How do you know if you are seeing a macro or not?

[mindtrigger]

We should separate the two types of macroing:
1) creating a "shortcut" that typically collapses several keystrokes into one. This is acceptable and actually should be expected in games.
2) creating a routine where the game is being played without a human. I consider this an exploit, along with terrain exploits, etc.

For example, a simple terrain exploit is to find a place that you cannot be hit, and you can hit the enemy. Easier with a pet in the game, just stand on top of a big, inaccessible rock next to a spot you know a single creature spawns on, and park your pet there. Then when the creature spawns, your pet kills it, and you watch TV or go fishing.

A macro exploit in Xsyon might be for fishing. Your character patiently fishes using a looped macro, and when you come back tomorrow, you're full of fish and have levelled.

So, how could you tell if someone is running an automated looping macro? You probably can't. Not a good one, anyway.

I've seen two problematic results from looping macros: characters that leveled this way sometimes are very inept for the level they are at, and the economy can be ruined.

I agree with this.

The issue of the game being "played" while someone walks away is a bit of a gray area though, and it is very rare to create a macro where this would work for any long length of time. Fishing works (I assume, I don't have a fishing pole in the game) because it is a very simple movement that is easily programmed into a macro.

Other game developers have defeated macros with Fishing by adding an interactive element and/or variable timing element. Where macros shine is when the clicks are exactly the same (or near it) every time. This is why I believe it is up to the developers to make the game more interactive in the first place.

[orious13]

Tone? from a text? get out and socialize with some real people, itll do a body good

lol... People do read books don't they?
Writing can definitely have emotion within it. I say "can" because a lot of people use internet speak and no grammar, which makes it harder to analyze.

[mindtrigger]

no argument hero....

Just dont feel like continually reading how cool you are in the virtual world.

Have a great day.



Tone? from a text? get out and socialize with some real people, itll do a body good

My player name is WingChun in the game, which is the martial art I practice in real life and one of the main reasons I will be a casual player in this game. My body is doing just fine.

[Dweetybyrd]

Right on, well said!

Point was to get some fresh air, thanks for clearing that up

[billpaustin]

of course, as everything does, this comes right back to the safe zone / combat discussion.

How do you tell if someone's macroing?

Attack them. If they don't fight back and just die...they were macroing.

They should implement a "shove" action, that doesn't do damage, but interrupts the task being done. Put a 2 hour timer on it or something, to keep from incessant griefing. That can be done even on tribal lands. (Hmm, I can see all kinds of fun with this )

[Dweetybyrd]

great job man! A ninja!

It really is amazing what some people put in forums.

I dont want to get in a forum war man. Your a virtual god, and a ninja in real life. I am a professional eater.... time to go train, more hotdogs...grrrrrrrr.

[billpaustin]

I agree with this.

The issue of the game being "played" while someone walks away is a bit of a gray area though, and it is very rare to create a macro where this would work for any long length of time. Fishing works (I assume, I don't have a fishing pole in the game) because it is a very simple movement that is easily programmed into a macro.

That applies to many things in this game. Take foraging, how hard to write a simple script that walks a perimeter? Time it to maximize coverage, rest if you have to, and wait for it to regrow. Repeat.

The good news for Xsyon is that these resources don't affect much. Creating more complicated things, like buildings, armor, weapons, etc, probably cannot be profitably automated.

[mindtrigger]

great job man! A ninja!

It really is amazing what some people put in forums.

I dont want to get in a forum war man. Your a virtual god, and a ninja in real life. I am a professional eater.... time to go train, more hotdogs...grrrrrrrr.

A couple things:

1) I'm not even remotely angry. I love a good debate, and I can have one without nerd rage. I also don't mind being proven wrong if someone can do it.

2) Ninjas practice Japanese arts, the most well known being Ninjitsu, among others. Wing Chun is Chinese Kung Fu, and has nothing to do with ninjas. (I realize you were likely just being a smart ass, but I figured I would educate you for the hell of it.)

[Dweetybyrd]

A couple things:

1) I'm not even remotely angry. I love a good debate, and I can have one without nerd rage. I also don't mind being proven wrong if someone can do it.

2) Ninjas practice Japanese arts, the most well known being Ninjitsu, among others. Wing Chun is Chinese Kung Fu, and has nothing to do with ninjas. (I realize you were likely just being a smart ass, but I figured I would educate you for the hell of it.)

I was being a smart ass, thanks for the lesson sifu

[Chavoda]

Macro's are going to have a huge impact on gameplay if not enforced harshly.

xsyon has a soft cap, meaning you have to upkeep your skills. the more time you spent online training the skills you want the more skills you can keep up to max level.
macro's allow people to ignore any macro able skill in game during thier normal play time and keep those skills up by using macro's as they sleep.

Hiding,running,jumping,teraforming are the most easy to macro. but skills like foraging and scavenging can be used in a macro aswell.
A smart player would focus on two skills to macro , once they got max skill and all level points out of it , they switch to two other skills, letting the first two decay , getting max skill and level points again, repeat this and you have a never ending supply of level points you can use to upkeep more skills whit. all in all resulting in a heavy adv over player that do not use them.