Doesn't that song proc a buff on you that does not time out while in the GL/GH/PoK/Bazaar? Better yet, just log out when you're not playing. That's true common sense.
Yes, but I'm often boxing, actively running another character around, and since it's a short-duration buff, it drops upon zoning. I come back to AFK in the guild lobby to hopefully get MGBs overnight. If there's an in-game mechanic to autocast something, why not use it, right? I don't know how "common sense" it is anymore to log out when not playing. Technology isn't what it was when EQ first came out. My computer is always on, and it's always doing something. The habit sort of just spilled into EQ. Having stuff accessible at a moment's notice, you know?
DBG's announcements of their policy is meaningless because their new policy is that virtually any third party application is banned. So trying to figure out what is and isn't OK based on their announced policy won't get you anywhere. This thread is particularly funny: https://www.reddit.com/r/everquest/comments/92x9p6/multi_boxing_software_is_it_bannable_now/ Serl's response, if interpreted literally, includes virtually all non-EQ software running on your PC. Roxxly's response here: Could be interpreted as GINA, overwolf, fraps etc being banned, since they put an overlay on the EQ client window. My recommendation? If you're worried about it, pump your brakes on any software and if you can't stomach playing EQ without whatever software cancel your subs to EQ and tell DBG why. If by the next expansion release these forums aren't full of people saying their 20 year-long hobbies were just destroyed because DBG is unwilling to communicate their rules, then it's probably safe to do whatever you were doing. Personally I think these announcements and change in policy are just poor communication around some new effort to ban people using warp hacks and AFK botting and I'm not buying into the FUD.
This is incorrect, at least as far as GINA. It does not do anything to any everquest client window, it is it's own separate window that is transparent, which I'm guessing most people place over the everquest window. But there is nothing stopping you putting as many GINA windows as you want on as many separate monitors as you want. This is easy to prove. Start up GINA and have something in it's window, e.g. a timer or something. Now close EQ, you can still see the GINA timer.
This is correct, but Roxxly's statement can be interpreted to say that this is not allowed. I'm not saying it is or isn't, just that it's a waste of time using DBG's announced policy as a guide, and it's better to use common sense + seeing what DBG actually enforces. edit: This shouldn't be interpreted as a criticism of DBG or Roxxly. My expectation is that Roxxly is only allowed a few hours a week to perform work related to Everquest and doesn't have the time budget necessary to effectively communicate DBG's policy.
I have zero interest in playing without ISB. If that gets me banned than so be it. If me mostly playing in dates content in mostly empty zones while still buying several expansions to support the game and several all access accounts throughout the year is wrecking the game because I use said program while at the computer and 100% of my toons actions are from me pressing buttons than I guess it wasn't meant to be. Honestly after the whole HA thing this year followed by the Russian stuff and now this my give a damn is just about busted. What is will be and in the end life will still be good I just hope EQ is part of it.
AS, I run 5 accounts (Pal, Cler, Ench, Wiz, Wiz) and use the broadcasting software to be more effective doing it. Prior to using the broadcasting software I was comfortable running three accounts and although I never tried, five would probably have been a challenge. The old way was pure alt-tabbing like with any windows software to switch which eq instance was active. I always started with the paladin, gained agro, alt-tabbed to the enchanter and hit the assist/slow macro, alt-tabbed to the wiz and hit the assist/cast macro and continued that 3 character rotation hitting various hotkeys until the mob was dead. Those hotkeys are all the in-game ones tied to hotkey bars you can build using socials /cast, /doability etc. With broadcasting software, I generally have the paladin active most of the time unless I need to do something character specific that needs more attention such as multi-mob crowd control on the enchanter. With this setup, I will press one key and the broadcast software will send that key to each of the eq instances that I have setup. To answer your question above, it is setup to be specific to the eq instance you want to send that keystroke or mouse click to, i.e very configurable. This is not altering the client IMO, this is using an outside software to tell windows to send keystrokes or mouse clicks to various open programs and eq determines what to do with the keystroke. You could have 5 versions of word, or word, excel and outlook open and do the same thing if the broadcast software was setup that way. Although that wouldn't make sense it is certainly doable without altering those programs. The reason it makes sense in EQ is that the keys broadcast trigger an in-game macro or hotkey that is specific to each character using the same in-game hotkeys you would use with manual alt-tabbing. In other words, you're only using the broadcast software/windows to send the keystroke and EQ's in-game capabilities to make use of the keystroke. For example a "2" on my hotkey bar on all of my characters is a /assist group macro. Once I agro the mob with the paladin, I hit "2" and my other 4 characters all start the assist macro without me having to switch screens. I have other keys that are related in one way or another such as a common key for /follow. I also combine this with EQ's multi-binding and by hitting one key repeatedly that is broadcast, I can run through a series of spells/aa's specific to each character without leaving the paladin's screen. The wizards go through their damage rotations, the enchanter does a dmg/adps rotation and the cleric runs through a heal rotation; all with me playing the paladin like you would as if he's the only character. Again I don't think this is technically altering the client although you could probably nuance it one way or the other depending on how you define altering. I haven't seen the underlying code but I don't believe it's altering any datastreams, memory locations, game files etc that would fall under a strict altering the client sense. I'm not a developer though so others may disagree. TLR However, although I don't think it alters the client, the broadcast software absolutely gives me abilities I wouldn't normally have that improve my effectiveness in the game. I have completed all of the group content in ROS except VP with my boxed group. Although, they certainly have made it challenging for boxers with content such as you find in "End of Empire". I don't think I could do that trying to manually alt-tab 5 characters. Others certainly disagree but to me this is a good thing. I pay for 5 accounts so DBG wins and I can also run from 1-5 characters to help others in my small guild get content done. It also keeps me interested in and challenged by the game. If DBG were to suspend/ban me for doing so, it's their game and perfectly within their rights to do so. I would disagree with them and think its not a smart business move to lose my accounts but in the end that's up to them and I would respect their decision either way. Sorry for the length but hope this helped clarify broadcasting, Kelset BB
Only via the use of third party software can you control multiple characters from one screen. Clearly falls into the "bannable" for unintended game play category. There is not a single feature in the default UI that gives you this ability. I know several people that use this software and I have in the past myself (10 yrs ago) and yes it made running up to 6 chars extremely efficient and with a lot less work. Yes, does require that you be at keyboard and click keys. I will probably agree with any argument you come up with for allowing the use of it, does not change the fact that it creates an advantage in game play and is not a feature of the game. Parsing and third party audio trigger programs do almost nothing to change game play or give any advantage, so don't even come close in comparison. In the case of audio triggers it is a better/more versatile version of what is available in the game to anyone. On a side note I stopped using third party boxing software when it was pointed out to me quite convincingly that it was in violation or at the very least stretching the rules to their limits. I'm not trying to debate whether those rules are just, or right, or making statement to whether I agree with them. Nor do I use the features of my mouse and keyboard that would also amount to "unintended" game play. Though they both are programmable and I could do so if i so chose to.
The fact that we have a "representative" of DBG pointing people in the direction of a website that has a very detailed write up, and explanation on how to set up such third party boxing software, has me scratching my head. Even if it was to access other information on the site. I don't know if this was done in ignorance. Setting a trap. Or veiled approval of the use of such software.
Wrong. EQ can be played in a window and there is nothing preventing you making that window whatever size you want and therefore you can have as many EQ windows (and EQ characters) on one screen as you want. You can then tab between them, so your statement is incorrect. Also, as has been posted earlier: Feel free to use your keyboard and mouse. Now, if someone would inform DBG 'customer support' of these statements from a DBG employee, maybe they could update the policy on their website.
I think you missed the point of the statement which was that the third party software in question lets you control the other sessions of EQ without having to tab to them in order to do it which is where the advantage comes from.
this is directed to Angahran, I could be mistaken here but I thought Peistro moved on to greener pastures some time ago (like years?) quoting policies from that time (when SOE ran the game) is only going to confuse the issue. DBG is a different company and will handle things in their own way. I would be more concerned about the above quote signed by a current Day Break employee I am myself curious as to how all this is going to shake out. I hope that they will clarify for us a little further in a way that is clear what is going to be allowed and what is not.
Well, the official word I'm getting from 'customer support' is that you cannot run ANY other software with EQ. I'm not sure how you can run EQ without running windows, I guess they must have very special computers at DBG.
Skabe where you lose me on this line of thinking is your statement that it creates an advantage in game play. Maybe I'm parsing your statement too much but boxing via broadcasting actually creates a disadvantage in gameplay over normal live group play because each character, no matter how optimized via macro or multibinds, is still being played at a sub-optimal level vs a decent live player. While it makes me personally better at the game playing multiple characters; the bottom line is I can't do anything more, and most of the time I do less, than a similar group of live characters. This is why I think it's not considered "bannable" because it doesn't give you a leg up on anything when compared to other live groups. You may be right and they follow the "unintended game play" view, but it would be a shame from my perspective and lost revenue from theirs if they do.
I think part of the problem with the "broadcasting software" is that people are also using it to run a huge amount of characters (think mages) and basically taking over a zone.
You just stated it lets you play multiple characters better then if you didn't use the software. I don't think there is any question in anyones mind that you will play better if you focus on a single character then if you box multiple ones no matter how you control them.
Using DBG logic: Everyone should be using dialup because using cable gives you an advantage over those using dialup. Everyone should have the same graphics card because having a better graphics card could let you turn on more graphics options or have maxed clip plane. WHAT IS CONSIDERED CHEATING? March 06, 2018 13:50There are a variety of reasons why your account might be banned/suspended for cheating. Here are some (but not all) of the causes. Using 3rd party software or cheat programs to gain an unfair advantage over other players Modification of your computer or OS environment in an attempt to falsify or circumvent anti-cheat detection. Exploiting bugs or game mechanics
How ? Their anti cheating info basically says they can 'discipline' anyone for pretty much anything that in their opinion might be an unfair advantage and they don't even list what they think counts as an unfair advantage. What is so difficult about giving a statement that things like GINA or gamparse or [Unmentioned 3rd Party Software] are acceptable vs things that let you warp around and automate entire armies of characters are not ?
