When is it OK to AFK? - Revisiting an old topic

[Trevor Boyer.6524]

We had a good thread going about this awhile back. Instead of necroing it, I figured I'd just make a new thread.

When is it OK to AFK in a game? Before we had players discussing their points of view on this. Some players discussing point ratios and yada yada, all this different stuff. During a conversation I had with another player today, I had noticed the perfect way to explain this, and what I feel is the actual right & just way to judge "when it's ok to AFK".

It's real simple and it has nothing to do with point values. I will keep playing if my team can AT LEAST accomplish this:

1. Get back to a node.
2. Decap it.
3. Put up a reasonable team fight that is at least worth the learning experience. What I mean is, even if it is clear that we will lose, if the team is at least surviving long enough for them to be able to learn something in those team fights so they can advance their play from it, I'll keep playing with them so they can gain that experience.

However, if this is happening:

1. Can't even get back to a node without getting farmed.
2. Can't manage to decap anything or sometimes doesn't even care about going to the nodes.
3. Explodes on contact in under 2 seconds from any combat engagement, this is when I AFK. Because they aren't even able to play the map to learn anything about rotations and they are getting mulched so fast that they aren't going to learn anything from the combats either. This is the point where I think to myself: "Just let this match end so we can go to the next" because there is no value in the match at all for anyone involved. It's not even fun for the people who are winning in the blowout because the match is too easy.

In these situations, I feel like AFKing is the proper thing to do for everyone involved, so we can all go to the next.

Edited September 9, 2023 by Trevor Boyer.6524

[bethekey.8314]

If someone threw previous games, said bannable kitten, or queued into a team game without knowing the basics (3v0s points, never rotates), then it's not worth the time or effort imo. Some level of mutual respect is required.

[aranyics.8256]

I think AFK-ing is never OK.

It can be considered when a ranger 1v1's you to death from downstate. But still, salt does not make it OK. If you don't feel like doing your best whatever happens, you should call that a day I think.

Also, you still can give kills for the opponent for 5 points each. 😉

 

[Bast.7253]

When you've won 2-5 games in a row, get into a match with recognizable names and you're on a team full of people you've never seen before. Then - 5 minutes in realize that everyone is going in different directions, getting insta-downed, or just avoiding any semblance of teamplay. 

You can typically tell about 5 minutes into a match if you have a chance. 

When you're getting spawn-camped by sweats and you'd rather sit in the base and make it as boring as possible so they don't get any ego boosts. I don't care if the match takes longer. GOOD. 

[Wild.1705]

How about, "Am I having fun?" or "Am I wasting my time?"

I am not here to be argumentative, but rather to bring another perspective to the table.

Although I can understand having a checklist such as

2 hours ago, Trevor Boyer.6524 said:

• Get back to a node.
• Decap it.
• Put up a reasonable team fight that is at least worth the learning experience. What I mean is, even if it is clear that we will lose, if the team is at least surviving long enough for them to be able to learn something in those team fights so they can advance their play from it, I'll keep playing with them so they can gain that experience.

and if these conditions are not met I will afk mentality, it is not applicable to everyone.

GW2 is a videogame. People play it to have fun and if that stops happening, why should a person keep playing?

Personally, part of the fun is the chance to win. When down 200+ points I'm almost always over the match with very few exceptions. I have had people cuss me out when I afk in these situations, but there are very few games in which a turnaround can occur with such a large point deficit. At minimum if a win is to occur @Trevor Boyer.6524's list above will have to be met. Most of the time I'm just not having fun by this point and am already watching videos on Youtube.

[Azure The Heartless.3261]

Afking is only okay if the majority of your team no longer wishes to play and cant push out of spawn. If your team is trying to flip it, its your duty to support them. It will be better for everyone involved if you make an attempt to support, even if that effort is reclaiming home. You joined an mmo to play with others. If you wanna reset immediately you need to consider that you're worsening the experience for whoever is making an effort.

If you had a bad point experience because you got 3v1ed one time or some pretentious bs like that, you shouldn't take it upon yourself to be the reason the team wipes. Save that for single player.

Edited September 10, 2023 by Azure The Heartless.3261

[magickthief.6492]

If you want to afk, finish the match and quit for the day.  Leave the match if you want to afk, give your team mates more than 60s though.

[Ronin.4501]

I say do whatever you want. At this point there are only like 10-15 players left who actually care about PvP. The rest of us are just trying to get our dailies and weeklies finished. And as for Anet? They gave up on the game mode years ago.

[Mount Mazama.2917]

I would say if you sign up to play a game, stopping in the middle because you are "not having fun" is childish and rude. Don't agree to a match. No one wants to play monopoly, chess, poker, etc with the guy who just walks out in the middle of the game because he isn't winning, no one would ever invite you to play with them in person. It's really negative and selfish behavior. It's even worse in this case because we have no choice but to play with you, we can't even play with a full group of people with sportsmanship if we wanted to.

Edited September 10, 2023 by Libera Simio.1592

[ixon.2496]

6 minutes ago, Libera Simio.1592 said:

I would say if you sign up to play a game, stopping in the middle because you are "not having fun" is childish and rude. Don't agree to a match. No one wants to play monopoly, chess, poker, etc with the guy who just walks out in the middle of the game because he isn't winning, no one would ever invite you to play with them in person. It's really negative and selfish behavior. It's even worse in this case because we have no choice but to play with you, we can't even play with a full group of people with sportsmanship if we wanted to.

Until anet removes duo queue or just let's people 5 man again. There is no point giving a kitten, the population and attitude sucks because anet neglected pvp and burned it to the ground. 

Players have so little agency on the outcome of matches I don't blame them for not wasting their energy on a lost cause. Just farm your rewards and call it a day.

 

[Mount Mazama.2917]

Yeah I think if that is the outlook just do not play it. There are other ways to farm things. No one is forcing anyone to play it at all. If your attitude and outlook is that bleak maybe it is a sign you should be doing something else with your time. Anet is not making anyone search for a match and they are not the cause of having poor sportsmanship. I agree they could support the game mode better but they don't. If you don't like it don't play it.

Edited September 10, 2023 by Libera Simio.1592

[ixon.2496]

1 minute ago, Libera Simio.1592 said:

Yeah I think if that is the outlook just do not play it. There are other ways to farm things. No one is forcing anyone to play it at all. If you attitude and outlook in bleak maybe it is a sign you should be doing something else with your time.

Nah, I'm too far into getting my second legendary pvp armor set. And FYI I like PvP, when it's a fair match up, win or lose. Not my fault the matchmaking sucks.

[Mount Mazama.2917]

Right, it's only your fault if you go into games and tell yourself it's okay to quit halfway through. It's not a good thing to do, as I said it is selfish and childish. It's that simple. No one likes when you do that except you since the selfish aspect. This whole argument is "my time is more important than other people's experiences." which is selfish, and something that generally children do before they understand fully the repercussions of their negative actions on those around them. You are free to disagree but it does not change that.

I will also point out that this negative behavior drives the player base down and lowers the chances of this game mode being supported.

Edited September 10, 2023 by Libera Simio.1592

[ixon.2496]

52 minutes ago, Libera Simio.1592 said:

Right, it's only your fault if you go into games and tell yourself it's okay to quit halfway through. It's not a good thing to do, as I said it is selfish and childish. It's that simple. No one likes when you do that except you since the selfish aspect. This whole argument is "my time is more important than other people's experiences." which is selfish, and something that generally children do before they understand fully the repercussions of their negative actions on those around them. You are free to disagree but it does not change that.

I will also point out that this negative behavior drives the player base down and lowers the chances of this game mode being supported.

Too little too late. The experience was already ruined, people just like a scapegoat rather than accept PvP is a broken mess.

[Shagie.7612]

surely this thread won't be full of people justifying afking because it's okay and totally different when they do it

[stormemperor.3745]

300 vs 450 they can camp 1 node at worse, don't bother

50 vs 300 if you couldn't come back till now, you aren't gonna come back

4 vs 5 players mid to late with 50-100 difference behind.

0 vs 150 ain't gonna happen no

Some necro complains about getting aimed and starts to afk,

Troll warrior roaming map doing nothing.

Pick your poison

[aymnad.9023]

To me it never is ok to afk or to look for a reason to be.

I have recovered from all the situations described above on many occasions and also lost despite being in the team having the advantage. I even had people saying “ok I afk because X” suddenly come back once they realized that we were starting to win without them.

Edited September 10, 2023 by aymnad.9023

[Gotejjeken.1267]

AFK is never the right thing, it's a coward move--and shows you'd purposefully d/c to 'get to the next game quicker' if they didn't punish that.

9 hours ago, Trevor Boyer.6524 said:

Put up a reasonable team fight that is at least worth the learning experience. What I mean is, even if it is clear that we will lose, if the team is at least surviving long enough for them to be able to learn something in those team fights so they can advance their play from it, I'll keep playing with them so they can gain that experience.

How about carry them so you win the team fights? Many, MANY times team fights are lost because of elitists ignoring downs (even on support builds with built in rez mechanics) and ignoring newer players, not calling things out in chat (i.e. go far, stay home, go mid, etc.) or just like straight dipping on a 2v2 if it looks like the partner is slightly weaker.

9 hours ago, Trevor Boyer.6524 said:

Explodes on contact in under 2 seconds from any combat engagement, this is when I AFK.

Not a good look; take soulbeast for example--many people explode on contact to that in 2s because very few know how to avoid the burst like that.  So, what does one do? Field the soulbeast for the rest of the team, and then they don't explode on contact anymore.  You don't AFK lol...because if you can't field it then they're better than you and you deserve to lose.

7 hours ago, Wild.1705 said:

How about, "Am I having fun?" or "Am I wasting my time?"

Unless you are playing only 2v2 / 3v3 / 5v5 tournaments with known teammates you will be 'wasting your time' 70/80% of the time.  Can cut that down if you DuoQ with a known partner, probably to 30-40% of the time.  That doesn't mean you should AFK--it just weak minded.

Seriously, I get GW2 is 'just a game' but thought lines like some in this topic are why a lot of times the world in general goes south.  But, especially in GW2--if you can't or won't carry then either accept your ranking falling and move on or get better so you can carry.  

Because, carrying isn't as hard as you'd think.  Just need to do map mechanics in most maps or know when not to do them and just keep taking nodes to ensure points.  Also knowing how not to die yourself is probably the biggest boon for a team, as even a bad team can rally behind someone that knows how to kite and run the enemy around a bit.  Hell, I've had teams see my 'Dame of the Arena' tag (or any 'X of the arena tag') and get instant morale boost--really isn't hard.

Sure, there are games you will get smashed even if playing your head off.  That's fine, because it's impossible to win all the time (unless you are part of the GW2llumanti and go like 200-1 on the rankings...).  

[ixon.2496]

Gotta love all the copium huffing here, pretending there's an ounce of integrity left in pvp. Anet doesn't care about the game mode, you'll get through the stages of grief eventually. Denial is a tricky one though.

[Bazsi.2734]

Wow you guys are making this needlessly complicated. It's not okay to AFK unless your team is getting roflstomped. That's it.

[Luthan.5236]

I have no rule that I use strictly. I know some are against it in general. Others are pretty easy to go afk. And of course the comebacks from an 100 vs 300 (for example) can happen.

In general it is when later in the game (from a bad start) no adapting to the situation does happen. Same losing tactics over and over again. Also when team members start to argue in chat. (Then in 90 percent of the cases it means the loss is guaruanteed and they might even turn a balanced game into a matchup if they only do typing and annoy others - distracting you to read the chat instead of playing.) Then I think afk is okay.

Also if mid-game the enemy team does "adapt" and you do not counter it. When you were at 300 vs 100 and the enemy team catches up and you are at a 350 vs 450 I would not even try anymore lol. Just to easy for the other team to get the remaining 50. (In that case I usually still try to move around a bit to not seem afk - since it won't be long anymore anyways.)

A super annoying thing (most annoying in game imho) where I still try to play (trying to make up for the other members): Capping and moving a way to instantly get it decapped + not intercepting (all at mid even letting a slow enemy crouch slooooowly towards close ignoring them).

I always say: Attacking can prevent you from losing the game. (Preventing others from tick more/faster towards their win.) Defending can make you win the game. (Securing you some points while the defended node ticks.) Most thing they just need to cap, cap, cap + farm kills. Even as a bad fighter you can still delay until someone notices stuff at the mini map (maybe ping it additionally) - when no one else "intercepts" the enemy decappers.

[Trevor Boyer.6524]

1 hour ago, Bazsi.2734 said:

It's not okay to AFK unless your team is getting roflstomped.

Yes but this is where the debate lies. "Define roflstomped".

 

[Bazsi.2734]

14 minutes ago, Trevor Boyer.6524 said:

Yes but this is where the debate lies. "Define roflstomped".

 

When score-wise there is no difference between tryharding or not trying at all. As I've said, this is really simple.

Edited September 10, 2023 by Bazsi.2734

[Dadnir.5038]

When is it OK to AFK? In the PvP lobby or in one of the PvE cities. Otherwise, you're supposed to be playing, you're not supposed to be afk.

I understand that it can be disheartening to be on the losing side of the game but going afk because things aren't going as one want them going is not a valid reason to throw the game and just go AFK.

[Dreams.3128]

I know exactly who to put on my block list now whenever I find it in me to actually queue in rank. Christ almighty, the amount of blatant admittance to afking is just mind boggling lmao.

Edited September 10, 2023 by Dreams.3128