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Allowing or stopping multiboxing.

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  • Lord.BachusLord.Bachus Member RarePosts: 9,686
    Originally posted by SlyLoK
    I remember in DAoC players would park their buff bots in a keep in perfect safety and go out.. Now that gave them a huge advantage over other players that did not have a buff bot that were out solo in the frontier / BGs. After I stopped playing I read that they eventually added a max distance on buffs before they would drop but it took them forever and forever to do that...

    How much money do you think they made from almost everyone having 2 accounts,  it was something hard to overcome for them in subbed mmos, maybr ftp titles will be different,

    having found out that having 2 accounts was a requirement to be succesfull in PvP made me quit both accounts few months later, it ruined all the fun for me.

     

    Best MMO experiences : EQ(PvE), DAoC(PvP), WoW(total package) LOTRO (worldfeel) GW2 (Artstyle and animations and worlddesign) SWTOR (Story immersion) TSW (story) ESO (character advancement)

  • TheLizardbonesTheLizardbones Member CommonPosts: 10,910


    Originally posted by Dullahan

    Originally posted by lizardbones  

    Originally posted by Dullahan

    Originally posted by lizardbones  

    Originally posted by Dullahan Not a fan of the "ban" part of the second option, but I would like to see gameplay thats not conducive for multiboxing.
    How would you make game play not conducive to multi boxing without making it non conducive to grouping or players in general?  
    Make combat itself more fast paced.  Likely a form of action combat.  Fairly easy solution.  No drawback other than people that "don't like to always need to be moving or aiming."  I'm sure theres a reasonable middle ground that would make it impractical.
    If the main character can have a target, and the following characters can target assist, then it wouldn't really matter what kind of combat was going on. This would mean switching to some sort of aim based combat without targets, which minimizes healers and CC. It would be a substantial departure from what people expect. Keep in mind, these are people who are either running machines capable of running several copies of the game client, or who are running several machines and are paying for two or more accounts at the same time. A little bit of additional complexity added by the game isn't going to bother them. Multi boxing would have to be broken for people to not do it. Also, multi boxing isn't substantially different from five people playing. Anything that changes what a multi boxer does is going to change what everyone else is doing too. From a developer's perspective, the question is whether or not any changes to game play to impact the number of people multi boxing is worth the effort. I would bet there are so few people multi boxing, and their impact is so minimal that it isn't even worth considering when making game play decisions.  
    Regardless of the details, if the game was more fast paced, ie. players both do damage faster and take damage faster, the amount of switching back and forth alone would seriously complicate boxing.  If a cleric for instance had to constantly heal or buff players with smaller faster casting spells to keep them healed or from taking a lot of damage, that would single-handedly screw boxing without third party software.

    The devil is in the details. Fast heals or slow heals doesn't change the dynamic of multi boxing. They aren't spending a lot of time switching between group members to heal them. It would be impractical. They're just focusing four dps on mobs or players to burn them down quickly.

    People have stated a couple times that they would support game play changes to make multi boxing impractical, but nobody has given any sort of thought to what those game play changes would be. It all seems to be predicated on the idea that the changes wouldn't really affect anyone else.

    For example, requiring fast heals would gimp the Cleric class unless they had enough dps and damage mitigation to keep up with mob damage. It would also mean that all healing classes would be made to have small, faster heals. There's no point in doing that to Clerics with the intention of stopping multi boxing if all your other healing classes have the slower, bigger heals. In groups the job of healing becomes much more difficult. Large scale mob damage wouldn't be an option in encounters because all the healers are gimped with small, fast heals. Damage mitigation would become key, not healing. Instead of affecting multi boxing, your suggestion has affected all healers, and also all the mob encounters in the game have to be tuned around the idea of having small, fast heals.

    There aren't any game play changes that can be made to make multi boxing impractical, because it's already impractical. The expense of the hardware and multiple accounts alone is impractical. Any game play changes made to break multi boxing will have a substantial impact on everyone else.

    SOE isn't really even opposed to multi boxing. Why would they bother making game play changes that are going to have to be balanced against everything else in the game when they don't see the harm in multi boxing and don't see any benefit in preventing it?

    **

    For grammar and sentence structure!

    I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.

  • LorskaLorska Member UncommonPosts: 74

    I voted "no" even though I liked seeing multiboxers in WoW.  It was such a rare occurence in that game though, at least from my own observations.  The thing is, I think being a subscription based game it limited the number of people doing it since it would be cost prohibitive to most people.  I would think that in a F2P game that limit would evaporate. 

     

    If farming for gear/crafting materials/etc is something you would do in the game, then it would always be more efficient to one-shot everything boxing 5 characters than it would to go solo.  So I could see myself as having a main character account and then 5 separate accounts or whatever the max group size is for farming or doing anything that was more efficient as a group, then hand over all the spoils to my main. 

     

    A simple-minded argument against this might be something like, "if u dont like it, dont do it"

    The thing is that most players tend to take the path of least resistance to profit, so I suspect that most people who have the know-how to multibox in a game where they can make unlimited free accounts would feel "forced" to do so, which would probably feel tedious. 

  • PreparedPrepared Member UncommonPosts: 103
    Originally posted by Kiyoris
    Originally posted by Stromm

    What impact?

    I played EQ from 1999 to 2004, multiboxing had exactly zero impact on the game for me.

    Well, that is 10 years ago, the game has changed since then. Multiboxing is an issue when it becomes so widespread that everyone does it. You become forced to multibox to make a group.

    You can vote Yes if you like, I just wanted your thoughts on multiboxing, not if it had an impact on EQ, I played it much longer and I can definately say it has impacted me. Your mileage may vary.

    You disagree, that's ok, let's leave it at that.

     

    I disagree completely with what you've stated.  For one thing, you picked one item from a list of reasons why Multiboxing was not an issue.  Then you stated that "Multiboxing is an issue when it becomes so widespread that everyone does it.  You become forced to multibox to make a group." which is far from accurate in any MMORPG that has ever been made including Everquest 1.  No MMORPG has everyone multiboxing.  Just because there are other players multiboxing doesn't mean you are forced to do anything.  Your statement in your reply is not accurate.

     

  • DewmDewm Member UncommonPosts: 1,337

    I voted no.

     

    But only because I think multiboxing encourages chinese gold seller/farmers, which do effect the game.

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  • RenoakuRenoaku Member EpicPosts: 3,157

    As long as they are 100% Legit not running any third party automation programs,cheats, or hacks why should it matter?

     

    Take Guild Wars 2 as an example I was able to run it multiple times on the same computer after buying it and finding out I couldn't run it but I found a way to do it, I  just choose not to because of performance issues but was able to do such without actually changing any game files just running int in different Virtual machines/software on my same computer.

  • DamonVileDamonVile Member UncommonPosts: 4,818
    Originally posted by Torvaldr
    Originally posted by dave6660

    To everybody who thinks it shouldn't be allowed...

    How exactly do you propose to stop it?

    With F2P becoming more popular, it's only removed another roadblock.

    For those who can afford to seriously multibox I doubt the cost of the sub was ever a real roadblock anyway. 2 boxing on a laptop + desktop is sort of boxing-lite imo. People who ran 3+ rigs with hardware/software syncing software spent a reasonable chunk of money to get that all going.

    But I agree, how do people plan on stopping it? 

    While keeping it a game someone would still want to play.

  • SavageHorizonSavageHorizon Member EpicPosts: 3,480
    Originally posted by Kiyoris
    Originally posted by Stromm
    Poll needed a "Who cares?" option.

    I think if your interest is EQNext, you should at least care a little. It had a major impact on Everquest and it is now impacting Rift and a few other games too.

    You must of been playing a different EQ from me then lol, it was never a problem. I multibox  in nearly every mmo i play, windows while running to clients of the one PC is your friend.

    I didn't do it in AOC because of the /follow system plus most SOE mmo's let you buff other players even if you are not grouped.




  • PreparedPrepared Member UncommonPosts: 103
    Originally posted by lizardbones

     


    Originally posted by Dullahan
    Not a fan of the "ban" part of the second option, but I would like to see gameplay thats not conducive for multiboxing.


    How would you make game play not conducive to multi boxing without making it non conducive to grouping or players in general?

     

     

    Of all the replies, this is the exact right question to ask.  Because the answer is that it can't be done through the design of the MMORPG.  All MMORPG designs allow multi-boxing (playing more than one account).  The game developer and publisher may not allow through published rules, it but still the design of the MMORPG allows it.  The reason is because of grouping as you've stated.  All MMORPGs are based on a virtual world where players move around and join with other players.  Multiboxing can be made difficult, but not impossible because of how grouping works in all MMORPGs.

     

    Regarding other subjects in this message thread, the replies indicate there is huge mis-information.  The main thing being that automation (botting) is not allowed in any MMORPG.  Automation (botting) means there is no player controlling the actions of the characters.  There is no person at the keyboard/mouse in automation.  But with multi-boxing there is a player. Multi-boxing uses software to send keys and mouse clicks generated by a person to all accounts/characters and is allowed in all MMORPGs except for one.  

     

  • MalacthMalacth Member UncommonPosts: 121
    Originally posted by evilastro
    I voted to allow it, because if the game is so pathetically shallow that it can be multiboxed easily, then it deserves to be.

    A game is pathetically shallow for allowing multiboxing? I'd just like to point out that almost every single MMO can be multiboxed, including ALL of the AAA+'s.

     

    Now, to think multiboxing is shallow then it only proves that it is you who is shallow. Let people play how they want to play, judge your own gaming experience, not others.

     

    On topic; There is nothing wrong with multiboxing at all, if people want to do that, let them.

  • MalacthMalacth Member UncommonPosts: 121
    Originally posted by thinktank001
    Originally posted by Cirin

    He's not understanding that multiboxxing isn't "using multiple accounts to get around single account boundaries".

     

    Multiboxing is referencing someone having 2+ accounts going at the same time so that they can benefit WHILE PLAYING...not for useless things like more character slots, trade scamming, more bank spots, etc..  Those are tertiary benefits to them, at most.

     

    Every example I gave is an in game advantage that a single player would have over another single player.  

     

    Having a 2nd account with a heal character in tow so you have an advantage over another player is pretty self explanatory and applies to both PvP and PvE.  

     

    Party benefits could be anything from increased item drop rates ( Path of Exile ),  increased experience rates ( Maplestory ), to party buffs ( Rappelz ).     

     

    Trade scamming was referring to using a 2nd account as a " fake bidder " during trade negotiations with another player,  or using an auction house mule to raise your item's bid price.   

     

    In all honesty I have never seen a " good " reason to allow multiboxing.

    If the multiboxer is playing two characters then he needs to be treated as TWO characters, not one. So, no, it is not over powered or however you have just made it out to be. It's 2v1 (the multiboxer being 2) naturally. This not only applies to PvP but to PvE too, yes only the one person will be getting the loot or w/e, but that could easily also happen in a party of two players where one gives the other all the loot. 

     

    Multiboxing isn't bad, people who don't understand multiboxing and commenting on here are bad though.

  • immodiumimmodium Member RarePosts: 2,610
    Originally posted by evilastro
    I voted to allow it, because if the game is so pathetically shallow that it can be multiboxed easily, then it deserves to be.

    That's a first, someone calling EvE shallow. :)

    image
  • DewmDewm Member UncommonPosts: 1,337
    Originally posted by immodium
    Originally posted by evilastro
    I voted to allow it, because if the game is so pathetically shallow that it can be multiboxed easily, then it deserves to be.

    That's a first, someone calling EvE shallow. :)

    Its like a bad joke.

    XD

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  • r0guyr0guy Member Posts: 115
    Originally posted by Dewm
    Originally posted by immodium
    Originally posted by evilastro
    I voted to allow it, because if the game is so pathetically shallow that it can be multiboxed easily, then it deserves to be.

    That's a first, someone calling EvE shallow. :)

    Its like a bad joke.

    XD

    While I wouldn't use the term "shallow" to describe Eve, PVE and mining in that game is so utterly simple, repetitive and uninvolving, it doesn't take any particular intelligence to be able to play multiple accounts simultaneously, or replace the player completely with a bot.

    IMHO allowing or disallowing MB is utterly irrelevant to the core problem with current game design, where more and more games rely on stimulating addiction centers of the brain (through achievements, loot, levels...) and social status (Facebook integration, gear ratings...) rather than things like skill or good gameplay.

    "Good" games such as singleplayer Fallout 3, Baldur's gate or Mass Effect and multiplayer CoD, Counterstrike or Starcraft don't allow/disallow multiboxing since they don't rely on the need to grind and involve the player in their gameplay enough to make multiboxing much more difficult. These games don't suffer from gold selling either (except Mass Effect 3....).

  • RoguewizRoguewiz Member UncommonPosts: 711
    There is nothing inherently wrong with multi-boxing.  Short of designing the gameplay in a way that makes it difficult to multi-box, you aren't really going to stop it; let alone, prohibit it.

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  • Kuro1nKuro1n Member UncommonPosts: 775
    Höhö, stopping multiboxing he says. Cute.
  • ZakaneZakane Member UncommonPosts: 71

    I don't think they will stopped it since its more money for them.

    Yet the other day I was playing WoW and friend and I did a dungeon to only find the three other people in our random were a multiboxer.

    Now IMO that is just plain annoying/rude ect, you could tell because they all followed one person and didn't all attack at the same time and reacted slowly.

     

    There are other reasons to hate multiboxing, but who is going to listen? 

  • Raxxo82Raxxo82 Member UncommonPosts: 150
    I voted against boxing, because Ive played with people that 'boxed' 6classes to lvl cap. And in about
    90% of the cases they have absolutely no idea how to play in a group with others.
    Alot of the time boxers have no clue how a class is actually supposed to be played to be effective.
    So after the "boxer" gets the group wiped a coupple of times someone gonna have to be the ass and give em the boot, then waste more time finding someone that has actually played their toon.

    image
  • Kuro1nKuro1n Member UncommonPosts: 775
    Originally posted by Raxxo82
    I voted against boxing, because Ive played with people that 'boxed' 6classes to lvl cap. And in about 90% of the cases they have absolutely no idea how to play in a group with others. Alot of the time boxers have no clue how a class is actually supposed to be played to be effective. So after the "boxer" gets the group wiped a coupple of times someone gonna have to be the ass and give em the boot, then waste more time finding someone that has actually played their toon.

    That ought to be one shittier boxer then.

  • AlleinAllein Member RarePosts: 2,139
    If EQN doesn't rely on tab targeting will mutliboxing even be possible or worth the hassle? No idea yet how combat will work, but so far it seems like most attacks will be aoe or aimed to some degree. Not to mention AI improvements and how that will impact combat. Do people multibox in Tera or GW2 frequently? I've seen a few videos and know gold farmers would multibox with rangers in GW2, but it relies on tab targeting and locking on for the most part.
  • RattenmannRattenmann Member UncommonPosts: 613

    I tend to avoid games that disallow multiboxing.

    Simply because it is a fun way of spending my time. It fills the gap between boring and easymode pve, less boring and still easymode groupplay and forced raidsize content that is challenging.

     

    With boxing i can make up my own challenges way easier then while playing one toon. Usually set myself a goal like "beat groupboss xy with only half a group max" and then spend weeks doing exactly that ;-) It is like a minigame for me with the added benefit that i can bring in a second toon to fill up a normal group that is lacking a healer or so.

    MMOs finally replaced social interaction, forced grouping and standing in a line while talking to eachother.

    Now we have forced soloing, forced questing and everyone is the hero, without ever having to talk to anyone else. The evolution of multiplayer is here! We won,... right?

  • Keldor837Keldor837 Member UncommonPosts: 263

    My issue isn't with multiboxing in and of itself (yes it can impact the game/market depending on the game and individual). My issue is with the people who primarily multibox in large numbers. These are people with a lot of time, money, and knowledge on their side. Allow me to give you an example.

    Back during the wotlk expansion for WoW, there was a very prevelent multi-boxer on my server. This guy would roll around with 21 shamans in the world PvP zones which were impactful to a factions levelling and ability to raid the bosses within. (forgive me as I don't remember what it's called). The problem is, the other faction got to the point where if he was online (and they'd hop on alts to check if he was in Orgrimmar before the event started) then they wouldn't get on. If they didn't get on then everyone else wouldn't get to enjoy some fun world PvP. One night i'd grown tired of it and called him out for creating an imbalance on the server and for Blizzard not taking action. His only comment on the matter was an "Lol, you won't need to worry about it soon." He stopped responding in-game and didn't participate in the next PvP event according to a friend of mine. I went to bed so I could wake up early for college classes. Low and behold after I got home the next day I couldn't even use my computer, my account was hacked and stripped of all items, and was permanently banned by Blizzard for being a gold mule and trafficking gold. Now before some of you say I must have bought gold and later was hacked by said people. Understand I hate the act of buying gold with real life currency, and was a broke college student. I had bills and books to pay for and only played WoW to avoid spending money on partying and other distractions. I chalked this up to coincidence that it happened but my room mate wasn't as relaxed about it. A week later he did the same thing as myself and called out the multi-boxer for ruining the servers world PvP. SAME EXACT THING HAPPENED TO HIM! When you have the resources and know-how to build multiple computers and hardware for 21 accounts and have the money to buy WoW and all it's expansions and pay the sub for 21 accounts...that's a person with too much money and time on their hands. Such a person is capable of doing a lot of harm on the internet.

    Needless to say, I quit playing the game since Blizzard's response to my inquiry about multi-boxing was they didn't mind since he was paying them. That and it cost way to much money to rebuy the game from classic to wotlk at that point in time.

  • karat76karat76 Member UncommonPosts: 1,000
    I voted stop it multiboxers and botters alike are scourge to a community they were a disturbance in WoW and DAoC.  However unless someone can come up with a game design to not make it worth their time then we will have to  deal with them.
  • sketocafesketocafe Member UncommonPosts: 950

    Part of the reason you get a lot of multiboxing in EVE is because some useful roles like flying link ships which give buffs are so freaking boring you won't find people who want to give up actually participating in the fights to give links. Then you have activities like mining which are so safe and brain dead you can control as many characters as you like with no troubles. The presence of multiboxing is often a failure of design on the part of the developers. Falcon alts can fuck right off though.

    I don't see much of a problem with the practice itself, I just think it's a problem if people feel forced to do it. I'd be happier if multiboxing didn't need to exist though. 

    Originally posted by Zakane

    I don't think they will stopped it since its more money for them.

    Yet the other day I was playing WoW and friend and I did a dungeon to only find the three other people in our random were a multiboxer.

    Now IMO that is just plain annoying/rude ect, you could tell because they all followed one person and didn't all attack at the same time and reacted slowly.

     

    There are other reasons to hate multiboxing, but who is going to listen? 

    I saw this kind of stuff too, and figured it was just lazy fuckasses putting someone on follow and autoattacking or simple bots which would do the same thing, as opposed to multiboxing.  This is another failure of design in that it's possible now to get away with. No way in hell this could have happened in heroics in early to mid burning crusade.  Speaking of failures this quoting and editing i'm trying is going to be strange, I think.

     

     

  • Keldor837Keldor837 Member UncommonPosts: 263
    FFXIV's mechanics require a lot of moment and such so that you can't multibox end-game. Since there's no world PvP that limits someone to just do the new arena PvP. That requires you to play several different classes, so I'm not sure it's even possible to multibox outside of leveling.
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