Constructive Feedback - Eliminate AFK Timer Loopholes

One of the major contributors to some of the longer queue times seems to be the individuals who are finding ways to circumvent the AFK Timer to stay logged in. This became painfully clear when I was attempting to log in early in the morning and still finding a rather long queue time, with very little turnover movement through it.

I am hoping that Square Enix can step in and find ways to patch these out. Queue times would be shorter for everyone; even those who are needing to relog back into the game after the AFK timer boots them. The more inactive players that are shuffled off the servers, the more room there is for people who are wanting to play.

Another idea that could be implemented as well are incentives for logging off after a certain amount of time has passed. That way, players will have the ability to gain a bonus for exiting after a full day of play.

My two gil.

Thank you very much for your time.

Incentive for logging off would be cool.

However speaking from the other side of the coin. "You dont pay my sub"

That being said, people like me LIKE to get to work, login remote and still be connected with our LS and FC. Other people would LIKE to cook dinner and eat without coming back disconnected with a 1500 que timer. Keep in mind, people who are "afk" waiting for the chime to get into the duty are being afk timer kicked too.. not very fair either eh?

We didnt have this issue before 4.0. So if the servers cant handle it NOW with everyone "not afk kicked" then how on earth do we expect to ever get rid of this timer in the future. So yea. Id rather stay logged in. Thanks.

There is no doubt in my mind that queue times would be drastically reduced (and in some cases/servers removed entirely) if the AFK = auto-logout solution were properly implemented. There are simply too many ways for people to get around it. What is needed is a way that eliminates *all* workarounds, not just some of them. Something akin to the server sending you a "Are you still there? Reply with randomly generated code: '3490825' to remain logged in." prompts.

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Originally Posted by Gyson

"Are you still there? Reply with randomly generated code: '3490825' to remain logged in." prompts.

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Screen readers, pull up what's on them (apparently some can even beat captchas), and then find the text and regurgitate it in. Then confirm. Sure, it'd stop most but it wouldn't stop all.

Captcha's don't work, and haven't worked for quite a while.

The first and easiest way to prevent AFK-avoidance is to just report people you see doing it.

The second way is while on the field keep an activity timer active. If someone is not moving, or is moving around in circles/into the wall (eg a weight on the keyboard or controller) force a logout without prompting. Only prompt them when the most recent action is within the last 3 minutes.

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Originally Posted by Gyson

There is no doubt in my mind that queue times would be drastically reduced (and in some cases/servers removed entirely) if the AFK = auto-logout solution were properly implemented. There are simply too many ways for people to get around it. What is needed is a way that eliminates *all* workarounds, not just some of them. Something akin to the server sending you a "Are you still there? Reply with randomly generated code: '3490825' to remain logged in." prompts.

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And if you happen to miss the message or have a hard time typing it in? Too slow on the PS4 virtual keyboard or whatever. That's just adding extra irritation to people legitimately playing.

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Originally Posted by Mysticales

We didnt have this issue before 4.0. So if the servers cant handle it NOW with everyone "not afk kicked" then how on earth do we expect to ever get rid of this timer in the future. So yea. Id rather stay logged in. Thanks.

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This actually was implemented for the first month of Heavensward too. Once servers calmed down they took it away, which is likely what will be the case now.

The Queue timers would be much shorter if it worked as it was intended to. The reason that it takes as long as it does to get online right now is due to the fact that people are holding those slots, even AFK, circumventing the timer itself.

Picture a line at an amusement park. In one instance, the people on the roller coaster are allowed to stay on the ride as long as they want. The line won't move, because the cars are always going to be full. In the second instance, though, everyone on that roller coaster is required to get off and get back in line. That queue is going to move a whole heck of a lot faster. Applying this analogy to the game, even if someone were to be removed because they were AFK, they would come back to find a queue that would likely be shorter than it is now. The very behavior that they exhibit, compounds the problem that they are trying to avoid.

The solution to that is to have Square step in. And I continue to hope that they do that. :(

Scary thing to think about is if everyone loves the game that queue will not go anywhere until people leave the server lol. Basically for the queue to get better people must leave or they need to not have liked the game enough to keep playing. (Or SE makes the servers better at higher capacity).

The incentive to log off is an interesting one, 500% faster rest experience growth while offline or something - even if not within a sanctuary location lol. Free teleport could be another incentive. Fat server problems haha.

Really, people who aren't playing just need to get booted.

Iirc, guild wars would automatically boot any player who was on more than twelve hours. They should implement something like this.

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Originally Posted by Lithiela

Iirc, guild wars would automatically boot any player who was on more than twelve hours. They should implement something like this.

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Never played when it was launch (so I dont remember the worst of the worst) but they also let you play on another server when your own is too full (and lets you move back to your server once it is available), so that way you don't have to sit in a line as much.

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Originally Posted by Mysticales

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If you are at work, you are not actively in the game. If you are tricking the game to thinking you're there while you're away for hours. That's wrong, and it's selfish. Maybe the reason there is a 1.5k queue is because people are doing that. Not logging off when they should. If you're waiting for the duty to chime? Occasionally tab back in and move.

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Originally Posted by Seoulstar

If you are at work, you are not actively in the game. If you are tricking the game to thinking you're there while you're away for hours. That's wrong, and it's selfish. Maybe the reason there is a 1.5k queue is because people are doing that. Not logging off when they should. If you're waiting for the duty to chime? Occasionally tab back in and move.

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At work, I log in to chat and do a few things. Still however, not everyone likes the pressure of "omg 30 mins and im kicked again"

I mean this isnt pokemon go where we needed captcha bots. We pay for a sub and quite a high price on clients too... least those of us who have more the one family member in the house. Then to get a PS4 client AND PC client.

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Originally Posted by Mysticales

Incentive for logging off would be cool.

However speaking from the other side of the coin. "You dont pay my sub"

That being said, people like me LIKE to get to work, login remote and still be connected with our LS and FC. Other people would LIKE to cook dinner and eat without coming back disconnected with a 1500 que timer. Keep in mind, people who are "afk" waiting for the chime to get into the duty are being afk timer kicked too.. not very fair either eh?
We didnt have this issue before 4.0. So if the servers cant handle it NOW with everyone "not afk kicked" then how on earth do we expect to ever get rid of this timer in the future. So yea. Id rather stay logged in. Thanks.

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You have multiple devices in which you can chat with FC/LS if you want to. Get Discord or something of the like. Easy fix.
I logged on today, played 2 hours, and logged off because I had work all day now someone else got in.
I mean, you're sittin' a whole work day not doing anything on the game but talk when you have devices to do so....

PS. Both ARR/HW had AFK kickers until the tides stopped, so it'll be about a month or so then it'll be back to norm, obviously lol.

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Originally Posted by Lithiela

Iirc, guild wars would automatically boot any player who was on more than twelve hours. They should implement something like this.

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Yeah someone getting randomly booted from a Lakishimi or Susanoo EX mid raid just because they were on for 12 hours sounds like a great idea. /eyeroll

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Originally Posted by ZJyn

Another idea that could be implemented as well are incentives for logging off after a certain amount of time has passed. That way, players will have the ability to gain a bonus for exiting after a full day of play.

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There is an incentive for logging out. It's called rest bonus, er.. "armory" bonus.

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Originally Posted by Selova

Yeah someone getting randomly booted from a Lakishimi or Susanoo EX mid raid just because they were on for 12 hours sounds like a great idea. /eyeroll

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To be fair, it wouldn't be random. They'd know the boot is coming up.

Also, I'm pretty sure I get randomly booted when I've been on for a long time anyway. SE secretly has an algorithm that will boot people at completely random times for zero reason whatsoever. This just cycles people in who have been waiting in queue, artificially making it look like their "afk timer" is working. Which, if you have half of a brain, you can circumvent extremely easily.

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Originally Posted by Lithiela

Iirc, guild wars would automatically boot any player who was on more than twelve hours. They should implement something like this.

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No, no and hell no.

Also, it is literally impossible to eliminate "all" ways of avoiding afk logout.

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Originally Posted by Taggerung5

There is an incentive for logging out. It's called rest bonus, er.. "armory" bonus.

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Yes, well, i'm talking about a greater incentive :)