Athena AFKing is rampant and we need a solution.

  • KatanaFleet220
    Seafarer

    I did 2 Athena voyages yesterday with 2 different crews. Each time we finished 1 or 2 islands and then all of a sudden 1 of our crewmates went AFK. One spent 2+ hours dead on the Ferry, "sleeping" behind where you spawn in. I watched him move every few minutes to avoid the autokick. When we finally turned in the Chest of Legends he came back miraculously. On my 2nd one, one person disappeared for about half an hour while we did one of the Gold Hoarder map islands. The entire crew was looking for him. We repeatedly asked, over voice chat and text chat, for him to respond using emotes, text chat or voice chat; something to let us know he was there. We eventually brig'd him when we couldn't find him or get him to help. He was active in the brig before going AFK. Once we were sure he was AFK, we voted him out of the brig (thinking he would autokick for inactivity) and he never moved but was never kicked.

    There must be a solution for this. It's too easy for people to find themselves on an Athena and then go AFK. They know the rest of the crew won't abandon the voyage once it starts. They are abusing the system.

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  • Galactic Geek
    Seafarer
    Founder

    Play with friends you trust to get the job done.

  • KatanaFleet220
    Seafarer

    @galactic-geek said in Athena AFKing is rampant and we need a solution.:

    Play with friends you trust to get the job done.

    That is not always possible and definitely not a solution.

  • Galactic Geek
    Seafarer
    Founder

    @katanafleet220 said in Athena AFKing is rampant and we need a solution.:

    That is not always possible

    True.

    @katanafleet220 said in Athena AFKing is rampant and we need a solution.:

    and definitely not a solution.

    Not true.

  • SergeantCoin
    Ship Mate
    Insider

    We should be able to kick someone from your crew. A suggestion could be.....lock in brig would be first strike. After minimum sentence, vote to to release. If still afk...then second strike vote to kick from crew. Or after two minimum sentences in the brig ... a vote to kick from crew.

  • Joe Krakatoa
    Commander
    Insider

    Perhaps this is something for Pirate Legend Crews.
    Hopefully, with more pirates attaining PL rank, end game content will be coming soon.

  • Archangel Timmy
    Legend
    Insider

    Active or not, you should not be able to spend more then 5-10 minutes on the ferry. If you haven't gone through that door after a set amount of time, lazybeard.

    Then all you have to do is brig them, drown them, let the system do its job.

    Not a sure-fire solution, but it would definitely help to some degree.

  • UltmateRagnarok
    Master

    @archangel-timmy

    Some people have parties on the Ferry of the Damned, some people hang out there to give away cursed cannonballs, some people use it as a message board to talk to other crews and find out their intentions, some people hang out there and show off good quests, some people record the Sea of Sorrow or the Ferry itself, and some people simply admire the ship. There are many reasons to stay on board the Ferry, and kicking you would just prevent people from enjoying the hard work put in to the ship and its functions.

  • Genuine Heather
    Captain
    Insider

    This is a tricky issue to solve. The obvious way of fixing this particular issue would be to make it so characters in the brig or on the Ferry of the Damned can't collect any gold or reputation from loot turned in while they're there. But that would open the door to even worse griefing, as people could kill or brig you just before cashing in. Being able to kick people from your crew would be helpful, but again have the potential for abuse.

    As it stands, we have a situation that enables "passive" abuse (i.e. AFK camping). If we fix it, we enable some form of "active" abuse. I suppose Rare feels it's better to live with the "passive" abuse, at least for now.

    Note that using a gimmick to prevent disconnection due to inactivity is strictly against the rules. Definitely report them, every time. That would help curb the issue.

  • SurveyorPete
    Legend
    Insider

    @genuine-heather

    Note that using a gimmick to prevent disconnection due to inactivity is strictly against the rules.

    Is it? Sometimes it is done with the knowledge and blessing of the crew, if real life drags someone away for a few minutes.

  • Archangel Timmy
    Legend
    Insider

    @ultmateragnarok

    Even with some very minor player interactions, there is little to no reason to hang out on the ferry for more than a few minutes at a time let alone more than 5-10.

    Over hundreds hours (easily over 1k even) put into this game, the only people I see stay on the ferry are players who are AFK and leeching the system. I have run into other players trying to interact for various reasons but they cycle out after a few minutes, never that long.

    There could be some sort of warning indicitor that a ferry kick is coming, like the spirits in the well start to reach out and trap you, the screen simply starts to fade to black, etc.. Then you get kicked.

  • Genuine Heather
    Captain
    Insider

    @surveyorpete said in Athena AFKing is rampant and we need a solution.:

    @genuine-heather

    Note that using a gimmick to prevent disconnection due to inactivity is strictly against the rules.

    Is it? Sometimes it is done with the knowledge and blessing of the crew, if real life drags someone away for a few minutes.

    I understand, but yes...tampering with game mechanics in any way is definitely a no-no. That would include rubber-banding your controller or using any kind of macro to thwart the inactivity timer. That's my understanding based upon feedback I received from a Rare employee.

  • Zormis
    Marauder
    Insider

    @katanafleet220 I agree something needs to be done, even made a post about it. I found the best solution was recruiting from Discord.

  • UltmateRagnarok
    Master

    @archangel-timmy

    That could work, but maybe leaving it to be maybe 10-20 minutes or so. 5 minutes goes by quickly when you are talking to someone.

  • BR0CRASTINAT0R
    Captain
    Insider

    There’s aways the option to either buy someone’s ship or have one of your crew try and spawn a new one in same server. Then transfer everything over, leaving your pet rock aboard original ship.

  • Archangel Timmy
    Legend
    Insider

    @ultmateragnarok

    I can agree with a bump in the timer as sometimes time does get away from you, especially within Sea of Thieves.

    "Let me just hit the outpost and be done for the night."

    • One hour later...

    "As soon as I finish this message in a bottle, I will turn in."

    • Another hour later...

    "Had to attack that Skelleon for the commendation and loot, now to turn in."

    • Way past your planned bedtime...

    "..."

  • KatanaFleet220
    Seafarer

    Ferry timer seems to be a decent way to try and remedy the situation. You would still need a remedy for the AFKers in the brig or on the actual boat. I reported the fellow who was AFK on the ferry, but action still takes time/is not guaranteed.

  • DISLEX fx
    Captain
    Insider

    It's rare I play with randoms, but when I do, if that happens, I just ask them all to friend me and we start over.

  • Archangel Timmy
    Legend
    Insider

    @katanafleet220

    Kill them and send them to the ferry.

    If they are below deck or in the brig, fill your boat with water and drown them. Otherwise set a keg off at there feet and quickly repair your boat if needed.

    Perhaps you could find another crew to even kill them for you.

  • KatanaFleet220
    Seafarer

    @dislex-fx Normally I would do that, but they seem to be waiting strategically until a "point of no return", with your Athena voyage being partially complete.

  • KatanaFleet220
    Seafarer

    @archangel-timmy what would that accomplish? Not sure I follow how this solves the AFKing problem...

  • DISLEX fx
    Captain
    Insider

    @katanafleet220 said in Athena AFKing is rampant and we need a solution.:

    @dislex-fx Normally I would do that, but they seem to be waiting strategically until a "point of no return", with your Athena voyage being partially complete.

    Well, too bad for them. If they are going to try and ride the coattails of others, leave them behind. ..and don't feel bad about it.

  • KatanaFleet220
    Seafarer

    @dislex-fx You don't seem to follow...the entire point is not needing to start over and losing your Athena progress.

  • DISLEX fx
    Captain
    Insider

    @katanafleet220 said in Athena AFKing is rampant and we need a solution.:

    @dislex-fx You don't seem to follow...the entire point is not needing to start over and losing your Athena progress.

    I understand. That's fair, but I still don't like AFKers. I will throw all my loot overboard before I help them. lol

    You can almost always tell early enough on if they are going to be an AFKer.

    You can even let them know that if they don't help, you're not turning in any loot. They are only there to level up with loot. If they don't think they are getting it, they will either help, or leave, almost always.

  • Archangel Timmy
    Legend
    Insider

    @katanafleet220 said in Athena AFKing is rampant and we need a solution.:

    Ferry timer seems to be a decent way to try and remedy the situation. You would still need a remedy for the AFKers in the brig or on the actual boat. I reported the fellow who was AFK on the ferry, but action still takes time/is not guaranteed.

    @archangel-timmy said in Athena AFKing is rampant and we need a solution.:

    @katanafleet220

    Kill them and send them to the ferry.

    If they are below deck or in the brig, fill your boat with water and drown them. Otherwise set a keg off at there feet and quickly repair your boat if needed.

    Perhaps you could find another crew to even kill them for you.

    @katanafleet220 said in Athena AFKing is rampant and we need a solution.:

    @archangel-timmy what would that accomplish? Not sure I follow how this solves the AFKing problem...

    You were referencing the ferry timer which had been suggested, and stated a remedy would still be needed for AFKers in the brig or on the actual boat, basically any AFKer that is alive really. That is where my comment comes in telling you that you could kill them to get them to the ferry, hope they don't notice and get kicked.

  • KatanaFleet220
    Seafarer

    @archangel-timmy ah. that makes more sense. I still think we shouldn't be having to try and trick the game into booting AFKers.

  • NNighthawkM

    I couldn't think of anything worse. I am no where near pirate legend and am desperate to be there. Therefore if I randomly join a game where people are doing Athenas Fortune quests I do everything in my power to help out and lend a hand. Even if my experience isn't that great at least I'm mucking in when some others just decide the will go about things the wrong way

  • TH3xR34P3R
    Master
    Insider
    Founder

    @katanafleet220 said in Athena AFKing is rampant and we need a solution.:

    @galactic-geek said in Athena AFKing is rampant and we need a solution.:

    Play with friends you trust to get the job done.

    That is not always possible and definitely not a solution.

    Make new friends then, this is what LFG is for when it comes to games like this and why we asked for the option to have a closed crew.

    The tools are there you just need to have the thought process to use them, this is why I play with people in the discord servers I am in as I have zero interest in wasting the time I could of spend working on a commendation on trying to get rid of a dead weight player and we have strict rules about someone being AFK in our servers.

  • Garbhchu
    Ship Mate

    How 'bout just tweaking the brig so that if you're in it when the loot is cashed, you don't get a share? That way if you're AFK and your crew votes you into the brig, there's a genuine, in-game consequence.

  • Ruigtand NL
    Master
    Insider

    Should vote to make them outlaw and let them drift off in a rowboat or leave them on a island so they can continue their own adventure also a nice way to make a fleet and invite more friends

  • Dormant God

    @ruigtand-nl That's a good idea but they would have to raise server size, in my opinion they should make a fleet system where you can sail with your friends and you select the option in the menu, but there has to be like a limit to it say you can have 3 galleons or something and you can't alliance.@Garbhchu That may sound like a good idea but then you have the trolls where, my friend (He is 8) was brigged the entire time until he left (They were on the last Athena step) this steps into a grey area where sure you can brig someone and they get nothing but also people can and will abuse it so it just depends and it makes it hard to implement because the devs clearly don't like any type of discrimination and I think that's awesome for to see in a dev that Creates a game like this trying to appeal to all ages and I think it's disgusting that people would discriminate against kids When everyone has been one before.

  • Salvasian AU
    Insider

    @coineggsnipe In many ways I wish there was a vote to kick system as well. The problem is that it is so easily abused. For example how do you stop a team from kicking someone near the end of a voyage to allow a friend in to claim the loot; stop crews from kicking new players rather than teaching them; or stop players getting rid of innocent players to make room for their friends?

  • Salvasian AU
    Insider

    @new-world-clogs That is an awesome idea for a solution as it would mean that the kick mechanic cannot be abused, and would mean that if a friend was going to be away for a short period (such as an emergency with kids, etc) that the crew doesn't have to poll them with it and the player doesn't have to worry about being kicked.

  • jonavuka
    Marauder

    They can have a "walk the plank", where the player has to go to the plank and plea their case, if they don't go to the plank in 5 minutes they are kicked from the session

  • FaceYourDemon
    Vanguard
    Insider
    Founder

    @coineggsnipe What about all the player who will abuse that to kick someone before they turn the athena and add someone else? my suggestion is that the one who sits in the brig dont get rep from the chests.
    I know and encountered that issue almost everytime but kicking players is too dangerous many players will use it an abusive way.

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