AFK!!!!! REBOOT NEEDED!!!SOMETHING!!!!

[Papamax]

Adding a an AFK timer fo one hour will NOT solve our current problem. People can make bots and such to get around that. However, a server reset or a log in lock out WOULD solve such issues. Because if it is set on a timed schedule. You can use a bot program to work around it. However, a random 3-5 hour window with a 15 minute warning cannot as easily be worked around.

A person who bots doesn't stand in one place for hours and hours; they're usually botting for a reason, and that reason isn't so they can enjoy the view. The AFKers that are effectively shutting active players out of the game are regular people who know that if they log out of the game they will have to sell their soul to get back in. So a one-hour timer, which is very, very generous in my opinion, would help to get more players into the game who are actually PLAYING the game. It's not to punish anybody.

And, tell me honestly, would you really play any MMORPG that kicked every player off the server every 3-5 hours, regardless of whether or not they were active? Because I sure as hell wouldn't.

[Sylvaneste]

A person who bots doesn't stand in one place for hours and hours; they're usually botting for a reason, and that reason isn't so they can enjoy the view. The AFKers that are effectively shutting active players out of the game are regular people who know that if they log out of the game they will have to sell their soul to get back in. So a one-hour timer, which is very, very generous in my opinion, would help to get more players into the game who are actually PLAYING the game. It's not to punish anybody.

And, tell me honestly, would you really play any MMORPG that kicked every player off the server every 3-5 hours, regardless of whether or not they were active? Because I sure as hell wouldn't.

This would only be a temporary fix before the can program and introduce the AFK Timer. not sure how much coding would have to be done and then making it into a patch,etc,etc. However, oen of the tech support guys. While doing whatever it is he does for his paycheck. While he/she sits at thier desk can lock out all users (i assume with just a few keystrokes/commands) and then with a few more open up to be able to log in again.

[Organic]

What's the point? Are they going to do anything about them? Unlikely, considering they haven't implemented any type of way to deal with them automatically, which is significantly easier to do than a manual "punish people by list."

Also, what's the guarantee that someone on said list is actually AFKing and not added by someone who was mad at them...or taking a bathroom break? I don't mean to be rude but that's a bad idea and bound to create more problems than it would fix.

If you're AFKing for more than 30 mins, or on a potty break for as long, you obviously don't need your character logged into the world. If you're AFK while quick synthesizing crafting, that's great! Your character is being productive and accomplishing something. Logging out characters who are inactive for longer than 30 minutes prevents a lot of these issues. It's also friendlier than dropping servers every night as folks can be mid-dungeon run, etc.

[Sylvaneste]

The problem with teh AFK timer, is that in the end it is a solution. But it has to be programed to work with thier current program. Where as the boot everyone off teh server then allow log ins 5 minutes later, solves teh CURRENT issue.

[Nero92]

dropping servers would be rude to people who work/function on different schedules. like if you don't play between certain hours, you don't matter? I paid for the game, not a curfew

[naardejood]

I seem to recall playing a Korean F2P game quite a few years ago that had a fantastic system for AFK/bot prevention. Every 45-75 minutes (the timing was randomized within that range) a small window would pop up at a randomized point on the screen saying something along the lines of, "You have been playing for X minutes. You should probably take a break. Would you like to log out now?', and would have "Yes" and "No" buttons. If you didn't click "Yes" within five minutes, you got kicked from the server. And you had to actually click the button. You couldn't simply hit enter or tab to the window and hit the button with a keystroke. You had to actually click the button. This served a dual purpose of making it easier for players to avoid getting sucked into a game and missing an appointment or forgetting to do something they had intended to do earlier while also making it far more difficult to program an effective gold farming bot as the bot had to be able to detect where the window popped up as well as where the "Yes" button was, as which button was "Yes" and which button was "No" was also randomized. The window would also not appear during instances or times where a character was in combat and would wait until afterward to appear to avoid getting in the way at inopportune times.

It was an incredibly minor inconvenience to have to hit one extra button every hour or so, but I definitely thought it was worth it as it made botters and gold spammers neigh nonexistent.

[Peppita]

Hoping Wednesday its easier to get on the game

[Arriverderci]

Those pissed smiley's are so cute lol.