I am a long time player. Been playing since Beta. I have never cheated in any way. I don't use any programs to help with anything, and I don't exploit in the game. Never have. Only difference of my play style from now vs the beginning is I box several characters sometimes (many people do these days I assume). I play on a regular "live" server. So no truebox rules or anything like that. Anyway.....I go AFK yesterday for a couple of hours, come back to the computer, and all my accounts are booted. I sometimes lose my internet connection for short periods of time. So I thought, no big deal and just tried to log back in per normal. However, I get a message that I have been suspended for cheating when attempting to log back in on ONLY my main account. Say what? Why? All the other accounts were fine and not suspended. No e-mails or anything explaining the suspension (which through research seems to be the standard...to get an e-mail after this happens). And why was my main account targeted but yet my boxed accounts (who were AFK right next to my main account) were fine? I have never been suspended in all the 21 years I have been playing (until now) Anyway, I submitted a petition to see what's up. In the meantime, I wanted to ask the board posters if there is still some anti-cheat code that is there like was implemented some years ago by SoE which could perhaps accidentally suspend a non-offending account? I heard it was rare, but still possible? Or is anything else going on right now I should be aware of? I still don't know what could have possibly happened. Are we not allowed to AFK in any other zone other than PoK (or other non-combat zones) now or something like that? I am confused. If anyone has any info to help me understand this, I'd appreciate it.
Likely AFK kills, you did or your merc did or your pet did. ALWAYS ensure you not have active merc, and pet have ghold on and in safe spot where no roaming mobs. Best is to log out..
You seem to be very unfortunate with that account. Friends list not acting right, invalid credentials, error completing your request..... And you mention a bad internet connection. Could this all be related? Yes. A bad connection with the servers can cause all sorts of weird things in the game just like not using the launcher can cause loyalty tokens or other things to not update correctly. Is it related to your ban? Well that was a very specific message so did it give you a perm ban or a suspension ban? I personally never afk outside of the lobby or neighborhood. With Campfire and Throne of Heroes there is no reason to. But yes I could see someone being a drip wad and reporting others depending on which zone you were in. I doubt it would happen in Cresent Reach but might well happen in any zone 100 plus on live. Sorry to hear of this cause you do sound like a decent player.
This policy has been in place for quite some time: https://help.daybreakgames.com/hc/e...y-on-AFK-or-Unattended-Gameplay-in-EverQuest- If you need to be away from your PC for longer than a few seconds please move your character to an empty corner of the zone or log out completely. -------------------- I don't know what zone you were in or where you were located, but odds are someone saw you kill something and didn't like it and petitioned you. Of course, that assumes something else wasn't going on at the same time.
It was just a suspension as it said in the launcher. Yeah, I have been very unfortunate lately. Not sure what's going on. But as I said in my post, my other accounts were fine too. Just my main account got slapped with the hammer. Still waiting on a response to the petition. We'll see what they actually tell me.
Yeah, I saw that policy. But I also figure that is to stop unattended gameplay. Which I wasn't doing (not intentionally anyway). I guess once I hear back from them, if I was flagged for unattended gameplay, I will have to state my case and be more vigilant in the future to be in a different area or try to be when I go AFK. Or merely just /q ...still I am wondering why 1 account out of many in the same place got this suspension, while the others did not? Odd right?
I would agree that the bad connection could be a big part of the problem. No idea how it could but it seems to be the only thing that is out of place. I would hope a GM is not suspending someone for doing nothing at all other then sitting afk. If they were afk and casting spells using software I could see that to be considered afk gameplay I guess. But someone doing nothing at all and just sitting there shouldn't be suspended. Also important to note that Daybreaks AFK policy involves AFK killing. You can afk anywhere you want as long as there is no afk killing happening. They do suggest IF you think afk killing could happen that you move to a safe area where it cannot happen while afk. Sounds to me like the suspended toon was afk engaged with a mob and that is the reason for the suspension. The other toons weren't aggroed so weren't suspended. My big surprise is a GM happened to randomly notice this. I say randomly because if it was due to someone reporting it then it would have to have been going on for a while for a GM to get the petition then get around to checking on it.
Well, I was in an active place exp grinding before I went AFK. So, yes possible my toons were engaged. And yeah, the petition system isn't as quick as it was say 15 years ago, when /petition actually sent an active message to GM's sitting in game actively monitoring things. And a random GM appearance...man, I haven't seen a random GM in years. This is completely odd to me. Completely. I do not cheat, and I have been a good player for as long as I have been playing. I guess I just have to try and be "better at AFK". My skill in AFK is too low apparently. Haha. But anyway, still waiting. Not sure what petition time is like for these issues in particular. Just waiting patiently. Thank you for the reply.
Got a response from a GM just a little bit ago on the petition. As a couple of you have stated, the suspension was indeed from "unattended gameplay". Talk about luck of the draw. Was a GM just in that zone by happenstance? And they just watched my characters for a moment? He did mention all GM messages need to be replied to. So, since I wasn't at the keyboard while AFK, and GM happened to see this and I wasn't responsive, the suspension was given because I didn't respond. Although, it still doesn't makes sense why only my one account got the suspension while my other boxed accounts did not. Oh well. Guess I have to wait for the 7 days. Just a note to all the hard core EQ players...don't even THINK about falling asleep at the keyboard, or you could get suspended like me...Because that's the other reason I would suspect this kind of thing could also happen even thought you don't mean it to. *shrug*. Thanks all for the correspondence!
On the flip side... sounds like you were just unlucky this day....but, I'm glad to see they are actually working at keeping the real AFK perma-campers watched.
I suspect it was because none of the other toons had aggro they were in the group but not doing any damage to the mob I didn't think they GMs were that tough on a toon afk fighting because they got random aggro but that sounds like what happened.
Seems strange to see the occasional player get slapped with a suspension for probably accidental afk kills when you know there are afk teams getting away with spending days / weeks 24/7 in current era locations somehow avoiding suspensions even while getting dozens of petitions about their activity.
I'm sure it has to do with someone seeing you afk killing in the same spot before. Or, some other spot in Norrath. I once saw a guy killing the same ice giant in Everfrost for at least a week straight. Now, maybe he logged out from time to time, but essentially, he was in the exact same spot letting his pet kill that ice giant. Every time I ran by that guy it annoyed the heck out of me. Eventually, someone would petition that. And, it usually doesn't take much to figure out which one is the main character.
its not what you know but who you know... I've heard of players having friends in CS helping out and its hard to catch them in the act unless they use gm commands since those can be traced but even then some slip by
I DON'T agree with that '' move away to an empty corner". If you are standing there AFK, so what. I hunt in FM all the time and I see players afk at Big Fort all the time. As long as they are out of PATHING they don't get hit, pets mercs don't attack.. doesn't matter if they there all night, nothing happening but them paying for merc time. You know pathing in FM is very low agro in many places, specially at Big Fort. Now on the hills of FM I have caught and messed with afk players sitting at spawn points or centered around wondering mobs that will agro them = the auto pet and merc killing. THIS is a no no. I don't agree if your lawyer calls you , you WILL @#$@k this game and answer the call.. don't expect to be suspended over it. Lets make this clear, the AFK policy should change. IF not in pathing or any kind of auto play if agro hits an afk player, there should be nothing wrong with that. The player(s) die.. back to bind they go. IF these players survive an afk attack (Auto playing).. suspend them. Going afk to look something up, use the restroom, get a cup of coffee, answer a call, aid your child.. is not a suspension offence. There MUST be in-game GM's. You must check out first before answering a petition ( these players are afk ) but are they killing? or just afk? IF you want to keep players, if you want to keep having that monthly fee paid, ease off on the suspensions for stupid reasons. I have been suspended for a stupid reason in the past. (It was NOT afk playing). For a player to have the freedom to get up, get a sandwich and drink, do the dishes and come back to just standing at Big Fort out of agro.. still alive, not afk playin, would be stupid to be suspended for. 100% correct. So the result, is now GM's are just hitting the suspension button any report of afk? Don't misunderstand me, I have been impressed with the last two petitions I have done on the AFK players I found, within minutes the entire team instantly dead and off line. Impressive work. BUT I have the experience on a proper petition, recording and documenting the afk kills. This out of hand situation with 3rd party programs sure does cause a lot of clean up in the end with the bot 24/7 players. I have seen petitions closed with the player still playing afk (mage pet killing with clr merc in FM ) and yet he still comes back to his same /location and does it over and over.. must be he is boxing and replies to the gm tells you: . But that is still not right to afk over night 24 hrs playing .. ie: gets away with it and goes to sleep. There is a need for a meeting upon the GM's and start to enforce the rules of 3rd party programs, and 24/7 afk killing. Chen whats up? Why is this 3rd party topic always ignored. How many more threads do we need?
I don't know what the rules are over on Aradune. Looks like some folks using some program to aid them in boxing. As one noted in that videos comment section A live player comes up and states that person "just trained our group." That isn't cool.
You won't get your full 'reason why' until you are back on that account, and petition to ask details. Please let us know when you do. I would like it if you could tell us if you had any combat when afk. I have come back from using the restroom to my Cleric Merc being 70% mana and we both alive (still under attack). I have even seen my Cleric Merc swing a few times lol. Sure hope I don't get suspended for going pee.
