Given that blizzard has said multiboxing is fine, but broadcasting keys from 1 window into another is not. If i was on my mage, and set it up so everytime i press fireball, my mage casts fireball, and i jump to my next wow client would that be acceptable?
Since i would never be broadcasting keys, and would in effect be adding an alt tab into my fireball. Obviously i’d have to click 5x more than before, but i think i can spam pretty fast.
Yes, you can still tab between different WoW screens using multiple accounts.
The only thing that’s being banned is the actual software that copies your keystrokes to other tabs.
Blizzard could still change their mind on this and outright stop people playing multiple accounts altogether; but I doubt they’ll do that.
Having re-read the thread: I wouldn’t risk setting up anything that automatically tabs you out after you start casting. If you press fireball and then alt tab yourself, you’re fine.
It’s the automation part that Blizzard are trying to tackle, not the multiple character part.
It seems like you could use a desktop macro that does that. It’s not broadcasting mirrored input if its using a pre-defined course of action.
If you want to run 5 clients you would need to hit atleast 10 times to be sure to avoid having it fall under blizzards botting definition. Having a single keypress first start casting fireball, then change to another client is pretty much the definition of automation. Feel free to let us know how it goes.
That’s legal, however by the time you alt-tab, select the target and started casting you could have casted a spell on your main.
How many keypresses do you use to cast a spell? How is that automated? If you cast a spell and then alt tab to another character and click a spell it’s not automated you have to select the spell just like you would normally.
That’s not what he’s referring to.
He’s referring to a macro or program that instantly tabs you out after you’ve set your cast up.
Currently, it would be Fireball - Alt-tab to next client - Fireball.
The point of this topic was Fireball - Fireball, without having to alt tab as the game would move them straight to their next client.
Almost, but not quite right. The way I interpret the op to want to set it up is this:
First keypress: Fireball → alt tab (2 operations in 1 press).
Second keypress: Fireball → alt tab x2 (first alt tab will only bring you back to the previous client) 3 operations in 1 press.
Third keypress: Fireball → alt tab x3, 4 operations in 1 press.
And so on.
He basically wants to minimize the need for human input with help of computer software/code. That’s pretty much the definition of automation.
It would be a single alt tab on any press. Although not actually alt tabbing. Almost all multibox software lets you bind for different windows. For example i use ctrl 1 to 5 for my 5 charecters. If i press ctrl 1 i play from my mage, then ctrl 2 from my priest etc.
I am talking about setting it so, that if i press it on my main it does in effect fireball + jump to mage 2. Then on mage 2 fireball + jump to mage 3, then 4, then back to the start. That was i’m never broadcasting keys from 1 client to another, i’m just jumping windows a lot.
The answer is still no. You are not allowed to use any software that has the possibility to facilitate input broadcasting. It doesn’t matter if you use it for that or not. You can try, but you will have a bad case if you ever get reported and banned.
ii. Cheating: Create, use, offer, promote, advertise, make available and/or distribute the following or assist therein:
…
4. any code and/or software, not expressly authorized by Blizzard, that can be used in connection with the Platform and/or any component or feature thereof which changes and/or facilitates the gameplay or other functionality;
I would suggest carefully reading atleast part 1. C. in the EULA if you want to try to find a way around the new policy:
Doing your utmost to wriggle around something that is stated to be against the rules is generally a bad idea if you want to keep access to your accounts.
It feels like every piece of multiboxing software that has been used for the past 15 years technically violates point 4.
Even the software that lets you have 4 small wow windows, and 1 large window to play on.
It feels like blizzard is saying broadcasting keystrokes from client 1 to the rest of our clients is not acceptable, but multiboxing is fine, and so is the rest of the software we use.
Blizzard expressly said that sending commands to several characters with a single key press was allowed back in 2008 (maybe even earlier). So it was covered by an exception to the rule. It is this expressed policy that has now changed. The EULA has not changed, and won’t need to be changed.
Here are a bunch of old blue posts on the matter:
The problem with the cast firebolt then alt-tab to the next window is not a warcraft macro which means you can be banned for it.
I wonder why WOW client allows multiple instances of itself to be launched on one single computer. It looks like they have multi-boxing in mind allowing this.
Or are there other valid use cases launching multiple wow instances?
Their current stance is as follows:
“Multiboxing, or playing multiple World of Warcraft accounts at once, is not a violation of our Terms of Use. Please note, however, that use of input broadcasting software may result in account penalties”
@Razamanaz: There are cases (admittedly rare), where a single computer runs multiples WoW instances without any actual multiboxing. For example, some couples or parent/legal guardian-child duos have two monitors, two keyboards, two mice, but WoW runs on a single computer.
And I have at times had both WoW Classic (primary account) and WoW retail (secondary account) run side by side. This is not really multiboxing either as I am not even able to access same realms. Since I also have an account on US side, I could even run three WoW accounts concurrently on my computer and not be multiboxing in the sense most people use it. 
In short, being able to launch more than one WoW account on a single computer does not automatically lead to multiboxing at all.
Also, as Miylee’s quote points out, multiple accounts are not being forbidden, but input broadcasting software is.
Thank you Trelw for the clarification. This make sense.
Ah ok. Now that you mention it I seem to recall some content creators getting banned for ‘log in’ macros, was a long time ago.
I do not think what he is suggesting is banable by any means as it’s not broadcasting anything to other clients and it’s a 1 press to 1 in game action on each client the only thing the macro is switching windows. What’s next banning players for using a macro to play the next track on their music player
What you think is reasonable doesn’t matter. What matters is how the EULA is worded, and how blizzard is detecting it. The EULA doesn’t require you to actually use the software for the game. What matters is that it can be used, and that you are running it so that warden detects it.