AFK displayed above avatar / Trading symbol above avatars in Trade

Chad · May 2020

HI Staff,

Another suggestion that can hopefully be implemented by Anniversary which I think is really easy to implement.

If anyone says "AFK" can we have it display AFK above their he.add until they either speak/move/wave/dance/use magic again? This is a really helpful feature that is in VMK and allows people to know if you are away from the computer or busy and not ignoring them. I can't count how many times people thought I was ignoring them.

ALSO:

Can we display a little trading symbol or even simply say IN-TRADE above our avatars heads? I feel this is also easy to implement and would DRASTICALLY improve the game.

Implementing these would make this the best VFK anniversary for me!

@VFK_Mintie @VFK_Brizzie @VFK_Vintage @VFK_staff @VFK_Sky @VFK_Nitro @VFK_Tazz @VFK_Enigma @VFK_Cactus @VFK_

thelolipopyyy · May 2020

I agree !! It will be so much easier i hope VFK listens so players can stay

HBforever · May 2020

Wow. The suggestions I see for these games are genius. xD But I totally agree. I hope they take it into consideration!

Raven_Of_Asgard · May 2020

Awesome ideas! I've lost track of the amount of times i've tried to get someone's attention and couldn't tell if they were afk or if I was just having lag, LOL. And definitely would be useful to tell if someone's in a trade already, especially in the trade rooms and such.

millsfan · May 2020

This would be awesome, I am on board for this. I imagine the afk symbol would pop up automatically if you go unactive for a certain amount of minutes? Perhaps you could mark being afk manually if you want...so if you go afk before the system senses youve been unactive, you could ensure people see youre afk from the moment you leave the computer.

I.Am.Chalk · May 2020

Yes I'd love this!!

MagentaDream · May 2020

This is good, but I don't like the idea of everyone knowing I'm AFK etc. It feels like an invasion of privacy. One of the reasons I love VFK is because of it's anonymity. I'm not downing this idea, I just hope VFK adds it as an option like broadcasting your location.

MGMT · May 2020

@millsfan yea I forgot to add that, the system should automatically detect if you’ve been inactive as well and display it for you.

@MagentaDream that’s fair. I would prefer an option to at least mark ourselves afk.

Lily_Hoshikawa · May 2020

I think if you are afk for longer than 5 minutes than that is when it should show that you are afk

Flamanar · May 2020

Love it. Optional works for me (options typically allow a happy medium between those who like something and those that don't). I've seen it work on other games and it's handy.

Flame

Chad · May 2020

BUMP!!

GIFT · June 2020

I like the ideas! But I have some thoughts as well and I will explain as clearly as possible. There will be 2 sides I can glean from this. I'll start with the negative first then the positive! :D

NEGATIVES

1. IN TRADE Status to BUSY Status - Instead of saying specifically 'IN TRADE', I'd rather it say 'BUSY'. Here's my reasoning:

a.) Trading Differences - There might be a situation where someone announced an offer and the person you're supposed to trade with jumped on that deal even though they promised something to you. Therefore resulting in a jealousy outcome. Now this could also be good because then you see someone's true colors.

b.) The specificity might result in a drama. For me, vagueness is better than specifics sometimes. And I believe talking directly in IM about the offer is better than finding out this way, status wise.

c.) Privacy - like what Purr said about anonymity, I agree. I don't think it's anyone's business if one is in trade. Again it will complicate some beforehand business transactions and so forth.

2. AFK Status to instant log off - Now bear with me on this. :D I have times when I forget I've been logged in and AFK for hours. And sometimes I wish, there was an instant log off option like bank websites do - they just log off people instantly.

I do know this is complicated as there will be people that could IM one's avatar while it is online and if they do log it off, they will miss the IM.

Maybe set a timer - 5 minutes AFK, instant log off. Strict but effective. Wise? Eh, we shall see. I do like it.

The reason I won't like the AFK status:
1. Lots of people are already AFK in map, garden and anywhere. I don't need to read a status on top of their forehead to know.

2. If there's a bunch of clone accounts with an AFK status turning on and in an animated way, I think it will create lag. Unless they just change colors then that might be less lag but we're gonna see a lot of black and white avatars, lol.

3. What about HOST HUNTS? It will give away that a person is AFK and would it be an advantage or a disadvantage?

POSITIVES

Trade Status:

1. This is helpful for newbies in trading. It will inform them that the trading game is strong.

2. You can save someone from jumping into a bad deal. If you ever wanna go that far.

3. It's an advantage during host hunts.

Admittedly this situation has so many negatives and positives that maybe I have left out but these are the ones that jump to me at the moment. :O I hope I explained them thoroughly. So that's just what I think. Thanks for letting me voice my side!!!

Zoee · June 2020

I think the biggest positive to displaying trading symbols is knowing that someone is not afk and just taking up space in the trade room/any room for that matter when the occupancy is reaching it's limit. When rooms are full and the owner does an "afk check" it's impossible to respond while in a trade, and it's incredibly frustrating to be booted mid-trade especially when doing a large trade. I don't really agree with any of the negatives for a trading symbol. I think if you are offended by anybody's trades or who they are trading, maybe you should re-evaluate some things. And if you require anonymity to trade someone (for whatever reason) there is always the option to go to a private room to do so.

Like in other games, displaying an "afk" symbol over one's head *only* when they say "afk" is probably the best move. It shows that the person has intent to come back. If a person is inactive and doesn't have "afk" or a trading symbol displayed above their head, I think that would give the room owner a reason to perhaps clear them out of the room. Alternatively, perhaps saying "afk" could trigger a timer, and a green "afk" symbol could appear for someone who has been afk for 5 minutes or less, a yellow one for 5-15 minutes, and a red "afk" symbol for anyone who has been inactive for 15+ minutes. I think this could also help the room owner's judgement.

I personally don't agree with the auto-log off after a few minutes. This would be pretty problematic if, say, you log on clones to do quests and get unexpectedly busy for a few minutes and come back to all your accounts logged off. Standing in public rooms while afk doesn't really affect anybody negatively so I don't see why auto log-off would be necessary.

In conclusion, I support these requests.

Flamanar · June 2020

...adding that an AFK symbol or status (static, not animated) could be an 'optional' feature. Just like the 'broadcast location' option we already have (and I use many times). I'm speaking specifically about the AFK suggestions here...not 'trading'.

'Trading' status could be very problematic.

Auto-logoff could also be an option, like the 'broadcast location' option. People would have to bear the responsiblity of turning their options on/off, obviously. Just my take on it.

Flame

Zoee · June 2020

Flamanar said:
...adding that an AFK symbol or status (static, not animated) could be an 'optional' feature. Just like the 'broadcast location' option we already have (and I use many times). I'm speaking specifically about the AFK suggestions here...not 'trading'.

'Trading' status could be very problematic.

Auto-logoff could also be an option, like the 'broadcast location' option. People would have to bear the responsiblity of turning their options on/off, obviously. Just my take on it.

Flame

Nothing wrong with making things optional! If an auto-log off feature were to be implemented I would greatly hope it were optional, being as activities that require longer waiting times — like waiting in the maze or collecting angora and other crafting supplies — would require a significantly greater amount of attention.

I still don’t see issues with a trading symbol, or how it could be ‘very problematic’, as it’s been a feature in pretty much every game I’ve played that is similar in style to VFK and I’ve never thought twice about it. Maybe it’s because I’ve never used it to ‘eavesdrop’ on who is trading who, and rather as a way to tell who’s busy. Surely there is no harm in making it an optional feature as well. Use (or not use) at your own risk, I guess.

bluewiz · June 2020

I like this idea! I think its always been something VFK has needed: I remember many times in the past where I was juggling multiple trades and/or talking to someone when a trade window popped up and I would low-key hope that someone would IM me while the window was opened so I had some means of messaging someone (granted: this problem has been removed in some capacity since EA client)

I am, and always have, very big on VFK making various quality of life updates (ex: VFK giving us a clickable zoo map, being able to uncombine FX, buying multiple items, pressing enter to mass-store items, storing from inventory search). I dont think its in the developer's scope to be considering the social implications of adding this feature. Yes, if issues arise that demands overwhelming attention (I cant think of any though) then maybe they'll need to intervene. The "social negatives" i.e. wanting a trade to be private, eavesdropping, etc. I think are all up to the individual as to whether or not they want to be acting that way. If it isn't a bug or a glitch regarding this feature, the developers shouldn't have to factor players' specific personalities--I guess my outlook is more utilitarian in this regard, but I think we all should be when it comes to game updates/features/fixes. The playerbase can and will shift through time, but the game and its hardware is what for sure sticks around, and thats how it should be developed.

Auntie_Skybluepink · July 2020

I THINK IT WOULD BE NEAT IF VFK COULD MAKE AN EAGLE HEADDRESS, LIKE IN FASHION OF THIS RING! I HAVE TWO MORE PICS... I SAW THIS AND THOUGHT, WOW! WONDER IF VFK COULD MAKE THIS? KIND OF LIKE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN, ONLY NOT. SORT OF A HELMET/HEADDRESS TYPE OF THING. AWESOME DESIGN HERE. FOUND THIS ON WISH.

Auntie_Skybluepink · July 2020

RING FOR HEADDRESS IDEA

Auntie_Skybluepink · July 2020

3RD PIC.

Auntie_Skybluepink · July 2020

OOPS. GOT DEVELOPER IDEAS RIGHT! ON ABOVE MY ENTRY, I DO THINK AFK OPTION GOOD IDEA AS CHOICE. ALSO A RED /GREEN SPINNING DOT TO SHOW ACTIVE TRADES.

Flamanar · July 2020

Zoee said:

Flamanar said:
...adding that an AFK symbol or status (static, not animated) could be an 'optional' feature. Just like the 'broadcast location' option we already have (and I use many times). I'm speaking specifically about the AFK suggestions here...not 'trading'.

'Trading' status could be very problematic.

Auto-logoff could also be an option, like the 'broadcast location' option. People would have to bear the responsiblity of turning their options on/off, obviously. Just my take on it.

Flame
Nothing wrong with making things optional! If an auto-log off feature were to be implemented I would greatly hope it were optional, being as activities that require longer waiting times — like waiting in the maze or collecting angora and other crafting supplies — would require a significantly greater amount of attention.

I still don’t see issues with a trading symbol, or how it could be ‘very problematic’, as it’s been a feature in pretty much every game I’ve played that is similar in style to VFK and I’ve never thought twice about it. Maybe it’s because I’ve never used it to ‘eavesdrop’ on who is trading who, and rather as a way to tell who’s busy. Surely there is no harm in making it an optional feature as well. Use (or not use) at your own risk, I guess.

Zoee, I'm not a trader, and rarely trade anything. So the intricacies of trading and the nuances and whatnot are foreign to me. Perhaps I shouldn't have commented on the Trade indicator part of the post. I will let the people more familiar with trading sort it out. Sorry about that.

For any of the other suggestions, I've always been fond of 'options'. If you like something, enable it. If you hate it, disable it. It's your choice. Freedom of choice is a beautiful thing, and usually keeps most people happy. ;)

Flame

Auntie_Skybluepink · July 2020

ONE THING I HAVE NOTED, MUCH TO THEIR CREDIT, AND I SEE IT OFTEN, IS WHEN SOME PLAYERS GO AFK, THEY FACE A WALL. YES CLONES. BUT I HAVE EVEN DONE THIS. OR I MAY SIT AT GREEN DRAGON TAVERN, QUAKE, OR A BENCH IF I HAVE TO GO AFK. BUT...AT TIMES I HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP! * VFK NOT AT FAULT*

I HAVE FOUND THAT PPL DO NOT ALWAYS LOOK AT ONLINE STATUS, UNLESS VERY FAMILIAR WITH GAME. EVEN THEN ITS IFFY.

YES, I HAVE GOT MESSAGES WHILE AFK, I READ THEM WHEN I RETURN. SOMETIMES, IVE MISSED AN EVENT! LOL!! NOT A HAPPY THING, BUT AT LEAST I KNOW IF I HAVE TIME TO TRY TO GET IN.

AFK displayed above avatar / Trading symbol above avatars in Trade

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