Entertainer Archive
Thread: How to curb AFK Macroing
LOL entertainers are a healing profession. I think it's funny how some of you deny it and think you are something grander.
noreenf wrote:
I haven't needed XP in 6 months, and I do care about the problem. AFK/Macro-tainers nerfed the profession, and it pisses me off! One of the things that made this game different from other MMORPGs was that I could do something besides typical combat and healing professions.
Shlomo_P wrote:
BF diddily D--who cares!?!
Geez, get a life--so people macro and AFK. You should be glad, the more people in your group the better for XP, right?
I have yet to see a _GOOD_ argument for why AFK/macroing is not a problem.
Message Edited by CaboFS on 03-02-2004 05:49 AM
NeoTheHutt wrote:
AFKs are fine, its not their fault they get hungry, are forced to do this by macros, or want to enjoy friends and/or familly while gaining the (VERY) slow xp.
Neo's right, guys. Do you have any idea what kind of pressure we have to endure by being forced to AFK?
I was playing just last week when SOE goons broke into my apartment and held my dog hostage. What kind of animal would put a gun to a poodle's head? I broke into tears. The SOE goon shouted at me, "Punk, get off that computer right now and hit F6. Yeah, that macro there! Now, step out into the hall and be AFK!" I was torn. I mean, I love my dog, but I couldn't just leave my keyboard.
Well, long story short, I left the poodle blood on the carpet as a reminder of how mean SOE is for trying to force me to dance AFK.
Related to active healing....
I'm still opposed to targeted healing. But since people are healing less than before and conversations are drying up, my original arguments aren't as compelling as before.
And it won't stop AFKing.
Remember the buff bots? They would do the same with healing.
/shoutInvite me to your group, and I'll heal your leader.
/pause 7
/join
<whatever the code is for selecting the second person in the group>
<activate code to target healing>
Nice thought, but it can be bypassed already. So why introduce new code to stop something that can't be stopped?
Now, you could restrict it to the radial menu...like training animals. But in a cantina, that would be a nightmare!
I mean I am working my way up the Dancer tree at the moment (and NOT for a Holocron) but it took me 4 hours to get the XP to go from lvl 0/0/4/4 entertainer to Novice Dancer. And much as I try to be social and at my kbd as much as possible I'm not going to sit there for 4 hours watching my character dance around.
I have kids and I need to eat so if one of the kids needs attention or I need to eat then yea I'll walk away. Besides the fact you go on early enough or go to certain cantina's and there is no one there. So what am I to do just sit there and watch???? I'm sorry but it's supposed to be an interactive expierence and thats not interactive. So yea I find a quiet cantina with no one around I'll hit a macro and go do house work/feed the kids whatever needs to be done, come back to it when I'm ready. Then socialise with whom ever maybe in the cantina but more often than not most people run in, watch for a couple of minutes to heal their BF and then run out again.
AFK does not conform to their play style, therefore it is wrong cause their play style is the onlycorrect one.
Gonezolo wrote:
Ok want to tell me what the problem with AFK/Macroing is??
JasonK wrote:
AFK does not conform to their play style, therefore it is wrong cause their play style is the onlycorrect one.
Gonezolo wrote:
Ok want to tell me what the problem with AFK/Macroing is??
The play style of Something for Nothing has been maligned a lot lately. I'm learning to appreciate this method, though.
As a Dancer, I need not actually do anything. I can just copy a macro off the Net and apply it. I can check in periodically just to see my little numbers go up, and I don't have to actually play the game. And to think...I've been not playing a game for years without paying a dime. Now, I get the benefit of paying $15 a month to not play a game. It is very cool.
And my alt combat character is loving thisSomething for Nothing play style as well! I don't have to do a single thing to get my Mind healed when I get spanked on Endor. I don't need to entice Entertainers with money or role-play opportunities. I just walk into town, get my Mind healed, and go enjoy my something for nothing.
But all this combat sure is difficult. No matter how much effort I avoid, I still need to go find other services. I mean, I have to actually talk to someone in order to heal my wounds or buff my stats. I have to actually travel to find myself a good gun and armor. Oh my, I have to interact and search in order to buy some spice or food? This is most dreadful. I wish these other professions would take the hint and find a way to provide what I need whenever I want it. After all, I wouldn't dream of playing a game for the challenge. I just want the numbers. Just hand everything to me, and I'll be a much happier player; I deserve it. Thanks.
Kuildeous wrote:
JasonK wrote:
AFK does not conform to their play style, therefore it is wrong cause their play style is the onlycorrect one.
Gonezolo wrote:
Ok want to tell me what the problem with AFK/Macroing is??
The play style of Something for Nothing has been maligned a lot lately. I'm learning to appreciate this method, though.
As a Dancer, I need not actually do anything. I can just copy a macro off the Net and apply it. I can check in periodically just to see my little numbers go up, and I don't have to actually play the game. And to think...I've been not playing a game for years without paying a dime. Now, I get the benefit of paying $15 a month to not play a game. It is very cool.
And my alt combat character is loving thisSomething for Nothing play style as well! I don't have to do a single thing to get my Mind healed when I get spanked on Endor. I don't need to entice Entertainers with money or role-play opportunities. I just walk into town, get my Mind healed, and go enjoy my something for nothing.
But all this combat sure is difficult. No matter how much effort I avoid, I still need to go find other services. I mean, I have to actually talk to someone in order to heal my wounds or buff my stats. I have to actually travel to find myself a good gun and armor. Oh my, I have to interact and search in order to buy some spice or food? This is most dreadful. I wish these other professions would take the hint and find a way to provide what I need whenever I want it. After all, I wouldn't dream of playing a game for the challenge. I just want the numbers. Just hand everything to me, and I'll be a much happier player; I deserve it. Thanks.
JasonK wrote:
Stupiest argument ever. If I leave my tv on while I'm not watching it does that mean I never watch it? That's exactly what you're trying to pass off with your "paying to not play".
Food and spice areprovided whenever you need it. They're called vendors.
that likes to insult strangers.Yet you respondby insulting me.
Olaca wrote:
JasonK wrote:
Stupiest argument ever. If I leave my tv on while I'm not watching it does that mean I never watch it? That's exactly what you're trying to pass off with your "paying to not play".
Food and spice areprovided whenever you need it. They're called vendors.
Why do you all even respond to him? He is just a troller with nothing better to do
(Posted this under dancer forum first, but it applies to musicians, too.)
I think that you should be able to send a "dismiss" message to other dancers/musicians by using the radial menu. It could have a creative name like "Invite to Jam" or "Dance Challenge". If you were dancing, you would target another dancer and issue the Dance challenge. It could send a code to the other dancer - maybe a 6 digit number like the harvesters send when you want to redeed them.
The challenged dancer would have to type in the 6 numbers and take on the challenge. (Maybe they would get 3 chances to type in the numbers in case of a typo.) Once they entered the number the 2 dancers could have a dance off.
If you didn't type in the numbers, maybe there would be a 5 or 10 minute time out. During that time the dancer that issued the challenge could not challenge any other dancers. After the waiting period, the non-responsive challenged dancer would have their macro stopped and be removed from any group they were in. Maybe they would get a second box that popped up "you lost the challenge and have stopped dancing" while that box remained up, you would have a "macro block" on you. After whatever the default AFK timeout is hit you will be sent to the login screen.
Maybe the AFK macro professionals could create macros to beat that system. (A control macro that restarts the stopped macro every ten minutes.) If this is the case, maybe they could be disconnected. (It seems fair that if you have been issued a challenge, are running a macro and don't respond in 10 minutes, you are effectively AFK.)
Besides, I think dance contests and jam sessions would be fun! There could be some criteria for winning and the winner could get a big boost of XPs. Faster XPs through challenges would encourage people NOT to be AFK!!!
(If this idea has been posted in your most wanted - I apologise - I am a non-AFK Hologrinder - just visting...) 
I have full respect for those of you who actually are Entertainers, etc. but I don't think it's cool of you to get cocky about it and make it so that EVERYONE has to endure the slowest grind in the game.
You wanna talk about a waste of money--I'd be pissed if I had to spend the little time I hav to play games actually at the keyboard while grinding through professions that are for the most part non-interactive. I am not a big talkity talker and don't care to pay $15 a month for a glorified chat room that is the Cantinas--I am a shameless Holo-grinder and I think you should view the situation as this:
1. Letus AFK-Macro 'cause it will get us Holo-Grinders in and out of the profession quicker.
2. Do you really want people around at the keyboard who don't want to be there--boredom can cause a lot of maliciousness.
Just leave it alone--it's fine, besides, no one is listening anyway.