Excelsior

Being AFK typically means you're away from your keyboard, but what if you're at your keyboard doing something else—like running a macro, farming, or otherwise engaging with the game—but unaware that an admin (like Plus C) or another player has approached you? Wouldn't it make sense to have some kind of alert system, like a sound notification, to let you know someone is there? That way, even if you're multitasking, you'd be aware of their presence. The current setup, with just a blue elemental or confusing prompts, can be unclear. I’m just trying to understand the parameters and whether there’s a better way to handle this.

The concept of AFK has mostly been transferred to away from screen. So I guess for the alert system it would maybe "moraly" unacceptable but in practical terms, be legal.

In fact, you are not obliged to answer to other players so an alert just in case an admin comes is perfectly legal. This is because no one will ever go to your house to personally afk check you so it would remain your word vs anyone else that you were in the screen instead of "I heard a beep and poped-up UO.

I'll leave a link here just for community reflection regarding the rules, the outcomes and the objectives that were once UOEX plan.
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=6344
"The anti-afk rules are there because this shard isn't intended as a central hub for a bunch of bots sending data between each other. " +C, 2013.

Lach wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 27, 2024 5:24 am

Being AFK typically means you're away from your keyboard, but what if you're at your keyboard doing something else—like running a macro, farming, or otherwise engaging with the game—but unaware that an admin (like Plus C) or another player has approached you?

A.F.K. = Away From Keyboard

Practically speaking, though, it means insufficiently engaged with the game to notice a glaringly obvious visual attempt to get your attention.

Lach wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 27, 2024 5:24 am

Wouldn't it make sense to have some kind of alert system, like a sound notification, to let you know someone is there?

Inducing you to re-engage would defeat the purpose of checking whether you're engaged with the game. On a more practical level, the UO client mutes when out of focus, so the admin can't cause sound to play if you're doing something else on the computer.

https://www.uoex.net/codex/penalties
The use of macros or scripts is allowed, (as long as you actively monitor the game) . Unless otherwise specified, this applies to all parts and aspects of activities on this shard.
so opposite of monitoring game would be afk even if you go to groceries shop holding your keyboard
there is also accurate description what is allowed what isn't while being afk in short form.
Alert system would just make you more willing to afk farm, so i would believe its more on against legality than about.

I don't want to make it easy for cheaters I just wana farm and play Warzone so imma start streaming and playing at the same time and post my link here every day lmao

At the end of the day it's about if you pass or fail the AFK check. You have some many seconds to answer the question or it's off to jail! It's not just time here, it's also Tasks, which are quite tedious.

Lach wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 27, 2024 5:18 pm

I just wana farm and play Warzone

I personally would find it difficult to split my attention, playing one game on one monitor while keeping enough awareness of the other one on the other monitor to notice someone trying to get my attention. I can usually do it if I'm reading a book: I'll notice the unexpected motion out of the corner of my eye. Games I'm actively playing consume my undivided attention; I just don't see what's happening on the other monitor.

Wil wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 27, 2024 8:09 pm

Lach wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 27, 2024 5:18 pm

I just wana farm and play Warzone

I personally would find it difficult to split my attention, playing one game on one monitor while keeping enough awareness of the other one on the other monitor to notice someone trying to get my attention. I can usually do it if I'm reading a book: I'll notice the unexpected motion out of the corner of my eye. Games I'm actively playing consume my undivided attention; I just don't see what's happening on the other monitor.

I agree, I don’t see passing AFK checks while playing a FPS. I turned around to feed the fish and found myself in jail once

This is what my screen typically looks like when I am playing games. Usually, 2-3 games going at the same time, 1 scripting 1 passive, and one I am more active on and I switch between them.