Jamba Follow Strobing vs. WoW TOS

[Vyndree]

While researching a bit on /click, I did find someone posting a way to insert a delay into the normal /macro interface (which we all know is a big no-no). So the argument that "it's in the in-game macro interface, it's ok" can be nullified:
[spoiler]http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=14697300474&postId=14695898097 1&sid=1
/cast MySpell
/script ...
/cast MySpell2
[/spoiler]

I thought /script and /run were disabled in combat. (I could check of course, but I'm too lazy.)[/quote]

I have no idea, though from the followings in the thread it looks like it does work.

That don't work ;-) Which is good, since it's an attempt at circumventing the anti-botting procedures in place.

This freezes the game world for X seconds, and then casts the last spell.

If it casts the first spell, freezes for X seconds then casts the next spell...doesn't it do what it intended to? (Albeit making your game play completely unenjoyable?)

I wouldn't try it, but I trust that the folks who frequent the macros/UI forum know what they're talking about. :)

[Fizzler]

Do not be fooled to think that just because it is an addon that it does not break the TOS. A good example would be the famous addon that allows you to interpret opposing faction chat.

I personally have always thought the /follow after combat seemed a bit iffy but who knows.

[Jafula]

Not wanting to get involved in the debate particularly, but thought I'd let you know that the next version of Jamba (0.5) is modular.

This means that Jamba-Follow (the part that has the strobing in it) can be removed from Jamba easily should you wish not to use that particular feature.

If there is enough demand, I (or another) could release an alternative Jamba-Follow without the strobing feature.

[algol]

Not wanting to get involved in the debate particularly, but thought I'd let you know that the next version of Jamba (0.5) is modular.

This means that Jamba-Follow (the part that has the strobing in it) can be removed from Jamba easily should you wish not to use that particular feature.

If there is enough demand, I (or another) could release an alternative Jamba-Follow without the strobing feature.

Modularity is awesome, but I don't think that would affect this. Assuming for a moment that the feature is taboo - a player can already simply not turn strobing on.

[zanthor]

FFS Guys - I can point to thousands of addons that use delays - thousands that don't get users banned.

You can go harrass blizzard every time you want to sniffle and blow your nose - all thats going to happen is multiboxers will paint themselves and their community as a high maintainance portion of the community and end up losing many otherwise fine features.

Blizzard has programatically blocked a LOT of features that they don't want abused - and i'm sure they will block more in the future - but at the same time they are adding other features that will make our lives easier (IE: Interact with target keybind slated for 3.1). If we continue asking them to attend to every little question that a modicum of common sense can answer - it will not end well for any of us.

You can make a follow strobe addon in about 10 lines of code, 100% within the blizzard API, 100% using documented features of their UI that are used in nearly every mod currently in use. If they didn't want this to work, they would simply protect the FollowUnit function.

[Daki]

Yeah I am not sure, but I have a feeling that follow strobing is against the ToS, we dont 'click' a button every second, but to the OP: You can turn off strobe, the rest of the addon, as far as I can tell is safe and 'legal'

[zanthor]

Offtopic but relevant:

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/th...geNo=1&sid=1#8
Nobody is being banned. One of the first things GMs do after a new patch is recommend that people disable addons, because they often cause problems if not properly updated. With the exception of cross-faction communication addons and malicious addons, if it works, it's okay to run.

Remember that if there is a separate program running while WoW is running, that watches or interacts with the game, then that is against the ToS, but addons without any executables are fine.

I challenge anyone to produce firsthand knowledge of a player being banned for a UI mod that is written 100% inside blizzard's LUA code.

I personally wrote a mod that crashed the server 12 times in 4 days, it was totally accidental but when trying to get it to the devs so they would KNOW what was crashing the server I had to use contacts that work with Apple to get it in through the Blizzard liaison since the GM's consistently told me it was impossible for a UI mod to crash the server.

[Vyndree]

[quote='zanthor',index.php?page=Thread&postID=18675 9#post186759]
I challenge anyone to produce firsthand knowledge of a player being banned for a UI mod that is written 100% inside blizzard's LUA code.

I personally wrote a mod that crashed the server 12 times in 4 days, it was totally accidental but when trying to get it to the devs so they would KNOW what was crashing the server I had to use contacts that work with Apple to get it in through the Blizzard liaison since the GM's consistently told me it was impossible for a UI mod to crash the server.[/quote]

There was an addon that allowed cross-faction speech. I'm not sure that anyone got banned before they "suggested" that the author remove the addon (and he/she did), but it certainly was against the ToS. I've posted an in-game /script that allows an ability to be looped using a timer -- I won't repost it yet again, but it exists and is very clearly a violation of the rules.

People have admitted to account sharing and (sometimes) don't get banned for it. Doesn't make it any more right. Delays are, very clearly, against the rules -- whether or not it will actually get you banned is up to blizzard but it's certainly not shameful for us to be good representatives of the rules or at least, the best representatives of the rules as we know how to be.

If you're comfortable using an addon (which utilizes the in-game APIs) that contains delays, then you can -- just like you can use a Logitech G15 or Nostromo N52 -- and it's up to your discretion to utilize the portions of the device/addon that contain delays. However, IF anyone were to get banned for using their judgement, then don't anyone say they weren't forewarned or were misinformed. As a community, people have the right to know that the official word on the street is "[url='http://dual-boxing.com/wiki/index.php/GM_Conversations#Regarding_Delays_.26_Timers_in_ou t-of-game_Macros']Delays are bad[/url]" and the general assumption is that "in-game API is (generally) good". People can make their own decisions or follow up with Blizzard as they please, since it is their right to do so and to deal with the consequences (or lack thereof).

[algol]

Let me post this again in blue text so it's clear that it's an actual statement of policy.

Nobody is being banned. One of the first things GMs do after a new patch is recommend that people disable addons, because they often cause problems if not properly updated. With the exception of cross-faction communication addons and malicious addons, if it works, it's okay to run.

Remember that if there is a separate program running while WoW is running, that watches or interacts with the game, then that is against the ToS, but addons without any executables are fine.

There are two very specific exceptions to what addons are legal, neither of which involves programmatic delays.

Jamba's follow strobing is 100% legal.

Thanks for finding that, Zanthor.

[Vyndree]

A addon that utilizes delays COULD (I'm not saying it is or isn't, merely that it isn't clear) be considered malicious.

That decision is Blizzard's -- they've already told us "delays are bad, mmkay". It's up to the user to decide whether that is or isn't a risk based on their own consideration. The blue post, while an excellent one, still doesn't specifically say anything about Jamba strobing.

I feel the key here is whether or not /follow -- a non-GCD inducing action -- is considered an automate-able action. That's not clear. The specific blue post quoted involved addons that did simple information gathering and did not alter the state of the game. Remember that the WoW API changes every patch -- so something that was kosher last patch may not be in a future patch -- bannable? Who knows. My PERSONAL OPINION is that it wouldn't be, but I'm not going to tell people that if I'm not 100% sure my statement won't impact the safety of their accounts.

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/th...=1&pageNo=1#14 (same thread)

Malicious meaning what (maybe an example?)

Oh, say, a button that crashes other clients, or maybe sends misleading chat messages...

Automation is generally considered a malicious activity. If delays are automation, and IF Jamba's follow strobing is considered a delay, then utilizing Jamba's follow strobing would be utilizing automation. (Please very carefully note that this is a CONDITIONAL statement.)