Can anything be done about AFK store owners/roomies?

[legscroft]

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The point of the matter is, searching for a good price is constructive. Searching for something because home owners are afk the WHOLE TIME is just a waste of time.

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Saying "hello" or "welcome" to sims that don't reply, or doing a special order for a sim who then poofs and never comes back is also a waste of time. boo hoo, life sucks sometimes. So you can't find typewriters when you want them...It doesn't make sense to me that you'd rather find nothing at all instead.

 

[imported_DutchAmerica]

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<blockquote><hr>

The point of the matter is, searching for a good price is constructive. Searching for something because home owners are afk the WHOLE TIME is just a waste of time.

[/ QUOTE ]

Saying "hello" or "welcome" to sims that don't reply, or doing a special order for a sim who then poofs and never comes back is also a waste of time. boo hoo, life sucks sometimes. So you can't find typewriters when you want them...It doesn't make sense to me that you'd rather find nothing at all instead.

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Because of lot limits, I can understand if stores do not carry every object. Especially a full line of seating/counter/decor objects and such. Pianos take up a lot of lot limit so I wouldn't necessarily look to find many of those either.

But to not be able to find main money objects like or skill objects that are no longer in the catalog shouldn't be all that difficult.

Let's review this subject. I am not the only one by a long shot that have had a problem with AFK stores. Many players have complained about it. That is a fact.

If and when a solution is found for the problem, will these AFK players like it or will they scream fowl? Or will they accept the fact that they created a situation that needed a resolution? I think AFK store owners need to stop arguing and start thinking about what they are doing that cause others to complain.

Let me use an example. There is a young lady who runs a store. Her signs says...."Only Christmas Items". You go there and she is afk......gone with the wind.....But you know what? She has a ton of trees, bears, snowmen and xmas pics. When you need a xmas item, you know you can go there and get it. No, there wasn't anyone there to chat with but she has what she says she has. You get it and you are on your way.

I think maybe other AFK stores need to take a lesson from her. But now they will probably do the twisted thing and go buy her out to make her look bad because that's the way these people work, especially the ones that sit a bunch of alternate guests at their houses.

 

[legscroft]

I guess I could see getting irritated if you were going to a lot that advertised they were only selling typewriters or even a lot that was selling only money objects...I don't see many of those around. Stores will run out of items, even if they restock many times a day. I don't think that they should close their doors because they run out of stuff sometimes. Typewriters are a hot item right now, they sell out within minutes of restocking them. And it is no fun whatsoever restocking them! Every single money object you put out on a store lot, you have to click yes that you understand it's being placed on a non money lot and won't work before you can price it. Try doing this over and over and over every day. Maybe you have done it, I don't know...The way I see it, most stores are trying to provide a service, but there is no way to make everyone happy all of the time. Me personally, I'd much rather stores be open, afk or not, bunch of sims hiding or not...than closed!

 

[imported_DutchAmerica]

Legs, I can understand when items get bought out. It happens.

However, playing the game as much as I do and 'running errands', I do see regular tendencies on the part of some of the stores.

If they want to AFK their store open so that players can buy what they do have, I really have no problem with it. It's when they load up a bunch of alts to jack up their visitor count and they don't have the items you need and they are AFK for long extended periods.

It's deceiving to regular players that don't know any better. They look and here is a store with those promising bios. The store 'looks' busy because of all those guests there. .....and then you land and there's no one there and all the guests are hiding afk too.

I wonder if the Devs bring on NPC's to help keep our stores open and stocked, if the 'afk guest hiders' will cease the practice or continue it?

About the only way to stop the practice of AFK/hiding in stores is to do away with hide/seek for guests. I guess TC3 is a test city and it's where EA can and will try out different solutions for a variety of problems.

Ok, let's ask this of any dev/parizad who may be reading this thread?

Is it ok to AFK open a store now? or is it just being overlooked at the moment? Just a technical question, because maybe I'll AFK my store open a few nights and see what kind of emails/foot traffic I get through mine.

 

[imported_SimTripps]

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Can anything be done about AFK store owners/roomies?

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I visited a property in TC3 last night - no names mentioned of course, as I know that it's not allowed (it should be muahahaha.. lol..), but they're selling cc chairs, using a prop name which is from a well-known S1 and S2 downloads site and has been mentioned by Luc on the blog - and there were 9 afk-ers on that property! I'm sorry, but this seems a bit ridiculously desperate, doesn't it? I don't really care who uses bot sitters and who doesn't, but when I visit a property like this, I feel sad - sad that the person behind the sim is that friggin' desperate to be on the map. Sad that they take the game to that level of severity and seriousness, and end up looking not far short of a desperate dufus for it lol... How can they be enjoying the game if they're never there?? Well, at that level of severity and seriousness, they're not in it for fun... they're in it for self-centric business purposes only.. Needless to say I will never purchase anything from them. I might visit their prop from time to time for a good laugh though, might even play 'seek' to freak 'em out a bit, but that's it lol...

 

[imported_DutchAmerica]

He's gonna get business without having to go through all that because his reputation preceeds him. I went there too because I've seen his work and was very interested to see what he had.

I'll probably go back because he does have something that no one else has. But I'm still looking for that darned chair!! (Why is that George Straight song...The Chair playing not stop in my head.)

....goes back to reading the instructions on how to make custom chairs.....

 

[imported_SimTripps]

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He's gonna get business without having to go through all that because his reputation preceeds him. I went there too because I've seen his work and was very interested to see what he had.

I'll probably go back because he does have something that no one else has. But I'm still looking for that darned chair!! (Why is that George Straight song...The Chair playing not stop in my head.)

....goes back to reading the instructions on how to make custom chairs.....

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George Straight ROFL! But this is the thing - why have all those afk bot-sit sims hanging about the prop if their reputation preceeds them? Aren't they risking their reputation and respect by this since it's being done in an illegitimate way?

 

[imported_DutchAmerica]

Yeah, you are right. They are risking their reputations by participating in that kind of activity especially since it's a hot button issue.

 

[Guest]

I know who Simtripps is talking about. I went there this morning and he was there. He was very nice and very helpful. Even got me the chair that I wanted. Guess its all about timing.

 

[imported_DutchAmerica]

Yeah, I know him a little too. He really is nice and helpful.

I think he's very hyper and excited at the moment because of the chairs and he will probably calm down sooner or later.....

 

[Gwenevieve]

AFK houses have been around since the beginning. 5 years and nothing changed. What's that phrase? Something about doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results?

Nothing will change. It is just like real life. If you don't like the service, give your business to someone else.

 

[Executioner_47]

If and when I ran into stores or other AFK properties,common sense told me to move until I found whatever it was that I was looking for,becasue it is indeed a waste of time standing around and befuddled looking around for something or someone that is oviously not there.

Those of us store owners who have even the smallest of clues about business in sims or real life,know that you can't leave your store unattended for days at a time and expect it to be successful.Therefore I check my store and do re-stock on a daily basis and check with customers who have left IM's for special orders.I have more than one property in a couple other catagories and so I'm usually in game for 4-5 hours per day even though I'm not at the store the entire time,so people who know me,have me bookmarked and know where &amp; when to find me.

So maybe all store owners don't do as I do nor take care of game business they way it should be taken care of,but the bottomline is that it's all to do about nothing because inspite of all the difficulties you may experience,you can always find what you're looking for if you're willing do a little leg work and quit expecting everything to just fall into your lap when you want it to,because it sure as hell isn't that way in ral life and can't imagine for the life of me,wonder why you'd expect it to be so in a game of virtual reality life.

 

[PB Three]

I run a non-AFK store, but catalog/special orders aren't my specialty. I do them on request, though. My friend Corona from Corona's Resort runs a non-AFK and strictly special orders store.

It discourages me to see stores like Store For U, Deep Discounts and such keeping their other account's sims there to make themselves to the top. It ISN'T fair! While I admit neither real life or sim life are fair, but this is TOO far and TOO unfair. It's **competetion** to the top in real life, not abuse like these stores are doing. While it may be nesseccary to do short bits with multiple of one's sims at your lot (like transferring money), but doing it to reach and stay at the top isn't right.


I vote to remove the hide-and-seek feature and give them a 'nudge' in the right direction.

Sorry to all AFK/non-playing store owners, but you gotta start playing the game and doing it right, or the game is going to run your stores into the ground. Sorry.


PB Three

 

[Guest]

i hate to say this PB, I don't think ridding the game of hide and seek feature will stop them. If its gone, they will just stand around and let themselves stand in their own urine and die. It will be lot of dead sims that don't speak.

 

[PB Three]

Yeah, true. But it would be good for a laugh, though. Seeing how much they don't care about the game, just the bragging rights of being at the top.


PB Three

 

[Guest]

I have only one thing to say to those that insist on doing that

[mfs]

 

[Guest]

Being on the bottom is more enjoyable, in my opinion.

 

[calvinscreeksim]

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I run a non-AFK store, but catalog/special orders aren't my specialty. I do them on request, though. My friend Corona from Corona's Resort runs a non-AFK and strictly special orders store.

It discourages me to see stores like Store For U, Deep Discounts and such keeping their other account's sims there to make themselves to the top. It ISN'T fair! While I admit neither real life or sim life are fair, but this is TOO far and TOO unfair. It's **competetion** to the top in real life, not abuse like these stores are doing. While it may be nesseccary to do short bits with multiple of one's sims at your lot (like transferring money), but doing it to reach and stay at the top isn't right.


I vote to remove the hide-and-seek feature and give them a 'nudge' in the right direction.

Sorry to all AFK/non-playing store owners, but you gotta start playing the game and doing it right, or the game is going to run your stores into the ground. Sorry.


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*sniff* I think I smell a repetitive [censored] response coming by the "providers" of these lots.

I do agree with your post but the replies as you know will consist of "if you don't like it go to someone else" or "we are providing the service for others so stop being jealous". Its all about egos, and bragging rights (even though its a game lol). Its typical and natural now to see the tones of "[censored] this, why the hell would I actually play the game when I can nap, feed myself, and get my Christmas shopping done by just using a program to acheive the high status I want". Don't forget that a good majority of those stores depend on the some of the simoleans to buy Jimmy his cheese doodles and Marys twinkies. Maybe Santa should spread the love and hand out some Jay-Oh-Bees to those that lack one

 

[legscroft]

<blockquote><hr>

I run a non-AFK store, but catalog/special orders aren't my specialty. I do them on request, though. My friend Corona from Corona's Resort runs a non-AFK and strictly special orders store.

It discourages me to see stores like Store For U, Deep Discounts and such keeping their other account's sims there to make themselves to the top. It ISN'T fair! While I admit neither real life or sim life are fair, but this is TOO far and TOO unfair. It's **competetion** to the top in real life, not abuse like these stores are doing. While it may be nesseccary to do short bits with multiple of one's sims at your lot (like transferring money), but doing it to reach and stay at the top isn't right.


I vote to remove the hide-and-seek feature and give them a 'nudge' in the right direction.

Sorry to all AFK/non-playing store owners, but you gotta start playing the game and doing it right, or the game is going to run your stores into the ground. Sorry.


PB Three

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I don't get how running extra sims is in any way shape or form "unfair" Anyone can do the same thing if they choose to. I think the list is the problem. It promotes people to compete in this way to be at the top of it. Being #1 on the list doesn't indicate anything other than you have the ability to run a ton of accounts. This is imo where the problem lies. But, who are you to say what is the "right" way to play the game? If it's a persons goal to be at the top of the list &amp; they are running their accounts on their property to achieve this status...What are they doing wrong? And if what they are doing is wrong...Why isn't anything being done about it?

 

[legscroft]

There is also no rule (that I'm aware of) that says we have to talk to anyone, greet anyone, do special orders for anyone...yadda yadda. If you want to sit there all day and talk &amp; do special orders, go for it. But how can you say others are not playing fair or right because they don't wish to play that way?