Greatly worn Finder

N49ATV

Adept
Changing the window to random curbs the timers somewhat, but agree now is too much. I have never minded IDOC (aside from it's evidence someone has left the game). I've done a few in my years. Although I find a static timer outdated, I understand it. On siege my GM could time 95% of IDOC to the minute. It was gross. He would tell us on chat that it would fall at 10:37, and it would fall +/- 1-2mins. He was also heavily against scripts. But lived and breathed UO.

I just don't like automated scripts. I think the image match will hurt a few IDOCers who do it manually, but is guess anyone serious uses the script, or some form of macro.

As easy as the script makes things (all things, not just IDOC), this is still a game, and game you should play. This isn't life and death, and it won't effect the food on the table.

I'm for playing UO, even with limited time, but if we allow scripts, we might as well turn on the vendor sell agent, so people can farm gold AFK all day, or resources, and let everyone be able to never worry or manage resources/gold.

An anti script change might only effect 10 people on shard, more will be effected if they crack multi accounting (beyond 2). But let's play the game we all love, as it's on it's last legs.
 

berticus

Grandmaster
i find it highly improbable that 1 man timed 95% of the idocs on the shard without some type of script. that's a fucking lot of recalling and manual clicking.
 

N49ATV

Adept
I'm not 100% how he did it. I never asked. But he had a KOS policy on scripters, especially resource farmers. Though siege has a lot of empty space on it. I played siege from maybe 07-10. I'm not even sure he got every IDOC. The ones they flagged, he timed.

We had a dedicated forum to report them. So maybe it it was reported, he timed it. IDK
 

berticus

Grandmaster
yeah, we have 7 people who actively attempt to get accurate times and shit falls through the cracks. maybe you guys only did small portions, maybe he had a sizable amount of help.

either way, back then the shit would've been easyuo most likely, so infinitely more taboo than a host-approved 2nd party program.

i'm not here to cry. just presenting as in depth a view as i can. we'll all be sad to see the present system go. we'll either adapt or, failing that proving to be worthwhile, abandon. i have no problem processing a couple hundred MiB and tmaps we've stashed at the casa. idocs are just more exciting and, done correctly, offer pvp opportunities which i don't exactly seek out on my tamer bard.
 

halygon

Grandmaster
i find it highly improbable that 1 man timed 95% of the idocs on the shard without some type of script. that's a fucking lot of recalling and manual clicking.
Improbable, yes but not impossible.

Here's the thing, I've been the guy that times 95% of the IDOCs on a shard for my guild. It's cool for like the first week, then the checking in every 30min every day gets old. You don't have to script to do this, only have good data tracking skills and the TIME. Most of my idoc times were within 5min if not better, but who really wants to put up with all if that. That is the exact reason why guilds work together to do idoc timing because IT IS A LOT OF EFFORT and TIME. It's fun too if done right.
 

Bromista

Grandmaster
The playing smarter is running the map, setting up and tending books, establishing windows, killing timers, organizing a team.

Random window gets rid of that advantage.

While any newb can set up a script, all the prep work still has to be done. No one is going to spend that amount of time (basically 24 hours of work spread across multiple people) for a 4 hour window. Especially when all that work is flushed away because we can't come before the fall to clear out an idoc we have invested the time in monitoring.

To everyone who thinks idoccing successfully just takes 'any newb setting up a script', you're wrong. However, if they put in a 4 hour window then yes that's about all it would take. Since every newb who catches a gate from Brit bank will be on a level field with those who spent literal weeks monitoring.
Oh right but to automate the gathering of that information is still foul play. I know there's more to it than just a timer and a location but I'd hate to see someone with just enough of a brain to make the most of said info be able to take advantage of scripting potential, like the newbs in [!] or 247 for example.
 
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