The AFK timer and auto-logging

[Ukase]

Short version: AFK timer in MSRs, Hami-Raids and Labyrinth reduced to 5 minutes and then auto-logged. 

Longer version: 

 

 

Spoiler

Now, for most folks, this is a non-issue. Like, if you were going for some healing or damage taken badge, you might just start a tf or AE arc to avoid auto-logging. I've no beef with that. That's you. 

But lately, I've been in hami raids, and I'll see folks going afk long enough for the white chat bubble that says "AFK" over their character's head. I've no idea what that timer is for that to come up, but I'm guessing it's 5 minutes. 

Just today there were a few folks that wanted in the zone, but couldn't get in. I don't think that's a surprise, nor do I think that's anything new. But - what if the afk-auto-log feature in there kicked in after 5 minutes of no activity by your character instead of whatever timer it's set at? 

I think it might put a stop to people taking advantage of the good nature of our league leaders. I don't say anything, because for all I know, they checked things out with the league leader ahead of time. But it just seems to me, with the folks that want in not being able to get in, folks going afk being auto-logged after 5 minutes would be a good thing. 

I don't think anyone should have a problem with this. Yes, I know life happens. But, the folks I see going afk are doing it consistently. One says it's a DC issue, but at the same time of day, every day? That's ...suspicious to me. 

 

[Psyonico]

1 minute ago, Ukase said:

But lately, I've been in hami raids, and I'll see folks going afk long enough for the white chat bubble that says "AFK" over their character's head.

 

I don't know at what part in the raid process you see this happen,  but let me give you a perfectly legitimate example...

 

I was waiting for a Hami to start the other day and rather than just sit around,  I decided I'd open Mids and plan a new build for a new toon.  Well,  I look over after a couple of minutes and see the "afk" above my head,  so I  jump back into game and move so I don't get logged out.   Again,  this all happened with ~10 minutes left before the raid was scheduled to start.

 

So your suggestion would have me get logged out or kicked out because I'm not 100% paying attention to the game while just waiting for time to pass. 

 

Also, the standard afk log out timer does apply to people who are in raid areas, so the only way they are not automatically logged out as it is is if they're in TF mode, in which case they can't be invited to the league.

 

I don't know if it would be possible to have TF mode not prevent logout in just the Abyss/Hive, but blanket just logging out instead of showing "afk" i am against.

[Rudra]

30 minutes ago, Psyonico said:

 

I don't know at what part in the raid process you see this happen,  but let me give you a perfectly legitimate example...

 

I was waiting for a Hami to start the other day and rather than just sit around,  I decided I'd open Mids and plan a new build for a new toon.  Well,  I look over after a couple of minutes and see the "afk" above my head,  so I  jump back into game and move so I don't get logged out.   Again,  this all happened with ~10 minutes left before the raid was scheduled to start.

 

So your suggestion would have me get logged out or kicked out because I'm not 100% paying attention to the game while just waiting for time to pass. 

 

Also, the standard afk log out timer does apply to people who are in raid areas, so the only way they are not automatically logged out as it is is if they're in TF mode, in which case they can't be invited to the league.

 

I don't know if it would be possible to have TF mode not prevent logout in just the Abyss/Hive, but blanket just logging out instead of showing "afk" i am against.

I'll add to this. Usually, on the very rare occasion I join a Hami or MSR, I let my character just go AFK. I find a nice "quiet" spot away from the spammed buffs and then do nothing in the game while I wait for the raid to start. When the notice comes up saying I've been AFK for too long and I need to click the button to not be logged out, I click the button and then resume doing nothing in the game while I wait for the raid to start. I am still paying attention to the game, watching for the raid to start, I just don't see the point of constantly doing random things simply for the sake of showing I am still there and waiting. So it seems to me the OP is a very biased response to a problem I don't think exists.

 

(Edit: And in case anyone doesn't already know, you don't get that AFK logout notice warning until some time after you get the AFK flag.)

 

Edited 14 hours ago by Rudra

[Ukase]

2 hours ago, Psyonico said:

So your suggestion would have me get logged out or kicked out because I'm not 100% paying attention to the game while just waiting for time to pass. 

 

Yeah, I completely get that - before the raid starts, I might see that over my own character's head. But I'm seeing it as we're buffing to attack Hamidon. I don't really see it in MSR very often. And the labyrinth does have it's own "move or get ported back to the lobby" thing, although I wish it were on a shorter timer. 

I would be willing to tab back in sooner if it would stop folks from taking advantage of everyone else. And yes, I know in some cases, something can happen - crying kid, someone at the door, you think you'll be 45 seconds, but it's closer to 15 minutes, if you come back before everything is wrapped up. 

But as much as I can get distracted by tinkering in mids, if I get logged out, I get logged out. It would be worth it to keep the afk-ers from getting the free ride.