Guild Wars 2

Hey,
I have a question about the use of a macro. Anet stated that having 1 macro = 1 key was ok.
But I was wondering, would it be ok to have a macro spamming the same key ?
It’s double-edged since it can be seen as many keys (numerous times a key) BUT it’s also only 1 action (the same, over and over).
For instance, if I want to bind a macro that spams #1 for 5 seconds so that I spam less and don’t ruin my fingers, would it be allowed ? Or would it be bannable ?
Keeping in mind that this would not give any advantage over others, it’s absolutely the same as actually spamming the key, but with fingers aching less.
Since we have not an absolute auto attack but rather an “auto-continue attacking” which requires having hit the target and being withing range …
Thanks for your replies.

It is most likely not allowed, since it is more or less an automatic process, which would be compareable to botting.

Sounds like an autofire key on a mouse or keyboard to me.

You realize you can set any skill to auto-attack right?

Vayne.8563:

You realize you can set any skill to auto-attack right?

But you are wrong.

kokiman.2364:

Vayne.8563:

You realize you can set any skill to auto-attack right?

But you are wrong.

Maybe…this is from the wiki…

There are no default attacks in Guild Wars 2. A player can choose to set any skill along the skill bar as the auto-attacking skill (this includes weapon skills, healing skills, utility skills and elite skills), but the player can do so only with one skill at a time. To do this, hold ctrl + right-click on the skill of your choice. This does not work for any attack skills associated with a chain skill.

Vayne.8563:

kokiman.2364:

Vayne.8563:

You realize you can set any skill to auto-attack right?

But you are wrong.

Maybe…this is from the wiki…

There are no default attacks in Guild Wars 2. A player can choose to set any skill along the skill bar as the auto-attacking skill (this includes weapon skills, healing skills, utility skills and elite skills), but the player can do so only with one skill at a time. To do this, hold ctrl + right-click on the skill of your choice. This does not work for any attack skills associated with a chain skill.

Still wrong

kokiman.2364:

Vayne.8563:

kokiman.2364:

Vayne.8563:

You realize you can set any skill to auto-attack right?

But you are wrong.

Maybe…this is from the wiki…

There are no default attacks in Guild Wars 2. A player can choose to set any skill along the skill bar as the auto-attacking skill (this includes weapon skills, healing skills, utility skills and elite skills), but the player can do so only with one skill at a time. To do this, hold ctrl + right-click on the skill of your choice. This does not work for any attack skills associated with a chain skill.

Still wrong

Umm, no (to the point).

Auto-attack do exists but I do agree that OP want’s something different — If I understood correctly he/she want’s to attack without target or to start attacking without initiating attack … I mostly saw need for that in zergfest events as most of the time one can’t even see enemies/mobs.

But, IMHO that can be considered as botting as having “auto-attack” always active gives one chance to sit in some mob spawn and just /afk killing them …

EDIT: bad keyboard day …

nekitten234:

kokiman.2364:

Vayne.8563:

kokiman.2364:

Vayne.8563:

You realize you can set any skill to auto-attack right?

But you are wrong.

Maybe…this is from the wiki…

There are no default attacks in Guild Wars 2. A player can choose to set any skill along the skill bar as the auto-attacking skill (this includes weapon skills, healing skills, utility skills and elite skills), but the player can do so only with one skill at a time. To do this, hold ctrl + right-click on the skill of your choice. This does not work for any attack skills associated with a chain skill.

Still wrong

Umm, no (to the point).

Try setting any aoe attack to auto attack, it won’t work.

kokiman.2364:

nekitten234:

kokiman.2364:

Vayne.8563:

kokiman.2364:

Vayne.8563:

You realize you can set any skill to auto-attack right?

But you are wrong.

Maybe…this is from the wiki…

There are no default attacks in Guild Wars 2. A player can choose to set any skill along the skill bar as the auto-attacking skill (this includes weapon skills, healing skills, utility skills and elite skills), but the player can do so only with one skill at a time. To do this, hold ctrl + right-click on the skill of your choice. This does not work for any attack skills associated with a chain skill.

Still wrong

Umm, no (to the point).

Try setting any aoe attack to auto attack, it won’t work.

Okay. Then I’m partially right too. lol

Vayne.8563:

kokiman.2364:

nekitten234:

kokiman.2364:

Vayne.8563:

kokiman.2364:

Vayne.8563:

You realize you can set any skill to auto-attack right?

But you are wrong.

Maybe…this is from the wiki…

There are no default attacks in Guild Wars 2. A player can choose to set any skill along the skill bar as the auto-attacking skill (this includes weapon skills, healing skills, utility skills and elite skills), but the player can do so only with one skill at a time. To do this, hold ctrl + right-click on the skill of your choice. This does not work for any attack skills associated with a chain skill.

Still wrong

Umm, no (to the point).

Try setting any aoe attack to auto attack, it won’t work.

Okay. Then I’m partially right too. lol

You said “any” which is wrong. And I think OP is referring to the grenade kit autoattacks which in fact are all aoe attacks.

I’d say anything that’s using a 3rd party programs is a No No (it’s that way in most other games, altho not sure if anet handles this the same)

Great guesses from you guys, I did not expect you would guess why with so few details !
Indeed, as I said, we have not literally auto attack

Since we have not an absolute auto attack but rather an “auto-continue attacking” which requires having hit the target and being withing range …

That’s why the auto-attack is irrelevant.
And as some of you guessed, yeah, I had in mind the zergfests in WvW or DE, but also especially the spamming of engineer grenades or bombs …
For that, auto-attack does nothing for you. For bombs, it does a little since you can auto-attack but only if you’re right on your target … not pretty easy but still working I admit yeah.
I don’t think this could be seen as botting or 3r program since it still requires you to play and it does exactly the same as actually spamming the key, unless it saves your fingers … and your keyboard.
The aim is not to always have it activated, you can’t do that with macros, you can just have it spam like 5 or 10sec, then you have to press again.
Just helps you having to hit they key once per few seconds instead of mindlessly crushing it.

But it still does automatic stuff, which would be the same as botting, even if not to the same extent.
A bot won’t start up on itself either.

Then answer yourself this,does it sound fair to you when someone uses the macro you described to let his character use a treb to hit a tower the entire night while he is not behind his pc ?

If you have to ask, chances are you shouldn’t do it.

The truth is, because it’s an automated action, it would be considered a violation. That said, unless you’re caught AFKing while using the macro, which would be botting, chances are you’ll never be banned because of it.

I can indeed see the problem of botting. However, I fail to see how this can be considered as botting.
What I implied was only having this run meanwhile playing (moving, using other skills), which is a 100% active gameplay.
Also, a bot is fully independant : it can perform several different actions by itself. Here, we’re speaking of a spam 1 only, which would be terribad as botting, inefficient.
Furthermore, botting implies 3rd tier program.
I am here talking about macros, and I don’t think any keyboard or mouse allows you tu infintely run a line of actions, macros can only perform for a few seconds and you have to use them again and again and again …
Furthermore, there had been discussions about macroing jump+dodge, which was allegedly allowed (while it performs 2 actions at the same time, in your stead).
And, for this

does it sound fair to you when someone uses the macro you described to let his character use a treb to hit a tower the entire night while he is not behind his pc ?

Once again, I asked for 100% active gameplay WHILE using it, not having the macro playing in my stead. Furthermore, a macro could not allow you to treb a wall all night since you have to hold the key for a few seconds (but maybe some new keyboards can handle that, I don’t know) and finally, even more impossible since the gameapparently now disconnects you if you only spam the same key after some time(auto heal for instance)

The rule of thumb is 1 keystroke = 1 action. What you are proposing is 1 keystroke repeating the same action multiple times. My guess is it’s bannable.

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

“Macros
Guild Wars 2 players are permitted to use macros as long as the macros are programmed with a 1 key for 1 function protocol.
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.
You cannot program a macro to perform the same or multiple actions on more than one account at a time.
You cannot program an “auto-clicker” macro that, for instance, opens chests while you play elsewhere.”

Thanks for this link, but it does not help very much. Description is not very clear. It only says what we already know : not allowed to have several actions on the same key.
We also learn that we cannot have a key that acts for more than 1 account at the same time, ok.
But still nothing said about this same key (spam #1) repeated a few seconds.
I think that we can’t be absolutely sure of this very specific matter until we get an official answer. Maybe tomorrow we’ll know.

Sure it does. Number 4 on the list. An auto clicker. You want to pressing what ever button and macro is repeating it.

If you hit a mob, that’s one action. If you hit the same mob a second time, that’s another action even if you use the same skill.

If you use a macro to repeat the same skill repeatedly, you should probably assume you may be banned eventually. Is it worth the risk to save some keystrokes? Maybe it is if you have plenty of money and time to waste leveling up new characters all over again after the first account is permanently closed.

just my 2 cents

KratosAngel.7289:

Thanks for this link, but it does not help very much. Description is not very clear. It only says what we already know : not allowed to have several actions on the same key.
We also learn that we cannot have a key that acts for more than 1 account at the same time, ok.
But still nothing said about this same key (spam #1) repeated a few seconds.
I think that we can’t be absolutely sure of this very specific matter until we get an official answer. Maybe tomorrow we’ll know.

I’m not sure how to explain it any further than whats already been said, its pretty straight forward…

You can bind a key to a keybind, same as binding to a macro key. You cannot bind key 1 to a mouse key and have it do a function beyond what you do.

Clicking macro 1 can use skill 1.
Clicking macro 1 cannot spam skill 1 over and over without user input.
Each keystroke whether bound or not has to be from a user, so 1 click=1 skill cast. You cannot make a macro that 1 press = skill 1 20 times, you cannot make a macro that makes 1 click cast skill 1 then 2 then 4 etc.

I’m not sure how much more it can be dumbed down..

Alright, thanks for those last answers, I guess you guys are right. Don’t understand why it’s allowed elsewhere and what’s the harm in doing that but meh, rules are rules and dont wanna get banned for such a stupid thing.
Guess I’ll buy one of those little bird things to spam the key in my stead to save my poor little fingers then

KratosAngel.7289:

Alright, thanks for those last answers, I guess you guys are right. Don’t understand why it’s allowed elsewhere and what’s the harm in doing that but meh, rules are rules and dont wanna get banned for such a stupid thing.
Guess I’ll buy one of those little bird things to spam the key in my stead to save my fingers then

Allowing some people to do macros that essentially do most functions with 1 click causes a “grey area” in games. It is like a test for players to see how automated they can make their macros even to the point of basically botting before getting banned. Anet takes a good approach to most exploits/glitches etc. They are very black and white about most topics, that way there is no room for grey areas in their game. Which in the end results in less customer service problems because A user has 9 skills macros to 1 key, player B had 25, and player C had 10. But player A’s 9 skills made it so he could mine an entire area with 1 click (just an example). So now they have to sort out who has actually crossed the line yada-yada. Instead it is as simple as stated, and most people understand what you can and cannot do. Just like John Smith had to make the forum sticky about grey markets, or talking about grey markets. Some people like to test the boundaries of the rules just for the sake of doing it. There isn’t much leniency for those types of players here in GW2, I think the community is better for it.

PS I recommend a mouse with side buttons, spamming with your thumb (for me) is much easier than pointer finger :P Although I was a gunner, so that could be why ^^

The only macro I have is a button on my fireglider mouse next to the left and middle buttons which simply when held down, simulates mashing the left button as fast as possible. I use it when selling trash to the vendor, haha.

I think that to be safe, if you have any doubts whatsoever in using this “macro”, then don’t do it. I’d rather play normally and not worry about getting perma banned, than to take a chance with any prog.

Geotherma.2395:

Allowing some people to do macros that essentially do most functions with 1 click causes a “grey area” in games. It is like a test for players to see how automated they can make their macros even to the point of basically botting before getting banned. Anet takes a good approach to most exploits/glitches etc. They are very black and white about most topics, that way there is no room for grey areas in their game. Which in the end results in less customer service problems because A user has 9 skills macros to 1 key, player B had 25, and player C had 10. But player A’s 9 skills made it so he could mine an entire area with 1 click (just an example). So now they have to sort out who has actually crossed the line yada-yada. Instead it is as simple as stated, and most people understand what you can and cannot do. Just like John Smith had to make the forum sticky about grey markets, or talking about grey markets. Some people like to test the boundaries of the rules just for the sake of doing it. There isn’t much leniency for those types of players here in GW2, I think the community is better for it.

PS I recommend a mouse with side buttons, spamming with your thumb (for me) is much easier than pointer finger :P Although I was a gunner, so that could be why ^^

Wow, thank you so much sir for this very detailed explanation ! Now I understand, though I disagree with this idea, but we just have to bend.
I’d have never thought about it possibly banned because of botting since the gameplay would still be here O_o.
I was thinking about some possible exploit, though I fail to see how this could be exploited lol.
If so, it means that you also can’t have a macro spam F for loot while zerging your opponents in WvW : we can’t have auto loot, but we can’t fix it, we just have to be kittened.
I can’t bind the #1 to side mouse keys since I already use them for utilities (mainly teleport skills). In the same way, I wanted to bind #1 to mousewheel, but it appears we can’t do that either.
Poor ergonomy, but we’re not allowed to fix it by other ways, so sad

The only macro I have is a button on my fireglider mouse next to the left and middle buttons which simply when held down, simulates mashing the left button as fast as possible. I use it when selling trash to the vendor, haha.

Well, if my macro is not allowed, I’m pretty sure this is the same for this and could also get you banned if mine is bannable.

Would love to see an official answer here, especially with an great explanation (maybe it’s not about botting at all, we can just assume)

1 button for 1 action. But I doubt they’d ban if you made the button take a screenshot every 30 seconds automatically. Cause otherwise they’d have to also ban the people who record videos of the game under the same logic. And the reason behind it all is, are you getting an unfair advantage over somebody else?