Will we ever be able to see who is seeking for party and is afk or not?

[robinkle]

For those who arent playing but still are able to see a tell, could use their special flag so it wont become "blue."

As I mentioned. reading the whole post helps.
But let me explain this better. I think its whats needed.

This is just an idea. but please share yours.

when you put up flag and wants to play PS3 or what ever.
you could choose an option (requiered each time you put up flag) that you pick "seeking as red flag" which means you are available but not currently playing. it could give the pling sound a boost as well.

Or that you need to talk to an npc or enter a room so the flag wont go blue.

just some ideas just to solve that.

[KingOfZeal]

As I (and one or two others have said) it doesn't solve anything. Why? Because those who are seeking and AFK: either don't MEAN to be AFK (emergency errands, making lunch, that sort of thing) and thus won't choose this, or they will use this and go afk anyway. It's basic human psychology.

[Mhurron]

Ok, since you seem to have a problem with understanding here it is in black and white:

Everyone will use your 'special' flag so that they always receive invites. They will still be AFK if they want to but will tell the system not to show that.

Everyone read your whole post. Your special flag idea turned a bad idea worse.

[Hantz]

You can already "seek as red flag" as well. Hey, there you go. If you're tired of such long waiting when forming parties, just start using your "red flag" to show people how eager you are to get going.

[robinkle]

Ok, since you seem to have a problem with understanding here it is in black and white:

Everyone will use your 'special' flag so that they always receive invites. They will still be AFK if they want to but will tell the system not to show that.

Everyone read your whole post. Your special flag idea turned a bad idea worse.

And you dont think there is any other way around it?
Are you able to suggest anything?

Cuz thats what I'm asking for. Atleast I suggested something.

[robinkle]

As I (and one or two others have said) it doesn't solve anything. Why? Because those who are seeking and AFK: either don't MEAN to be AFK (emergency errands, making lunch, that sort of thing) and thus won't choose this, or they will use this and go afk anyway. It's basic human psychology.

And there is no other way around it?
Do you have any ideas of your own that might make my theory a better practical idea?

[robinkle]

You can already "seek as red flag" as well. Hey, there you go. If you're tired of such long waiting when forming parties, just start using your "red flag" to show people how eager you are to get going.

You are right about red flag allready excists. thats my bad. lets say ... um... yellow?

Seeking time is not my point in this thread.

As someone mentioned earlier. in theory my idea is good. Any way you would think it can be practially done?

[Murphie]

Why on earth would anyone want to indicate that they are AFK (meaning people won't invite them). Oh right, they wouldn't, so it's a stupid idea.

You should be sending tells to potential party mates anyway. The only people who send invites without asking first are idiots, and most people will decline those invites anyway. So, moot point.

[Hantz]

Hell, I honestly don't know what problem you're trying to fix.

If I'm making a party and I send somebody a /tell, and they don't respond, then that means they're AFK. Your idea might save people 10 seconds of investigation.

But like most people have said, it's not really a search system problem as much as it is player apathy. I'd say the best solution is to leave the system alone.

[robinkle]

Why on earth would anyone want to indicate that they are AFK (meaning people won't invite them). Oh right, they wouldn't, so it's a stupid idea.

You should be sending tells to potential party mates anyway. The only people who send invites without asking first are idiots, and most people will decline those invites anyway. So, moot point.

Good argument.

I wonder why ppl would even want an invite when they are afk though.
Well if you are afk for a short while I know what you mean, but thats why I mentioned, "after a certain time, your flag will turn blue. Not instantly.

Actually you need to be quick when making a party. if there is a potential setup, it might be more ppl then you who wana start a party. so sending tells before inviting someone would take some time. a color on each player who seeks would make it simpler I think.

The only issue as many others mention here, is; what about when you play Wii or ps3 while seeking. Meaning you can accept an in vite at any time but arent playing the game by moving or typing. I have a feeling it can be solved. could use a suggestion on that.

[Murphie]

Sometimes people fall asleep. Or they get a phone call, or something. Heck, maybe you're on their blacklist and you just don't know it. Bottom line, they won't respond to your tells at that point, so it's not a big deal.

Re: Invites - I don't care if there are dozens of people seeking for every role I need, or only one of each. Sending a tell first is just polite. It's the way things are done in this game. That's a community issue, not a game mechanics issue.

[LyonheartLakshmi]

" For those who arent playing but still are able to see a tell, could use their special flag so it wont become "blue.""

Make sure you read the whole post.

This AFK flag feature sounds like it will fall into the same pattern. It'll either trade an old source of frustration for a new one, or simply become self-defeating

Not if its made in a way that ppl need to turn it on for each time they put up the flag.

I did read the whole post. Do I have to just click the flag off once, when I start seeking (which would defeat the point)? Or do I have to keep clicking it off as it comes up (which is just another way of requiring regular manual input)?

Consider this: I could simply put a rubber band around my controller to make my character walk in circles or into a nearby wall. That would be my personal solution on how to keep myself from getting flagged as AFK.

I'd give suggestions on ways to improve your idea. But simply put, I don't think there is a way to improve it. The best way solve your problem is education: tell people to turn off seeking / logout when they need to go AFK for any period of time.

[robinkle]

Hell, I honestly don't know what problem you're trying to fix.

If I'm making a party and I send somebody a /tell, and they don't respond, then that means they're AFK. Your idea might save people 10 seconds of investigation.

But like most people have said, it's not really a search system problem as much as it is player apathy. I'd say the best solution is to leave the system alone.

Lets say you wana start a party. you see a setup seeking that looks good.

RDM, WAR, PLD, WHM, THF, COR for example.

You ask each of one of them and they answer yes please. except the last one. you do now have a party of 5 and you are missing the PLD. then what? Lets wait and see if the PLD answers. how long do we wait? if we wait, would it be wasted time? you'll never know. and the PLD might have been afk for maby 5 mins. maby he fell asleep. If my idea would somehow be added, you could have seen that the PLD isnt active, and havent been for a long time.

By the time you hope for the PLD to answer you got a RDM and COR who knows they get parties fast, they will start getting pissy, cuz the feel they could have got a påarty all ready.

And I've experienced this many times and thats why I'm trying to discuss the idea.

[Hantz]

RDM, WAR, PLD, WHM, THF, COR for example.

You ask each of one of them and they answer yes please. except the last one. you do now have a party of 5 and you are missing the PLD. then what? Lets wait and see if the PLD answers. how long do we wait? if we wait, would it be wasted time? you'll never know. and the PLD might have been afk for maby 5 mins. maby he fell asleep. If my idea would somehow be added, you could have seen that the PLD isnt active, and havent been for a long time.

By the time you hope for the PLD to answer you got a RDM and COR who knows they get parties fast, they will start getting pissy, cuz the feel they could have got a påarty all ready.

That's just the way it goes. Whether that particular PLD responds at all or not, you still need a tank with 5/6. Just because the first 5 others you ask don't join straight away, it doesn't mean you need some kind of new system to form a PT. Just keep looking for whatever you need to fill out your setup.

[KingOfZeal]

Ok, so your COR and RDM leaves. You can disband your party or keep trying to build. This really isn't a problem. I havn't been in a party like the one you described for quite some time.

As Murphie said (and as I have said in my previous posts), there are number of reasons for people going afk while seeking. I tend to think a bit higher of people and think that it was for something beyond their control (emergencies and such), or some other circumstance where they think they won't be gone long enough to not be able to accept an invite (making food).

And, as lyon said, the only way to solve this problem is to teach others not to do it in the first place.

The problem you are trying to solve has no solution beyond that. And, as you KEEP pointing out (and as I will also keep pointing out), yes, you made an idea. However, we have all shown how a) this isn't a problem or b) there is no way to fix it. Please be graceful and leave it at that.