Guild Wars 2

Posts like this one are being made by forum moderators asserting that multiboxing is disallowed in GW2. These posts are now being used as a reference in other threads asking the same or similar question. I would like confirmation of this policy from a dev, as this is not something that is appropriate for a forum moderator to answer. The official third-party program policy has this to say:

3. If you choose to use what you believe to be a “benign,” or non-advantage-giving program, be sure to get it from a legitimate source to protect yourself from the possible addition of cheats or key-loggers.

Implying that you CAN use third-party programs, just that it’s not supported and can’t be exploitative.

• “Does this program allow someone to play faster, better, longer, or more accurately than someone who doesn’t use it?”
• “Does this program allow someone to ‘play’ when he/she is not at the computer?”
• “Does this program allow the user to gain undeserved rewards?”

There is criteria to determine whether your third-party program would be considered botting, which again implies that not all programs are considered bots.

In the future, we will be working directly with the community to develop app support for Guild Wars 2, so stay tuned for more info!

That is a very explicit acknowledgement that using other programs is not inherently a form of exploit.

For everyone who is still interested, I contacted customer support with this question and received this answer from Gaile Gray. Thanks Gaile!

We cannot condone or support the use of any particular program or sytem for multi-boxing. However, we do not terminate accounts for multi-boxing, as long as — through the process — they do not breach the User Agreement or the Rules of Conduct, both of which you can find linked from this page: https://www.guildwars2.com/en/legal/ If an account is in conformance with the UA and the RoC, we have no objections to dual-boxing or multi-boxing.

If someone develops technical support issues related to the process, we are, naturally, unable to offer technical support in relation to the use of the system or process.

Being “afk” is always cheating, then?

Talyjta.9081:

Being “afk” is always cheating, then?

…..what?

Well, to say it in other words: I am in a trembling uncertainty about those legal things. You could even claim that the use of the most actual graphic card driver will “allow to play faster, better, longer, or more accurately” (due to less lags, for example). Or the usage of a voice chat, especially in the WvWvW or a dungeon. So… where’s the boundary now?

Yes using a GPU driver is botting… /Facepalm

Multiboxing is pretty “Legal” in a lot of MMo’s. Nothing to do about that, unless a MMO-Company is prepared to let 1 IP connected, in wich they cant do as families are playing also together.

MMO’s cant see this yet.

So your post havent got any ground atm ………

PearlGore.7419:

Yes using a GPU driver is botting… /Facepalm

Easy to jeer, isn’t it? Now let’s hear your arguments!

Talyjta.9081:

Being “afk” is always cheating, then?

If your computer plays it self while your afk yes.

I’m remembering post by mods clearing the fact that multiboxing is NOT allowed, but don’t have any link at hand at the moment and i’m getting out, sorry.

And exactly what is the basical legal (significant) definition of “multiboxing”? Without that, stating the legal state of whatever is… not really helpful.

An official statement from a Dev would by very much appreciated (not from a mod). There’s a huge difference in this case.

Actual Multiboxing does not violate any of these principles at all, and in any vague way people say that it might it doesn’t offer any more advantages then using gw2lfg, dragontimers, or getting strategies by chatting in forums.

• “Does this program allow someone to play faster, better, longer, or more accurately than someone who doesn’t use it?”

(Multiboxing tends to be clunky and it’s always more effective to have 2 humans playing 2 accounts then having 1 human play 2 accounts. None of these apply as it is a disadvantage in many ways.)

• “Does this program allow someone to ‘play’ when he/she is not at the computer?”

(No, not at all)

• “Does this program allow the user to gain undeserved rewards?”

(No, if rewards are “deserved” simply by melleeing a dragon once then standing around for 20 minutes, if someone can meet this criterea on both accounts then they have earned the rewards they aquired)

Multiboxing at it’s most basic level is having 2 accounts logged in at once. It doesn’t imply that key strokes are being sent to all clients, it doesn’t imply that a bot is controlling some of the accounts. All multiboxing is, is signing in with 2 accounts at the same time, there are many additional things you can do (which don’t even need 2 accounts to do) bot, script etc. which are obviously cheating but this has nothing to do with what multiboxing is.

Infact there is no cheat you could really do as a multiboxer that a person on one account couldn’t do also and benefit from.

MrNobody.4357:

I’m remembering post by mods clearing the fact that multiboxing is NOT allowed, but don’t have any link at hand at the moment and i’m getting out, sorry.

He linked it in his post, try reading? I think what you suffered from is what many believe happened to the mod that made this one single comment on Multiboxing. It sounds like he wasn’t paying attention made a a pretty broad assumption and most likely was confused by the question The wording in itself is very vague and does seem like the mod did not fully understand the subject.

I’m not against multiboxing, but any reasonable person would have to admit there are advantages over an average player. For instance, a multiboxed group can more easily focus and coordinate attacks. The multiboxer doesn’t waste time lfg’ing. One player ends up with a pool of resources and gold gathered across several accounts versus smaller amounts of gold spread across the entire group for actual players.

None of which are gamebreaking advantages, but definitely advantages. Why would anybody multibox if it provided no advantage?

Why people even want to multibox in GW2 is strange. What’s the point? There’s no world PvP.

WvW I guess? But imo that’s hardly any more useful.

Olfinbedwere.5049:

I’m not against multiboxing, but any reasonable person would have to admit there are advantages over an average player. For instance, a multiboxed group can more easily focus and coordinate attacks.

A non-botting multibox group is being handled by one person manually. There is no way you are more effective than a group where each character is controlled by a separate person, except where there is a difference of skill, and that is earned.

The multiboxer doesn’t waste time lfg’ing. One player ends up with a pool of resources and gold gathered across several accounts versus smaller amounts of gold spread across the entire group for actual players.

Guild groups, friend groups, and same-household parties don’t waste time lfg’ing either, to name a few common examples. And the flipside to the loot is that one person has to earn all the gold and gear needed to support multiple characters simultaneously. There’s no advantage, just scaling in both directions. Think it’s hard to get a legendary for your main? Try having two, or five mains. Think it sucks to pay repair costs for your character when you die? Try paying the repair costs for your entire party. Etc.

None of which are gamebreaking advantages, but definitely advantages. Why would anybody multibox if it provided no advantage?

Why do people solo in MMOs at all when it is clearly a disadvantage? Google it, there’s a bunch of articles about why people do it, and challenge is often part of the reason. Now take the ideas behind soloing and put it in a context where the game mathematically forbids you from progressing because you are only one character. That’s where multiboxing (for me) comes in. It preserves all the things that soloers like about soloing, and gives me a reasonable chance to play the content that requires more than one character.

Unless you are confusing multi-boxing with botting, which was the whole reason this question needed to be asked, there is no reasonable assumption that multiboxing gives any meaningful advantage over a group of players, and is likely to be the opposite.

@Leablo:
sir i think you are a multi-boxer then from what i read, and yes, THERE IS AN ANDVANTAGE:

A group of N people have N separate wills and goals. They might converge, they might not.

When you multibox, you have your only will and only goals, but you work for them through a game power of N normal people, as N are the total toons you are controlling.

A game is in the stakes a challenger has to win it.
If a challenger is an army then the game is not fair to the other challengers, thus is not a game but a con with losers you plan to prey.

Even if you refuse to call this an advantage, your post above in defence of multiboxing is actually a sincere claim that you intellectually admit anyway it or otherwise you wouldn’t defend it so strenuously.

In my oppinion, if you want to shell out the money for 5 accounts and play em all at once….give ’er.

Unless you bot them.

They could never prove if you are multiboxing. A lot of families play together. So that also mean they are probably siting next to each other.

So if your partner gets up to go to the bathroom and you start to heal yourself via your partners comp, that could be deemed illegal?

I have Muitboxed in EQ, and Vanguard. I’m at the keyboard playing the game with out any third party program, the only thing needed was the /follow command and some in game macros, just to save some keystrokes.

The reason for I did it was to get more done in my limited play time. Sure you are at an advantage but it comes at a price. You have to buy two PC, two game clients and for a monthly paid game two subs.

Example I can go buy two copies of GW2, install on two separate PC’s. load both them up, now if I have the ability to control both characters manually, what is the harm in that.

I don’t see GW2 as a very friendly multibox game due to the lack of macros, so I would never do it. But if someone wants to, I don;t see how it could be considered illegal.

In case all the client plays from the same sub-network it is easy to verify.
If all the clients with the same public IP firing the same skill or key in synch within a little timing then it is easily to determine if they are a happy family playing or one person only multiboxing.

If the clients are connecting through different IPs then it is more difficult, because different networks might have different latency timings, but the server could check if there is a “cluster” of characters constantly in the same small location on the map firing the same skill or key in synch within a more relaxed timing (but taken in account each different client latency) then would be easy to determine.

If they don’t is because they do not care that much.

Leablo.2651:

A non-botting multibox group is being handled by one person manually. There is no way you are more effective than a group where each character is controlled by a separate person, except where there is a difference of skill, and that is earned.

So, which of your characters does the target marking and do your other accounts respond to your marked target or just do their own thing? Right, multi boxers don’t have to target mark and pray the rest of the party is paying attention.

I get why you’re defensive, but I’m not going after your gaming style, I’m with you I think multi boxing is fine, but you’re just lying if you think it doesn’t have certain advantages. There are disadvantages to multiboxing, but there are also undeniable advantages.

Sounds like it’s legal (usually is in most game). But I’m trying to figure out how making a single sweep across a map while farming resources nodes and ending up with twice as many (or more) in the same amount of time as everyone else (thanks to multi-boxing) isn’t an advantage. That’s one “non-advantage” I’m sure we all wish we had.

In the same amount of time? No.
I’ve tried playing with two characters at the same time in other games, and even with a follow option it takes much more time. How much more, that depends on the territory. At some places, you have to make a single step and then wait for the second character to come near again because otherwise he will stuck. Then you have to start any action separately, and with the time to swich the keyboard and lead the second character to the right position, you’re busy the usual amount of time.
Therefore, playing two characters at the same time is not a great time saving. It only adds some need for concentration to boring situations, and need for skill to not so boring situations :-) .

Talyjta.9081:

In the same amount of time? No.
I’ve tried playing with two characters at the same time in other games, and even with a follow option it takes much more time. How much more, that depends on the territory. At some places, you have to make a single step and then wait for the second character to come near again because otherwise he will stuck. Then you have to start any action separately, and with the time to swich the keyboard and lead the second character to the right position, you’re busy the usual amount of time.
Therefore, playing two characters at the same time is not a great time saving. It only adds some need for concentration to boring situations, and need for skill to not so boring situations :-) .

I think you misunderstand how multiboxing works in this game. There is no follow, so a person just has to run several accounts on one pc controlled simultaneously. You just stand all your characters on top of each other and press one button and they all run forward, press F and they all mine. It’s exactly the same as if you’re running one character, except it’s 5 or however many you can afford all standing on top of each other doing the exact same actions.

Edge.4180:

Sounds like it’s legal (usually is in most game). But I’m trying to figure out how making a single sweep across a map while farming resources nodes and ending up with twice as many (or more) in the same amount of time as everyone else (thanks to multi-boxing) isn’t an advantage. That’s one “non-advantage” I’m sure we all wish we had.

in this case you have exactly the same earning potential as someone who does it 5 separate times on 5 chars instead of once with all 5. sure, it takes you a fraction of the time, but you still need the nodes to reset.

Olfinbedwere.5049:

I think you misunderstand how multiboxing works in this game. There is no follow, so a person just has to run several accounts on one pc controlled simultaneously.

If someone uses 1 keyboard and 1 mouse for 2 characters – then applies what you said, yes, and I think nobody will deny that this person is cheating, even not that person himself.
But is that the definition of multiboxing? I learned that multiboxing is being logged in at 2 PCs (each with screen, keyboard and mouse for it’s own) and 2 accounts at the same time. And that’s not so clear in my eyes, as it doesn’t provide so much benefits, maybe even more handicaps. And you have to pay for 2 accounts.

Rehashed Jibe Tube.7102:

Edge.4180:

Sounds like it’s legal (usually is in most game). But I’m trying to figure out how making a single sweep across a map while farming resources nodes and ending up with twice as many (or more) in the same amount of time as everyone else (thanks to multi-boxing) isn’t an advantage. That’s one “non-advantage” I’m sure we all wish we had.

in this case you have exactly the same earning potential as someone who does it 5 separate times on 5 chars instead of once with all 5. sure, it takes you a fraction of the time, but you still need the nodes to reset.

Actually, no. And that’s why I specifically said “in the same amount of time” above. But for what you said to ever be true the players would have to be restricted to a single zone and they’re obviously not.

Most nodes take 30-60 minutes to reset. It seems to depend on the level of the zone. If it takes 30 minutes to clear a zone of nodes, and the nodes in that zone take 30 minutes to reset, you can go continuously without ever running out of nodes.

Even if you’re in a zone where the nodes take 60 minute to reset, if you deplete all the nodes you can simply move on to the next zone and have a fresh supply of nodes to continue on.

In the same time period, a multiboxer will always be able to gather more resources than someone playing a single character. This is usually not an issue in other games because nodes can generally only be tapped by the first character that uses them (until they respawn).

Talyjta.9081:

Olfinbedwere.5049:

I think you misunderstand how multiboxing works in this game. There is no follow, so a person just has to run several accounts on one pc controlled simultaneously.

If someone uses 1 keyboard and 1 mouse for 2 characters – then applies what you said, yes, and I think nobody will deny that this person is cheating, even not that person himself.
But is that the definition of multiboxing? I learned that multiboxing is being logged in at 2 PCs (each with screen, keyboard and mouse for it’s own) and 2 accounts at the same time. And that’s not so clear in my eyes, as it doesn’t provide so much benefits, maybe even more handicaps. And you have to pay for 2 accounts.

In this discussion, when they’re referring to multiboxing they’re talking about one person controlling multiple clients (often more than two) through a single device. Pushing the key mapped to forward moves the character on all clients forward at the exact same time.

I think it’s crazy that MMO companies tolerate this, but it’s sadly legal. I doubt I will really ever understand why.

I have done what you are describing before, however. I call it “an exercise in frustration”.

Talyjta.9081:

In the same amount of time? No.
I’ve tried playing with two characters at the same time in other games, and even with a follow option it takes much more time. How much more, that depends on the territory. At some places, you have to make a single step and then wait for the second character to come near again because otherwise he will stuck. Then you have to start any action separately, and with the time to swich the keyboard and lead the second character to the right position, you’re busy the usual amount of time.
Therefore, playing two characters at the same time is not a great time saving. It only adds some need for concentration to boring situations, and need for skill to not so boring situations :-) .

Well try run the same path with 2 characters NOT AT THE SAME TIME, and i’m sure it will appear to you that you would take longer that way that having one char on follow only, leaving aside key-press replication tipically used in multiboxing.

Who multibox in gw2 on N toons:
- loot x N people in Nth of the same time (killing faster because he has a normal DPS x N toons)
- get resources for N people

so you can see how much this is not good for a game economy to stay free and healthy.

Unfortunately, I don’t have the ability to check this. But when I last time did this in other games, I came out with longer times for two characters in difficult terrains. And usually terrains in MMORPGs tend to be difficult.

Talyjta.9081:

Unfortunately, I don’t have the ability to check this. But when I last time did this in other games, I came out with longer times for two characters in difficult terrains. And usually terrains in MMORPGs tend to be difficult.

why it is so hard to comprehend?

problem: moving from A to B two toons in the shortest time

Solution 1: Multiboxing, one toon played, the other in follow
Solution 2: Normal, play one toon at time, when first toon arrive to B log out and play the other toon and make it arrive to B too.

So i understand that solution 1 it might be slower than moving a single character ONCE, but surely it is faster than solution 2.

But i’m sure no one will ever care if you simply put another toon on another account in follow, multiboxing is used for keypress replication amongst all the client for speeding up levelling and farming, and selling accounts, and mass-selling in game goods to sell gold to players.

Now i’ll fetch pop corn and watch you climbing on glass as it pleases you.

You’re underestimating the necessary change in movement speed and movement route due to a second character in the fellow mode. That’s all. (I did so, too, by the way – that’s why I started experimenting and gaining experience in some games. I learned that it adds difficulty and therefore a moment of “thrill” but does not pay-off in terms of time.)

A lot of apple to oranges comparisons in this thread when comparing a multiboxers.

A multiboxer with 50 accounts is 50 accounts and all that it represents. The comparison would against 50 opposing accounts.

there should be no reason for this kind of situation be a nuisance or considered banable offense if are two different serial keys (you paid for two clients)…if you somehow manage to log in twice with the same…then yeah theres something fishy

Rehashed Jibe Tube.7102:

In my oppinion, if you want to shell out the money for 5 accounts and play em all at once….give ’er.

Unless you bot them.

^ This. What unfair advantage? Is the dual/multi-logger gonna come gank you with his ‘army’? Course, seems a fair pile of PITA to do without being a script kiddie. But if I can afford multiple accounts, it’s no ones bizz if I wanna log em all at the same time. My monies, my time, my game. Unfair advantage. Pfft. Not like they kill stealing or loot ninjas like on other games. As long as they aren’t botting, let them handicap themselves by trying to multitask as if they were a multicore CPU.

Hell, if you can pull it off saves you wasting your time trying to get a PUG together. Especially for those of us that primarily solo. (spare me the de rigour, then why you playing an MMO comments) Not that I’d wanna try that in a dungeon, but can see where it be useful at times. (seems to much like work trying to run more then one toon at a time usefully)

Sleel.8365:

What unfair advantage? Is the dual/multi-logger gonna come gank you with his ‘army’?

To compare game balanced fairness, you would compare the 50 multiboxers accounts to 50 players accounts.
Comparing any group of 50 accounts against 1 account would be an unfair comparison.
Multiboxer accounts have no advantage over non-boxers accounts.

As of Jan. 23rd multiboxing is no longer allowed.

I was told after several days that this is they’re true stance on multiboxing:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Q-Is-multi-boxing-allowed/first#post245276

It was made very clear to me that any other information on multiboxing contrary to the above post is incorrect.

It depends on what is meant by “multi-boxing”. It is not ok to use anything 3rd-party that gets you an advantage. If you have 2 computers, each with its own mouse, each with its own keyboard, and you are playing on 2 separate accounts with no “botting” software or macros, etc., then you can play them both simultaneously.

Jinx.7945:

It depends on what is meant by “multi-boxing”. It is not ok to use anything 3rd-party that gets you an advantage. If you have 2 computers, each with its own mouse, each with its own keyboard, and you are playing on 2 separate accounts with no “botting” software or macros, etc., then you can play them both simultaneously.

Incorrect, you can play them one at a time. If you alone are using any method to attack a target at the same time with both accounts, you’re in violation.

Both accounts can be online, but your hands play one account or the other.

Am I missing something here? Why would you want to multibox in the first place? Its not like its hard to do anything but dungeons in GW2 and with those, unless youre superhuman, youre going to be gimping your team the majority of the time.

yocto.1782:

Jinx.7945:

It depends on what is meant by “multi-boxing”. It is not ok to use anything 3rd-party that gets you an advantage. If you have 2 computers, each with its own mouse, each with its own keyboard, and you are playing on 2 separate accounts with no “botting” software or macros, etc., then you can play them both simultaneously.

Incorrect, you can play them one at a time. If you alone are using any method to attack a target at the same time with both accounts, you’re in violation.

Both accounts can be online, but your hands play one account or the other.

You are stating something different than what has already been posted directly by ANet CS in the forums. Without some reference or source on your part, I’m going with what ANet said.

Edited to add: Posted just 2 days ago: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/support/account/Dual-boxing-report-threat/1257875

yocto.1782:

As of Jan. 23rd multiboxing is no longer allowed.

I was told after several days that this is they’re true stance on multiboxing:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Q-Is-multi-boxing-allowed/first#post245276

Answers from Mods/CC is like getting an answer from a friend of a friend. In this case, the answer is using the idea that 3rd party programs are not allowed and as such, multiboxing isn’t either.

Their actual stance on multiboxing is that it’s not supported but they do not prohibit it as long as the player is not botting one or more of the accounts.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/support/account/Dual-boxing-report-threat/1257875

I incorrectly thought multiboxing was allowed from post like this:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Requesting-clarification-on-multibox-policy
and this
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/support/account/Policy-Third-Party-Programs/

I added other responses from previous answers. And I stated what definitions of what multiboxing, and automation.

No, this is the stance on multi-boxing:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Q-Is-multi-boxing-allowed.

FORBIDDEN

Olfinbedwere.5049:

I think you misunderstand how multiboxing works in this game. There is no follow, so a person just has to run several accounts on one pc controlled simultaneously. You just stand all your characters on top of each other and press one button and they all run forward, press F and they all mine. It’s exactly the same as if you’re running one character, except it’s 5 or however many you can afford all standing on top of each other doing the exact same actions.

And you exaggerate multi-boxing to the point of using assisting applications.

Multi-boxing = controlling more than one box (client)
Legal = Controlling all boxes manually
Illegal = Controlling other boxes automatically

In you example, one keystroke and every client (box) reacts. On my PC, one keystroke and only the active client (box) reacts. (Sure would suck to have my other windows randomly searching for wwww12www33111www.)

A proper/legal multi-boxer has either multiple PCs with their own keyboards and mice in front of them or tabs between clients.

yocto.1782:

I added other responses from previous answers. And I stated what definitions of what multiboxing, and automation.

No, this is the stance on multi-boxing:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Q-Is-multi-boxing-allowed.

FORBIDDEN

Umm, maybe the edit happened after you read your reference. The above link explicitly states:

“EDIT: This post has been quoted, and it is inaccurate. ArenaNet does not prohibit Multi- or Dual-Boxing as along as the player is active on each account and is not botting or using other third-party programs to “play” the account.”

Multi-boxing is ‘legal’. Botting, either with one or multiple accounts is not.

jimthev.5243:

yocto.1782:

I added other responses from previous answers. And I stated what definitions of what multiboxing, and automation.

No, this is the stance on multi-boxing:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Q-Is-multi-boxing-allowed.

FORBIDDEN

Umm, maybe the edit happened after you read your reference. The above link explicitly states:

“EDIT: This post has been quoted, and it is inaccurate. ArenaNet does not prohibit Multi- or Dual-Boxing as along as the player is active on each account and is not botting or using other third-party programs to “play” the account.”

Multi-boxing is ‘legal’. Botting, either with one or multiple accounts is not.

There’s a difference, your pointing to the use of the word as a verb, my definition is of the noun.

The noun definition would be:
Multiboxing is a term used mostly in MMORPGs to refer to playing as multiple separate characters simultaneously. This can either be achieved by using multiple separate machines to run the game or by running multiple separate instances of the game.

Using it as a verb is broader.

Tools
Multiboxing may be as simple as running two instances of the game on one computer (each logged in to a separate account) and switching between them.¹ Players may also use multiple computers, each with their own keyboard and mouse. This quickly becomes impractical with an increasing number of computers, so a keyboard multiplexer may be used, which sends the signals from a single keyboard to several computers.

Software tools include programs which can simulate keyboard multiplexing by sending keystrokes to different instances of the game simultaneously, or across networks. Voice command software can also be used.

Often, heavy use is made of the macros built into the game’s default interface. This allows more complex instructions to be issued with a single keypress. Examples include targeting a certain character and healing them, or firing a spell at another character’s target.²

*Interesting mind candy though. Maybe the verb use should be multiboxinging.

Response Via Email (Landry) 02/06/2013 06:35 PM
Hello, and thank you for your patience.

After further review, we have decided to unblock all of the accounts in question. You are correct that multiboxing is not a violation of our current policy. Automation software that allows for unattended game play is a violation. Your observed behavior in the game may have been confused for the latter.

It’s always possible that our stance on multiboxing by routing commands to multiple instances of the client could change, so I’d keep your eyes on our forums just in case. Also, keep in mind that what you do is rather striking and alarming to most players (and even most GMs) when they see it. It might be in your best interest to tone it down a bit, but that’s not an order. That’s just a practical suggestion to avoid future reports and investigations.

Thank you again for your understanding. The accounts will be reinstated momentarily.

Landry
Guild Wars Support Team
http://support.guildwars2.com/

The person that received this response has had all of his accounts unblocked and the Support Team has clearly stated that multiboxing is not against current policy.

I do wonder what Anet does to investigate before blocking someone’s accounts though.