Does Truebox actually solve anything?

The amount of positive experiences I've had with Boxers in this game far surpass the negative. I've had them help me with an epic kill, help fill a group, give up a camp, etc. Boters are just that... Bots. Even when they're at their keyboard they show close to no emotion or personability. As much as it's nice to be able to make a group of 6 individuals, it's nice to have the opportunity to meet nice people who box multiple characters.

Problem is I don't think the honest were the issue. If you're keeping the honest people honest but not affecting the dishonest, then we just worsen the gap. People who want to box and enjoy the game are forced into a pigeonholed experience while those who aim to make profit are going to continue to do so (maybe with an additional hurdle) because it's their job to.

I would play TWO...Druid with Enchanter box....that is all...all I have ever played for 24 years.
(Started playing the Dru/Enc combo in 2000.)

Does itbsolve anything? Yea, it solves the issue of botters needing to compete against normal players. Nit tyeh can bot to their hearts content

Reduces the amount of multi boxers for sure. I think it should be relaxed truebox from the get go though.

I like truebox because it keeps me from paying for multiple accounts.

How much money are they leaving on the table? How many people would sub multiple accounts, buy bags and krono if they removed truebox, but will only play one account otherwise.

Good thinking, maybe now they'll notice this post

I would certainly play 6-12 if I could. I'm such an alt junky and like trying out all the classes. It would be more fun to have them all play together.

I would say for the first couple expansions hard truebox (1 character per PC in theory) does help foster community and leads to more groups of individuals actually interacting in ways similar to how the game played 25 years ago.

By Luclin relaxed truebox would probably be fine (3 per PC) but we already got that in Omens which isn't that far out anymore so it doesn't seem to be worth pressing for.

As someone that directly benefited from mass boxers on Ragefire I wouldn't want to go back to those times. Yeah there's a handful or two of people that bypass truebox on each server and run around with their own private armies but for the most part they keep to themselves. Except for Mr. Siren's Grotto but some battles are clearly lost.

Truebox certainly does help to reduce the massive 75+man box armies ala Bxxxt (formerly on same server), but they are still around. But does that really change the game for the better? hmmm not really. Bxxxt was an enigma for me, annoying in chat but never once, not one time, did his box army ever interfere with my play, other than the lag when his Necro army ran by, which was almost always in a cross zone rather then when I was camped/playing. However this is no different then a raid force running by. His guild compatriots effect on my game play was far far more annoying, often they were not boxers.

In game boxers generally affect me the same as any group, they may be where I wanted to go, has no real affect if boxed or individually controlled. Cheat software has a far greater effect, if the client simply encrypted the data flow, I think the game would be much better. The people holding down zones and picks with toon 25 levels higher than the content are by far the worst for me. Trivial loot code would go a long way to reduce this.

I box, 1-6 chars depending on the server and if I have RL friends playing (oft have dedicated chars for when we play together). I do not raid and play odd hours and times due to work and long distance GF. When I am at home I 6 box, I have 6 EQ playable computers. When I am travelling I cannot, I have a Legion 5 Pro which can handle 6 chars on FV but I am not carrying 5 extra lappies.

Truebox just annoys me/friends, but I can play with it, but it actually removes those friends who would play/join me. Due to my play times which can be as short as an hour or as long as 4; or early morning or late nights it is impossible to be a part of a community as I even can go a week with out playing. I also have learned over many server/guilds that if you do not raid you are as much an insider as those playing another game. Extremely hard to even make in game friends when everyone I do meet way out levels me in but a few days. So I started to box as LFG was a hinderance, especially if my healer got behind due to a good few days of finding people to play with in the early days of a new server. It just became easier and a better experience to box. I always can play and I am not limited to the 6 zones people play in from Original to Luclin.

If the new server is not truebox I will likely have three friends join, if not, then it will likely be just me. Either way I will have the same box accounts. If it is truebox, I will keep my FV box team for travel times away, and just play on the new TLP when I am home and have the time.....Making it even harder to find people staying anywhere near my level, thus making boxing just easier and better unfortunately.

For the record I box the old fashion way, 6 windows and in game macros or 6 PCs with in game macros. Obviously non-truebox is way way easier and I am far more efficient.

So it seems like, at least based on many of the responses so far, that while yes it is different and there are less box-armies, it didn't do much to actually benefit the gaming experience. And in fact made it more difficult for a lot of good folk who enjoyed playing the game a certain way.

Now, I understand the above comment is ENTIRELY confirmation bias, I'll put that out there, but I still think that while Truebox may have changed something, I don't think it improved the state of the game for the player base as a whole.

It used to but it doesn't really anymore. You just see less of people running around with 40 man crews is all. That was never that common in the first place.

It has zero effect on people running 2-12 people and is pointless. It just makes us jack up our electricity bills and destroy the environment to run multiple PCs.

Relaxed truebox is the way forward and should be the new standard default starting point.

I would love to see a new relaxed truebox starting with 6, then expanding, if they do not remove it all together..

Truebox certainly solves the issue of placating ignorant aniti-boxer players into thinking boxing isn't allowed, so they are more likely to join the latest TLP server. That's all it does.

It doesn't actually stop anyone from boxing 2-6 toons (if you can't afford a $100 laptop to sit next to you I suggest not spending any time gaming and instead work on increasing your income).

It doesn't actually stop anyone from botting 36-72 toons and selling raid loot with blatant spamming of auction channels. Anyone competent enough to automate an effective raid army is also competent enough to get around truebox.

So yeah, it calms the casuals they rely on to join the server for 2-3 months every year, buy bags, then leave until the next TLP. That's all it solves.

I’m not sure you are understanding. You appear to just be posting why you disagree with Truebox, not why it is there.

I’ll break it down a bit more simple.

The “Problem” (whether you perceive it as one or not): People running numerous instances of EQ, whether to box one character or especially 71 more. It is simply far easier to run multiple EQ accounts without true box.

The factor: Constant complaints about people running boxes, groups, or full raids.

The Counter: To help prevent that, Truebox was created.

The result: Fewer people have the ability or the desire to run multiple accounts. They either have to get multiple computers or run certain types of software that allows them to get past the restriction. Can it be done? Yes, but not as easily. So in effect, it keeps the people who tend to not cheat playing by the rules. Aka, it keeps the honest people honest. It’s not that complicated.

Now where you come in is you appear to disagree with Truebox being in, which is fine. Keep in mind I didn’t say boxing was good or bad or that boxers were cheaters or bad people. All I have said is that DBG, after complaints from players, implemented a rule to help stop so many extra accounts per person. To break that rule, whether you agree with it or not, requires more hardware or more software. The average player is not going to take those extra steps and will be more likely to play one account per computer.

This whole thing kind of flew over your head, See above for a broken down explanation that might be easier for you.

And yes, it does stop large bot crews. Maybe not as many as some would like or think is intended, but it does stop some.

No, it doesn't. There exists no boxer capable of automating the play of 30+ toons who isn't also capable of getting around truebox.

The only possible large box army truebox could stop is some random player who wants to log in 30+ toons and then not use them to do anything worthwhile. That player was never a problem, and that player doesn't exist for more than a few days. That player can't automate a raid force, and isn't worth worrying about.

Any player who can automate the logging in and play of 30+ toons will always, without exception, be able to get around truebox. Therefor, truebox does absolutely nothing to prevent these types of box crews, and those are the only crews worth regulating....which truebox can't and won't ever, be able to stop.

LMAO. You have no idea then of how much worse it used to be before Truebox, and that was years ago. It’s far easier for people to use certain software than it was before.

And it isn’t just the 72 man armies. It also stops the 6 man, I don’t need anyone but myself, mini armies. It’s not that hard to run smaller armies. Try it on live. It’s allowed and pretty easy.

The bigger and real issue is that Truebox isn’t as enforced as it should be.

In short: Truebox doesnt solve anything

A bit longer: The reason is that it only affects the legit playerbase - Cheaters are gonna cheat anyway, they already know how to bypass the truebox code and can and will multibox with any 3rd party programs they want on one machine, should they want to. Casuals however needs to pay a higher electric bill, for no goddamn reason, just to box a few toons.

Relaxed Truebox from the get-go is the only reasonable way to start a future TLP

Yeah, I don't play on TLPs anymore Lol. (let me fly..)

Guess we should legalize theft since it only affects those that follow the law.
People are going to steal anyway so why even try?