Is Multiboxing cheating?

[Mollox]

Now before we begin let's just quote Blizzard's official code of conduct regarding cheating:

Cheating
You are responsible for how you and your account are represented in the game world. Cheating in any fashion will result in immediate action. Using third-party programs to automate any facet of the game, exploiting bugs, or engaging in any activity that grants an unfair advantage is considered cheating.

Exploiting other players is an equally serious offense. Scamming, account sharing, win-trading, and anything else that may degrade the gaming experience for other players will receive harsh penalties.

That being said I have recently started seeing a huge increase in multiboxers in-game, especially when it comes to Argus content. Now I'm not talking about multiboxing with 1 or 2 extra characters, I see huge groups of 10+ characters running together doing the same actions as well as looting the same stuff, this generally wouldn't be a problem for me, however many of the tag and kill X quests have grayed out mobs because of these multiboxers.

So in my thought process the person using all these characters are in fact farming for items on a large scale, however wihout having to do things at x1 the normal pace having all these characters they are farming gold/boes/rep at a way higher rate than what should be normal, to me personally that seems to break to code of conduct as this is giving a single person the ability to automate their farming on a large scale.

So what's your take on multiboxing in this day and age, is it cheating? Do you think it's fine?

Let's discuss,

[valky94]

if i remember correctly, blizz stated that they are fine with multiboxers as long as they are controled by a player and dont use any bot programs, i personaly have no issues with them, except they can be annoying in world pvp but i see them very rarely there

[Ickz]

I mean, I don't think it's "cheating" per se, but I personally don't think it should be allowed unless you're physically controlling each account - which is never the case since multiboxers typically have every character synchronized to perform actions at the same exact time. Third party applications are typically needed to send the keystrokes to each client and/or pc.

[Lochton]

Depends on how you use it.

Technically, real multiboxing isn't cheating. if you have the automated command one, then it is.

As well, if you use your multiboxing for PvP to zerg, then it sorta is. If you're on your own, then it really isn't.

- - - Updated - - -

I mean, I don't think it's "cheating" per se, but I personally don't think it should be allowed unless you're physically controlling each account - which is never the case since multiboxers typically have every character synchronized to perform actions at the same exact time. Third party applications are typically needed to send the keystrokes to each client and/or pc.

The key clone system isn't against Blizzard's rules. It still demands to translate your own keystrokes. The program that makes the other accounts do neat unifom movements and such is against the ToS, as it is automated.

[Kendevis]

I saw a multiboxer only once, in a BG, and someone stated that we lost it just because we had 4 less players.. And I personally agree with him. In situations like BG, having a multiboxer is a huge penalty to the rest of the team.
But luckily enough, I never playied with one again after that day, so it's ok. As long as it keep a rare situation

[SirCowdog]

Depends on how you use it.

Technically, real multiboxing isn't cheating. if you have the automated command one, then it is.

As well, if you use your multiboxing for PvP to zerg, then it sorta is. If you're on your own, then it really isn't.

- - - Updated - - -



The key clone system isn't against Blizzard's rules. It still demands to translate your own keystrokes. The program that makes the other accounts do neat unifom movements and such is against the ToS, as it is automated.

Pretty much this. The line blurs between macros to perform multiple actions with a single keystroke, but you can do that with many gaming mice instead of software.

Really I think it's borderline not ok, but how are you really going to enforce it?

[killwithpwr]

Generaly no.

If you Multybox and break the rules (i. e. Take a whole realm down - if thats even possible anymore) then yes it is and the multyboxer should be banned

[Temp name]

No. Still requires one person to control them, sending all the inputs.
If he's botting multiple accounts though, then that is.

[Soeroah]

Yes in PvP. Not so much in PvE.

[SirCowdog]

No. Still requires one person to control them, sending all the inputs.
If he's botting multiple accounts though, then that is.

You do understand how multiboxing is done, right? Multiple accounts having all the same actions mirrored by single keystroke or macro. Which, if I'm not mistaken, is a grey area of the botting rules.

If it was one dude with like 5 keyboards or something I'd say it's absolutely fine. But since it's so heavily reliant on scripts and mirrored macros I'm not so sure.

Ultimately though, it does still take a lot of coordinating for anything more complex than straight up DPS. So I think it's mostly fine. But the user would also need to be VERY careful about how much automation they actually used; which is why it's such a grey area.

[Daedius]

Condoned form of cheating... it's like having a single [hacked] character cast the same spell numerous times at the same time to one shot people one after the other.

Condoned, because it's someone paying for all them accounts to multibox with.

I honestly don't have an issue of it in PvE, as it affects no one... but it should be 100% against the rules for PvP.

[Deleted]

Voted no just because person actually is paying for the accounts and if it is not exploiting he can do hell he wants in the game - dungeons, raids, battlegrounds.

[Soulwind]

You do understand how multiboxing is done, right? Multiple accounts having all the same actions mirrored by single keystroke or macro. Which, if I'm not mistaken, is a grey area of the botting rules.

If it was one dude with like 5 keyboards or something I'd say it's absolutely fine. But since it's so heavily reliant on scripts and mirrored macros I'm not so sure.

Ultimately though, it does still take a lot of coordinating for anything more complex than straight up DPS. So I think it's mostly fine. But the user would also need to be VERY careful about how much automation they actually used; which is why it's such a grey area.

The problem with applying restrictions to those scripts and macros, is that people with actual disabilities often use similar tools to help them play the game normally. So they'd have to specifically target those using them to multibox and nobody else, that's a lot of work for very little benefit.

And to state the obvious, Blizzard isn't likely to punish someone who's paying multiple subscriptions.

They're not that hard to deal with, and I've only encountered a handful in ten years. In BGs, a somewhat coordinated team will be able to kill them, and they don't usually help their team with objectives, they just burn people down. In the open world, one has even more tools to screw with them, lots of buffs, toys and enemies around to break their coordination.

[Razorice]

Multiboxing is allowed, it was confirmed by Blizzard numerous times.

[Aleksej89]

Its not cheating but it probably could be against TOU because of the automation software used to scan duplicate the players commands.

[Senea]

I'd say it definitely breaches their ToS as applications are required to sync the key presses. However Blizzard will definitely overlook this as it's extra subs for them. If the game didn't require subscriptions I'd wager they'd have an entirely different stance on this.

[Xandrigity]

Cheating, no annoying as f to other players, yes. Nothing worse than a multiboxer in a lfg or bg.

[Rafoel]

Cheating, no annoying as f to other players, yes. Nothing worse than a multiboxer in a lfg or bg.

How do you ever lose against multiboxer in bg? They are always in 1 place, so easy to outmanevour them or AoE them to death.

[Temp name]

You do understand how multiboxing is done, right? Multiple accounts having all the same actions mirrored by single keystroke or macro. Which, if I'm not mistaken, is a grey area of the botting rules.

If it was one dude with like 5 keyboards or something I'd say it's absolutely fine. But since it's so heavily reliant on scripts and mirrored macros I'm not so sure.

Ultimately though, it does still take a lot of coordinating for anything more complex than straight up DPS. So I think it's mostly fine. But the user would also need to be VERY careful about how much automation they actually used; which is why it's such a grey area.

There's one person, pressing keys. That's allowed. 1 button press means 1 action done in each copy of WoW. Unlike botting which is 0 button presses, lots of actions.

[Xandrigity]

How do you ever lose against multiboxer in bg? They are always in 1 place, so easy to outmanevour them or AoE them to death.

It’s annoying to be with them not against them.