Should multiboxing be allowed?

[lappee]

The addon Ebony's Multiboxing Assistant does that. My original idea was to make a WeakAura that played a sound when you got a whisper and set the sound to be something different for each window but EMA is better lol.

How would you get it to the phone? You can't send data out from wow can you?

I could make a thread on the official forums in hopes of a response from Blizzard if you really want an answer.

You can easily just make a program that reads the chatlog and sends it to phone, just a little more than what that EMA does.

If you want to ask Blizzard specific about what parts of current multiboxing is allowed then go ahead, clearly now you don't and just blindly trust that "yes, this is allowed" because others do it.

[LanToaster]

No pre-determined movement pattern can be done within the game, are we banning those? Is this where in-game macros are allowed, but macro from a mouse isn't (e.g. move for 3 seconds with one press of a button, instead of pressing the button for 3 seconds?) If so, then all and any macro software would become banworthy.

Any and all Macro software is Banworthy. Due to that, you may only use Makros/Automation in form of Addons and Makros.

Do we actually have to be at the PC? How do we determine that, by having to answer whispers? Multiboxers usually have such small windows (or not visible at all) that they don't see whispers on other characters but the main one. Addon that sends the message to main character? then we can have just online chat program to get the whispers on phones - and we all have phones right?

What? What have Whispers to do with anything? You are not Obligated to answer any whisper. Afaik, you dont even need to react to the "A GM wishes to talk with you".

Multiboxing is in such a gray area, that a person can make actual bots by having the input be blinking, walking, or whatever you want - so its not technically a bot anymore but still functions the same way in game

No its not. Oo
A few pages back someone provided a clarification from a BluePost to what Extend and on what Terms Multiboxing is allowed.

You CANNOT automate shit in WoW Makros.

[Drusin]

You can easily just make a program that reads the chatlog and sends it to phone, just a little more than what that EMA does.

If you want to ask Blizzard specific about what parts of current multiboxing is allowed then go ahead, clearly now you don't and just blindly trust that "yes, this is allowed" because others do it.

No I was going to ask them about the crazy stuff mentioned earlier about like pressure pads and walking sensors lol. Do the rules say I have to use a keyboard and mouse? What if I want to play with a wii remote and bind stuff to gestures? Can I get rid of my mouse and control my cursor with my eyes?



I'm well set in my understanding of what is going on and my stance on it Multiboxing isn't botting because players are performing all the actions so it isn't automation.

[LanToaster]

No I was going to ask them about the crazy stuff mentioned earlier about like pressure pads and walking sensors lol. Do the rules say I have to use a keyboard and mouse? What if I want to play with a wii remote and bind stuff to gestures? Can I get rid of my mouse and control my cursor with my eyes?

Thats an Intreseting question, I would love to hear the Answer to that.

From a "Should *that* be allowed" stance I think it should. But from a Technical side, it might be Questionable if that would enable Bots.

[Sansnom]

While I don't do it and those guys can be very frustrating to go against in PvP or play with if they don't want to be helpful, I see no problem as long as they follow the rules.

How is that different to going against a group of 4 players rather than 1 player multiboxing with 4?

I think part of the problem is that some people sees it as one player rather than sees it as four.

[Rotted]

While I don't do it and those guys can be very frustrating to go against in PvP or play with if they don't want to be helpful, I see no problem as long as they follow the rules.

Well this is the argument people make about multiboxers.

It does say in the ToS no third party software, but multiboxing needs it (although I think it can also be achieved with macros?).

That being said, with how quests and exp work ingame now I have no issue with multiboxers leveling like that + with warmode being able to be flicked off, there's no real to ban it

[RoKPaNda]

Of course it should be allowed. It's been allowed all these years, and it's not hurting anything, least of all Blizzard's pockets, so why should it change now? This is one of those things that this community loves to whine about even though it has zero impact on them whatsoever.

- - - Updated - - -

Well this is the argument people make about multiboxers.

It does say in the ToS no third party software, but multiboxing needs it (although I think it can also be achieved with macros?).

That being said, with how quests and exp work ingame now I have no issue with multiboxers leveling like that + with warmode being able to be flicked off, there's no real to ban it

I mean define third party software? Are we going to ban streamers next because that uses third party software, or your mouse drivers, or what? The third party software that multiboxers use doesn't break the rules on botting. It's still 1 action per key press. You could create or buy a hardware solution that does the same basic thing that the software does tbh.

[Unholyground]

You should only be allowed to have one instance of WoW open per machine IMO.

[lappee]

Any and all Macro software is Banworthy. Due to that, you may only use Makros/Automation in form of Addons and Makros.

What? What have Whispers to do with anything? You are not Obligated to answer any whisper. Afaik, you dont even need to react to the "A GM wishes to talk with you".

No its not. Oo
A few pages back someone provided a clarification from a BluePost to what Extend and on what Terms Multiboxing is allowed.

You CANNOT automate shit in WoW Makros.

So multiboxingsoftware is banworthy.

Whispers as a method of making sure the player is actually there, it is what GM's use as a way to determine whether player is botting or not. Sure they'll just disconnect you first, and if you login and still don't answer to whispers -> byebye.

Yes, Multiboxing is a gray area. Blizzard allows it, but you can be within that gray area with what anyone would consider as a bot.

No I was going to ask them about the crazy stuff mentioned earlier about like pressure pads and walking sensors lol. Do the rules say I have to use a keyboard and mouse? What if I want to play with a wii remote and bind stuff to gestures? Can I get rid of my mouse and control my cursor with my eyes?

<snip vid>

I'm well set in my understanding of what is going on and my stance on it Multiboxing isn't botting because players are performing all the actions so it isn't automation.

You should ask the other stuff as well so we have clear rules for what is allowed and what is not. Your stance (unless I mix you up with someone else) was something along the lines "I do what I know is right, and don't dabble in the rest" - yet theres clearly areas about it that you aren't so sure about.

[schwarzkopf]

I think the question is a bit more nuanced.

Multi-boxing shouldn't be allowed where it impacts on the game play of others (e.g. farming, PvP etc).

It should be allowed to a point where it just makes someone enjoy their game more without impacting others (e.g. levelling).


My solution - three simultaneous limit, no two in the same PvP instance as another, no two in same PvP shard as another.

[Cyranis]

An ‘unauthorized’ third party program as used herein shall be defined as any third party software, code and/or method not expressly authorized by Blizzard, including without limitation, any ‘add-on’ or ‘mod’ that in Blizzard’s sole determination:

enables or facilitates cheating of any type, including botting and/or changing or facilitating gameplay;
allows users to modify or ‘hack’ a Blizzard game’s user interface, environment, and/or experience in any way not expressly allowed by Blizzard in the EULA;
intercepts, mines or otherwise collects information from or through Blizzard games.

Addons are considered 3rd party. They are allowed. Multiboxing software is 3rd party. They are allowed.

Debating all the 3rd party nonsense is pointless.

https://www.blizzard.com/en-us/legal...ting-agreement

Sure, toss out boxing software, and while your at it, weakauras can go too.

I think the question is a bit more nuanced.

Multi-boxing shouldn't be allowed where it impacts on the game play of others (e.g. farming, PvP etc).

They aren't doing anything 5 separate accounts grouped up couldn't do. This is how blizzard evaluates it.

[Utok]

I think its fine, but they need to look at gathering again.

At the moment you end up with a situation in Nazjatar where 2-3 multiboxers instantly despawn nodes and the spawn rate means no one else can gather there.

All that needs to be done is make nodes single use only again, but have a lot more spawn points and a faster respawn rate.

[schwarzkopf]

AThey aren't doing anything 5 separate accounts grouped up couldn't do.

Well - that's objectively incorrect, no matter what Blizzard says.

[Cyranis]

Well - that's objectively incorrect, no matter what Blizzard says.

Then argue with daddy blizzard about it? Lemme know how nuh uh you're wrong works out for you.

[LedZeppelin]

when they made it more players per node it became a problem because now you have added an economic impact to the game. The other issue is that multibox seems to skirt is the fact that multibox users press a button and get multiple outputs. IE you have 5 shaman, press 1 for flame shock, and get 5 flame shocks because you are using a program to replicate inputs on different clients

[Plasticplate]

That's pretty much my view of it. I'd say most multiboxers probably stick to the 2-5 account range, and that usually does not cause community issues. However, more than that becomes disruptive to the game after a certain point, and that's partly comes down to the systems at play and how they're designed.

I'm sure everyone who has War Mode on has run into the multiboxers. Even low account numbers can be a little disruptive, because you can simulate coordination that requires 5 people. When you start getting into the people running around with 10-20 accounts or more at the same time, that level of coordination, even if it's not perfect, is way too powerful to counter. You'll see this often with DK's or Moonkins or other classes that can put nasty dots on you or have large burst damage components: there's just no recourse against so many characters under the uniform control of one person.

Beyond PvP, resource gathering can also be an issue. People like to use the excuse "Well, it keeps the AH prices down, so I like it!" Okay... what about the people that don't want to use the AH and farm the mats themselves? This comes down to the limitations imposed by Blizz when it comes to resource gather, especially when it comes to herbs and ore (probably the most sought after resources to boot). There's a 10 tap limit on these nodes before they despawn, so if you have people flying around with 10 chars farming nodes nonstop, players that wish to farm the mats themselves can be SOL if one or more multiboxers are flying around. I even have screenshots of 8-10 multiboxers flying around trying to steal nodes from each other, and which it's comical on some level, it's kills the gameplay of those who wish to farm the mats for themselves. This isn't even considering bots, which are also a problem... more so when botters are using multiple accounts to multibox.

So yeah, the concept of multiboxing isn't a bad thing, but taken too far with the systems in WoW it can negatively impact the game. I'd be all for a hard limit on controlling 5 accounts at the same time, as it wouldn't affect the majority of multiboxers at all.

I mean your point it's bad when these nodes have a 10 tap limit and 10 multiboxers run around and take the node, but what about when these herbs didn't have a 10 tap limit and only had 1 and 10 multiboxers still took it, no one seemed to matter that much at least not enough to warrant these posts, I will say now I multiboxed usually I do it at the start of every expo to hoard herbs for my own crafting usually 5 characters so I doubt any would consider me a bother, the most 99% common problem with MB is people who use it to bot and in most cases they do not care if you are actually botting or not, the fact is you have something they want, for free that you paid for and they will report just to spite you whether it's legitimate or not. I think the whole "Should multiboxing be allowed" is never about the minor arguments of they get my herbs, well maybe go somewhere that is not following them, maybe go the opposite direction they are farming. 99% it is simply people stating they are bots and that is the only reason why MB is getting this heat now and yes it's very easily able to be thought they bot, I mean if you pay that much money why not pay more to have it all automated. I understand both sides but at the same time I don't think it will ever be stopped because of so many people just reporting multiboxers out of sheer frustration with no actual proof.

Now IF, IF more people came forward and a vast majority of multiboxers started to turn more and more out to be actually just botting then yes I would think they would someday ban multiboxing but in truth the very same people against multiboxers and throwing in those "ahh you have more accounts then me I must report you" reports keeps the MBing alive, alongside the subscriptions which is a small minority but a strong minority.

[LanToaster]

So multiboxingsoftware is banworthy.

No, because MultiBoxing Software doesnt use Makros in that sense. (Depends on how you define a Makro, even though there is a "Real" definition of Makros)

Whispers as a method of making sure the player is actually there, it is what GM's use as a way to determine whether player is botting or not. Sure they'll just disconnect you first, and if you login and still don't answer to whispers -> byebye.

I seriously doubt that. Especially as GMs dont whisper you.

Yes, Multiboxing is a gray area. Blizzard allows it, but you can be within that gray area with what anyone would consider as a bot.

A Gray area would be if there is no verdict, and or its Unclear if its allowed or not.
Blizzard clearly defined the Rules. So its no Gay area.

[lappee]

No, because MultiBoxing Software doesnt use Makros in that sense. (Depends on how you define a Makro, even though there is a "Real" definition of Makros)

I seriously doubt that. Especially as GMs dont whisper you.

A Gray area would be if there is no verdict, and or its Unclear if its allowed or not.
Blizzard clearly defined the Rules. So its no Gay area.

But it does use Macros in the same sense as any other program, whether you use the full extent of them is far different.

GM's did whisper you, and it was the standard for a long while. I guess now they just flag the account and ban in masses, I guess you'd know that better - right?

If Blizzard clearly defined the rules then you could answer specifically to each of the questions - yet there are many questions unanswered and people are dodging them like plague.

[LanToaster]

But it does use Macros in the same sense as any other program, whether you use the full extent of them is far different.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macro_(computer_science)
See Definition of Macro.

A macro (short for "macroinstruction", from Greek μακρός 'long') in computer science is a rule or pattern that specifies how a certain input sequence (often a sequence of characters) should be mapped to a replacement output sequence (also often a sequence of characters) according to a defined procedure.

A MultiBox software would be in a sense a Relay, as they only relay the Keypresses to the WoW Instances.
You press: "w" all WoW Instances register "w", and move Forward.

A Makro would be: you press "F6" and all Instances would register for example 3 seconds "W", then 2 seconds "S", or a Series of different Skill presses.

GM's did whisper you, and it was the standard for a long while. I guess now they just flag the account and ban in masses, I guess you'd know that better - right?

Whenever a GM talks to you you get a special GM Chat, thats not regular whispers.
Also, I didnt say: "I know they dont do that", rather that I doubt it. That means, I dont believe you unless you provide any sources stating the Difference. Because, whispering someone is not a very good Indicator if they do something illegal.

People could turn of their Chat, Ignore it etc, there is afaik no obligation to answer a GM in the ToS (again, if i´m wrong, provide me a source). And banning people because they dont answer a whisper would open a large can of worms.

If Blizzard clearly defined the rules then you could answer specifically to each of the questions - yet there are many questions unanswered and people are dodging them like plague.

No, they dont.
Answer: Blizzard doesnt see multi boxing as Violation, and Automation.
The MultiBoxing tools send each Command on all Instances of WoW, its allowed in that Scope and nothing more. You are not allowed to automate/Makro more than you can do with ingame Makros.

I dont know why that is so hard to understand, or what questions would be unanswered.

EDIT: To Clarify the GrayArea:
AutoHotkey in DiabloIII, I had a spec where you would press a skill every 3 seconds, after Research and a good amount of Googling, the only real Blue answer to that topic I could find was:
"Well, Technically its not allowed, but you probably wont get into trouble for that"
Thats a Gray area.

[SirBeef]

How is that different to going against a group of 4 players rather than 1 player multiboxing with 4?

I think part of the problem is that some people sees it as one player rather than sees it as four.

You do know how MB works right? Multiple players will never be as precise as a MBer of the same size. So going up against one is typically more difficult than multiple players.