Guild Wars 2

Hi all,

I was asked by a friend who is looking at getting GW2 if he would be allowed to multi box – play more than one account at same time (2 in his case).

Personally, I never multi box any game – I tried it long ago and did not like it.

I had no correct answer to give and said I would look on the forums.

I have searched for ‘muli’, ‘boxing’ and ‘multiboxing’ but only found one short thread about how to multibox. And reading the rules of conduct did not say multiboxing was not allowed.

So, what is the official take (AN GW2) on multi boxing? A link to an AN stance on this would be useful.

Sorted! In another thread a moderator has stated that multi boxing is not allowed.

Then ANet needs to update their ToS to reflect this.

That is maybe so – it would at least allow us to point others asking about this to the TOS.

Maybe a sticky from a dev put on these forums about multi boxing would help.

I don’t multibox and i dont know anyone that does, but I’ve yet to play a MMO that said doing so was against their ToS. Using a bot program to automatically do everything with you not needing to be at the computer is not the same thing as multiboxing as ou still have to control the characters, even if it is with a 3rd part program.

They cant stop multi boxing, if I wanted to play two chars at once. I can “easily” slave them both to my G19, or my Razer ultimate mechanical. WITH NO BOT SOFTWARE….
people seem to confuse multiboxing with botting. they two are utterly an completely separate.

Multiboxing is usually accepted in most games. Though, in gw2, multiboxing would be kinda hard unless you plan on leaving the 2nd computer standing at TP. You’d have to bot if you’d want to fight with a 2nd computer, which is bannable..

Well, you’d think using the built in interface as it’s designed would be safe, but they’ve said they’ll ban you if you use autoshoot. And they’ve said they’ll ban you if you multibox.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Q-Is-multi-boxing-allowed/first#post244389

Closed thread with mod stating AN stance on this issue. End of story it seems – no matter how players describe MB.

As I have in other threads I suggest that, for the time being at least, no one should multi box.

UKNightWatch.5742:

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Q-Is-multi-boxing-allowed/first#post244389

Closed thread with mod stating AN stance on this issue. End of story it seems – no matter how players describe MB.

As I have in other threads I suggest that, for the time being at least, no one should multi box.

That mod doesn’t know what multiboxing is, lol. But anyway, no point in multiboxing in this game, unless you want to leave an alt at TP to claim whatever you want to buy immediately then send it via a mail to your main.

Multiclienting: 1 computer, 2 accounts (Usually illegal due to having to bypass antihack system or whatever)
Multiboxing: 2 computer, 2 accounts, 1 account per computer (Usually legal because.. you aren’t bypassing anything)

I fail to see how it is similar to botting or 3rd party programs..

How are people ok with Multiboxing but not ok with botting?

Multiboxing is no different, using a third-party program to gain income. Its wrong.

Edit: also why do people think using hardware instead of software makes it ok?

Everything I’ve seen with multi-boxing I would consider it exploiting. In PvP you find the most powerful abilities in the game, cast them all at once and people don’t have a chance. It doesn’t take a lot of skill to do that. And bring it to SPvP then it’s completely game breaking.

So what does that mean? If it’s game breaking it’s exploiting therefore bannable.

Hi all,

The forum is playing up for me and not allowing quoting – not even got the icon!

‘How are people ok with Multiboxing but not ok with botting?’

Likely because they are two different things.

‘Multiboxing is no different, using a third-party program to gain income. Its wrong.’

Multi boxing does not need third party software! Though third party software can be used to tie two clients on one computer or one keyboard and mouse can be connected with hardware to two computers (KVM) and these are ‘traditionally’ used by multi boxers, multi boxing can simply be one person controlling two (or more) clients that are on individual computers with individual input controllers.

The term ‘multi boxing’ originated when people would go into a shop and buy two or more boxed copies of a game to play at the same time – more often than not on 2 or more computers each with their own keyboard, mouse and monitor.

It can be argued that not allowing multi boxing is unfair. For example, I used to play a game on the main PC on my network while my nephew played the same game with his own account, a seperate PC and in a different room but on my network! In that case, we had two (individually purchased boxed copies of the game) accounts in play on the same network at the same time. Now any one seeing the two accounts in play on the same network could have thought that we / I was using a multi licence copy of the game in a lan party or thought us / me to be multiboxing! The real differernce, of course, is that most multi boxers use multi clients and the ‘follow me’ technique with multiple characters of the same race / class / profession and thus stand out as having a perceived but not necessarily true advantage.

‘Edit: also why do people think using hardware instead of software makes it ok?’

See above! Some would argue that if they are sitting in front of a group of computers and using each one independatly – though each has the same game running wtih different accounts then they ared doing nothing wrong.

Is it right to use 3rd party software or to allow control (link) of multiple like for like characters on one or more PCs? If this gives and advantage then no – it can be very unfair to other ‘single character’ users.

Is it OK to use two or more PCs on the same network with individual clients and controls – with either like for like or very much separate characters? Within reason yes! That is, if separate individuals use separate computers with separate clients and separate accounts but all on the same network – yes.

Should a person who paid for multiple genuine accounts be allowed to play those accounts at the same time? This is where the problems start and questions get asked. If a person is playing separate accounts on separate machines with no third party programs, no cheats, no hardware for KVM sharing (a much debatable part of this reasoning) and no clear advantage and no breaking of TOS or other conditions, then there is no real problem. It is when a multi boxer uses third party software, cheats, has KVM (again debatable), has a clear advantage or is in violation of TOS or other conditions that multi boxing is potentially unfair and should be frowned upon or even disallowed.

These explanations apply to any game that can be multi boxed so to say.

Is muulti boxing an exploit? Again this depends on how multi boxing is used. In the case of a single or multi users using genuine single clients, genuine separate computers and controllers, genuine separate accounts and genuine separate characters on the same network then there is absoloutely no exploit.

With all that said and taking in to account that my descriptions are as applied to any game, we are not discussing any other game than GW2! There has been a statement by an AN representative saying that multi boxing is not allowed. That my friends is that! No matter how some may explain the differences between types of multi boxing, may point out the potential problems of disallowing multi boxing or moan that some people just do not know what multi boxing really is and no matter what our opinions are regarding multi boxing as being unfair or a cheat, AN have said no to multi boxing and we should all respect that.

The ANet mod said no multiboxing when the context was botting. Also nothing’s set in stone unless it’s said by Gaile Gray or other high authority ANet person. Gaile Gray gave the green light for multiboxing for GW1 if it gave no advantages.

My only issue is that they are saying that multiboxing is “very similar” to botting and 3rd party programs. You’ve made a good explaination above.

Sunny Side.7960:

How are people ok with Multiboxing but not ok with botting?

Multiboxing is no different, using a third-party program to gain income. Its wrong.

Edit: also why do people think using hardware instead of software makes it ok?

Botting is using a 3rd party program to have your character being played by a computer while you AFK or do other things. Multiboxing is different because the player is actually playing both characters at the same time and not AFK. A real life human is playing the characters not a computer.

@Shard; Agreed! I maybe should have wrote ‘at this time an AN rep has said no to multi boxing and we should all respect that – until we are officially told otherwise or this issue is fully and officially commented on.’

@Qelris; I clearly see why you have the issue! I originally asked about multi boxing to try to get a clear answer from AN. At the risk of repetition, Multi boxing can include using third party software and or cheating but this is simply not always the case. Multi boxing can include ‘bots’ but, again, this is simply not always true. At the risk of upsetting someone, it is not fair to label all people that run multiple accounts at the same time as cheats or bot users.

@fizzypop; Nail, Head, Hit – almost! It is possible to use one character and have it followed by others and they can be bots but again this is simply not always true. The main problem is when a multi boxer uses a KVM or similar hardware or 3rd party software to control multi characters at once. Though this is not necessarily using bots, it can be a (debatable) breach of TOS.

Where scripts or such automate characters (bots – robots) and those characters have no user at the controls (often for extended periods) this is, of course, unfair and should be stopped.

AAaarrgghh! Booted while editing last reply.

Just wanted to add that I spoke with my friend earlier today and though he agreed to bide by the rules and not multi box, he commented something on the lines of ‘Well, that’s a saving to me then and one less sale of GW2’ his comment was a bit more colourful!

I giggled at this

“Personally, I never multi box any game – I tried it long ago and did not like it.”

In the same sentence you say you NEVER do it, then say you tried it a long time ago.

Not trolling just made me smile.

To Answer your question I don’t think it is allowed and even to the point of you can’t have 2 GW2’s open on the same box.

@Chris;

I cannot reply via the icon as the forum is playing up again!

“Personally, I never multi box any game – I tried it long ago and did not like it.”

In the same sentence you say you NEVER do it, then say you tried it a long time ago.

Yes! A seeming contradiction if read as ‘Never’ meaning never at any time, past, present or future! In the past, I tried multi boxing a couple of times and did not like it. In the present, I never multi box because of my decision in the past that I did not like it. In the future? Well I cannot see what is ahead but I have no intention to multi box as (guess what), I do not like multi boxing. Also, due to a health issue that I have in the present and that will worsen as time goes by*, it is hard enough for me to keep up with one instance of the game never mind trying to play more!

Not trolling just made me smile.

Glad to entertain! I have found this whole thread entertaining. I had intended to ditch the thread after my second post as I thought it finished – then the thread came alive so to say.

To Answer your question I don’t think it is allowed and even to the point of you can’t have 2 GW2’s open on the same box.

I know it is not allowed – posted this earlier and linked to a thread in which a mod makes comment to the affect that multi boxing is not allowed.

I think some people are still not seeing what multi boxing is though – this is not a dig at you or any one but;

‘Multi boxing’ does not refer to the amount of computers used – where one computer is one box and more than one computer is multi boxing.

‘Multi boxing’ refers to the amount of like for like copies of the program / game / game client used either on one machine or more. As pointed out earlier:

‘The term ‘multi boxing’ originated when people would go into a shop and buy two or more boxed copies of a game to play at the same time – more often than not on 2 or more computers each with their own keyboard, mouse and monitor.’

Any way, in the main, I have been writing about multi boxing not to defend it and not because I intend to do it, rather because I was looking for an AN stance on it so as to pass it on to a friend in real life (no not ‘for a friend’ meaning ‘really for me but I am trying to dodge flak’). I got my answer ‘no’ as linked above. I told my friend no to multi boxing. I have discussed what multi boxing is and how it does not matter what people think multi boxing is or how some people seem to not know the difference between genuine multi boxing for no bad reason and forms of cheating or bot use** – the answer from AN is ‘multi boxing is not allowed’ and we should all respect that. All is good.

Your post, Chris, is just as valid as any other in this thread. Thank you for the input and keeping the thread alive.

*Time is such a wonderful subject to talk about! That is for a different thread in a different forum though methinks.

**Even if multi boxing is done for no bad reason, we could still debate if it is morally right to multi box or wrong. The debate would go on and on and probably never be settled though!

Edits to clean up and add the notes.