Chapter 6.9 AFK Crafting
Maintaining AFK Mechanics
Eventually, players will understand how to strategize timing of threats, such as using tinder to deter them, or have combat players focus on keeping them contained in areas for combat, appeasing, or control. If done successfully, this allows crafting and service players to strategize undisturbed AFK services with crafting, smithing, cooking, innkeeping, and more.
Obtaining Resources
Players can use hired NPC to help restock their storages. Players purchasing from active or AFK players can feel interconnected with a community, instead of relying entirely on NPC services. At a service counter, players can toggle options for NPC to automatically quest, and/or to post a quest for missing items for players to complete.
Stocking Resources
AFK players should stock their storages as much as possible to keep a storefront/service stocked with everything needed to keep it running while AFK.
Running a Service
If players decide to run a service instead of hiring an NPC, they will gain trade legend. While AFK, players can set "AFK" on the service counter to link themselves to the service counter. Players can set which crafts to automatically craft while linked to the service counter. Required workstations, resources/linked resources, and correct tools need to be in the service area for it to automate. The service counter will notify the player, highlighting selected crafts in red for missing workstations/resources/tools.
Visuals of Being AFK - Active AFK
Players will be marked with glowing tattoo runes indicating they are AFK. This will appear on their hands and head. Players unlock tattoos by going AFK at an allowed service counter construction type. The default tattoo is based on the service counter, but players can set a type globally for all workstations in their core menu from their unlocks, or set different ones at each workstation category. Clothing and equipment that boosts AFK activity, will also glow in runic symbols. (These are not individually editable.) In the case that players are wearing items that cover the runic tattoos, the service counter will also glow with runes to indicate an AFK servicer.
Visuals of Being AFK - No Resources/Services Left
In the case of an AFK player running out of resources/ability to complete the service, the customer player will be notified. When players interact with the service counter, it will notify the player that the service is closed. if there are quests available, the player can then "see available quests" to help restock the store/reobtain the ability to get service. The store/service player will revert into a blue firefly, hovering around the service counter. Thus, players can even start a store/service counter without resources, asking players to help them stock up, as long as they can use active skills/blueprints/written resources to set up the quests.
Breaking AFK
A player can break AFK seamlessly by interacting with anything that would cause the player's character to move. So players can still look at inventory and the service counter, while allowing the character to craft undisturbed. Player can turn it back on if they move, quickly, by returning to a service counter and activating it again.
Prioritizing AFK Crafts
Players can choose which crafts to prioritizing creating and restocking when they are out, by using a crafting schedule ledger that is placed on the service counter of choice. This is another screen that can be interacted with fully without breaking an AFK link.
Full Strategy
Utilizing all the methods successfully, relying on combat players to clear and manage threats, hiring NPC or utilizing player quests, as well as highly stocking storages. AFK players can gain crafting and trade legend, undisturbed, the same as an active player with no penalties. This should give players the ability to run stores and crafts on-demand, in high traffic areas, as much as possible, whether active, or AFK, putting the choice in the player's hands.