No, I didn’t get that vibe at all.
I’m surprised you did unless you’re trying to be confrontational on purpose.
can you just not cheat? it isn’t that hard mate
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If I am illiterate what are you? You literally said your as in ‘me’ so don’t get pissy with me that you have to alt tab your other accounts now, I and no one else here makes the rules.
So is pushing a single key that gets sent to a program, so is using a macro that executes three instant cast spells, and so on. There is automation that is premitted, and automation that is not. Blizzard defines what unacceptable automation is for their games. One key press one action per client is how they’ve defined it in the past, and they haven’t changed that definition. What they have done is ban one kind of software, “input broadcasting software”, arguably the most used/abused type of software.
Actually, it is cheaper to run in a VM, than to do it with the key broadcasting software. The VM handler is free, and the software to send commands to each separate VM is part of the Microsoft API, and is designed to do exactly what the OP wants to.
In addition, it will run better as the response time is faster, and less memory overhead for the key handler. It is also undetectable as memory for each VM is local.
It takes more to set it up I would think, but once you set up the VMs. it is pretty cookie cutter.
I am 40 year software engineer so I am very familiar with this type of multi-box setup. In actuality, Blizzard did the OP, and those like him a favor by forcing his hand. He will be much happier in a VM environment.
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Sadly I’ve seen people try to argue “well 1 keypress per action per client means i can do 1 keypress that performs 1 action in each client”, and those are the same types that are ruining the rest of the game with their degenerate playstyle.
And doing it using hardware is no different in the end, with the only difference being that Blizz has not stated a hardware ban in black-and-white, but if it’s supporting automation outside of what they allow I see no reason for them to not enforce it. If a boxer has a bunch of toons performing the same synchronous action and someone sees them doing it, I highly doubt “wait wait I was using hardware!!!” will save them.
You should have known it was against TOS from the beginning. Anyway no point in me continuing this conversation, it is literally pointless.
It had literally been NOT against the TOS for 15+ years (and confirmed by Blizzard). What are you talking about?
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Don’t be sad, that is Blizzard’s definition and how they explained why using input broadcasting software wasn’t prohibited for multi-boxing. Now they’ve banned input broadcasting software but not other means of doing something similar. So rejoice, no reason to be sad 
P.S. And I know you are worried about false reports, don’t. Blizzard will be able to differentiate between input broadcasting software and a hardware solution.
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The thing is is that automation outside of what an in-game macro can do is banned. Automation can be done at a software or a hardware level, plain and simple.
In short, if I see a boxer executing synchronous actions across their toons, I’m going to report them since I would have a good faith suspicion that some sort of automation is in play, whether it’s the now-banned input broadcasting software or other automation means. If their actions aren’t synchronous, I may /emote them because I disagree with their degenerate gameplay, but that’s where I stop.
your 5 accounts turn off 10 other accounts daily. the math works out that Blizzard is doing the correct thing
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You are taking that out of context. The part about a macro is referring to what programs linked to programmable keyboards/mice/keypads can do or a program like autohotkey. Those programs can send multiple commands to a single clinet, with a single keypress. They always differentiated between sending a single keypress to mulitple clients and sending multiple keypresses to one (or more) clients.
I’m not taking anything out of context. If I see a flock all firing off their spells at the exact same time, it is extremely reasonable to believe that they’re using a form of automation, and they’re going to get reported. That automation can be the now-banned input broadcasting software, or it can be another means (such as hardware) that was previously banned under the umbrella of automation (e.g. the drinking bird).
If you’re a multiboxer and you’re not firing off your spells at the same exact time, I’ll yell expletives and leave without reporting.
That’s all.
97.31272% of statistics are made up on the spot!
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Your perception, and Blizzards detection of input broadcasting software are not necessarily the same. Reports can result in investigations, not directly in bans. Two, Three, Five, or more people could easily simulate the same thing using assist macros. Report all you like, if they aren’t using input broadcasting software as of the current policy they won’t be banned.
Just to be clear here…are you asserting that Blizz will not ban anyone for automation if they’re strictly using hardware to do it?
Absoutely Blizzard will not ban people using your definition of automation. They will investigate and see if they are violating the TOS and current multi-boxing policy, if not, they won’t be banned regardless if you think it is automation or not
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That was a politician’s way of responding. Great work.
If someone is using hardware to perform automation and I suspect automation, I’m reporting them.
People have been banned for using keyboard macros (not software according to many multiboxers, even though Blizz has taken people out under the umbrella of automation), as well as for using a drinking/dipping bird. Not software, but still bannable.
Im going to that too if allowed, but i still think thats broadcasting.
Like I said, report away. Blizzard is the final arbiter. Personally I believe they are very explicit in how they word their policy. If it needs to be changed, they will, if not then at least some types of hardware multi-boxing seem to be acceptable. In addition of course to using WoW macros. Let me give you a simple example of a keyboard macro:
- Alt-Tab to second window
- Send 1 as a keypress (executes a WoW macro on that client)
- Alt-Tab back to primary window
Is the above prohibited? 1 and 2 are Windows only commands that simply change windows. They are not simultaneous, but there can be very little latency. Only one keypress is sent to the the second client.
If the above is alright how about the following:
- Send 1 to the current window
- Alt-Tab to second window
- Send 1 as a keypress (executes a WoW macro on that client)
- Alt-Tab back to primary window
Is the above alright. Once again the Alt-Tabs are Windows commands and only one keypress is sent to each client and one WoW macro executed.
It is unclear to me that the above is prohibited or even how it could be detected. Unless you are also going to ban all keyboard macro software, good luck with that.
Now the above isn’t as efficient as input broadcasting software but would work fine for gathering.
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