Question - False accusation of two-boxing by GM

[jww_63_99]

I have a question about an accusation and suspension of characters by what a server G.M. referred to as "Two-Boxing"

My son's girlfriend and another friend of hers was playing EQ with their own character which were on two separate accounts with individual computers at the same location when their accounts was suspended for 30 days for what a GM deemed was two-boxing. Her friend was playing a higher level Mage while she was playing her lower level Druid in the Mountains of Rathe. The Druid was providing SoWs for the Mage while hunting Hill Giants. She would also trade any looted items and cash received from the Mage and go sell to a nearby merchant while her friend continued to hunt. They were not grouped together because the characters are at different levels but instead the Druid was just setting to the side and watching as the Mage played. A GM said they observed the Druid providing buffs for the Mage and did some "further investigating" then suspended their accounts for 30 days for two-boxing.

My wife and I have two separate characters with two separate accounts which we both play from our individual computers at the same location which is our home. Normally we are on at the same time playing together and my concern now is that our accounts might be suspended for what a GM could deem two-boxing as in the case of my son's girlfriend.

This is clearly not two-boxing but instead it is two people playing two characters that have their own accounts on separate computers from the same location with the same I.P. address. Is this a violation of the rules and if so why? Also what can a person do to avoid a false accusation and suspension if a GM deems they are two-boxing?

She has filed a petition with the GM and explained her situation so hopefully this issue will be resolved soon and their accounts re-activated.

Thank you,
Trevoir

[BlkCamel]

non-simultaneous actions on two characters from the same ip will always be a red flag that you are 2-boxing. The fact that you got a 30 day sentence on accounts that you claim are not even your main, own, or personal families, you should be very thankful.

Also you may want to consider that you are jeopardizing your existing accounts by making this post in the first place. I think 30 days for 2-boxing is a pretty nice sentence considering that others around here have paid much worse. I just don't think a crusade is going to serve you well.

[Valdarious]

Just get an IP exemption from the GM here.

[loramin]

What you have to understand is from the GMs's end, two people playing on different computers at the same location are indistinguishable from one person playing on different computers (or even the same computer) at the same location. So from their perspective you were "2 boxing", because it's technically impossible for them to differentiate.

Just request an IP Exception (which exists precisely for this purpose) and you'll be fine. Every once in awhile a GM might make both players do something at the same time to prove there's no 2-boxing going on, and otherwise everything will just work.

[India]

It appears he already has an IP exemption

This is clearly not two-boxing but instead it is two people playing two characters that have their own accounts on separate computers from the same location with the same I.P. address.

[Duckwalk]

Your "son's girlfriend and one of her friends" have their own accounts at your house? What kinda operation you got going on over there?

[Boilon]

I don't know how old your son is but getting him or his 'girlfriend' to play Everquest is probably the worst idea imaginable.

[Shodo]

If the situation you described is indeed accurate (keep in mind here that you only know the details indirectly, and the person(s) controlling the suspended accounts may simply have lied to you for one reason or another), it is not considered two-boxing and you should have nothing to fear. That being said, keeping an eye out for suspicious behavior is part of a GM's job, and the situation you have described is the very definition of "suspicious behavior" as far as two-boxing is concerned. So, if it was a mistake on the GM's part, it's an understandable one (although typically they will have the participants perform simultaneous actions or something as a simple test).

If you're worried about receiving a similar punishment, simply avoid those types of suspicious situations. Having one toon essentially go afk, only sticking around to buff and vendor, while the other levels will always toss up a red flag as this is very common two-boxing behavior.

[Ambrotos]

There are many tools a GM can use to detect two boxers. I have a pretty good guess what was the main flag for you. When Guides/GMs get that flag, they watch the person. 9 times out of 10, just watching can prove it. If there is still questionable doubt, the gm will have the two people do different things. Most times the staff should check because everything isn't always 100%

[Ambrotos]

I wouldn't find it unusual. So many people hang out with friends doing the same thing. If they couldn't move at the same time or took longer than normal, yes.

[jww_63_99]

First of all I would like the thank everybody that responded to my post. All of the information that I received was very good and very helpful in providing me with an understanding of the definition two-boxing and what could be considered as two-boxing by a GM. It has helped me tremendously and is something I now know about and understand as I continue to enjoy my EQ adventures.

Secondly, If what I posted seemed offensive or as if I was on a crusade then I sincerely apologize to you as that was not my intent. The above situation mentioned did not occur to me but to that of people I know who play the game. After hearing of the suspension it did concern me that my and my wife's account could be mistaken by a GM and put on suspension or worst termination. We were fairly certain that we had followed all of the policies and procedures but wanted to verify that each of us playing our own characters simultaneously was not a violation. I am not what I have heard termed as a "Gamer" but I have been a follower of EQ since its origination. The term two-boxing or boxing was one that I had never heard of and when I asked what the definition was the explanation I received was completely different then the situation I spoke about. I am 100% positive that what I said was what occurred and I can now see how it may have been perceived by a GM as an individual two-boxing. This was not the case in this situation and unfortunate that this happened but completely understandable. Once again if I have offended any of you please accept my apology. We are all here because we are all friends and faithful followers of EQ.

Thank you to everybody that responded and I wish you all happy hunting.

Trevoir

[NegaStoat]

I was speaking to a player last night in a newbie zone as I ran through and witnessed them obviously two boxing a warrior and a cleric on auto follow. I paused to watch the 'players' go through some noob mobs, and I know buff bot activity when I see it. It was sorely blatant.

So I sent a Tell to the warrior and politely let them know that while they might get away with 2 boxing in the lower levels, it's incredibly certain that they'd get ratted out later on down the road and all that work will have been for nothing.

The player was bewildered as to why two boxing wasn't allowed, so I gave them the short answers. Druids and camps. Boxing invalidates the Druid as an honest "I like playing this class as my main" choice for any player really wanting to be one. The semantics and details are kinda obvious so I won't bother going over it. And on the blue server, PvE camps are already a tense situation at times with some key target loots, and if boxing was involved? No. Just... no. That's an area the server staff don't want to deal with.

The 'players' logged off 10 min later so I dunno what decision they made.

[Trelaboon]

Honestly, I can completely understand the OP's concern. I have played on two separate accounts with my wife and her sister and trying to teach them how to play, and it always concerned me, that a GM might wonder if I was two-boxing, and then my noob wife who barely knows how to control a character would not be much help in proving them wrong lol.

I guess....luckily (?) for me, my wife and her sister got bored by level 4 lol

[BlkCamel]

I'll bite and apologize for using "crusade", so many of these posts start out this way and turn into a crusade. I just re-read your post and upon 2nd reading I shouldn't have assumed, As Swish noted I think it was the "Son's girlfriend and her friend", part that threw me.


Edit* Also the thread title, False accusation's made by GM/staff sounds contemptuous.

[Grimfan]

It's stressful playing with a friend/roommate on this server sometimes, but know that if you're not two boxing you should be fine as long as you follow that rule. You might get accused of it sometimes, but just try to keep a level head. Never, ever, box though.

[Giovanni]

My son's girlfriend and another friend of hers was playing EQ with their own character which were on two separate accounts with individual computers at the same location when their accounts was suspended for 30 days for what a GM deemed was two-boxing. Her friend was playing a higher level Mage while she was playing her lower level Druid in the Mountains of Rathe.

At least come up with a semi-believable story.

Son's girlfriend's female friend got banned for boxing? WTF is this shit?

When they go banned, they didn't petition/post themselves. Nor did they reach out to the friend's boyfriend to petition/post. Instead, they reaching out to the friend's boyfriend's father to petition/post?

If you believe this story, my cousin's fiance's dog like to logging into EC to complete trades while I play my main on raids.

[OneTufCookie]

Well i did post after my friend and I was banned but knew better then to post of forums because half wit trolls roam there. I posted in the correct location for the GM's to respond. Trevoir posted here because he wanted more information about why some one would claim boxing when two people are present play. In regard to "my cousin's fiance's dog like to logging into EC to complete trades while I play my main on raids" i can only assume he is the on raiding while you struggle with trading. :D

[Wrench]

At least come up with a semi-believable story.

Son's girlfriend's female friend got banned for boxing? WTF is this shit?

When they go banned, they didn't petition/post themselves. Nor did they reach out to the friend's boyfriend to petition/post. Instead, they reaching out to the friend's boyfriend's father to petition/post?

If you believe this story, my cousin's fiance's dog like to logging into EC to complete trades while I play my main on raids.

op may or may not be bs

that aside, reading comprehension isnt your thing, is it?

try again, but this time read the words slowly

what do they mean? what is this sentence attempting to convey?

[Portasaurus]

my cousin's fiance's dog like to logging into EC to complete trades while I play my main on raids.

http://gifrific.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Lindsay-Lohan-Spits-Out-Drink.gif

[jww_63_99]

Yes you are correct I should have worded the Title a little bit different. At the time of the post I did not have very much knowledge about "Boxing" and how it worked. All I did know was that two people playing their own characters were mistakenly temporarily banned from the game for boxing. I was also concerned this mistake and action could be taken against my personal account as my wife and I are often on at the same time. After I posted my comment and received a lot of very good information I begin to realize how somebody could perceive the situation as boxing and a mistake could be made. It is unfortunate that this incident occurred but now it is more understandable. A petition was filed and hopefully all of this will be reviewed and both accounts reinstated so that two people who enjoy the game can continue to play again soon. I do not think I am able to go back and edit the title but I can say that it should have been worded better and apologize for the terminology used.

Trevoir

[Sadre Spinegnawer]

non-simultaneous actions on two characters from the same ip will always be a red flag that you are 2-boxing.

This. If one character does something, stops, then other character does something, but they never seem to be acting independently, that is a massive red flag on p99. It is a pretty clear sign that only one person is switching back and forth -- ie, two boxing.

Having observed how the GM's work, they do not just make snap decisions. You were probably first reported by another player as potentially two boxing, them a GM observed you for a while.

Maybe admit these "friends of yours" just flat got busted?

Boxing = evil. Don't believe me? Google imagesearch Sam DeathWalker. behold.

[Sadre Spinegnawer]

Of course, to be fair to Sam Da Man, I hear he just mines bitcoins now.

[Lictor]

If you believe this story, my cousin's fiance's dog like to logging into EC to complete trades while I play my main on raids.

[Haynar]

Boxers rarely get banned by mistake. It does happen tho. Making you case in public forum actually will make people lean towards that your son was guilty. Expecting the masses to line up behind you, not gonna happen.

The general consensus on the server that boxing is the devil. Just how it is.

It was a short term suspension. That gives you plenty of time to find out the truth. Cuz next time the ban usually goes perm.

(P.S. I am for boxing. But I still wont line up, cuz rules be rulez)

H