Heist AFK players are violating the Terms or Service. Why aren't they being punished?

[Swashbuckler_Ray_XVI]

Official Terms of Service link.

When we started to play the game, we all agreed to the Terms of Service outlined in the hyperlink above.

Players that AFK during a Heist are in direct violation of the Terms and Service, yet PerBlue continues to allow those players to play the game.

As outlined in the Terms of Service, these are the bullet points Heist AFK players are in direct violation of:

• physically or emotionally harm other Users;

• disparage, tarnish, or otherwise harm, in PerBlue’s opinion, the Game and/or PerBlue including its owners and employees;

• engage in cheating or any other activity deemed by PerBlue to be in conflict with the spirit or intent of the Game.

AFK players in Heist has been the number one complaint about Heist since the day it was released, yet PerBlue continues to allow it. Why is PerBlue continuing to allow players to violate the ToS without punishment?

[ReapersFuryX]

This is reaching a little far. You may be able to say being afk isn’t the way it was intended to play, but then that same thing could be said about many things people do.

I’m sure they didn’t intend for people to stack missions for upcoming events by finding a workaround to how they are claimed, and many of the other little things we’ve found like that.

Being afk isn’t unique to this game, the same happens in any team based online game… If you play CoD and 1 person camps and does nothing but the team wins, did they break a rule?

Is it annoying? Absolutely, and we need something done about it, but it’s highly doubtful that it would be considered violating ToS

[Swashbuckler_Ray_XVI]

it’s highly doubtful that it would be considered violating ToS

Please explain your reasoning behind this comment.

I provided three different bullet points that AFK players in Heist are in direct violation of, according to the Terms of Service that each and every player agreed to.

[ReapersFuryX]

• physically or emotionally harm other Users;

• disparage, tarnish, or otherwise harm, in PerBlue’s opinion, the Game and/or PerBlue including its owners and employees;

• engage in cheating or any other activity deemed by PerBlue to be in conflict with the spirit or intent of the Game.

They aren’t harming anybody

They aren’t tarnishing the game. This is one game mode, and that mode includes a way for people to completely avoid this problem. if you choose not to use it, thats your decision. In over 200 heists I have never had a single issue with afk, because I don’t put myself in that situation.

The 3rd was explained in my last post. Again if you want them to be that strict about the ToS, 75+% of players would be banned from the game for not doing things exactly as they had planned when designing it. While the wording may allow it, that section was obviously meant for cheats/hacks/influencing the game using outside factors

[Pollx]

Stop doing public heists, obviously. Problem solved.

[Dafreakzo]

Being afk isn’t unique to this game, the same happens in any team based online game… If you play CoD and 1 person camps and does nothing but the team wins, did they break a rule?

Justifying inappropriate behavior by stating it happens on other games is kinda silly. Just sayin.

In over 200 heists I have never had a single issue with afk, because I don’t put myself in that situation.

Just because it doesn’t happen to you doesn’t mean it is not an ongoing problem for others. Both of your post’s seem pretty self serving and selfish imo. Perhaps try thinking about other people who are actually encountering this issue?

[Swashbuckler_Ray_XVI]

They aren’t harming anybody

As outlined in the Terms of Service: Emotionally harm other Users. Nothing physical has to happen to be emotionally harmed. Players should not be pissed off and frustrated with the game because of other players that are continually allowed to violate the Terms of Service.

They aren’t tarnishing the game.

What?! Their continued allowance to AFK during a Heist has a direct impact of enjoyment of the game. I look forward to everything in the game, every day, except Heist. Other players are in the same situation. This is a direct result due to players that are continually allowed to AFK during the Heist without punishment.

In over 200 heists I have never had a single issue with afk, because I don’t put myself in that situation.

You do not represent every other player in the game.

Again if you want them to be that strict about the ToS, 75+% of players would be banned from the game for not doing things exactly as they had planned when designing it.

They are extremely strict about violating of the guidelines set regarding the use of chat. This is evidence by the number of users that feel they have been wrongly silenced. (Take note that I am NOT one of those players.)

Stop doing public heists, obviously. Problem solved.

Unfortunately, this isn’t always an option for me, and many other players.

[ReapersFuryX]

Not justifying it, I said being annoying and saying it violates the ToS is a huge difference.

Selfish seriously? it’s like you didn’t actually read what the posts said. Everyone in the game has the option to do a private heist and avoid random afk. If you choose not to, its 100% your decision.

[ReapersFuryX]

Chat guidelines are completely different. Saying rude and vulgar things in chat that kids see is a whole different scenario then not moving a character.

While it may not be ideal, it IS 100% always a choice. You control who’s on your friends list. you don’t need to find top players in order to do heist. Go to any of the chats and just ask who wants to do one, add those people and make it a private heist instead of open to public

[Swashbuckler_Ray_XVI]

Not justifying it, I said being annoying and saying it violates the ToS is a huge difference.

You still haven’t provided any reason as to how AFK players are NOT violating the Terms of Service, as outlined in this hyperlink.

All you’re doing is providing alternatives on how to avoid players that continually AFK during a Heist and continue to violate the Terms of Service.

You need to accept the fact that not all players play the game the same way you can/do.

[Caster]

As outlined in the Terms of Service, these are the bullet points Heist AFK players are in direct violation of:

• physically or emotionally harm other Users;
• disparage, tarnish, or otherwise harm, in PerBlue’s opinion, the Game and/or PerBlue including its owners and employees;
• engage in cheating or any other activity deemed by PerBlue to be in conflict with the spirit or intent of the Game.

The 2nd & 3rd bullets, I’m throwing out into the wind because of key words (“In Perblue’s opinion”, “deemed by PerBlue”). We can’t declare that being AFK is a violation because … We aren’t PerBlue. We don’t actually know what PerBlue is thinking or what data they’re pulling from.

• Are there complaints? Too many.
• Is it frustrating? Obviously.
• Are there other circumstances that need to be considered? Yes.
  Maybe their phones died, maybe they were playing another game mode & weren’t aware of Heist starting, maybe they got a phone call/called away to do something, maybe someone stole their phone, maybe they dropped it in the toilet, etc etc.

I’m not defending AFKers by any means, but if you’re going to do public heist with people you don’t know, you have to be prepared for circumstances you’re unaware of. Like you said, this isn’t a new problem, but if you’re doing the same thing over & over again, expecting different results … I’m not sure what to tell you.

Although kicking isn’t an option while Heist is in session, there are ways to avoid an AFKer from the lobby:

• Host Private Heists & manually invite Guildies, Friends, or folks in Global/VIP who respond to & add you.
• Don’t start Heist until you have a group you’re confident will cooperate.
• Type out passcodes that need to be said by every member before starting.
• Instruct your group that if they want/need to AFK, to sit their heroes on Diamonds before leaving.

In regards to the emotional instability caused by AFKers … The same can be said about casual players in active guilds. It can be frustrating ensuring your members follow your guild’s rules, Check-In, do Surge, or talk. Are we able to ban them from the game forever because they aren’t being a good guildie? No, but we can choose to kick them or keep them. Which brings me to my next point:

Why is PerBlue continuing to allow players to violate the ToS AFK without punishment?

Because, their immediate priority after releasing Heist was to get Guild Wars out, which they now have. I imagine their priorities now are optimizing War & doling out their solution to this exact Heist problem (as was promised at the bottom of these Patch Notes).

[Champion_David]

• physically or emotionally harm other Users;

• disparage, tarnish, or otherwise harm, in PerBlue’s opinion, the Game and/or PerBlue including its owners and employees;

• engage in cheating or any other activity deemed by PerBlue to be in conflict with the spirit or intent of the Game.

Ok… Nope nope nope. Get your emotions in check for the fiest one. Annd after that, It is in PERBLUE’s opinion not the players of the game. If Perblue doesbt think they violated it,then they didnt violate it.

End of story.

[Buttercup5]

I got booted for very hard heist for being active. I think it should revert back to where it was. Sorry. Gamertag hulk23 abused that power from group citadels of ricks.

[Enchanter_Boo]

Yikes that’s my server I’ll make sure not to join one of there

[Buttercup5]

Or server time out if idle… suppose to be fun game