This is something that is addressed by you ASSISTing in game and speaking to a GM, as with any violation of policy that you see occur.

-Persida

>>I have logs of 50+ of people disconnecting in the last two weeks. Glass orbs, mob jars, Pvp, etc. Way too many to report.

If you have the names, dates, times, and situation details, providing them directly to staff in game is the way to have it addressed. There isn't anything that constitutes 'too many' to investigate or follow up on as far as we're concerned on the staff side.


>>Plus, reporting is basically pointless. I rarely see GMs on

You will often not see GMs on. We only show up to players when we're actively on duty for CE reasons. Even if we aren't on duty, we respond to REPORTs and ASSISTs when able. Don't let GM visibility stop you.

Please also note that I said to ASSIST, not REPORT. REPORT is for things that are literally game stopping, right this second emergencies where you need to see if someone is there right then to help. ASSIST is for issues that will not explode the game itself, but are in need of staff intervention. ASSISTs have a queue, and remain visible to GMs even if they log in later. They also stay in the queue even if you log out, then log back in. REPORT is one-and-done. If nobody really is there when you REPORT, no GM will see it if they log in later. It really is literally only set up for requests for emergency in-that-second help.


>>Also, both Lich/SF + Genie come with pre-packaged logout triggers on low hp. I'd expect 90% of the population to be on some sort of low hp trigger.

This isn't entirely accurate. It's just that there are big repositories where folks share scripts, and people often choose to use those, or to integrate aspects of them into their own scripts, such as popular triggers.

While they are commonly available, using any kind of combat logging triggers in your scripts is a terrible idea, as combat logging in both PvE and PvP can end up being mech abuse, which can lead to warnings, provided that a GM is made aware of the specific situation through the correct in-game channels.

Combat logging (even in PvE) can be mech abuse due to it circumventing aspects of the intended game -- such as death or penalties associated with death. We very much already have policy that covers this, however, it is something that a GM has to investigate, just like most policy violations.

Again, if you (or anyone) has evidence of situations in which any portion of game policy is being broken, please ASSIST in-game so that it can be addressed. We are not able to investigate and follow up on policy violation reports that come to us via the forums or any other non-in-game method.


-Persida

If you see someone afk scripting in game, please use the REPORT verb to let the online GMs know, who as GM Persida said might not be visible. As GM Persida described, REPORT is generally reserved for right-now emergencies, but this is another instance where it is acceptable to use it. Please do so once and leave the character alone.

Helje
DragonRealms Senior Board Moderator

> I'm glad people are speaking up on the AFK scripting/combat logging abuse in this game. Thank you.

Do you want to kill the game? Because this is how you kill the remaining population of this game. We all know how many people are AFK for "5 minutes" that turns into hours. I think it's time the player base grew up and accept that this has been a fact since DR first started, with various levels of selective enforcement throughout that same time. I don't think it really matters much with the major rewards being generated through paywalls, and auctions have always been dominated by scripters or people who buy plat from them.

Create social rooms where scripting is not allowed, something the GMs can monitor. Empath's guild or other justice zones, for example. Officially allow scripting "in the wild" or in hunting zones. Harassment policies still apply, including not owning a hunting room, but maybe this will let people get back to enjoying the game without worrying about other player's solo experience.

AFK scripting is a lost cause because the 'current' platform of DR is a pure time based advancement system. It's tedious and tiresome and really, really, boring. It's really not, after a few years.

The break points, where you can suddenly cast spell Y, or get ability X, or do thing Z, are awesome. But getting to them just boils down to how long you can stay logged in to the game.

The only way to change that is to change the underpinned game design, which seems unlikely.

I'd love to see a 'social hub' where scripting or AFK were both completely forbidden. If you want to be AFK, even to drain, you have to leave the area. Hell, turn off all EXP gain entirely. Disable atmo items too, while you're at it. Make the game as simple to view and interact with as possible, remove as much of the pointless spam as possible. Violence and stealing enabled, to encourage petty RP. But law enforcement also enabled to give it repercussions that echo across the game world.

Disagree. The purpose is to push people into meaningful social interaction.

If you allow hub actions with exp gain enabled, it will just be the new empath guild where people AFK script. Forcing people out to AFK drain also cuts down on the number of 'safe space' zombies from F2P alts parking in the area.

Basically the only thing that should be done in the social hubs is social actions. Interacting, RP, chat, gweth, fighting, etc.

But no mindless scripting. No mindless teaching. No mindless drain.

People can do those anywhere else. Just not the social hub.

Drag/teleport should be enabled. If you're AFK and can't respond to a drag, you deserve to be punted.

Going by your logic, the empath guild is the perfect place as is. It offers everything you want, and has none of the 'penalties' for anything, so I have no clue why you're even responding.

>if you would read what I wrote then you would see

I did and I do.

You want 'empath 2' for some reason. Literally, the same as what we have now. Literally.