WoWInsider.com & Xzin

[Tehtsuo]

Good luck Xzin, although personally I wouldn't be caught dead on that show. He's made his point of view clear, and I assume you know that it's going to be a debate, but if it were me I'd say "Why should I argue with this guy, he's attacking my play style to get attention." He makes his intentions clear right in this line: "But I, Mike Schramm, personally have always been quite against the idea of multiboxing." He only has one thing in mind: making a name for himself. I got a distinct Michael Moore vibe from him. (My apologies for referencing politics, but even most of M.M.'s supporters will admit he has some level of personal gain in mind when creating his documentaries.)

Plus, am I the only one that laughed about the part about his coworker coming on the show two, who has "actually multiboxed two characters at a time." I bet he had two computers and just hit some buttons on his second keyboard to control, nowhere near the type of complexity as most people in this community deal with. I could be wrong, but still would be very surprised to hear this Adam Holisky guy say "Yeah, I use Keyclone."

All that being said, my proverbial rainbow after the thunderstorm is the fact that Xzin will be there, who I consider perfectly able to speak as my representative. Good luck Xzin!

[Tehtsuo]

[quote='Eteocles',index.php?page=Thread&postID=4992 3#post49923]Also, could someone copy and paste the OP's article if they wouldn't mind please? I can't read it at work and feel a little in the dark as to why Xzin is involved [/quote]WoW Insider Show: Special multiboxing edition this weekend with guest Xzin
Posted Apr 4th 2008 10:29AM by [url='http://www.wowinsider.com/bloggers/mike-schramm']Mike Schramm[/url]
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Podcasting, WoW Insider Business, WoW Insider Show

Multiboxing -- we've mentioned it quite a few times here on WoW Insider, and it's always been a controversial subject. While the game is quite clearly not designed around players playing multiple characters at once, Blizzard has stated that they have no problem with it -- as long as people are paying for each account they use, and not using third-party programs to control their characters, Blizzard is fine with it.

But I, Mike Schramm, personally have always been quite against the idea of multiboxing. Lots of folks have used macros and programming to control multiple characters all the way up to level 70 and beyond, and some have even taken teams of characters into PvP areas to win battlegrounds and gain honor, or even win the arena seasons, and all the rewards that come with that victory. In my opinion, that's a horrible mockery of the way the game was designed -- this is a social game that is meant to be played with other players, and to pit one person with five computers against a real-life team of five people just isn't fair or interesting. Sure, you might be able to control the movements of five characters with skilled programming and control, but the other team has to coordinate five human minds all together, a much harder and more interesting act, in my personal opinion. I am firmly against multiboxing -- it's not the way this game is meant to be played at all, and while Blizzard may be content to make more money off of someone paying for many accounts, I'm not content to be stuck in a game with them.

Which is why, this Saturday on the WoW Insider Show over on WoW Radio (at 3:30pm EST), our guest will be Xzin, one of the most notorious (and popular) multiboxers the game has ever seen.

Yes, this Saturday, Xzin and I will go head-to-head on the podcast to talk about multiboxing, its legality (or lack thereof), and how and why it's used in the World of Warcraft. You couldn't find two people on further sides of this issue, so we'll be sure to have some interesting debate on the subject. Turpster will also be along as always (to act as moderator, if we need him), and WoW Insider's Adam Holisky will be on board as well. Adam tells me that he has actually multiboxed two characters at a time, so he'll have another voice in the argument also.

Whether you're for or against multiboxing (or whether this is the first you've heard of it), definitely be sure to tune in on Saturday at 3:30pm EST over at WoW Radio. We'll also be in the IRC channel, #wowradio at mmo.irc.com, and you can email the show at theshow@wowinsider.com if you have any questions you'd like to ask myself, Xzin, or any of us on the show about mulitboxing or anything else.

It's sure to be a spirited and interesting debate about one of the most controversial subjects in MMO gaming. Definitely tune in and check the show out this weekend.Tags: adam-holisky, cheaters, debate, multiboxing, multiple-characters, turpster, wow-insider-show, wow-radio, xzin

[Eteocles]

Jesus freaking christ so much bias and ignorant stupidity in that post I want to punch him lol...he goes with the classic "welp blizz makes extra money off it, that's the only reason they don't mind it"...goddamn stupid fucker UGGGGH lol; we're a minority compared to TEN FUCKING MILLION, what's banning a couple hundred accounts gonna do? That's probably a week's worth of coffee and donuts at the GM office in Texas at worst

[Crucial]

How has multiboxing been debated and handled in the past with other MMORPG's and game companies? Would be good ammo to have in a debate I would think.

[Tonuss]

The debate is usually based around PvP, with very few people worrying about how it affects PvE. Some people do try to find angles for criticizing its use in PvE but these tend to be weak. The whole "this isn't how the game was intended to be played" bit is an example-- there are many ways in which players change the way the game is played, and as long as they aren't breaking any rules it's possible that the designer will incorporate those player-driven changes into the game. An example being the way enhancement shaman off-hand weapons are itemized. Shaman found that slow weapons were better for DPS, and Blizzard has added slow off-hand weapons to the game.

It goes the same for most other PvE-related arguments.

But if you notice most of the complaint threads on the WoW forums, they usually are started by someone who got ganked 5-on-1 by a multiboxer and they're very angry about it. Most of them are upset because they figure they just got griefed by a cheater or bot, while others understand what happened and are angry over the unfairness of one person having five characters at their disposal. But once you work past the anger, most of their issues are also pretty weak and require that they bend and twist facts and logic, sometimes a lot.

[Toned]

When this show airs I expect links people ! I won't be watching the live stream, but an achieve link will be fine ^^

[Diamndzngunz]

Ohhh no's this should be interesting. Maybe we will see his set up now.

[Vyndree]

And yeah, their comments last week were not particularly in favor of it, so Vyn if you can make plans to intercept them and maybe get a direct PM line via IRC or something that would be helpful so they don't go spouting uninformed stupidity all day and people get the wrong idea until a followup show if any

Aye, aye, captain!

Xzin - be sure to emphasize the pve component of multiboxing. It's very hard to argue that multiboxing a heroic and/or raid is an "unfair advantage" and/or "cheating" -- most people only complain about pvp because they end up on the wrong side of a 1v5 so it's easy for them to empathize with the "cheating" aspect. Throw in the complexity of pve encounters which are clearly character-capped and they shut right up.


EDIT: btw, I had to throw in the obligatory ZOMG WE GET TO HEAR THE ELUSIVE XZIN'S VOICE?!

[Maat]

I'd still say Vyndree getting interviewed would be better, or Ellay. Not saying Xzin will let us down just my two cents.

[PyrostasisTDK]

I got nothing against Xzin, but Vyndree is like our own Lobby group. I have no doubt she would own them in an argument... and as an added bonus, sound nicer than Xzin =)