Musician Archive
Thread: Nerf AFK-Performing
Doremar wrote:
Here's the much harped EULA quote:
"You may not decrypt or modify any data transmitted between client and server; you may not use or distribute macros or other programs which would allow unattended game play. "
This is the only quote in the EULA that deals specifically with unattended game play.
First off, this cannot be interpreted tomeanthat unattended game play is, in and of itself, forbidden. It also does not expressly forbid the use of macro programs or any other third party program in conjunction with SWG.
What it does say you absolutely cannot do is use"macros or other programs"that let you keep "playing" while AFK. The placement of "other programs" implies that this rule only applies to "macro programs". What is left only vaguely implied is whetheryou canuse SWG's in-game macros to allow unattended gameplay. That leaveslittle question as to whetherusing third-party macro programs to facilitate unattended gameplay is against the EULA. But is the in-game macro tool a "program"? Technically speaking, no. Looking through the user manual, the macro portion of the Abilities and Commands screen is never referred to as a program. It is a very small part of the larger program that is the SWG client, making it a utility, a feature, or an option.Very arguablynot an executable program.
I stopped reading at this point because I disagree with your base assumption. A macro is a program, weather called one or not. If they were to say instead "macro or program" they would be declaring a macro is not a program.
However, if you want official word on it, how about this quote that has been thrown around a lot:
Until you take /sample out of the macro command list people will just keep changing their macros to keep sampling while they sleep or work or do other things crowding the server and keeping people who really want to play from being able to logon to the server.
This is exactly why we want to break the /sample macro cycle (and for that matter, the dancing macro cycle).
I'll even do better than quote it, I'll give a source: http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=Development&message.id=58318&#M58318
(Does anybody know how to actually make a link? I never get them actually working)
This issue, out of all of them out there is one of the LEAST important to worry about now.
The game has TONS of bugs to fix, and new features to add. I can't believe why people worry about this issue so **edit** much! ?
Just Let people do their own S***, and you worry about yourself.
True, there maybe some AFK macroers who are selfish rude (stand in the middle, or requesting tip over and over) Just a) ignore them (/addignore), b)boot them from your group, if you wishthen forget about them.
There are though, many many great personalities in this game who are very friendly. nice indivuals even though they AFK macro. So, you can't judge them all the same!
AFK macro is NOT wrong, IMO, and shouldn't be treated as one, and how does it Annoy you? Keep in mind, AGAIN (I said this crap over and over) this is JUST a game, not a way of life!
I am sorry to sound like I am mean or anything, but I am TIRED of people wanting AFK macroing nerfed.
IF AFK macroing is wrong, then Devs should say something ASAP, but they have so FAR not say anything about it being wrong. so let it DROP. GOD!
However, how you feel and how I feel is all a moot point because it is against the EULA, against the developers intent of the game, and therefore it is going to be fixed eventually.
Anyhow, whenever I come about this topic, there is one concept and 1 word that I feel most violated by (people dislike others AFK macroing): FREEDOM
Why can't people have Freedom to pay the Expensive fee ($14.99) to do whatever the hell they want with the game, why Do you care what they do?
Oh, also, just because someone might be AFKing in this game, doesn't mean they are sleeping or went out to work.
They could be doing laundry, watching TV, surfing Internetat the Same time, I think the real problem is the game can (by can, I mean the be made possible or probable by circumstances to defination) Be really boring somethings, but someone want to stay in the game (but going AFK) to wait there for something rather interesting to happen...
Ever thought about that?
>However, how you feel and how I feel is all a moot point because it is against the EULA, against the developers intent of the game, and therefore it is going to be fixed eventually. <
Then they need to remind people again which this method is NOT allowed, otherwise it IS OK.
They haven't said anything since I joined this game, so I am assuming (I could be wrong) they don't feel this issue is that important to remind people of!!!
can (by can, I mean the 'be made possible or probable by circumstances to' defination) Be really boring sometimes
(Correction)
However, I'm sure until you get a personal message from them telling you that you're not playing the game as intended, you'll insist that they intended people to do that.
Seriously, if it is so boring to you, find another class. You don't see me complaining that going out shooting things all the time is boring and I want to be able to kill the big things do you? I find it boring so I find something more interesting to do. Why can't you do the same?
>There are two quotes in this thread that says you can't. One is the EULA, the other is the developers saying that they don't want players doing that.
However, I'm sure until you get a personal message from them telling you that you're not playing the game as intended, you'll insist that they intended people to do that.
Seriously, if it is so boring to you, find another class. You don't see me complaining that going out shooting things all the time is boring and I want to be able to kill the big things do you? I find it boring so I find something more interesting to do. Why can't you do the same? <
You would think (but think is all it is) they would send meany personal messages telling me AFK macroing isn't ok, but they HAVE not.
I have even send them a"Can I AFk macro in this game, is it illegal'myself, they haveNOT send me 1 single reply, period.
Heh!
And about that 'boring'part, please read again I specifically worded out the defination!
Is it Always boring? No
Is it mostly boring? No.
It can be boring, sometimes... there are major differences!
>One is the EULA, the other is the developers saying that they don't want players doing that.<
And, really, that proves nothing.
The EULA was very confusing to many people, and Indeed many people argued that it's referring to 3rd party macroing programs, NOT the in-game one.
And, 'developers saying that they don't want players doing that' is VERY vague! See, it either only means, that ONE dev thinks like you, that he/she dislikes AFK macroing but so far I have not heard a Dev saying out "Yo, players, AFK macroing is illegal, and you will be punished for doing that"
I like Macroing, and I don't deny I do it myself, so unless something like that is said soon, I would try very hard to defend AFK macroing, and I am proud!!! People AFK for many reasons,and Macroing is very powerful aspect to play this game, when it's combined it's like Magic.
it's just stupid to get rid of such wonderful thing, it Irks me greatly! 
I am not trying to spam, this forum lacks a edit button, so I have to do this.
>it either only means, that ONE dev thinks like you, that he/she dislikes AFK macroing but so far I have not heard a Dev saying out <
Noticed the either, but I am missing another possibilty?
One maybe ONE dev thinks like you, that he/she dislikes AFK macroing...
Another one,could be he is ONLY talking about Sampling AFK macroing, Musician AFK macroing isn't involved
BTW, that thread people argued the EULA for many pages, however Devs avoided it like a Plague 
http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=Development&message.id=266770
Tiaga, your dev quote is about server crowding, not the inherent evils of unattended macroing. Nice try though. Your interpretation of the EULA is highly irrelevant in the face of the facts, so stop reading whenever you like. Might as well stop telling people what they should do and how they should do it while you're at it, because you're just wasting breath.
Furthermore, I actually spoke to a CSR last night on the matter.
Their official stance is that the use of their macro program is inherently NOT against the EULA whether it allows unattended macroing or not.
Whether that causes practical gameplay issues or not is entirely a different issue that may or may not be dealt with in the future, andthat is the focus of the quoted dev post.
I actually do agree from many different levels that unattended macroingdoes hurt the game. Lots of things hurt the game and provide unfair/damaging advantages. Some of them are being dealt with as we speak. Some of them aren't. There are server crowding issues, resource flooding issues (not good for the economy), pet imbalances allowing for extraordinary xp/credit/FP gains, and who knows what else. However, insulting players that take advantage of the tools at their disposal is probably the most immature approach there is to be taken on the matter, and is probablyless effectivethan throwing rocks and harsh words at the incoming tide. Your target is the devs. They will either make it easy to do or they won't. The players in general couldhardlycare less how you feel about what they do with their time, even if they agree with you.