New Macro Leveling Policy

[+Veritas]

Greetings,

I have noticed that some of the players have recall scripts that have a very short duration between recall casts (some nearly a second between casts). This short duration for each location visit makes it difficult, if not impossible for you to see our AFK checks when we perform them. Because of this, I want to provide a friendly warning regarding the use of these scripts at a fast recall rate.

First, from the codex:

When killing spawn or leveling weapons: you need to be at the keyboard at all times. If you do not reply in a couple of seconds, it will be taken that you are AFK.

We give more than "a couple of seconds" when doing AFK leveling/farming checks and with means that are very difficult to script around. However, these means are very hard for you to see when your script moves you every 1 or 2 seconds. Because of this, I strongly suggest you change the recall delay in your scripts to a pace that is optimal for scanning your immediate area after each cast recall. Otherwise, you could miss our checks and be punished according to our codex even though you are at your computer (but not paying attention). You will not be able to get out of a sentence or receive a reduced punishment with a "my script moves so fast I couldn't see the check" excuse.

Staff will consider this as a fair warning to all players. It will be placed on the town crier for 72 hours and I will make a shard wide announcement after posting this thread.

Thank you,

+V

[kaighn]

Are the doors with the math question some kind of new AFK check also? Saw my first one yesterday.

[Aryanna Conners]

yes that is an afk check kaighn

[Tredin]

I got one the other day asking me what day it was, I was so confused cause it was the first time I saw one I didn't know what to do and the door poofed. I wonder if that was considered a warning.

[Lazyeye]

Is getting your BOD's afk considered gathering?

[lestatzero]

[quote="Lazyeye"]Is getting your BOD's afk considered gathering?[/quote]
If you are collecting them afk then yes it is afk gathering because BOD's are a resource ..
So i would suggest not to go about running a script when you are afk to collect them.

[Locke]

now i understand why yesterday my character was stuck and why the balron was immortal(yellow) for a few second. I have a simple question, if is possible to cancel the recall spell when this riddle door appears? Or adding a page to the afk check? just asking...

[lestatzero]

Its Not needed ... It s easiear to just watch your computer ... dont use a script to recall around and answer the question simple as that ...


Or the gm's cld make it easiear on them and disable recall/sj/etc from doom tarakeep and the like at least inbound outbound to leave an area i think should still be allowed ... Then every one who uses a recall script will have to manually go from mob to mob ... to fight instead of makring a rune and recalling to it ... rather simple i think .. just my opnion ..

[+Veritas]

The method we are currently using is working and is very difficult to script around and warn people who are AFK. Last thing we are going to do is add a step that can potentially be used on the client's end as part of an alerter to avoid being seen as AFK. It is the players responsibility to answer the check.

+V

[Aryanna Conners]

It sounds like to me though that you are trying to make it as hard to notice the check as possible causing people who aren't afk to miss the check. :/

[DrussRob]

I understand why this is necessary and I applaud your efforts to create a level playing field and fair game mechanics for all. I would however like to add my 2 cents here and simply warn against the creation of a system that may have the potential to punish the many for the crimes of (what I assume and hope to be) the few. :)

[+Veritas]

It sounds like to me though that you are trying to make it as hard to notice the check as possible causing people who aren't afk to miss the check. :/

This isn't just to you Aryanna, but to the whole community.

We have a method that is probably not script proof, but really close. It has been used for roughly one year. So, here is the question.

Should staff have to alter the check to include an element that could likely be picked up by a script, allowing people to macro AFK with an alerter and giving them the ability to run back to their computer to pass the check even though they WERE AFK? Or, should it remain that it is the player's responsibility to show that they are present?

To everyone who doesn't use scripts and macros to this degree, what do you think?

+V

[+Nyx]

It sounds like to me though that you are trying to make it as hard to notice the check as possible causing people who aren't afk to miss the check. :/

Your comment just seems petulant and unnecessary, considering that +V's post didn't say anything about us changing the process. After all, how is giving players a heads-up that their scripts - scripts they choose to use and control the speed of - could cause themselves problems with the AFK checking process - somehow "making it difficult for them to notice"? How, exactly, do you gather that? The player has full control over their script, so they have made the decision to make the AFK check harder for them to notice. The AFK checking procedures we currently utilize have been in use for a year or so now, and nobody who's genuinely paying attention has any difficulty answering them in time, even if they accidentally recall away the first time it appears.

[+Veritas]

I understand why this is necessary and I applaud your efforts to create a level playing field and fair game mechanics for all. I would however like to add my 2 cents here and simply warn against the creation of a system that may have the potential to punish the many for the crimes of (what I assume and hope to be) the few.

I agree, and that is not what we are talking about doing. The check that has worked for a year and has drastically cut down the AFK hunters is reliant on time. Time for the checker to be place, time for the checker to produce text to be read, and (most importantly) time to have the player read the check and respond. If there is 1 - 2 seconds between recalls, this is virtually impossible. We could do PM checks, but you can make a razor script that can alert someone of an incoming PM from across the room. Also, we know there are scripts that read gumps, so that is out of the question too.

+V

[kaighn]

Keep at it. Was a nice change seeing a door with a math problem pop up. lol just make sure they aren't to hard to solve. If all else fails, just disable recall or SJ in and out of dungeons like it is in Fel or Illis..........

*edit, okay not in and out. Just in.