Impossible to tell if someone's AFK or using /gpose

[Chrees]

I think those who are opposed to this maybe don't understand what it is I'm asking for exactly.

When people have the "Switch to idling camera when auto-AFK activates" setting turned on, and they go auto-AFK after X amount of minutes, their status turns into Camera Mode, not AFK. Who does that benefit? Absolutely no one. There isn't anyone who cares that you have the idling camera setting turned on.

Wouldn't it be much more practical and useful to see the AFK symbol next to their name instead?

[Mhaeric]

Wouldn't it be much more practical and useful to see the AFK symbol next to their name instead?

No, because for all intents and purposes they're afk whether they have the chair or camera icon displayed. It's even in the name of the setting: idling camera. And neither setting is necessarily accurate to what is actually their state. Someone can be afk but not have the icon, not be afk but watching the random camera images for whatever reason, actually afk with the afk icon, actually afk with the camera icon, etc. I.e. the game now has two afk icons, the only difference being potentially letting you know what their UI is doing while they're non responsive.

[Chrees]

No, because for all intents and purposes they're afk whether they have the chair or camera icon displayed. It's even in the name of the setting: idling camera. And neither setting is necessarily accurate to what is actually their state. Someone can be afk but not have the icon, not be afk but watching the random camera images for whatever reason, actually afk with the afk icon, actually afk with the camera icon, etc. I.e. the game now has two afk icons, the only difference being potentially letting you know what their UI is doing while they're non responsive.

I don't disagree with some of what you're saying. However, I believe the Camera Mode icon should indicate that someone is actively taking pictures and most likely will be available within the next 5-10 minutes. They'll be able to hear the /tell sound and respond as soon as they're able. AFK could mean anywhere from 5 minutes to 5+ hours. I don't think it's very unreasonable at all to want to distinguish that difference.

The problem for people who use the idling camera w/ auto-AFK setting is that they will NEVER have the AFK symbol next to their name ever again unless they manually set themselves as such. That is the crux of my issue, and just seems like either a poor design choice or perhaps an unintended consequence of adding the Camera Mode icon.

[Mhaeric]

I don't disagree with some of what you're saying. However, I believe the Camera Mode icon should indicate that someone is actively taking pictures and most likely will be available within the next 5-10 minutes.

This is where you are wrong. The actual situation is they could be available anywhere from 5 minutes to 5+ hours exactly like the afk indicator. Even if they change it, since it is is always possible to manuallybset your icon to never display either icon if you want. The only difference is your perception of what the icon means.