Oh cool, thanks for the clarification

 

So basically, as long as there is a user input for every action or ability then it's ok...but if you were to hit 1 key and all 40 toons did a full rotation each it would violate the TOS?

 

Edit: You type faster than me lol

 

Absolutely correct. A single action per keystroke, even though mirrored to two accounts, is fine and allowed.

 

Macro software or hardware that automates more than a single keystroke is banned - and in fact, doesn't matter if the user is single-boxing or multi-boxing - (i.e. you don't have to be a multi-boxer to use macros - anyone can, and they are against the rules).

 

EDIT: And just for the record books, I do not use macros of any type. Only single keystrokes for each action. I'd actually get too bored if I used macros cause they would make things TOO easy and then nothing would be challenging. I'm disabled, which is one of the reasons I dual-box (things aren't as easy for me as they used to be), but macros - sheesh, I'd be bored out of my mind.

Edited March 8, 2013 by CinderBane

Oh cool, thanks for the clarification

 

 

Edit: You type faster than me lol

 

Lol. Yeah, over the years I've gotten quite fast.

So he's an idiot just because he can afford to invest such a sum of money into his hobby? I sense jealousy

 

If someone pours (probably) 50k into a game then rage quits when they change something (expecting nothing to change in an MMO is also idiotic), then yes that is an idiot. Fool and his money were parted.

Edited March 8, 2013 by Jacen_Starsolo

Not sure why but came to mind when I read this.

Think about one guy with 4-5 smashers in a pvp match all jumping to the same target or attacking a node. Guilds or premades may have that kind of coordination, but a mutliboxer would be pretty rough to a random team or pug. Edited March 8, 2013 by Usefulidiots

Think about one guy with 4-5 smashers in a pvp match all jumping to the same target or attacking a node. Guilds or premades may have that kind of coordination, but a mutliboxer would be pretty rough to a random team or pug.

 

It might sound illogical, but multi-boxing isn't as simple as it sounds.

 

There are distinct pros and cons just like many other things.

 

While multi-boxing may make certain aspects easier (killing PVE mobs, running a tank/healer) it also makes other aspects more difficult. These pros and cons also change with the "amount" of boxes being used: i.e. using two or three accounts usually makes PVE things easier, but when you increase that amount to say 5 to do a WoW dungeon it actually makes controlling them harder as you have to have them doing different things (tank, heal, dps).

 

This really becomes a nightmare when you talk about PVP because PVP is extremely dynamic; you are responding to the actions of a person, not the "known" actions of a computer PVE mob. Killing a PVE mob is easy while multi-boxing. Killing another player, not so easy unless the numbers are on your side: i.e. dual-box and fight a single player? I probably have a decent chance. Dual-box and fight two other players? I'll probably get my butt handed to me because one person dual-boxing two toons is usually NEVER as good as two toons individually played by two persons.

 

I don't even consider PVPing even when the numbers are in my favor because it's just not so easy to fight a thinking opponent as opposed to a "known abilities and actions" mob. Also, in my experience I've come to notice that my dual-boxing isn't even close to the advantage had by two other individually controlled toons. I'd rate PVE dual-boxing vs. two actual human players as about 1 1/3 on my side, but an obvious 2 on the other side. That goes way down in PVP where dual-boxing actually becomes a hindrance (i.e. trying to react to other's actions) unless the numbers are squarely on your side.

 

Also, that person's PVP experience comes into play. I remember one time in WoW when I was triple-boxing, I came across a single Horde player that was flagged. I thought to myself "sucks to be him" and attacked with all three toons. Made the mistake of not knowing what his class was before attacking. He feared all three of my toons and took me apart - killed all three of my toons. Experienced PVPer against triple-boxer = triple-box embarassment. That was the last time I attacked someone while multi-boxing lol. I'll use my toons to defend if attacked, but I'm not suffering that embarassment again if I can help it lol.

The follow command is not needed, but if you have a lot lot of money you can synchronize all of your computers by using only one keyboard and mouse. It obviously will cost a lot more money due the extra cost of hardware than going a software route. I know there is at least one company that specializes in making such equipment, but like I said is very expensive since it's corporate/industrial quality of equipment.

 

I don't believe swtor has a very large or even noticeable boxing community. There isn't a go to class to multibox in pvp. There are a lot more stuns and knock backs in this game that make it very difficult. Finally, there is no rang class like a shaman that hits hard from a distance and that is not cast. I suppose a command/merc can fit the bill, but they need to cast and don't have chain lightning like ability. The only thing multiboxing is good for in this game is for pve. Thus, I don't see multiboxing being a problem at all in this game.

Edited March 8, 2013 by Knockerz

Is the game designed for this style of game play? Yes, because the game mechanics, rules and functions within the game allow it

 

This is a logical fallacy. Just because something allows it does not mean it was designed for it.

So this guy who paid to play Pandas at $600 per month is coming to TOR? Nice. I want to LOL at him when he realizes his $600 per month in a Freemium game is totally stupid.

 

If he is rich why not? People that are rich pay money to get any advantage they can get whether it's getting at front of the line of a club or a dinner table at an expensive restaurant.

/follow would be a horrendous way to PvP in WZ's, due to the stuns/slows/roots alone lol. Also, there is no decent way to grind out top tier PvP gear outside of WZ's, so that's moot.

 

I have seen players multi-box in previous games, like 4+ toons, and they will utilize a 3rd party program (key recorder) for their movements/abilities. In World PvP, yeah it's quite comical, in WZ's it will be kinda giggled at considering the maps we have. But hey, bring him on lol.

 

Like I said it wont' really work here. In wow warzones, the number of players is greater per team, especially av where it's 40vs40. A multiboxer will be a liability in this game. That's why I don't multibox. The game mechanics don't lend themselves well like in wow.

Like I said it wont' really work here. In wow warzones, the number of players is greater per team, especially av where it's 40vs40. A multiboxer will be a liability in this game. That's why I don't multibox. The game mechanics don't lend themselves well like in wow.

 

What'd be funny is that if you mez the hive mind, all of them will use their CC breaker, or all will be shut-down for the full duration. Then you just burn 'em.

Think about one guy with 4-5 smashers in a pvp match all jumping to the same target or attacking a node. Guilds or premades may have that kind of coordination, but a mutliboxer would be pretty rough to a random team or pug.

Not really. You stun, pull and push the group apart, especially off ledges, and it takes the multiboxer forever to bring all characters back together again. Huttball will be impossible for them whatsoever. But even more even terrain like Denova would keep them vulnerable to stuns.

I'm actually at a loss as to why people are hating/lolin on the multiboxer I never understood the desire to even dual box in a MMO, but still, the hate

 

That said, I'm sure some other MMO would be glad to take that person's money!

It might sound illogical, but multi-boxing isn't as simple as it sounds.

 

There are distinct pros and cons just like many other things.

 

While multi-boxing may make certain aspects easier (killing PVE mobs, running a tank/healer) it also makes other aspects more difficult. These pros and cons also change with the "amount" of boxes being used: i.e. using two or three accounts usually makes PVE things easier, but when you increase that amount to say 5 to do a WoW dungeon it actually makes controlling them harder as you have to have them doing different things (tank, heal, dps).

 

This really becomes a nightmare when you talk about PVP because PVP is extremely dynamic; you are responding to the actions of a person, not the "known" actions of a computer PVE mob. Killing a PVE mob is easy while multi-boxing. Killing another player, not so easy unless the numbers are on your side: i.e. dual-box and fight a single player? I probably have a decent chance. Dual-box and fight two other players? I'll probably get my butt handed to me because one person dual-boxing two toons is usually NEVER as good as two toons individually played by two persons.

 

I don't even consider PVPing even when the numbers are in my favor because it's just not so easy to fight a thinking opponent as opposed to a "known abilities and actions" mob. Also, in my experience I've come to notice that my dual-boxing isn't even close to the advantage had by two other individually controlled toons. I'd rate PVE dual-boxing vs. two actual human players as about 1 1/3 on my side, but an obvious 2 on the other side. That goes way down in PVP where dual-boxing actually becomes a hindrance (i.e. trying to react to other's actions) unless the numbers are squarely on your side.

 

Also, that person's PVP experience comes into play. I remember one time in WoW when I was triple-boxing, I came across a single Horde player that was flagged. I thought to myself "sucks to be him" and attacked with all three toons. Made the mistake of not knowing what his class was before attacking. He feared all three of my toons and took me apart - killed all three of my toons. Experienced PVPer against triple-boxer = triple-box embarassment. That was the last time I attacked someone while multi-boxing lol. I'll use my toons to defend if attacked, but I'm not suffering that embarassment again if I can help it lol.

 

Blah... blah... blah... blah.

 

You sir are completely and totally missing the point.

 

You are assuming that the multi-boxers in question are complete and total noobs to multi-boxing. The people we're talking about, and specifically the person that this article is about, are people with over half a decade of experience doing what it is they do. You assume that these people are inexperienced and that they will have problems and you keep saying things like, "It's not as easy as you think."

 

No, it's not as easy as some people think. Because they've never done it. BUT IT IS as easy as some people think for THIS guy and all the other Multi-boxers that are going to be leaving WoW. They have the equipment. They have the resources. They have the know how.

 

If a dude was able to mutli-box 40 accounts... F-O-U-R-T-Y... in WoW... I'm pretty sure he won't have many issues with handling a 4 man group of LOLSmashers.

You sir are completely and totally missing the point.

 

If a dude was able to mutli-box 40 accounts... F-O-U-R-T-Y... in WoW... I'm pretty sure he won't have many issues with handling a 4 man group of LOLSmashers.

 

I appreciated CinderBane's examples, for my part. And as for LOLSmashers, let them try Huttball or Hypergate. Or anything, really - people will LOLstun them...

I'm actually at a loss as to why people are hating/lolin on the multiboxer I never understood the desire to even dual box in a MMO, but still, the hate

 

Because it ruins the spirit of the game. If we were referring to a PvE only game, like LOTRO for instance, no one really cares. Yeah, there's some PvP in LOTRO but it's completely different than what you experience here and vastly under played. So in games like that, no one cares because those multi-boxers aren't hurting anyone.

 

But when you multi-box in PvP you are now cheating other players. You're not cheating the game. You're cheating me.

 

There is absolutely no moral difference, besides legality, between a multi-boxer who ganks me with 4 accounts and a hacker who has changed the game system to allow him to do 4x as much damage as he would normally. Multi-boxing is essentially just a legal way to hack/cheat.

 

What's not being taken into account though is the fact that you don't need /follow to multi-box. REAL multi-boxers don't use /follow. The high tech ones have several wireless receivers keyed to one wireless keyboard. Hell, you don't even have to be wireless. If you know how to use a soldering iron you can do it wired.

 

So this /follow bit isn't the actual problem. That just dissuades "fake" multi-boxers. The real ones won't be stopped by a laggy in game mechanic that is easily bypassed if you know what you're doing.

There is no place in any game for multi boxers. It ruins the game for others. Really if you need 2 tooms or more running at te same time to beat others in pvp etc then its a learn to play issue. Its skill less an just ruins any game. One of the reasons i gave up on wow was te amount of multi boxers in instances and pvp. If it happens here i guess ill be going back to wow now that they have sorted it, unless of course bioware takes a strong stance against multi boxing.

There is no place in any game for multi boxers. It ruins the game for others. Really if you need 2 tooms or more running at te same time to beat others in pvp etc then its a learn to play issue. Its skill less an just ruins any game.

 

Here is my experience with two-boxing in WoW. I made two new characters, a warrior and a priest. I called them Left and Right after the two keyboards I used on the two sides. I set them up with macros so I could play each with one hand. For example, I could target the warrior with the healer and cast a quick heal with one press of a button (it was legal in WoW to do so, just not cast two different spells with one button click).

 

It was a lot of fun to wrap my brain around the experience. I enjoyed figuring out what macros to make. I also enjoyed doing two things at once, or sequentially in rapid switches. Of course, leveling lowbies isn't much of a challenge, but it got harder toward level 8 or so with denser mobs in a little starter dungeon (and with more buttons to press). I did not PvP, because I consider it an ethics issue too.

 

I realize this is different from the "classic" multi-boxing, but I wanted to throw it out there as an example of why it may be fun. Figuring out how to coordinate 5-6-40(!!) toons can be an interesting programming, UI and brain-power challenge, as well. I can see that as a hobby for a UI or optimization specialist.

Edited March 8, 2013 by MariaD

Multi-Boxers in WZs would get absolutely crushed. OPvP they would fair better, but they would have no chance in Instanced PvP.

Thanks all that is holy for the Dev response someone should buy you guys a beer

I really cannot understand people doing this... I once saw someone doing just that on the Imperial Fleet several months ago.

Personally I didn't realize /follow had been removed from WoW. It’s an interesting move on Blizzard’s part and (now that I ask internally) we are already looking at any possible negative aspects that might occur if multi-boxing within SWTOR was to become a ‘thing’. I'll be clear that certain ways of technically implementing multi-boxing are very much against the Terms of Service, so I would suggest erring on the side of caution and not depend on existing functionality staying static...

 

What a rush to read!

 

I feel like the Paul Revere of MMOs

There is something very different between WoW and TOR, which makes some multiboxing a lot harder in TOR. WoW supports in-game macro's, TOR doesn't. In WoW, a multiboxer can easily make a macro on the "slaves" using target of target, to always attack the target of the "main" character. In TOR, you can't. You have to move around and position the whole pack nearly perfectly to really focus fire on one enemy.

It's not "just a matter of the keystrokes". Keystrokes in TOR are directly tied to abilities. Keystrokes in WoW can be tied to abilities, but they can also be tied to macro's. And this is the main reason why multiboxing in TOR with more than 2 slaves is basically a recipe for disaster. And this is also one of many reasons why I'm so dead against adding macro's to TOR.

Head of Security?

 

You're the bouncer?