AO Community: How would you regulate Multibox?

[Alternity]

Only one that would take a major hit is Informant, and well... Who cares?

Informant has been nerfed as well, it is silly easy these days. In my opinion endgame content is so easy, due to the power inflation, that removing assist would be a good thing. Raids are so easy nowdays, the only hard part is not falling asleep.

[DarkerThanBlack]

Btw, won't removing assist make certain pvm raids a big mess and considerably harder/more tedious?

Considering pvm/raiding in AO is ridiculously easy ramping up the difficulty wouldn't be a bad thing.

[Nycrow]

Nothing more fun than a raid of tab targeters!

[grandefiasco]

Unfortunately just removing assist is not the solution, although i do agree with removing assist, no problem with that at all
But if you look at towerwars at this moment, there is just no way to defend against it or even attack against it. I get killed instantly, even if with multiple attackers, do'esnt matter
Defending with apt or lasertagger, doesnt work either, as they simply outheal apt at low levels and they can outrun the dmg of OS/AS
it needs to be d'ealt with and the sooner the better as it is currently ruining the game, especially notum wars, mainly tl 1-4

[McKnuckleSamwich]

Removing assist will not stop a 5 agent box from instakilling you, that is true.

But it will very, very badly slow down the agent box from re-targeting/killing any subsequent players. Depending on how well the agent box can retarget (worst case scenario, he has to retarget each slave in the box, meaning about 10x alt-tabs and then proceeding to the kill.

That is, really not bad. I mean, that gives you about 20 seconds to spam some area roots, pop him from sneak and kill the lead.

[lunarsolace]

idea 1: have coding along the lines of If gas is active and target client count <1 then warp to middle of ocean.
I know the cc mechanics are for an area population over like 100 or something like that.

idea 2: Take outdoor towers completely out of game and implement a totally new pvp system to replace the side bonus xp, org benefit system etc. Afterall, NW was the first booster.
I would suggest something along the lines of zone pvp instances and monthly bonuses related to win%. By and large, elitism in AO, in terms of competition through shear numbers hasn't been present for a really long time. the 12.x whatever exodus and again after Ai.

Assist is an incredibly lazy tool. Many games have team/raid leader mob marking and things along those lines.

Idea 3: FC establishes org bots, instance/raid bot, and kill private bots.


Notes: I do realize there are pros and cons to each, just some ideas.

[Muwe]

I dont know how Funcom or anyone has gotten to the conclusion that MB does not breach EULA, while unattended game-play does. What is multiboxing if not the ability to press a button?
What is multiboxing if not a way to control characters through a third party program ?
Ok, if you want a suggestion, which might affect regular players also (but im assuming it will affect people less than multi-boxing does, now), think about removing the "follow" function.
See how that goes and see how multiboxers will have these amazing pvp abilities.. the most powerful of all, 1 click 5 Aimed-Shots, nukes or whatever.. if thats not unattended game-play i dont know what that is..
And I would really like to hear the point of view of someone from staff, as to what they understand by "unattended game-play"...
Cheers

[Muwe]

I just saw now, reading back through the hundreds of posts about this, that follow removal has been suggested already.. apparently not a good idea..
Then as someone in post 73 suggested, go ahead and remove multiple loggins.. and i bet you wont need friends for x-fers and stuff.. you got mail now.. you can transfer money, you can transfer items, you can transfer everything.. and im sure you would rather have this "inconvenient" rather than having a multiboxer ruining your day.

Coz i honestly dont remember a single player quitting coz of not being able to transfer items. However we all know at least ONE person to have left the game of of the current situation.
Entire huge organizations left empty now..

[drainbamage]

Btw, won't removing assist make certain pvm raids a big mess and considerably harder/more tedious?

"kill pinks first"

problem solved

[McKnuckleSamwich]

I just saw now, reading back through the hundreds of posts about this, that follow removal has been suggested already.. apparently not a good idea..
Then as someone in post 73 suggested, go ahead and remove multiple loggins.. and i bet you wont need friends for x-fers and stuff.. you got mail now.. you can transfer money, you can transfer items, you can transfer everything.. and im sure you would rather have this "inconvenient" rather than having a multiboxer ruining your day.

Coz i honestly dont remember a single player quitting coz of not being able to transfer items. However we all know at least ONE person to have left the game of of the current situation.
Entire huge organizations left empty now..

Dude, I know what you're getting at, but this seriously can't be the best endorsement. when I'm twinking a toon I use:

1. 220 trader to build implants/break imps
2. agent mimic doc
3. NT
4. enforcer
5. Froob bank toon
(6. occasionally log soldier/engi for EP/PM/OS/RC/RE mastery)

That's 5 toons plus the one I'm on, and that's my regular ensemble for twinking.

Anyone who has EVER twinked a toon, properly knows that it's simply not possible to build a twink properly without a tradeskiller on hand to ladder implants and build the maxed imp possible for stats available...

You can get away without an agent/NT/enf now with longer buffs, but still, the amount of time you could potentially lose on the gauntlet buff is mind blowing. Usually I am racing the entire time I've got gauntlet up, and if someone told me I would have to twink with only one account logged, I'd never build another twink, period.

[Elisium]

Simple Solution.

1. Make the use of third party software that broadcasts keyboard or mouse input a bannable offense.
2. Have the AO Client run a check every so often for the presence of the aforementioned third party software, if HKN's process or the like is detected, close the AO Client. (This is very easy to do, and can be done in just a few lines of code.)

Now this won't get everyone using third party multiboxing tools, and I am sure a few of those tools would get updated to avoid detection, but it would be an evolving process and would remove most of the problem, and still allow people to manually dual-log/tri-log as we have for ages.

Anyways just a thought.

[Aiken]

Simple Solution.

1. Make the use of third party software that broadcasts keyboard or mouse input a bannable offense.
2. Have the AO Client run a check every so often for the presence of the aforementioned third party software, if HKN's process or the like is detected, close the AO Client. (This is very easy to do, and can be done in just a few lines of code.)

Now this won't get everyone using third party multiboxing tools, and I am sure a few of those tools would get updated to avoid detection, but it would be an evolving process and would remove most of the problem, and still allow people to manually dual-log/tri-log as we have for ages.

Anyways just a thought.

I know this sounds just peachy in theory but i'm sure you're aware that within minutes of some effort on FC's part to actively police this will be met with changes and it will then become a running battle between FC & the Others...

I'm not sure, but I'd think FC has better place to put those kind of resources...

[Muwe]

Alright, a line of code wont do (because of those other better things to do from FC, instead of dealing with a crisis.. because it is a damn crisis when half of your players leave). removing a feature wont do, because apparently twinking is a daily activity and you need dual log in order not to depend on anyone else.. Gauntlet? If you MB yeah.. you get to gauntlet.. otherwise you just farm the floors, thing that you can do with a normal party..
Anything that can actually be done?
By the way, you can twink even if you are logged in on one toon.. And twinking should not be all that easy.. "Oh ill just log 5 accounts and ill -twink- a toon.." I remember running for buffs like crazy.. and ill tell you this: The game was way more interactive when you actually had to talk to others and ask for buffs and stuff.. When you started Anarchy, you didnt start with 10 accounts.. you started with ONE!

PS: Sorry if I sound a bit frustrated.. but i actually am.

[Nonzo]

Alright, a line of code wont do (because of those other better things to do from FC, instead of dealing with a crisis.. because it is a damn crisis when half of your players leave).

I'm not at all convinced by some of the numbers being thrown around reference quit rates due to mb or anything else. Half the players you know, even if accurate, is not at all the same as "half the players". I haven't noticed a significant drop in people tbh

[McKnuckleSamwich]

guys... please read the OP. The point of the thread was to discuss ways to regulate MB GIVEN THAT FC ALREADY ENDORSES IT.

You're arguing the predicate. Debate the argument please.

[Artyomis]

Generally, best deal for FC to solve this issue would be global announcement that warns players that multiboxing cannot be used to gain advantage over other players directly. This comes to ODing other players on mobs, PvP situations. While MB will remain legit in farming instances and other locations where multiboxer has no direct competition with other players. Of course, multiboxer gains advantage at selling loot and lootrights, but it doesn't harms other players directly, so I think it should still be legit.

There should be "3 punishments" system or analogue. First - 3 days ban of all MB characters, second - 7 days ban, third - permanent ban. There are several more or less easy ways to prove someone multiboxing, so there should be no real problem for GMs to deal with this stuff.

But, if we're trying to find solution that will also change gameplay and make it interesting/harder and/or more challenging - then just remove assist and follow. That will bring huge problems for MBers to keep doing things effective, as far as will give opposite players pretty good chances to effectively deal with multiboxers if needed (especially in PvP situations).

And, of course, I'm clearly sure that FC should start dealing with account sharing once again, because a good part of multiboxers use shared accounts or accounts that belong to other people. That will also solve a part of global problem.

All technical attempts to deal with it (to make 3rd party programs useless) won't solve an issue. Those will only stop MBers for a short period of time while they update their HKN/other scripts or just wait for new version of software.

/wave

[Cratertina]

Signed, just like arty says.

Mbox ok, until its used to compete in pvp and pvm, then not ok anymore.

No further regulation needed. Let players regulate it in essence and follow harassment rules.

[Phatkeep]

Signed, just like arty says.

Mbox ok, until its used to compete in pvp and pvm, then not ok anymore.

No further regulation needed. Let players regulate it in essence and follow harassment rules.

I said exactly this oh, about 25 times so far. Why is it only good now when he says the same thing? :>

[Veebz]

FC needs to make a clear distinction between multi-boxing (Logging in multiple accounts simultaneously) and using third party programs to play the game for you. The former is good. The latter should be strictly prohibited in ANY kind of combat situation. That's all there is to it.

You should not be able to use any program that makes combat actions for you. Why does this have to be so difficult for people to comprehend? CCP deftly removed this problem from EVE in a matter of days - that is a game with a MUCH larger population. The same can be done here without FC having to develop any tools. Just prohibit the use of 3rd party programs in combat (Programs like Clicksaver would still be allowed) and enforce bans on people that come up in petitions who are obviously cheating.

[Nomad]

Make /follow turn autorun on, if the target you follow stops, you will keep running.