Speedbooking- is it an Exploit? - Guild Wars Guru archive powered by Guild Wars Legacy

dancing gnome

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: May 2006

House of Wandering Souls

R/Rt

30 May 2010 at 15:45 - 81

Quote:

Originally Posted by snaek

exploits are very common, and many are considered harmless. one of the most common exploits are ai exploits because they are completely dumb that its so easy to exploit them. for example, in double dragon games there are various wall exploits, where the enemy will get 'stuck' and you can freely hit them. many of these things overtime generally get accepted as normal. in gw, one that i can think of off-hand is the "book trick" that was used in fow and sf that caused ai to only attack the holder of the book. the difference here, is that while the community accepted it as normal, anet said no and nerfed it.

ai is dumb amirite?

there are tons of exploits in gw and in all games. pvp has a ton too: the obstructed glitch, where standing on the edge of bridge grants you invulnerability against projectile attacks. the most common one that gets used nearly every single time in ha is the longbow to build up adren before triggering the timer.

exploits will always be a part of a game as long as there are bugs/design flaws. just be glad games like gw gets constant maintenance updates and bug fixes.

To my knowledge the book trick was only nerfed because it made ritualists dead in the water. Because of item spells they would have always been targeted and killed thus making item spells incredibly undesirable in the game.

I don't believe it had anything to do with someone deciding the book/cog trick should be removed.

Gill Halendt

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Mar 2008

30 May 2010 at 16:11 - 82

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyMoto

Stop fooling yourself. Speedbooking is abusing functionality in the code which allows the user to bypass part of the game (an exploit).

Never said it wasn't an abuse. That's what it is.

It's just, technically, NOT an exploit, as to have an exploit you have to have a bug to exploit by definition, and, sorry, here is none.

This is fact: we know by the developer themselves that it was a precise - and as I said before, IMO shortsighted, as it was made way before the introduction of flaggable heroes - design choice: there was a post on Lindsey's wiki about HFFF explaining it, can't find it anymore tough. The game simply behaves as it should so you're really not exploiting anything, you're just abusing an oversight, while the EULA explicitly is about exploits.

Quote:

An exploit (from the same word in the French language, meaning "achievement", or "accomplishment") is a piece of software, a chunk of data, or sequence of commands that take advantage of a bug, glitch or vulnerability in order to cause unintended or unanticipated behavior to occur on computer software, hardware, or something electronic (usually computerised).

The term "exploit" has become rather derogatory today - Wikipedia also has a word about "exploits in gaming" - , but THIS is the actual (and official) meaning of the term, as used in the EULA: exploits are bannable because they involve the exploitation of bugs.

A bug, in turn, is:

Quote:

A software bug is the common term used to describe an error, flaw, mistake, failure, or fault in a computer program or system that produces an incorrect or unexpected result, or causes it to behave in unintended ways.

Bugs are errors in the code, and they can be either coding bugs or logic bugs (see my previous post). Weak solutions in a program (like the one allowing Speedbooks to work) DON'T qualify as bugs. The game just behaves as intended. The mere fact that the intended way is indeed abusable doesn't make it a bug.

So, without a bug, I wouldn't expect a ban, but rather, a fix to the abusable game mechanic. It happened before, it will probably happen again in the future.

If we take abused game mechanics as a reason for bans, well, pretty much everyone is bannable today: there's really no difference between abusing the technical restrictions of the engine while speedbooking and, say, abusing the limitations of the artificial intelligence when farming.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love this to be fixed if the Developers feel like fixing it. I just don't think there's a margin for suspensions, it would be simply ridicolous.

snaek

Forge Runner

Join Date: Mar 2006

N/

30 May 2010 at 16:24 - 83

^anet's meaning is not definitive in anything other than what justifies a ban. it still doesn't change the fact that it is by definition an exploit. even so....

Quote:

A software bug is the common term used to describe an error, flaw, mistake, failure, or fault in a computer program or system that produces an incorrect or unexpected result, or causes it to behave in unintended ways.

do you not understand the meaning of flaw? yea, that very thing that allows the exploit to work.

GoF

Academy Page

Join Date: Jun 2009

Mo/

30 May 2010 at 16:29 - 84

Quote:

An exploit (from the same word in the French language, meaning "achievement", or "accomplishment") is a piece of software, a chunk of data, or sequence of commands that take advantage of a bug, glitch or vulnerability in order to cause unintended or unanticipated behavior to occur on computer software, hardware, or something electronic (usually computerised).

I'd say that the enemies not spawning is a vulnerability of the game.

Gill Halendt

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Mar 2008

30 May 2010 at 16:33 - 85

Quote:

Originally Posted by snaek

do you not understand the meaning of flaw? yea, that very thing that allows the exploit to work.

There's no "flaw" in the code here. Actually, the progressive spawns most likely needed additional coding, while without this feature they could simple call for the global spawn of the map once.

All I see is a debatable choice of the developers. They can rectify it whenever they please, but no one is exploiting a bug here.

Foes not being programmed to loose aggro against invincible Sins is a bug as well then: they forgot to implement such a mechanic and people abused it.

/banuserbase ?

snaek

Forge Runner

Join Date: Mar 2006

N/

30 May 2010 at 16:37 - 86

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gill Halendt

There's no "flaw" in the code here. Actually, the progressive spawns most likely needed additional coding, while without this feature they could simple call for the global spawn of the map once.

All I see is a debatable choice of the developers. They can rectify it whenever they please, but no one is exploiting a bug here.

Foes not being programmed to loose aggro against invincible Sins is a bug as well then: they forgot to implement such a mechanic and people abused it.

/banuserbase ?

first of all, i don't think its an bannable offense, as i stated numerous times earlier, but that doesn't change the fact that by definition it is an exploit.

you seem to think that exploits only work one way: taking advantage of errors in the code; however, it can also work by taking advantage of holes in the code.

Trub

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Mar 2006

Sitting in the guildhall, watching the wallows frolic.

Trinity of the ascended [SMS]+[Koss]+[TAM]=[ToA]

30 May 2010 at 16:40 - 87

Quote:

Speedbooking- is it an Exploit?

= YES.

Will you be banned for it?= I personaly don't know.

It would be best if you take the advice of some of these guru'ers, and post the question to Regina on her wiki page.

Chris616263

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2006

Me/

30 May 2010 at 16:41 - 88

Quote:

Originally Posted by majoho

Why can't people just play the game like it's supposed to then there's nothing to worry about.

Uh, hello, have you met the human race lately?

We're greedy, lazy, scum.

Gill Halendt

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Mar 2008

30 May 2010 at 16:45 - 89

Quote:

Originally Posted by snaek

you seem to think that exploits only work one way: taking advantage of broken code; however, it can also work by taking advantage of holes in the code.

There's no "hole in the code" here. It's an intended feature. There's likely even overabundant code for this intended - and today probably surpassed - feature to work.

Sure, it is also an abusable feature. So, it qualifies as an abuse, but not as an exploit in my engineer and programmer books -> not a bannable offense for me either, but just because of this, not because Anet is being benevolent toward abusers.

snaek

Forge Runner

Join Date: Mar 2006

N/

30 May 2010 at 16:49 - 90

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gill Halendt

There's no "hole in the code" here. It's an intended feature. There's likely even overabundant code for this intended - and today probably surpassed - feature to work.

Sure, it is also an abusable feature. So, it qualifies as an abuse, but not as an exploit in my engineer and programmer books -> not a bannable offense for me either, but just because of this, not because Anet is being benevolent toward abusers.

no, its not. it was a feature intended to be used for other purposes. people found out they can use this future in a non-intended way to give them an advantage; hence, being an exploit.

Gill Halendt

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Mar 2008

30 May 2010 at 16:54 - 91

Quote:

Originally Posted by snaek

no, its not. it was a feature intended to be used for other purposes.

Hence, LITERALLY, an AB-USE.

You know, the etymological meaning of the term "ab-use" is exactly that: misuse or change the inherent purpose or function of something.

No programmer would call this an exploit. Because it isn't.

snaek

Forge Runner

Join Date: Mar 2006

N/

30 May 2010 at 17:04 - 92

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gill Halendt

Hence, LITERALLY, an AB-USE.

You know, the etymological meaning of the term "ab-use" is exactly that: misuse or change the inherent purpose or function of something.

No programmer would call this an exploit. Because it isn't.

arguing semantics are we?

multiple sources state this is an exploit, including the official gw wiki.

Quote:

Originally Posted by http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Exploit

An exploit is an official term referring to players utilizing a bug in the game to unfairly benefit their characters or account. An exploit can be a weakness in a difficult mission or quest that allows players to finish it easily and gain the rewards without much effort.

Quote:

Originally Posted by http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Bug

A bug is an error (in performance) or a flaw (in design) in a game which prevents it from working as intended.

Gill Halendt

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Mar 2008

30 May 2010 at 17:24 - 93

Quote:

Originally Posted by snaek

arguing semantics are we?

Exactly.

It's what you have to do when dealing with written Rules of Conducts using specific, technical terms to describe situations.

When they refer to "exploits" in the EULA, they're surely not referring to the derogatory meaning of the term as used by players themselves. "Bug exploitation" has a precise meaning and, sorry, this is not "taking advantage of a unintended design flaw".

An example of "bug exploitation" (the actual bannable offense) is the glitch that allowed the item duplication: there was something wrong in the executable code that made it possible (a bug, by definition), either a logic error or simply a syntax error, people discovered it, exploited it, and got banned.

We have no error in the code here. "A design flaw" isn't a bug: it's just that, a design misconception, whatever the official wiki says. You don't fix design flaws with debug (the act of removing bugs) but with some redesign. Go figure: HFFF relied on this "design flaw" and the quests needed to accomplish HFFF were redesigned, not debugged, for a reason.

Quote:

Originally Posted by snaek

Multiple sources state this is an exploit, including the official gw wiki.

Articles written by players, using these terms in a derogatory way. Articles lacking any relevant - and official - source. They have some informative purpose, but that's it.

Official term? Really?

When and where it's been declared officially?

Then again, if THIS is an exploit, 99% of the farming is an exploit as well and, by reading the EULA, we should all be banned RIGHT NOW for exploiting the flawed artificial intelligence.

EDIT - Oh, by the way:

Quote:

Abuse of Game Mechanics

The distinction between exploiting bugs and abusing game mechanics is a fine one. While bug exploitation involves the abuse of what is essentially a programming mistake, the abuse of game mechanics is the act of taking advantage of the limitations of the World of Warcraft game systems. Since the line between the sanctioned use and the abuse of game mechanics is sometimes unclear, we prefer to educate players before taking any action against the account being used.

Quoted from some well-written support page (WoW). The content in it is pretty much universal tough.

cormac ap dunn

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jul 2007

Mystic Empires III [xMEx]

Me/

30 May 2010 at 20:01 - 94

Think i mentioned this before but Sliver Armor targeting one creature at a time is a bug...anyone who used the skill even once to kill a single foe on purpose was therefore using an exploit. Would Anet ever ban everyone who ever did that? Nope, simply put bug, or poor game mechanics, Hero/Hench not spawning enemies has been and will likely remain a part of the game.

The proof is still in the last "big thing" to use this. "Ghost Running", when they changed Unyielding Aura to rez from an entire map away. When this creative little use for the heroes not spawning enemies was fixed, UA was changed, not the hero triggers. So this feature will likely always remain, either by choice or by game design.

snaek

Forge Runner

Join Date: Mar 2006

N/

30 May 2010 at 20:33 - 95

Quote:

Official term? Really?

who said anything about official term? i said the term as it is defined on the official wiki. that is one of many sources (listed in this thread and not) that define the acts involved with speedbooking as an exploit.

Quote:

Then again, if THIS is an exploit, 99% of the farming is an exploit as well and, by reading the EULA, we should all be banned RIGHT NOW for exploiting the flawed artificial intelligence.

stop assuming that exploit = ban. i have stated multiple times this is not the case.

Quote:

Abuse of Game Mechanics

The distinction between exploiting bugs and abusing game mechanics is a fine one. While bug exploitation involves the abuse of what is essentially a programming mistake, the abuse of game mechanics is the act of taking advantage of the limitations of the World of Warcraft game systems. Since the line between the sanctioned use and the abuse of game mechanics is sometimes unclear, we prefer to educate players before taking any action against the account being used.

the problem here is that its not due to the "limitations of the game systems"; it is a flaw (programming mistake) and can be relatively easy to fix by changing a few things in the code. so even by this definition, it is indeed an exploit.

point is, multiple sources have been quoted in this thread, and every single one (including the ones you quoted) indicate this as an exploit.

Risus

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jun 2007

56min UW HM post-2/25 I win

FDR

A/

30 May 2010 at 20:35 - 96

TECHNICALLY it is an exploit because you are exploiting the fact that heroes don't trigger NPC spawns except the bosses, but it's very easily fixable by ANet (don't make them trigger the bosses either).

You're safe, probably 90% of the player base does this, and it would be the stupidest business decision ever to ban people for doing this.

Trub

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Mar 2006

Sitting in the guildhall, watching the wallows frolic.

Trinity of the ascended [SMS]+[Koss]+[TAM]=[ToA]

30 May 2010 at 20:41 - 97

Quote:

You're safe, probably 90% of the player base does this

WOW!!
I don't believe that percentage for a minute!
Please don't encourage breaking of the user agreement....
dam.
As the ANet team has said..if ANYTHING feels 'wrong' or looks like an exploit...don't do it, and ASK if it is 'ok' to do that activity (of ANet).
Support is clogged enough with people that honestly believe they didn't deserve their bannings, don't add to that number for the future corrective actions.

Gill Halendt

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Mar 2008

30 May 2010 at 20:58 - 98

Quote:

Originally Posted by snaek

who said anything about official term?

It's in the "definition" on the wiki:

Quote:

Originally Posted by http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Exploit
An exploit is an official term referring to...

To bad it's not only not official. It's plain wrong.

Quote:

Originally Posted by snaek

the problem here is that its not due to the "limitations of the game systems"; it is a flaw (programming mistake) and can be relatively easy to fix by changing a few things in the code. so even by this definition, it is indeed an exploit.

point is, multiple sources have been quoted in this thread, and every single one (including the ones you quoted) indicate this as an exploit.

Oh no, it's not a "mistake". It's declaredly intended and was introduced because of limitations with the system. Spawning the whole map all at once wasn't possible, that's what we've been told by Lindsey about the HFFF problem, so we pretty much know it's officially because of technical limitations.

The RESULT of this debatable design solution is the possibility of abuses. It's not the "design solution" itself to be wrong -> not a bug, since you have no code to "correct", you have to entirely recode parts to change this mechanic. Which is something they might just not want to do. So they'll more likely leave it at that or redesign the mission.

There's no margin for arguing here, really. That's not me, it's IT terminology, the only one that counts here. "Abuse" and "Exploit" are not to be taken literally, but more like technical terms:

- Abuse, referring to design and mechanics abuses
- Exploit, referring to coding bug abuses

So:

- "Abusers" usually see their abusable mechanics altered (as with the HFFF abuse)
- "Exploiters" are banned (as with the duping exploit)

You might want to check this again:

Quote:

Abuse of Game Mechanics

The distinction between exploiting bugs and abusing game mechanics is a fine one. While bug exploitation involves the abuse of what is essentially a programming mistake, the abuse of game mechanics is the act of taking advantage of the limitations of the [...] game systems.

It's clearly stated that "bugs" are "programming mistakes" ("programming mistakes" -> "coding errors").

You probably got the definition of "bug" (and hence the one of "exploit") wrong. I see your point, in English "to exploit" means "to use or manipulate to one's advantage" and it works well here. But it's not the meaning of the term as it's used in the EULA, in that context "exploit" being a technical term to describe the exploitation of coding bugs.

dancing gnome

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: May 2006

House of Wandering Souls

R/Rt

30 May 2010 at 21:03 - 99

Apparently if you email support, explain what speedbooking is and ask whether it's an exploit or not, they will give you an answer. So I'd suggest someone wanting to know the answer to this go and do that.

You might even cheer up some poor support dude's day by giving him something to do other than respond to the gajillion "unjustly banned" emails they are getting.

Sticks and Stones

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Aug 2006

Scotland

The bandits of Icestone Mountain

W/R

30 May 2010 at 21:10 - 100

Sorry to the people that it will annoy, but that's exactly what I've done.

We can argue 'till kingdom come, but I say we get Anets offical word, so I seant them an email and will post the reply here when it arrives.

Trub

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Mar 2006

Sitting in the guildhall, watching the wallows frolic.

Trinity of the ascended [SMS]+[Koss]+[TAM]=[ToA]

30 May 2010 at 21:20 - 101

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sticks and Stones

Sorry to the people that it will annoy, but that's exactly what I've done.

We can argue 'till kingdom come, but I say we get Anets offical word, so I seant them an email and will post the reply here when it arrives.

I don't see why it would annoy anyone.
You took the action ... and now all we can do is wait.

We thank you.

wilebill

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Dec 2005

Mt Vernon, Ohio

Band of the Hawk

W/Mo

31 May 2010 at 01:28 - 102

Wait and stay tuned for my followup thread:

Is running an exploit? and plenty of room for others if you think about all the services that are offered.

Invertation

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jul 2006

Shiverpeaks Search And Rescue [Lost]

W/

31 May 2010 at 03:48 - 103

These mentioned methods, such as Gyala, have been obvious and well known parts of the game for quite a while. If ANet cared enough, they would properly devote the resources to fixing them. Banning people for doing something that is manageable and within their own realm of capability to fix seems fallacy. The WORST they could do is make a public statement in regards until a fix was made.

amitai

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Nov 2007

N/

31 May 2010 at 04:00 - 104

if this is an exploit than the shadow form is an exploit and every player in the game did it at least one so they should actualy ban everyone if speedbooking considered exploiting

Welthas

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jan 2007

Pennsylvania

E/

31 May 2010 at 04:01 - 105

Speedbooking is not an exploit.. stuff like the duncan glitch, now that's an exploit. But filling a book to 8 pages fast then turning it in, I don't see how that can be remotely close to being considered an "exploit"

Oblivious Moose

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Dec 2006

Sinister Swarm [Sin]

P/

31 May 2010 at 05:50 - 106

Currently, its a game mechanic, just like a trap triggering on a bridge your under from above. In order to make this hero speed booking, all they need to do is not allow flagged heroes to trigger quest/mission points. Which is a very quick and easy fix, but has not been done.

Same thing goes for the Hero fast faction farm on the kurzick side. Its just another way of anet giving us a break every once in a while.

Dervish Kid

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2007

Florida

D/

31 May 2010 at 05:52 - 107

thats pretty much like saying pvx builds are an exploit..almost.. :x

Lord Sojar

The Fallen One

Join Date: Dec 2005

Oblivion

Irrelevant

Mo/Me

31 May 2010 at 09:47 - 108

It's an exploit, yes. Is it a bannable exploit? Highly doubtful. This is defined as an exploit of game code, but it doesn't really break the game fundamentally, so this is a side issue that ANET may or may not fix. I personally wouldn't use it, but that's a personal view. Using these methods makes you a lazy jerk, but it doesn't make you a cheater.

luauelveneno

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2006

in my room behind my pc

Guilty Guild [GG]

31 May 2010 at 10:41 - 109

would be cool if someone from the GW staff replied on this actually.

byteme!

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jan 2006

On Earth

W/P

31 May 2010 at 14:27 - 110

I always thought speedbooking was a term used when people just did the 3 shortest missions with heroes as quickly as possible. Only found out about this trick after reading this post.

On one hand I'm kinda pissed because I worked my ass off on 10 characters (1 for each profession) to max out or close to max on the EoTN rep titles. On the other hand I had fun and I can rest easy knowing I will never get banned because I've never cheated or exploited anything.

stretchs

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Sep 2007

Untimely Demise [Err了] - SOHK

31 May 2010 at 14:34 - 111

To me, with all the recent decisions that ANET has made with the game, I would say it is indeed an exploit, although I dont see them banning people because anet is 2 faced when it comes to exploits, some get one response others get another. Most of the time when it is an obvious hole they left and easily done without doing super crazy things in game, they just fix the issue and move forward. IE portal jumping

Welthas

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jan 2007

Pennsylvania

E/

31 May 2010 at 14:43 - 112

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rahja the Thief

It's an exploit, yes. Is it a bannable exploit? Highly doubtful. This is defined as an exploit of game code, but it doesn't really break the game fundamentally, so this is a side issue that ANET may or may not fix. I personally wouldn't use it, but that's a personal view. Using these methods makes you a lazy jerk, but it doesn't make you a cheater.

Your avatar made me read this as if House was actually reading it haha.

snaek

Forge Runner

Join Date: Mar 2006

N/

31 May 2010 at 14:50 - 113

Quote:

Originally Posted by welthas

Speedbooking is not an exploit.. stuff like the duncan glitch, now that's an exploit. But filling a book to 8 pages fast then turning it in, I don't see how that can be remotely close to being considered an "exploit"

speedbooking itself isn't technically exploiting, rather it involves an exploit in one of the missions.

Quote:

Originally Posted by byteme

I always thought speedbooking was a term used when people just did the 3 shortest missions with heroes as quickly as possible.

it is, and the fastest method possible involves using the exploit. technically you can "speedbook" without using the exploit (although would it still be called "speedbooking" if it takes a few mins longer?), and you can exploit the mission without the intent of speedbooking.

Dzjudz

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jun 2005

gwpvx.com/user:dzjudz

31 May 2010 at 15:08 - 114

Quote:

Originally Posted by snaek

speedbooking itself isn't technically exploiting, rather it involves an exploit in one of the missions.

Actually two of the missions. You do the same no-spawn but mission-spawn trick in curse of the nornbear as well: no enemies spawn with only heroes but the nornbear does spawn (much like against the charr where enemies don't spawn but the bosses do).

godis

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Sep 2009

LOVE

N/Me

01 Jun 2010 at 09:06 - 115

I think many people in this thread are missing that there is "speedbooking" and "hero speedbooking"

Hero speedbooking can be done with any character and using the radar to move the heroes around not causing anything to spawn.

Speedbooking was done with a Shadow form sin that ran the through the missions and only killing endboss. People usually paid for this service to fill their books.

Eragon Zarroc

Atra estern?? ono thelduin

Join Date: Jan 2008

Madness Incarnate

[Duo]

W/P

01 Jun 2010 at 12:09 - 116

this is an exploit. moving heroes around without fighting any enemies sound fair to you? lol. just as much of an exploit as was HFFF, and they fixed that ;-) they will fix this too...eventually...maybe. lol

Shayne Hawke

Departed from Tyria

Join Date: May 2007

Clan Dethryche [dth]

R/

01 Jun 2010 at 18:33 - 117

Hero speedbooking is not an exploit. It's cheap, yes, but it's effective and fast. It's not like you're breaking any of the rules of the game or doing something that you're not supposed to.

It's no different from the safest way of completing the bonus to Divinity Coast, or ensuring that you save Less Longbow, giver of the bonus in Aurora Glade.

Eragon Zarroc

Atra estern?? ono thelduin

Join Date: Jan 2008

Madness Incarnate

[Duo]

W/P

01 Jun 2010 at 18:37 - 118

it's exploiting the fact that mobs don't spawn when heroes are running around by themselves. It was introduced when heroes were introduced because this also introduced "flagging", which is what this exploit relies on.

Martin Alvito

Older Than God (1)

Join Date: Aug 2006

Clan Dethryche [dth]

01 Jun 2010 at 18:55 - 119

Whether this is a feature or a bug is in the eye of the beholder. Given that, the exploiters have an attractive leg to stand on.

Sticks and Stones

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Aug 2006

Scotland

The bandits of Icestone Mountain

W/R

03 Jun 2010 at 18:26 - 120

I waited quite a while for a reply, two days ago I got this:

Hello,

Thank you for contacting the Guild Wars Support Team.

I am escalating your ticket to our Guild Wars senior staff members to assist you further. Once they have reviewed your question, one of them will contact you as soon as possible.

Regards,
GM Martina
The Guild Wars Support Team

Today we finally have a concrete answer:

Hello,

I have reviewed the information in the provided link and I could not find anything in there that would be considered a violation. Please let me know if you have any other questions or require further assistance.

Regards,
GM CherryViper
The Guild Wars Support Team

( the link I provided was this- http://pvx.wikia.com/wiki/Build:Team_-_Hero_Speedbook )

So there you have it folks, speedbook to your hearts content.