EQDiva

What is the best way to practice my Brass Instrument Skill? I practice String and Percussion by equiping the instrument and then using a song of that variety for an hour. But for Brass my only song is Denon's Disruptive Discord (AE), so is that cool to sit around PoK using that?

nexus might be better just because people get mad due to the lag the graphics cause , but other than that using ddd is fine to skill up on, just pick a nice secluded place where you won't annoy anyone

Aye the Nexus is where I do all my song skill ups. 9 times out of 10 I am the only one in the zone or a few other people. I just go hide in a corner and play while I watch a movie, go take a nap, go to work, etc...

Strictly speaking training songs while afk is against the EULA. If a GM suspects you are afk tehy may /tell you and boot you from in-game if they get no replies. Apparently they may take firmer action against repeat offenders. I'l hold my hand up - my brass skill would have never capped before I dinged 70 I suspect, without some afk training. Our AE songs can be incredibly annoying for other PC's. Spamming * tries to cast a spell on you but you are protected* every 6 secs is, imho, completely unnecessary and ignorant. I have /petitioned certain bards who left DDD runnig for days in the PoK bank... Take two minutes to run somewhere remote, that way you can't bother your fellow players, and the GM won't bother you either =) Just a thought - I used to practice mine in Kaladim by the smithing guys, I would be in the little stream maxxing out my swim skill at the same time luv Yianulla.

Strictly speaking training songs while afk is against the EULA. If a GM suspects you are afk tehy may /tell you and boot you from in-game if they get no replies. Apparently they may take firmer action against repeat offenders.

Hogwash! There is nothing against the EULA in training songs while afk. You have started a song and gone afk. That is completely permissible. Now if you were to set up a macro that /bandoliered your lute and sang chords.. then /bandoliered your horn and sang DDD.. then bandoliered your flute to sing invis.. and repeat.......THAT would be against the EULA... There are keystrokes going on while YOU are not involved. NORMAL afk training of ONE skill that requires NO KEYCLICKS breaks NO rules.

Considering the incredibly slow skill up afk training is a must, i use percussion for selos all the time with a drum and my percussion is not maxed. When i was lower level i did go to ec, and ran up to the top of the wall on the side where the tunnel is, splendid view from up there and no one got spammed :) Had a 20ish bard standing spamming ddd in the bank in bazaar, to bad players can't death touch.

I trained my brass in the arena in lake rathe. With the stone there now, this is an incredibly easy to access zone and it is virtually empty. I would find a spot against the wall that is OUTSIDE of the PVP area and go away for the next 12 hours... I would come back and discover i had 10 or 15 increases... yes.. it is THAT SLOW. Another spot that I used was by the druid ring in Butcherblook, go way high on the zone wall there. Yes I trained my brass before Kunark existed, so its old school all the way :)

One place I went for practicing brass was Greater Faydark. Over by the wizard spires is a ledge on the zone wall. I would stand there and let either DDD or AE Fear go off all night long.

I think the safest place (and where I did mine is) the long passage by high hold pass. Hardly anyone runs it and there is a good sized open area on the High hold pass side where you can sit on the side of the mountain wall and noone will get in your range when running by.

Reys - Is that a cold hard fact from Sony or your personal opinion? The EULA doesn't state every instance/possibility with regards to bending or breaking rules, much is open to interpretation. I agree it would be silly to suggest leaving a song playing while afk is breaking "the rules", this isn't quite that simple. I have personally had /tell's from a guide - the reason given was Sony does not intend ppl to gain/progress whilst afk. No other caster is able to skill-up while afk without macro'ing, because bards are able to doesn't make it "fair" - even if skilling up thru' normal practice is tediously slow... divination anyone? Perhaps this is isn't the interpretations of most guides, I couldn't say. I think most would agree however that the unending spamming of fellow players by playing a detrimental AE song is a nuisance they won't and shouldn't tolerate, which is more the point I was trying to make. Go somewhere remote and noone will ever know or care - that solves both potential problems. Until I see official comments from Sony plainly stating we are allowed to train our skills while afk (not just leave selo's playing, or AE mana etc for the benefit of others) I feel happier making folk aware it may be a breach. Call me overly cautious if you want, I've had worse ;) luv Yianulla ps. kudos for the use of "hogwash" =)

Reys - Is that a cold hard fact from Sony or your personal opinion?

Well.. tell me.. what would a "cold hard fact from Sony" be? Answer: non-existant. As to interpretations from Sony representatives... YES I have seen postings by SOE personnel that it was fine. I CANNOT site references / links.. I don't recall what forum or what month. There is NO evidence of ANYONE ever having been banned or officially warned for AFK training single instrument skills that I have seen. I HAVE seen evidence of people being warned/banned for OTHER AFK activities which required a macro to perform, and statements from SOE staff that it was unacceptable. The subject does not break this rule.

I have personally had /tell's from a guide - the reason given was Sony does not intend ppl to gain/progress whilst afk.

OK you got a /tell... Were you /AFK? Did the GM give you an OFFICIAL WARNING? (Such would be a mark on your account and if caught doing so repeatedly could lead to banning... if there was NO official warning then the NEXT GM to give you a /tell would have no record of historical behavior.. hence no path to banning). My psychic powers.. otherwise known as commmon sense (which is anything but common)... tell me that...NO.. you did NOT receive an OFFICIAL WARNING... Am I right? I'm right, aren't I?.. See I knew I was right!!

No other caster is able to skill-up while afk without macro'ing, because bards are able to doesn't make it "fair"

This statement is true. I coverred the no other caster bit in my post.. if you cast heal over and over it would require clicks. Anything that requires keyboard clicks... requires a macro...a third party piece of software that alters game play.. which is a violation of the EULA and it might not be "fair" that Bards can do it, but its NOT an exploit either.. it is standard game mechanics. Its ALSO not fair that even the healing pool in guild hall won't help our mana regen.. but its not an exploit when my mage or my wifes wizard sits in that pool.

I think most would agree however that the unending spamming of fellow players by playing a detrimental AE song is a nuisance they won't and shouldn't tolerate

Here... we agree... if the other players cannot reasonable be expected to move out of range and continue reasonable play. In fact, Here, I DO see a path to banning, resulting from breaking the EULA. Disruption of game for other players, specifically. But as you said that is not inherant in afk training, but rather in where you train and who is likely to be near you. If I wait until 50 to train my brass up, I can sing Melody of Ervaj at MB in POK and you should have no complaints, my song wont touch you unless we are grouped. Prior to that its gonna be AE and I need to be polite about WHERE I AFK train brass, but not about WHETHER I do. And if I want to afk train wind.. HECK.. I'm not even VISIBLE!!!

not just leave selo's playing, or AE mana etc for the benefit of others

Hold on a sec... If I leave Selo's playing with a drum equipped... "You have become better at percussion instruments (206)" If I leave AE Mana playing with a lute equipped... "You have become better at Stringed instruments (187)" If I leave DDD playing with a horn equipped... "A decaying skeleton is hit by 18 points of non-melee damage" "A decaying skeleton is hit by 18 points of non-melee damage" "A bat is hit by 18 points of non-melee damage" "A large rat is hit by 18 points of non-melee damage" "You have slain a decaying skeleton" "You have slain a decaying skeleton" "You have slain a bat" "You have slain a large rat" "You have become better at Brass Instruments (21)" Take out the bats and rats and skeletons.. and how are they different. They aren't. You are still training up instrument skills while AFK. And .. its still OK.

ps. kudos for the use of "hogwash" =)

/giggle... Thanks.. Although I gave some thought to whether it mightn't have been better to say "Poppycock"... hehe

Well.. tell me.. what would a "cold hard fact from Sony" be? Answer: non-existant.

Fair point, would be too much to ask for neh?

As to interpretations from Sony representatives... YES I have seen postings by SOE personnel that it was fine. I CANNOT site references / links.. I don't recall what forum or what month.

I have no reason not to take your word on that, in good faith :D good to hear it.

OK you got a /tell... Were you /AFK? Did the GM give you an OFFICIAL WARNING?

I was sat at my keyboard eating lunch at the time so there was nothing to answer for. Mind you, if the guide had booted me to char/server select I wouldn't get to see that /tell would I? Suffice to say it was the last time I trained my brass in PoK. I was outside the Grand Library, opposite side from the main door, in case ya wondering. Afaik I have no black marks on my account and can't see why I might.

Its ALSO not fair that even the healing pool in guild hall won't help our mana regen.. but its not an exploit when my mage or my wifes wizard sits in that pool.

a nice analogy on the surface. The GH pool returns mana - bards do not have standard mana, we have bardic mana. KEI, only regens standard mana, whereas worn FT items regen x standard mana and x bardic at the same time. k, k I'm just splitting hairs now =) As for the Rats and Bats bit at the end.. well, who really needs to afk train perc.n or stringed? my wind got an afk leg-up iirc, but only 'cos I'm fussy like that. Brass was the only one that [b]needed[/b] it. If you should ever get a percussion skillup while afk its much more likely due to coincidence than intent (I would hope hehe). In essence - don't be a twat by playing detrimental AE songs in the PoK bank as I have seen many bards do. Theres enough complaints abouts bards and their playstyles, be it imagined, envious or otherwise, without us making it easier. luv Yianulla. oh btw Poppycock does score lots of points, but I think Hogwash 4tw 8)

Hmmm I seem top rember that AFK songs in POK and Bazzar are good ways to get kicked to server select. People will complain in these zones because of the lag. Anyways the safest place to train skills is the arena there are no mobs there to hurt you. The Soulbinder cant be pulled. Just do it along the outside wall. (sit in one of the fire pots so your not that noticable.) If you afk train in most any other zone some crackhead can pull a train over you for there amusment. (not counting bazaar or PoK.) Rao

[url]http://www.eqdiva.com/EQ/Guide.aspx?id=46&ForumID=132[/url]