Guild Wars 2

Having read the post on ‘boxing and macros I see Anet have created a HUGE loophole the ’boxers who don’t ‘actively play’ can use:

“3. You cannot program a macro to perform the same or multiple actions on more than one account at a time.”

“4. And as stated above, you may not program your keyboard to perform functions on more than one account at a time. "

This sounds great, Anet are trying to ban multi-accounts being driven by a macro .. but it entirely fails to mention hardware/software KVMs and key/mouse ‘echoers’ which can broadcast that single keystroke to multiple processes/PCs.

Thus, it’s perfectly within the ‘rules’ to program a macro that performs one action on one account, while something other than the macro makes it work on other accounts, since the playing of the keystroke on other systems isn’t part of the macro and so isn’t covered at all by this policy statement.

As an aside, with no definition of ‘active playing’ then the whole thing is largely moot.

Oh, yes, I am a ‘boxer, I have two accounts which I sometimes play at the same time. No, I don’t use macros, or ‘echoers’, I use InputDirector as a software KVM, I fully support what Anet are trying to do in banning automated ‘boxers, but sadly this policy statement won’t do that.

Just clarifying point recently made regarding macros.

It states that creating a macro to perform multiple actions is not ok, sure no problems.

But what about creating a macro that repeatedly enters a keystroke for a single action?
e.g. macroing mouse button 4 so when its held down emulates me bashing the “Skill 1” button?

It still performs one action, but reduces the wear and tear of the keyboard/mouse. (And less cramping in the hands….)

“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.
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.”

Sempiternal.2359:

… “…If you Press A and it casts multiple spells, you’re not ok.”

Are you trying to split some hairs or are you not reading. One key = one action.
One key starting several actions over a period of time is not fitting that description.

It is not allowed.

The only place where you’d noticeably benefit from auto-attack turned off is sPvP/tPvP and WvW, and you’re supposed to manually connect every strike in this case, because otherwise it would distort the competitive playing ground between those owning a keyboard/mouse/hotkey macro and those not having access to them. This would also blur the line with users getting creative what is or isn’t allowed, if only to gain that edge in the match.

After Gaile’s announcement on the matter, one of my more creative friends already created a 1-key macro that launched another software hotkey macro which launches another 1-key macro on the mouse, steps 2 and 3 being context-sensitive and able to be combined into different actions. For those that got lost in description, on average a 5-7 action combination got reduced by 2-3 keystrokes less - that’s fractions of the second needed to launch a whole CnD-backstab combo on a Thief, already with necessary positioning and movement. Essentially, this is an example of user "gaming" the system, knowing it’s not allowed and finding an excuse in "technical boundaries" outlined by the announcement post to make it supposedly legal.

For a more common example, engineer’s grenade kit. It’s common for players to get tired of spamming 3 dps-oriented grenade skills (including toolbelt), and grenade spam macros are all around the place. These are not allowed, even if the primary issue could be attributed to limitations of game design - task is tedious, possibly a health hazard to the player, and its generally impossible for the user to maximise the dps in a prolonged period of time (especially true for PvE encounters) without third party solutions.

Now a better question would be, would programming a macro to repeatedly apply the same keystroke be condemnable in outside-combat situations, such as not having to click a stack of 200 jugs of karma exactly 200 times, to use them all. This, I believe, shouldn’t be allowed or encouraged either, and in the meantime an interface solution should be passed to the programming crew, to allow us to right-click a stack of items and use them all a single option (wouldn’t apply to items with internal cooldown, such as spy kits commonly used in dungeons).

----

Now my 2 cents to developers themselves - consider sending a strong message, by banning no less than 30’000 users overnight, most notably d/d thieves and d/d elementalists using skill rotation macros to burst the opponent in inhumanly short amount of time. Current situation gives average users a poor impression of overpowered builds and professions, intermediate users a convoluted message on the state of game balance and their own skills relative to "top dog" players in their pvp matches, and advanced players a "wildcard" which says "multi-action macros are fine, nothing is done about them, use them or don’t compete in pvp". Warning people is not enough, please take a considerate action and make a public show of it. People deserve to know whether they were beaten by a macro user or better player, just as they deserve a reassured stance that playing the game without third party aid borderline on cheating is the correct way to play the game, and correct way to compete. In another words, you don’t want your players second-guessing themselves, eroding the moral fabric of the community and feeling resentment & doubt for NOT using multi-action macros.

As long as they don’t confuse automated with real people. End of the day, Anet are not a bunch of soothsayers.

Thanks Demosthene for that, I wasn’t quite sure whats safe and whats not. Guess its best to play it safe and just stick to keybinding to a comfortable key rather macros for repeat presses of the same key.

Kraggy.4169:

This sounds great, Anet are trying to ban multi-accounts being driven by a macro .. but it entirely fails to mention hardware/software KVMs and key/mouse ‘echoers’ which can broadcast that single keystroke to multiple processes/PCs.

Thus, it’s perfectly within the ‘rules’ to program a macro that performs one action on one account, while something other than the macro makes it work on other accounts, since the playing of the keystroke on other systems isn’t part of the macro and so isn’t covered at all by this policy statement.
…

As for me it runs under the 4 point from the DualBoxing section:

4. And as stated above, you may not program your keyboard to perform functions on more than one account at a time.
a. For example, if you press W on your keyboard to move forward, a single character on a single account should move forward. The keystroke or mouse click should not perform functions on more than one account

So your example of "hardware/software KVMs and key/mouse ‘echoers’ " falls under “this policy statement”

Kraggy.4169:

As an aside, with no definition of ‘active playing’ then the whole thing is largely moot.

Oh, yes, I am a ‘boxer, I have two accounts which I sometimes play at the same time. No, I don’t use macros, or ‘echoers’, I use InputDirector as a software KVM, I fully support what Anet are trying to do in banning automated ‘boxers, but sadly this policy statement won’t do that.

You’ve no right in taking the moral high ground when you are part of the problem.

Sometimes play at the same time? Say like when you are running Orichalcum and Orrian Sapling nodes and are able to harvest twice as much high value materials as a normal player. I bet if Arenanet looked at your materials emails and money emails they all go 1 way.

I believe this was covered by the “undeserved rewards” statement.

People such as yourself make me laugh trying to justify blatant exploitation of multiple accounts.

Enjoy your ban.

I honestly didn’t think it was hard to simply just use 2 keyboards at the same time. Then again I don’t bother with dual boxing anyways.

Another borderline experiment or explanation?

One key = one action.

That is the key to it. If one key means 2 actions it is wrong. It does not matter, if this is 2 actions by one character or single actions on 2 accounts. It’s just more than there is in that sentence. What’s so difficult to understand it?

As said macro is frowned upon big time by Anet. However simple keybinds to extra mouse buttons that are available are not. GW2 itself will allow you to map any action to extra mouse buttons you may have ; for instance in the case of an mmo mouse. You dont need to use extra apps or software, just use the in game keybind page and you are golden.

I never felt as if A.net is actively trying to ban everyone. These “rules” are more like guidelines that help you not get banned but still, a.net tends to review bans on a case by basis.

From the sounds of things, in relating to macros.
Its a Flat-out, no.

Keymapping is fine, macro is not.

Unless there is a situation that a macro can used, of which I cannot think of, as anything other than a keybind = “multi functions macro”.

So why would they word in such a manner is beyond me, it would’ve been easier to just say, “macros is no ok”….

Kraggy.4169:

Having read the post on ‘boxing and macros I see Anet have created a HUGE loophole the ’boxers who don’t ‘actively play’ can use:

“3. You cannot program a macro to perform the same or multiple actions on more than one account at a time.”

“4. And as stated above, you may not program your keyboard to perform functions on more than one account at a time. "

This sounds great, Anet are trying to ban multi-accounts being driven by a macro .. but it entirely fails to mention hardware/software KVMs and key/mouse ‘echoers’ which can broadcast that single keystroke to multiple processes/PCs.

Thus, it’s perfectly within the ‘rules’ to program a macro that performs one action on one account, while something other than the macro makes it work on other accounts, since the playing of the keystroke on other systems isn’t part of the macro and so isn’t covered at all by this policy statement.

As an aside, with no definition of ‘active playing’ then the whole thing is largely moot.

Oh, yes, I am a ‘boxer, I have two accounts which I sometimes play at the same time. No, I don’t use macros, or ‘echoers’, I use InputDirector as a software KVM, I fully support what Anet are trying to do in banning automated ‘boxers, but sadly this policy statement won’t do that.

Looks like Anet has new to watch.

While it’s been explained already, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt that you missed the discussion. So I’ll briefly explain why you’ll be banned soon.

You are allowed to multibox more than one account at the same time, but you cannot “PLAY” more than one account at the same time. What this means is that you can jump between accounts (i.e. Alt+Tab for transferring, chatting, etc) only. Once you start controlling more than one account simultaneously through the use of 3rd party programs, that’s considered Botting.

Some players had the misunderstanding that they were “playing” all accounts because it was not being automated by a computer. But if you have one mouse and one keyboard, and that input is transmitted to multiple accounts, that will count as Botting.

I would recommend that you stop using any boxer programs while you can. If you are tempted to use software to basically copy your inputs over two or more accounts, Anet will catch you.