sad its laughable that people honestly need to be told that they should be present and do something the willfully signed up for. No. Really, it is.

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No, they should outlaw coffee and fire the person who made it too hot, thus making me wait an extra 30 seconds to drink it.

Just implement a system that when the winner crosses the line the race will end in 15 seconds. At the end of the 15 seconds the final places will be where you are at that moment. Then even if someone is afk'ing then the race will still end in a timely fashion.

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Originally Posted by BristolRuss

Just implement a system that when the winner crosses the line the race will end in 15 seconds. At the end of the 15 seconds the final places will be where you are at that moment. Then even if someone is afk'ing then the race will still end in a timely fashion.

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That already exists...Why are people with no knowledge of chocobo racing posting in a chocobo racing thread.

ok i'mma say this plainly


when i play chocobo races, i never truly notice if i am against npc (who try so hard TO LOSE)
and some Players who are new to the mode, and they tend to do poorly and come last.

i actually did nothing for 3 matches to see what would happen

i came 1st then 3rd then 3rd again XD

it comes to a point where the auto advancement and the AI of the NPC players becomes such tedium that it isn't possible even if you hit everything to come last.

to people screaming EXPLOIT.

please look up the previous exploits that have appered in the game and were immediately fixed or addressed then users abusing it were banned (only listing these for educational purposes)

such as
2.0 Hydra stops attacking if a ice ball was shot under it, this broke the AI, because it would target someone with fire and it would never shoot, this is a exploit of a scripting error

2.2 if a mage LB's at the right time on the last 3 golems killing them as they get close enough to merge the game thinks there is a super golem where there isn't after mega flare neal dues darns would then proceed to do nothing, this again is exploiting a script braking bug.

2.4 final coil, (this was caught faster then the previous 2) T12 had black fire that would increase the amount of damage taken to the player and the boss. this could be stacked infinitely if the boss was placed over the fire, and hit at the same time with Bio, or venomous errors, aka the black fire debuff would of been placed for increasing amounts of time going to a max of 9999 mins. (until the phase change) this was a exploit of the mechanic script that wasn't funtioning properly.

all these exploits have been fixed and users banned for abusing them.

this however is the way the chocobo racing was designed, thus, it isn't a exploit. its just being lazy with the game, that rewards it.
i agree with the post someone said that last place should be at least brake even or minimal profit, with minimal exp. then it is fitting for AFKers.

also it is possible to get a DNF where you do get nothing.

an exploit is purposely braking the game using a overlooked piece of code or something that potentially changes the game into the favour of those using the code , aka braking a bosses AI so you have 0 challenge thats a exploit and is a bannable offence.

being aft in a chocobo race isn't exploiting but is a dick move.

please note the exploits i have listed WERE major banal offences, and have been fixed and those who did abuse them were banned i am only listing them here to point the difference of a exploit to what is being discussed, i will say since 2.4 (with the fix of t12) there has been no exploits in the game due to there good testing. since the last exploit was in T9.

i also feel safe discussing these now fixed and gone exploits, in these example, due to how there is no possible way to recreate them, and how they have been fixed. (though if anyone brings up exploits that SE dosnt know please send them a bug report so it can be removed from the game asap, if you do manage to get into a battle with a exploit being used, please exit and report those who have started the exploit. as well as file a bug report on how the exploit was caused.
contact the GM's about this immediately, with the server world and EORZEAN time, please do not use any exploits /PSA)

what they should do to fix this, have it to where if you do not push a button after a certain amount of time (say 12 seconds) the chocobo stops, this will evoke players to have DNF's rather then victory, this would then evoke players to be active towards chocobo racing.

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Originally Posted by Gunspec

No, please no. There are already too many places where you can lose more MGP than you gain, and it's often due to sheer luck. I've spent tons of MGP on Fungah and failed every time, Landenel in South Shroud has already won my firstborn child, and I somehow have managed a net loss to minicactpot in the last week. At least in chocobo racing, when I get hit with choco meteor, gravity bombed twice, and lose all of my stamina to thorns halfway through the race, I can just laugh it off and accept my 8th place winnings.

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I wasnt talking about losing anything, just break even with what you paid to get in. You get your entry fee back and you win the chance to try again! As for the exp gained from it, maybe something like 10exp, so low it would take forever to rank up your choco but at least a little something for your effort. even a loss is an experience.

Honestly, I don't get the argument in this. AFK racers is kind of a win-win situation. You get your win, and they get participation rewards without effort. It's kind of a victimless crime. Oh boo hoo, you have to wait 30 more seconds for the race to end.

so what changed over the years , that now intentional unattended gameplay in a mmorpg is OK and even LEGAL ?

one thing is going afk over a emergency and another is doing it on purpouse and queuing for chocobo races and going afk, and repeat for hours.

SE can fix that easy , chocobo wont get any exp if DNF (or last place even!) , that will suck for ppl that race but got unlucky and was unable to finish the race or ended last.

You do it like that, and the people who race and can't catch up will just AFK anyway knowing they lost everything and have zero purpose to finish on their own merits. I know I would.

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Originally Posted by MilesSaintboroguh

You do it like that, and the people who race and can't catch up will just AFK anyway knowing they lost everything and have zero purpose to finish on their own merits. I know I would.

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Mmmm yeah I can see that if I was going to be penalized for being in last place then I'd be pretty bummed and just let it go. No reason to care anymore.

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Originally Posted by Starrywisdom

That already exists...Why are people with no knowledge of chocobo racing posting in a chocobo racing thread.

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If it is already in place then why are people complaining?

Because their precious speed runs

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Originally Posted by BristolRuss

If it is already in place then why are people complaining?

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because (to say on there side) its almost impossible for there to be a DNF o3o

the only time i have seen a DNF was on a open chocobo race against a 4th generation chocobo built for speed XD

the npc was about 2 seconds from crossing the line as well.

i think they should lower the time needed from 30 seconds (which is a longtime to be fair) to a much shorter time, most racing games only give 10 to 15 seconds.

that said, it is very difficult if not night impossible, to get a DNF :o

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Originally Posted by Dyvid

snip.

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It's not against the rules and no one will get ban
Look at it this way.
The race ends after a specific period of time finish it or not.

And what about this. Maybe I'll stay at my controller and I just won't accelerate .

I'm not afk. I'm still racing. I'm just not trying to win.

Then what? The race will still take the amount of time til either I hit finish or the time limit hits.

And it's not like I'm trolling, I just know my bird is to slow so I just want experience for leveling.

Wow, people are complaining because you're removing yourself as competition?

Yawn.

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Originally Posted by ExKage

Mmmm yeah I can see that if I was going to be penalized for being in last place then I'd be pretty bummed and just let it go. No reason to care anymore.

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DNF is not for the last place. It's for those that didnt did not finish at all. (30 seconds behind the first place it seems)

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Originally Posted by Feron

Wow, people are complaining because you're removing yourself as competition?

Yawn.

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How would those that dont even bother to attend their races, be any competition for others in the first place?

I normally go afk when someone is ruining my race by using those stamina drain items aggressive.

They ruined my race, so it's their fault they have to wait at the end for race drop out of my chocobo...

Here is the bottom line:

Players are being rewarded for ZERO effort for going AFK from start to finish in chocobo racing.

If you don't like racing, then don't do it! Don't complain about the grind, current state of affairs surround racing or lack of better options to farm MGP as an excuse to AFK farm chocobo exp/MGP

AFK/DNF racers must be stopped. Not only are you wasting other racers' time, you are adding to an already congested gold saucer server.

Being AFK for other duties/events is not tolerated in the community, why is this an exception?

If you want those big MGP cost vanity items, or that amazing G9 chocobo, earn it the legitimate way.

Developers need to implement a system to punish chronic AFK/DNF racers (ability to gain MGP lock-out for 3 hours?) and reward racers doing well (maybe a bonus for chain 1st place runs?)

I do not accept this excuse where "what if I'm actually trying to win and still place 8th?" The game is not that hard.

How long does it wait? That's the thing, does it wait until you've done running into the wall for 3 whole laps or what?

If it was a few minutes I don't think its a big deal. Just think of it as a friend whose really bad at Mario Kart.

That guy always in last place you have to wait for. That guy, whose tossing those damn blue shells up your ass....

Anyways, it's a dick move yes. I would never do it myself.

I think you should afk on npcs, and then play with people.

But there's no actual penalty atm. So each to his own.

Just wouldn't be a surprised if SE added a 30 min cooldown on runs if you finished last place. lol

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Originally Posted by Oriens

I do not accept this excuse where "what if I'm actually trying to win and still place 8th?" The game is not that hard.

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Ahh yes, I remember the maiden rank. If you really believe what you said, then you've obviously never done the higher tier races. Aside from loads of "champion" NPCs (for lack of a better word) that specialize in various ways to ensure to don't win, to the boxes trying to stop you, to mobs trying to stop you, to the ground itself trying to stop you... yeah no. It's entirely possible to come in 8th on legit attempts when you're not wearing your < R20 training wheels anymore.

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Originally Posted by RobinRethiel

I normally go afk when someone is ruining my race by using those stamina drain items aggressive.

They ruined my race, so it's their fault they have to wait at the end for race drop out of my chocobo...

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Soo....you get butt hurt that they got the items before you/used them on you so you think the mature way to lose is to hold them up? You understand they are using the items as strategy and not to be a dick right? Be a better loser.

On topic:
No, 'AFK' racing should not be accepted/tolerated. Why? Because the person doing it is getting a reward for doing nothing. It's not so much that their gameplay immediately effects others (whoever raced with them likely placed higher which is actually maybe a modest positive)...but by afking, they still rank their birds, can access breeding (which means better birds potentially) and also earn MGP...which can buy coveted but high-cost/grind items. Because of this, some sort of stop-guards should be put in place to prevent it.

I don't care how many MGP bunny-suits and mounts people can buy, but I'd hope they earned the points....

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Originally Posted by 314159265358979323846264338327

It's entirely possible to come in 8th on legit attempts when you're not wearing your < R20 training wheels anymore.

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Don't assume I suck, and I won't assume you suck either. But since you have opened this book, it's time to read:
The occasional 6-8th place is bound to happen. But, if you're having trouble at the 160+ ratings maybe you should go back to the tutorial and learn how to race. Not ONE player I've spoken to, who has raced as much as I have and experienced the upper tiers of racing has ever complained about NPCs being too tough or the scales being weighed to much in the favor of NPCs. You are probably doing something wrong in either your training (or lack there of), ability usage or how you race.

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Originally Posted by Kinseykinz

Soo....you get butt hurt that they got the items before you/used them on you so you think the mature way to lose is to hold them up? You understand they are using the items as strategy and not to be a dick right? Be a better loser.

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As said: the other one did it. His fault, when I get no Stamina to do the race normally.

AFK = you DO NOT sprint.

Stamina drained = You CAN NOT sprint.

Of course I know this item and can also easily destroy others race. But then I'm the one without any care for others and the last to be mad about afk players, who would be better than me, because afk players don't destroy other players races, no, they make it easier to win for them.

In comparison: AFK make it easier to get full xp. Aggro player utterly destroy the xp gain. The first are by far better.

There isn't going to be any good solution to combat AFK players and frankly, it's just a waste of time on Square's part to do so. Yes, they are getting awarded anyway, but deliberately coming in last disqualifies them from getting a shot at the bonus and they get the least amount of points overall, so they're just hindering themselves by taking the extremely slow route whereas just playing normally would get you the same results you wanted at a much faster pace. In all the times I have raced, I only seen an AFK racer at least twice.

Besides, the minute Square does something to combat this, people are just going to find another way around it; hell, I'm sure one could just make a program that makes button inputs at random just to beat the anti AFK system and still come in last anyway.

You afk make the race that little bit longer and you come last and get the lowest reqards and xp. Why would you do this? Because you bored of the grind? You going afk is making your grind 3x if not 4x longer. At least blue-tac the sprint button and try for 7th

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Originally Posted by 314159265358979323846264338327

Ahh yes, I remember the maiden rank. If you really believe what you said, then you've obviously never done the higher tier races. Aside from loads of "champion" NPCs (for lack of a better word) that specialize in various ways to ensure to don't win, to the boxes trying to stop you, to mobs trying to stop you, to the ground itself trying to stop you... yeah no. It's entirely possible to come in 8th on legit attempts when you're not wearing your < R20 training wheels anymore.

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Ah, I remember entering a new rank at its barest allowed minimum entry rating as well. Ofcourse if you do that, youve only yourself to blame for ending up last place. (I ended up 6th, despite racing rather badly.)