The simultaneous sending of keystrokes is considered illegal in EQ2...

[Lax]

I've been informed that SOE does NOT want to ban multiboxing, even with keystrokes being broadcast. What they don't want is for multiboxers to grief other players.

If you're playing 36 (or even 6) toons in PVP and just standing there demolishing someone over and over, it ruins that person's day and that person is going to have a newfound hatred for multiboxers.

I'm told that as long as you are not using your multiboxing for nefarious purposes, and are otherwise following the rules (not botting, not selling plat/gold/whatever, etc), that you should not be banned.

SOE, like other game companies, wants to a) make money and b) have as many people as possible play, and enjoy, their game. They don't want to run a gestapo -- it's just bad business (unless you ask the RIAA). If your net effect on the previous statement is positive (i.e. you are making them more money than you are losing them), and you are not violating their eula/tos/tou/whatever, then you are a customer they want to keep. There is no other way to look at it, it is a very simple business decision.

What this all comes down to is "being a good citizen". If you put on a good show for the people you come across, they are going to look at you with curiosity and wonderment instead of disdain. Likewise, if you're just being a dick the whole time, people aren't going to like you -- that's when you start having a negative effect on the equation, and you should expect trouble (hint: instead of destroying someone over and over just because you can, destroy them once and then let them walk away the next time. maybe even wave.). Putting on a show can be done with some very simple choreography. Sorta like live machinima. In WoW sometimes when people follow me around and watch, I spread my guys out into a Flying V formation (a 2-step Key Map where 4 people move the first step, 2 people move the second step) and break into dance. The only negative thing anyone really has to say is "why do you waste so much money on this game", but it's relatively rare (my response is usually "I know people with much more expensive hobbies" -- some people spend thousands of dollars building things for fun, like vehicles. this is VERY cheap in comparison!). Most of the time they will just sit and talk for a minute or two and ask how it works, what program I use, etc.

That's not to say don't do any PVP. I do plenty of PVP myself (albeit not in EQ2). Sometimes people will actually come attack me thinking they can kill one or more of my guys before I am able to kill them. Usually they're dead wrong, with extra dead (unless they outlevel me by far, for example). Sometimes they even try it a second or third time! Sure I could chase them down for a while if I wanted to ruin their day. But what's the point of harassing some random person? It wouldn't improve the perception of multiboxers and it certainly wouldn't make the game publisher more apt to see things my way if that person complained.

I know you're not going to take me at my word when there's a post at the beginning of this thread with quotes from GMs that suggest otherwise, but SOE knows it was a mistake to suggest that they would ban every multiboxer who is using key broadcasting. Hell, I might not believe me either if I was in your position. But it's true.

[Kalros]

So has anyone continued to multibox EQ2, using the keystroke broadcasting? Any issues with dealing with GMs or being reported?

I had always planned on coming back to EQ2 and trying to multibox, but obviously this issue would cause me to not want to.

Basically I'm just wondering how much they are enforcing this, if at all.

[Gomotron]

Kalros,

I had cancelled my accounts and took a swipe at LOTRO but have now come back to EQ2, mostly based on what people have posted in this thread.

I have yet to even get a /tell let alone be reported. I am on the Mistmoore server, FYI.

[Twiz]

I took a short break but have resumed multiboxing. I haven't had any problems nor have I been contacted by folks in game. I only 6-box early in the mornings on weekdays, so the likelihood that I'll actually run into another player is fairly slim.

I seriously doubt SOE would do anything to a multiboxer minding their own business, especially with an expansion right around the corner.

[Naysayer]

I only 6-box early in the mornings on weekdays, so the likelihood that I'll actually run into another player is fairly slim.

hahaha that game must be dead.

[Captive2]

I'm still 6-boxing with InnerSpace. No warnings, no petitions (that I know of), no harassing tells. A few players ask me if I'm boxing, and I politely tell them I am. Most say "Cool - that must be fun" and go on their way. I honestly don't think they're going to do anything to people who aren't griefing or farming/selling gold. I haven't heard of a single case of a boxer being banned. Not here, not on EQ Flames - anywhere.

So if you're thinking of giving it a shot, I would go ahead and do it. I wouldn't play on a PvP server, as I think boxing may be considered more of a no-no in PvP. But I haven't even heard of any PvPer boxers being banned, so you might not have any trouble there either.

[mesmerise]

Still boxing with IS here too and no warning, no ban, nothing...

[mebben]

Aah I have this urge of coming back to EQ2..just not sure if I should do a full multibox or try and enjoy the people who actually play. Any idea how the population is leveling wise? I figure I have to play on the american servers to get a decent populated server?

[Vega]

After reading this thread I was curious as to how exactly they word their stance on multiboxing. While they never directly refer to it, they do allude to it. Here's what I found:


EVERQUEST® II USER AGREEMENT AND SOFTWARE LICENSE:

"You may not decrypt or modify any data transmitted between client and server and you may not use, post, host or distribute macros, "bots" or other programs which would allow unattended game play or which otherwise impact game play."

This sounds intentionally vague to me. They use the words "other programs" and "impact game play" to differentiate from botting. This leaves it wide open for interpretation.

If you were to read it paraphrased, it would say:

You may not use other programs which impact gameplay.

Presumably "other programs" refers to 3rd party programs. That's clearly their meaning in the full quote.

"Impact gameplay" is about a vague as it could possibly be. From the sound of it, they simply want to reserve the right to say that any mod/addon/3rd party program is against the rules at the discretion of their GM/CS staff. It appears to me that their "stance" on multiboxing is that they don't condone it or condemn it, but will leave it up to the individual GM; and likely give the player no recourse once the decision to ban/suspend is made. (But that's pure speculation.)

EVERQUEST® II RULES OF CONDUCT:

"You will follow the instructions of authorized personnel while in EverQuest II or on the Official EverQuest II Forums."

That is the entire rule. They don't mention what sort of instructions they are referring to.

This leads me to further conclude that they give GMs carte blanche in gameplay-related matters; and that multiboxing, being unprotected by the language of their user agreements, may be considered an infraction of the rules by one GM and perfectly acceptable by another - and that both are considered correct as far as SOE is concerned.

They have another curiously worded rule:

"You will not create, use or provide any server emulator or other site where EverQuest II may be played, and you will not post or distribute any utilities, emulators or other software tools related to EverQuest II without the express written permission of Sony Online Entertainment."

To paraphrase:

You will not post or distribute any utilities or other software tools related to EverQuest II.

Clearly this is referring to botting, hacking, and other cheating and/or malicious programs; but words like "utilities" and "software tools" are vague enough to include literally any 3rd party program - no matter how benign.

Under these guidelines a simple thing like a UI mod or a dps counter would be illegal. The only conclusion I can draw from this is that SOE purposely leaves these matters in the hands of their GMs. If that's the case, we're basically at the mercy of everyone - including other players. All it takes is one report in the wrong GM's queue and we're done. Of course this doesn't necessarily mean we'll be banned outright; but it certainly seems that the lack of a written rule expressly outlining what is, and is not, acceptable by multiboxers is intentional.

Further evidence of this is in the varying responses by GMs and CSR. This suggests to me that while they may know the EULA backwards and forwards, they were not given a conclusive explanation of the rules as they apply to multiboxing. I'd be curious to hear from a GM whether there is an official rule regarding non-bot multiboxing; or if it is indeed simply up to each individual GM's interpretation of the rule.

Of course this is all speculation but until SOE either makes up its mind about multiboxing or gives us a definitive answer, speculate is all we can do.

[Khatovar]

It's already as clear as it needs to be, IMO. There are more than a few places where they say you can not send 1 keystroke to all accounts and have all accounts respond to that same keystroke.

Multiboxing is allowed so long as each character performing an action requires a unique and separate keystroke.

Their idea of multiboxing now is the old-school alt-tab method. 1 keystroke = 1 action on ONE account. You want to round robin actions to each instance {1st press > acct 1, second press > acct 2} that should be fine. But sending all presses to all accounts is no longer acceptable to SOE.

People coming back saying "Well I haven't been banned" is not confirmation, it is the same as people coming back to the WoW boards saying "Well, I share accounts and I haven't been banned, so go ahead and do it" IMO. We have 4 responses from 4 different CMs all stating the same thing and dozens of responses from players trying to to say that SOE is talking out of 2 both sides of their mouth. I don't see a single CM response that includes "quote quote, wink wink, nudge nudge".