Arenanets stance on Texmod/Cartography mods?

I am sorry if I missed a topic asking this, but I did not find one and most of the more general topics tend to get swamped, and I havent found an awnser to this at all.

And, yes, I know Anets stated Texmod in some sort of original version is okay, but that does not really say anything about the cartography mods at all, which is why I am asking, and I would like to know their stance on this.

And, im just going to do a factual dump on people so theres some background to considor before posts get dumped on people

Texmod takes a Cartography mod, which is usualy a package of unfogged maps, and overlays it over your ingame map, and usualy does some type of coloring/ect over the fogged areas to point out areas that need to be explored.

As a example, on the Offical Wiki: http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/User:...aphy_Made_Easy

First, anyone old enough to have seen it, or maybe with some archive digging, before texmod came out, some players figured out how to take your current ingame maps and compare them to maps provided by 100% cartographers, eventuly reaching methods like overlays and fog recoloring, and at that time, there was really no fuss from anybody and mostly gratitude from people that were trying to scrape the last couple % they needed and couldnt figure out where it was.

Course, right now, I dont know where I can find evidence of this, but im pretty sure there was some of things of this on guru in the days before texmod, so, I shall attempt to do some digging and find some things of this nature to back this up.

The only difference between those out of game methods and Texmods cartography packs is that Texmod intregrates it into GW by some method.

So, in a manner of figuring out possible stances, theres a few specific attributes someone would argue against texmods cartography mods

1. Its a third party program that interacts with GW
2. It helps to pinpoint areas to explore while inside the game towards the Cartography title.

Thats the main two reasons I can think of, but I may have missed more, but Texmods Cartography mods only did so much to begin with, but its late at night, so I might have missed something due to my tiredness.

So, in the end, theres two primary reasons for any person to want Texmod/Cart to be banned, because it interacts with the GW client and that it aids in the pursuit of Cartographer.

So, For the audience, questions to ask yourselves.

What do I think of these things and about Texmods Cartopgrahy aid, and other general thoughts on the topic?

And, if you have gotten the Grandmaster Cartographer, how did you get it?, did you use texmod, or maps out of the game? or just scraping and rescraping every explorable in the game until it got done?


And for Arenanet, what is your stance on the use of Cartographer tools and Texmods Cartographer packages in particular? Again, Texmod doesnt function like a bot, it just changes graphics.


And, for you readers, im sorry if my posting is an eyesore or my large text/fact posting is a bother, its in my nature to accumilate data and present it along with these sorts of things...

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/a...t10439379.html

I already stated I was perfectly aware of that, but it doesnt say ANYTHING about Texmod being used in conjunction with Cartography, which is a whole different kettle than reskinning armors or other graphics that only you can see.

Which, is why I am asking, because, Texmod being uses in conjunction with this isnt the same as texmod being used, well, by itself.

I'm guessing is that as long as it doesn't change the gameplay of Guild Wars (such as changing the graphics) or using a mod to help on certain titles or more enjoyable (cartographer), then Texmod is tolerated and they won't ban you for that. But at the same time, they don't condone the use of these programs and if your computer crashes due to Texmod, then ArenaNet support team can't help you out.

It's quite ambiguous, but ArenaNet mostly targets the botting third-party programs where it does tasks automatically while you are away from keyboard.

So using Texmod as some sort of guide on cartography is okay, but having a bot that does Cartography for you isn't. I think video recording programs used to record your actions while playing Guild Wars (i.e. FRAPS) is okay in ANet's standards.

Because people posting about ten other things every few would bury my post fast enough that my post would be overlooked, theres been a spike in guru activty and posting, and I cant count on enough people or Anet folks to dig through a topic piled with other peoples things and manage to awnser my question, heck, I seen other folks trying to ask this in some of those threads and they got flat out ignored or overlooked.

So, I am asking directly in a visible fashion.

I saw a screenshot of Emily saying TexMod is fine. It is a fair assumption to say there is no exception for the Cartography Made Easy (I think it's called) mod. I wouldn't be concerned.

I hope there wouldnt be trouble with it, I was using Texmod to map Ascalon some time ago, but I got sidetracked with life matters.

but, I have been hearing reports of people that got caught in the mass ban by using texmod, but you cant know if they are just lying botters without any hard evidence, but It has me concerned regardless, and I want some kind of awnser about this, because I would hate to eat a permaban for using Texmods Cartography stuff .

Heck, this stuff is still listed on the Offical Wiki mind you, despite Anet giving their third party disclaimer, permabanning peeople using texmod for mistaking them as botters would be bad, espeicaly knowing how, well, annoying NCsoft support is at times, might be bad enough that account recovery would be impossible.

Either way, a specific response from a Rep and some assurance that people wont get accidently banned to any bad extent would be good to hear, or the specific explained no, followed by warnings on the wiki and removal of the stuff on it.

I do not want uncertainty.... <,<

I've been using Texmod with Cartography for like.. 2,5 years. Last time was like 3 weeks ago. I wasn't banned. Good enough answer for you?

Almost <,<

Part of the issue I see is, that, as Obi Wan said so long ago, about certian points of view, is that it can easly be seen that using tools like this for cartography can be seen as cheating, so, It would be good to know what the offical view is from the bosses.

The thing is the other thread was made so that people didn't ask again and again.

And they already gave an answer, you won't ever get a 100% definitive positive on it.

As long as it's you pushing the buttons it's fine. Changing the wa you view the game isn't the same as using a macro. Texmod is fine for cartog because it doesn't actually play the game for you. You stil have to scrape every wall.

about a month ago i went from none to leg cartographer AND logged 2250 drunk min with autoclicker. no ban for me (though i have stopped using auto clicker... up to 2500 now and i can honestly say this title has become an excruciating ordeal. no idea how i can do that 31 more times...

Was very pleased to see I could still get in the game. Been using texmod for a week or two now and I think I can wait a bit longer to get an official on this. Don't wanna get thrown out of the game.

I really think they don't consider this program a problem.

They are concerned about programs that give a player a real time edge in the game.
Programs that automate game activities or rapid chain skills would come under scrutiny as would using exploits known or otherwise.

I do not think I have heard of anyone complaining of a ban for using texmod and with my eyesight I find cartography a lot less painful using it.

We are not Anet. Guru is not Anet. Since the only answer you will accept (from what you are saying) is one from Anet, try emailing them. Everything else you read here will be speculation. People haven't been banned for it, yet you say it is 'seen as cheating' so maybe it can happen. Try asking the right people, which you can't do here unless you PM a staff member from Anet. Rarely do they respond to topics like this unless it is a major hotspot.

Texmod cartography is nice. makes it quick and simple work. Whether or not it should be a bannable offence? idk.

used texmod. it was forever ago. also used to use texmod some with the paths drawn out for the DTSC when it used to be a big thing.


Their stance is that they are not going to actively pursue banning people who use texmod, but that doesn't mean they cannot ban you for using texmod. so use it at your own risk. you could be fine, you could get banned.

If in doubt just email them and ask. From what I’ve heard their stance is: "We do not support the use of 3rd party mods; you won't get banned for using them. But, if they screw up your character, key log you etc then it’s your own fault and there's nothing we can do about it."

I think stuff like TexMod which just causes Client-Side mods only is ok; as long as it doesn’t play the game for you, affect other players and or guild wars code then its fine.

But like I said if you’re still unsure just email support and ask but I’m pretty sure they'll say the exact same thing.

I used Texmod to help the achieve the cartography title. I still had to do the required running around and scraping of walls for the title; just like those who didn't use it. Texmod just showed me where I needed to scrape. As far as I understand this is not the kind of mod Anet is talking about. If it was, there would be a lot more then 3700 bans. Texmod does not make it easier to earn gold and neither does it alter the gameplay in any way.

The type of bots people got banned for gave them advantages in pvp against the non-bot players, and I suppose better ways to make gold and in turn affect the GW economy. Once I saw several players humping one another in outposts (sort of in a standing doggie-style), one even tried to do it to me . I'm certain this type of mod would get you banned too, as I never saw the humping toons again.

Texmod actually made achieving the title a bit more fun, and I'm 99% sure it's a fine mod to use.

How is it a whole different kettle? Texmod used for cartography also changes nothing but graphics that only you can see. It reskins the map, just as other texmod packages reskin other parts of the UI (radar, etc.) or other graphics (armor, pets, etc.). Texmod doesn't suddenly start modifying the client or sending signals to the server or whatever it is you fear just because you're using it for cartography.

textmode is not needed to get the cartography title if you scrap the edges of the zone while you vanquish.

no you did not just say that. No you did not do it the same as those who do not use texmod for max cartography, i am offended, do you know how many times i have to scrap one single map just to make sure all area in that one map is covered!!!!! You do not say you do the work same as people who do not use texmod, how dare you!!!!!!!!! for 0.01% of nightfall map still not found, i have to start from Kamadan and scrap all maps there on until I find that 0.01% HOW DARE YOU

PS: I don't care if you use cartography mod, but DO NOT SAY you got the title the same ways as i do.

I have gm carto on 4 characters. The first did it the old fashioned way---he is called yuki wall-hugger now....and when the others did carto, they would say I'm doing a yuki. I did have some help with the last .5 of prophecies and the last .3 of factions with him---someone else looked at my maps and told me to go here and here.

I am partially blind so it was almost impossible for me to find those last few spots and I am unable physically to compare maps like others did (I could find the old service threads for you if you wish---at first it was free, then others figured out you could CHARGE someone for the service--80k for prophecies back in the day).

I have used texmod for the others, I have no more plans of getting max carto on another character so if they were to remove it I would be unhappy, but not terrible so..

(not everyone wants to vanquish either....lots of people dont like hardmode at all).

I am glad it came along, I did use it but only after it was ok'd by gaile (for what that is worth).

TextMods/Cartography Mods don't affect other players. Farmbots and PvP bots do. There's nothing wrong with Text/Carto Mods, but there's everything wrong with Farm/PvP bots.

I missed the purpose of this thread, are you about to use texmod and are afraid of getting banned ? or were you just bored and thought "lets throw something up in the air ?"

Lets say you would be 1 out of 300.000 that gets banned for using it, consider that as shit happens.
If you were just bored, there is something like office word where you can write all sorts of "interesting" questions down and think about them for aslong as you like.

I'm doing Cartography right now while I'm VQing, and still doing it without TexMod until I hear a substantial amount of "I used it, and I'm not banned".

From Wiki:

http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/TexMod

Anet stating using texmod is fine by them but any problems (that probably aren't due to texmod at all) wont be handled by them. after all all it changes is what you see on your screen, it doesn't change your GW game files. like GWML it just uses them without changing them.

never botted. i got banned and i only used KSmod, texmod, and a /resign macro.

what about false positives? Yes I know it shouldn't happen however if some of the people banned only use ksmod/texmod there has to be something that is triggering the Anets program to identify them as botters if that was the reason for their ban.

What I remember seeing somewhere is that texmod is fine because it affects only your experience and has no affect on others, but this was some time ago. I dont keep up with the whole texmod thing after I got my cartog with it. There are prolly mods now that gives you some kind of visual advantage over a regular player in the more pvp sense.

There is simply no way to "detect" what Texmod is doing primarily because Texmod does not modify the game files of the game it is running with (they are running in memory on first launch) the only way I can imagine they take action is to ban the use of TM altogether and make you install some new punkbuster-like service.

When you run a "mod" in Texmod.. its just a tpf file with some images and their corresponding image addresses that are loaded up into memory, there is NO way for anet at this time to tell what exactly you are doing with texmod, there just isn't. OTHER than the fact they *MIGHT* be able to see if it was running as a process on your system at the same time gw.exe is and that is still a very thin possibility given that there is no evidence of any kind of anet sniffer service going on.

Hm, cool, thats how it works? using the Cartography stuff wont trigger things that lead to bans?


Hm, I still wish I could hear Anets opinion on the Cartography mod, but Im starting to doubt more that there will ever be an awnser.

Well, had to try.


For me, I want to use it if its okay, I like exploring the map, what I dont like is the rescraping of every map multiple times to catch a tiny percentage you missed, that turns exploring from "Fun" to a set of feeling under the heading of "Annoying" and without Texmod or other forms of map comparison, I would just ignore the Cartography titles as I have done to LDOA, because despite how much I like Ascalon, I hate the amount of Death Leveling it requires, and any similar reasons as to why I purposly ignore a title or some other specific bit of content, I dont enjoy it.

Sorry to bother you, but is a /resign macro simply having the /resign command mapped to a single key stroke (much as the Guild Wars Zboards have various emotes macro'd to individual keys) or is it something else?

First off, they don't care if you use TexMod in its original form to assist in your own playstyle or methods.

Secondly, to my knowledge, TexMod (in it's original form) would be impossible for ANET to detect on their side, as it is ONLY clientside, and has no communication with the server, nor does it alter any information sent back to the server. It's simply a texture overlay system... nothing more.

Arena Net could only know if you were using TexMod if they used a Punkbuster/Warden/VAC based system similar to other companies. They don't currently, and therefore, cannot detect TexMod's client side only activities.

Texmod won't get you banned, and using the carto mods won't get you banned. Considering there were over 50,000 downloads of just the latest update of the mod, it's a safe bet GW would be a lot emptier today if they banned cartography mod users.

And if, for some reason, Anet decides that they don't want the mod to work, it would take less than a days work on their end to break the mod completely.

I've been using texmod steadily before, and after the massive ban. Didn't get hit for wanting other players armor to look normal in an outpost using KS mod as well.

Anet has gone over this extremely vaguely many times. As long as it doesn't give you an advantage over other players (pvp), or automate any functions, It's not "ban worthy". Basically to us, It's ok to use.

I just finished off my legendary carto title using that texmod the other day. Duhmm has yet to strike me down.