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The input macro rule and how it applies to me

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DockingManager Scotty
Apostates Anonymous
#1 - 2016-10-20 18:59:21 UTC
Quote:
You may not use your own or any third-party software, macros or other stored rapid keystrokes or other patterns of play that facilitate acquisition of items, currency, objects, character attributes, rank or status at an accelerated rate when compared with ordinary Game play.


That's what the EULA seems to say about input macros.

I have a mouse with several extra buttons and I was thinking of assigning them in various ways, but I don't want to run afoul of this rule.

Example: I want to use mouse buttons for firing my weapons (in this example F1 - F8). The most obvious thing to do is to program a mouse button to press F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F7, and F8. But I worry that having one button that presses eight buttons is too accelerated compared to ordinary game play.

So the alternatives I have to use the mouse buttons but not break the rules seem to be either use a separate mouse button for each function key (binding 8 buttons on my mouse to this purpose), or maybe to insert a delay in between each function key press so that the stored keystrokes are not "rapid" and it doesn't result in an "accelerated rate".

Is that second solution within the rules? It doesn't feel to me like it would be cheating, as long as the delay is reasonable, but it also seems like allowing that would be starting down a slippery slope towards people actualy botting.

I don't actually care too much whether I can use my preferred solution, heck I don't have to use my extra mouse buttons at all. But is something I frequently wonder about so I figured I would ask.
Memphis Baas
#2 - 2016-10-20 19:16:09 UTC  |  Edited by: Memphis Baas
There have been discussions about the specifics of macro use in General Discussion and in the Information forums, as well as on Reddit.

From what I remember, the basic rule of thumb is: you can reprogram F1-F8 to your mouse, but you must have 1 mouse button for each F key.

So:

1. No multi-key bindings. If we have to press 8 keyboard keys to accomplish something, you have to press 8 mouse keys to accomplish the same thing.

2. No delays. CCP has not defined what "reasonable" means, and it's likely that if you build a macro with delays in it, you're using it to combine multiple delayed keyboard buttons into a single mousebutton, which invalidates rule 1 above. "No delays" also applies to creating a macro that counts down the timer or reloading cycle or anything like that, and activates things; for example you could create a macro that you push a mouse button and it waits the 15 minutes PVP timer then sends a dock command, and that's not allowed because it's automation.

So, in your specific case, what you need to do is use the "weapons grouping" feature in-game to have all your weapons activate with just F1, and then program F1 into your mouse.

The game also lets you drag the icons for the modules around, so, from flying frigates to flying battleships and capital ships, it's very unlikely that you'll have to activate more than F1 - F3, Ctrl-F1 - Ctrl-F3, and Alt-F1 - Alt-F3 (the first 3 high slots, first 3 med slots, first 3 low slots). Once you undock with your ship, you can drag the module icons around to have all your modules fit into the 3x3 grid right next to the HUD circle, and program 9 mouse buttons for your 3x3 grid, and be fine.
DockingManager Scotty
Apostates Anonymous
#3 - 2016-10-20 19:18:27 UTC
Memphis Baas wrote:
From what I remember, the basic rule of thumb is: you can reprogram F1-F8 to your mouse, but you must have 1 mouse button for each F key.

So:

1. No multi-key bindings. If we have to press 8 keyboard keys to accomplish something, you have to press 8 mouse keys to accomplish the same thing.


That's very clear, thank you. :)
Memphis Baas
#4 - 2016-10-20 19:26:11 UTC
Incidentally, I have a programmable gamepad, and what I use it for is so I can have 1 keypress for one command. Basically, I leave F1 - F8 as they are, because they're easy enough to press, and I use my gamepad's keys for:

G1 : ctrl-R = reload ammo
G2 : ctrl-shift-E = drones engage
G3 : ctrl-shift-R = drones return to bay

and other similar multi-finger combinations of ctrl, alt, and shift, that the game treats as a single key press.
Iria Ahrens
Space Perverts and Forum Pirates
#5 - 2016-10-20 20:14:05 UTC
I find binding my ctrl and alt keys to mouse buttons makes it a lot easier to do alt-Fkey combos.

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Ralph King-Griffin
New Eden Tech Support
#6 - 2016-10-20 21:38:46 UTC
DockingManager Scotty wrote:
Memphis Baas wrote:
From what I remember, the basic rule of thumb is: you can reprogram F1-F8 to your mouse, but you must have 1 mouse button for each F key.

So:

1. No multi-key bindings. If we have to press 8 keyboard keys to accomplish something, you have to press 8 mouse keys to accomplish the same thing.


That's very clear, thank you. :)

Confirming this, rebinding multiple inputs to the same key technically falls afoul of the rule.
As does ceuing multiple inputs.

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Drago Shouna
Doomheim
#7 - 2016-10-20 23:50:53 UTC
DockingManager Scotty wrote:
Quote:
You may not use your own or any third-party software, macros or other stored rapid keystrokes or other patterns of play that facilitate acquisition of items, currency, objects, character attributes, rank or status at an accelerated rate when compared with ordinary Game play.


That's what the EULA seems to say about input macros.

I have a mouse with several extra buttons and I was thinking of assigning them in various ways, but I don't want to run afoul of this rule.

Example: I want to use mouse buttons for firing my weapons (in this example F1 - F8). The most obvious thing to do is to program a mouse button to press F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F7, and F8. But I worry that having one button that presses eight buttons is too accelerated compared to ordinary game play.

So the alternatives I have to use the mouse buttons but not break the rules seem to be either use a separate mouse button for each function key (binding 8 buttons on my mouse to this purpose), or maybe to insert a delay in between each function key press so that the stored keystrokes are not "rapid" and it doesn't result in an "accelerated rate".

Is that second solution within the rules? It doesn't feel to me like it would be cheating, as long as the delay is reasonable, but it also seems like allowing that would be starting down a slippery slope towards people actualy botting.

I don't actually care too much whether I can use my preferred solution, heck I don't have to use my extra mouse buttons at all. But is something I frequently wonder about so I figured I would ask.



Just go for it...

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ISD Buldath
#8 - 2016-10-21 00:11:07 UTC
In regards to anything liek this, a support ticket is your best bet.

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Mike Azariah
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#9 - 2016-10-23 03:20:10 UTC
You do know about grouping weapons so one key fires all of them, right?

m

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Donnachadh
United Allegiance of Undesirables
#10 - 2016-10-23 14:24:03 UTC
Mike Azariah wrote:
You do know about grouping weapons so one key fires all of them, right?

m

This.

CCP would have a very hard time using the ban hammer on you for programming a mouse to do something you can do in game by simply stacking your weapons into a group or groups so go for it and stack your weapons onto a mouse hey. If you are worried about this anyway then simply stack your weapons onto the F1 key in game and then program the f1 key onto whatever mouse button you want them to be on.
Cara Forelli
State War Academy
Caldari State
#11 - 2016-10-23 15:16:55 UTC
Stack your weapons. Then you only need one hotkey to fire.

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Wormhole Walter
Kherub Angels
#12 - 2016-10-23 20:05:45 UTC
If you stack /group your weapons to 1 key in game your technically creating a macro there ie 1 key press to fire all weapons do the same with your mouse. I use a logitech g15 keyboard for the same thing.
Jonah Gravenstein
Machiavellian Space Bastards
#13 - 2016-10-23 21:45:35 UTC
Wormhole Walter wrote:
If you stack /group your weapons to 1 key in game your technically creating a macro there ie 1 key press to fire all weapons do the same with your mouse. I use a logitech g15 keyboard for the same thing.

Firing all like weapons with one keypress is intended gameplay and is supported by the group weapons feature; it is not a macro.

Using a macro to activate multiple modules, alike or not, by chaining multiple keypresses together breaks the rules, I know someone who got a temp ban for doing exactly that. Using a macro to simulate a single keypress that activates grouped weapons, via a programmable mouse or keyboard, does not.

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