Standing at brokers for days

[Mystfit]

There is this uber cool toon standing at  the brokers. Been there for days. I noticed it cause the item is their symbol slot was sweet, so I did a quick inspect to see what it was. All decked out this toon, I tells ya (envy envy). Anyway, they're still there days later. No biggie, people can stand there all they want so people like me can slobber on their clothes I guess <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> What has me wondering is  why aren't they afk? THere's no afk flag which one would think there should be considering they haven't budged <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> Snicker-I've gone afk in the time it takes to write this message <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Kendricke]

<p>They don't have the option for automatic AFK flagging turned on?  I know I had mine off for some time.</p>

[Mareth]

I'm often at the broker overnight with no afk on, because I forgot to do /afk, and is too lazy to close the game when going to bed <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Mystfit]

Ah, I didn't know you could turn the afk thing on and off. I'll go poke around a bit. I was curious cause I use a second toon as a mentor spot (to turn in quests for AA) and more specifically to try and get chest quest drops and I get tired of him following me around with his afk flag on. I mean, the slacker can't even pick up a weapon to help me out now and again but I find it sorta braggy to ADVERTIZE he's a good for nothing <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Aenielle]

Death at keyboard, and not even an afk tag for any one to notice... <img src="/smilies/385970365b8ed7503b4294502a458efa.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> 

[Novusod]

Maybe he is not afk but continuely buying and selling stuff through the broker. You can make a lot of coin doing that.

[Rokaab]

<cite>Novusod wrote:</cite><blockquote>Maybe he is not afk but continuely buying and selling stuff through the broker. You can make a lot of coin doing that. </blockquote>Possible, but I know if I'm buying or setting prices on the broker my auto-afk still comes on (after however long its set for) automatically when I'm quite blatently there setting prices.

[Pelda]

Ha thats funny I didn't even know there was an auto afk flag.  

[Sphiriah]

Peldaar@Venekor wrote: <blockquote>Ha thats funny I didn't even know there was an auto afk flag.   </blockquote>Same here.

[CoLD MeTaL]

<p>Probably a broker bot, /report him and let them investigate.</p><p>If he isn't nothing happens, if he is score 1 for your team.</p>

[Mirul]

If anyone is on the BB server go to wayfarer's stockpiler in WW and check out the level 1 toon that's been standing there for MONTHS...  I checked out the name on the players site and this toon was created in September 2006 and all she does is stand right beside the broker.  Not matter what time of day or nite I log on she's there.  I think it's kind of a waste of a character slot but that's just my opinion.

[Tallika_Runwithbears]

i turn auto afk off in any game i can.  very annoying feature.

[Savanja]

My auto AFK is off. And the guy is probably cybering his pixelated girlfriend.

[JamesRay]

<p>Could be a broker bot.</p><p>I know on bazaar we have tradeskillers who spend 100% of their time in TS zones either crafting stuff or standing at the broker auto-adjusting their prices or buying things.</p><p>Not really a good way to tell for sure though without interaction or reporting, and there are many instances of people who play here and there while they do things around the house, so you could end up barking up the wrong tree.</p>

[Rahatmattata]

<cite>Aenielle wrote:</cite><blockquote>Death at keyboard, and not even an afk tag for any one to notice... <img src="/smilies/385970365b8ed7503b4294502a458efa.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> </blockquote> I used to play FFXI and there was some guy I sorta knew and grouped with a few times standing in the same place by the auction house for about a week. Turned out he died IRL while his toon was online. Kinda wierd...

[Arbreth]

<p>I know of a couple of larger guilds that have a toon work the broker for the guild.  They sell items for the guild or purchase stuff for crafters or other players that are not in a position to reach a broker, but can get to a mailbox.</p><p><shrug></p><p>One is a low level character, the other is a high level that may otherwise be retired.</p><p>Me?  I do all that stuff for my folk by hand, but then I do not have an extra slot or PC free!</p>

[Ram]

Why would a broker bot sit in the TS instance where everyone could see him and get suspicious? Wouldn't it be more purdent to set the broker bot up in his inn room?

[Lakaah]

<cite>Ram wrote:</cite><blockquote>Why would a broker bot sit in the TS instance where everyone could see him and get suspicious? Wouldn't it be more purdent to set the broker bot up in his inn room?</blockquote>Possibly because you can't make purchases from the market board in your house, I suppose. What the heck is a 'broker bot' anyway?

[Iseabeil]

<cite>Lakaah wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Ram wrote:</cite><blockquote>Why would a broker bot sit in the TS instance where everyone could see him and get suspicious? Wouldn't it be more purdent to set the broker bot up in his inn room?</blockquote>Possibly because you can't make purchases from the market board in your house, I suppose. What the heck is a 'broker bot' anyway? </blockquote> If you wanna do those things in private, ye can always get some faction coins and have access to a buyable broker in your very own private instance in one of the maj'dul courts. Standing in the public doing it is a choice, and Id guess the one mentioned by OP is more interested in showing off his gear.

[Galldora]

I have a toon from one of my accounts at the broker most of the time.  I have no idea where the feature is to turn on AFK automatically, and usually don' t bother to advertise whether I'm at the keyboard or not.  How does having a toon standing at the broker so you can occasionally check prices and buy and sell stuff make you a "broker bot"?

[Vukota]

I think if a player is AFK that long the game should log them out. This feature is used on WoW and I think it's a great idea. If anything it could help server performance.

[ashen1973]

<p>I quite often leave my main tradeskill character/sales character afk in the crafting instance (generally by the broker or by the woodworking table), sometimes for hours at a time. I didnt even know there was an auto-afk feature and have never had my AFk tags put up automatically.</p><p>I have had one tell from a player accusing me of botting while afk at the crafting table, when i returned to the keyboard and replied to them, pointing out that a bot would probably be a lot more useful if it was actually doing something, rather than standing still, i got no reply :p</p><p>On the other hand (and I am in no way accusing anyone mentioned in this or other posts of using any bots/exploits) I recently received an unsolicited email (out of game) advertising plat sales, power levelling, exploit tips and macro programs for various games. This mail included crafting bots, harvesting bots and broker bots. The mail was quite specific on what each program does and if they work as advertised i could see how they could be used to make coin or even to gouge the market severely.</p><p>I have sent a petition, including a copy of the mail, into CS and wating on a reply now.</p><p>I doubt there is anything SOE could do to stop the company selling these products directly. The only thing that may be possible (and i'm guessing here) is some sort of prosecution/lawsuit aimed at the site for use of copyright material (the EQ2 logo and game name is used several times in the mail).</p><p>But surely it must be possible to use some sort of script that looks for certain actions and if criteria is met then a live GM could monitor suspected characters to find out for sure.</p>

[JamesRay]

<p>A "broker bot" would be somebody who uses a third party program to do their shopping for them. Seems nowadays programmers can automate just about anything.</p><p>Standing at the broker does not make you one though.  I do tend to think they exist though.</p>

[Klanch]

I will also guess it is a broker bot. We have some on my server that seem to always be on. They make an already bad economy much worse. <img src="/smilies/9d71f0541cff0a302a0309c5079e8dee.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Nanamadar]

<p>Looking at what those toons have for sale will usually reveal an abnormally large number of harvest items (numbering the multiple shousands), collection pieces (40 or 50 of certain pieces) and unusually large numbers of "rares"... and almost always undercutting all others while maintaining a decent price.  </p><p> While I realize this is not "proof" of anything, and that this can be done simply by "playing the market", the fact that those same toons are there (and in the case of my server, night after night in the wee hours of the morning when I know they were, in fact, actively played earlier in the day) consistently, most afk and meeting the described conditions, cretainly does point to a bot program in use to me.</p><p> While this concerns me for several reasons... the impact on the economy of the game and the fact that I detest cheaters... my <b>greatest</b> concern is that I have seen members of my own guild doing it.  I do not want that onus on my guild....</p><p> If anyone comes up with any conclusive proof this is botting going on, I hope they will post it ASAP...</p>

[Rqron]

This falls probably into the same category of showing off and recruiting that is done by some of the raid guilds and others by setting a character into QH either afk or not . Its a "look here how great we are' thing and speaks volumes about they're inhered need of community approval and low self esteem.In QH at the broker on LdL there is at times a member of Strike sitting there for days either afk or not, just showing off. Parking his character on a warg right where it is in the way. From the way the character is positioned..in the same spot over and over  and for days without end I assume its there either to show off or to annoy other players. It does not win that guild any friends that is for sure.But anyways, it is a source of lag in those areas and I just hope that SOE will start putting a timer on characters that had no input or are afk for 30 minutes or so.  This of course will not help against broker bots, those are active by definition. J.C.

[StormCinder]

<p>Could certainly be a broker bot.  Contrary to popular belief, the sellers of these bot programs don't stand in dark alleyways, selling their warez under cover of darkness.</p><p>Their sites and products are freely available and are quite intricate in form and function.  That they continue to exist for so many years implies that no action can/will be taken against them.</p><p>Whether SOE is able to diagnose and/or catch a broker or TS bot in action  is debateable.  As the OP points out, these folks are often at the broker or in the TS instance for months, with numerous /report or /petitions.  So, the toons are either legit players, monitered bots, or not pursued at all.</p><p>Sometimes I wonder about what the economy really would be like if bots and plat sellers were not part of the equation?  Would it be the Utopia that so many people dream for?  Or would there just be something else for people to complain about?  Speculators, TS-monopolies, etc.</p><p>SC</p>