[Arena] AFK'ing in Arena, allowed? expert opinion needed

[Codam]

IF you dont mind me asking.. Whats really the point of afking in arenas? wouldnt you just lose faster if you just mount into the enemies and gather nice up right besides them for they to aoe you down?

No idea, never done either way and probably never will. Although I'd guess in the case of beyond-tec's original post whch I linked to, the mounting up and running to the opposing team interfered with his web-surfing :P

[Skrimshaw]

There is no such thing as afking in Arenas... The idea is moronic. Sure you might get in and stand there with a thumb up your butt. In which the other team will kill you uber fast and love you for it. Your not afking, your just being a practice dumby, and it will be over so fast there is nothing away from the keyboard about it, other than you watching your guys die and fast.

[vudu]

As you can see from my original post, I am fully aware that non-participation in BG's is not allowed. This however does not automatically apply by extension to arena.

My point was, that if they do not allow it in the BGs, it's a logical conclusion that they do not allow it in the Arena either.
The only difference in BGs and Arena is that in Arena, there are no other people counting on your participation to win. However, you're still getting something for doing nothing by AFKing it...and I think this is what Blizzard has the issues with.
I know it's not specifically spelled out in the ToS or EULA that AFKing the Arenas is not allowed, however I believe it's more than implied.

[Codam]

There is no such thing as afking in Arenas... The idea is moronic. Sure you might get in and stand there with a thumb up your butt. In which the other team will kill you uber fast and love you for it. Your not afking, your just being a practice dumby, and it will be over so fast there is nothing away from the keyboard about it, other than you watching your guys die and fast.

wow, so theres a discrepancy in using the term "afk" when perhaps I should have said "not even trying to win" or something similar. relevance to the discussion = nil

As you can see from my original post, I am fully aware that non-participation in BG's is not allowed. This however does not automatically apply by extension to arena.

My point was, that if they do not allow it in the BGs, it's a logical conclusion that they do not allow it in the Arena either.
The only difference in BGs and Arena is that in Arena, there are no other people counting on your participation to win. However, you're still getting something for doing nothing by AFKing it...and I think this is what Blizzard has the issues with.
I know it's not specifically spelled out in the ToS or EULA that AFKing the Arenas is not allowed, however I believe it's more than implied.

I know I'm dragging this on for far too long, but I can't let that go unchecked. Stating that something is a logical conclusion does not make it one. For that you need <gasps> logical arguement

The fact that you think that what blizzard has a problem with is getting something for nothing, does not mean that is actually the case. I personally think the crackdown on BG afk'ers would never have come if it hadn't been adversely affecting other's chances of playing/winning the battlegrounds properly. Blizzard's stance as usual is somewhat ambiguous: "we are currently taking steps to ensure fair and enjoyable competition in the Battlegrounds" quoted from http://forums.wow-europe.com/thread....05521620&sid=1

Seriously guys, the responses in this thread have been way below par for dual-boxing.com standards. This is the community which usually takes such pleasure in picking to pieces the illogical and opinionated QQ posts made by multiboxing haters on the WoW forums. I wont stoop so low as to accuse you guys of any kind of stupidity on that level, but ffs I never said I had or would definately do this, I just asked if it was against the rules.

Now, whilst posting in this annoying little thread which I wish I'd never created, I was also reading Blizzard's official statements made in connection with the ban-wave on battlegrounds afk'ers. My own conclusion is that this is way too much of a grey area to be worth the risk. Forget gear and points and everything else for a moment and just think about the game and the enjoyment.

If I was a PVP'er who only played arena for the fun, and came up against some guy with 5 naked belfs just standing there, I'd probably feel like my fun was being interfered with. Seeing as Blizzard gave others enjoyment of the game as one of the reasons for cracking down on battlegrounds afk'ers, theres no reason they wouldnt see it as grounds to make this against the rules too. @ Vudu this underlined bit is an example of a logical conclusion

[Drizzit]

wouldnt you just lose faster if you just mount into the enemies and gather nice up right besides them for they to aoe you down

I might just have fun with them. Just mount up and just keep running in a circle. Team name would be "Can you catch me"

[Skrimshaw]

There is no such thing as afking in Arenas... The idea is moronic. Sure you might get in and stand there with a thumb up your butt. In which the other team will kill you uber fast and love you for it. Your not afking, your just being a practice dumby, and it will be over so fast there is nothing away from the keyboard about it, other than you watching your guys die and fast.

wow, so theres a discrepancy in using the term "afk" when perhaps I should have said "not even trying to win" or something similar. relevance to the discussion = nil

As you can see from my original post, I am fully aware that non-participation in BG's is not allowed. This however does not automatically apply by extension to arena.

My point was, that if they do not allow it in the BGs, it's a logical conclusion that they do not allow it in the Arena either.
The only difference in BGs and Arena is that in Arena, there are no other people counting on your participation to win. However, you're still getting something for doing nothing by AFKing it...and I think this is what Blizzard has the issues with.
I know it's not specifically spelled out in the ToS or EULA that AFKing the Arenas is not allowed, however I believe it's more than implied.

I know I'm dragging this on for far too long, but I can't let that go unchecked. Stating that something is a logical conclusion does not make it one. For that you need <gasps> logical arguement

The fact that you think that what blizzard has a problem with is getting something for nothing, does not mean that is actually the case. I personally think the crackdown on BG afk'ers would never have come if it hadn't been adversely affecting other's chances of playing/winning the battlegrounds properly. Blizzard's stance as usual is somewhat ambiguous: "we are currently taking steps to ensure fair and enjoyable competition in the Battlegrounds" quoted from http://forums.wow-europe.com/thread....05521620&sid=1

Seriously guys, the responses in this thread have been way below par for dual-boxing.com standards. This is the community which usually takes such pleasure in picking to pieces the illogical and opinionated QQ posts made by multiboxing haters on the WoW forums. I wont stoop so low as to accuse you guys of any kind of stupidity on that level, but ffs I never said I had or would definately do this, I just asked if it was against the rules.

Now, whilst posting in this annoying little thread which I wish I'd never created, I was also reading Blizzard's official statements made in connection with the ban-wave on battlegrounds afk'ers. My own conclusion is that this is way too much of a grey area to be worth the risk. Forget gear and points and everything else for a moment and just think about the game and the enjoyment.

If I was a PVP'er who only played arena for the fun, and came up against some guy with 5 naked belfs just standing there, I'd probably feel like my fun was being interfered with. Seeing as Blizzard gave others enjoyment of the game as one of the reasons for cracking down on battlegrounds afk'ers, theres no reason they wouldnt see it as grounds to make this against the rules too. @ Vudu this underlined bit is an example of a logical conclusion

You can insult the intelligence of the posters, or say that their responses are below par for dual-boxing.com's standards. However, imo your topic is below dual-boxing.com's standards. IMO, the spirit of multiboxing is the challenge. I personally love the challenge of running an instance myself. I enjoyed the work and thought process of making my macros and system. I will enjoy running arenas, and trying to figure out ways to win. I believe that is why most people do multibox, cause it is a new and larger challenge than playing a single char. So your post asking if its ok to do something, and put forth no effort, or accept the challenge so that you can receive your purples imo is an insult to this community and again is below its standards. That is why I said its moronic in my previous post. Of course its your $75 a month, and no team is ever going to report you for not putting up a fight in arena, but don't ask us if its ok to not try, and them hope we give you an applauding yes.

[Mercurio]

I'm the one who posted the message you referenced about doing AFK arenas (not "beyond-tec", as incorrectly attributed to him earlier in this thread). Here is my full post again...

2-38?!!?

OMG, that's a lot better than my 0-120 over the last 6 weeks!

(As I'm typing this I'm in my 14th AFK game in a row - so many 70s I need 2 5v5 teams now)

In less than an hour of web surfing I'll have gained 4043 arena points, as I do every week.

Welfare? Absolutely

Do it? I'd be an idiot not to. Plus all the goodwill of giving away approx 300 points in arena rating to teams that actually prepared, have 5 players, and give a crap.

I always picture the other team on teamspeak, "Dude, queue us up again - FAST! Maybe we'll get that group again! Hurry!" Does my heart good to be nice to folks.

Sure, I'll try when my shammies get some decent gear, but with 40 resiliance and 600 spell damage it would be rather silly at this point.

As to the original question - is it allowed? Fortunately, you are allowed to suck at arena and keep playing. My personal experience is that I've been doing it on a couple of teams for over 6 months and have never had anyone (player or GM) say anything that would make me think it was not.

In response to some of the replies from the community -

"How could you live with yourself" (how can I live with myself trying and going 0-10 every week?)

"not in the spirit of competition" (OK, think of it as trying, just not very hard, and when my wife has walked into the room talking to me and I'm distracted)

"You should at least ride into the middle in a pack to lose faster" (I actually do this about half the time, so I guess I'm not truly AFK)

"You get hardly any points by doing this" (See below)

People just don't seem to understand that even when I've tried (once in a blue moon), with my crap gear I get owned anyway. Fast. I have no outside healer and no one on these forums has done any good at all truly 5-boxing. I'm trying to get points on 13 level 70s with a wide variety of classes that don't mix very well (most in cloth). It is by far the most efficient use of my time to lose 10 games on two teams as fast as possible.

I buy a new 5v5 team every week for 200g so I can get about 320 points on each toon per week. Please understand, arena rating is basically meaningless unless you get above 1500. Under 1500, Blizzard is giving you points for entering the arena, not for skill or rating. They communicate this to the playerbase by how we are rewarded:

5v5 rating Arena Points Notes (My formatting of this table has failed a number of times, so I'm just color-coding the columns - really, it looks better as a table )

1500 344 The points you'd get if you form a decent team, spend some time gearing up, and beat half the teams you face

1375 317 This is my typical rating after losing 10 games (a whopping 27 less points than the average team)

1280 298 This is my typical rating after losing 20 games, and when I usually buy a new team to start at 1500 again

1121 256 Even if you lose all your games for 4 weeks in a row you are still getting decent points - equal to a 1500 rated 2v2

1625 499 Ah, here is where it gets interesting. Note that when 125 below 1500 I get 27 less points, but when 125 above 1500 I get 155 points more.

As you can see, I've done some thinking about this and not trying very hard in arena is the result of my "logical reasoning" on the subject. Blizzard compels us to participate in arena based on the rewards. I do so in as efficient a manner as possible and one that actually rewards people who are trying and lose more than they win. I honestly don't see any downside.

Edit: BTW, thought I'd add... all this becomes moot for me in a few days. After S4 starts I'm going to blow all my honor and arena points on gear, have a shot at actually winning, and do my best.

[Drizzit]

"You should at least ride into the middle in a pack to lose faster" (I actually do this about half the time, so I guess I'm not truly AFK)

The funny thing to see if both teams do this. That would be a youtube moment.

[Codam]

You can insult the intelligence of the posters, or say that their responses are below par for dual-boxing.com's standards. However, imo your topic is below dual-boxing.com's standards. IMO, the spirit of multiboxing is the challenge. I personally love the challenge of running an instance myself. I enjoyed the work and thought process of making my macros and system. I will enjoy running arenas, and trying to figure out ways to win. I believe that is why most people do multibox, cause it is a new and larger challenge than playing a single char. So your post asking if its ok to do something, and put forth no effort, or accept the challenge so that you can receive your purples imo is an insult to this community and again is below its standards. That is why I said its moronic in my previous post. Of course its your $75 a month, and no team is ever going to report you for not putting up a fight in arena, but don't ask us if its ok to not try, and them hope we give you an applauding yes.

You still don't get either what I'm taking issue with here, OR what I originally asked.

Original question: Is it against the rules? NOT Do you personally like it?

Its a simple question which can either be answered by a yes, a no, or an "I don't have a clue". Applause? keep your applause, I never asked for it.

What I'm taking issue with: People who refuse to discuss the original question, and just keep on dragging the discussion back to why the hell I want to know anyhow, or why they personally wouldn't even consider it.

WTF is "The spirit of multiboxing"?..... Please! What's next? the 10 commandments of multiboxing? The Bible of multiboxing?
How far do you think this community would have come if no-one had the guts to ask if things were against the rules for fear of others who just didn't think it was right to be asking the question?

At no stage have I made an attempt to insult the intelligence of the people making replies, but the way your arguments are leaning is incredibly hypocritical coming from a multiboxer. The similarities between your attacks based on your opinion that I'm trying to get stuff for no effort spent, and those of the drooling imbeciles on the WoW general forums who don't think that multiboxers should be allowed to level in a group, or go in an instance whenever they want to are too many for me to even consider that you can't see them. THAT is what I call an insult to the community. If you'd rather consider asking for clarification on a rule as such an insult to the community, then you are too close minded to bother arguing with any more.


Apologies to Mercurio and Beyond-tec for mixing up their names in quoting.

[Skrimshaw]

You were fishing for opinions, you already knew the answer. As for the difference between a drooling single boxer on the wow forums and myself here, is on the wow forums you are arguing with people who are ill informed or don't understand the mechanics and effort. My opinion of getting gear with no effort has no similarities to the ill informed bitching about how easy we have it.

I guess I could be wrong though, you might have actually been looking for the real answer to your question and not fishing for someone to tell you its ok. I guess it could be possible that you know enough about the game to multibox and could put a logical and intelligent argument together without knowing that all afk /reports are friendly fire, or had the thought there is no team in the world that would report someone for not fighting back. Or realized that you will never get banned for ingame tactics or actions without getting reported. If that is the case I surely apologize.