Why make a seperate website? We could use the forums. Just include the username@handle, and what mission. At least if nothing else, we'd have a wall of shame, and they would be able to tangibly see some of the offenders.
Because naming and shaming is not allowed. if people want to do it they would have to take it elsewhere.
We also only have one persons word on it, and this is what causes problems. I could accuse you of being an AFK leacher and even though it would be a lie and you could strenously say it is a lie, the damage is done.
Because naming and shaming is not allowed. if people want to do it they would ahve to take it elsewhere.
We also only have one persons word on it, and this is what causes problems. I could accuse you of being an SFK leacher and even though it would be a lie and you could strenously say it is a lie, the damage is done.
Why make a seperate website? We could use the forums. Just include the username@handle, and what mission. At least if nothing else, we'd have a wall of shame, and they would be able to tangibly see some of the offenders.
Or Cryptic should implement a system of afk reports and if a "offender" gets a certain amount of reports... he can be "investigated" and banned (temporarily or permanently) if found guilty.
Any automated form of discovering them can probably be abused so I wouldn't vote for anything of that manner.
Merely having a good report system in place and working properly for a while will have them reduced to either giving up their activities or giving up the game.
Some options (based on the old AD+D alignment system choose the one that suits you best)
Lawful good option
Simply reduce the reward til its not worth them doing this , a reward that goes down and down as the timer ticks away would do this
Tighter rules for the public good
Neutral Good option
Log out anyone who doesn't move or fire for 30 seconds and bring in someone else
(reseting the timer By a minute each time)
Chaotic good option
Log out yourself that will teach them
Lawful neutral option
Set the missions so if it Fails there is NO reward they pull their weight or it fails
True Neutral option
leave it alone it will find its own balance
Chaotic neutral option
Automatically phase shift afkers into an instance together and pull together the people ACTIVE into one instance (longer clock and lesser number of targets carry over)
Lawful Evil option
Anyone who fails to respawn when downed in ground combat accumulates ALL injurys the rest of the team gets
Anyone further than 100 metres from team at end (and not Dead) gets no reward
anyone who LEAVES the match leaves with a full set of injurys
In space the ship takes the damage
and distance is 50 km
Neutral evil option
Create an AFK instance
sit in it for 30 minutes you get the reward
Chaotic evil option
randomly delete the account of one AFK every hour on the hour
I'll be a devil's advocate here
Lawful Good
What if you're kicked out due to networking issues and had to rejoin the STF?
Neutral Good
I can see alot of legitimate players being kicked out due to networking issues, and the rest of the teammates complaining why STO is so xxxx
Chaotic Good
If team leader can log out and bring down the game himself, i can foresee alot of trolls doing this at the very last minute, to obtain self satisfaction. From exp in Me3, One can also find themselves replaying the mission if the team leader gets kicked out due to lag.
Lawful neutral
Not effective
True neutral
Good option. Current system is fine the way it is
Chaotic neutral
it will create more problems, server side in implenting this
Lawful Evil
Discriminates alot of legitimate games. Why should games be penalised and forced to play a game on rails ( following the team anand staying within x metres of them )
Neutral Evil
This is good.
Chaotic Evil
i do not see how this will fit in and it would further aggravate legitimate gamers who find their own accounts being deleted
I used to play Mass Effect 3 before STO, and i see similar problems being paralleled here.
Examining the situation
The root cause of AFK is that of players looking for an easy way out to earn in-game currency. This was further exacerbate when Tour was removed.
What is the definition of AFK
Using time as a gauge of AFK is not very reliable. A 2 min kick timer was implemented in Mass Effect 3 and it had the irritating effect of being kicking you out when you had to go to the restroom or answer a call. This then made you waste a good amount of your time in the STF / Mission because of the kick timer. This method can be circumvented via a macro that does something every x min
Having a vote kick option is an acceptable method, but then, we will have scenarios where a player is rejected simply because his build does not do enough DPS.
A proper gauge of AFK is that of a reasonable amount of damage inflicted that does not favour DPS TRIBBLE but yet also allows for support players to fall within the reasonable DPS range, is imo an effective gauge.
Aside from addressing the direct problems, Cryptic also should address the indirect problems of how a player can expect to earn in-game currency effectively, passively, without a high barrier to entry.
I think they need to get rid of the leaver penalty as for low dps players not getting groups, we will carry anyone who is low dps if they are actually trying to play the game. IT angers us that we are forced to carry someone who is afk.
start forming private teams and being accused of being "elitist jerks" when we're only trying to exercise our right to enjoy the game without being plagued by AFKers, and other disruptive types of players.
Actualy that is not being elitist at all, there will always be pugs pugging along even if all the experianced players do private teams unless nobody is around or they want to visit the pugs. Pugs will learn how to do the eSTF's and eventualy learn of the channel and start doing private teams where they will be taught what they did not learn in pugs. it would be a more natural progression from newb to experianced team wise. It also will get rid of the "L2P NOOB!" shouters in pug eSTF's unless they get booted from the channel...
Absolutely nothing elitist unless being new to the channel means no invites. But offering to run a PvE bootcamp to new players would kill any elitist accusations.
Join Date: Nobody cares.
"I'm drunk, whats your excuse for being an idiot?" - Unknown drunk man. :eek:
leeching HAs become less widespread, which is good to know. Problem is it still happens. what I am trying to say (and all you keyboard warriors holier than thou take note) that if Cryptic/PWE aren't going to do something maybe it's time for the players to do something.
If you haven't experienced leeching then good for you! But to those who have then it is frustrating.
Allow me to clarify... Leeching is not participating, but using the work and actions of others to get rewards. If you have an emergency and need to disappear, that's absolutely fine. If you get a complaint then chances are it can be explained, and it won't happen again if it is innocent.
But if you continuously join an STF, your ship is banged up cos you have spawned and not repaired so many times, maybe you even fly towards the edge of the map... either way, you don't participate in the game but bid for the loot then join another and continue...rinse and repeat, you should be named and shamed. Believe me... this would work with the right backing... then the regular leechers would find that the word would spread and eventually they might find themselves without a fleet.
So... Who wants to help me? Might not happen to you but it does happen...
Any willing volunteers who would like to help create an unofficial reporting system, please mail me @romeowhiskey4.
you cant name and shame people here.. it will get you banned..
plus not all of those people you will mention are intentionally afk.. some have lost connection or lagged out.
i would go to say its more then likely the later then the former most of the time.
[12:35] Vessel Two of Two Unimatrix 01 deals 225232 (271723) Plasma Damage to you with Plasma Lance.
[12:44] Vessel One of Two Unimatrix 01 deals 1019527 (1157678) Kinetic Damage to you with Plasma Energy Bolt Explosion.
I have not come across a leecher since LOR i personally sometimes have to go AFK if one of my twins start crying during my playing but I always apologise to the team and get back to it as soon as I possibly can but have never pressed need during the time until I return to participate. However there should be something in place for example if you don't participate and just press need that you are the last one to get any items and the end reward should not apply no marks no dilithium and no items.
I know this will affect me on occasion but I believe the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one.
NO TO ARC
Vice Admiral Volmack ISS Thundermole
Brigadier General Jokag IKS Gorkan
Centurion Kares RRW Tomalak
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
I have not come across a leecher since LOR i personally sometimes have to go AFK if one of my twins start crying during my playing but I always apologise to the team and get back to it as soon as I possibly can but have never pressed need during the time until I return to participate. However there should be something in place for example if you don't participate and just press need that you are the last one to get any items and the end reward should not apply no marks no dilithium and no items.
I know this will affect me on occasion but I believe the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one.
we really wouldnt have the problems that we have if there was no cool downs.
i join a fleet alert, or starbase defense.. i see a few lower level players.. if i knew i didnt have to wait out 30 minutes from a failed mission.. i wouldnt bail..
i would just play and have fun.. knowing ill only get half the fleet marks.. but i could replay right away it wouldnt matter.. specially sine the bonus event is only 2 hours long, thats 4 30 minute missions..
[12:35] Vessel Two of Two Unimatrix 01 deals 225232 (271723) Plasma Damage to you with Plasma Lance.
[12:44] Vessel One of Two Unimatrix 01 deals 1019527 (1157678) Kinetic Damage to you with Plasma Energy Bolt Explosion.
I had one of those using scripts - he was doing circles on full impulse in CSE. I asked the team in chat if we're going to carry him - after a minute with no answer, I stopped doing anything - a minute later the Kang was almost overwhelmed by enemies and the leecher started to participate.
I really don't mind letting a mission fail.
i mind.. i am not going to sit out an hour because someone let a mission fail.
i would say this would be considered griefing more by the GMs then being afk..
[12:35] Vessel Two of Two Unimatrix 01 deals 225232 (271723) Plasma Damage to you with Plasma Lance.
[12:44] Vessel One of Two Unimatrix 01 deals 1019527 (1157678) Kinetic Damage to you with Plasma Energy Bolt Explosion.
Really? Another leeching thread? Common boys and girls, this has been addressed before.
Leeching is not against the TOS. How many times must this be said?
As annoying as it is, nobody is breaking any rules by leeching. This seriously needs to stop popping up on the forums. In fact...these threads are now more annoying than leechers...more common too.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
If you oppose the Reputation nerf, feel free to use my signature
A solution to leaching, is instead of Vote to Kick, would be to select the someone who is leeching, and then click a special button that places you in another map (and it would have 5 people in the map too ) so that person is on his own and cannot complete the STF to get marks.
Thing is, it only needs a team of 3 or something to target someone
Hopefully I'll come back from my break; this break is fun; I play intellectual games.
Really? Another leeching thread? Common boys and girls, this has been addressed before.
Leeching is not against the TOS. How many times must this be said?
As annoying as it is, nobody is breaking any rules by leeching. This seriously needs to stop popping up on the forums. In fact...these threads are now more annoying than leechers...more common too.
Yes but it is unsporting... I mean... kicking someone who donates a lot to a fleet isn't against the ToS but it's considered bad form, infact a whole host of things are considered bad form but not against the ToS. But using a system to gain an advantage over others IS against the ToS... Leeching could be construed that way, depends on your interpretation.
This thread is for the community to do something about it. I'm not asking for Cryptic/PW to take a stance, not asking for any GM involvement. Not asking for a change in ToS, not asking for a brand new system to kick... I'm asking fleet leaders to be willing to agree being a contact for their fleets so people can feel confident enough to approach them with an issue about a member of their fleet.
Problem with some folk on this site/game is that they are so damned hostile towards anyone. Keyboard warriors cooped up in their rooms but wouldn't say boo to a goose. So FL's band together and start tackling this problem from within. Eventually the fleets will weed out the leechers and, while they are not common now, they WILL come back, then we can be prepared for this eventuality. Hopefully kerb the vast majority of it.
I've been having a lot of trouble with this lately. In space someone will hide by an asteroid as if his teammates cannot see him. On the ground I've had players go as far as to run up to other players and just stand there and do nothing. :eek:
Leeches are a real problem in pick-up group missions, especially elite STFs. There are players who zone in and then afk for rest of mission. On ground missions they may try to hide to be inconspicuous , and on space missions they fly 100km away from action and try to avoid notice, but on elite STFs it is often very noticeable when you are trying to get bonus objective while short a member.
We just missed bonus on an elite STF due to such a leech. There must be some way to deal with them. One answer that comes to mind is to have STFs and possibly other group missions auto-boot a player who does not enter combat for 10 consecutive minutes (or less). If leeches start getting booted from STFs due to being afk, then perhaps they will stop taking up spot on team which can be filled by someone who wants to participate.
I'm sure this has been kicked around before but nothign has happend. You can report player to GM but you get back canned response and as far as I know nobody has been banned from game for excessive leeching.
Leeches are a real problem in pick-up group missions, especially elite STFs. There are players who zone in and then afk for rest of mission. On ground missions they may try to hide to be inconspicuous , and on space missions they fly 100km away from action and try to avoid notice, but on elite STFs it is often very noticeable when you are trying to get bonus objective while short a member.
We just missed bonus on an elite STF due to such a leech. There must be some way to deal with them. One answer that comes to mind is to have STFs and possibly other group missions auto-boot a player who does not enter combat for 10 consecutive minutes (or less). If leeches start getting booted from STFs due to being afk, then perhaps they will stop taking up spot on team which can be filled by someone who wants to participate.
I'm sure this has been kicked around before but nothign has happend. You can report player to GM but you get back canned response and as far as I know nobody has been banned from game for excessive leeching.
Oh my goodness, another one of these posts..
Nothing to see here people, move on.
PS..why would people get banned for something that is not against the game TOS/EULA? Want to avoid it? Go out and make a private group match. Problem solved.
I just really really want to see just one AFK or leecher! really I have not seen 1 single AFK player during any queue event and i am doing the grind on 2 toons so i am running them pretty much exclusivly. Is this really a problem or did some people see 1 and then jump on the forum bandwagon thinking it is in every single event?
Join Date: Nobody cares.
"I'm drunk, whats your excuse for being an idiot?" - Unknown drunk man. :eek:
PS..why would people get banned for something that is not against the game TOS/EULA? Want to avoid it? Go out and make a private group match. Problem solved.
So griefing is allowed by the EULA? I dont think so.
its not griefing? How is, on purpose(!) joinin a Group of players, with the intention to make them loose, not griefing?
They dont want to make the team lose, but only to leech?
Well, joining a Game for FIVE players, and NOT playing, quite happily qualifies for "wanting to make your team loose on purpose"
Leeching is not against the TOS. Stop pugging if you want to avoid leechers. I dunno why you people don't understand this. Leeching is NOT against the TOS.
Say it with me...
Leeching is not against the TOS.
One more time.
Leeching is not against the TOS.
Man oh man..I dunno what is wrong with this community. I dunno why it has to be said over and over and over.
Leeching is not griefing. Just because someone is AFK, does not mean you instantly lose the match. If you cannot pick up the slack, then you are a bad player. I have had my fair share of run-ins with AFKers in EVERY game type going. What did I do? I gave it 120%...and I made up for the fact that someone was AFK.
Reporting AFKers clogs up an already overburdened report system. Ignoring does nothing. Complaining on the forums does nothing.
I hate to sound like a jerk...but this is getting old.
Addendum:
Unless a dev or mod comes in here, and corrects me on the fact that leeching is NOT against the TOS...I will stand by this statement till my dying breath.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
If you oppose the Reputation nerf, feel free to use my signature
PS..why would people get banned for something that is not against the game TOS/EULA? Want to avoid it? Go out and make a private group match. Problem solved.
Well, the fact that we get several posts like this a week (I'm also sick of reading them too, I nearly didn't even bother clicking on this one after reading the summary) - does clearly indicate that AFKers are a big problem in this game for the casual solo-gamer. Personally I don't run any public games (like plenty of the forum regs) so can't guage it - but lots of non-posting members are coming on the the forums to moan about this. It's probably about time something was done.
Now, I know it's not currently against the TOS so there's nothing that the developers can do about them (except *fix the problem* ) but it's probably time that changed - but every solution that's been put forward by us seems a bit shakey at best. The Devs have said "we're discussing it" for months, but it's probably about time something was sorted.
Telling people to stop using public queues to go and form private ones is only a short term solution, and one that works (so I recommend it) but long term having nobody in public queues would be a terrible thing for the game, so it's not really a solution - just a band aid.
So griefing is allowed by the EULA? I dont think so.
its not griefing? How is, on purpose(!) joinin a Group of players, with the intention to make them loose, not griefing?
Now, I don't AFK from STFs but I would imagine the whole point of doing it isn't to make people fail, but to get free rewards without actually doing anything. That's not against the rules, it doesn't say anywhere that *users must fire there weapons and help out their team mates* because that would be completely stupid. All you're doing is not contributing, which is annoying and jerk-ish but can't be made against the rules. Making these people get no rewards will stop AFKers! The problem is... how...
Being AFK may not necessarily be against the TOS. Getting full rewards for zero effort is another matter entirely. It's a form of griefing in addition to a broken game mechanic that allows events to grant full rewards to those who put forth no effort.
Stop calling it greifing, that word doesn't mean what you think it means.
Comments
Because naming and shaming is not allowed. if people want to do it they would have to take it elsewhere.
We also only have one persons word on it, and this is what causes problems. I could accuse you of being an AFK leacher and even though it would be a lie and you could strenously say it is a lie, the damage is done.
Fair enough.
↑ ↑ ↓ ↓ ← → ← → Ⓑ Ⓐ
Or Cryptic should implement a system of afk reports and if a "offender" gets a certain amount of reports... he can be "investigated" and banned (temporarily or permanently) if found guilty.
Any automated form of discovering them can probably be abused so I wouldn't vote for anything of that manner.
Merely having a good report system in place and working properly for a while will have them reduced to either giving up their activities or giving up the game.
It's pretty much this hard to keep just one timeline intact. ♪
I'll be a devil's advocate here
Lawful Good
What if you're kicked out due to networking issues and had to rejoin the STF?
Neutral Good
I can see alot of legitimate players being kicked out due to networking issues, and the rest of the teammates complaining why STO is so xxxx
Chaotic Good
If team leader can log out and bring down the game himself, i can foresee alot of trolls doing this at the very last minute, to obtain self satisfaction. From exp in Me3, One can also find themselves replaying the mission if the team leader gets kicked out due to lag.
Lawful neutral
Not effective
True neutral
Good option. Current system is fine the way it is
Chaotic neutral
it will create more problems, server side in implenting this
Lawful Evil
Discriminates alot of legitimate games. Why should games be penalised and forced to play a game on rails ( following the team anand staying within x metres of them )
Neutral Evil
This is good.
Chaotic Evil
i do not see how this will fit in and it would further aggravate legitimate gamers who find their own accounts being deleted
I used to play Mass Effect 3 before STO, and i see similar problems being paralleled here.
Examining the situation
The root cause of AFK is that of players looking for an easy way out to earn in-game currency. This was further exacerbate when Tour was removed.
What is the definition of AFK
Using time as a gauge of AFK is not very reliable. A 2 min kick timer was implemented in Mass Effect 3 and it had the irritating effect of being kicking you out when you had to go to the restroom or answer a call. This then made you waste a good amount of your time in the STF / Mission because of the kick timer. This method can be circumvented via a macro that does something every x min
Having a vote kick option is an acceptable method, but then, we will have scenarios where a player is rejected simply because his build does not do enough DPS.
A proper gauge of AFK is that of a reasonable amount of damage inflicted that does not favour DPS TRIBBLE but yet also allows for support players to fall within the reasonable DPS range, is imo an effective gauge.
Aside from addressing the direct problems, Cryptic also should address the indirect problems of how a player can expect to earn in-game currency effectively, passively, without a high barrier to entry.
Actualy that is not being elitist at all, there will always be pugs pugging along even if all the experianced players do private teams unless nobody is around or they want to visit the pugs. Pugs will learn how to do the eSTF's and eventualy learn of the channel and start doing private teams where they will be taught what they did not learn in pugs. it would be a more natural progression from newb to experianced team wise. It also will get rid of the "L2P NOOB!" shouters in pug eSTF's unless they get booted from the channel...
Absolutely nothing elitist unless being new to the channel means no invites. But offering to run a PvE bootcamp to new players would kill any elitist accusations.
"I'm drunk, whats your excuse for being an idiot?" - Unknown drunk man. :eek:
If you haven't experienced leeching then good for you! But to those who have then it is frustrating.
Allow me to clarify... Leeching is not participating, but using the work and actions of others to get rewards. If you have an emergency and need to disappear, that's absolutely fine. If you get a complaint then chances are it can be explained, and it won't happen again if it is innocent.
But if you continuously join an STF, your ship is banged up cos you have spawned and not repaired so many times, maybe you even fly towards the edge of the map... either way, you don't participate in the game but bid for the loot then join another and continue...rinse and repeat, you should be named and shamed. Believe me... this would work with the right backing... then the regular leechers would find that the word would spread and eventually they might find themselves without a fleet.
So... Who wants to help me? Might not happen to you but it does happen...
Any willing volunteers who would like to help create an unofficial reporting system, please mail me @romeowhiskey4.
plus not all of those people you will mention are intentionally afk.. some have lost connection or lagged out.
i would go to say its more then likely the later then the former most of the time.
[12:44] Vessel One of Two Unimatrix 01 deals 1019527 (1157678) Kinetic Damage to you with Plasma Energy Bolt Explosion.
I know this will affect me on occasion but I believe the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one.
Vice Admiral Volmack ISS Thundermole
Brigadier General Jokag IKS Gorkan
Centurion Kares RRW Tomalak
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
we really wouldnt have the problems that we have if there was no cool downs.
i join a fleet alert, or starbase defense.. i see a few lower level players.. if i knew i didnt have to wait out 30 minutes from a failed mission.. i wouldnt bail..
i would just play and have fun.. knowing ill only get half the fleet marks.. but i could replay right away it wouldnt matter.. specially sine the bonus event is only 2 hours long, thats 4 30 minute missions..
[12:44] Vessel One of Two Unimatrix 01 deals 1019527 (1157678) Kinetic Damage to you with Plasma Energy Bolt Explosion.
I really don't mind letting a mission fail.
i mind.. i am not going to sit out an hour because someone let a mission fail.
i would say this would be considered griefing more by the GMs then being afk..
[12:44] Vessel One of Two Unimatrix 01 deals 1019527 (1157678) Kinetic Damage to you with Plasma Energy Bolt Explosion.
Well then, please continue to encourage the AFK-ing, but don't whine about it here.
Leeching is not against the TOS. How many times must this be said?
As annoying as it is, nobody is breaking any rules by leeching. This seriously needs to stop popping up on the forums. In fact...these threads are now more annoying than leechers...more common too.
Thing is, it only needs a team of 3 or something to target someone
I hope STO get's better ...
Yes but it is unsporting... I mean... kicking someone who donates a lot to a fleet isn't against the ToS but it's considered bad form, infact a whole host of things are considered bad form but not against the ToS. But using a system to gain an advantage over others IS against the ToS... Leeching could be construed that way, depends on your interpretation.
This thread is for the community to do something about it. I'm not asking for Cryptic/PW to take a stance, not asking for any GM involvement. Not asking for a change in ToS, not asking for a brand new system to kick... I'm asking fleet leaders to be willing to agree being a contact for their fleets so people can feel confident enough to approach them with an issue about a member of their fleet.
Problem with some folk on this site/game is that they are so damned hostile towards anyone. Keyboard warriors cooped up in their rooms but wouldn't say boo to a goose. So FL's band together and start tackling this problem from within. Eventually the fleets will weed out the leechers and, while they are not common now, they WILL come back, then we can be prepared for this eventuality. Hopefully kerb the vast majority of it.
@nabreeki, thanks for your support!
We just missed bonus on an elite STF due to such a leech. There must be some way to deal with them. One answer that comes to mind is to have STFs and possibly other group missions auto-boot a player who does not enter combat for 10 consecutive minutes (or less). If leeches start getting booted from STFs due to being afk, then perhaps they will stop taking up spot on team which can be filled by someone who wants to participate.
I'm sure this has been kicked around before but nothign has happend. You can report player to GM but you get back canned response and as far as I know nobody has been banned from game for excessive leeching.
Oh my goodness, another one of these posts..
Nothing to see here people, move on.
PS..why would people get banned for something that is not against the game TOS/EULA? Want to avoid it? Go out and make a private group match. Problem solved.
"I'm drunk, whats your excuse for being an idiot?" - Unknown drunk man. :eek:
So griefing is allowed by the EULA? I dont think so.
its not griefing? How is, on purpose(!) joinin a Group of players, with the intention to make them loose, not griefing?
They dont want to make the team lose, but only to leech?
Well, joining a Game for FIVE players, and NOT playing, quite happily qualifies for "wanting to make your team loose on purpose"
Say it with me...
Leeching is not against the TOS.
One more time.
Leeching is not against the TOS.
Man oh man..I dunno what is wrong with this community. I dunno why it has to be said over and over and over.
Leeching is not griefing. Just because someone is AFK, does not mean you instantly lose the match. If you cannot pick up the slack, then you are a bad player. I have had my fair share of run-ins with AFKers in EVERY game type going. What did I do? I gave it 120%...and I made up for the fact that someone was AFK.
Reporting AFKers clogs up an already overburdened report system. Ignoring does nothing. Complaining on the forums does nothing.
I hate to sound like a jerk...but this is getting old.
Addendum:
Unless a dev or mod comes in here, and corrects me on the fact that leeching is NOT against the TOS...I will stand by this statement till my dying breath.
I do. Its people that literally say that leeching is okay. :rolleyes:
Well, the fact that we get several posts like this a week (I'm also sick of reading them too, I nearly didn't even bother clicking on this one after reading the summary) - does clearly indicate that AFKers are a big problem in this game for the casual solo-gamer. Personally I don't run any public games (like plenty of the forum regs) so can't guage it - but lots of non-posting members are coming on the the forums to moan about this. It's probably about time something was done.
Now, I know it's not currently against the TOS so there's nothing that the developers can do about them (except *fix the problem* ) but it's probably time that changed - but every solution that's been put forward by us seems a bit shakey at best. The Devs have said "we're discussing it" for months, but it's probably about time something was sorted.
Telling people to stop using public queues to go and form private ones is only a short term solution, and one that works (so I recommend it) but long term having nobody in public queues would be a terrible thing for the game, so it's not really a solution - just a band aid.
EDIT:
Now, I don't AFK from STFs but I would imagine the whole point of doing it isn't to make people fail, but to get free rewards without actually doing anything. That's not against the rules, it doesn't say anywhere that *users must fire there weapons and help out their team mates* because that would be completely stupid. All you're doing is not contributing, which is annoying and jerk-ish but can't be made against the rules. Making these people get no rewards will stop AFKers! The problem is... how...
Kirk's Protege.
Also, there is this thing called common courtesy. You are playing with a group of other people trying to accomplish a common goal. So don't be a d***
If you can't arsed to, or are to lazy to actually play the game, then why the heck are you here in the first place?
---- FIRE EVERYTHING ! ----
Stop calling it greifing, that word doesn't mean what you think it means.
Kirk's Protege.