Entertainer Archive
Thread: JustG: We feel that AFK macroers are not healthy for the game.We want it to stop as soon as we can.
Two reasons: First, the GCW revamp is a long-reaching, complex set of changes. It will take awhile to define, design, and implement it. Along the way, each publish, we are working on fixing broken things with the GCW to make it more fun. The large overhaul is a mid-term goal. Second, we really want to stop the hologrind. We feel that AFK macroers are not healthy for the game. We want it to stop as soon as we can. And yes, we are aware that we are the ones that put the system in place. This was not what we intended, but things have evolved to this point.
Before I say anything more I should point out these are my thoughts as an entertainer, not as a correspondent.
The intent behind that statement seems to rely on the belief that removing hologrinders will take care of the AFK macroers. I've been an entertainer long enough to know that is not the place, but it is easy to see how someone just now looking at the issue might feel that the hologrinders are the sole source of macroers.
In that view, as far as an entertainer is concerned, hologrinders and AFK macroers are synonymous. Of course this is obviously not the case for a number of reasons. Not all hologrinders are AFK macroers. Some are quite pleasant people who never would have tried the profession but are enjoying it. Similarly, not all AFK macroers are hologrinders. Theres also buff-bots, mules, and people who feel they should be able to advance while not playing.
Now, putting my hat back on, I don't see any large changes even being considered until after publish 10. Removing the worst source of macroers is a convenient flag to wave whenever the topic comes up. So don't read too far into that statement just yet.
I'm not saying don't make entertainers more interesting. I'm just saying that on the subject of AFK macroers, making ATK play more rewarding does nearly nothing. It could be the most fascinating thing in the world, but that wouldn't top the mom from getting up when she hears something (At least I should hope it doesn't) nor would it stop the guild's heal/buff bot from manning their cantina, nor would it stop the people who just wanted to get ahead while they were out at school, the movie, whatever.
I'm all for making playing an entertainer more interesting. But the subject is completely unrelated to AFK macroers.
Tiaga wrote:
II'm not saying don't make entertainers more interesting. I'm just saying that on the subject of AFK macroers, making ATK play more rewarding does nearly nothing. It could be the most fascinating thing in the world, but that wouldn't top the mom from getting up when she hears something (At least I should hope it doesn't) nor would it stop the guild's heal/buff bot from manning their cantina, nor would it stop the people who just wanted to get ahead while they were out at school, the movie, whatever.
I'm all for making playing an entertainer more interesting. But the subject is completely unrelated to AFK macroers.
Making at the keyboard play rewarding and fun is 100% of the needed fix. The only reason someone would want to "get ahead" while they are out is because of the facts that a) entertainer is an all or nothing skill setand b) the tediousness of the skill gain ENCOURAGES players to find something else to do.
If ALL (not just the one or two hardcoresocializers)players who took the skill were rewarded by enjoyable, interactive and rewarding gameplay when they were at their computer there would be no desire for "getting ahead". Obviously the guild buff bot and the people who are going afk for non-skill gain reasons won't be affected in either case but they really aren't the ones that kill the profession. It's the rest.
>I can't think of any plan that would protect their right to do that with out damaging the rest of us
They don't have that right in the first place !
a) In this game, noone but SOE has any rights at all. Read the TOS, SOE can do what they like. If they don't like your email address because it contains too many e's, they can delete your account. They can do anything they want and there is no 'right' to anything concerning SOEs customers.
b) The right of freedom of a person ceases as soon as it infringes on someone else' right of freedom. There is no right to do anything while damaging someone else !
Open the In-Game Help file (Holocron), look under Frequently asked questions, then under gameplay.
Question #2 Is AFK-Macro'ing Okay?
The Answer: Yes, It Is.
But on one point, Panthu... Increasing the reward for being ATK doesn't really do anything. The alternative to being AFK is not being ATK. I doubt many people say "You know, I'd like to play SWG right now, but I think I'll just run a macro instead." Some may, but most people, when they want to play, they want to PLAY. There are, of course, exceptions, but they are the exception.
The alternative to AFK is logging out. When I walk away from my computer for a long period of time, I log out, either on my own or by the auto-logout. When a macroer walks away from their computer for a long period of time, they go AFK. So the only way you could adjust rewards to solve the problem would be making logging out more attractive than going AFK, or at least not less so as the case may be currently.
Niza wrote:
Making at the keyboard play rewarding and fun is 100% of the needed fix. The only reason someone would want to "get ahead" while they are out is because of the facts that a) entertainer is an all or nothing skill setand b) the tediousness of the skill gain ENCOURAGES players to find something else to do.
If ALL (not just the one or two hardcoresocializers)players who took the skill were rewarded by enjoyable, interactive and rewarding gameplay when they were at their computer there would be no desire for "getting ahead". Obviously the guild buff bot and the people who are going afk for non-skill gain reasons won't be affected in either case but they really aren't the ones that kill the profession. It's the rest.
Tiaga I'm so sorry that you feel that way. I think Niza is 100% dead on and I don't understand why you and some other posters don't get this. The making of a "social" class is not the absence of gameplay, if that was the case then every profession that has ever been broken in any game would have attracted social players.
Our only game provided "content" right now is the /sing chat option, our dance anims, some very limited healing, very limited buffs, and an assigned place to do them. If they made a million more jobs for us, gave us a bizillion team support abilities, made us the best healers in the game, gave us a ton of things to craft, and more missions and dungeons than anyone else in the game... all of our current "features" would still be untouched.
I am willing to bet that adding real game content to our class and leveling experience would minimize afk usage as much as if not more than stopping the hologrind will.
What I was saying was this:
To everyone who said "It's ok because they put it there for us to use," well, you're wrong. It's not working as intented, it's not what they wanted, and it seems like they're working to fix it.
If you want to pay to not play, hey, your choice, not mine.