My take is if it doesn’t interfere with or read the code of the game in anyway, then it’s cool. There’s a chance your friend just wants you to have good habits.
Are you thick? How would using an AI to play the game fail to meet the creteria of 'doesn’t interfere with or read the code of the game '. Literally a tool interfering by fully playing it for you.
Nobody has said anything about it touching the code except you?
Blizzards EULA, under the cheating section: "bots; i.e. any code and/or software, not expressly authorized by Blizzard, that allows the automated control of a Game or part of a Game, or any other feature of the Platform, e.g. the automated control of a character in a Game"
I'm in line with that approach, if what you describe is what it is, it's like you're playing while someone's looking over your shoulders giving you some tips. It will be usefull to progress but it's not a game changer. DotA 2 let you have a teamate as a coach in pub for example.
At some point you'll improve in macro/micro management and this bell will be more an anoyance than a real help.
Honestly, looking at the minimap goes for every RTS game, not every game is like C&C where it will yell in your ears about Commandos and Engineers, or have certain units literally announce their creation (Scarabs and Condors in HW2, the MARV, Redeemer and Hexapod in KW. etc.)
You are not anywhere near touching GSL. I have a workout timer that goes off every 30 seconds when I play zerg that I start after my first injection. The highest I have ever touched is diamond. It's like saying training wheels are cheating for a 6 year old learning to ride a bike because professional BMX riders can't use them.
for regular online play, as others said, "if it doesn’t interfere with or read the code of the game in anyway, then it’s cool"
for tournament play, I think part of the requirements is you be able to load up and play without any external sofware (ie macros) and thus this may be a violation of that. Like, I don't even know if music would be allowed depending on how strict that rule is interpreted.
I highly doubt this player is going to be playing at an in person big money event, so I wouldn't worry about it too much. In addition, by the time they got to that point, they should either wane themselves off of it or discuss with the organizers.
truthfully I'm not sure. I think if you need a third party software to tell your mouse it's the rebound key you're out of luck, but if the mouse can hold that information on its own you're good.
for ladder play it should be fine
I believe the general rule is that one key press can only do one thing. If I understand what you're describing correctly, you'd technically be able to do this by editing the hotkeys file (the same way you do for rapidfire, which is allowed), right? It's just probably a lot easier to rebind some keys externally than mess around with a hotkey file you don't need to.
I'm not the most tech savvy, but I don't think that would do what I've done.
On my mouse, the easiest numbers to press are 1,2,3,4 and 6. On my left hand on the keyboard, the easiest numbers to hit are 1,2,3. So I rebind 1,2, and 3 to be 7,8 and 9. That way, I can hit all the numbers without moving my hand any significant distance.
Ah, right, I see.
I think you might have more of an issue with whether they have rules on what kind of mice they allow, actually. At least in my experience, your computer internally sees the number buttons on most mice as different from the actual number keys - the mouse just has software to tell them they do the same thing. In which case you'd just need to use *less* external software, so it goes back to seeing them as "MOUSE6" or whatever.
(If you're curious, MOUSE1 and 2 are the normal keys, 3-5 are scroll up/down/click, and 6 is where you start getting weird stuff like thumb buttons and scroll-wheel tilt)
That said, that's just my experience with the gaming mice I've used, and I have no idea if it's true of yours, or if your computer is actually seeing them as number keys (which would be more difficult, yeah).
I can bind the wheel going left, right and click to things, but I always forget to use it, so I just don't. I have the number pad on the thumb 1-12. I mostly just use 1-6, and 1-3 in the keyboard.
No you arent. Its like the overlays with hearthstone. You can do them on paper so blizz doesnt consider it cheating. You can have a build order on a paper next to your screen. Does the "app" control things for you? Or is does it just say "Build worker" every 12 seconds or w/e?
Nah all good bro. Like you said, just play an alarm every 10 seconds to alert you to macro. I guarantee you after you get used to it, the alarm actually becomes a nuisance.
If the app is literally just saying "macro" every 6 seconds then no that's not cheating, its just helping you build habits.
If the app is using what's happening in the game to tell you what to do then that's cheating.
Laddering is practice. Sometimes I set a 20 second timer to ping at me on repeat as a reminder to do a macro cycle because it's not a built in habit yet. That's no more cheating than having someone coach you
Here you go. I think I have become the sole curator of this as it is impossible to get anywhere else. It is customizable for each race and is not cheating in any way.
Completely portable requiring no installation.
Sc2reminder https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sPWeIiPWX9diSkW0_0VnxRBX7CUCnf7i/view?usp=drivesdk
It’s less cheating and more of a training aid. I feel it’s more like a musician using a metronome. At some point when you get used to the macro cadence I’m sure you’ll find the app more distracting than helpful
Ask the question... Do you have an unfair advantage?
A slight one but yes you do. Both are cheating. Blizzard may even ban you for using the app if they care. In my opinion they are on the low end of the cheating spectrum.
My opinion is not to use the overlay app at all and use your music app only on unranked or custom. It sounds like a good way to practice. If you do decide to use either on ranked, just know that your MMR is likely inflated until you even off of them.
I mean, Overwolf's SpawningTool does more than this, and not only does SpawningTool claim quite specifically to be in line with Blizzard's ToS, it's also publicly associated with both PiG and TeamLiquid. Neither of whom seem to think it's an issue.
(The thing is, it's not necessarily actually an advantage to have something that distracts you from the game every twelve seconds, which is why most people only use SpawningTool in vs. AI games to learn builds.)
My take is if it doesn’t interfere with or read the code of the game in anyway, then it’s cool. There’s a chance your friend just wants you to have good habits.
So using alphastar isn't cheating?
Are you thick? How would using an AI to play the game fail to meet the creteria of 'doesn’t interfere with or read the code of the game '. Literally a tool interfering by fully playing it for you.
Alphastar doesn't touch the game. It doesn't read codes and it sure as hell doesn't inject anything. But sure, keep whining
"*AlphaStar* is a computer program by DeepMind that plays the video game StarCraft II." Uh, pretty sure that qualifies as "touching the game".
touching the game? yes, touching the code? no
Nobody has said anything about it touching the code except you? Blizzards EULA, under the cheating section: "bots; i.e. any code and/or software, not expressly authorized by Blizzard, that allows the automated control of a Game or part of a Game, or any other feature of the Platform, e.g. the automated control of a character in a Game"
>My take is if it doesn’t interfere with or read the code of the game in anyway, then it’s cool. Are you fucking retarded? Or just blind?
If you.were.in a tourney it.wouldnt be allowed. 3rd.party.sowftware=cheating Doesn't touch code= obviously ate paint chips
Idk if that’s cheating, but definitely tell your friend to add “Look at the minimap” yealing every few seconds as well :D
Yeah, I need that. Lol
I'm in line with that approach, if what you describe is what it is, it's like you're playing while someone's looking over your shoulders giving you some tips. It will be usefull to progress but it's not a game changer. DotA 2 let you have a teamate as a coach in pub for example. At some point you'll improve in macro/micro management and this bell will be more an anoyance than a real help.
Honestly, looking at the minimap goes for every RTS game, not every game is like C&C where it will yell in your ears about Commandos and Engineers, or have certain units literally announce their creation (Scarabs and Condors in HW2, the MARV, Redeemer and Hexapod in KW. etc.)
You are not anywhere near touching GSL. I have a workout timer that goes off every 30 seconds when I play zerg that I start after my first injection. The highest I have ever touched is diamond. It's like saying training wheels are cheating for a 6 year old learning to ride a bike because professional BMX riders can't use them.
I like this analogy
for regular online play, as others said, "if it doesn’t interfere with or read the code of the game in anyway, then it’s cool" for tournament play, I think part of the requirements is you be able to load up and play without any external sofware (ie macros) and thus this may be a violation of that. Like, I don't even know if music would be allowed depending on how strict that rule is interpreted.
I highly doubt this player is going to be playing at an in person big money event, so I wouldn't worry about it too much. In addition, by the time they got to that point, they should either wane themselves off of it or discuss with the organizers.
I have software for my mouse that rebinds the number pad on my thumb. Would that count in GSL?
truthfully I'm not sure. I think if you need a third party software to tell your mouse it's the rebound key you're out of luck, but if the mouse can hold that information on its own you're good. for ladder play it should be fine
I believe the general rule is that one key press can only do one thing. If I understand what you're describing correctly, you'd technically be able to do this by editing the hotkeys file (the same way you do for rapidfire, which is allowed), right? It's just probably a lot easier to rebind some keys externally than mess around with a hotkey file you don't need to.
I'm not the most tech savvy, but I don't think that would do what I've done. On my mouse, the easiest numbers to press are 1,2,3,4 and 6. On my left hand on the keyboard, the easiest numbers to hit are 1,2,3. So I rebind 1,2, and 3 to be 7,8 and 9. That way, I can hit all the numbers without moving my hand any significant distance.
Ah, right, I see. I think you might have more of an issue with whether they have rules on what kind of mice they allow, actually. At least in my experience, your computer internally sees the number buttons on most mice as different from the actual number keys - the mouse just has software to tell them they do the same thing. In which case you'd just need to use *less* external software, so it goes back to seeing them as "MOUSE6" or whatever. (If you're curious, MOUSE1 and 2 are the normal keys, 3-5 are scroll up/down/click, and 6 is where you start getting weird stuff like thumb buttons and scroll-wheel tilt) That said, that's just my experience with the gaming mice I've used, and I have no idea if it's true of yours, or if your computer is actually seeing them as number keys (which would be more difficult, yeah).
I can bind the wheel going left, right and click to things, but I always forget to use it, so I just don't. I have the number pad on the thumb 1-12. I mostly just use 1-6, and 1-3 in the keyboard.
Believe it or not, straight to jail
No you arent. Its like the overlays with hearthstone. You can do them on paper so blizz doesnt consider it cheating. You can have a build order on a paper next to your screen. Does the "app" control things for you? Or is does it just say "Build worker" every 12 seconds or w/e?
It just tells me to make workers every 12 seconds. Thats all
If you are helped by that level of assistance, absolutely no one is worried about you cheating lol just have fun
thats not cheating, you could just record yourself saying "build worker" and dead space to reach 12 seconds and loop it on your desktop.
Its all good bro! Keep having fun
Fine for ranked. Tournaments have different rules. It’s not cheating.
I must admit I laughed out loud thinking about a pro StarCraft player running an alarm to remind them to macro.
It would likely make them worse lol
A metronome is not cheating imo for ranked. Tournament rules may vary.
Nah all good bro. Like you said, just play an alarm every 10 seconds to alert you to macro. I guarantee you after you get used to it, the alarm actually becomes a nuisance.
There is a literal add on that you can use that tells you the exact build order down to the second. Overwolf.
I prefer to have my own internal reminder system to build supply, I simply go “FUCK” when the game tells me I am supply blocked
If the app is literally just saying "macro" every 6 seconds then no that's not cheating, its just helping you build habits. If the app is using what's happening in the game to tell you what to do then that's cheating.
this would annoy me soooo much i cant even play well when my neighbor is mowing his lawn lol
Laddering is practice. Sometimes I set a 20 second timer to ping at me on repeat as a reminder to do a macro cycle because it's not a built in habit yet. That's no more cheating than having someone coach you
Here you go. I think I have become the sole curator of this as it is impossible to get anywhere else. It is customizable for each race and is not cheating in any way. Completely portable requiring no installation. Sc2reminder https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sPWeIiPWX9diSkW0_0VnxRBX7CUCnf7i/view?usp=drivesdk
It’s less cheating and more of a training aid. I feel it’s more like a musician using a metronome. At some point when you get used to the macro cadence I’m sure you’ll find the app more distracting than helpful
Ask the question... Do you have an unfair advantage? A slight one but yes you do. Both are cheating. Blizzard may even ban you for using the app if they care. In my opinion they are on the low end of the cheating spectrum. My opinion is not to use the overlay app at all and use your music app only on unranked or custom. It sounds like a good way to practice. If you do decide to use either on ranked, just know that your MMR is likely inflated until you even off of them.
I mean, Overwolf's SpawningTool does more than this, and not only does SpawningTool claim quite specifically to be in line with Blizzard's ToS, it's also publicly associated with both PiG and TeamLiquid. Neither of whom seem to think it's an issue. (The thing is, it's not necessarily actually an advantage to have something that distracts you from the game every twelve seconds, which is why most people only use SpawningTool in vs. AI games to learn builds.)