Forgotten Kingdoms Forums

I'll go out on a limb here and presume that I'm not the only one who will browse and read the forums whilst playing, and, whilst I do try to make sure I pay a good amount of attention to the game, sometimes a particuarly long and interesting post, or a debate will hook me for a while before I remember the game.

If it would be a huge task and a matter of dossing around with heaps of code, nevermind, but if it is reasonably easy to do, could a new AFK-style command be implemented which indicates your attention may be split, so as to not appear rude if, for example, someone sends you a tell, or if someone stumbles across your non-responsive character?

I'm not really sure what the command would be, if indeed it is possible and easy, but I would suggest something with a toggle on/off, rather than AFK's automatic removal once a new command is typed.

Any alternatives or reasons why it wouldn't work, feel free to comment.

Cheers,
Richard

PS. Dalvyn's recent posts mention desired changes in the skill systems - if someone knows where, if one exists, I could find a topic/discussion about it, could you tell me please? I couldn't find it with the search function and I don't really want to make people repeat themselves unneccesarily...

Whenever I am half&half with my comp and work I usually try to otell or osay that.

As far as skill changes and such most of those discussions will be in the general discussion threads, especially if Dalvyn created them. I would just either click on Dalvyns name if he is logged in or search by member name and click on find all posts by user. Be warned though he has got alot of them.

http://www.gallwey.com/fk/board/viewtop ... ill+points

Skill system/points discussion

I would like to see a better "AFK" thing coded in... but nothing too important seeing as I usually just put <pose here AFK> so that when people come in they see Maybel is here AFK as do they when they scry me

Okay, let me step in and play the bad guy here...

If you are not paying attention to the screen, do not log into the game

If you are not paying attention to the screen it is wrong to let people assume you are and waste time trying to find you only to be told that you're busy

If you are not paying attention to the screen why should you gain kismet

Finally, and this is not just my playing Devil's Advocate.. but do not use Pose to set a message that you are AFK. This is an RP mud and if you're not able to give your full attention to it, stay the Hell offline

In light of Kelemvor's post-- and I'm not trying to be snyde, I'm actually wondering-- why do we have an AFK command at all?

How "full" does your attention need to be? One of my characters is currently mapping out the world (reflected by me screen-tipping every square on the worldmap in Word as she moves around recording). I can't be looking at the FK screen every minute if I'm doing that, and yet it's necessary for me to conduct that particular RP. Further, I think it'd be bordering on sadistic to make me stare at every wilderness screen as it comes up rather than reviewing them every once in a while

Going a step further, I'm logged into my IM at all times. FK takes precedence if I'm logged in, but my IM is there (generally with a notice that I'm busy/playing FK) and I see no reason not to respond to it so long as the people talking to me understand that my attention to them is contingent upon how much attention my game is requiring at the moment.

I've even been known to step away from the computer for a minute or three at a time. Maybe I'm cooking a low-maintenance meal, maybe I'm tending to the cat or gathering items for a project I can do later-- or reading the forums. Whatever it is, it allows me to check back with whatever frequency is necessary. If I'm alone and resting, or waiting for a certain time to come, every five minutes or so is enough in my estimation. If I'm around PCs but not interacting with them, or in a high-traffic area like the MS, the interval is more 30 seconds to a minute. If I'm actually in a scene, I don't leave any longer than absolutely necessary to get a drink or whatever needs doing in an immediate sense. I was under the impression that that's what the time-out function was all about-- if you went AFK for longer than you thought you would, you'd be logged out automatically.

That said, if I'm with someone who has to go AFK, or if I run into someone who's not responsive, I'll willingly wait a reasonable amount of time for them to return to RP with me. If they're still online, then they must have been at the computer not too long ago, and (I would hope) plan to return soon.

Honestly, it's just not possible for the game to be riveting 100% of the time. Characters have to rest, have to move about, and under the current system have to train if you want them to progress mechanically-- and none of those things are near as enthralling as actual RP. I think it'd be unfair to require people's undivided attention while doing these things, and that it's quite acceptable to be online, doing something that requires only partial attention, so long as you're available for and open to the possibility of something better that requires real focus (see: RP).

As above really...

I've been away from FK for a bit and my character would have been doing this and that for all that time. I'm not claiming he should have progressed just because of time, but I've got to bash, bash and more bash with him in order to show any progression at all, least of all the 6 years I would argue he's been living and (in some sense) training whilst I've been busy with life.

I, like many, find repetitive bashing boring, so I try to make the time productive by reading the forums and references on sites and things to increase my knowledge of the FR world, whilst going back to FK to hit enter in between. Sometimes, as I said before, I'll be rather engrossed by a topic or post, and so I'll spend a good few minutes before remembering to go back and hit enter.

I would like to have some sort of command to cover this sort of thing, or for reasons like Amlia says, so that if someone does try to get ahold of my character in this time, whether through tell or by finding them, they don't feel they are being ignored.

If kimset's the big problem, how about it pauses whilst you're in this mode? And AFK for that matter?

So, To play the opposite of Kelemvor...whatever that is...

What if the phone rings... Do i have to stop the RP i am, quit FK and then answer the phone?

If the door bell rings?... If my kid falls down and is hurt... i have to take 5 minutes to quit the RP i am playing before i peek my head in his room to see if he killed himself or just dropped a toy?

When we say AFK... it's short term... temporary... When I am fixing a help file or helping someone on the ask channel... i want people to know I'm not ignoring them... i'll be RIGHT back.

I'm not going to go AFK, then go out to dinner, or go drive to starbucks and hang out there or watch a movie...

Just like.. you don't shut down your computer when go to answer the phone or get up to use the restroom... you let it sit there for a little bit

*nods*

Ok if Kelemvor is the devil and maybel is the angels advocate I guess this makes me the mediator? *chuckles*

I don't think he is saying at all that you can't go afk for a few min to do something you need to do.

I think it has more to do with the people who idle for extremely long periods of time. There have been a few instances where I personally have become frustrated with this.

For example I send a tell to x, they are afk so I wait, about 15-20 min later i get a response and I think Great they're back! So I respond only to find they are afk again and this goes on for well over an hour.

Other times when I see someone online I want to rp with, finally track them down and they aren't set to afk but just aren't there and sit there for half an hour or more until they disappear into the void.

It was a huge waste of my time which is far more limited than it used to be and is rather frustrating.

AFK, I think, was intended for people who just have to go stop a pot overboiling, or go to the washroom, or check on the kids. Not to enable people to idle for overly long periods of time.

On the flip side, I'm adhd, if there is nothing going on or i'm not involved in an engaging rp I browse the forums, play majong while waiting for something to happen. Do research online, build or code, chatting over IM. Do something to keep me busy, I can't sit still and I am more focused having several things going on at the same time.

I tend to forget to set afk when I run to the bathroom and sometimes get distracted by a mess or something else and clean it up or deal with it before coming back to the computer. Like I said ADHD. I don't like setting afk if i'm in an rp or in marketsquare and really have to run to the bathroom because it detracts from the rp and mood. If I can I will excuse myself but if I can't I just send a quick osay saying i'll brb potty or something.

In the case where I hear a crash from my kids room, I'm not even sending an osay I'm jumping up and running to make sure they are alright. This situation has been discussed before and is understood by everyone, when you come back and explain I doubt anybody is going to be upset about it and if they are then well... Yeah I'll shut up now

*smiles*

Nothing more frustrating than sending a message in big red letters to someone, a message that would normally ask for an immediate answer, then see the character just remain there with a stupid look on their face, then disappearing into Limbo too...

You see a large winged creature walking towards you on the road.

... no reaction ...

The creature is getting nearer... You can now see that it looks a bit like a gargoyle, but its skin is blue. It is as tall as a house and does not seem to be interested in a chat.

... no reaction ...

The creature is getting so near that you can feel the ground tremble with each step it takes!

... no reaction ...

The creature has spotted you. It turns towards you and drops of saliva falls from its fanged mouth, as if it was imagining in advance a particularly good-tasting meal.

... no reaction ...

XYZ has just fallen through an interdimensional hole.

... bleh ...

And this obviously get priceless when, later on, you continue the roleplay with someone else, and decide to not take the guy who ignored your echoes in your roleplay ... and all you get is a complaint from that guy, who thinks it's all fine that he made you lose your time and that he shouldn't be punished for it.

I am with Kelemvor on this one. If you are not paying attention to the screen every 20-30 seconds at least, then your AFK flag should be set or you should log off. Obviously, if your husband/wife/son/mother-in-law/cat/... falls and lies next to you bleeding heavily, it's fine not to type 'afk' and immediately rush to their aid (but make sure you then contact the doctor and have him send a mail to fkcomplaints explaining what happened and guaranteeing that you had a good reason not to type AFK, preferably within 5 days).

When I go to the rest room, or run to the freezer to get something out for dinner, generally I go AFK. Sometimes I wont, if I'm in an isolated locale where it's unlikely that anyone will find me, and, on the off chance that someone tried to tell me, I'll be able to reply in a minute or so, when I get back.

Now, this, of course, is the ideal. But also, I live with my grandparents, and my grandmothers so snobbish, I can't tell you the number of times she's got on the comp when I stepped away for only a minute, and she's logged me off. The computer off, I mean. Meaning I am left link-dead, which I don't like doing.

Anyway, that's my two cents. I guess what I'm saying is not everyone that drops into a hole is responsible.