Interesting email from a GM

[rahven32]

Greetings Jason,

Thank you for contacting the World of Warcraft Game Master Department.

Petition: I have a question regarding Multiboxing if you have time to answer. I have a question regarding strafe and movement keys. I don't want to cross any lines in the ToS. Basically what I'm asking is if it is legal to bind strafe and up to one key? I know in game you can hold both down at the sametime and get the same affect. IE holding forward and strafe left will move your character diagonally up and to the left. I can basically use do the samething with one button is that within the ToS?

Answer: Sorry that I missed you while you were online. What you descirbe does not seem to be considered to be a breach of the ToS or EULA and as such is perfectly viable as a game style. Further information about multi-boxing can be found on the forums at http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=5288579356&sid=1

Should you require further assistance, please submit another help request the next time you are online. We hope you continue to enjoy your experience in World of Warcraft!

For any game play questions, please refer to our site at http://www.blizzard.com/support/wowgm/

*** Please do not respond to this email as all conversations on this matter would be best handled online. ***



Regards,
Gelraili
Game Master
Blizzard Entertainment


What do you guys think? Think he know's what he's talking about?

[Freddie]

Can you move forward and sideways at the same time with a single keypress using the WoW client by itself? If not, it's illegal to do it with third party software.

[rahven32]

See I dont get that logic as far as movement goes. You use xkeys to do it. Heck you can glue a stick to two keys and do it. I know technically it's still 2 keys I suppose. The gm seems to think the same but GM's all have different opinions on the matter so i never know what to think. This one seems to think it's ok though. Maybe I should just glue a stick to two keys lol.

I just find it kind of absurd to spend $120 on xkeys to do something I can easily do with my n52 or g15.

[Freddie]

I don't think it's a question of logic. The question is, what does the rule mean?

The rule is "one in-game action per instance per physical input."

In order to apply that rule, we need to know what is "one in-game action" and what is "one physical input."

I think the only coherent, objective basis for defining those terms is the WoW client. The client itself supplies the yard stick. If something can be bound on the left side of the in-game bind screen, then it's "one in-game action." If something can be bound on the right side of that screen, then it's one "physical input."

[EaTCarbS]

You shouldn't find any grief doing such a key binding.

After all, you still have to press your key(s) on the keyboard for the character to move.

legit imo.

[keyclone]

you can hit 2 keys at once and all your characters should move diagonal. trying to say that hitting one key should trip 2 keys to all windows would be something i'd stay away from, as it violates the "one key press --> one key received per wow" rule.

[Otlecs]

If something can be bound on the left side of the in-game bind screen, then it's "one in-game action." If something can be bound on the right side of that screen, then it's one "physical input."
This is a truly excellent way to look at this sort of question.

I've added it to my Favourite Threads so I can dig it up and shamelessly quote you in future ;)

[Tehtsuo]

Technically, gluing a stick to two keys would be as much against the rules as doing it with an xkeys, n52, or g15.

Are they not likely to find and prosecute you?
Yeah.

But it's still a no-no. Remember all the contraptions people have shown off on youtube to afk in Alterac Valley? Just because it wasn't software based, it was still against the rules. In this particular case it's a lot harder to detect and very unlikely to get you in trouble, but the fact remains that it's one keypress for two actions - strafe and move forward.

[keyclone]

actually, detecting 2 sticks glued to two keys would be one of the easiest things to detect, as your actions don't change.

[rahven32]

So wait using a 2x2 (believe that's what it's called) cap on xkeys isn't legal? Seems to be pretty common for those that use them here.

[zanthor]

So wait using a 2x2 (believe that's what it's called) cap on xkeys isn't legal? Seems to be pretty common for those that use them here.According to the pure letter of the law - yes.

Pressing 1 button that presses 2 buttons per client would be a violation. Of course, pressing those two buttons by smashing your thumb across both is OK... and for the most part everyone using a spread out macro with diagonals is ALREADY doing this OR pressing 2 keys... so I'd say continue at your own risk, but know that Blizzard can terminate your account for any reason, and using a keycap to merge two keys qualifies as a "any".

[Tehtsuo]

know that Blizzard can terminate your account for any reason, and using a keycap to merge two keys qualifies as a "any".Same goes for standing one foot while talking to an orangutan about the economic policy of New Guinea.

[keyclone]

Same goes for standing one foot while talking to an orangutan about the economic policy of New Guinea. dammit, i knew that ape was a fed narc :cursing:

[Otlecs]

So wait using a 2x2 (believe that's what it's called) cap on xkeys isn't legal? Seems to be pretty common for those that use them here.

But when you put a multi-key cap on an Xkeys it recognises it as a single key.

[Kang]

Basically what I'm asking is if it is legal to bind strafe and up to one key? I know in game you can hold both down at the sametime and get the same affect. IE holding forward and strafe left will move your character diagonally up and to the left.

I think this may be a moot point. Within the normal WoW keybindings, when you try to bind a key that is already bound to a function (say up-arrow for move forward) to another function (say strafe left), it will unbind the first function. If you are not using a fancy keyboard with extra buttons or other external device, it would be impossible to bind two functions to the same key and therefore not breaking the TOS.

[Owltoid]

Blizzard cares about automation and things that are against the spirit of the game. Moving diagonally does not seem to fall in either of these categories and I doubt they care (just like they don't care if when I hit "g" I have HKN actually send "shift-g").

[zanthor]

So wait using a 2x2 (believe that's what it's called) cap on xkeys isn't legal? Seems to be pretty common for those that use them here. But when you put a multi-key cap on an Xkeys it recognises it as a single key.Only if you tell it to. You can also program a single x-keys to press two keys, not as reliable though.

[rahven32]

But when you put a multi-key cap on an Xkeys it recognises it as a single key.

So it's a software change rather than a hardware? I always thought it was basically the same as the stick analogy. I'm not familiar with it enough to know though just what I've read here. If it's software why even have a 2x2 cap? Or does the software read it as press these two buttons to do this. If that makes any sense. EG: press ctrl c = copy or press x+y = ctrl+v

[Stabface]

See I dont get that logic as far as movement goes. You use xkeys to do it. Heck you can glue a stick to two keys and do it. I know technically it's still 2 keys I suppose. The gm seems to think the same but GM's all have different opinions on the matter so i never know what to think. This one seems to think it's ok though. Maybe I should just glue a stick to two keys lol.

I just find it kind of absurd to spend $120 on xkeys to do something I can easily do with my n52 or g15.

We called this 'penny macroing' back in the day (from jamming together keys on your keyboard using coins) and yes, hardware mods like this are technically against the ToS.

[rahven32]

We called this 'penny macroing' back in the day (from jamming together keys on your keyboard using coins) and yes, hardware mods like this are technically against the ToS.

Hehe back in the day I used that to raise swimming in EQ. Just ran against a wall all day while i was at work =p

[zanthor]

But when you put a multi-key cap on an Xkeys it recognises it as a single key. So it's a software change rather than a hardware? I always thought it was basically the same as the stick analogy. I'm not familiar with it enough to know though just what I've read here. If it's software why even have a 2x2 cap? Or does the software read it as press these two buttons to do this. If that makes any sense. EG: press ctrl c = copy or press x+y = ctrl+vYou setup your x-keys with single keycaps, button 1 is Q and button 2 is W, then you put a dual cap on it and press Q and W at the same time. If you put it in programming mode and press the dual cap it records a single keystroke not two seperate keys.

[Caspian]

But when you put a multi-key cap on an Xkeys it recognises it as a single key. So it's a software change rather than a hardware? I always thought it was basically the same as the stick analogy. I'm not familiar with it enough to know though just what I've read here. If it's software why even have a 2x2 cap? Or does the software read it as press these two buttons to do this. If that makes any sense. EG: press ctrl c = copy or press x+y = ctrl+vYou setup your x-keys with single keycaps, button 1 is Q and button 2 is W, then you put a dual cap on it and press Q and W at the same time. If you put it in programming mode and press the dual cap it records a single keystroke not two seperate keys.But you can't have a single key stroke that hits Q and W - they are two separate keys no matter how you set it up in your hardware and software.

So with a G15 it is against the rules to bind Alt-1 to one of your G keys? Weather boxing or not.
Or in any Key replication software (HKN Keyclone etc) to make a keymap that sends more then one key to a client? Like hitting 3 and sending 3 to one client and alt-3 to another?

On the basis of some of the arguments that would be the case.

I personally believe it is not. I think they are more concerned with automation. Hitting one key and walking away while your dude(s) farm away or whatever.

[Lax]

you can hit 2 keys at once and all your characters should move diagonal. trying to say that hitting one key should trip 2 keys to all windows would be something i'd stay away from, as it violates the "one key press --> one key received per wow" rule. Actually, I don't see anywhere that they said "one key press --> one key received per wow". However, they did say, one key press to one action per character. Your interpretation is pretty strict, and that's fine to design your software by, but you shouldn't tell people that one key must resolve to exactly one key. Besides, aren't you pressing more than one key when you send shift, alt, or ctrl in conjunction with another key? Anyway, I would interpret moving diagonally as a single action, and I use one key to move my characters diagonally, even in my videos (formations). They recently added joystick support -- I don't know if it works or not -- but presumably you would be able to move in any direction as a single action. IMHO, movement is a special case, and you're definitely not going to get banned for moving diagonally by only pressing 1 key either way.

Besides, the OP specifically asked about this, and the GM e-mailed back and said it was fine. Isn't that already the end of the discussion?

[keyclone]

ok then.. one key == one action.

i can find 'move forward' and 'strafe left'... but i can't seem to find 'move diagonal'

i'm thinking that would be two actions

the problem wouldn't necessarily be the movement keys being bannable. it'd be that the mechanism allows for multi-key hits per key (unless its restricted to a set of movement keys.. which wouldn't make sense), which would be bannable.

[Lax]

it'd be that the mechanism allows for multi-key hits per key (unless its restricted to a set of movement keys.. which wouldn't make sense), which would be bannable. You're right, make sure to block those added presses of Alt, Ctrl, and Shift in keyclone unless your user is actually pressing it, this is proof that Keyclone is "bannable" because it has a "mechanism that allows for multi-key hits per key"

[keyclone]

modifier... key. key... modifier. hmmm

[Lax]

Ask a GM if Alt is a key

[Svpernova09]

Multiboxing is Fine l2p.