AFK in PVE---Commuity opinion

I wanted to get the community's opinion...

After completing NF, I was over on Ventari's sell and I saw people selling services...Since NF was pretty easy for me, I figured it would be a great way to hone my craft, make some money AND help others achieve success in GW.

For the first few weeks it was fun. People would whisper me and want me to help them with the mission.

BUT I soon started getting two types of requests:
1. Run someones lvl20 though the entire game so they could get end game armor
2. Run missions and let people go AFK

On Ventari's sell I even started seeing people advertise AFK mission service. The concept of going AFK is not what I intended...I wanted to show people the tricks of the mission...I wanted to share in thier glee as the boss went down at the end of the mission...I wanted them to sweat it out and then smile once the adreneline rush was over and the two swords crossing with a spear in the middle came up.

Recently, I have had people on survivor track try and hire me to get them to r3 survivor...this smacks to me of leeching and imho devalues the title system. I have a monk on the survivor track. She is lvl 20 and in kourna. I did it all with heros and henchies...

So my question is: What is you opinion of players going AFK in missions, quests etc...A necessary evil for Factions and Night fall where you cannot run the game, or a symptom of what is wrong with the gaem that no one wants to earn anything?

Your opinions matter and count to me...depending on your responses, I may alter my services, or drop them all together.

2 Types of AFKers

1. People who need to nip to the loo
2. People who are just bone idle (Survivors count under this)

1 is acceptable
2 is not and deserve to have the lot of them nuked from orbit.

1. I'm considering getting this service myself, I want NF end-game armor but don't fancy grinding all the way through the game.

2. Some people just like to farm so they pay people to do the missions for them. Nothing wrong with this IMO, everyone is free to play the game the way they choose.

Survivor title is absolute BS. End of story.

So my opinion is...let people play their way, just take their cash and smile.

Although I have never used a running service, I can not lie that it sounds appealing in order to get my other toons through nightfall. I don't mind taking my time the first time through and experiencing all the things Wynoski talks about, but the third+ times through the "sweat and adrenaline" just isn't the same and I just want to get through so I can play my other toons in different areas and/or cap the skills that I want to try.

I also have a monk working on the Survivor title and she hasn't spent a minute sitting around AFK. I take things easy with her, never playing tired, never stepping away from the game or becoming distracted. A few quests here, a mission there and an Elite cap now and then. She'll earn her title the right way, not by leeching off someone else's efforts.

AFK'ers are leechers, nothing more.

Yeah I say let people play the way they want to play. Someone is offering a service and someone is quite willing to pay for the service. What's the problem?

I've been pretty bored lately, so I just sit around and wait for guildies to ask for help on things. For someone in my situation, offering a mission running service could be profitable and give me something to do.

I've also gotten 8 characters through Nightfall now. I really don't feel like bringing the other few of mine through. Now, I wouldn't spend money to get run through...would be too boring, but I can understand the urge.

when I used to offer services (all services to be more clear), as long as I was paid before said/offered service, I didn't give a damn what the person(s) did.

it's all about the plat....

(on a side note it's nice to see you try to teach, but alot of the populace pays because they are lazy/pressed for time, or have just "been there, done that" too many times) -_O

Most running services have people afk, that's why they hire runners, to save time. The ones who don't want you to afk is because there is partial payment at some point or for skipping cutscenes.

You are trying to offer a service in which you are teaching people how to do things, not running them. You need to make that distinction very clear and turn down requests for just runs. You will probably find your client base dry up quite a bit though. In order to learn from you, they would have to participate, and most people will probably figure they can do that on their own or with their guildies for free.

People pay for conveniences, not knowledge.

Hmmm, tricky subject. Here is my opinion and of course it's only my opinion. Personally, I dislike the folks that want to take the easy way out. I feel that you should earn your own titles and accomplishments. If you are not capable of earning them then you don't deserve the title. Survivor falls into this category.

I used to feel that way also towards people who were asking for runs, but I've changed my mind somewhat. I firmly believe you should play thru the game at least once on your own steam, but many people are creating 4th and 5th and 6th characters that really only want to reach the endgame area quickly for one reason or another. These are the folks standing in LA or Ascalon asking for runs. As long as they are willing to pay for a run that's their business and I see no problem with it. I won't pay for a run myself, but that's me.

Leechers are the ones I really really dislike. They are the scum of the earth and 1 small step above scammers. There's a big difference between the mesmer paying 2k to a runner to run them thru a mission and the warrior who joins a group then goes AFK for the entire mission without asking.

Yes, real life problems do intervene. It happens. If it does at least have the common courtesy to enter a quick "sorry, real life crisis gotta go" and LEAVE THE MISSION.

Recently my level 9 monk was doing the Great Northen Wall mission. This is an easy easy easy mission. I said LFG and joined a full group of others near my level. As soon as we warped into the mission, one player said, "this is an easy mission, you don't need me. I'll just wait here". He's right, we didn't need his help to complete it, but that's no excuse to leech off others. If you want a run, pay for it!

@ Bane: What's wrong with survivor? Especially for me from Tyria? Thats a huge grind you cannot AFK from what I have seen.

@ Cherno: Right on the dot, people just pay the few plat to not have to grind through the game. Im on my 10th character (16 if you include the 6 I have deleted with protector titles) I don't mind grinding sometimes but thats what PvP is for.

Cmon guys really, if you punished people for being AFK I couldn't sit on boardwalk when I sleep

Although I do think there should be an option to actually kick someone from a party during a mission etc. Like a vote to kick sum1 from FoW if they are just being ridiculous and aggroing everything... which is worse then AFK.

Thanks for the thoughts...

There is nothing wrong with the survivor title, i just believe that you should earn it...I just checked my Monk last night...170K exp and had to switch chars cuz I was getting tired.

I am actually working on 2nd and 3rd toons for repeat clients in night fall, and I agree...I want my ranger and monk to be able to access TOA, Urgotz and DOA and it is a terrible grind...I have been tempted to get a run for my ele...I personally have prot of all three campaigns on my necro and I am not motivated to get this for my other toons.

I was just interested in the opinions...I have made good money doing this...and since I do love this game, I wanted to make sure I was ot messing with the game...I'll still tkae the money...just did not want to be too much of a Merc.

off topic,
but the option to kick someone from a group in the instance, is well....exploitiable like everything else. you argue with the group because they are all going the wrong way, you get kicked. you make a mistake and aggro too much,kicked. it will just cause more hate then just taking the DP and moving on.

I do see why we need a kick option in missions, often i wish i could /kick someone out of my groups. but the lesser of two evils says not to allow it.

A person should be required to do some work in order to achieve success. If they want to go AFK instead of fighting with you, they apparently the goal they have in mind isn't that important to them that they will go out and fight for it and therefore not worth your time either. They want to go AFK, I say leave them out to dry.

I wouldn't pay for any service. If a person has built a toon that can not survive in an area and they need help that's one thing. But to have others do all the work for you is just SAD ! It's a good reflection on how our society and many it's members actually are not only in a game but this is reflected in many of the younger generation. Everyone wants instant gratification with out having to spend the time and effort for the rewards.

for 1 million gold I will play the entire game of guild wars for you. You do not even have to log on. Just give me your email and password and I will do the rest.

JK

sure it bugs me, but if my team does well without them i dont care.what can i do about it?

The thing is that I compleatly agree with you, but your not going to create a cultural revolution do that. So what if people want there crappy Survivor titles with out truly working for them. If there is a demand for something then someone will supply it. Economics 101. I sure as hell argee with you but that doesnt change the fact that people will still cheat there way though the game. By cheating I mean that Survivior stuff. If I want a character to go though the game, who should stop me from what I want to do with my money?

Why would someone pay for the honor of "sweating it out" with you. They could do that in any PUG!

I agree with The Admins Bane. Let people play how they want. Ultimately, however, the type of service you offer is up to you. Teaching someone the tricks and special parts of a mission is a valuable service, so if you want to do that, then offer that. If you don't feel like running an AFK person through a mission, then don't. Just realize that someone else will for enough cash.

The thing that does piss me off is when you are in the middle of a fight and a guy says afk...brb...

WTF? You leave your team in mid battle?

Or people who go into a mission which will take a half hour to do or so and than after 10 mins they say, sry afk, have to go eat dinner. Don't people watch clocks anymore?

It's downright rude to start a mission you won't be able to finish and so you let others do the work for you.

Umm, why? I'm going for Legendary Survivor and have hero/henched and Alliance-grouped my way through nearly all three campaigns. Particularly with hench I've been the first person to go in and draw aggro, I've been the target of margonite ele spikes, I've taken heavy heavy degen while trying to run somewhere (now THAT was painful! )...so not every survivor is an afk leecher. Hell, I would REALLY not trust a random pug to not draw enemies to get me killed out of spite. I have 970,000XP and counting...and some of the things I've done may be stupid from a "trying-to-get-survivor" point of biew but I did it to prove I'm actually playing my way through the game.

Anyhoo, onto AFK people:

"Nipping to the loo" = "I'm actually going to use the toilet, make a sandwich and go to the supermarket. I'm be back in an hour or so"

The type of AFKers who REALLY get on my nerves are the ones who, as you enter a mission they say "Oh, brb". "WE JUST ENTERED THE FRIGGIN' MISSION". I tend to persuade everyone to zone out and regroup since through experience, "brb" = "I'll be back when You've done the mission".

THis happened is Abaddon's Mouth. We all went in and a wammo said "brb". Someone else in the group said "all resign" so we did, even though I knew we wouldn't get sent to the town. I told everyone to quit out and regroup but they really wanted to continue. I knew at that time I should have quitted out. Being the monk they would have all followed...but we went on. Did the bonus and as we got to the final pair of bosses guess who came back. Guess who scrolled up. Guess who typed "/resign". Guess why I made a character called Wammo Hunter. Still, that's another mistake learnt from.