Please add an afk and abandon penalty to griefers/skin idlers

[Dreamscape18459]

Most matches are plagued with afk players who cannot be kicked (preventing the match from starting), players who intentionally idle upon loading into the arena (to idle for skins) and players who immediately disconnect upon loading into the arena. This probably isn't an issue with a full party of friends but it makes quickplay matches a terrible experience.

 

Edit: I just finished a match where we had an afk player and we got to the Grand Forge Boarior. Its absolutely disgusting that these afk players can idle for skins at other players expense when they contribute absolutely nothing to the game. (Except a waste of a player slot.) Its infuriating that we can't do anything to combat these griefers. (Aside from leaving the match and letting them go on to afk and farm skins in another match.)

[661056_1452791548]

I mean, them earning skins doesn't really benefit them.... this is beta, we don't get these skins, but I do hate them

[Dreamscape18459]

6 hours ago, 661056_1452791548 said:

I mean, them earning skins doesn't really benefit them.... this is beta, we don't get these skins, but I do hate them

Klei has said that participants in the beta couldn't keep the skins they find but they would be providing items to players base on how long they spent playing the beta. Correct me if I am wrong but I don't think Klei has done anything to combat idling. (I can't find auto open the gift on the Steam Workshop so Klei might have taken it down.) Its annoying that some players make accounts for the sole purpose of idling but this drop system makes idling even worse as it encourages creating alternate idling accounts (Accounts obtain drops based on "leveling up" and higher levels require more experience to level up. Fresh accounts start at level 1 and do not require as much experience to obtain a drop as higher levels do; idlers can either buy more copies of DST to make idle accounts or use free copies they obtained from the beta of DST.) and while normal idle servers don't really impact players who want to actually play the game (they can simply not join the idle server) the quickplay matchmaking system will match idler's accounts with players who want to legitimately play the game. Players won't have any knowledge that it is an account solely for idling until they are in the match; and once in the match they can't disconnect. Players can either play with the idler (giving them free skins for doing nothing and ruining their match) or disconnect and wait for the match they left to finish before re-queing for another match. (Which may contain yet another idler) Also keep in mind this requires all of the legitimate players to disconnect; should any of them stay and attempt to win (or the idler creates a script to run around the arena dodging a single enemy to farm more time xp) they cannot re queue for another match; they can only re-join the one they left. (Preventing legitimate players from playing the Forge gamemode entirely without benefiting an idler) And even if the match ends and players requeue into a match with no idlers the idler still exists and will be matched with other legitimate players. (Repeating the entire cycle.)

I'm really glad Klei started this as a beta and won't let players keep the items they earned in the beta because account idling for Forge drops is a huge issue that needs to be addressed. I respect Klei and love this game but they really need to come down harder on idling accounts and prevent them from keeping any skins they idled for during the bet, in the eventual Forge release, and the main game too. Klei did say that "participants" in the beta would be awarded skins based on their play time and I personally don't consider idle accounts to be participation in the beta in any way and I don't think they would either. (Or nearly any user on this forum.) While this issue likely won't be fixed in the beta this is definitely something that should be addressed before the official release.

Also while this issue is extremely annoying and its reasonable to expect no fix before during beta it does effect the balance of the gamemode greatly. Klei wanted balance feedback, and the gamemode is balanced around 6 players but the majority of my matches are with a party of 3-5 legitimate players. I have beaten the Grand Forge Boarrior but never in a party of 6 legitimate players. I would love to give balance feedback regarding the gamemode, and I imagine most users on this forum would as well, but I can't give legitimate balance feedback as most matches are 4-5 legitimate players with 1 or more skin idlers/abandoners.

Please note I can't speak for every player but my own experience has been 5% of matches with a legitimate party of 6(I have always solo queued)while the other 95% have been with one more more skin idlers/abandoners. Maybe the system is absolutely fine and I am just extremely unlucky but if this is an issue for you please speak up about it so Klei can address it before the official release.