Multiboxing

[DrakeWurrum]

Have to admit. The thought of a 5-boxing Greatsword Warrior done right can be frightening.

Step 1: Charge + Frenzy + Hundred Blades.
Did they stunbreak or dodge? Repeat with next Warrior.

[Prepared]

Given that no one officially answered this question and I didn't want to start another message thread about this subject. Below is my support question I sent to Guild Wars 2 support and the response I received.

Is Multiboxing allowed?

I tried to search the forums but couldn't find anything related to this.

First, let's understand what we're talking about so these terms are defined below.

1. Multiboxing is defined as playing several accounts at the same time by one player. The player is at the keyboard playing the game just like any other player except the player controls several characters on separate accounts. The multiboxer is the player controlling the characters by pressing keys and using the mouse.
2. Multiboxing software - This is defined as software that sends the players keystrokes and/or mouse to all Guild Wars 2 clients for separate accounts. The same key pressed goes to all of the clients at the same time. A mouse button pressed goes to all of the clients at the same time in the same location.

There is no automation. There is only keys and mouse commands being sent to all of the game clients at the same time by the player that pressed or pushed the mouse button. The player makes the decision about what key to press to activate which skill at the time decided by the player. If the player wants to have all characters dodge at the same time, the player presses the key to execute that action.

Because Guild Wars 2 does not have a follow command, the process of controlling the direction for the characters is difficult but not impossible.

So the question is, is this allowed or will there be a ban to any players playing multiple accounts at the same time? The Guild Wars 2 User Agreement appears to state that more than one account can be used. Section 4.a states: "The Game requires at least one Account from NCsoft. You acknowledge that it is Your responsibility to establish any Account needed for the Game and to comply with any NCsoft provisions for establishing and maintaining such Account(s)"


This is the response I received today:
Hello,

Thanks for contacting us! Owning and using more than one Guild Wars 2 account is not against the user agreement, as long as there is no automation. If you have any other questions or concerns about this or any other issues, please let us know.

Best Regards,
GM Mourdyth
Guild Wars Support Team

[sacrypheyes]

Have to admit. The thought of a 5-boxing Greatsword Warrior done right can be frightening.

Step 1: Charge + Frenzy + Hundred Blades.
Did they stunbreak or dodge? Repeat with next Warrior.

except that with multiboxing, that would mean all 5 warriors would use charge/100 blades at the same moment, ie you dodge one, you dodged them all.

[Liquephyre]

Posting in a useless thread.

All I see are the same crybabies posting who scream "1v1 me nub". Its an MMO, stop trying to solo everyone.

And, posting the same sentence that has been ignored a hundred times already: Multiboxing does nothing better that a group of individual players could not.

[kinetiks]

Multiboxing is not allowed. A quote taken off of the official forums.

"Multiboxing is very simmilar to botting and 3rd party programming so according to Anet’s policy it is strictly forbidden. Please, refrain from making use of this and report any player you see making use of this."

[Prepared]

Multiboxing is not allowed. A quote taken off of the official forums.

"Multiboxing is very simmilar to botting and 3rd party programming so according to Anet’s policy it is strictly forbidden. Please, refrain from making use of this and report any player you see making use of this."

A support GM is above a forum moderator. The forum moderator didn't describe what was meant by multiboxing as my support ticket does. And simply stating 3rd party programming indicates the lack of knowledge of that moderator. To understand if it's not allowed or allowed, you've got define all of your terms of what is meant. Otherwise, it doesn't mean anything. Multiboxing is allowed according to the description I noted above in the post I gave here. I have not heard of anyone that is multiboxing in GW2 that has been banned or otherwise warned in any way, including me. A common false understanding on users parts is what is meant by 3rd party programs. Windows the operating system and all of the support files that go along with it are 3rd party programs. The browser that is launched by the game at certain points is a 3rd party program. To understand whether or not a 3rd party program is allowed or not, you've got to fully describe what the 3rd party program does. ArenaNet won't certify any 3rd party program to run with Guild Wars 2. Just like Blizzard won't certify any 3rd party program to run with WoW. But what they will do is state whether or not a full description of what is happening is bannable or not. Multiboxing software does not automate or do any form of automation.

From dictionary.reference.com for automation:
1. the technique, method, or system of operating or controlling a process by highly automatic means, as by electronic devices, reducing human intervention to a minimum.
2. a mechanical device, operated electronically, that functions automatically, without continuous input from an operator.

Multiboxing software doesn't do that, it requires the person to be at the keyboard. It does not reduce human intervention. It requires continuous input from a player.

I've had many players come by me and say something to the effect of "Bots!" At first I would explain I'm multiboxing and it would usually get into some argument over what that was and they would say they were reporting me anyway. Later on, I told players they were breaking ArenaNets user agreement by falsely reporting when they knew it. It's in their user agreement that if a player falsely reports for something they know is not against the rules, they can be banned.

What I do now is the moment I see someone run up to me and stop, I will just say "Hi" or "Hello" and it usually gets rid of the entire argument. Not all of the time but most of the time because they know I'm there and not a bot. The problem with bots in Guild Wars 2 is that apparently there are lots of them that run together using some form of bot program together with some multiboxing software. So players seem to think that a multiboxer is a bot too. Most players don't even know what the definition of a bot is, they just see a bunch of characters together and automatically think it's bots running. A bot program falls under the description of "automation" therefore it is a 3rd party program that is not allowed. Simply stating that all 3rd party programs are not allowed is not accurate because it is not stated that way in the user agreement and it can't be because there are always 3rd party programs running with MS Windows or Mac.

[Nephlim]

I think its funny that people cry about "unfair" advantage in an MMO where balance on a small scale was never intended. Want a fair fight? Go 1v1 in GW2 oh wait YOU CANT because thats how the game was designed



----200 post yay!---

[Deleted]

And how is that different than 5 player shammans coming up to you and doing their rotation, not just spam lightning bolt? Its a 5 v 1. Any ways you look at it, you shouldn't win that confrontation.

The difference is that you're not fighting 5 people, you're 1 vs 1 but your enemy has an advantage over you with tricks. He/she is stronger by this trick whereas you might wreck him/her in true 1vs1.

Multiboxing should not be allowed.

---------- Post added 2012-10-05 at 01:22 PM ----------

Could you please elaborate why exactly does it bother you if someone is multiboxing? It's not like it's in any way or form out of your pocket or enjoyment, it doesn't stop you from playing the game, so I don't understand why you're so much against it.

WvsW might be the most problematic, but regular battlegrounds might be a problem too. Why you might ask, well let's take the battleground instance first. Let's say you get a group of people with no interest of winning, rather just killing others, sort of how WSG goes many times in WoW.

But... suddenly you get 5 accounts and manage to get all 5 chars in same bg. You have the intention to win, so suddenly you're above the rabble and can easily win alone since you're doing the objectives. If it was just one of you, you might not, since as one player it's a problem to actually finish some objectives while 1-2 players from other side do come for you.

Now, in WvsW, the problem is much bigger. Since there you can meet 1vs1 in several instances. And as such, if someone has 5 accounts, they can easily overpower you, not by the power of better skill, but by the fact that they bought more copies of the game.