Hennelorix
So complicated was the fall
I wasnt playing for months and decided to come back to gear my old toon. Played like 4 or 5 days and got banned.
Eleven
Member
I'm assuming none of her characters had the XP off debuff?
parry10359
Member
sounds like maybe some bad actors set up some mass reporting, maybe through a guild or a discord or something, and the way blizz is set up right now, that did the trick
edit: as in, just reporting any twink they see anywhere
edit: as in, just reporting any twink they see anywhere
parry10359
Member
We get it Chops, you think you're the sensible one amongst the rest of the crowd. Noted.
BANKONE
Veteran
As somebody who has experienced this first hand myself, it seems like no coincidence that twinks are facing bans.
Here’s what I think is happening, the twinks who are getting bans seem to be in one of two categories:
1) publically queing and smashing through dungeons in random dungeon finder, and therefore exposed to people sending in reports
2) self running with multiple accounts 3-5 and doing many repeated runs across dungeons (not even talking about addons or any questionable macros or hardware)
My guess is that the anniversary timewalking event as well as possible ownership/ management changes has left blizzards automated ban systems extremely sensitive to twinks, especially the 10-11s who have the most favorable scaling and have had the surge in popularity after the event. They are probably especially fearful of account boosting given the generous time walking dungeon bonus
I believe blizz works in broad strokes and has applied some ham-fisted approach which just permabans character/accounts that fits their criteria of what they believe is the problem(10s, 11s or even unsubscribed accounts that received reports or flags some sort of suspicion by running the same dungeon 50 times in one day)
I don’t think blizzard will publically comment their stance on pve dungeon twinking or update their TOS. But if I were you I would try to run as few public dungeons as possible for the next few weeks/months.
Here’s what I think is happening, the twinks who are getting bans seem to be in one of two categories:
1) publically queing and smashing through dungeons in random dungeon finder, and therefore exposed to people sending in reports
2) self running with multiple accounts 3-5 and doing many repeated runs across dungeons (not even talking about addons or any questionable macros or hardware)
My guess is that the anniversary timewalking event as well as possible ownership/ management changes has left blizzards automated ban systems extremely sensitive to twinks, especially the 10-11s who have the most favorable scaling and have had the surge in popularity after the event. They are probably especially fearful of account boosting given the generous time walking dungeon bonus
I believe blizz works in broad strokes and has applied some ham-fisted approach which just permabans character/accounts that fits their criteria of what they believe is the problem(10s, 11s or even unsubscribed accounts that received reports or flags some sort of suspicion by running the same dungeon 50 times in one day)
I don’t think blizzard will publically comment their stance on pve dungeon twinking or update their TOS. But if I were you I would try to run as few public dungeons as possible for the next few weeks/months.
Zanasis
Legend
Chops, I'd do an unstuck action on him from another character if possible instead of logging right on him... by the way, my 2, 20 year old accounts with my twinks and Mains on them including the original Zanasis ....20 years of twinking and raiding and enjoyment... banned yesterday in this wave of bans. Ticket's already escalated to a human sooooo,...stay tuned. Good Luck to everybody hit by this.
PS. ( just my opinion...and directed at only those who offend) this is why I always say if you're going to run with levelers you run it like them as much as possible or solo the dungeon...don't say you can't solo it either especially with the gear dropping in TW and the ilev 24 socketed gear from BC... 5 or 6 runs of gear from these instances pretty much makes you strong enough to solo if you understand the toon you're playing. This isn't about EPeen enhancement to some of us...it's an admitted addiction. We'd like to keep it that way if possible. I'd rather build models than grief levelers... again, just my opinion.
Eleven
Member
Blizzard saw your signature and said hold my beer.
orcgazmatron
Veteran
I had a Shammy in The Everbloom & when I logged back on to him a few days ago I was dead & ported to the New Darkspear spawn-in spot.
cletus
Member
I'm sorry this happened to you (and everyone else affected).
Unfortunately, getting a person to respond to you in a non-automated way with modern Blizzard (or any company really) is difficult. Those with the best chance have a large social media following so they can bully or embarrass Blizzard into a response. Alternatively, if enough people complain, Blizzard may open an inevstigation or otherwise provide more information. Use all the channels they give you but know they may just ignore you.
There are a number of areas that can get you into trouble with Blizzard:
1. Automation. This can be macro programs and send inputs or even just hardware automation like technically something to keep moving your mouse so you don't AFK out would count as automation against ToS;
2. Input broadcasting. This only changed in 2019 or so. Before that multi-boxing with input broadcasting was really common. You can still use multi-boxing software but every input has to be separate. I've personally done this to 5-man things.;
3. Bypassing the need for user input.
The last one deserves some discussion and there's some nuance. Here are some examples of things that people once did that now are either impossible or will get you into trouble:
- Auto-follow. In Classic people would use this to run SM boosts AFK as they could drag around their boostees by just group chatting "!follow". Blizzard changed the API for this I believe;
- Auto-accepting role when content is queued;
- Auto-accepting a queue when it pops.
But there's som enuance here.
Compare this to Battle Pet scripts, These replace hitting any of the buttons with just one button but you're still inputting something for each action so it's OK.
Likewise, the game provides an option to auto-loot. That would technically bypass the need to input but it's OK because the game provides it.
Now addons like Leatrix take this a little further in a way that Blizzard could technically argue is against ToS, like auto-accepting quests, skipping cut-scenes or selling junk.
Anyway, the point of this long explanation is to ask: were you doing anything that could be construed as bypassing the need to input or otherwise input broadcasting (eg pressing one key to auto-accept all the group invites, role checks and/or queue pops)?
To me this feels like Blizzard has decided to change the interpretation of something in the ToS and done a mass ban as a result. IMHO any change in policy should be explicitly stated prior to implementation (eg as the multi-boxing ban was) and generally any initial enforcement should be a warning or a limited suspension at best. A permaban is kind of ridiculous.
May I ask, were you using any hardware or software to help with your disability that Blizzard may construe as "botting", "automation" or some other ToS violation?
All these bans have given me pause that maybe I should lay off my own twinks for a few weeks to see where the dust settles on this.
toskosa
Grandfathered
Back in legion I died in razorfen downs on a shaman I was lvling, when I hit release spirit the game teleported me to the deathknight class hall version of the scarlet monastary. I proceded to die to the lvl 110 mobs in there and was sent to arathi highlands. This game can eb really strange at times.
cletus
Member
This relaly doesn't feel like mass reporting. It's happening to too many people at the same time. I'd bet my money on this being just another ban wave.
Just to clarify, any new ban wave like this is because of an explicit change Blizzard made. They've added a detector for what they deem unacceptable content and let it run loose. The anniversary event may have prompted that account.
Let's talk about the punishment here. A permaban is about the harshest thing Blizzard can do. Remember they could've given someone a temporary suspension. They also could've warned "we've decided that doing X, Y or Z is now against ToS". They could've initially given warnings.
So why did they go straight to permabans? The whole thing feels like a kneejerk reaction and, well, classic Blizzard, like the massive tank nerfs with no notice in TWW prepatch.
Remember when Blizzard banned input broadcasting multi-boxing? They said "this is now against ToS". Here they have changed a policy with no warning whatsoever, which means it's a giant communications fail or they've decided it was already covered by existing policy.
Note to Blizzard: changing how a policy is enforced, what the punishment is or whether or not that policy will be enforced in the future when it currently isn't IS a change in policy.
They'll only comment if a big streamer gets hit by the ban or there's enough people affected that they can't ignore the complaints on the forums and on Tiwwter. They are already trying to shut down discussion on the forums by saying "this is the inappropriate forum to discuss account suspensions".
Kekeke
New Member
I talked on discord to someone that got banned and received, what seems, a human reply to their appeal. The response was:
-this situation happened: two players queued together in timewalking dungeon, one xp-locked, the other not, the second player doesn't have xp debuff. Another player reported while this was happening.
-ban is perma and will not be reverted
I know this is just someone else saying something different, but it might be useful to some in understanding what could have happened. It doesn't explain all the different situations and there are so many mixed answers still. And I guess it doesn't explain why some bans mention software hacking.
This might mean that the macro, or even the queue specific trick, are not needed, if the situation happened after a xp-locked character started queueing tw and then stay in that group. Does this explain why some don't know why? Could it be possible they have been in a timewalking dungeon not even using the twink themselves, but got reported while no xp debuff was active? Let's say op did just once queue with the twink not leaving the group after a run, triggering the situation and this specific moment someone reported, just once, very unlucky, this would meet the criteria needed for the ban.
Sorry for my bad english
-this situation happened: two players queued together in timewalking dungeon, one xp-locked, the other not, the second player doesn't have xp debuff. Another player reported while this was happening.
-ban is perma and will not be reverted
I know this is just someone else saying something different, but it might be useful to some in understanding what could have happened. It doesn't explain all the different situations and there are so many mixed answers still. And I guess it doesn't explain why some bans mention software hacking.
This might mean that the macro, or even the queue specific trick, are not needed, if the situation happened after a xp-locked character started queueing tw and then stay in that group. Does this explain why some don't know why? Could it be possible they have been in a timewalking dungeon not even using the twink themselves, but got reported while no xp debuff was active? Let's say op did just once queue with the twink not leaving the group after a run, triggering the situation and this specific moment someone reported, just once, very unlucky, this would meet the criteria needed for the ban.
Sorry for my bad english
Zly
Grandfathered
Sorry this happened to you and others. They gave you the reason for the ban, Offense: Exploitative Activity: Unauthorized Cheat Programs (Hacks). This has nothing to do with any in-game addons, macros, whatever, they are all authorized. For doing in game exploits the reason given is Offense: Exploitation of game mechanics.
In your case i highly doubt it has anything to do with your 3 day old twink, ban waves are planned over a period of time and not a spur of the moment thing unless it was something really egregious. In these bans it is most likely one of 2 things.
1)You used a 3rd party program to automate play in some way
2)enough people thought you were doing such and reported you
They don't permaban exploits unless someone is habitual, it's generally like a week ban, a month ban, 6 month ban and then worse.
Botting and 3rd party programs are an instaban
In your case i highly doubt it has anything to do with your 3 day old twink, ban waves are planned over a period of time and not a spur of the moment thing unless it was something really egregious. In these bans it is most likely one of 2 things.
1)You used a 3rd party program to automate play in some way
2)enough people thought you were doing such and reported you
They don't permaban exploits unless someone is habitual, it's generally like a week ban, a month ban, 6 month ban and then worse.
Botting and 3rd party programs are an instaban
Zly
Grandfathered
Sadly you can't complain on the forums, also banned from there. They really leave you no voice
Infrayellow
Veteran
parry10359
Member
lol "After the investigate"
"if you have any confuse"
"if you have any confuse"