Whats more looked down upon by blizzard ?

Multi-boxing in and of itself is not a violation, provided the player isn't using any macro scripts that automate gameplay beyond what is allowed through default macro and API specifications.

"Hackers" is a term often used to cover people partaking in a very broad range of activities, like exploiting game bugs/mechanics, stealing another person's private account information via keyloggers or phishing, and infiltrating a system's security to gain some level of control over the system or sensitive information held therein. The latter of the three is most accurately described as hacking.

Nevertheless, all three "hacking" scenarios I listed above, as well as the act of running private servers, are violations of the Terms of Use. We take any such violation seriously.

10/22/2012 11:50 AMPosted by Positivity

epic blue post bait and switch

What?

blues still supporting bot programs because it makes them money.

news at 11.

Don't be disingenuous and misleading just because you might disagree with our stance on a particular issue. Any sort of scripting or bot program that automates multiple actions/keystrokes on a character (i.e. some sort of automated cast or movement sequence) is a violation of the Terms of Use. Period.

10/22/2012 01:44 PMPosted by Lorf

If Multiboxing is just about someone's preferred way of playing and it's not accepted by Blizzard just because they get extra subs, then surely they'd have no problem reprogramming the log in servers to allow all of us to control multiple characters on the same account/server at the same time.

We don't support multi-boxing, we never have, and we have no current plans to do so. There's a major difference between verifying a person is not violating the Terms of Use purely by playing multiple characters at once, and adding functionality into the game to officially offer support to anyone who wants to.

10/22/2012 01:54 PMPosted by Mandulis

We don't support multi-boxing, we never have, and we have no current plans to do so. There's a major difference between verifying a person is not violating the Terms of Use purely by playing multiple characters at once, and adding functionality into the game to officially offer support to anyone who wants to.

...I just read this. "we don't support this activity, but we will encourage people to do so".

what?

Where'd you read that? 'Cause I didn't say it. :)

10/22/2012 02:22 PMPosted by Landroin

Why is private servers against the Terms of Use. I am sure Blizzard has noticed how many people play on private servers which means there is a demand for old content. Will Blizzard eventually release servers that are just Vanilla, BC, or Wotlk?

First and foremost, it's an unlicensed version of the game. That's illegal. Secondly, this is an MMO. World of Warcraft is a persistent online world. You're not meant to be running whatever version of the client you choose and manipulating data that would ordinarily be cross-checked by our servers.

I'm reading blue last post as

'Technically doesn't break the rules, but it breaks the spirit of the game.'

You know, the MMO part.

And to be perfectly honest with you, I agree with that statement on a personal level. We certainly didn't design the game with the idea that some people should control multiple characters at once. I also absolutely understand and sympathize with those who express frustration about encountering multi-boxers in the game, particularly in PvP situations.

That said, there's no cognitive dissonance in my head between my personal views on multi-boxing, and our official stance with regard to the Terms of Use. Regardless of whether or not I enjoy seeing a multi-boxer in an MMO, I understand why multi-boxing isn't innately considered to be cheating. Just the same, regardless of whether or not I enjoy seeing a character whose actions don't appear to be controlled by a person, I understand why botting is considered to be cheating.

Don't be disingenuous and misleading just because you might disagree with our stance on a particular issue. Any sort of scripting or bot program that automates multiple actions/keystrokes on a character (i.e. some sort of automated cast or movement sequence) is a violation of the Terms of Use. Period.

Zarhym, im curious - what do macro's made on the extra buttons on the logitech g-19 keyboard come under - i know you can make keystroke macros on them (havnt tried making them for wow - but have played with it a little bit just to have used them a little) or does that come under the automated cast or movement sequence thing?

You're correct. Just using that keyboard isn't a violation of our policies, but it can be used in a way that violates our policies.

Oh come now Zarhym, we all know it isn't as persistent as you guys claim! Essentially you let us legally play Wrath and TBC on your servers, as well as Cataclysm now. Aren't all those older versions of the game? And by that I could perhaps legally argue that I am licensed to play that content, since you guys can't keep up with the demand of updating the entire game. Your persistent world argument is pretty weak as a result.

I challenge thee to counter that! O.O

I don't know if I have a counter to this, as I'm honestly not sure what point you're trying to make. ^.^

You have access to TBC, Wrath, etc. content still, sure. But is that content purely what was sold with the expansion? What do your talent trees look like when you're in Outland? Are your experience gains in Northrend the same as they were when Wrath was released? Cataclysm only reinforces this point more if you look back to 1-60 content. Is that Vanilla content? Are you actually playing an older version of the game each time you enter a different expansion's content? Absolutely not. Everyone's playing the same version -- the same patch.

And sorry for all the rhetorical questions. :p