Multiboxing software question.

[nitra]

Just wondering if anyone has been banned for using Shockbeta's Multibox program? I'm interested in multiboxing and I've tested out this software and it works the way I need it to. Any thoughts?

[Ughmahedhurtz]

That multibox program does not automate your actions. It only relays keystrokes, which is the same as hardware (with some obvious tweaks for usability). See this thread for some more info: http://www.dual-boxing.com/forums2/viewtopic.php?t=872

Now, for the subtext of your question (i.e.: will Warden kill my accounts if it detects this) I think the answer lies in how many people who multibox, use Multibox and are still posting here. ;)

[Vyndree]

I've been reported, and I've talked with a GM, while using MultiBox. That being said, the software that detects botting (Warden) is, as far as I know, not controlled by a GM.

When asked how I play all 5 characters, I simply respond: I use one keyboard to control 5 computers.

I don't elaborate, because GMs are people, and some people are stupid. There is always a chance that the GM happens to be stupid and automatically assume any sort of software is a bot.

In my opinion, it's not a lie. I AM using one keyboard to control 5 computers. This software lets me do that.

On a side note, I have a vetra multicaster ready and waiting for when I get some ps2 to usb connectors for my 2 laptops. You can never be too careful these days -- Warden has made mistakes in the past and honest people got banned for it.

[Los]

Warden should be some code in wow client, that detects if in memory changes are happening. I will always feel a bit beh because of that because like you said, we play with best intentions but that software cant see that. If on of their devs screws up im toast :)

[Ughmahedhurtz]

In my opinion, it's not a lie. I AM using one keyboard to control 5 computers. This software lets me do that.
Exactly. The ToS says you cannot automate things. The UI changes usually nerf anything that can be automated to perform more than one task per human control activation (aka button press/click). Since multiboxing with software or hardware is not automating anything and requires a button press just like single-boxers, I'm in agreement with you. The GMs I've talked to have reiterated this exact line of thinking and every posted screenshot of GM comments on it has confirmed this.


You can never be too careful these days -- Warden has made mistakes in the past and honest people got banned for it.
I suppose this is true, though I firmly believe the scale of this has been blown out of all reasonable proportion due to disingenuous cheaters trying to make it look like they're all simply victims of The Man(tm) trying to Keep A Brotha Down(tm). While I'm sympathetic to people getting accidentally ground under the proverbial wheels of blind justice, I also believe that you could fashion an entire series of Paul Harvey's "The Rest Of The Story" out of nothing but people who said they got falsely banned for having benign software when they really got banned for doing something else explicitly against the ToS. Engage in enough shady conduct or ToS-skirting behavior and you WILL get owned. True story.

[Heenan]

I've been using MultiBox for some time now to DualBox. I've never had any run-ins with the law.

[Lost Ninja]

IMO Multibox is fine, I'd be much more wary of Autohotkey and perhaps Keyclone. Autohotkey is designed to automate tasks, we mostly use it to automate alt+tab, but I have seen WoW scripts that do much, much more. :(

Keyclone IMO is not automated but I can see where people would/could decide it was particularly the ability to miss out sending some keypresses to some clients, but not others.

While the same functionality is there in Multibox, it is (it appears) to be the case that if you don't send a key it doesn't that key at all, to any client.

Note: I'm not saying keyclone is automation, just that I could see people saying it was. Also note not having bought/used it I don't 100% know the above is true, I'm going by what I have read here.

[hapiguy314]

Keyclone IMO is not automated but I can see where people would/could decide it was particularly the ability to miss out sending some keypresses to some clients, but not others.

Dude. This is NO DIFFERENT from when I manually UNBIND a key from a client PC so that when I press a key from my PURE HARDWARE set up, it won't "broadcast" that action.

There are UIs and MODS out there that does a whole of a lot worse when it comes to Automation than Keyclone.

[Gigatron]

I'd be much more wary of Autohotkey and perhaps Keyclone.[/i]

Ahhhh, what do they automate? They just broadcast keystrokes, how is this automation? If anyone gets banned from using either of these, then to me anyone using hardware to broadcast keystrokes should get banned as well. It's the exact same thing. The only difference is warden won't be able to detect a hardware solution.

[zanthor]

I'd be much more wary of Autohotkey and perhaps Keyclone.[/i]

Ahhhh, what do they automate? They just broadcast keystrokes, how is this automation? If anyone gets banned from using either of these, then to me anyone using hardware to broadcast keystrokes should get banned as well. It's the exact same thing. The only difference is warden won't be able to detect a hardware solution.

Keyclone automates nothing.

Tell me what you want automated, I can write an AHK script to do it. AHK could quite easily be used to write a full functional bot. The fact that no ones done it yet means it's probably safe for now, but believe me, the ability is there, and therefore so is the risk.

[Wilbur]

People wrote 'functioning' Bots using AutoIT scripts. AHK is quite similar in design and functionality.

[Gigatron]

Keyclone automates nothing.

Tell me what you want automated, I can write an AHK script to do it. AHK could quite easily be used to write a full functional bot. The fact that no ones done it yet means it's probably safe for now, but believe me, the ability is there, and therefore so is the risk.

Gotcha. I have keyclone as well, I might just have to switch then. I guess either way, if warden adds them to the list, we are screwed.

[Wilbur]

I highly doubt that Keyclone will ever be added to the 'list' Whats more likely is that the functions (within windows) that Keyclone calls to pass the keystroke onto an inactive window will be picked up on.

[keyclone]

i have called blizzard and spoken directly to customer service and tech support types about keyclone. the opinion was this: so long as there are no macros and nothing automated, then it does not violate the TOS. the tech support guy thought it was fun and pretty exciting (offered him a free version :) ) this is also the reason why the FAQ states specifically that there is no macro capability within keyclone... and never will be.

numerous people have asked for a 'blue blessing' for keyclone on the wow forums... but they won't respond (but do interact with the threads.. moving one thread in one case.. thereby providing the virtual equivilent of a wink)

in the end, blizzard will not 'bless' any product... this gives them deniability and distances them from software they did not write nor control.

as for people trying to spread FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt)... unless you have actually heard directly from a GM or someone at blizzard, you are just pulling stuff from your butt... and should be ignored

[keyclone]

maybe what we need now is a quest :)

quest: to get the blessing (or curse) for keyclone from a GM or blizzard person of note.

also, someone (maybe me.. others could help) should let blizzard and dell (or some other hardware manufacturer) know about multi-boxing and how it is picking up momentum. it'd be a way to bring in new hardware sales and increase user accounts for blizzard

i still think Elly should have a section for hardware... and maybe a Xzin's multi-box seal of approval for whatever

[Vyndree]

You can never be too careful these days -- Warden has made mistakes in the past and honest people got banned for it.
I suppose this is true, though I firmly believe the scale of this has been blown out of all reasonable proportion due to disingenuous cheaters trying to make it look like they're all simply victims of The Man(tm) trying to Keep A Brotha Down(tm). While I'm sympathetic to people getting accidentally ground under the proverbial wheels of blind justice, I also believe that you could fashion an entire series of Paul Harvey's "The Rest Of The Story" out of nothing but people who said they got falsely banned for having benign software when they really got banned for doing something else explicitly against the ToS. Engage in enough shady conduct or ToS-skirting behavior and you WILL get owned. True story.

I was actually referring to the people who used a certain config of Linux that got swept in with real botters during a ban-wave.

As far as I know, it was reversed for those who contacted Blizzard, but so were a whole bunch of botters who saw an easy way to get their botter ban un-done. From what I understand, game-time was added on to the account for the lost game time during the linux ban as well.

Just an FYI - if Blizz accidentally banned linux users in the past, they can ban you unjustly for any software you happen to run on your computer that doesn't "play nice" with Warden. It's always a risk, and can be reversed if the ban was a mistake. Just keeping people aware.

[keyclone]

what they are trying to prevent are the automated macro programs (like wow glide). if your characters in game would do nothing if you left your desk, then you are ok.

i just got off the phone with a blizzard tech support guy. asked him about keyclone, asked him to check the site and watch the video. he understood what it does and said there is nothing wrong with it. he also said that they multi-box there. one guy does the 5 keyboards/5 mice thing (i suggested he point him towards keyclone.. he said he would ;) )

his recommendation for getting 'approval' would be to communicate with an in game GM and ask him directly and see what he says. that is my task for the night.

[Lost Ninja]

Keyclone IMO is not automated but I can see where people would/could decide it was particularly the ability to miss out sending some keypresses to some clients, but not others.

Dude. This is NO DIFFERENT from when I manually UNBIND a key from a client PC so that when I press a key from my PURE HARDWARE set up, it won't "broadcast" that action.

There are UIs and MODS out there that does a whole of a lot worse when it comes to Automation than Keyclone.

Yes it is, reading about keyclone it appears you can miss out a client first time round but get it next time or time after. Or are you saying you have a macro in WoW that dynamically maps keys? Which is what you'd have to do to get the same functionality.

And as I pointed out Multibox also has the same function, if I don't want to broadcast a key, I can do that through hardware or software, or as you point out through the client. I can't however without a degree of automation unbind it now but have it bound the next time I press the key!

[Lost Ninja]

I'd be much more wary of Autohotkey and perhaps Keyclone.[/i]

Ahhhh, what do they automate? They just broadcast keystrokes, how is this automation? If anyone gets banned from using either of these, then to me anyone using hardware to broadcast keystrokes should get banned as well. It's the exact same thing. The only difference is warden won't be able to detect a hardware solution.
I have seen scripts that fish automatically, I tried one out on a private realm, but found that Glider did a better job. This was a while back though before the last round of Ban waves for Glider users (or time before maybe). I should imagine that there are other scripts that do more.

I'm not saying that this community advocates botting with AHK, but that such a thing is possible with the software, and that if Warden doesn't detect it now it may well do in the future. :( (Be careful ;))

[Lost Ninja]

Just a quick additional point.

I'm not trying to say that Keyclone is an automation program. And apologies if that was misunderstood at any point. I was merely trying to say that I could see that some people could see it as over automation.

Anyway sorry if my post caused offence or annoyance, such was not my intention or purpose.

[keyclone]

no worries, ninja... just have to be pretty specific as to where the line is as more people learn about multi-boxing and software multi-boxing... any confusion would be counterproductive

[keyclone]

had a quick in-game chat with a GM. posted screen caps here:

http://www.dual-boxing.com/forums2/viewtopic.php?t=1049

[Lost Ninja]

had a quick in-game chat with a GM. posted screen caps here:

http://www.dual-boxing.com/forums2/viewtopic.php?t=1049

Once you get mouse buttons mapped to keys going I'll order two, only thing I can't do now that I want. :D