When a V/LA is too long?

[Realeo]

I see some players, not going to mention them, which seems to use V/LA as a reason to "dodge the prod clock". During this V/LA time, they can be very active for a long period of time, then goes away when the discussion is against them, using the V/LA to not get prod. When the discussion is on their favor again, they would talk again. Obviously, it's not beyond reasonable doubt, but they keep repeatedly using a long V/LA and it makes me a paranoid.

My question:

When is a V/LA is too long and I should impose "replace out for too long."

Note: I am aware of the rule that I cannot use V/LA for intentional lurking and I am aware that I should not test the boundary of the rule. I'm talking this, as a game moderator, wanting to know how to face this possibility.

[Creature]

I've seen players doing "oh it's exam week and i'll post slightly less therefore calling V/LA" rather than "i can't post much in these days".

Yeah, I already had a player calling V/LA and not posting for five days in one of my games.

imo it's better to make them stil meet activity requirements (though consider increasing their prod timer). If they're like "I can't post for two weeks", maybe just go like "okay, you're too busy, gonna find a replacement for you"

[Firebringer]

I put in a rule about if players will be gone longer than five that they should rethink if they want to do replace out unstead

[callforjudgement]

When I worked on balancing my TimePoints™ mechanic (which basically makes it objective how much inactivity is allowed), I effectively charged players half a prod for each 24 hours beyond the first 48. (A 48 hour V/LA is obviously harmless; the player could have gone that long without posting

without

declaring the V/LA, so although declaring it is definitely a helpful fact to know, it isn't something that should have any cost at all.)

When I'm handling V/LAs more subjectively, I base things on the state of the game; if the game is generally active, there aren't many questions being asked of the V/LAing player, and we're far from deadline, I might be willing to accept a 6- or 7-day V/LA, whereas if the players are doing something setup-spec heavy which requires particular players to act at particular times and has low activity during that period, even 4 can be too much and warrant a replacement. I think in general, though, 5 days is close to the standard for a V/LA that's considered to be on the edge of reasonable (assuming it means no posting at all), and the exact length of the V/LA would have to be declared in advance; some mods would approve, some would disapprove, but it'd be a close decision for most of them.

If a player declares an indefinite V/LA (most commonly as a consequence of an emergency), I'll ask for an update on the situation after 48 hours, and replace after a further 24 if I don't get a response. (Normally you get an update within 24 hours, though.)

By the way, if there's any chance a player might be V/LA overNight, you need to figure out what their night actions would be somehow; ask for the player to submit them early, delegate to a scumbuddy/Mason buddy, etc..

[Frozen Angel]

mine is 4 days

Will prod them again in 5th day
and will replace them in 6th

[Cheery Dog]

I've played a entire game while on a V/LA. Considering I signed up while I was on said V/LA, I think I knew I still had time to make posts, just not at my usual times.

As a Mod, my ruleset gives people on V/LA a 72/48 prod timer.

[Equinox]

I disregard V/LAs and continue to prod and replace at the usual interval because I'm a heartless monster.

It also completely eliminates the problem of overlong V/LAs. The techniques discussed thus far may be better solutions, though. If someone knows beforehand that they're going to be away for a while, then I usually ask if (1) they'll be able to post at least once every 48 hours and/or (2) they'd be interested in a temporary replacement.

[callforjudgement]

I don't do temporary replacements because it's unfair on the temporary replacement.
I'd have no qualms with letting a player replace back into their own slot if they had to replace out due to emergency (actually, sticking around after the emergency and following the game is a good way to demonstrate that you didn't replace out for selfish reasons). I typically run smaller games, though, and so far none of my games has run long enough to allow that to happen.

[Fro99er]

I do half a day phase as my rule.

[Riley Cake]

I don't allow V/LAs in the games I mod. I mean, you can declare it, and I'll wish you a happy vacation or whatever, and maybe other players will be more lenient on you if that's the case. But prod rules apply for all players without deviation.

[Firebringer]

I don't allow V/LAs in the games I mod. I mean, you can declare it, and I'll wish you a happy vacation or whatever, and maybe other players will be more lenient on you if that's the case. But prod rules apply for all players without deviation.

What games you mod?

[Riley Cake]

None on here C:<

[callforjudgement]

Note that V/LA declarations are at least partly for the other players, rather than for the moderator.

I declared a V/LA an hour long once, because the thread was

very

active with people going back and forth in realtime, but I really needed to eat. (Wasn't a marathon game, but had spontaneously turned into one.)