As stated previously, SWG Customer Service no longer considers the use of combat macros while Away From Keyboard an exploit or any other sort of violation of game policy.  This change in policy has created some confusion, because of the different activities which may involve the use of combat macros while a player is not paying attention to the game.  Let’s try to clear up the policy below.

If a player is using combat macros while AFK:

    * in an area not containing any NPCs needed to complete missions;
    * in a manner which does not prevent other players from accessing the content in that area;
    * solely for the purpose of gaining experience, either for themselves or a pet;

No violation is going on, under the revised policy.

Example: A player or small group of players are camped in one part of the Dantari Village on Dantooine, killing the villagers with pets and macros while AFK, but leaving the rest of the village open for other players, there is nothing wrong with those players’ actions.  They are not monopolizing content, nor are they preventing other players from completing any missions.  So they are doing nothing wrong.

If a player is using combat macros while AFK:

    * in an area containing NPCs needed to complete missions;
    * in a manner which prevents other players from accessing the content in that area;
    * for the apparent purpose of gaining loot for later sale for real-life money;
    * with a third-party program (bot);

That player is violating current policy.

Example #1:  A large group of players are camped in one part of the Dantari Village on Dantooine, killing the villagers with pets and macros while AFK.  As before, they have left the rest of the village open for other players, but their group is so large it is lagging the zone, so that other players cannot hunt in the same area.  The interference created by the lag is an unacceptable disruption.

Example #2:  A player or group of players is camped in a section of the Rryatt Trail, killing Wookiees while AFK.  The Wookiees are needed for at least one mission, and the group’s activities are preventing other players from being able to complete the mission.  The AFK players are in violation.

Example #3:  On Dathomir a group of players are running around in unison, killing and looting Nightsisters.  They don’t answer hails or tells, and either follow a predictable course through the area, or monopolize a prime spawn point.  These may be one legitimate player multiboxing, or a group farming for secondary sales.  Enough doubt exists that CS should be alerted so we can investigate the activities.

As a player, you may be wondering how you can avoid being accused of illegal AFK combat.  Here are some tips:

    * Avoid large AFK groups.  It’s true that larger groups can take on more NPCs and thus gain better experience, but large groups also generate so much in terms of particle effects and animations that they can slow frame-rates to a crawl for anybody in the same zone.
    * Don’t set up AFK macros in an area where NPCs are needed for missions.
    * Set your AFK macro running in a location where plenty of spawns are left for other players.
    * Avoid dungeons and areas where mobs needed for quests spawn.
    * Remote locations are best.

With regards to those who are farming purely to sell the items or credits for real world money: These people have never abided by any policy even before this announcement, and as such this has not suddenly made them all come out of the woodwork, nor does it mean CS is condoning them.  However, what we believe will now happen is CS can concentrate purely on catching these people by methods we already have available to us, rather than having to handle the hundreds of petitions per day about people who –might- be AFK farming for other reasons. We spend too much time sifting through the hundreds of tickets that might contain one actual real world money farmer.  Now, we can spend all our time working on catching those people. 

It’s a big galaxy, with enough content to share.  If the real players just play nice and consider their fellow gamers, the true exploiters and farmers will be more obvious, and thus easier for CS to catch.