WOW Insider Multiboxing article today

[Grogin]

Along the lines of Vyn's contributions to this topic and Blue's answer, this article is on WOW Insider today.

http://www.wowinsider.com/2008/03/13/blue-poster-belfaire-explains-blizzards-stance-on-multiboxing/

GO Vyndree!! :thumbup:

[Eteocles]

Goddamnit even wowinsider's blocked here...copy paste article please? lol

[Bollwerk]

Multiboxing, the process of one person playing multiple characters on multiple accounts at one time, usually by the use of multiple computers (thus the term) and macros that can be activated on all accounts by the push of a single button, has most recently seen coverage here ('http://www.wowinsider.com/2008/02/08/two-players-take-on-karazhan/') on WoW with our 2-man Karazhan report. The act of multiboxing is one that has been the subject of some debates ('http://www.wowinsider.com/2007/07/06/should-multiboxing-be-illegal/'), mostly centered around whether or not it violates the EULA. Those in favor of multiboxing ('http://www.wowinsider.com/tag/multiboxing/') can breathe easier today, as Blizzard poster Belfaire has stated in no uncertain terms that Blizzard has no problem ('http://www.wowinsider.com/2008/02/08/two-players-take-on-karazhan/') with the practice in a post on the customer service forums.

In short, he says that the advantages of multiboxing are no different than the advantages offered by normal grouping. Since multiboxers can be damaged, feared and CC'd as easily as separate people playing separate accounts, and since they can't do anything the same amount of characters couldn't do when played by different people, there is no reason to consider it an unfair advantage in PvP or PvE. He also answers quite a few specific questions posed by thread starter and multiboxer Velath that clarify why Blizzard accepts Multiboxing and does not consider it an exploit or an unfair advantage.

For example, he clarifies that using one keyboard to trigger macros on multiple accounts is not exploiting, but using that same keyboard to make a Fireball ('http://www.wowhead.com/?spell=38692') spell go off whenever it is available is. Switching between windows or boxes to issue commands? Not exploitation. Using a bot program to make those windows run automatically? Exploit. In short, just like with people running one account, automation of a character via a third party program is Illegal. Setting up shortcuts to use macros or using gaming mice or keyboards (such as those in Adam Holisky's recent ('http://www.wowinsider.com/2008/03/02/playing-with-your-keyboard/') series ('http://www.wowinsider.com/2008/03/01/playing-with-your-mouse/') of articles ('http://www.wowinsider.com/2008/03/08/tanking-g15/'))is legal, and something that has always been fine with Blizzard no matter how many accounts the person in question is playing.

I certainly applaud this stance by Blizzard, even if I don't quite see myself doing the whole multiple rig setup. Admittedly, I am somewhat biased, as back in my Everquest days, I was about the only member of my small guild that didn't multibox, and was always greatly appreciative when someone when bring out their tank and healer multibox team so we didn't have to worry about who was going to fill those roles. Either way, it looks like Multiboxing is here to stay. So the next time you curse that 5-box Elemental Shaman arena team that just Chain Lightning'd ('http://www.wowhead.com/?spell=25442')
you into next week, just remember that you can't call them illegal.

However, you can still thank your lucky stars that they weren't Restoration Druids.

[Eteocles]

Hah thanks...they start the whole article out like some evening news crime report, which isn't surprising knowing them...ask Zin what he thinks of wowinsider ;p

Good to see that post getting press though, hopefully this'll shut a few more QQers up even if it won't stop the habitual ones that just want to whine despite facts.

[Tonuss]

Mostly I'm glad to see that many of the usual arguments have been invalidated. Yes, there will be people who feel that it's wrong, but that's an opinion and different from people saying that it's a TOS violation. And the ones who want to insist that it's against the TOS are essentially saying that Blizzard doesn't know how to interpret its own rules, and those people can be safely dismissed.

The recent trend seems to be to attempt to spook Blizzard by claiming that the recent increase in multi-boxing is a sign that WoW's decline is near. I am not sure that this particular angle will have any real traction, though.

I'm sure that there will be new angles and new tactics and new arguments from the anti-MB crowd. But they'll have to be extremely creative now, because most of their arguments are now moot, as per official word from Blizzard.

[Otlecs]

Yes, there will be people who feel that it's wrong, but that's an opinion and different from people saying that it's a TOS violation. And the ones who want to insist that it's against the TOS are essentially saying that Blizzard doesn't know how to interpret its own rules, and those people can be safely dismissed.

Very well put.

I'm perfectly ok with people not liking the fact that I multibox. I'm not ok with being accused of breaking rules that I am not breaking. In fact, I'd be willing to bet that most of us are more law (sic) abiding than the average player.

My worry with some of the threads on the WoW forums of late is that some of the haters are using tried and tested spin and scaremongering tactics in an attempt to whip people up into a frenzy against multiboxing, and it's extraordinarily satisfying to see them fail so comprehensively.

[Majestic_Clown]

We need press coverage in a US and UK gaming magazine and we will be sorted :D

[Emo?]

Exelent Post! :) Love it, thx for letting us know, and thx to Blizzard for beeing Awsome, in this case at least :)

[Eteocles]

Multi-boxing is increasing because there's more & better tools available to do it without going all-out Hardware setup, as well as existing boxers "opening the door" so to speak by being seen & heard(like the PVP, Heroic, and Karazhan vids being circulated); the more Boxers there are, the more people are exposed to us, and the more that start doing too, multiplying exponentially. We're at a point where it's becoming at least uncommon instead of rare to see one of us somewhere, and the posts're poppin up more and more.

Long as we all keep within the EULA it only gets better from here, maybe we'll start seeing more MB-only guilds similar to twink guilds, but with less failure than Twinks ;) With how popular WoW is and how many new RPGs are copying it maybe we'll see it stay common in future games, maybe even become the next way to play; I'm just waiting for the day I get a discount on the monthly fee for running multiple accounts ;p If we getit for multiple months, why not multiple accounts? 5 accts = $50 or 60 a month instead of $75 lolz

[Canasou]

I love seeing these types of articles and forum posts, it helps me sleep better at night... ;)

[Notes]

Take that lill wankers! Nice article :D

[Xzin]

10 - 1 Xzin tipped them off. ;) :thumbsup:

[zanthor]

I know of at least 4 other 5 boxers on Blackhand... Many more in our battle group... there's a priest/4mage team that tore the snot out of a few of my guildies in AB a few weeks back.