Stop Multi-Boxing! - Phoenix Freeshard

I'm seeing multiple daily bans of players / accounts due to multi-boxing and I'm baffled why players continue to break server rules. The GM tools are very good and you will eventually get caught. You'll get reported by players who see you, you'll be observed, your IP addresses and machine ID's logged and then all that time and effort you put into your character(s) LOST.

Not to mention it's a HUGE waste of our GM and Dev's time when they could be focusing on other meaningful aspects of the game.

Multi-boxing is not allowed on Phoenix. Stop trying to cheat. Play by the rules.

Thank you.

Thu 17 Jan 2019 1:34 PM by WyandVoidbringer

For some people, it's probably the only way they know to play the game.

I remember when Asheron's Call got taken over by multi-box buff bots and 24/7 macroers. It fundamentally changed the ecosystem of the game, and anyone who learned to play in that environment had no idea how to play without those tools.

Thu 17 Jan 2019 1:38 PM by Rakul

I was just getting ready to post about this. It completely astonishes me how many people are willing to "win at all costs". I guess I'll never understand why folks can't abide by rules.

Thu 17 Jan 2019 1:51 PM by Druth

The amount of bans even discourages me from trying with my son, in case he's not good enough at controlling that we can handle the test (8 years and not english as main language).
My daughter would be fine, she handles Fortnite as a pro, but she looks at DaoC like I look at Space Invaders.

Thu 17 Jan 2019 2:02 PM by Rakul

Ha! Clever comparison.

Thu 17 Jan 2019 2:20 PM by Sepplord

Druth wrote: ↑
Thu 17 Jan 2019 1:51 PM
The amount of bans even discourages me from trying with my son, in case he's not good enough at controlling that we can handle the test (8 years and not english as main language).
My daughter would be fine, she handles Fortnite as a pro, but she looks at DaoC like I look at Space Invaders.

Just don't make him a char that looks like a bot and log characters out where the player is afk for over 10minutes. Aka if he is a shaman he looks more like a bot than a berserker.

Regarding OP:
Do you expect people that don't even read the rules read this post?

People that don't care to read the rules or don't care to follow them are welcome to multibox imo. It is probably one of the most obvious things they can do to mark themselves as players that are not a good addition to the servercommunity and remove them. I rather have them banned than them technically obeying the rules, but bending/pushing them whereever they can to the detriment of the players around them.

Thu 17 Jan 2019 2:24 PM by Ashok

We'll get them, folks.
The team is investing multiple hours daily into observation of possible multiboxer and as you can see in the ban forum, we get peeps every day.

While our internal detection system is good, feel free to point us to specific players which seem to violate the rules - use /appeal in-game to report.

Thu 17 Jan 2019 3:31 PM by randomeclipse

Are there any obvious signs that we can look for/expect when someone is botting/multi-boxing etc?

Thu 17 Jan 2019 3:36 PM by Sepplord

Botting (aka dual logging): one player always stuck to the other. Higher suspicion if it is a Buffer/healer but i have also heard of blockbots etc...at a spot it could also be the second char just standing in the background (but many players also don't move much when they are at static spot and just need to press one skill every few seconds)

classic example is a shaman/druid/cleric stuck to another char without moving, when primary char gets low THAT char stops moving and the support starts healing etc...
People doing it with two computers (or two screens) can switch really fast or sometimes even completely keep comtrolling their mainchar while they just press one healbutton on a second keyboard.

Multiboxing most often is several chars moving/acting in sync. Often, but not limited to, multiples of the same class, as it is easier to use one input for multiple characters if they all have the same abilities.

I wouldn't stress too much about it, overloading the DEVs with too many false reports is not what we want, the obvious cases will be caught anyways....and the sneaky/tricky ones are not something you will spot because of a few lines of description of mine

Thu 17 Jan 2019 3:41 PM by Calconious

WyandVoidbringer wrote: ↑
Thu 17 Jan 2019 1:34 PM
For some people, it's probably the only way they know to play the game.

I remember when Asheron's Call got taken over by multi-box buff bots and 24/7 macroers. It fundamentally changed the ecosystem of the game, and anyone who learned to play in that environment had no idea how to play without those tools.

I'm kinda in this situation now. Coming from Live DAOC I have a buffbot account and use it for EVERYTHING when I'm out and about ( I actually use 2 bots for some characters). Its hard to resist the urge and make one on Phoenix... I haven't leveled up a character with out full buffs since like 2005. It's been a learning experience getting rocked by an orange or yellow just because I fumbled an attack or missed 1-2 times, but brings back many good memories!!!

Thu 17 Jan 2019 5:43 PM by Armsmancer

Getting gear with stats and procs at a crazy rate help a lot here, at first I was against the no BB policy on these types of servers but it really is a great change overall. Plus less micromanagement is always a good thing. Genesis/Origins had no BB policy until the population got down to like 400, hopefully Phoenix never has to make that decision, at least for now, unless very off hours, I can fill a group pretty easily and wouldn't have anything to even do with a BB.

Thu 17 Jan 2019 7:50 PM by Sorkar

I remember when DAoC was released there were very few buff bots. Most people didn't have computers that could handle duel logging and didn't have another comp to be able to dedicate to the bot. after a couple of years better computer specs made it easier to duel log and you would see a ton of them in the different port keeps. Eventually it got to the point that you couldn't compete solo without a bot, especially back before they put range limits on buffs. After I got my Inf to 50 he sat on a shelf for awhile till I got a comp that could handle the duel logging because I was always solo and couldn't kill anyone. Got a ton of crap from guild mates saying that I just didn't know how to play lol, but low and behold after I got a buff bot I was doing alright.

Personally I am kind of conflicted on the no bot policy, not that I would do it as I wouldn't break server rules, but I rather liked having a bot to be able to level up with. I will group if I see someone spamming in lfg that they have a group around my level looking for more, but other than that I don't really seek out groups and prefer to solo, and soloing is much easier with a bot.

Thu 17 Jan 2019 11:24 PM by Warjon

You can not go very far off the road without bumping into a high lvl player towing his grey buffer that he is "power leveling"

Fri 18 Jan 2019 12:26 AM by Numatic

Even if somehow they made it to 50 botting, a buffbot is useless in rvr on this server. You would have to take him with you. Noone would group it because it's much easier to fill the spot with an active player. So the silver lining is that at least, even if they did squeak by with a buffbot, it wont affect RvR.

Unless buffs on this server dont have a max distance? I wouldn't know as I play a NS and noone groups me lol.

Fri 18 Jan 2019 6:33 AM by Druth

Sepplord wrote: ↑
Thu 17 Jan 2019 2:20 PM
Just don't make him a char that looks like a bot and log characters out where the player is afk for over 10minutes. Aka if he is a shaman he looks more like a bot than a berserker.

We actually did some in Beta, but was over half a year ago with him playing a Blademaster and me druid, and if any GM thought it looked like I was getting some sort of advantage from my "bot" they'd need a head-check

I think the solo druid would have been faster xp'ing...

Fri 18 Jan 2019 5:07 PM by PingGuy

Numatic wrote: ↑
Fri 18 Jan 2019 12:26 AM
Even if somehow they made it to 50 botting, a buffbot is useless in rvr on this server. You would have to take him with you. Noone would group it because it's much easier to fill the spot with an active player. So the silver lining is that at least, even if they did squeak by with a buffbot, it wont affect RvR.

Unless buffs on this server dont have a max distance? I wouldn't know as I play a NS and noone groups me lol.

There is definitely a max distance on at least some of the buffs. I was in a group last night and anytime the Druid got out of range, most of my buffs went red. I think it was the Druid anyway, never spent much time in Hibernia before, still learning the classes.

Sat 19 Jan 2019 3:54 PM by jhaerik

Ehh I'm still waiting for a multi-box private server to come along. Frankly single box PvE is too GD boring to slog through.

Seriously it's either leech off a druid/chanter/menty on hib... a sm/shammy/healer on mid... or join a melee train grinding mobs in one of 2 places that you'll get sick of in a hurry.... or bum a PL off a necro/cab on alb. Sit around ages waiting for a group or just spend ages sitting watching Youtube.

As a game it's just a hell of a lot more fun going where you want, with the class you want, to kill what you want... and take breaks when you want.

Sure keep bots out of RvR.... but it's just stupid to not let people use them in PvE.

Sat 19 Jan 2019 3:58 PM by jhaerik

Sorkar wrote: ↑
Thu 17 Jan 2019 7:50 PM
I remember when DAoC was released there were very few buff bots. Most people didn't have computers that could handle duel logging and didn't have another comp to be able to dedicate to the bot. after a couple of years better computer specs made it easier to duel log and you would see a ton of them in the different port keeps. Eventually it got to the point that you couldn't compete solo without a bot, especially back before they put range limits on buffs. After I got my Inf to 50 he sat on a shelf for awhile till I got a comp that could handle the duel logging because I was always solo and couldn't kill anyone. Got a ton of crap from guild mates saying that I just didn't know how to play lol, but low and behold after I got a buff bot I was doing alright.

Personally I am kind of conflicted on the no bot policy, not that I would do it as I wouldn't break server rules, but I rather liked having a bot to be able to level up with. I will group if I see someone spamming in lfg that they have a group around my level looking for more, but other than that I don't really seek out groups and prefer to solo, and soloing is much easier with a bot.

I don't remember this at all. Pretty much everyone I played with ran multiple accounts. I went from The Realm Online, to EQ, to DAoC. Rarely ran into people that didn't box past lower levels on any of them.

Sat 19 Jan 2019 6:00 PM by Roac

Nurture Druid. Should have named myself 'NotABot'. Standing around in the Darkness Falls lobby waiting for groups, I must remember to wave every once in a while.

In RvR, I would stick and hold still so I would /look/ like a bot. Sucker in a stealther every once in a while. Muahaha.

Two-boxing : My second account were all the crafters. Back in the Olde Dayes, restrictions made multiple crafters necessary, and crafting was zzzzZZZzzzz.
Main toons would sherpa mats and coin, hand off, and back to the field. Once in a while lean over and plink '1' for another hinge.

No longer needed now, I should think, as the restrictions are no more, and the crafting queue is a straight-up miracle.

Sat 19 Jan 2019 6:10 PM by jhaerik

Roac wrote: ↑
Sat 19 Jan 2019 6:00 PM
Nurture Druid. Should have named myself 'NotABot'. Standing around in the Darkness Falls lobby waiting for groups, I must remember to wave every once in a while.

In RvR, I would stick and hold still so I would /look/ like a bot. Sucker in a stealther every once in a while. Muahaha.

Two-boxing : My second account were all the crafters. Back in the Olde Dayes, restrictions made multiple crafters necessary, and crafting was zzzzZZZzzzz.
Main toons would sherpa mats and coin, hand off, and back to the field. Once in a while lean over and plink '1' for another hinge.

No longer needed now, I should think, as the restrictions are no more, and the crafting queue is a straight-up miracle.

Ehh 99% of my time using a box was spent farming/salvaging. I generally ran 3 accounts. Usually Alb with Necro/Cleric on 2 accounts that was just for those, then I'd put all my RvR toons on my third account and level up the classes I was interested in playing while salvaging. After that account filled up I'd generally just invite random peeps to get afk levels while I farmed.

RvR wise I've always prefered buff bots to dealing with the utter PITA that charge/pot juggling brings to the table. After Realm Buff NPCS were added to live I stopped even using a bot for RvR. As my primary reason for doing so to begin with was just not wanting to deal with the hassle of keeping up various charges/pots then finding a spot to stealth afk while my /use timer came back up so I could think about actually fighting someone. Generally speaking all charge juggling adds to the table is mandatory PvE farming to keep stocked, and extra downtime where you could be doing something fun like fighting.

Personally I'd kill for a Buff NPC and a slight rework to self buff lines to make them better. So self buff classes wouldn't suddenly be useless in the one thing they are useful for. Which really only applies to what? Rangers and Friars? I mean hell Pathfinding buffs already suck... and Friars at this patch level are bleh anyway. Don't see how anyone would be effected. 8mans aren't going to trade full buffs for NPC buffs, Mid isn't going to drop easy endo shamans..... If anything maybe a second Cleric/Druid might be able to pick up a few points in Smite/Nature at worst? Is it really that terrible to add variety and convenience?

Wed 23 Jan 2019 9:32 AM by rubaduck

I still remember when they thought I was one of my guildies bot back in beta.

No.. no I am actually playing the druid! Thanks for checking up on it devs and GM's, you did and are doing a fantastic job. I am glad to be back to a launched phoenix server.

I also always appreciated the transparency, we all get the names of the cheaters and the ones trying to fool the system..

Wed 23 Jan 2019 3:24 PM by Calconious

rubaduck wrote: ↑
Wed 23 Jan 2019 9:32 AM
I still remember when they thought I was one of my guildies bot back in beta.

No.. no I am actually playing the druid! Thanks for checking up on it devs and GM's, you did and are doing a fantastic job. I am glad to be back to a launched phoenix server.

I also always appreciated the transparency, we all get the names of the cheaters and the ones trying to fool the system..

Ya it's def a good thing that they are constantly looking around for people breaking the rules. I was in a group the other day with Healer, Sham, 5x SM's , and a RM. The way we were pbaoeing stuff all stuck to the healer looked exactly like a macro grp. I was worried enough that I purposely was breaking formation and casting to show that I was a live character LOL.

Fri 25 Jan 2019 9:39 PM by Dominus

it's so rewarding seeing the names of player's you report in the bans forum. I think first offense for main character is 7 days, perma for 2nd account. Even harsher in my opinion as people are knowingly violating the rules!

Fri 25 Jan 2019 11:37 PM by Tree

While we are at it: Stop world hunger! When you are hungry, just eat!

Sat 26 Jan 2019 2:57 PM by chryso

I am really surprised at how many morons get banned for multiboxing every day.

Sun 27 Jan 2019 7:41 PM by Tyton

It's probably just as many "cheaters" as there are people who don't even bother to learn/read the rules.

Sun 27 Jan 2019 7:43 PM by Quik

I doubt any of these people read the rules or even care.

They just figure they can get a way with it.

I still say ban on first offense. Not knowing is not an excuse considering how easy it is to read the rules and find out.

Mon 28 Jan 2019 1:19 PM by Dominus

perma ban first offense indeed. Once a cheater, always a cheater.