Items And Loot Archive
Thread: Just don't allow macros while grouped
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jabjowie
Mon Jun 13, 2005 9:20 am
#1
Maybe that is a good fix for the /loot groups that camp static spawns and make it impossible for others to loot anything.
I read that the problem is that people group up and then camp these spawns with macros and go afk for the rest of the day and that the group will always out damage you and get the loot.
so why not make macros not work while grouped?
I am not against macros or even looping macros. in fact, i love them and would be sad to see them go. the problem is abuse of the macro, not the existence of them.
if everybody was camped solo with their own macro running, technically, everbody would have the same chance right? this seems like a reasonable fix that would at least partially fix a big problem in the game but not eliminate a key feature of the game.
I read that the problem is that people group up and then camp these spawns with macros and go afk for the rest of the day and that the group will always out damage you and get the loot.
so why not make macros not work while grouped?
I am not against macros or even looping macros. in fact, i love them and would be sad to see them go. the problem is abuse of the macro, not the existence of them.
if everybody was camped solo with their own macro running, technically, everbody would have the same chance right? this seems like a reasonable fix that would at least partially fix a big problem in the game but not eliminate a key feature of the game.
tuffness55
Mon Jun 13, 2005 9:38 am
#2
seems like a cheap way to fix a larger probably that would hurt more than help. What about all the people that are actually at their keyboard and want a marco to work while grouped
jabjowie
Mon Jun 13, 2005 9:50 am
#3
well, it is just an idea to help fix a problem without eliminating an entire feature of the game.
and besides, if you are with a group, you already have an advantage so it does not seem so unreasonable to not let you also use macros.
i am not sure what situations there are that really call for a macro to run while grouped, that is, that would be a burden if you could not use the macro while grouped. if it is just a loot macro then who cares, that is the problem anyway.
i just think there could be something along these lines that try to balance things out a bit...you can either take the advantage of being grouped...or take the advantage of running your looping macros, but not both at the same time.
and besides, if you are with a group, you already have an advantage so it does not seem so unreasonable to not let you also use macros.
i am not sure what situations there are that really call for a macro to run while grouped, that is, that would be a burden if you could not use the macro while grouped. if it is just a loot macro then who cares, that is the problem anyway.
i just think there could be something along these lines that try to balance things out a bit...you can either take the advantage of being grouped...or take the advantage of running your looping macros, but not both at the same time.
NalfeinQ
Mon Jun 13, 2005 9:53 am
#4
Unfortunately, it is just too limiting. Simply remove the ability for a macro to call another macro.
jabjowie
Mon Jun 13, 2005 9:59 am
#5
NalfeinQ wrote:Unfortunately, it is just too limiting. Simply remove the ability for a macro to call another macro.
well, maybe you are both right. i guess just not allowing the looping macro is the easiest and best way.
but just out of curiosity, what situations do you guys think call for using a macro while grouped that would be so bad to lose? are you just thinking of combat macros? i don't use macros while fighting so i don't know if some people rely on them or what...
Baart
Mon Jun 13, 2005 10:19 am
#6
I use macros all the time in combat. I often have my second account in tow with /follow and he is targeting me with a macro that includes things like kneecap shot, stopping shot, concussion shot, ranged shot and placed shot. He also auto accepts my ride offers. So I never have to touch my laptop unless he or I get incapped or need to grab a mission at the terminal. I use this with my jedi and my second slot rifleman. It makes things a bit easier when I have some backup. I also use almost identical macros on my rifleman. Auto attack is fine, but I think I do damage a bit faster when I alternate between ranged and placed shot, rather than just use one on auto. So I make a macro to keep running the attacks. I don't usually use any of the specials because action cost just seems to high, I can't be bothered with it. I like my combat steady and efficient. I could use a macro to heal also but I tend to mostly go after non-ranged mobs at the moment, so its not much of an issue.
I was thinking that there has to be some way to deter AFK campers. Seems that could possibly check a players position and if they haven't moved in like 20 minutes or so but keepengaging in combat, or looting, that they will be auto logged or have all there macros dumped. Another idea, which I don't really like much but I think would be better than eliminating the macros, is to make the server dump macros every 20 or 30 minutes automatically. This would be harsh on entertainers and would also probably cause me problems while in combat. It would make playing or at least checking on your toon if AFK more necessary. This would help to deter the people who set up there toon AFK and then go to bed for the night or to work or something. I don't know, but I think there has got to be a better solution then taking away the macros.
Shaina
Mon Jun 13, 2005 11:22 am
#7
jabjowie wrote:
Maybe that is a good fix for the /loot groups that camp static spawns and make it impossible for others to loot anything.
I read that the problem is that people group up and then camp these spawns with macros and go afk for the rest of the day and that the group will always out damage you and get the loot.
so why not make macros not work while grouped?
I am not against macros or even looping macros. in fact, i love them and would be sad to see them go. the problem is abuse of the macro, not the existence of them.
if everybody was camped solo with their own macro running, technically, everbody would have the same chance right? this seems like a reasonable fix that would at least partially fix a big problem in the game but not eliminate a key feature of the game.
No.
I use a looping macroto harvest meat while grouped so i dont have to click on each creature and bring up a radial menu. I don't need that nerfed now.
Iwagai
Mon Jun 13, 2005 2:16 pm
#8
jabjowie wrote:
well, maybe you are both right. i guess just not allowing the looping macro is the easiest and best way.
but just out of curiosity, what situations do you guys think call for using a macro while grouped that would be so bad to lose? are you just thinking of combat macros? i don't use macros while fighting so i don't know if some people rely on them or what...
Few types come to mind.
- Center of Being macro
- Jedi may use a force aura/valor or force infusion macro.
- Doctor may use an infusion macro or a continuous heal macro.
- Harvest macros, even loot macros.
Probably more things could spring to mind.
jabjowie
Mon Jun 13, 2005 3:15 pm
#9
Iwagai wrote:
jabjowie wrote:
well, maybe you are both right. i guess just not allowing the looping macro is the easiest and best way.
but just out of curiosity, what situations do you guys think call for using a macro while grouped that would be so bad to lose? are you just thinking of combat macros? i don't use macros while fighting so i don't know if some people rely on them or what...
Few types come to mind.
- Center of Being macro
- Jedi may use a force aura/valor or force infusion macro.
- Doctor may use an infusion macro or a continuous heal macro.
- Harvest macros, even loot macros.
Probably more things could spring to mind.
hehe, oops, i forgot, even i use a CoB macro that loops...hmmm, so bad idea about no macros while grouping, hehe.
and i don't think asking to join the group is good because that just adds to the problem. so it boils down to the 8 special ones get to loot and everybody else is out of luck.
anyway, i was just trying to come with ideas to fix an obvious problem with the game play. and like i said, i like looping macros! i actually do not want them to go away. this is just one thing that needs to be leveled out so that it is not a 'the group takes all' situation everytime. and of course, there are other more important issues, but this one would just make the whole game experience more enjotable and accessible to more people.
i wonder what other options there are?
psikobunny
Mon Jun 13, 2005 3:32 pm
#10
This ends up being very similar to the discussions Entertainers have had about macros for ages. You're kinda covering old ground again by bringing it up here. The skinny is there is almsot no way to set up a system that can tell the difference between legitimate looping macros and illegitmate ones (while the guy running his alt on a second machine sounds innocent enough, I would call that an illegitmate use of macros personally).
The conclusion the entertainment community has come to has been that there need to be ways to reward and encourage ATK play, instead of outright imposing a cure that may be harder to deal with than the disease.
I think one of the better proposals out there has to do with creating non macroable minigames for use in key situations. Making lootboxes work like a simple game of Mastermind might bea goodanswer for these loot situations in caves, with an actual environmental cue that tells you if something might be inside so that you dont waste your time.
I'm not talking about making the looting of every corpse tied to a time consuming minigame, but for certain limit the best stuff to systems that someone needs to be there to get. Have important corpses that could be camped drop access keys or codes, instead of actual loot. Do things that discourage AFK and encourage ATK.
DaxynSiryion
Tue Jun 14, 2005 12:13 am
#11
Why not ask to join the group? From what I've seen most won't mind letting you join. Problem is they fill up quickly.
STLpMpNu
Tue Jun 14, 2005 4:22 am
#12
Im sorry but this is another flame about afk loot hunters and i am simply anoyed by it. You have every right to outdmg them there is nothing stoping you. They are not camping a spawn preventing you from killing it they are just out dmg you. They do not have to respond to your tells or even move. I don't recall reading anywhere that you are not allowed to afk kill unless you are useing a bug to your advantage.
If they are afk grinding w/e out dmg them or go to the other part of the cave because obviously there is no macro that can navigate you through the akuan cave and steal everything from you the only person who ever hunts while not afk.
Atobe
Tue Jun 14, 2005 7:01 am
#13
jabjowie wrote:
Maybe that is a good fix for the /loot groups that camp static spawns and make it impossible for others to loot anything.
I read that the problem is that people group up and then camp these spawns with macros and go afk for the rest of the day and that the group will always out damage you and get the loot.
so why not make macros not work while grouped?
I am not against macros or even looping macros. in fact, i love them and would be sad to see them go. the problem is abuse of the macro, not the existence of them.
if everybody was camped solo with their own macro running, technically, everbody would have the same chance right? this seems like a reasonable fix that would at least partially fix a big problem in the game but not eliminate a key feature of the game.
It seems to mea far simpler solution than disabling looping macros is to disallow any attacks or combat moves to be invoked, by any means (macro or otherwise)while the player is marked AFK (either by the player, or via the auto-AFK timer, if enabled).
IOW: Character set as AFK? Then no combat, no looting; nothing until keyboard activity is detected. Preventing looping macros while marked AFK would also help eliminate AFK entertainers, if such is a priority, AFK macro-driven profession grinding, and other "sinful" play-behavior.
Oh! Also disallow use of the /afk command in a macro, so the flag can't be turned on or off except by manual means or the timer.
Just an opinion. 
Message Edited by Atobe on 06-14-2005 10:05 AM
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