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.