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Do we need AFK indicator?
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Raiko Osburn
Advanced Resource Acquisition and Exploration
#1 - 2012-10-01 18:13:20 UTC  |  Edited by: Raiko Osburn
All online multiplayer games I have ever played have AFK indicator, so why not EVE?

*I don't want to start another threat about cloaky AFKers in null. No, this is not about being cloaky and AFK. This is about being AFK in general*

Tactical advantage of being AFK without others knowing it is quite powerfull tool. You can greatly affect gameplay of others and you don't have to play at all. So is it valid tactics? Is it ok, that EVE life and real life are so connected? Not everyone can have his computer online all day. Not everyone will do it even if they could for many reason starting with energy consumption and ending with greener planet Big smile

So what do you think? Do we need AFK indicator? Imagine you could tell if someone is AFK or not. How much would this feature change your EVE experience?

Forget numbers, play with ideas, look for solutions.

Othran
Route One
#2 - 2012-10-01 18:41:44 UTC
No, its a crap idea which has been suggested by dozens, if not hundreds of people like you - people who are scared of a player who is not even playing the game.

Roll
Unsuccessful At Everything
The Troll Bridge
#3 - 2012-10-01 18:46:19 UTC  |  Edited by: ISD TYPE40
Raiko Osburn wrote:


*I don't want to start another threat about cloaky AFKers in null. No, this is not about being cloaky and AFK. This is about being AFK in general*




Hmmm, somehow, I dont quite believe you.

EDIT: FTFY Big smile - ISD Type40.

Since the cessation of their usefulness is imminent, may I appropriate your belongings?
lanyaie
Nocturnal Romance
Cynosural Field Theory.
#4 - 2012-10-01 18:58:37 UTC
Yes let's turn eve into wow because that's what we have been avoiding right also do not EVER EVER EVER compare eve to any other games.
What game lets you scam?
Grief?
Kill others without them agreeing to it?
etc.


Eve is not like any other game you've ever played alright?

Spaceprincess

People who put passwords on char bazaar Eveboards are the worst.
Raiko Osburn
Advanced Resource Acquisition and Exploration
#5 - 2012-10-01 19:15:41 UTC
I am not affraid of AFK cloakers. I fly ships, I can afford to loose. I realy think about being AFK in game and what effects it has on players.

Forget numbers, play with ideas, look for solutions.

Bad Messenger
Rehabilitation Clinic
#6 - 2012-10-01 19:40:20 UTC
It is valid tactic to fool spies to stay online 23/7 and stay on channel in Team speak also, then no one can really tell if you are active or not.

Even if you are carebear who flies expensively fitted ship can stay 24/7 online and prevent easy suicide ganking. Usually pro gankkers keep those in a watch list.

So it is not only hunters and griefers who benefits about it, everyone can find it handy on certain situations.
CorInaXeraL
The Dresdeneers
#7 - 2012-10-01 20:29:04 UTC
Can it be manually activated? I would love to /afk and then kill unsuspecting people.
Atley Tramming
Phasechange Inc.
#8 - 2012-10-01 22:13:39 UTC
It might be nice for corp mates if there was an AFK indicator, but other than that, I don't see much of a reason to add one publicly.
Herping yourDerp
Tribal Liberation Force
Minmatar Republic
#9 - 2012-10-01 22:31:24 UTC
yes its' a good idea
you go "afk" after 20 minutes of not touching anything, but also you can set "afk" yourself, and the only way to get rid of it is to turn it off or relog.
so when you log in if you want you can set yourself afk and play as normally just because you can.
Raiko Osburn
Advanced Resource Acquisition and Exploration
#10 - 2012-10-01 23:10:19 UTC
Guys, use your imaginatin. Ofc. manualy setting up AFK and being able to move or do anything else is stupid. My idea was something like this:

You can get AFK status when -
- You are AFK for 30 min - instant AFK flag cast
- You type AFK manualy - it will take 30s to set flag

Whle AFK, you will have new mark on your portrait in local or somehow changed name ... whatever, but it has to be visible to other players.


You will loose AFK status when -
- You try make any ingame action

When you make move while AFK flag is on, you loose AFK mark (players see you no longer AFK) and you are on 30s cooldown (something like undock from station timer) during which you can't move or do anything else. Unless you are no longer AFK cause someone bumped you or something.

This way players can see you are AFK and can take proper action/reaction.

Forget numbers, play with ideas, look for solutions.

Rengerel en Distel
#11 - 2012-10-02 02:36:02 UTC
Raiko Osburn wrote:
Guys, use your imaginatin. Ofc. manualy setting up AFK and being able to move or do anything else is stupid. My idea was something like this:

You can get AFK status when -
- You are AFK for 30 min - instant AFK flag cast
- You type AFK manualy - it will take 30s to set flag

Whle AFK, you will have new mark on your portrait in local or somehow changed name ... whatever, but it has to be visible to other players.


You will loose AFK status when -
- You try make any ingame action

When you make move while AFK flag is on, you loose AFK mark (players see you no longer AFK) and you are on 30s cooldown (something like undock from station timer) during which you can't move or do anything else. Unless you are no longer AFK cause someone bumped you or something.

This way players can see you are AFK and can take proper action/reaction.

Everyone knows exactly what you mean, and have all said no, they don't think that's a good idea. Local and show info already give out more information than they should, an afk indicator on top of that would be too much.

With the increase in shiptoasting, the Report timer needs to be shortened.
Meditril
Hoplite Brigade
Ushra'Khan
#12 - 2012-10-02 10:41:46 UTC
Raiko Osburn wrote:
All online multiplayer games I have ever played have AFK indicator, so why not EVE?

*I don't want to start another threat about cloaky AFKers in null. No, this is not about being cloaky and AFK. This is about being AFK in general*

Tactical advantage of being AFK without others knowing it is quite powerfull tool. You can greatly affect gameplay of others and you don't have to play at all. So is it valid tactics? Is it ok, that EVE life and real life are so connected? Not everyone can have his computer online all day. Not everyone will do it even if they could for many reason starting with energy consumption and ending with greener planet Big smile

So what do you think? Do we need AFK indicator? Imagine you could tell if someone is AFK or not. How much would this feature change your EVE experience?


The answer is: NO

If you introduce an AFK indicator people will just misuse it and wait at a good strategic place so long until they are shown AFK... and then I see millions of tears running from noobs saying: He was AFK so why was he able to kill me so fast?
Cannibal Kane
Viziam
Amarr Empire
#13 - 2012-10-02 11:20:21 UTC
Meditril wrote:
Raiko Osburn wrote:
All online multiplayer games I have ever played have AFK indicator, so why not EVE?

*I don't want to start another threat about cloaky AFKers in null. No, this is not about being cloaky and AFK. This is about being AFK in general*

Tactical advantage of being AFK without others knowing it is quite powerfull tool. You can greatly affect gameplay of others and you don't have to play at all. So is it valid tactics? Is it ok, that EVE life and real life are so connected? Not everyone can have his computer online all day. Not everyone will do it even if they could for many reason starting with energy consumption and ending with greener planet Big smile

So what do you think? Do we need AFK indicator? Imagine you could tell if someone is AFK or not. How much would this feature change your EVE experience?


The answer is: NO

If you introduce an AFK indicator people will just misuse it and wait at a good strategic place so long until they are shown AFK... and then I see millions of tears running from noobs saying: He was AFK so why was he able to kill me so fast?


haha.. that right there.

Now people won't need to logoff ski anymore for cheap kills if that was implemented.

"Kane is the End Boss of Highsec." -Psychotic Monk
Mai Khumm
172.0.0.1
#14 - 2012-10-02 11:39:45 UTC
No, just no...
Lady Ayeipsia
BlueWaffe
#15 - 2012-10-02 12:05:54 UTC
So last night I was in a nul system, watching a group clean up old pos structures. I sat very still, waiting patiently till the lone hookbill became bored and left. During that time I was at my computer, talking to my bombing partner over xbox live, but putting in no input.

Waited a good 45 minutes to an hour. Hookbill left, we dropped cloak, bombed and torped 2 cruisers and ran when the hookbill returned to system.

How would an afk indicator change any part of that? At best, it would have shown me going afk, prompting my targets to relax more. At worst, had no impact because even though I enter no input, doesn't mean I'm not already lined up, ready to go the moment I need to. This is not a well thought out idea as it would add nothing of value, while wasting coding resources for am unneeded function.
Raiko Osburn
Advanced Resource Acquisition and Exploration
#16 - 2012-10-02 13:34:28 UTC
Lady Ayeipsia wrote:
So last night I was in a nul system, watching a group clean up old pos structures. I sat very still, waiting patiently till the lone hookbill became bored and left. During that time I was at my computer, talking to my bombing partner over xbox live, but putting in no input.

Waited a good 45 minutes to an hour. Hookbill left, we dropped cloak, bombed and torped 2 cruisers and ran when the hookbill returned to system.

How would an afk indicator change any part of that? At best, it would have shown me going afk, prompting my targets to relax more. At worst, had no impact because even though I enter no input, doesn't mean I'm not already lined up, ready to go the moment I need to. This is not a well thought out idea as it would add nothing of value, while wasting coding resources for am unneeded function.


Well, if you go AFK, players would see it. And when you get back, players would see it too and it gives them chance to act accordingly. So you have no effect on game while you are not playing. And thats the major point I am talking about. Players should not affect PvP game life when not playing.

When you log off in space and than log back, your ship is in warp and you have to wait till it lands. I want same mechanics for being AFK.

Forget numbers, play with ideas, look for solutions.

Erinn Sylvanus
NovaTech Universal
#17 - 2012-10-02 14:49:49 UTC
I'd love to see a MANUALLY operated AFK flag. So that if I dock up and go off to eat dinner without logging off, I can set myself as AFK so that my corp/alliance mates know that.

I do NOT think that an automatic AFK flag should be implemented (unless you can turn it off in settings).
Lady Ayeipsia
BlueWaffe
#18 - 2012-10-02 14:59:22 UTC
Raiko Osburn wrote:
Lady Ayeipsia wrote:
So last night I was in a nul system, watching a group clean up old pos structures. I sat very still, waiting patiently till the lone hookbill became bored and left. During that time I was at my computer, talking to my bombing partner over xbox live, but putting in no input.

Waited a good 45 minutes to an hour. Hookbill left, we dropped cloak, bombed and torped 2 cruisers and ran when the hookbill returned to system.

How would an afk indicator change any part of that? At best, it would have shown me going afk, prompting my targets to relax more. At worst, had no impact because even though I enter no input, doesn't mean I'm not already lined up, ready to go the moment I need to. This is not a well thought out idea as it would add nothing of value, while wasting coding resources for am unneeded function.


Well, if you go AFK, players would see it. And when you get back, players would see it too and it gives them chance to act accordingly. So you have no effect on game while you are not playing. And thats the major point I am talking about. Players should not affect PvP game life when not playing.

When you log off in space and than log back, your ship is in warp and you have to wait till it lands. I want same mechanics for being AFK.


Again, think about the example I am giving. I was literally 17 km from an enemy moros and 35 from some enemy cruisers for an hour before I decided to strike. I was cloaked. I was not touching my keyboard in any way, shape, or form. For comms with my fleet (anorher bomber doing the same as me), we were using xbox live so no need to touch the computer there either. So basically, for one hour (could have been longer if the hookbill had not left), to my computer, i was afk. I was not really, but the computer can't see that, it can only tell thst for an hour there was no input.

How would your afk system work with this example?

Would, like other mmos, I have to enter /afk to enter this mode? If so, why would anyone volunteer to do this?
Would the eve client determine after x minutes of no input, I should be declared afk? Why are you forcing me to make input that could potentially endanger myself just so you can feel safer? Seems like a one-sided affair then. Plus if I am patiently waiting, why must I make some input?

And mind you, the enemy saw when I returned to my keyboard because the first input I did was drop cloak, align, bomb, lock target. So they saw me show up on their overview the moment I returned.

Honestly, you seem to just want a method of risk reduction without any comprises to the hunting cloaked pilot. How do you balance your suggestion, or is it simply that you want an easier eve while making it harder for others to kill your ship? See, this is the heart of the issue people have with your idea. It hinders the ability to hunt targets without offering anything back. And if you just want a safer eve, go play a different game as that is not what eve is about.
Lady Ayeipsia
BlueWaffe
#19 - 2012-10-02 15:00:36 UTC
Erinn Sylvanus wrote:
I'd love to see a MANUALLY operated AFK flag. So that if I dock up and go off to eat dinner without logging off, I can set myself as AFK so that my corp/alliance mates know that.

I do NOT think that an automatic AFK flag should be implemented (unless you can turn it off in settings).


Manual afk flag, I'm fine with too. Automatic, never.
CorInaXeraL
The Dresdeneers
#20 - 2012-10-02 15:02:59 UTC
Raiko Osburn wrote:
Guys, use your imaginatin. Ofc. manualy setting up AFK and being able to move or do anything else is stupid. My idea was something like this:

You can get AFK status when -
- You are AFK for 30 min - instant AFK flag cast
- You type AFK manualy - it will take 30s to set flag

Whle AFK, you will have new mark on your portrait in local or somehow changed name ... whatever, but it has to be visible to other players.


You will loose AFK status when -
- You try make any ingame action

When you make move while AFK flag is on, you loose AFK mark (players see you no longer AFK) and you are on 30s cooldown (something like undock from station timer) during which you can't move or do anything else. Unless you are no longer AFK cause someone bumped you or something.

This way players can see you are AFK and can take proper action/reaction.



So, if I set my ship to orbit something, it is technically performing an in-game action. I can then walk away and never have the 30min AFK timer hit me?

Or, would it still hit, and I'd be AFK orbiting.


Same applies with mining! If I am punching an ice-rock for more than 30min, how does the game know I'm afk-not-performing-action vs actually doing so, and does that avoid the flag?
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