Policy Update for Input Broadcasting Software

If the software is running, Warden is going to detect it. It doesn’t matter how you use it, or even if you use it at all. If it’s running, you’re going to be flagged.

As it is written, programs that duplicate keystrokes fall under the blocking but I do not do this

Do you use the program, even if you aren’t using it to broadcast inputs? Is it running while you are playing? Then you are going to be flagged.

But you do you, boo. When you get suspended, you can give Blizzard your rules-lawyer spiel. Practicing it here isn’t going to help you.

Therefore, I am writing here for a response from the developers, and not from ordinary players who cannot understand that Blizzard has banned programs that duplicate clicks in windows and not multiboxing in general

I will press the keys with my own hands the program will not instantly send my clicks to other windows but this is allowed I want to know if I can use programs that will simplify the setting of my windows with characters that’s all

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I understand perfectly what the new policy states. I’m trying to explain to you that it doesn’t matter how or why you use the software. If you use it at all while you are playing, your account is going to be flagged for using prohibited software.

If you want a response from Blue, open a ticket or hit them up on Twitter (@WarcraftDevs); they’re not likely to respond to you here.
https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/new-tos-update-question/709198/8?u=teufelgott-shadowsong
https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/may-i-get-some-clarification-on-using-software-that-has-the-ability-to-broadcast-inputs/708987/8?u=teufelgott-shadowsong

I wouldn’t bother asking individuals for their interpretation of the new rules, we just need them published in black and white. The warnings that are currently being emailed out have a link to a tos that 404s, probably because the new tos isn’t live… GG,bots?

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I can still multibox. Its not too bad because I can still farm herbs without keystroke software. Just have to tab between screens to click herbs, and then hit my /follow macro.

This maybe a bit of a “tin foil hat theory” but my gut tells me there’s more reason to this change then just what it did to the market.
Such as many boxers playing for free by raw gold farming then buying tokens.
While boxers may of benefited blizzard for a while. While the 5 million ah mount was in a normal vendor to sell tokens but now that mount removed and on black market ah. Blizzard doesn’t really need boxers to farm up gold and buy WoW tokens anymore, so they gave them axe by banning the software that keyclones actions and sends them across clients.

Then my other thought is WoW maybe going “free to play” down the road soon and “free to play” games like Elder scrolls online do not allow multiboxing,
Then WoW will move to consoles soon after.
While all that might sound far fetched but so did the thought of blizzard taking a stance on multiboxing so nothing should be ruled out at this point.

Anywho at the end of day I was a very casual multboxer only played ever really 2 to 5 characters at once mostly to level them and have some fun world questing.
I could prob dual box down the road but I plan on holding off on that giving how the reporting system works and I could be falsely reported when I’m actually just running my two pc’s with two gaming keypads. Thankfully I didn’t bother upgrading my accounts to shadowlands except my main account I play.

Also WoW has really lost my interest and after this news I uninstalled WoW and decided its time a for another long break from the game. My game time runs out on the 13th and I do not plan on coming back for shadowlands as I got plenty of games and other things I could be doing.

This was not the only thing that has made me drift from WoW but it was the straw that broke the camels back for me.

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They aren’t that bad, I have found plenty of herbs during my beta play time. But there will still be multiboxers out there gathering resources, this is the easiest form of “boxing” and can be done even without software assistance very easily.

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Just because people keep repeating that kind of stuff:

They make, at a minimum, $5 more per sub paid by token… playing for “free” actually makes them more money than if you paid with cash.

Carry on.

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F2P wow is going to be so bad and toxic, I understand why multiboxing would be banned then.

But F2P WoW only means 1 thing. Store Store Store! GET YOUR MERCH! Best Transmog, Best mounts !

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I guess you don’t actually bother to do your due diligence before spouting off do you? I said earlier in this thread: FULL DISCLOSURE: I HATE MULTIBOXING. Never saw a need to do it, Never even thought it was a cool tech to have software that could somewhat emulate multiple vm’s inputs. So let me repeat it for you now. I FARGIN HATE MULTIBOXING and I REPORT EVERY SINGLE ONE I FIND.

That said Multiboxing isn’t actually against the ToS even with this change Multiboxing is still a valid playstyle according to the game developers.

Therefore I am not advocating alternate methods for multiboxers to play their game, I am in fact PREDICTING how the multiboxers will get around the ban on the third party software.

Now instead of High end gaming machines running multiple clients in the same address space using software to broadcast inputs to all of those clients it will be Homemade SERVERS (I have a very nice one (actually two because I mirror the servers one in online one offline except for weekly copydowns) in the basement in a 42U Rack SuperMicro CSE-846E16-R1200B 16 Bay Server Chassis X9DRi-LN4f+ 192GB DDR3 RAM 16x3TB Drives on the Server Chassis, Hooked via HBA to a 45 bay SC847E16-RJBOD Expander with all slots filled with 3TB SAS NAS Drives for a total of 183TB of online storage space all wired through two DELL 1gb 48 port switches) taking the place of the broadcasting software. Yes you need a little more capital investment to do it. Consider, it would be mere child’s play (if I so chose) for me to create 10 or 20 or 40 identical VM’s on that server spin them up allocate resources then broadcast the same set of commands via one keyboard to all of those vm’s (without using any software other than the Host OS) at the same time.

Let’s face facts; for those dedicated multiboxers who have input that kind of real world dollars into their systems to be able to run ten or twenty or thirty or 4forty clients and the real world dollars invested in monthly subscription fees (even if they are paid through tokens earned through herbing/mining/leatherworking) they will more than likely have the funds and resources to obtain (if they do not already have it) the hardware needed to run ten or twenty or thirty or forty VM’s with one VM per client. The hardware and setup would be trivial to them. Why? Because that setup I described that I have at my house in my basement? Cost me less than $10,000.00 and it easily would run 40 clients simultaneously.

Again not advocating an alternate method. Predicting what they will do. Whats changed? Nothing. The software ban will not impact the multiboxers other than to provide an annoyance. From a corporate perspective I would think annoyance of paying customers probably is not high on the stockholders wish list.

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Hello devs, I was told to make a comment here from your support team.

Is it just ALL of ISboxer banned, or only the input broadcasting/keymapping functionality of it? For example, can I use round robin controls, which make it 1 button press = 1 action on 1 account, and no broadcasting at all.

ISBoxer provides functionality such as window layouts and things like round robins, which doesn’t use broadcasting at all to control the game. It also provides a quick way to switch between windows, and also things like Video FX which isn’t broadcasting as well. Will those features of it be allowed? It’s not broadcasting - it’s still 1 key press that has 1 action per press. IMHO, it ends up being the same as alt tabbing between windows and pressing buttons.

I’m sadly assuming though, that Warden the anti-cheat software will just auto ban for using ISBoxer, but people can use ISBoxer for many other things that don’t involve breaking the policy of input broadcasting.

Is it just ALL of ISboxer banned, or only the input broadcasting/keymapping functionality of it?

Personally, I use multiboxing for Pvping and everyone enjoys it. I’m sad to hear there was a general ban on multiboxing just because of a couple of the bots abusing the economy. I have about 40 accounts, sadly, which I will be unsubscribing/issuing refunds for which works out to at least $150/month USD.

If I do find uses for these accounts or clarification on what I can/cannot do on them, then I will keep them subscribed. Thanks!

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To the Devs:

It appears the main reason you disallowed broadcoast input was to target the botters. However, there are so many multiboxers who have been effected by this decision. Wouldn’t it be better then to just target their botting software instead? I don’t feel like multiboxers should pay for something they haven’t done because they were always following the rules. I hope you reconsider this decision and specifically target botting instead.

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They have been specifically targeting botting, however the software that Mbs have been using is also being used by botters, from what I’m understanding based off the policy change and other posts.

Every time warden detects a bot, the creators of those bots find ways to get around and upgrade to continue doing it.

MB isn’t banned just the software. It may make it a little more difficult for you to MB but you’re still able to do it.

They are most certainly aware of this, money is involved. It isn’t an accidental change that kills off part of their player base, regardless what the initial Blizzard post states. They knew what they were doing. All we need now is more clarity from them, but I think its intentionally vague.

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Prove it. I see this on each post, but have yet to see anyone link the actual hardware that can be used specifically to mirror keystrokes across multiple clients. Unless you can, you’re just making up facts to prove your point.

For some reason I cannot link but others in this thread already have. Google this. VIP-844-BC 4 port PS/2 Keyboard Multicaster
The way things used to be done (and can still be done TOS compliant today). The reason the term is called multiboxing. You had multiple computer (box)s.

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Ok, I see it now. If you want to do it with modern computers, you may want to use USB-845-KM-BC 5 port USB Keyboard and Mouse Multicaster. So, if you have 4 computers, each running a single account, you can control the 4 accounts using a $360 external device. Wow, if you use 4 $800 laptops with the right specs, the total cost would be $3560 + tax. With that high a barrier to entry, the % of the user base would be much lower than the number of folks using software-based tools now.

So, you’re right and not making things up. However, I still think it is a very small part of the community using these tools.