"It's automation!!!"

[Tonuss]

It appears that the newest anti-multiboxing rallying cry is to claim that key broadcasting, particularly via programs such as keyclone, are automation, and therefore a ToS violation. The premise is that you're using one keypress to "do the job of many" keypresses. In Vyndree's thread on clarification of semantics (ironically enough) one poster tried to use the following definition:

Add in a 3rd party program. You press ONE button and all 5 screens react. How exactly is that fair/legit? It's not. The ability to control 5 computers at once with 1 single keyboard and 1 single press of a button is automation. The ability to make your characters cast their individual spells and skills at once by pressing 1 button is automation.

1. the technique, method, or system of operating or controlling a process by highly automatic means, as by electronic devices, reducing human intervention to a minimum.

What has Blizzard stated regarding automation? From that same thread:

"Unlike the forms of botting you mentioned, multi-boxing requires user input and does not automate any aspect of gameplay. Each time an action is performed it is controlled by a real player sitting at their computer controlling multiple accounts. "
Aradek, Customer Service Member

"Is it sending an identical signal to all client windows or switching between them to send commands? Not automation.
Is it playing the game for you, or rather, for one of your client windows? Automation."
Belfaire, Blizzard Poster

Since people want to insert or invent their own definitions of what automation means, (or apply the wrong definition) the above responses make it clear. When Blizzard refers to automation, they are referring to automating actions within the game by means not available via the standard interface and macro system.

What does this mean? It means that the external means that you use-- be it a keyboard, mouse, multiplexer, keyclone, etc-- as long as it sends a single keypress/button click to a single instance of WoW at a time, is NOT AUTOMATION. If this was automation, then the in-game macro system itself would be a violation of the Terms of Service, since you can use a macro to combine keypresses (example, have it activate a trinket and then perform an ability or spell).

I repeat, any external means of directing input to an instance of WoW that does not automate actions within the game is NOT a ToS violation. So if you send a keypress to 100 instances of WoW and each of those instances receives that single keypress... it isn't a ToS violation. Don't get sidetracked by people who have basically found a new way to say "I don't care what Blizzard says, I make the rules!!!" They are going to try to argue the semantics of "automation" until their lips fall off, but because their premise is flawed, so are any of their arguments. Once you strip their arguments away, they will fall back on stating directly that "I don't care what Blizzard says, it's illegal!"

And at that point they can be safely ignored. Once they get to that point, they are practically admitting that they have run out of ways to try and make facts and logic fit their opinion, instead of the other way around.

Now to wait and see what new tactic they come up with...

[Majestic_Clown]

Hey dude,

You got the link to the new rally?

[Tonuss]

Yeah, it is this thread that Vyndree started. The latest whine is on page 14, response number 266 by Tourettes.

[Skuggomann]

Jubb i think as long as wow lives there will by mass whining about it :S

[Xaedra]

I had to reply to this one:

Q u o t e:
I have had the rather dubious pleasure of having to wait for over an hour in STV while some jerk running a 5 box of hunters or botting was grinding quest mobs. Refused to reply to any and all attempts at communication and just kept running around, killing everything that spawned before anyone else could get to them. They all moved identically, fired same at the time, in the same shot rotations, sent their pets out at the same time, etc.

In my humble thoughts, that did have a very negative and very real affect on my game play experience.

My response:

You get these jerks everywhere, not just in the multi-boxing community. I'm sorry that this person acted this way, but it doesn't mean all multi-boxers play like this. Don't look down on all of us because of something one multi-boxer did to you. Personally, if I see someone else questing in an area with a limited number of mobs, I'll come back later, or I'll stick to the big groups and leave the solo mobs alone. Doesn't matter if you're horde or alliance, I will not treat anyone like that.

So, please don't be so quick to judge the rest of us. We're not all jerks.

[Eteocles]

Don't forget to add "And lv70s ganking you constantly for hours on end doesn't impact your experience?" And somehow I doubt his "Attempts at communication" consisted of "Pardon me but would you mind leaving me a few mobs so I can finish my quest too? I'd appreciate it" but sounded more like "wtf cheater quit stealing all the mobs or i'll fukkin report u asshole" GM shows up later "ITS LEGAL CUZ HES NOT AUTOMATING ANYTHING STFU LOL" leading to the post you quoted :P

His problem is with dickheads, not boxers. A lv70 alone could sit and oneshot all his shit all day just as easily as a boxer on the quest as could a normal questing group. The person is a dick, boxer or not. It's like being pissed that a guy in a wheelchair is an asshole to you and bitching because he's in the wheelchair, not because he was a dick.

[@Ang@]

I'd appreciate it" but sounded more like "wtf cheater quit stealing all the mobs or i'll fukkin report u asshole" GM shows up later "ITS LEGAL CUZ HES NOT AUTOMATING ANYTHING STFU LOL" leading to the post you quoted :P

i loled irl here :P thanks

[Tonuss]

His problem is with dickheads, not boxers.

Yeah, this was also a pattern with the person who was trying to imply that multiboxing was bad because a selfish person could take up multiple spots on a raid and leave some guildmates out in the cold. Erm... why would a guild allow that? If you've got a selfish player it doesn't matter if he multiboxes or not, you're probably better off without him. If your guild leader or raid leader is willing to push people aside in order to let some selfish jerk take up spots on a raid, why are you still in that guild?

People will make any argument about multiboxing... even arguments that have nothing to do with multiboxing!

[Tehtsuo]

It's like being pissed that a guy in a wheelchair is an asshole to you and bitching because he's in the wheelchair, not because he was a dick.

This made me laugh irl. What an elegant simile!

[keyclone]

it's amazing to me, the utter lack of understanding of a simple concept. this is basic AI understanding.

flipping a switch that turns on 1 light bulb or 10 is not automation... it's called wiring.

to make a strand of lights flash or blink in some order... is not automation... it's wiring combined with a capacitor

these people would actually look at a Christmas tree with awe and declare it to be automated as someone flips the switch...

to these idiots... the whole world is pfm (pure freakin magic)

:evil: ignorance is bliss .. just crying out to be clubbed