Guild Wars 2

Nearly every single day, I see players using a bot (or more specifically, macros) to automatically play music in-game, and begging for tips. These players are literally AFK and being showered in gold for letting their computer play in their stead. Upon being confronted, they all say the exact same thing: “ArenaNet said it was ok.”

So I’m asking ArenaNet. Can we please stop encouraging botting? There is absolutely no difference in method between playing music automatically, and completing map exploration automatically. Or, a more commonly seen example, farming PvP rewards automatically.

So I’m asking again, can we, once and for all, prevent players from using ALL third party programs that control the game in the player’s stead?

Except, you know, no one is forced to send those players gold. I never do.

There’s a marked difference in someone getting tips from other players who enjoy music, and a program playing and earning loot.

No ones encouraging anything of the sort.

This was brought up a few days ago and somebody (can’t remember who) came up with a pretty valid point imo.

Some people don’t have the ability to play nice tunes on the instrument that they bought. Perhaps they are disabled or simply not musically-inclined.

I’d certainly rather hear a macro’d tune than somebody making a “musical mess” or spamming one note, I’m sure others would agree here. Of course, I’d rather hear somebody play a difficult song without a macro (then I can appreciate the skill).

Some songs are ridiculously hard to play without a macro, too.

And, most importantly, allowing macros for musical instruments drives up the sales of musical instruments on the Gem Store. Macros (as previously mentioned) improves accessibility for players, which means that more people will buy them (because they have a greater chance of putting the instrument to good use).

Oh, and the person using a macro with their instrument isn’t forcing anybody to send them gold. It’s the sender’s choice (even if the player says “1g for one more song” or similar.)

Please stop.

The slippery slope is so bad with this it’s like riding splash mountain.

If they’re AFK, how are they begging for tips? If that’s macroed, you might have a case. GL proving it, though.

Nearly every single day, I see players making thread to complain about people who use macros for their instruments. These players are literally complaining about these macro instrument players and the fact they sometimes get a silver or two from other players who enjoy their music. Upon being confronted, they all say the exact same thing: “It’s unfair. It’s botting. ArenaNet said it’s not allowed, 1 macro – 1 key only.”

So I’m asking ArenaNet. Can we please stop encouraging threads like these? There is obviously a difference between using unfair illegal macros that give players an advantage in combat and using innocent music macros for people’s enjoyment.

Idd noone is forced to send you gold, being a member on gw2mb lets me see the different songs people have spent time to convert and using the autohotkey is merely just a way to bring suffice entertainment to other players and myself.

I won’t deny i’ve been sent gold for playing songs mostly just small change like 10s to 1-2g, back when macros for instruments weren’t known to be a thing, but i’ve never asked for gold and never will. If somebody does, so be it. Like mentioned before you aren’t forced to send them gold and you can really tell if someone is using a macro or not.

Having an instrument played as a macro is just having hotkeys pushed as a preset script. I’m not sure how this is unfair to anyone in the game. A lot of the macros sound amazing IMO, and generally enhance the gameplay experience. If anything, I think ANet should add an in-game feature that allows instruments to be played as a preset. And for the people that “shower” the instrumentalists in gold… Well that’s their choice.

Macros that get you an advantage over players in game play will get you banned. I’m yet to see where playing a music instrument has any bearing on other players. If the player using an instrument macro is just standing there playing music but nothing else and people are donating to them freely, I don’t see anything wrong.

OP needs to understand that there is a big difference between macros and botting. I used macros all the time in EQ2 and it was allowed. ArenaNet has already stated that macros for playing instruments is allowed.

Instrument macros are just recorded music, how does someone playing recorded music offend you? Do you go around town burning down radio stations, smashing record/cassette/CD/MP3 players, and throw eggs at concerts (a lot of concerts use prerecorded lyrics because the artists can’t be expected to prance on the stage and keep their breath to sing for extended periods of time) because it’s not an actual live performance as well (which the artists get paid for as well, idly)?

You should change the thread title OP. Your thread is about macros not botting. They are two different things.

I never send anyone gold no matter what. If players out there are dumb enough to shell out gold to players they don’t know, there’s really nothing anyone can do about it.

You can’t save people from themselves.

I’m sure their macro forced players to send them gold too..

Kappa

This thread decreases my opinion on humanity….. Seriously, wth!!!!

I’m telling you. Add .abc file support, include an icon over the heads of people that are auto-playing and not live-playing, and these concerns will disappear.

The question of whether macros are allowed for the instruments was address by the devs a long time ago. They stated that it does not break the Terms of Service.

Quote from Gaile Gray:

“Because they do not give a player a gameplay advantage, Customer Support does not intend to take action on people who play instruments using macros. We don’t recommend any. We don’t support them. If a macro causes your refrigerator to explode, we’re not going to get involved. But they are not against the rules, because the rules pertain to gameplay advantages, such as faster kills or more effective defense.”

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/archive/audio/Sad-truth-of-playing-the-ingame-instruments#post4546267

For everyone who does not care to listen to people playing their instruments there is an option in the audio panel to mute player played instruments. Personally, I use macros for instrument playing only and never demand people to pay for it. If you find people being demanding like that there is an ‘ignore’ option.

Anyone has the option to use a search engine of their choice to find a site where people write and post music macros.

I don’t mind it at all….it’s nice walking through town, or waiting for a world boss and hearing a "bard"play their music. I’d rather have someone use macros to play a song than hear them screw up and be abnoctious. I can honestly say if I had a instrument I would do the same.