AFK Resource Gathering System

We are lucky to have the option to run macros for resource gathering here. Most UO servers do not allow it. If you are out crawling around in one of the dungeons or fighting with a rival guild or faction, then perhaps you should not be running another character on a resource gathering macro. I think the system is fine as it is.

I often run two characters at the same time (one on each computer). And if I choose to multitask, and watch my television at the same time, that is my problem. We can't expect the development group to make allowences for every possible scenerio. The original 30 seconds that the AFK Resource Gathering System allowed was a bit short, in my opinion. But I think 60 seconds is pleanty of time. If I cannot properly show that I am not AFK Resource Gathering with 60 seconds, then chances are I have nodded-off, or am otherwise not paying attention. I am therefore away from my keyboard (afk), whether physically or mentally. I should, therefore, rightfully be jailed.

As for complaining that one hadn't actually caught any fish or mined any ore before getting tagged by the AFK Resource Gathering System, think of it this way. After being caught in the act, a would-be bank robber will still go to jail, even though he may never have actually touched any of the money he was after. He was caught "in the act" of trying to rob the bank. The AFK Resource Gathering System operates in a similar manner. It identifies a character "in the act" of performing repetetive gathering tasks via macro(s). This act, in itself, is perfectly legal here. The act is only illegal if it is being performed while away from the keyboard. Thus, whether the character is successful in obtaining any resources or not is a moot point. It is also the responsibility of the player to operate his computer in a manner so he can properly view the entire game window, or both windows when running two accounts.

Pwn.

I personally tend to avoid full automation because I'm sure I'd have been jailed already.

I get gumped every time I shear sheep now, and my macro is 'Dclick dagger by type', set to a hotkey.

I agree the system is fine as is. I don't need more time to read it. I only had to read it the first time to see it was a game of 'One of these things is not like the other'. Now it's easy and I'd be surprised if the gump were on screen more than 10 seconds total in any recent pop.

I have never been jailed for AFK gather or any other reason here.

/me Blaise dusts his shoulders off

I agree though. The gump is fine as is. My macros do a lot of the work for me, but they don't make me move. Keeps me honest, otherwise I'd spend a great deal of time in jail. It's human nature to be lazy. Or perhaps just gamer nature?

neckbeards

My friends, if you can't run a resource gathering macro legally, just don't run the macro.

I wouldn't like to see fishing loot nerfed in order to offset making fishing easier to do partially or wholly unattended. I don't think players should have an expectation of being able to pull up Sea Serpents unattended on three accounts simultaneously, or even one account for that matter. When has fishing ever worked that way? Fishing is supposed to be boring - watching your screen is a fair price to pay for being able to recall to your boat and simply observe your character working and get tmaps and MIBs from easy targets that pose no threat to your character in a virtually PK free, monster free environment. I wouldn't mind seeing the AFK check extended to 2 minutes; I think that's long enough to be completely fair and reasonable while still short enough to shut down any attempt at true AFK macroing. Even if it were extended I don't doubt that players would still complain and conjure new excuses for failing or wanting it changed, but the line has to be drawn somewhere. And I feel that the open invitation to message staff in the event of an explainable AFK mishap automatically nullifies almost any beef that a player could have with the time limits.

so why not look for solutions to this, before locking people up. see thats whats the matter with the US. the people are scared and say, lock them up, throw away the key, when there are so many other uses for these individuals. now they are trying to take away our guns.
dont everyone like the police, and the thought of having an ankle bracelet to fish will scare alot of folks away.

actually zagyg, everyone didnt come from UOSA or OSI, where fishing unattended was illegal. matter of fact, this is prolly server #2/10 that ive seen actually lock folks up for it (and unattended mining was the problem on the other.) ---yea rules state that resource gathering is illegal on most these too, but when u drop everything on the ground, i wasnt gathering anything afk , i been pullin up 15-30 serpents a night with fisher out since 2011 until now hehe

how about the summoning of a pirate type boss, with no loot, that spawns on the boat? havent got any details on this just thought about it. also, player pirates, how can we make those viable? whats ur thoughts on those.

I'll do my best to ignore whatever that rant was about the US and just try to respond on point.


If any change is made to how AFK Fishing is handled, it is my opinion that it should be gumped from 0 skill. Fish and Leather are resources.

If NOT being able to play the game...when you're not at the keyboard...is such a problem, find something else to do.
People who are driven away from the shard because they can't do things AFK, are not missed by me.

I think the system in place works great. be glad we can macro at all. Hell most of us played osi where there was NO macroing. my first and only 7x ive had was by pure active playing. :geek:

It may be a moot point now, but since I recently looked up the Deep Sea Serpents in the Stratics Hunter's guide for bug reports I found that since 1999 their page stated that if they were not engaged in combat within a certain (unstated) period of time, they would return to the depths of the sea. Apparently that's how they dealt with the hiding fisherman/30 sea serps issue.