Is afking in chocobo races a bannable offense?

[Shadray]

You can't get banned for not being at the keyboard, the idea is just silly. Plus there's no way to prove it even if you could.

That being said, if you're gonna enter a race you should race it so you aren't holding others up.

[MageBlack]

AFK in a choco race? I don't really care. Just means, for those who try, they will have no fear of coming in last. What was the MAX time you would miss out on in life? Someone said 2 min? People need to chill. If time is that precious to you then I don't think MMO's are what you should be playing. Besides, its no worse than setting quick synth up to 99 then walking away.

On the flip side, If you cant be bothered to actually race, why are you doing it? You really do ruin the experience for others. If you are burnt out like the OP suggests, take a break, do other content, go watch a movie, do something else. I'm sure there are people who legitimately want to race that may not be able to get in due to over crowding of that area. While its not something i consider morally reprehensible I would say it would be the courteous thing to do. Personally I despise people who drift through content then brag up their rewards. Earn that shit bro, like the rest of us do.

[Archadius]

I don't know why there are a few people here talking about being locked into the race until the AFKer finishes. It states right in the rules that the match concludes 30 seconds after the first person crosses the finish line, or once every racer finishes, whichever comes first. If you can't wait ~30 seconds... don't race, your time is not as important as you think it is.

If people want to feed my chocobo free XP by AFKing, let them.

[Elmeron]

Not sure why the person would even care... It's like giving away a free win. Just sounds like some whiny, butt-hurt white knight.

[Nalien]

Besides, its no worse than setting quick synth up to 99 then walking away.

Because Quick Synthesis wastes other peoples time

Honestly, wasting an extra whatever per race because somebody cannot be asked is something which will add up over time. Are people really coming last that often that they see someone AFKing and are glad for the assurance that they wont come last? I would much rather have 3 races where I'm likely to come 1st~5th, than have 2 races where I'm guaranteed not to come 8th... Those numbers came from my arse, but 30 extra seconds (most I usually have to wait is 10) is going to add up over an evening of racing...

I certainly wouldn't notice over one or two races, but if during an evening I'm consistently noticing someone with 100 Stamina in 8th forcing everyone else to wait for them to time out... Yeah, I can understand how someone would get annoyed with that... Even if I just see that person holding everyone up half a dozen times in an evening, that is a whole extra race I could have done. I'd much rather that extra race than coming 7th at worst in the others.

[MageBlack]

Because Quick Synthesis wastes other peoples time

Honestly, wasting an extra whatever per race because somebody cannot be asked is something which will add up over time. Are people really coming last that often that they see someone AFKing and are glad for the assurance that they wont come last? I would much rather have 3 races where I'm likely to come 1st~5th, than have 2 races where I'm guaranteed not to come 8th... Those numbers came from my arse, but 30 extra seconds (most I usually have to wait is 10) is going to add up over an evening of racing...

Then we should report people who don't skip the opening cutscene, cause that wastes time. Or report PS3 users because they take longer to load in. But yes, the quick synth was a bad example. I'm also terribly sorry that 30sec is that important to you. There are many more ways that that 30sec at the end of the match might be compensated or even longer depending on how long it takes the first place guy to cross right? This also is assuming that all racers cross at the same time as the first place dude and the whole 30sec is waiting on the last person.

As I said in my post you quoted from, I do see both sides. I disagree with afk racing, not because it "wastes my time" (Cause it doesnt) but because i see it as a form of cheating/botting/exploiting. I think if someone gets the DNF status, they should receive no reward. cause anyone who tries, will finish.

PS: stamina depletes as you go, regardless of pushing your choco or not.

[Ashkendor]

I would report you. Is the same thing as people afk on a dungeon. The only difference is that i can't kick you on a chocobo race. Just because it doesn't say is wrong doesn't mean is wrong.

Completely not the same. If someone's afk in a dungeon, best case you can proceed slowly and worst case you can't proceed at all. If someone's afk in a chocobo race, it's no different than having an additional NPC there.

[Gallus]

It states right in the rules that the match concludes 30 seconds after the first person crosses the finish line, or once every racer finishes, whichever first.

Yes, it's nowhere near 1 minute or 2 minutes, normally the difference between the first spot and the seventh can be up to 15-20 seconds, so that means waiting 10 or 15 seconds at most. Honestly I feel it's not those 10 seconds that bother people but more the whole "cheating perception".
I too don't like botters, hackers, etc. but I can't understand how people in general are this ridiculously intransigent with this kind of stuff...especially in the FFXIV context where there are a wide known amount of bots running rampage. If for afking in 5 chocobo races out of the 1600 I played, I'm doing something that is "over the top" and some dude even threatened to report me, how do you guys feel and deal with people deliberately botting and the RMT lol? Are you in the verge of cutting your veins or something?

[Keoeson]

As long as SE puts op briar caltrop in the 1st chest, I'd rather occasionally go get a drink or use the bathroom. I'm not doing it often, but sometimes I'm not in the mood having to deal with it over and over.

[Aerowaffle]

Then we should report people who don't skip the opening cutscene, cause that wastes time. Or report PS3 users because they take longer to load in. But yes, the quick synth was a bad example. I'm also terribly sorry that 30sec is that important to you. There are many more ways that that 30sec at the end of the match might be compensated or even longer depending on how long it takes the first place guy to cross right? This also is assuming that all racers cross at the same time as the first place dude and the whole 30sec is waiting on the last person.

PS: stamina depletes as you go, regardless of pushing your choco or not.

You're using horrible examples. People who take longer to load in are not doing so by choice. People who are watching the cut-scene are actually experiencing the content.

The afk'ing chocobo racer is both doing so by choice (for the most part), and is doing it because they don't want to actually race, but still want to reap the benefits of racing.

I don't really think it's that big of a deal, 30 seconds isn't much of my time, and we can't really tell if someone is afk'ing intentionally or un-intentionally all the time. But if you're going to make comparisons, make some that are actually worth comparing.