AFK/Pausing in Safer Seas

[Unpure]

On High Seas it makes sense to disconnect inactive players as they're taking up a slot from a player, but on SS it makes less so. Since usually it's either solo play or with friends, who usually don't mind if someone dips out for a while.

Asking because while I do enjoy the game, but find it stressful that if something else demands my attention, I have a very short window of time before game tells me I'm Lazybeard.

If there has to be a AFK timer on SS (which again, I feel makes no sense) it could be something more generous, like 30 or 60 mins.

And while we're on the subject;
Allow solo players to pause the game, much for the same reasons.

There are multi-player games where this is possible, where once it's only one player, it become possible to pause.

[Ryzilynt]

I feel your pain. I do.

But even in safer seas you are using a portion of a server somewhere that would otherwise not be drawing as much energy , or be used by someone else.

It’s unrealistic to ask that a server run somewhere for 30 or 60 minutes for no reason.

And there is absolutely no way that a live multiplayer server will “pause” on your command. That’s just not how it works for a great number of reasons.

Don’t shoot the messenger

[Unpure]

Originally posted by Ryzilynt:

It’s unrealistic to ask that a server run somewhere for 30 or 60 minutes for no reason.

But there is a reason; Because.
And for decent people, that should be enough.

But if for some reason that isn't enough, I can from off the top of my head think of some examples for wanting or needing to AFK:

• A social situation is sprung on them and they need to focus on that for several minutes.
  
• They got hungry, and want to make some proper food before continuing their sea adventures.

Assume that these situation arise while the player feels that quitting would lose them a lot of progress.

Originally posted by Ryzilynt:

there is absolutely no way that a live multiplayer server will “pause” on your command. That’s just not how it works for a great number of reasons.

That's incorrect on several levels, I'm starting to assume you don't know a lot about how games actually work. So unless SoT has gone with a very weird design, it most certainly should be possible.

There're several games with similar multiplayer lobby style as SoT where you can pause if you play solo, first that comes to mind is Monster Hunter: Rise.

[MagikarpMagi]

Originally posted by Unpure:

But there is a reason; Because.
And for decent people, that should be enough.

Corporations are not decent people.
The main driving reason is: $$$

Originally posted by Unpure:

So unless SoT has gone with a very weird design, it most certainly should be possible

Pretty sure the only way to change this situation would be to allow you to run the gameworld locally, but they say that they didn't make the game that way and constantly claim that it can't be run locally. Unless they move on that, it's apparently a no-go.

[Jackkel Dragon]

That's incorrect on several levels, I'm starting to assume you don't know a lot about how games actually work.

I'd suggest the same to you. A game that was built to run on a host server may not be able to be refactored to support local play or pausing. I don't know how Monster Hunter is designed (is solo play local to the computer? are sessions peer-to-peer connections?), but Sea of Thieves is run from the Rare servers no matter which mode you play on. (That's why some people weren't even able to play Safer Seas when it first came out, because people flooded the servers and there weren't enough open for people to use.)

Basically, imagine Safer Seas servers to be like instanced content in other MMOs. You may be alone or in a small group, but the game is still being run on a host server, not your client device. So if that server is idle, that's one less server that other people can play on. Therefore, it's in Rare's best interest to end idle sessions in order to let other people play. (Similar to how FFXIV instances are always time-limited.)

Personally, I feel like the idle timeout is a bit too short anyway, so it would be nice if Safer Seas extended it a bit. But acting like a company should completely refactor a game "just because" is ignorant at best and obscene at worst.

[Ryzilynt]

Originally posted by Unpure:

Originally posted by Ryzilynt:

It’s unrealistic to ask that a server run somewhere for 30 or 60 minutes for no reason.

But there is a reason; Because.
And for decent people, that should be enough.

But if for some reason that isn't enough, I can from off the top of my head think of some examples for wanting or needing to AFK:

• A social situation is sprung on them and they need to focus on that for several minutes.
  
• They got hungry, and want to make some proper food before continuing their sea adventures.

Assume that these situation arise while the player feels that quitting would lose them a lot of progress.

Originally posted by Ryzilynt:

there is absolutely no way that a live multiplayer server will “pause” on your command. That’s just not how it works for a great number of reasons.

That's incorrect on several levels, I'm starting to assume you don't know a lot about how games actually work. So unless SoT has gone with a very weird design, it most certainly should be possible.

There're several games with similar multiplayer lobby style as SoT where you can pause if you play solo, first that comes to mind is Monster Hunter: Rise.

I’m not going to debate the subject with you.

[Unpure]

Originally posted by CritMasterFlex:

Corporations are not decent people.
The main driving reason is: $$$

Hard to argue against that

[Sokaku]

As mentioned, SS is still server-based so you are using server resources while playing. You have 10 minutes before a lazybeard, so anything longer than that you will need to risk setting your ship to sail a wide circle in open waters, preferrably traveling between 2-4 squares. Chances are though that within a short while you will spawn a skeleton ship encounter that will put at least 1 hole in you or raise your sails/anchorball you, in which case you might come back to a lazybeard or standing on a nearby island. MP games that have a single-player option /w pause are generally going to be peer-to-peer rather than server based. (I.e. DRG)

Edit: Even that might not work as they are possibly checking for character input which would involve running some form of auto-script which is most likely against ToS... So basically don't expect to AFK more than 10 min.

[Unpure]

Originally posted by Kelz:

safer seas is an extended tutorial.. simple as that. The Dev's want it to be as closely related to high seas as possible with out people cheesing PVP themed commendations, exp, and money. Its never gonna happen.

Except, that's not at all how it's overall presented in the official Safer Seas introductions.
The message is that Safer Seas is a game mode where players can play at their own pace, either solo or with friends. And parents have a mode where they don't have to worry about other players harassing their kids.

The closest it comes is suggesting that it can be used as a stepping stone before going into High Seas, but the general message is the opportunity to play at a slow pace if they so desire.

[avali gaming]

not entirely sure how it works, but i'm pretty confident that every player in a Safer Seas instance is connected to the same server. if one of them is AFK, i would think it to be a marginal difference in energy used by the server to run 4 players, one AFK, than 3 players. for solo play i can understand the desire to remove AFK players since that's a dedicated server slot being utilized, and i'm not sure how you could distinguish between solo AFK and non-solo AFK, but for the reasons argued above i also understand why you'd want a more generous AFK timer. and, yes, pausing the game is almost certainly not a possibility due to how the game's servers operate, being an online-only game. but, beyond the complete inability for a pause mechanic, i'm not exactly sure how the sea of thieves servers operate, as i said, so take all this with a grain of salt

also, safer seas is not an extended tutorial. it is a very mediocre solo group session. i am glad it exists, but as it is in its current state i've just been completely put off from the game. there are MANY people who play this game simply for the enjoyment of the many activities one can do that require no interaction with other players, hence why the servers were filled to bursting on day one of safer seas.

[CostlySpider]

Originally posted by Unpure:

On High Seas it makes sense to disconnect inactive players as they're taking up a slot from a player, but on SS it makes less so. Since usually it's either solo play or with friends, who usually don't mind if someone dips out for a while.

Asking because while I do enjoy the game, but find it stressful that if something else demands my attention, I have a very short window of time before game tells me I'm Lazybeard.

If there has to be a AFK timer on SS (which again, I feel makes no sense) it could be something more generous, like 30 or 60 mins.

And while we're on the subject;
Allow solo players to pause the game, much for the same reasons.

There are multi-player games where this is possible, where once it's only one player, it become possible to pause.

Man you have tons of time before game kicks you, I have taken my dogs outside to do there thing had a smoke, come back I am still good. MY wife is like laundry is done come fold clothes, done that still came back and good.

How much time do you want so your not stressed? Like a day?

[Unpure]

Originally posted by CostlySpider:

Originally posted by Unpure:

On High Seas it makes sense to disconnect inactive players as they're taking up a slot from a player, but on SS it makes less so. Since usually it's either solo play or with friends, who usually don't mind if someone dips out for a while.

Asking because while I do enjoy the game, but find it stressful that if something else demands my attention, I have a very short window of time before game tells me I'm Lazybeard.

If there has to be a AFK timer on SS (which again, I feel makes no sense) it could be something more generous, like 30 or 60 mins.

And while we're on the subject;
Allow solo players to pause the game, much for the same reasons.

There are multi-player games where this is possible, where once it's only one player, it become possible to pause.

Man you have tons of time before game kicks you, I have taken my dogs outside to do there thing had a smoke, come back I am still good. MY wife is like laundry is done come fold clothes, done that still came back and good.

How much time do you want so your not stressed? Like a day?

The AFK timer is 10 minutes, so unless you're the Flash with the ability to harness the Speed force, I sincerely doubt that.

In any case, what works for you (doubtful) does not apply to everyone.

[Keyrala]

Why not selling before going to make dinner, eat, take a shower, argue with your family or take a super huge big massive unhealthy poop?.

[MagikarpMagi]

Originally posted by Keyrala:

Why not selling before going to make dinner, eat, take a shower, argue with your family or take a super huge big massive unhealthy poop?.

Nobody tells me when to evacuate me bowels, ARRRR!

[CostlySpider]

Originally posted by Unpure:

Originally posted by CostlySpider:

Man you have tons of time before game kicks you, I have taken my dogs outside to do there thing had a smoke, come back I am still good. MY wife is like laundry is done come fold clothes, done that still came back and good.

How much time do you want so your not stressed? Like a day?

The AFK timer is 10 minutes, so unless you're the Flash with the ability to harness the Speed force, I sincerely doubt that.

In any case, what works for you (doubtful) does not apply to everyone. [/q
What you said afk timer is 10 mins, I have taken my dogs outside and told them common guys hurry up. Got back not afk,.

My wife has called me fold these clothes did that came back not afk

With you these things seem is unreal. Hell I could just let my dogs out not go with them fold the clothes my wife wants. Then let dogs in. You really can do a lot in real life with out being the flash. But I am going to take that is a compliment,

[Astral]

I agree that the timeout time is too short.
But there's ways to trick the timer with activity and if you are playing with friends you can rejoin the session and the game even remembers what items you had so unless they are selling the loot you can always return on time.
Also, one of the biggest issues with the server being local is that would allow cheaters to spawn items and inflate their reputation and gold maybe even without having to grab and sell it, just have the hacked server tell the main server that they sold stuff just like the money cheats in GTA V.