How does arena net deal with macros?

ryman75

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Nov 2010

Mo/

If i wanted to use a macro to use non spammable tonics has arena net ever stated this is against the rules?

Marty Silverblade

Marty Silverblade

Administrator

Join Date: Jun 2006

It's a grey area. The search button still works. Dug this up with about 2 seconds of effort: http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/q...ighlight=macro

Zenzai

Zenzai

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jun 2009

N/E

People used them spam alcohol points and were banned. Fully automatic macros are bannable.

Relyk

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Feb 2008

W/

If you are using a macro that give an advantage over other users i.e. bot or similar, then it's bannable. Anet still reserves the right to ban you for any third party program, but in all likelihood, they won't pursue the issue if it's something benign like consumable spam. Do so at your own risk.

Winner

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2012

W/Mo

How does arena net deal with macros?

With banhammer.

Snograt

Snograt

rattus rattus

Join Date: Jan 2006

London, UK GMT??0 ??1hr DST

[GURU]GW [wiki]GW2

R/

Non-spammable tonics? You'd be looking at a macro that drinks a tonic, runs to adjacent town (I used Ascalon/Great Northern Wall) drink tonic, run back, rinse & repeat.

I suspect that's exactly the kind of bot-like behaviour that will ring alarm bells everywhere.

(When I say "I used..." I should point out that I did it manually and yes, it was a pain.)

akelarumi

akelarumi

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Nov 2009

E/

First rule is that they are not allowed. If you are to be banned is a grey area. e.g. a macro to load in a weapon set and a skillset with a single click in a pvp staging area won't be banned. If your using a macro to autorun to target and click skill 1-6 with a single click will get you banned.

KIDGOOCH

KIDGOOCH

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Apr 2006

MD

R/Mo

Not sure how many tonics you are using but I went through nearly 500 in less than an hour by using one then switching to an intl dis using one zone back...

Unless you have a ton more than that, it just as easy to push a few buttons.

If your connection is fast you can hit and zone in 2 seconds.

Notorious Bob

Notorious Bob

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Mar 2009

Gwen's underwear drawer

The Curry Kings

R/

Quote:
Originally Posted by akelarumi View Post
First rule is that they are not allowed. If you are to be banned is a grey area. e.g. a macro to load in a weapon set and a skillset with a single click in a pvp staging area won't be banned. If your using a macro to autorun to target and click skill 1-6 with a single click will get you banned.
Simply not true.

True keyboard macros have always been a grey area - Anet even provided a Logitech G15 gaming keyboard as a competition prize at one point - and they were the king of keyboard macros.

Any macro that simply strings key-presses together isn't gonna be bannable.

Anything that is more elaborate, process mouse location for auto-running for example is more likely to fall under scrutiny.

But basic key-press macros on a G15 are perfectly ok including, target-nearest and 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8!

Timer based stuff for spamming drunkard points while AFK has never been officially commented on by Anet - see above about the G15 keyboard prize - I believe this very question was asked and never answered.

Snograt

Snograt

rattus rattus

Join Date: Jan 2006

London, UK GMT??0 ??1hr DST

[GURU]GW [wiki]GW2

R/

Gaile did comment on drunkard autoclickers once. It was very vague and pretty much said what this thread has - it's against the EULA, it's a minor infringement but it might lead to a ban.

Tl;dr - it's probably ok, but don't go crying to support if you get nobbled.

Star_Jewel

Star_Jewel

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Mar 2010

Denizen of Tyria since Feb. 2009

Quote:
Originally Posted by Notorious Bob View Post
Anything that is more elaborate, process mouse location for auto-running for example is more likely to fall under scrutiny.

But basic key-press macros on a G15 are perfectly ok including, target-nearest and 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8!
I seem to recall reading a clarification about it, probably on Gaile's talk page, but not sure, that they will ban you for any automation that can run while you are not at the computer. I interpret that to mean that, yes, you can set up a macro to target nearest and then activate a succession of skills and then stop until you push the macro key again. But once you set that macro to loop, you're putting yourself in serious jeopardy.

The problem is, whether you're pushing the macro key yourself or looping it, either could trigger their bot flag. ANet is known for banning first and maybe asking questions later. And if you had such a complex macro going, regardless of whether you were firing it manually or not, it might be tough to prove complete innocence.

(I used to have a G11 keyboard macro to maintain my enchantments for E/Me vaettir farming because I suck -- the damage skills were done manually -- but after the bot crackdown, I quit using it because it just wasn't worth the risk.)

Notorious Bob

Notorious Bob

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Mar 2009

Gwen's underwear drawer

The Curry Kings

R/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Star_Jewel View Post
I seem to recall reading a clarification about it, probably on Gaile's talk page, but not sure, that they will ban you for any automation that can run while you are not at the computer. I interpret that to mean that, yes, you can set up a macro to target nearest and then activate a succession of skills and then stop until you push the macro key again. But once you set that macro to loop, you're putting yourself in serious jeopardy.
Yup, loops and timers are more likely to attract attention - but as a lot of us pointed out, why give a G15 as a GW competition prize if macros are a bannable offence

----------

Quote:
Originally Posted by Snograt View Post
Gaile did comment on drunkard autoclickers once. It was very vague and pretty much said what this thread has - it's against the EULA, it's a minor infringement but it might lead to a ban.

Tl;dr - it's probably ok, but don't go crying to support if you get nobbled.
Nobbled by Gaile.... oh yes please!

Dar Drakor

Dar Drakor

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2008

Ancient Dragon Disciples [ADD]

N/A

I would imagine thar they would be more attuned to any macros, especially timered macros, used OUTSIDE of towns and outposts. Plenty of people has used macros to get drunkard title before they enabled spamming of alcohol and I dont know of anyone that was banned for that specifically.

Rhododendron

Rhododendron

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jun 2009

Rt/

At the moment Arenanet has abandoned all forms of support and maintenance of their old game everything being automated. This goes as far as player run bots being present not only in the instanced areas for the usual farming but as far as participating in pvp format arenas, in plain sight. See Jade Quarry, where at certain hours you can see entire bot teams fighting each other (2/3 capture points remain neutral for the whole length of the game while "players" fight as far as even 5 steps from them with o intention of doing anything else - witnessed in 3 consecutive matches)


So buddy, do not worry, at this point nobody gives a damn about your macros.

doomfodder

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jan 2007

farm

R/

If you have access to War In Kryta, then all creatures near Zinn's lab are inflicted with Loose Magic every three seconds. Therefor ALL tonics usable in explorable areas are spammable here (without having to zone/rezone continuously). So you just need to enter Zinn's Lab and start clicking...

Winner

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2012

W/Mo

It's called cheating. Since you would be having access to third party program, which us, people who don't cheat wouldn't have. So, don't be so lazy and just click on the things...

Zaph

Zaph

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: May 2008

UTC+1

--- ???oo ???ugs ???lan --- [?????????]

Mo/

There is more satisfaction doing it yourself then letting a script doing stuff for you, believe me. And if you use macros and bots, you'd risk a ban - you don't want to lose everything you've done.

Above said coming from a person that lost his account cause he was greedy enough to try using macros and bots... but in the end of the day - crime does not pay..

Pyrthas

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jun 2005

Me/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zaph View Post
There is more satisfaction doing it yourself then letting a script doing stuff for you, believe me.
This might be true for you, but don't expect it to be true for everyone. I got no satisfaction from autohotkeying a few more comfortable keys to hit tonic (spammed so I hit two), log out, log in, repeat than I would have if I'd automated the whole thing. Likewise for using morale sweets (although there were fewer things to remap there). The only reason I didn't was fear of losing everything just to get gwamm a little more easily.

I also remapped a bunch of keys to click so I could mash my keyboard instead of hurting my hand for drunkard. (Thank goodness for the drunkard update.)

CE Devilman

CE Devilman

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jul 2006

hell

Do U Trust Anet

N/Mo

if U macro to move from point A to point B and use a action and jump back to point A..red flag
(macro use the same timer to do the same action over and over)

autohotkeying on skills or on heros to put enc on you..nop

autohotkeying pause on timer after skill
skill:12345678
pause 123ms (the time it takes to press U finger down)
skill:12345678
pause 153ms (the time it takes to press U finger down)
skill:12345678
pause 133ms (the time it takes to press U finger down)