AFK Merc killing

Let me start by saying I've never done this, and never would. I view getting EXP in EQ as a side-effect. Just do the progression in every expansion and you'll be max/max before you're done.

The devs have stated over and over that this is perfectly acceptable behavior. They're only going to be taking a very small number of mobs (the ones which auto-agro on them). Just get over it and do something else. On the other hand. Intentionally training someone is clearly against the rules and also just wrong. However you rationalize it, you're a jerk if you ever do it.

You know what they should do? They should just make a button players could press to jump up a bunch of levels and get thousands of aas without any time of effort. What's that, that button already exists? And it isn't cheating?

Point being Crowbeard that the easy button aspects of EQ have come to fruition. For better or for worse, they are here. AFK merc-ing for exp/faction/camp holding has been around for years. AFK experiencing a la pets has been around for years. And AFK skilluping has been around for many more years. It's part of the game now and, frankly, if a player wants to pay a merc to do something for them, so be it. Merc raiders are coming to a marketplace near you.

I see a bunch of players here saying that devs say its ok. Since when has the dev team dictated policy? And I'd love to see a quote from a Developer saying this is the intended behavior.

Search it out then. It has been repeatedly stated on these forms, in recent years, by SOE personnel, that AFK killing is officially not any violation.

Its not a matter of player opinion or supposition.

Sony doesn't though. This thread comes up every couple months, it's not against the rules. It's been stated many many times by SoE people. Just ignore them, they're really not hurting you. They're getting very poor xp, spending their plat unwisely as well.

No I'm just going to call it a lie until proven otherwise.

I want a dev quote. The only reason you're telling me to go look is because you know it doesn't exist.

Developers do not issue bans, customer service would do something like that. And as it happens, the very first result on Google has a quote on this from customer service.

"Hey there,


Thank you for taking the time to submit this petition to the EverQuest In-Game Support Team.

I have investigated the situation and it appears that these players are AFK Mercenary Grinding. At this time, unless there are other programs or some sort of automation being used, this is not currently considered an exploit by the developers. I also highly suggest you, and anyone you know who disapproves of AFK mercenary play, please submit /feedback to the developers who are able to help change game mechanics and also change certain regulations.

Please remember we always welcome players to submit petitions when they think someone is using an exploit, a hack or is generally not following the rules. We look into every single petition submitted.

Should you have anything else with which you require assistance please feel free to send a /petition and we will review the situation as soon as possible. In order to get the most efficient service please always be certain to include important details such as exact NPC, quest and item names as well as an exact description of what troubles you.

Safest of Journeys,
Sincerely,
GM Kthalia the Spifftacular
In-Game CSR
Sony Online Entertainment, LLC"

So, unless the person completely made this up and is lying like you said, AFK killing is allowed.

Don't much care what you call it. And, its good to want things. Now, get off your lazy and find it yourself. Unlike you, I am not clueless about these things, and do not insist others educate me.

I'm not interested in GM responses. Everyone stated a dev came up with it.

No you're stating something that you call a fact, without evidence to back it up. In fact I did a search and nothing came up from a Dev. So there is no evidence. You've just been disproved.

No, you have no evidence saying otherwise, nothing has been disproved.

All you have is a wish and a willingness to ignore anything that doesn't support it. With how frequently this topic comes up, surely you should be able to find a dev quote supporting your view? Since if it was deemed an exploit, people would be repeating that in every thread?

I stepped outside this afternoon, looked up in the sky, and didn't see the moon. So, there is no evidence. I've just disproved all the moon-believers.

Logic is hard.

Y

You obviously have found an exploit in your display settings in your brain that hides the moon.

And yes AFK merc killing is permitted. I believe it was Piestro that explained that rule.

Can't see the moon? No problem - I got a full one right here:
http://the-ngp.morituus.net/images/my_bare_bottom.jpg

It would be so trival for the devs to stop; plus the convenient excuse of 'I fell asleep while playing' there can't be rules against it.

This is so sad. I thought the controversy was whether AFK merc killing was allowed or not. Silly me. It was all about which category of SOE employee verified that it was allowed.

The "evidence" of SOE policy is 2 posts above yours....

-R

https://forums.station.sony.com/eq/index.php?search/551255/&q=AFK merc&o=date

Nothing found to support the claim of devs designing mercs to be used afk.

There's my proof. Still waiting on yours. Feel free to keep denying it. It brings this thread closer to the 20 page goal.

I don't really care either way, it doesn't hurt me at all. I did look to see if I could find something one way or another, and in 2013 there was this:

https://forums.station.sony.com/eq/index.php?threads/is-afk-leveling-official-legal-now.4997/

Will keep lookin cause I'm bored.

There is a difference between "devs designing mercs to be used afk" (which was *not* the original argument)..and if using mercs while afk breaks the rules.

Don't confuse the two.

It is not against the rules to use a merc group while afk, even if I personally think its silly.

No...I don't like the auto afk feature and I choose not to use it. I don't afk merc xp (and never have). Dev time is better used on other stuff anyways.