Dynamic AFK detection + longer AFK time in parking lots

[GKilat]

Suggestion Name: Dynamic AFK detection + longer AFK time in parking lots

 

Suggestion Description: Getting AFK kicked is removed in parking areas. To prevent long queues and overfilling the server, reaching a server threshold capacity, say 5 player slots left, will kick every player that is over the normal AFK limit.

 

Any example images: None

 

Why should it be added?: I personally felt that increased AFK times in parking areas will contribute to immersion and gives a reason of their existence on top of being practical in dealing with some real life stuff you need to do. I am fully aware short AFK times is how the devs deal with busy servers so I thought of a solution that dynamically adapts to how busy the server is while adding a very convenient feature. Busy servers should always have free slots in them because it will act like the current AFK system if the server is constantly above the threshold that triggers the kick.

 

Small servers have the big benefit of being able to utilize longer AFK in parking areas and might help encourage players to distribute themselves among servers instead of swarming to one server and burdening it.

 

For people worrying infinite afk in parking lot might fill up the server and lengthen the queue, remember it will automatically remove the kick immunity in parking lots once the server is near full and kick everyone that has been afk longer than normal and freeing more spots for incoming players.

 

It's a server side thing and doable as far as I know. Here is how I imagine what they can do to implement it.

 

Detect if a player is in a parking lot which triggers the message "press enter to rest" and then mark them as immune to getting kicked but their timer still ticks. When the server starts getting busy and the server detects that the threshold number they set is reached, it removes that kick immunity from parking lots and then check the timer of those players. If the timer of those players exceed above the normal afk timer, they are kicked from the server. If they are within the normal afk timer, they aren't kicked. When the server load is below the threshold, the kick immunity in parking lots is enabled again. 

 

Edited June 27, 2018 by GKilat
emphasized the beneficial side effect of the feature

[Trucking Gekco]

I'd rather see when you're kicked you get kicked to a queue or the TruckersMP login screen. Then when you come back you can join the game easier... provided you're in a NCZ.

 

Myself I haven't found the AFK timer to be an issue. Really though, if you're gone long enough for the AFK timer to kick in then should you of stayed logged in?

[GKilat]

I did have bit of an issue because I usually afk sometimes more than the allotted time allowed by the game. Like I said, this is also part of the immersion experience of being in a parking lot to afk and do some real life stuff like taking a quick break because it is where you are suppose to "afk" in real life as well. You have to admit starting your engine and moving is quicker than having to log in again after taking a break. Your suggestion is better when dealing with ping spikes because it's frustrating when my ping spikes for a second and the game kicks me from the game.

 

The suggestion is definitely doable since it only needs some changes in the server coding so it shouldn't be hard to implement while solving both the problem of players wanting longer afk times and devs trying to prevent filling the server with afk players. I honestly don't see any downside to this unless there is some things I don't know about how the server is coded that will make it impossible or difficult. 

 

In fact, even if you don't kick afk players at all using a timer, the servers still won't fill up with afk players because the server will just automatically kick the player with the longest afk timer if the server is nearing its full capacity.

[AussomeGaming]

I don't see anything wrong with the current system, it's there to give other players a chance to jump in when the servers are full. If you are going to be AFK for a long peried of time exit and rejoin when you come back and join another server if your not able to get back in after a while.

[GKilat]

 

16 hours ago, JasonTrucks [EN] said:

I don't see anything wrong with the current system, it's there to give other players a chance to jump in when the servers are full. If you are going to be AFK for a long peried of time exit and rejoin when you come back and join another server if your not able to get back in after a while.

Nothing wrong with it but it could be improved.

 

I am fully aware why afk players are kicked. What I am suggesting is a dynamic way of kicking out afk players instead of the current pure timer based that needs to be short to avoid filling the server with afk players. Afking inside the game and then simply starting your engine when you get back is much more convenient than having to log out and in which is why the suggestion is increased afk time in parking lots to give it an actual use in MP while having a dynamic afk detection to prevent overfilling busy servers with afk players in parking lots.

[Guest]

On 2017-5-24 at 4:02 AM, Trucking Gekco said:

I'd rather see when you're kicked you get kicked to a queue or the TruckersMP login screen. Then when you come back you can join the game easier... provided you're in a NCZ.

 

Myself I haven't found the AFK timer to be an issue. Really though, if you're gone long enough for the AFK timer to kick in then should you of stayed logged in?

I think exiting and restarting the game is fair as it gives people in the queue a chance during peak time. 

 

Overall I think the afk time should be shorter when there are over 50 in queue 

[Yoyo_ManSg]

Hello, for me, I think the current system of kick games is perfect.

Indeed, it allows other players who want to go come to the connect the server faster, entry on the serveur. If you are kick, of game, is that you have not played for some time, therefore, you have to free up space.

Afterwards, reconned when I am back is no problem.
Anyway, if you stop for a few minutes, you just have to open your chat and press "space" and press "entry" for example.
As a result, your kick is pushed back and the timer starts again at 0 minutes. 

 

Cordially,

Yoyo_ManSg

[Trucking Gekco]

6 hours ago, oolala11 said:

I think exiting and restarting the game is fair as it gives people in the queue a chance during peak time. 

 

Overall I think the afk time should be shorter when there are over 50 in queue 

True... Getting kicked to the login screen though you wouldn't get put on the queue then. 

[GKilat]

I think people are missing a very important part of my suggestion in conjunction with the increased afk time on parking lots.

 

To prevent long queues and overfilling the server, reaching a server threshold capacity, say 5 player slots left, will kick every player that is over the current AFK limit with a message notifying the kicked players. Alternatively, it will kick a set amount of players with the longest AFK times above the AFK limit.

 

It is a fully automatic system that acts like the current afk system if the server is busy but gives small servers higher afk times in parking lots. I would imagine this might encourage people to play in smaller servers to have the benefit of higher afk time in parking lots and lessening the burden of crowded servers.

 

Overall, this change would not affect how afk detection is now on busy servers while introducing an improved mechanic on longer afk on parking lot that is practical and convenient for people who want to do some real life stuff longer than the current afk time allows and get back on the game quickly.

[GKilat]

Bump.

 

So what are the thoughts of the devs? Doable? Any unforeseen problems implementing it other than "afk timing is already perfect" opinion?

[GKilat]

Bump.

 

Still no devs commenting how feasible the suggestion is despite using the required format in making suggestions and outlining all the necessary points. I may continue to bump this thread until a dev has a say about this suggestion.

[Chev]

Hello,

 

A similar extended afk timer has been suggested and rejected before.

 

Have a great day or night!  

- Chev.

Edited June 8, 2017 by Haulin' It! l Chev

[Guest]

Hello, for me, I think the current system of kick games is perfect..Because Afk time I think that those who want to enter the game will get harder.

[GKilat]

I am confused. The link you gave me implies it will eventually be accepted into the game as provided by this quote.

 

Quote

http://forum.ets2mp.com/index.php?/topic/511-non-afk-kick-zones/

 

 

What you're wanting is apparently going to be added eventually, hopefully this gets implemented ASAP, the AFK kick system is starting to get on my nerves. 

The link itself going to that particular thread about non-afk kick zones is missing. 

 

Can anyone point to me the downside to this suggestion? The only reason I keep bumping the topic is that so far people keep insisting the current afk system is perfect as a downside when my suggestion changes nothing on how the current afk detection is done on busy servers but gives a huge leeway for afk players on less populated servers. The implementation of the new afk system is literally just server side coding by changing how afk works so it is doable as far as I know. 

 

Just a reminder this forums is supposed to be a place for suggesting improvements and determine how viable the suggestion is and not a place to reject ideas that you personally don't like. If you don't find anything wrong with it, please do show support.

[Chev]

Hello, 

 

The link that I have posted is linking back to a suggestion that is based around expanding the afk timer in non-collision and collision zones as read in the posters suggestion. Also, that suggestion was moved into the 'rejected' section of the suggestion forum. That quote along with the suggestion, was never implented into the mod therefor, that suggestion was rejected and we now have the current kick time of 15 minutes. I do somewhat agree with this suggestion but, the current system does work perfectly fine and no one is really complaining about it.

 

I hope this cleared it up a bit and good luck on your suggestion. 

 

Have a great day or night!  

- Chev.

Edited June 8, 2017 by Haulin' It! l Chev

[Branchflower18]

On 2017-5-24 at 4:02 AM, Trucking Gekco said:

I'd rather see when you're kicked you get kicked to a queue or the TruckersMP login screen. Then when you come back you can join the game easier... provided you're in a NCZ.

 

Myself I haven't found the AFK timer to be an issue. Really though, if you're gone long enough for the AFK timer to kick in then should you of stayed logged in?

Personally, as i am not an adult, i have to come off quickly to have tea for example, and sometimes i simply do not have time but if i want to go back on the game after i have been kicked for AFK i have to relaunch everything which takes away game time and is quite frustrating :)

[GKilat]

I clearly understand why it was rejected and that is extending the afk timer will fill the server with afk players which is why please consider a very crucial part of my suggestion of an afk system that dynamically adapts to the amount of load a server is getting. I will try to explain it further so that you may understand why this isn't like the rejected afk system suggested before.

 

If I'm not mistaken, the rejected suggestions doesn't solve the problem of servers being overcrowded with afk players if the afk timer is extended which is why it is rejected because of the potential problem it brings.

 

The new afk system only starts kicking people when a threshold is reached. If the server's capacity is 3500 players and the admin sets the threshold to 3000, every player in the server with over the afk current limit is kicked when more than 3000 players are logged on the server. If you have been afk for 20 mins when the server reached the threshold, you will be automatically kicked regardless where you are on the map. If you have been afk for 10 mins and haven't reached the current afk timer, you are not kicked. Beyond that point, players are kicked the moment they reach the current afk timer if the number of players logged in stays above the threshold. The implication is that players in small servers or during non peak hours can avail to the extended afk on parking lots and this may lead to people spreading out more to avail to that convenience and lessening the burden of the most popular server. If you wanna know how good the system is in making sure the server doesn't fill with afk players, you can remove afk limit on parking lots altogether and the server still won't fill up with afk players because all of those afk players will get kicked once the server fills up to a certain point.

 

It's not about fixing what is wrong but improving on the current afk system. The afk system could be improved further without bringing in negative effects. This is about adding convenience for people who wanted to afk for whatever reason than the allowable afk time and jump in back to the game quickly by using a currently useless parking lot as an afk area. No matter how you look into it, being able to get back into the game quickly after doing some real life stuff is very much an improvement over the hassle of restarting the game and logging back in. 

 

If you don't find anything wrong with the suggestion, please do show support. 

[MangoMastani]

Well i agree with longer AFK time in resting areas, but that will tho increase working load because they will have to make more than one area's, one for simple NCZ AFK ,another with Ncz long ALK and one for only Long Afk.

[GKilat]

^

Can you clarify on this one? I am assuming they can just make all zones that triggers the "press enter to rest" as afk zones where you get increased afk times. 

Edited June 14, 2017 by DerAmpelmann
Removed unnecessary quote. Please refer to the post above with "^" or tag the person.

[GKilat]

Bump.

 

Anymore feedback? Please do show support if you can't find anything wrong with it.

[Jacrispyxd]

+1 I like the idea a lot butI think it should be if theres 100 spots left on the server it would be okay but other wise its and alright idea!

[C?nnell]

+1

 

I really love this idea, at first I had some bad thoughts about it (for example the players in the queue list) but kicking players that are over the AFK-limit time when players are in queue made it up for me. I actually really hope that this idea will be accepted as it may add more realism to the server (seeing players on parking lots while driving on the highway).

 

Although, there has to be 2 AFK-limits then, as some players then may be AFK in places that is very busy (C-D road, the gasstation there for example).

[GKilat]

Apparently, people have been using the chat to avoid being kicked from afking by sending out emotes from time to time. Since the devs think this is acceptable, why not cut out the inconvenience and just let people on the parking spot enjoy uninterrupted afk by implementing my suggestion? It would be a huge improvement.

 

On 6/14/2017 at 9:51 PM, Jacrispy_Cones said:

+1 I like the idea a lot butI think it should be if theres 100 spots left on the server it would be okay but other wise its and alright idea!

It's up for the devs to think of a sweet spot for the number of spots left before the afk detection starts kicking people over the afk limit. The number I gave is just for the sake of example

 

3 minutes ago, C?nnell said:

+1

 

I really love this idea, at first I had some bad thoughts about it (for example the players in the queue list) but kicking players that are over the AFK-limit time when players are in queue made it up for me. I actually really hope that this idea will be accepted as it may add more realism to the server (seeing players on parking lots while driving on the highway).

 

Although, there has to be 2 AFK-limits then, as some players then may be AFK in places that is very busy (C-D road, the gasstation there for example).

I'm glad you support the idea. It would indeed add both realism and convenience for the truckers.

 

With regards to the 2 afk limits, the current afk timer will be used on all places except on parking lots where afk time is either increased or removed altogether until the server threshold is reached and the server starts kicking people above the afk limit. 

[Guest]

This's a good idea with the same reasons as sayd previously but it's possible for the dev to work on it ?

I think that's not easy to work on it =/

[sko0923]

+1 and I agree with the login screen suggestion. It would be easier than getting kicked to desktop and fully restarting your game, and it still removes you from the server and queue.