multiple accounts at the same time

MoonlightShadow

Kosef wrote: »

So this topic is hella old and I'm super sorry for the necro, but if I'm to understand this I can have two instances running at the same time as long as no third part software is used. So lets say I have a second account and the main purpose is to be grouped with my main so I can reset a dungeon like skyreach...is this considered ok? Thanks in advance.

From what I understand, that should be ok, as long as you are controlling one account at a time. For example, you can't write something that makes one character "follow" or walk behind the first. You can move one character, switch, move the second character, switch back and continue on. Because you are directly controlling each account with no other software involved, they have clearly stated that such actions are ok. The link to the post is: https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/comment/6488114/#Comment_6488114

Elsonso

thegreat_one wrote: »

And how the hell are they gunna know its u on two accounts in the first place?

Per the ToS, you do have to tell them who you are when you create the account. Whether everyone does this, I have no idea.

MoonlightShadow wrote: »

Kosef wrote: »

So this topic is hella old and I'm super sorry for the necro, but if I'm to understand this I can have two instances running at the same time as long as no third part software is used. So lets say I have a second account and the main purpose is to be grouped with my main so I can reset a dungeon like skyreach...is this considered ok? Thanks in advance.

From what I understand, that should be ok, as long as you are controlling one account at a time. For example, you can't write something that makes one character "follow" or walk behind the first. You can move one character, switch, move the second character, switch back and continue on. Because you are directly controlling each account with no other software involved, they have clearly stated that such actions are ok. The link to the post is: https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/comment/6488114/#Comment_6488114

This is my understanding.

However, be aware that, by doing this, it seems reasonable that they are expecting that multiple accounts will not be actively engaged in play at the same time. For example, if you come up with a dexterous way to be actively in combat, fighting mobs on both accounts at the same time, you will probably get banned, anyway.

Linaleah

Elsonso wrote: »

thegreat_one wrote: »

And how the hell are they gunna know its u on two accounts in the first place?

Per the ToS, you do have to tell them who you are when you create the account. Whether everyone does this, I have no idea.

MoonlightShadow wrote: »

Kosef wrote: »

So this topic is hella old and I'm super sorry for the necro, but if I'm to understand this I can have two instances running at the same time as long as no third part software is used. So lets say I have a second account and the main purpose is to be grouped with my main so I can reset a dungeon like skyreach...is this considered ok? Thanks in advance.

From what I understand, that should be ok, as long as you are controlling one account at a time. For example, you can't write something that makes one character "follow" or walk behind the first. You can move one character, switch, move the second character, switch back and continue on. Because you are directly controlling each account with no other software involved, they have clearly stated that such actions are ok. The link to the post is: https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/comment/6488114/#Comment_6488114

This is my understanding.

However, be aware that, by doing this, it seems reasonable that they are expecting that multiple accounts will not be actively engaged in play at the same time. For example, if you come up with a dexterous way to be actively in combat, fighting mobs on both accounts at the same time, you will probably get banned, anyway.

not. necessarily. if the pattern of actions is that of a regular human controlling characters, reacting to the game, etc? they will not ban you. otherwise, my SO playing on his account that just happens to be registered on my name along with my main account - would have been banned already, when we are playing together.

no matter how dexterous you get, you cannot replicate the absolute synchronicity of bots following a script and that's what gives you away if you are botting, vs controlling accounts manualy.

abigfishy

I have done this to help my alt account do the Psijic quests as they had a lot of locked zones. My main just ported to every zone and the alt followed unlocking the zone. You can obviously also do this with a friend but that is wasting their time.

Elsonso

Linaleah wrote: »

not. necessarily. if the pattern of actions is that of a regular human controlling characters, reacting to the game, etc? they will not ban you. otherwise, my SO playing on his account that just happens to be registered on my name along with my main account - would have been banned already, when we are playing together.

Good point. They probably are not watching for it and have no systems in place to detect when that happens, regardless of what the ToS says. Just because the ToS says something does not mean they care. It just means that they can choose to care, if they care to. Which, I suspect, they normally don't.

Grianasteri

Tons of people have multiple accounts, but usually I think they are on separate servers.

I want to start a new account, given Zos wont provide more than 18 character slots... but Im a cp810 in EU and have been for quite some time now... the thought of that grind to cp810 again, say on the NA server, well to say it fills me with dread is an understatement.

That said, I have heard NA has a great population (I mean numbers) so that would be enjoyable viz group content.

The other thing that concerns me is, lag... I imagine connecting to the US would result in significant performance issues, and they are bad enough on EU!

Katahdin

Yes you can have 2 accounts running at the same time. You just can't be controlling them at the same exact time with the same controls and need to switch between them. I used to do this on a laptop next to my desktop to trade items back and forth between accounts. Sadly the laptop can't run the game any more.

redlink1979

@Dread_Viking And how's your pc performance with 2 games running? I'm just curious.

PaddyVu

Kosef wrote: »

So this topic is hella old and I'm super sorry for the necro, but if I'm to understand this I can have two instances running at the same time as long as no third part software is used. So lets say I have a second account and the main purpose is to be grouped with my main so I can reset a dungeon like skyreach...is this considered ok? Thanks in advance.

Why not boost your alt also? U can use your alt vamp 4 run to the corner near the chest close to the wall and then move your main to help level up your alt at the same time, both get 10% exp bonus.

thegreat_one wrote: »

And how the hell are they gunna know its u on two accounts in the first place?

Ip check, hard drive/PC check, it's so easy to know if u use 2 accounts or not

Chrysa1is

Surprised you were even allowed to show these kinds of screenshots on here. Usually you get warnings for this.

redspecter23

I know this is a bit of an old topic, but with the introduction of companions, I was hoping to revisit it to ask a related question.

If the info here is still up to date, then anyone can have multiple accounts logged in at the same time. They can be grouped and even gain xp for all characters at the same time, such as through mob grinding or even dungeon queues (though that may be good etiquette to keep that to premades).

The idea is that you only control one account at a time. Any 3rd party software used to control more than one account is a big no no. So here are my questions.

1. If one has multiple accounts set up on multiple computers and can manually control them at once, is that ok or is the spirit of the rule that only one account is moved at one time even if it's manually done?

2. What about afk accounts that can have a meaningful impact on combat with pets or companions? Once they are set up, the pets and companions can affect combat with no inputs (manual or 3rd party). Enough of these accounts in one place could multiply that damage and do things that pets alone might not have been able to do in the past easily. Can someone basically "afk farm" with alt accounts logged in and have minimal inputs given just to keep them online?

Amottica

Darkmage1337 wrote: »

What about 2 separate accounts via 2 separate PCs? (Desktop + Laptop)

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

...They aren't simultaneously playing the two characters or using any hardware or software to automate movement, gameplay, etc. Rather, they're playing one character at a time while the other character is standing idle nearby, then alt-tabbing to switch over when they need to control the other character...

@ZOS_JessicaFolsom You state "They aren't simultaneously playing the two characters or using any hardware or software to automate movement, gameplay, etc."

But, auto-running is a base-game default control via Mouse-Button 4 (MB4), which allows the "automation" of movement.
So, which stance is it?

@ZOS_JessicaFolsom @ZOS_GinaBruno
This topic greatly needs some clarification.
Please make a DOs/DONTs chart, or something. Lol.

I think it is clear that using the in-game auto running is very much acceptable as that is not a third-party system playing the game for us. This does not need clarification and logic tells us that the problem is when players use third-party software or anything else external to play the game for them.

virtus753

Amottica wrote: »

Darkmage1337 wrote: »

What about 2 separate accounts via 2 separate PCs? (Desktop + Laptop)

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

...They aren't simultaneously playing the two characters or using any hardware or software to automate movement, gameplay, etc. Rather, they're playing one character at a time while the other character is standing idle nearby, then alt-tabbing to switch over when they need to control the other character...

@ZOS_JessicaFolsom You state "They aren't simultaneously playing the two characters or using any hardware or software to automate movement, gameplay, etc."

But, auto-running is a base-game default control via Mouse-Button 4 (MB4), which allows the "automation" of movement.
So, which stance is it?

@ZOS_JessicaFolsom @ZOS_GinaBruno
This topic greatly needs some clarification.
Please make a DOs/DONTs chart, or something. Lol.

I think it is clear that using the in-game auto running is very much acceptable as that is not a third-party system playing the game for us. This does not need clarification and logic tells us that the problem is when players use third-party software or anything else external to play the game for them.

Actually, the automated hardware and software is only half of what Jessica said would be wrong. Her quote begins: “You aren’t simultaneously playing two characters or…”

So “using any hardware or software to automate” things is the second of two things she was looking for as a potential red flag. “Simultaneously playing two characters” is another. If you are manually controlling both characters at the exact same time, that is “simultaneously playing two characters” and per Jessica’s quote would not be permissible. Whether “auto run” counts as “playing” or software automation is also a very important question: keep in mind that Jessica did not specify “third-party” software here — she said “any…software to automate movement.” She also said what was going on in that particular example was acceptable because the other character was “standing idly” nearby, which obviously it would not be doing if you set it to autorun.

So this should be clarified, because ESO’s autorun is literally software automation of movement and would seem to fall afoul of Jessica’s guidelines if done to one character while the player controls the other, if we take her statement literally.

GenjiraX

I hope the mods don’t close this thread as a necro because I think further clarification and discussion is required, not necessarily about the software control question but the questions @redspecter23 asked are important.

I don’t think the ‘afk’ account’s combat pets are much of an issue because they wouldn’t last very long in combat if there’s no input (doesn’t mean it’s permissible). As you’re allowed to group in order to share assistants, however, it doesn’t sound right that you can leave them grouped for the afk character to get xp or complete quests based on the actions of the ‘live’ account.

As for physically controlling two accounts’ characters simultaneously, good luck to you. I can barely control one.

Tandor

Grianasteri wrote: »

Tons of people have multiple accounts, but usually I think they are on separate servers.

I want to start a new account, given Zos wont provide more than 18 character slots... but Im a cp810 in EU and have been for quite some time now... the thought of that grind to cp810 again, say on the NA server, well to say it fills me with dread is an understatement.

That said, I have heard NA has a great population (I mean numbers) so that would be enjoyable viz group content.

The other thing that concerns me is, lag... I imagine connecting to the US would result in significant performance issues, and they are bad enough on EU!

Just to be clear, you don't need another account to play on the other regional server, only to play on a different platform. That at least is the case on PC, I've no experience of console, or indeed of playing on PC through Steam or Stadia.

Also, I play from the UK on both PC EU and NA and without running any competitive PvE content or PvP I don't notice any difference in performance. Doubtless the performance indicators might suggest differences in overland content but it's not noticeable. Competitive play may be very different of course.