Bard Performance and Scripts

So... Bards can perform now. You can smash your face into your keyboard and play "lovely" melodies for everyone around you to hear. How fun!

Now, I've been practicing quite a bit and can play some short, simple songs. But I was just wondering... if I were to use a program such as AutoHotkey, and create scripts that basically just simulate the pressing of the keys on my keyboard for me in a sequence, so that I can play more elaborate/faster songs... could that get me in trouble? :o

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BluexBird

So... Bards can perform now. You can smash your face into your keyboard and play "lovely" melodies for everyone around you to hear. How fun!

Now, I've been practicing quite a bit and can play some short, simple songs. But I was just wondering... if I were to use a program such as AutoHotkey, and create scripts that basically just simulate the pressing of the keys on my keyboard for me in a sequence, so that I can play more elaborate/faster songs... could that get me in trouble? :o

---

I'm pretty sure that is against the TOS, I think that would be seen as botting.

And for some weird reason they are even more strict against automated bard music making because no macro support ..., better safe then sorry, don't use it!

"Technically" yes, it falls under TOS. However, so do parsers... and we see how SE treats that. I'd imagine that SE would treat this the same way. Don't talk about it or draw attention to it and you'll be fine because no one is going to know anyways unless you reveal that yourself.

GW2 and Anet treat it the same way.

Technically..... no.

As you are aware, you need a third party software in order to use PS4/XB controllers for the game on the PC. If it is used to in that same way, i don't see why it would be against the ToS. If it is, then players using controller on PC should get hit the same way.

That ToS thing, its mostly to for those using third party programs to cheat the system and harass/grief players. Why do you think Yoshi said to keep a HUSH HUSH on parsers. Use it, just dont abuse it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dotsforlife

GW2 and Anet treat it the same way.

---

Anet actually made an official statement that they were OK with macro use for music playing. I can't imagine SE doing the same, but it would be nice.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MirageSniper

Technically..... no.

As you are aware, you need a third party software in order to use PS4/XB controllers for the game on the PC. If it is used to in that same way, i don't see why it would be against the ToS. If it is, then players using controller on PC should get hit the same way.

That ToS thing, its mostly to for those using third party programs to cheat the system and harass/grief players. Why do you think Yoshi said to keep a HUSH HUSH on parsers. Use it, just dont abuse it.

---

Or you could just read the rules instead of speculating...

2.1 Cheating and Botting. You may not create or use any unauthorized cheats, bots or automation software, hacks, mods or any other unauthorized software or hardware designed to modify the Game and gameplay. In addition you may not take advantage of game system bugs and exploits during gameplay.
http://support.na.square-enix.com/ru...1&tag=users_en

so using software together with the game is only not allowed if you modify or automate gameplay processes with it - like automating the bard performance. a parser wich reads the combat log and only shows dps numbers doesn't modify the game or automate the gameplay.

If a tree falls in the woods, but nobody or nothing is around to hear it ... does it still make a noise?

Not drawing attention to parser numbers is one thing, but not drawing attention to elaborate, identically repeated performances is another...

Yes, it's against ToS, so no, you shouldn't do it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Skivvy

Anet actually made an official statement that they were OK with macro use for music playing. I can't imagine SE doing the same, but it would be nice.

---

No reason they wouldn't considering it's both harmless and they turn their heads when it comes to parsing.

It'd be a lot harder to call out a Performance macro as "botting." This is kinda a special situation of not really being a gameplay mechanic. As long as you're not going afk while spamming the same song or whatever, what's to even call out?

Further, as long as you don't shout that you're using an outside program to macro the performance, there's literally nothing to take action on. Players can suspect "oh that was played really well/perfectly, they must be using a macro editor," but, there's no evidence of that, so, reports would go nowhere.

Notes Order ( A C+1 D+1 A C+1 D+1 D+1 E+1 F+1D+1 A G

A C+1 D+1 A C+1 D+1 D+1 E+1 F+1 D+1 G+1 A+1

E+1 F+1 E+1 C+1 D+1 I hope this is helpful and would like to see more notes to songs in this post.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DiamondOrion

Notes Order ( A C+1 D+1 A C+1 D+1 D+1 E+1 F+1D+1 A G

A C+1 D+1 A C+1 D+1 D+1 E+1 F+1 D+1 G+1 A+1

E+1 F+1 E+1 C+1 D+1 I hope this is helpful and would like to see more notes to songs in this post.

---

you simply can't use a topic - or chat channel - for it's intended purpose, can you?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tint

you simply can't use a topic - or chat channel - for it's intended purpose, can you?

---

So it seems...but this has given me an idea. Reddit has a sub for bard music notes. Maybe we should get our own little thread going on notes that other players are using. Only problem would be how proper the note actually are.

On subject, I don't think it's inherently a bad idea, provided it stays as hush hush as parsers. Like an above poster said, how would the devs know unless you're being really obvious about it (afk and playing same song as said above).

Technically against the ToS, and takes a lot of the personality out of an individual performance, but it's not as if anybody would actually *know* that you used a script in the first place, assuming you don't talk about it in game.

Follow the first two rules of the Fight Club, and you'll be golden.

With AHK I think that would fall under botting. I believe Yoshi p mentioned that performance was designed specifically to be used without macros.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BluexBird

So... Bards can perform now. You can smash your face into your keyboard and play "lovely" melodies for everyone around you to hear. How fun!

Now, I've been practicing quite a bit and can play some short, simple songs. But I was just wondering... if I were to use a program such as AutoHotkey, and create scripts that basically just simulate the pressing of the keys on my keyboard for me in a sequence, so that I can play more elaborate/faster songs... could that get me in trouble? :o

---

why not just learn how to play the instrument? You seem to have been on the right path at first.

Well... I just leveled an Archer to get Bard so I could do this. Now I see that not only is there no in-game macroing for playing songs, but it seems that any idea of using AHK (auto hot key) scripting to play a tune is out of the question (I don't want to risk getting banned just because I want to be able to play songs).
I have a lot of public domain sheet music (violin/viola) that would have been nice to be able to program.

Oh well, I guess puttering at the keyboard will have to suffice.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tint

Or you could just read the rules instead of speculating...

2.1 Cheating and Botting. You may not create or use any unauthorized cheats, bots or automation software, hacks, mods or any other unauthorized software or hardware designed to modify the Game and gameplay. In addition you may not take advantage of game system bugs and exploits during gameplay.
http://support.na.square-enix.com/ru...1&tag=users_en

so using software together with the game is only not allowed if you modify or automate gameplay processes with it - like automating the bard performance. a parser wich reads the combat log and only shows dps numbers doesn't modify the game or automate the gameplay.

---

That would fall under 2.5:
2.5 Data Mining. You may not intercept, mine or otherwise collect information from the Game using unauthorized third party software.