Dancer Archive
Thread: what a CSR said in regard to afk macroing
Whee...everyone was so quiet about this yesterday when I was here, I leave and everyone has something to say 
Give me a few to read over everything you posted after me.
No it's not, a forum moderator posts this, not a CSR or sony person so it doesn't mean anything sweety.
uh.... no? heh. so basically what you are saying is she's a mod, and therefor not from SOE. also the part about the CSR's supervisor being notified is bogus? do i need to smoke crack to understand?
IMO there is nothing wrong with afk entertainers.
1. They are helping you gain xp when they are in the group with you.
2. People who are going to tip, are most likely going to tip someone who does not have (afk) tag.
3. Cantinas with 8-10 afk macroing entertainers are obvious "hotspots" for xp gains. There will always be a few cantinas like this, usually Theed and Bestine. If you do not like having 8-10 afk macroers around then head to a quieter spot, because "hotspots" will always draw afk macroers. You can head to Endor or Dathomir for good heal gains and fewer afkers.
4. If it is your right to complain about afkers, then it is my right to complain about a system theat does not encourage diversity (through no fault of its own) I, for one, am tired of seeing 90% of the dancer population being a thin human, zabrak or twi'lek female. The system encourages this since dancers work on tips and people are more likely to give a desirable looking female a tip then others. Its a fact and I've proven it to my own satisfaction. I'm sure I'll hear comments like It isn't because I'm beautiful that I get tips, its because I work the customer" and I am happy for you but it still doesn't change the fact that the easiest way to make money off tips is to start with that type of look. I created a female zabrak dancer on Chilastra and made more in 1 day as a new character off of tips then I did with my male twi'lek on Bloodfin has in any week. (He is Master Musician, Master Image, Master Entertainer and 2/2/4/2 towards Master Dance-but no more skillpoints)
5.I'd also like to complain about the girth of dancers who are on the verge of openly prostituting themselves out just to get tips (who am I kidding, most have leaped wildly into the gaping chasm and are no longer on the verge.. Please, can you act a little less desperate? I'd much rather walk into a cantina full of afk macroers.
Also, for the person who said that afkers aren't good for helping with xp gains anyway, because you can't invite them to the group sine they wont accept, try inviting them anyway. Its easy enough to add the line /join; to the end of your macro before you do the /ui action toolbarSlot command. So even if you are afk you can still accept joining the group.
I think the game has much bigger problems then afk entertainers who do very little to throw the economy off. Shouldn't you be more worried about duping, and overpowered professions. If you are really concerned taht someafkers are pulling a few measly tips that might have gone to you, then I would suggest trying a different profession that is geared more towards moetary gains, like tailoring or something. The game was boviously never intended to make entertainers rich since A. You work on tips anyway and B. Entertainer Mission Terminals are a joke and obviously prove the dev team wants to secure the "starving artist" stereotype.
dang! where are my props? seriously, denisa? you got owned, i want my props. lol.
Jeassa ... your response raises a very big question.
Does it matter how long the person is AFK?
ClearAqua wrote:
Jeassa ... your response raises a very big question.
Does it matter how long the person is AFK?
There are no rules stating that you cannot be AFK. So the answer is no, there is no limit on the time for being AFK since it doesn't violate the policies regardless.
Jeassa wrote:
The only reason I posted was to let people know that they weren't going to be banned from the game if they are using a macro while dancing in a cantina and if they went AFK to make food oruse the restroom and a CSR saw them.
Jeassa, I don't think many people are worried about people who step away to make food or use the restroom.. I don't think anybody who is against this would be upset at someone for that, myself included. What bothers people is those who set a macro and run it for hours while they are at work, at school, seeing a movie, or whatever.
Tiaga wrote:
Jeassa wrote:
The only reason I posted was to let people know that they weren't going to be banned from the game if they are using a macro while dancing in a cantina and if they went AFK to make food oruse the restroom and a CSR saw them.
Jeassa, I don't think many people are worried about people who step away to make food or use the restroom.. I don't think anybody who is against this would be upset at someone for that, myself included. What bothers people is those who set a macro and run it for hours while they are at work, at school, seeing a movie, or whatever.
I understand the concern that people have with those AFK, I was just posting because I didn't want people thinking that a CSR would be banning them if they danced while AFK for whatever reason. I'm not speaking for those that are upset over people AFKing, I'm only speaking for the policies of the game, which do not prohibit the use of the current macro system and being AFK.
DiusFidus wrote:
1. They are helping you gain xp when they are in the group with you.
I "grew up" to Master with groups of dancers who were actually there. MUCH more fun, plus now that I'm a Master I actually have a wide circle of friends who I can turn to for gigs and ideas and groups. I couldn't have gotten any of that if they or I had been AFK.
2. People who are going to tip, are most likely going to tip someone who does not have (afk) tag.
Usually, yes, but not always. (Specious tales of AFKers who rave about the tips they made, aside) ... I also have a Scout/CH and there are times whenI go into a cantina for mind healing. I speak to some of the entertainers to find out who is actually there. On a couple of occasions, an entertainer would /smile, say "Welcome to Theed!" out loud, etc., and had no AFK tag over their head. Was it live or was it Memorex? (To me this is deceitful). I actually tipped one before it suddenly dawned on me that she wasn't even at her keyboard. To make pennance, I turned around and tipped the dancer next to her double and told her (in /say) it was because she WAS there.
3. Cantinas with 8-10 afk macroing entertainers are obvious "hotspots" for xp gains. There will always be a few cantinas like this, usually Theed and Bestine. If you do not like having 8-10 afk macroers around then head to a quieter spot, because "hotspots" will always draw afk macroers. You can head to Endor or Dathomir for good heal gains and fewer afkers.
I spent a lot of time in Theed right after release - but at that time, I can remember maybe 1 or 2 players who were AFK for any length of time, if that. What you're seeing now is NOT how it's always been, and quite honestly I prefer the lively, interactive atmosphere that I experienced to the zombie palace it's become today. I made some very good friends in Theed and that has been one of the biggest joys I've gained from playing a Dancer. More fun than that is just not possible.
4. If it is your right to complain about afkers, then it is my right to complain about a system theat does not encourage diversity (through no fault of its own) I, for one, am tired of seeing 90% of the dancer population being a thin human, zabrak or twi'lek female.
Actually, I'd agree with you on that one, but in comparison to many other games (including a certain beta I'm participating in right now), SWG is a dream.
The system encourages this since dancers work on tips and people are more likely to give a desirable looking female a tip then others.Its a fact and I've proven it to my own satisfaction.
Fact? IMO you need to do more research. One of my best dancer friends happens to be a male Wookiee - in fact, he's the leader of my regular troupe. I met him in Theed, he trained me when I needed it, and he's been my mentor. He's also never hurt for tips. Neither has the chubby little Bothan I know whose sense of humor will have the entire audience rolling on the floor as he flourishes with his TK rifle and spouts quips. Ialso know a male Twi'lek musician who writes good Star Wars poetry and recites it while he plays - he ALWAYS makes plenty of tips. So does New Jedi, the Musician correspondent who is my PA leader. He may be one of the most entertaining musicians I have ever seen. So while there is some merit to your point, I don't think it is a 100% certainty. There are players whose individual creativity and imagination can overcome the most limiting game designs.
5.I'd also like to complain about the girth of dancers who are on the verge of openly prostituting themselves out just to get tips (who am I kidding, most have leaped wildly into the gaping chasm and are no longer on the verge.. Please, can you act a little less desperate? I'd much rather walk into a cantina full of afk macroers.
At first I thought you wanted to complain about how fat they are (girth)
I'll join you in this complaint. There is no place for it in public cantinas, IMO.
Also, for the person who said that afkers aren't good for helping with xp gains anyway, because you can't invite them to the group sine they wont accept, try inviting them anyway. Its easy enough to add the line /join; to the end of your macro before you do the /ui action toolbarSlot command. So even if you are afk you can still accept joining the group.
Actually, when I am group leader they get booted, XP be damned. And most every one of the dancers I work with in the game feel the exact same way.
I think the game has much bigger problems then afk entertainers who do very little to throw the economy off. Shouldn't you be more worried about duping, and overpowered professions.
Where is it written that we can't address more than one issue at a time? Sure, there are other issues that are more important to SWG players as a whole- but they are also taking up more of SOE's programming resources. Those things are being addressed. However, it is also our own right - or privelege if you wish - to look out for our own profession. In this case, when Ravenmist took a poll of the posters on this board, one of the biggest issues we all agreed needed to be addressed was just this: AFK macroing. It's rampant, it's destructive to our image, and it's gotten out of hand. It needs to be stopped. And judging from the Devs' comments, it will be stopped.
In response to Sinda
1. Why does someone else need to be enforced to have a wide group of friends? Its a multiplayer game with many different styles, Maybe some people choose to have a small close knit group of friends. I just dont see how your comment refutes my point that afkers still help with xp gain. I also "grew up" with musicians and dancers and image designers who were mostly there and I mastered Entertainment, musician and Image and most of dance. I still understand and accept afk macroers, and whenever I am in a Cantina like Bestine or Theed I will gladly lend my services to all aspiring entertainers regardless of whether they are afk or not.
2.Thats why I said most likely. If you are the only musican performing on Endor, tehn it doesnt really matter if you are afk or not you'll probably still get tips from people.
3. When SWG was first released, there were fewer people and the game was new. After hearing SW1 played over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over surely you might admit that it gets monotonous. There is just as little variety to the dances and so for a skill class that has a fixed dictaion of skill progression of course the journey is going to get boring, especially if you decide to move to another galaxy and want to still be an entertainer but dread doing the same stuff over and over again. If you want to blame someone for Theed not being lively, then blame the wide group of friends you grew up with who evidently moved on I guess. There is no reason why you can't get them all back to Theed for nightly cantina fun is there?
6. Thats your perogative. I've seen often people who are masters ask for leadership of a group then start booting people who are afk without asking the group how they felt. I will leave the group everytime, when this happens and would rather perform by myself then be grouped with such puerile people. The only time I accept kicking afkers, is when the group is full and there are people who are waiting to join who will actually be playing, and at that point the afkerswould be kicked because they are afk, not because they are macroing.
9. I find any "polls" done on the board nonfactual and unrealistic samples of the entertainment class as a whole. First, the boards are not open to everyone without having to sign up and register etc. Second only a very very very minute section of the people who are entertaienrs even bother posting. Third by even acknowledging being an afker puts you under attack by a selected group who have appointed themselves representative of everyone, why even bother posting and getting involved with such drama. Fourth, I'm sure many afkers would like to chime in at this point but they are infact afk at the moment, and will be for as long as the silliness is prolonged.
I am sure that afk entertainers have devasted the gameplay of so many players that it warrants an immediate patch to stop such a travesty but for as long as it is allowed, any afkers will be welcome in my group when I perform. I never knew it was a competition to keep the master class elite from the riftraft. Imyself registered for swg just to have fun, and if someone else wants to get through the monotony of the classthat is the least finaciallyrewarding (with some exceptions) just so they can be master and have fun with all the music or all the dances, then more power to them.
This is from Q for those of you who don't follow the deftracker.
The designers are working on ways to make AFK entertaining less desirable. I'm not sure where they are in the process.
In the meantime, I agree with most of the posters here. Don't tip AFK entertainers. If you have a choice, watch/listen to a non-AFK entertainer instead of an AFK one. Whenever possible try to role play with Entertainers. It keeps you both engaged and is a good way to learn about local news/legends.
The true purpose of a cantina is a meeting place where you will more than likely run into other players and learn from them or start groups with them.
Jeassa wrote:
The only reason I posted was to let people know that they weren't going to be banned from the game if they are using a macro while dancing in a cantina and if they went AFK to make food oruse the restroom and a CSR saw them.
Jeassa,
I understand this to mean if they are using...
the "in game system" that is built into the gamethere is no issue with it being 2 minutes or 200 hours.
If they are using a 3rd party program not approved by SOE and are caught afk AND using the unapproved program then they will be delt with according to how SOE see's fit.
This leads me to ask...
Ifsomeone were toseeplayers discussing ortradinginformation about their illegal proggie (not SOE approved) in game that they use to go afk do you want it reported? (/report)
Brianna_Folliot wrote:
This leads me to ask...
Ifsomeone were toseeplayers discussing ortradinginformation about their illegal proggie (not SOE approved) in game that they use to go afk do you want it reported? (/report)
Yes, you would report it and submit a ticket to a CSR.