Post by Raj on Dec 1, 2017 22:08:31 GMT
Some old stories and random ramblings here, trying to keep the discussion separated from the Enhanced Edition one. Or to scare you with the might of this wall of text, that I don't plan to double check for typos. Playing a lot less and typing a lot even when it's totally unnecessary, I'm almost a DM.
The Early Multibox: A History of Altruism
With the early exceptions of some greedy sob who wanted to be able to open Lolth/Illithid doors or pull the Pyramid levels alone, multiboxing started among the end game players back when Hells were young and you had to be tagged to the relevant layer to even partecipate as a helper. Upon completition of Nessus your skull was wiped as of today, but you couldn't join any more Nessus (or Dis+) until you retagged the whole way. Many good players who made such runs possible by playing the always in demand druid and bards were forced to give up on completing runs, else they weren't able to join future ones. Most Nessus runs were pre-scheduled guild runs, and by committing to them you had to make sure to not 'burn' your Nessus attunement by joining some other run.
The first Hells multiboxer (Claus Ekstroem, great player who was happy to help runs getting started) came to a compromise: he would play (bard usually) until Asmo third form, and log out the toon shortly before the party dealt the killing blow. That way he could keep Nessus tagged toon for future runs. With time that started to be a common tactic for many parties, and made up for funny situations when Asmo refused to die after the helper left. Needless to say it was quite a big sacrifice to ask to a player who would be tagging (in an era when such runs were -always- full of 10 people and harder to pull off) to log out so that he could help future runs.
We then decided to let such helper toons to be botted, even at risk of not filling the other slots with real players, should this be the only way to cover all core roles. There was some silly drama as usual when people were told they couldn't join because X player covered Y & Z roles, but if the excluded guy couldn't cover the missing core s/he usually understood. Upon Asmo 3 shape we had the botted toon log out as usual, and the helper getting at least one tag to the carried/botted second toon. I remember at least one situation when Claus had to bot both druid and bard, log them out and tag the shifter. It was a damn weak party and we risked wipe after he logged both the cores: it was decided in future to avoid such ballsy (dumb) "lowman" attempts.
Even after the Hells tagging system was reworked, such practice kept going on, with the exception that now people weren't forced to log out any toon anymore. It was such a standardized practice by now that people used to bot helper toons in any layer, when finding competant cores in reasonable time was not an option. Keywork is 'competant', because it became obvious that letting a friend play a good druid while letting him leech the tag on some tank, was better than having him on such tank while hiring a terrible druid. Or a shitlisted player answering the call.
Botting a rogue for Stygia-Nessus was also a thing; 1-2 BUR chests more than made up for the added player who'd take part to the split so people weren't that greedy to refuse spots to real rogue players, but if there was no rogue around, losing such loot was going to hurt a lot the end reward, so much that a rogue used to be considered core and a bot one was given precedence over a real player playing anything else. Nowadays this might look absurd, but you gotta imagine 4 hours long runs with maybe 5 burs in the split, without a rogue. Randomization altered loot quantities, and those end run chests don't make a difference anymore, but for Nessus only the forge secrets are enough of a hook that a rogue is welcome there, and I'm not surprised if people (especially those coming to help and not tagging) prefer a botted rogue to a real player, since they chances of getting nothing out of 1h30-2h of time are greater without one. The introduction of Abyss exacerbated the 'need' of rogue bots: the good loot is locked behind part 3 boss chests, especially when Abyss was young many part 3 runs didn't get started if there was no guarantee of getting such reward. Bots were welcome, bots made runs happen. Bot a rogue, bot a bard, bot a helper while you tag another toon.
Multibox Evolution, or how it grew out of proportion
It was greed, combined with lack of players and power inflaction to make botting a wide phenomenon. If it's possible for me to complete a Nessus with 9 other real people in 1 hour and 30' (compared to the old records of 4 hours), and at the same time it's possible to complete it alone with bots or with only 1-3 other real people in 2 hours (when previously such idea was crazy), if I can commit to a slighty longer run (and I can, being one of those 'happy' to take part to the old 4 hours runs afterall) for triple the reward I'm going for that.
The need for multiboxers to have 2+ high level toons on different accounts also made them farm xp on their own. You can spot those guys 6-10 manning legendary level runs only to get xp quicker. More often than not, they're not shouting the run because a true newbie is slowing them down with unnecessary rests/deaths, or they haven't the patience to teach them the run so "sit there in GS, don't die" is common practice. These runs are all but a good thing for new people trying to get to the end game: they get a lot of xp fast sure, but learn next to nothing if a level 80 sorc is carrying 5 fresh immo bot tanks plus you in GS. Most of the time it's Desert/Dustbone or PoM runs with very little good loot, so even if the carry player is feeling generous (usually they reserve the keys/unique drops tho) you risk getting at Hell levels far from being "Hells-ready".
As a random idea tossed here, even if multiboxing is left as an option, now that we have the shakling mechanic all the LL runs should be limited (drastically reduced xp, no special-loot like the PH in toyshop, so we have a precedent, while the option to do the run with levels 55+ for fun is still there) to a certain level range to avoid such forms of drag. If you think that I'm being too meany with less skilled players, who can't imagine doing Sissy without a 70+ PM carrying them (and find it fun), know that the same players are only delaying the future halt in progression, when they won't be able to contribute to higher level runs because they learnt and looted next to nothing in the level-appropriate content. And the multiboxers who dragged them won't be there, because they still don't need them, but this time there's worthy loot they don't want to share.
The consequences, and how people fail to perceive the seriousness of the situation. Also, more nostalgic memories.
Botting is going to affect non-botting players. There's no need for more players, not even if they own the required cores (but we're certain they cannot play a single toon as good as somebody with 100x their gear and in-game-hours), especially if you believe in such remarks:
No. Just no. "If you slack" is not a good premise. Think at the other players, those who don't slack. Is it fair having the same chances at loot of them, especially now with randomization when in -ANY- run something I don't own yet could drop, something so good randomized that there's a 1 in a million chance for it to drop and be won by somebody who "slacked"? Are those other players having more fun with you in the party? The answers are obvious, but before some forum fighter comes argue that "it's a game and we play for fun" let me say it's funnier to play with people you trust and are all around the same skill level, making the run go smooth, take less, and you don't feel robbed of you time should they win such one-in-a-million-item because they deserved it.
I should note that "back in the days" (when loot was scarcer than now) people were generally a lot more humble during their character progression and joined "tag only" or bowed out of split quite commonly: I'd like to think they made it out of good heart and self consciousness so that I had to insist many times for party members to stay for the loot split (sometime they really understimated their contribution, sometime loot didn't matter much and they were good company), but as a side note these people really improved their reputation by doing so. With server age and runs being a lot easier, taking shorter and no risk of wipe, such standards have been slackened, with the side effect that "tag only" runs are the exceptions and people feel entitled to claim their share even when they did nothing, sometime not even partecipated to the friendly chat (the worst drag of all). If I can pick between a silent noob (not newbie, those are cute and all, but noobs being around for years) happy to slack even if he could contribute a bit by learning the ("%£%(?!ng game, and a silent bot happy to stand around and not slowing the run down, bonus points if played by a nice person, I favor the latter.
There're a lot less public parties going on because of many other issues: 1) natural lower population; 2) powercreep, and with the exception of server wipe/harder areas being worth run that's going to stay, letting smaller parties complete areas without much help; 3) toxic players being around, most of them displaying a very different attitude in-game and on the board, that long time players want to avoid at all costs so they don't shout else these problem makers go scream to mom-Funky ears once they're denied a spot and cause unnecessary drama where they look like the good boys (any reference to Trazik, Mish, Nahorl is not casual, while for those still playing I won't spoil you the surprise)... ok now I'm derailing.
It's both a symptom and a cause. Not-casual players leave if all they see around them is multiboxers progressing and having fun, and them being forced to follow their example and abide to their rules or leave. There's a lot of in-game power to accrue when you're the one making runs possible. Look at me, being an ass and getting away with it (even before multiboxing yo!). I'd like to think it's only because I sometime post some useful thread but that's too optimistic I know...
That's a fine use of your time and having more toons at disposal for when real runs happen is a good thing, just think at how many other real runs are not happening because you are busy botting. Before anybody attempts the excuse 'I only bot when nothing else goes on', know that most of the time nothing else is going on because people check webdash, feel disappointed and go play something else. I do not even join my friends when I see them busy 3-5 boxing some content, because playing just 1 toon would feel wrong/unfun/unfair, and most of the time the run they're busy with is not interesting either.
You're not getting people to log on your server when you have a bunch of accounts in desert/db, try move them to Zerial and the beacon works better. 5 bots in PoM don't make anybody log and ask if you're up for anything else, 2 real people (even without a realistic chance of completing Ely) sitting with level 80s at the boat ramp are going to pique some lurker interest. Some cheap Webdash psychology here.
In my opinion it's wrong thinking that multibox is just a part of the issue (less players, less runs), when its role is heavily linked, and often a direct cause, of the aforementioned issues.
For how HG loot is designed, owning a tag means very little if you can't get some useful piece of gear out of it. Being part of a 10 people Aboleths run can be fun. Once, twice, some times. More, if you are a weak player and that's your chance of partecipating to something out of your usual league. On the other hand, you need luck for the good loot to drop, and then even more luck to win that. Even assuming you really like the rest of the party members and don't rage if somebody with a melee pariah wins the temporal autocaster (hue), it can be an exercise of frustation. The good players who can run the place without need of a full party are not going to shout and lower their loot chances, when a quick look at webdash only shows weak/toxic players. That's less runs for you. With practice comes perfection and you're not having practice, you're left behind. At the same time, good players with access to multibox can attempt such runs even when their friends aren't online, but not by shouting the run for others to be included.
This has the side effect of players alienating players, even among their friends should they not be available to do small-party runs due to preferring solo-multiboxing runs. If you can't find runs because of more sneaky multiboxing runs, you leave. Or you become a dick toward multiboxers, when they're in fact taking advantage of a allowed mechanic of the game. Being allowed doesn't mean it's a good thing anyway, it's not like our glorious ruler is always right, decisions are often taken to alter the game field by encouraging a different behaviour rather than outright banning. I have a first person example about this I want to share, because I feel it has a lot in common with the actual issues.
Back when Hells were young (oh crap not again I hear you... sorry I'll try to keep it interesting), with clever exploiting and a specific-designed toon I was able to put my hands on loot that was beyond the reach of the 1% of players of the server. Stuff like solo-farming (no botting, just one level 60) planewalker rings or maladomini grapes, by walking thru map borders to avoid triggers, fighting only the matrix-holder monsters, despawning maps. As per server rules, "[...] We prefer to deal with exploits by scripting around them, in order to keep cumbersome rules to a minimum. Generally speaking, if your character CAN do something, they are welcome to do so [...]" I happily farming my share (avoiding to trade away stuff to not inflate economy) for a month or so, without trying to hide such tactics because it was safe to, and then shortly after a couple anti-exploits have been introduced that made such runs not possible/profitable anymore. Among them, the limit of 4 players in party to get anything out of Hell set chest. GG.
Years passed by and our toons became stronger. It's not an impossible effort anymore to play just 1-3 toons and "legit" reach the PW chest for example. The anti-exploit is still there tho, so it's pointless to play with a couple friends to farm gear you rightfully deserve, because you played "fair" to get there. Here enters the multiboxing. I can play very well 1-2 toons only and get to the pw chest, and get nothing, or I can play very well 1-2 toons and keep a couple slackers in the rearguard and get a chance at loot. That's really not fair at all if you ask me. Even worse, it incentivized the use of bots above real people, and you don't see anymore shouts like "need 2 more people to farm pw ring" or "need one more guy only to pull the pyramid levers"; very rarely the latter, but it was quite a common practice in the past to small-party farm artifacts, nowadays it's a multiboxer near exclusive playground. Less runs for you.
It's finally over. Somebody please teach this guy to write proper English.
I don't want to sound hypocrytal but realist. I've been dual-boxing everything the server had to offer pre-limbo with the exception of Orcus, breaking the wand ending, and the Nessus coil. My abosorc and shifter did each 150+ millions xp duoing the aboleth run, and I still think that was a better time investment than trying to organize full party runs for the 1 in 30 chance (cuz of 33% droprate) that the TA would go to me. That's about 100 aboleth runs you didn't get the chance to get on because a single player decided to multibox. For a bit I toyed with the idea of a third account (see my sign) to complete the runs that were left for me to do, then limbo hit and I had other priorities. Fun fact, if it was possible to start the run with less than 5 partymembers I'd take my chances and go for it; that's actually another controversial limit to party size like Hells one, because I don't see any difference between 2 real players, and 2 real players with three bots attempting the same run. Anyway, since rules don't forbid it and I can multibox, I'm happy to go farm canopics with just 1-2 friends and our bots. Again, 'you' are not getting a chance to be invited. Anyway, the more I think about it, even just 2-boxing opens so many possibilities that should an IP check be introduced, I'd limit it to 1 IP -> 1 account, and do manual exceptions for people playing with a mate/family, there can't be that many exceptions.
I've always been playing by the rules while maximizing my time/reward ratios, and the same could be said for any dual-penta-decaboxer around but you can see that's not healthy for the server as a whole. Anti-exploits have been put in place for a lot less detrimental behaviours afterall.
disclaimer
This topic was meant to be a reply in the NWN:EE topic even if multiboxing is a different issue. I feel it's relevant even to the current state of the mod, but a lot of damage has already been done so really 'fixing' the issue now is not going to get us new players, or make old disappointed vets come back. It feels like I'm arguing for nothing, especially after Funky clearly stated he doesn't feel it as an issue (I believe that idea is more a product of not willing to risk the actual multi-playerbase, than have a healthier environment in a EE port-over), or maybe I just want to rant a bit now that the end is nigh and gotta build up some decent forum legacy
The Early Multibox: A History of Altruism
With the early exceptions of some greedy sob who wanted to be able to open Lolth/Illithid doors or pull the Pyramid levels alone, multiboxing started among the end game players back when Hells were young and you had to be tagged to the relevant layer to even partecipate as a helper. Upon completition of Nessus your skull was wiped as of today, but you couldn't join any more Nessus (or Dis+) until you retagged the whole way. Many good players who made such runs possible by playing the always in demand druid and bards were forced to give up on completing runs, else they weren't able to join future ones. Most Nessus runs were pre-scheduled guild runs, and by committing to them you had to make sure to not 'burn' your Nessus attunement by joining some other run.
The first Hells multiboxer (Claus Ekstroem, great player who was happy to help runs getting started) came to a compromise: he would play (bard usually) until Asmo third form, and log out the toon shortly before the party dealt the killing blow. That way he could keep Nessus tagged toon for future runs. With time that started to be a common tactic for many parties, and made up for funny situations when Asmo refused to die after the helper left. Needless to say it was quite a big sacrifice to ask to a player who would be tagging (in an era when such runs were -always- full of 10 people and harder to pull off) to log out so that he could help future runs.
We then decided to let such helper toons to be botted, even at risk of not filling the other slots with real players, should this be the only way to cover all core roles. There was some silly drama as usual when people were told they couldn't join because X player covered Y & Z roles, but if the excluded guy couldn't cover the missing core s/he usually understood. Upon Asmo 3 shape we had the botted toon log out as usual, and the helper getting at least one tag to the carried/botted second toon. I remember at least one situation when Claus had to bot both druid and bard, log them out and tag the shifter. It was a damn weak party and we risked wipe after he logged both the cores: it was decided in future to avoid such ballsy (dumb) "lowman" attempts.
Even after the Hells tagging system was reworked, such practice kept going on, with the exception that now people weren't forced to log out any toon anymore. It was such a standardized practice by now that people used to bot helper toons in any layer, when finding competant cores in reasonable time was not an option. Keywork is 'competant', because it became obvious that letting a friend play a good druid while letting him leech the tag on some tank, was better than having him on such tank while hiring a terrible druid. Or a shitlisted player answering the call.
Botting a rogue for Stygia-Nessus was also a thing; 1-2 BUR chests more than made up for the added player who'd take part to the split so people weren't that greedy to refuse spots to real rogue players, but if there was no rogue around, losing such loot was going to hurt a lot the end reward, so much that a rogue used to be considered core and a bot one was given precedence over a real player playing anything else. Nowadays this might look absurd, but you gotta imagine 4 hours long runs with maybe 5 burs in the split, without a rogue. Randomization altered loot quantities, and those end run chests don't make a difference anymore, but for Nessus only the forge secrets are enough of a hook that a rogue is welcome there, and I'm not surprised if people (especially those coming to help and not tagging) prefer a botted rogue to a real player, since they chances of getting nothing out of 1h30-2h of time are greater without one. The introduction of Abyss exacerbated the 'need' of rogue bots: the good loot is locked behind part 3 boss chests, especially when Abyss was young many part 3 runs didn't get started if there was no guarantee of getting such reward. Bots were welcome, bots made runs happen. Bot a rogue, bot a bard, bot a helper while you tag another toon.
Multibox Evolution, or how it grew out of proportion
It was greed, combined with lack of players and power inflaction to make botting a wide phenomenon. If it's possible for me to complete a Nessus with 9 other real people in 1 hour and 30' (compared to the old records of 4 hours), and at the same time it's possible to complete it alone with bots or with only 1-3 other real people in 2 hours (when previously such idea was crazy), if I can commit to a slighty longer run (and I can, being one of those 'happy' to take part to the old 4 hours runs afterall) for triple the reward I'm going for that.
The need for multiboxers to have 2+ high level toons on different accounts also made them farm xp on their own. You can spot those guys 6-10 manning legendary level runs only to get xp quicker. More often than not, they're not shouting the run because a true newbie is slowing them down with unnecessary rests/deaths, or they haven't the patience to teach them the run so "sit there in GS, don't die" is common practice. These runs are all but a good thing for new people trying to get to the end game: they get a lot of xp fast sure, but learn next to nothing if a level 80 sorc is carrying 5 fresh immo bot tanks plus you in GS. Most of the time it's Desert/Dustbone or PoM runs with very little good loot, so even if the carry player is feeling generous (usually they reserve the keys/unique drops tho) you risk getting at Hell levels far from being "Hells-ready".
As a random idea tossed here, even if multiboxing is left as an option, now that we have the shakling mechanic all the LL runs should be limited (drastically reduced xp, no special-loot like the PH in toyshop, so we have a precedent, while the option to do the run with levels 55+ for fun is still there) to a certain level range to avoid such forms of drag. If you think that I'm being too meany with less skilled players, who can't imagine doing Sissy without a 70+ PM carrying them (and find it fun), know that the same players are only delaying the future halt in progression, when they won't be able to contribute to higher level runs because they learnt and looted next to nothing in the level-appropriate content. And the multiboxers who dragged them won't be there, because they still don't need them, but this time there's worthy loot they don't want to share.
The consequences, and how people fail to perceive the seriousness of the situation. Also, more nostalgic memories.
Botting is going to affect non-botting players. There's no need for more players, not even if they own the required cores (but we're certain they cannot play a single toon as good as somebody with 100x their gear and in-game-hours), especially if you believe in such remarks:
It's far easier to join a team and manage just your 1 toon while everyone else does their jobs, even if you slack it you still get a cut.
No. Just no. "If you slack" is not a good premise. Think at the other players, those who don't slack. Is it fair having the same chances at loot of them, especially now with randomization when in -ANY- run something I don't own yet could drop, something so good randomized that there's a 1 in a million chance for it to drop and be won by somebody who "slacked"? Are those other players having more fun with you in the party? The answers are obvious, but before some forum fighter comes argue that "it's a game and we play for fun" let me say it's funnier to play with people you trust and are all around the same skill level, making the run go smooth, take less, and you don't feel robbed of you time should they win such one-in-a-million-item because they deserved it.
I should note that "back in the days" (when loot was scarcer than now) people were generally a lot more humble during their character progression and joined "tag only" or bowed out of split quite commonly: I'd like to think they made it out of good heart and self consciousness so that I had to insist many times for party members to stay for the loot split (sometime they really understimated their contribution, sometime loot didn't matter much and they were good company), but as a side note these people really improved their reputation by doing so. With server age and runs being a lot easier, taking shorter and no risk of wipe, such standards have been slackened, with the side effect that "tag only" runs are the exceptions and people feel entitled to claim their share even when they did nothing, sometime not even partecipated to the friendly chat (the worst drag of all). If I can pick between a silent noob (not newbie, those are cute and all, but noobs being around for years) happy to slack even if he could contribute a bit by learning the ("%£%(?!ng game, and a silent bot happy to stand around and not slowing the run down, bonus points if played by a nice person, I favor the latter.
There're a lot less public parties going on because of many other issues: 1) natural lower population; 2) powercreep, and with the exception of server wipe/harder areas being worth run that's going to stay, letting smaller parties complete areas without much help; 3) toxic players being around, most of them displaying a very different attitude in-game and on the board, that long time players want to avoid at all costs so they don't shout else these problem makers go scream to mom-Funky ears once they're denied a spot and cause unnecessary drama where they look like the good boys (any reference to Trazik, Mish, Nahorl is not casual, while for those still playing I won't spoil you the surprise)... ok now I'm derailing.
As I just said in chat to people in game multi-boxing is a symptom of low player numbers not a cause and the same for me I've leveled a load of characters to playability by dragging them giving me more options when needed for a run.
It's both a symptom and a cause. Not-casual players leave if all they see around them is multiboxers progressing and having fun, and them being forced to follow their example and abide to their rules or leave. There's a lot of in-game power to accrue when you're the one making runs possible. Look at me, being an ass and getting away with it (even before multiboxing yo!). I'd like to think it's only because I sometime post some useful thread but that's too optimistic I know...
That's a fine use of your time and having more toons at disposal for when real runs happen is a good thing, just think at how many other real runs are not happening because you are busy botting. Before anybody attempts the excuse 'I only bot when nothing else goes on', know that most of the time nothing else is going on because people check webdash, feel disappointed and go play something else. I do not even join my friends when I see them busy 3-5 boxing some content, because playing just 1 toon would feel wrong/unfun/unfair, and most of the time the run they're busy with is not interesting either.
You're not getting people to log on your server when you have a bunch of accounts in desert/db, try move them to Zerial and the beacon works better. 5 bots in PoM don't make anybody log and ask if you're up for anything else, 2 real people (even without a realistic chance of completing Ely) sitting with level 80s at the boat ramp are going to pique some lurker interest. Some cheap Webdash psychology here.
In my opinion it's wrong thinking that multibox is just a part of the issue (less players, less runs), when its role is heavily linked, and often a direct cause, of the aforementioned issues.
For how HG loot is designed, owning a tag means very little if you can't get some useful piece of gear out of it. Being part of a 10 people Aboleths run can be fun. Once, twice, some times. More, if you are a weak player and that's your chance of partecipating to something out of your usual league. On the other hand, you need luck for the good loot to drop, and then even more luck to win that. Even assuming you really like the rest of the party members and don't rage if somebody with a melee pariah wins the temporal autocaster (hue), it can be an exercise of frustation. The good players who can run the place without need of a full party are not going to shout and lower their loot chances, when a quick look at webdash only shows weak/toxic players. That's less runs for you. With practice comes perfection and you're not having practice, you're left behind. At the same time, good players with access to multibox can attempt such runs even when their friends aren't online, but not by shouting the run for others to be included.
This has the side effect of players alienating players, even among their friends should they not be available to do small-party runs due to preferring solo-multiboxing runs. If you can't find runs because of more sneaky multiboxing runs, you leave. Or you become a dick toward multiboxers, when they're in fact taking advantage of a allowed mechanic of the game. Being allowed doesn't mean it's a good thing anyway, it's not like our glorious ruler is always right, decisions are often taken to alter the game field by encouraging a different behaviour rather than outright banning. I have a first person example about this I want to share, because I feel it has a lot in common with the actual issues.
Back when Hells were young (oh crap not again I hear you... sorry I'll try to keep it interesting), with clever exploiting and a specific-designed toon I was able to put my hands on loot that was beyond the reach of the 1% of players of the server. Stuff like solo-farming (no botting, just one level 60) planewalker rings or maladomini grapes, by walking thru map borders to avoid triggers, fighting only the matrix-holder monsters, despawning maps. As per server rules, "[...] We prefer to deal with exploits by scripting around them, in order to keep cumbersome rules to a minimum. Generally speaking, if your character CAN do something, they are welcome to do so [...]" I happily farming my share (avoiding to trade away stuff to not inflate economy) for a month or so, without trying to hide such tactics because it was safe to, and then shortly after a couple anti-exploits have been introduced that made such runs not possible/profitable anymore. Among them, the limit of 4 players in party to get anything out of Hell set chest. GG.
Years passed by and our toons became stronger. It's not an impossible effort anymore to play just 1-3 toons and "legit" reach the PW chest for example. The anti-exploit is still there tho, so it's pointless to play with a couple friends to farm gear you rightfully deserve, because you played "fair" to get there. Here enters the multiboxing. I can play very well 1-2 toons only and get to the pw chest, and get nothing, or I can play very well 1-2 toons and keep a couple slackers in the rearguard and get a chance at loot. That's really not fair at all if you ask me. Even worse, it incentivized the use of bots above real people, and you don't see anymore shouts like "need 2 more people to farm pw ring" or "need one more guy only to pull the pyramid levers"; very rarely the latter, but it was quite a common practice in the past to small-party farm artifacts, nowadays it's a multiboxer near exclusive playground. Less runs for you.
It's finally over. Somebody please teach this guy to write proper English.
I don't want to sound hypocrytal but realist. I've been dual-boxing everything the server had to offer pre-limbo with the exception of Orcus, breaking the wand ending, and the Nessus coil. My abosorc and shifter did each 150+ millions xp duoing the aboleth run, and I still think that was a better time investment than trying to organize full party runs for the 1 in 30 chance (cuz of 33% droprate) that the TA would go to me. That's about 100 aboleth runs you didn't get the chance to get on because a single player decided to multibox. For a bit I toyed with the idea of a third account (see my sign) to complete the runs that were left for me to do, then limbo hit and I had other priorities. Fun fact, if it was possible to start the run with less than 5 partymembers I'd take my chances and go for it; that's actually another controversial limit to party size like Hells one, because I don't see any difference between 2 real players, and 2 real players with three bots attempting the same run. Anyway, since rules don't forbid it and I can multibox, I'm happy to go farm canopics with just 1-2 friends and our bots. Again, 'you' are not getting a chance to be invited. Anyway, the more I think about it, even just 2-boxing opens so many possibilities that should an IP check be introduced, I'd limit it to 1 IP -> 1 account, and do manual exceptions for people playing with a mate/family, there can't be that many exceptions.
I've always been playing by the rules while maximizing my time/reward ratios, and the same could be said for any dual-penta-decaboxer around but you can see that's not healthy for the server as a whole. Anti-exploits have been put in place for a lot less detrimental behaviours afterall.
disclaimer
This topic was meant to be a reply in the NWN:EE topic even if multiboxing is a different issue. I feel it's relevant even to the current state of the mod, but a lot of damage has already been done so really 'fixing' the issue now is not going to get us new players, or make old disappointed vets come back. It feels like I'm arguing for nothing, especially after Funky clearly stated he doesn't feel it as an issue (I believe that idea is more a product of not willing to risk the actual multi-playerbase, than have a healthier environment in a EE port-over), or maybe I just want to rant a bit now that the end is nigh and gotta build up some decent forum legacy