Guild Wars 2

Okay guys, this is an verry verry simple question concerning macro’s

to start off, i am aware of the policy of Anet on macro’s, however it is not quite clear to me if the following falls under legit or illegal.

As some of you might know, commanding an zerg is an pain without ts. having to type commands manualy, i plan to fix this isue for myself.

My plan is to use my gaming mouse’s hotkeys to quickly send an message to everyone, for example i pres G19, and i will say to my zerg “stack up” “charge” “waterfields now! blast them!”

as you know, in the middle of combat this is virtualy imposible to achieve by simply entering these commands the old fashion way.

my question, is this allowed or not?

To give the generic anet response, the rule is 1 key 1 function. So you want to hit 1 key to type out “stack up” which is technically 1 key 8 functions. So based off there policy no its not allowed. BUT is it something they will punish you over, only anet knows. I know plenty of people that use macros and never got banned, I also know people that use macros and got banned. Its really hard to say what they will do. Sorry this won’t really help but at least its a idea.

yeah, its kinda hard to figure this out without an response from Anet, i just want to be sure before i do this.

In the spirit of the law, it should be fine. The point is to prevent people from getting special advantages from coding macros; in this case, however, you can and people do the same thing even more efficiently with teamspeak.

In the letter of the law, it could be argued that it is technically not allowed.

So while it shouldn’t get you banned, there is no guarentee. I would recommend trying to get your server into Teamspeak/Mumble/whatever your server has. All you need is a mic; all they need is to install the program.

i have all of the above, what i am refering to is commanding randoms on EB which is as you might know, an pain. XD

Zikory.6871:

To give the generic anet response, the rule is 1 key 1 function. So you want to hit 1 key to type out “stack up” which is technically 1 key 8 functions. So based off there policy no its not allowed. BUT is it something they will punish you over, only anet knows. I know plenty of people that use macros and never got banned, I also know people that use macros and got banned. Its really hard to say what they will do. Sorry this won’t really help but at least its a idea.

I’ll play devil’s advocate and say that it should be allowed.

Considering that every computer right now is built with a copy/paste function, and that it’s very easy to repeat any phrase with a simple three key stroke in “CTRL+V, Enter”

So if Anet doesn’t mind us relaying chat commands through copy and paste (which reduces the # of keystrokes), then I don’t see why they won’t mind us relaying chat commands through 1 keystroke.

In the spirit of the law?

You don’t think pressing one key and getting a whole phrase typed out for you is any easier or quicker than having to type the whole thing out? Doesn’t that give one player a distinct advantage over the player that has to type the whole phrase out? Isn’t that what the spirit of the law is really aiming for, not giving one player a distinct advantage over another?

“Guild Wars 2 players are permitted to use macros as long as the macros are programmed with a 1 key for 1 function protocol.

1.This means that if you program a macro, it must require one keystroke per action. You may not program a single key to perform multiple functions.
2.For example, if you Press A and it results in the casting of a single skill, you’re ok. If you Press A and it casts multiple spells, you’re not ok.
3.You cannot program a macro to perform the same or multiple actions on more than one account at a time.
4.You cannot program an “auto-clicker” macro that, for instance, opens chests while you play elsewhere."

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/support/account/Policy-3rd-Party-Programs-Multi-Boxing-Macros/first#post1532762

I doubt they come along and clarify it any more than that. They have shown reluctance to do so. According to the ‘letter of the law’ it isn’t allowed either. But then again, NO real macros are allowed. Only key remapping according to their interpretation.

Vol.5241:

Zikory.6871:

To give the generic anet response, the rule is 1 key 1 function. So you want to hit 1 key to type out “stack up” which is technically 1 key 8 functions. So based off there policy no its not allowed. BUT is it something they will punish you over, only anet knows. I know plenty of people that use macros and never got banned, I also know people that use macros and got banned. Its really hard to say what they will do. Sorry this won’t really help but at least its a idea.

I’ll play devil’s advocate and say that it should be allowed.

Considering that every computer right now is built with a copy/paste function, and that it’s very easy to repeat any phrase with a simple three key stroke in “CTRL+V, Enter”

So if Anet doesn’t mind us relaying chat commands through copy and paste (which reduces the # of keystrokes), then I don’t see why they won’t mind us relaying chat commands through 1 keystroke.

Your argument makes perfect sense, but condensing 3 key strokes down to 1 key stroke is obviously against their stance on macros. Heck, anything other than remapping keys is.

The “key” phrase is 1 Key – 1 Function and to me “entering chat” is one function.

People copy+paste recruitment messages and other such stuff into Chat all the time without any penalty. I bet several already use macros for it.

It would certainly be nice to get “Official Confirmation” but this sounds pretty safe to me.

i use a couple macros and have spoken with support/“devs” a lot, honestly as long as you’re not doing something bad they generally don’t care and won’t chase you down.

and what do they meant with “something bad” ?

Mad Rasputin.7809:

In the spirit of the law?

You don’t think pressing one key and getting a whole phrase typed out for you is any easier or quicker than having to type the whole thing out? Doesn’t that give one player a distinct advantage over the player that has to type the whole phrase out? Isn’t that what the spirit of the law is really aiming for, not giving one player a distinct advantage over another?

“Guild Wars 2 players are permitted to use macros as long as the macros are programmed with a 1 key for 1 function protocol.

1.This means that if you program a macro, it must require one keystroke per action. You may not program a single key to perform multiple functions.
2.For example, if you Press A and it results in the casting of a single skill, you’re ok. If you Press A and it casts multiple spells, you’re not ok.
3.You cannot program a macro to perform the same or multiple actions on more than one account at a time.
4.You cannot program an “auto-clicker” macro that, for instance, opens chests while you play elsewhere."

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/support/account/Policy-3rd-Party-Programs-Multi-Boxing-Macros/first#post1532762

I doubt they come along and clarify it any more than that. They have shown reluctance to do so. According to the ‘letter of the law’ it isn’t allowed either. But then again, NO real macros are allowed. Only key remapping according to their interpretation.

Voice chat, pumpkin.

Mystical God Creation.7245:

and what do they meant with “something bad” ?

just don’t macro skills or such. i was told basically anything that gave me an “unfair advantage” was a no-go.

Basically until they add a macro system in game (which they probably won’t) anet will not give the ok on any macros that do more than 1 function. Question still stands, will they ban you for using a chat related macro as stated in the OP. Maybe, maybe not. Its technically against the rules so as a non anet employee, I’d say use at your own risk.

I find chat commanding on EB to be relatively simple; all you need is experience, respect and effort. Know what you can do and what you can’t, for example I’ve only recently been able to start getting my infantry groups to blast fire fields automatically on might stack recently, and am working more on the Water fields, got the basic tactic down however needs more practice and to happen quicker.

Just carry on going, with infantry you need to put in a lot of effort, however having done so myself I feel very proud of where they are today, compared to where they were 5 months ago, start with the basics and work up from there. No need for macroes, good old fashioned work and practice will do that for you

Lemme see now. We can’t get ANet to ban players who repeatedly use hacks or who grief/abuse game play, and you folks think they will catch/ban players for using text macros?? LOL.

For the record, I don’t use macros either, but on a scale of 1 to 100 for severity of abuses I’d put text macros around minus 5.

One key, one function. If you have one key that sends “Water fields now!” in chat, that would be one function, because all it’s doing is one single chat comment.

Now if it sent “Water fields now!” in chat and then triggered your weapon’s blast skill, then that would be more than one function and potentially in conflict with the rules.

However, Anet’s concern over macros is far more likely to be about their potential use in bot farming, and not for basic combat. E.g. if macros were banned in combat then there probably wouldn’t be any Eng’s in the higher tiers of sPvP, because Engs require so many button presses that the more competitive ones rely on mouse macros for some of the longer or more timing dependent chains. The same may also apply to many of the stun chain Warriors in WvW.

It’s perfectly acceptable to run a skill spamming macro- either that or thief players really can mash 8 buttons in under half a second.

A bit tongue in cheek, but seriously they aren’t going to do anything about it they have better things to do with their time (one would hope) than to ban you for making it possible to command.

Maybe if they fixed the commander badge system kitten many have asked for since beta…

1 function for 1 key is what is stated, simply because they don’t want insane combo’s by just 1 key stroke. When it comes to using it as a text command as you stated I would suspect it is in the gray zone but still “OK” simply since it doesn’t give you a huge advantage. The funniest thing about macro’s is that the “official keyboard” for guild wars 2 has macro functions on it.

stil waiting for someone of ANET to reply

I too would like an ANET repsonse on this one; I never have used a macro for fear of being banned but it is a bit absurd, in my opinion, to deny us chat macros.

In addition to chat macros, how about fixing the chat suppression issue for commanders as well? As a commander I am often supressed for 30 minutes to as much as an hour or two. It is very difficult to lead an organized group that is not on voice comms without being able to type to them.

Overview:
1. ANET please decide if chat macros are ok
2. Fix/address chat suppression for commanders

wel, now the kitten hits the fan. o god i hate supression in chat, thats why i always have to roll with team mates to relay commands, but it often loses the fights

I don’t think you get suppressed in /say which should work fine for most fights if people know to look for it

you can also get them to join on your squad and use that channel

I still see people flying over the keep, so I don’t think you need to worry about getting caught

Rackhir Tanelorn.9123:

I don’t think you get suppressed in /say which should work fine for most fights if people know to look for it

you can also get them to join on your squad and use that channel

It completely does suppress /say, and I’m shocked you didn’t know xD I command my group in nothing but /say!

Hard to say, its not game breaking in anyway so I would lean towards it’s fine, however, I am not Anet and they very well may view this as game breaking. It would be nice if a Anet cleared this up.

The real issue is if they allow this, it opens the door for macro’s for other uses that may nbot be so inocent in nature. Slippery slope and only Anet can answer this one.

wel, its an shame nobody of Anet has commented here, bumping

The policy is one key for one action. Macros that give advantages in the game, such as repeated button pressing is against the rules. Macros that basically store copy/paste information would be a grey area. It does give an advantage with quicker response times, but so does Alt+V.

So the real question here is “Will it be enforced?”

If my memory is right there was a response from the Team about chat-Makros which allowed them. But good luck finding it, because this was at least 1/2 year ago.

greetz

btw. Why not ask the peoble who are paid to answer those Question, write a Support-Ticket they should about their own policies.

you have been suppressed for excessive messaging

If its allowed or not won’t be your biggest problem. You will probably quickly run into the spam protection. I just remember posting our servers teamspeak adress every 1-2 min at Tequati fights. I found myself pretty quickly blocked from any form of chatting in-game.

Here you go:

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/support/account/Policy-3rd-Party-Programs-Multi-Boxing-Macros