Multiboxing and bot-farming? When will SE draw the line?

[Karos]

Ultimately though, others can multibox if they choose to themselves; there's no reason to hate. I still encourage multiboxing despite the setbacks. One of the top of my head, you can play another race and have another class to gear (due to the weekly caps). You can have your own personal healer; not like the overwold and non-instanced matter much though. I kind of doubt multiboxers are going to flock in though, so forgive me when I say I don't know why anyone is fretting. I already feel like a vast minority on one of the more crowded servers. I play on Behemoth, and I haven't ran into a multiboxer on the field yet. I'm sure there's someone, but I haven't ran into them. The bad experiences that people are having with other multiboxers; that's on those individuals and not every multiboxer out there.

(cont.)

[LyndisRay]

Haha geez screwed myself over with daily limit of posts and 1000 character limit on Karos. I have plenty to say, but I guess I'm going to hit the same snag on my alt Lyndis. I'm going to try and wrap it up.

Now for the record, you don't need a 3rd party program to multibox. I don't need to use one. You can open multiple instances normally. And all this talk about doing actions at the same time: it's not rocket science. It's very simple really: the stroke of a button will broadcast to all instances when gamepad is enabled to inactive clients (as long as the same gamepad is designated to the clients you want to use them for). So if you press that button or move the joystick, then every client will perform those actions at the same time. You can designate different controllers too if you want direct control of that alt. I can't understand why people are confused about this mechanic; just try it yourself if you don't believe. I'd make a guide if I wasn't so lazy.

(cont.)

[LyndisRay]

Finally, I'd like to address some of the qualms on multi-boxing because I do get them plenty of times. The two popular arguments are:

1. Automation. You probably heard this all before, but to those that haven't, nothing is automatic unless a bot is involved. Legit multiboxers are not using bots; you have to input each command manually (albeit broadcasted). You might then feel it's "semi-automation", but lets look at what creates semi-automation actions: macros and the auto-follow.

"Semi-automation" actions are already rooted in the game and not considered against ToS, nor what that involves. If you're saying "semi-automation" is not allowed, then anybody who uses macros is breaking ToS. Unless you take out /follow, /assist, and other commands in the game, then the issue will always be there; this is the only way to render a multiboxer useless.

(cont.)

[Altena]

I can't see how it's possible to play 2 characters at the same time in this game without some form of bot..

FFXI or 1.0? Yeah sure.. Because combat was 10x slower, and half of the combat relied a bit on auto-attacks.. In 2.0 however, when you are required to hit a button every rough 2.5 secs, I truly can't see how that's possible even with 2 keyboards in front of you.. So that's 2 characters... Anything more then that? No way, that's obviously a hack of some sort..

Basically automated third party scripts or programs are against ToS and can be/should be reported. Pretty safe to blanket everyone that uses 3 or more accounts at the same time unless they are doing excessively trivial tasks.

[LyndisRay]

2. Third-party programs. I don't use one to multibox this game, but I'm constantly hounded by other players regardless. Despite common belief, you don't need one to multibox FFXIV.

That aside, somehow multiboxing is synonymous with third-party programs. Already the assumptions and accusations fly here. It's a big argument against multi-boxing. Well for one, it's without merit if you don't need one. And even so, I find it tricky business when it comes to third party programs/tools. Mind you, I admittedly don't hold any resentment towards ppl that use third-party programs. A lot of us technically use 3rd party programs/tools. To name a few, there are things like directx, graphic plugins, Teamspeak, hotkey profilers, parsers, lag fixers, video capture programs, etc. I realize that the application and severity are different from person to person, but it doesn't change the fact that they are 3rd party. I find it disturbing how using anything 3rd party should be banned.

[LyndisRay]

You simply need to enable gamepad to work for inactive state. You don't even have to make macros for most activities (again endgame instanced areas are pretty much impossible); FATEs or farming hardly require a lot of complex manuveurs. I move with the WASD keys and sometimes the mouse for my main. I only use like 4 buttons for the most part: 1 chocobo, 1 auto-follow, 1 normal action, and 1 DPS macro rotation (and yes, they do go off at the same time because it broadcasts). The gamepad is simply for those actions. Want to end auto-follow? Hit up on the joystick. Jump, reset camera, menus, confirm, cancel: it's all already there on your pad. For direct movement controls, switch to that character's window. Just dual-boxing, you can just assign that one pad and control that alt directly. I can keep going on and on...

[LyndisRay]

It's truly not hacking or botting. As I said before, anyone that doesn't believe can try it themselves.

The correct term is "key-broadcasting", and let me just say there's nowhere in the ToS saying it's prohibited, and until it does, it's a matter of opinion. SE would have to take out that "inactive client" feature plain and simple if they want to render it useless. Still, you want to play it like a pro, then really: don't multibox. Multiboxing has no business with the real gameplay, and it's an insult and disservice to your group. Even if you make the greatest macros, you'll never replace an individual.

And as I stated throughout, endgame is not something you multibox. You can do the trivial and menial, but that's about the extent of it. Nobody is talking about doing the more difficult content, and I'm sure most multiboxers can fully chime in on this.

[LordSideKicks]

Get this. Some ppl do it to Plvl Characters and sell the Characters to earn money. Using 3rd party program or use build in macro. I believe is against TOS to sell accounts and it is hard to catch but you can see them doing it in game.

Multi boxing is good or bad?

[Nikorayu]

Snip

This is off-topic, but I would like to point out you can edit your first to bypass the 1000 character limit. It's kinda stupid, yes, but we can bypass it that way and avoid having to make up to 5+ posts like you just did - which appears to be annoying for you as well.

On-topic: Nothing to add here. Carry on.

[Ravno]

That's not relevant. A RTM who powerlevel using multiboxing will have each account under a different name and can be ban for account sharing without anything to do with boxing. A legit boxer will have all his games registered under the same SE account.