Opinion: Sitter for Someone that Left The Game

In the meantime, it is not against game rules to have two accounts and also to perma-sit two accounts on each of those accounts, resulting in de facto control of six accounts.  Reaction of players to this behavior tends to be negative, however; there are players who were attacked over perceived abuse of account sitting, although the results of that effort are ambiguous at best.

So:  It's not against the rules and the devs won't do anything.  If there are enough players who object and can identify a culprit, they could potentially do something.  Speaking from experience, short of an open admission from someone who is also violating other community norms, probably people won't do anything unless or until they are directly affected, and possibly not even then.

If the tone of this post seems a little cynical, please forgive me.  I find the issue to be frustrating.

 

LOL...get a job springs to mind.

I can be seen at all hours of the day and night chatting on gc, and yet I honestly don't have time to sit other people's accounts (as those who have been unfortunate enough to request vacation coverage from me can attest).

Here's what I do in Illy that keeps me so busy:

1)  Administration for two alliances, including recruitment, new member orientation, helping players find city locations, resolving disputes with other alliances.

2)  Training and advice for new members

3)  Assisting new players in chat and by mail.  "How do I harvest?  How do I siege a city?  How do I create a commander?  How do I settle a city? How do I siege and capture a city? What are the differences between the races?  Does anyone have a link for ____________."  I have sent 43 mails or replies to players from one of my two accounts in the past 24 hours.

4)  Actively posting responses on the forum.  (5.06 posts per day on average does tend to take up one's time.)

5)  Planning and development for the Crow Federation, including writing briefs on current developments and planning and testing communication tools.

6) Development of forum guides.

7) Tracking and monitoring NPC behavior.

8)  Just trying to be a friend to people who are going through difficult times.

I frequently have two game windows and 2-3 private chat windows, plus the forum, open at any given time.

I assure you, these activities more than keep me busy.  I sometimes am online for three or more hours before I even have a chance to check the builds on my cities (never mind my alt's cities).

I am delighted to do all of these things.  My only point in making this post is that one should not assume that just because a person is active in global chat with some frequency means that the person either is or has the time for monitoring multiple accounts.

Indeed, in all likelihood such a person has less time than people who are completely silent in gc.  Some HUGcr and nCrow members who spend a lot of time doing public service in gc or helping alliance mates eschew alts for this reason.

Yes, there may be people who have enough time to have de facto control of six accounts.  But singling out people who are active in gc as potential "suspects" is just wrongheaded.