Multiboxing with virtual machine

DontTouchMyHoHos

So you cant use software for multiboxing. Need multiple computers, cool good step. If you want multiple computers and multiple accounts you cant stop that. What about virtual environments then. Can that be stopped? I lack knowledge on the ins and outs of that but i know enough that you essentially create a new computer inside your computer. Virtual environments removes the need for 3rd party and would make this," You need multiple computers." argument moot and pointless as it still would only require 1 computer.

Noaani

If a virtual machine is set up properly, a remote user wouldn't necessarily even realize it is a VM, let alone a piece of software running on it realizing the same.

That is the idea behind VM's.

phdmonster

Multiboxing can't really be stopped unless you have some very serious access to the user's device(s). You can't really reliably track it in any way that wouldn't produce a very big % of false positives. Even with a Virtual Machine setup.

DontTouchMyHoHos

So essentially you can multibox on a single computer and circumvent the whole system?

Noaani

DontTouchMyHoHos wrote: »

So essentially you can multibox on a single computer and circumvent the whole system?

Yes.

This applies to any piece of software.

DontTouchMyHoHos

If they know how to prevent this. Then they have solved all my issues with multiboxing, but VMs seems to be pretty hard to stop.

Atama

One thing I think you’re missing is that in every way that matters, a virtual machine is a completely different computer. If you have different VMs set up on the same piece of hardware, they all have their own unique operating system, profile, name, environment, etc. It’s not fundamentally any different from having multiple discreet physical PCs connected to the same keyboard, monitor, and mouse (such as with a KVM). To the game server they will look the same as if they were different PCs on the same local network.

I guess you could have spyware in the game client that snoops around and looks for the presence of VM software then reports back, but what do you think the optics are if Intrepid first gets into bed with My.com and then starts putting spyware on everyone’s machine...?

Hell, even I’d get nervous about that even if I think I know what their intentions are.

DontTouchMyHoHos

Atama wrote: »

One thing I think you’re missing is that in every way that matters, a virtual machine is a completely different computer. If you have different VMs set up on the same piece of hardware, they all have their own unique operating system, profile, name, environment, etc. It’s not fundamentally any different from having multiple discreet physical PCs connected to the same keyboard, monitor, and mouse (such as with a KVM). To the game server they will look the same as if they were different PCs on the same local network.

I guess you could have spyware in the game client that snoops around and looks for the presence of VM software then reports back, but what do you think the optics are if Intrepid first gets into bed with My.com and then starts putting spyware on everyone’s machine...?

Hell, even I’d get nervous about that even if I think I know what their intentions are.

VMs have their "unique" OS but it is still running off the original hardware. It isnt a separate computer, just a digital one inside another meaning there should be fingerprints left over that it exists. I mean game companies now a days have 0 problems putting spyware on their computer and people have no problem letting them do it anyways \o/ Is it a gray subject, sure but im not that invested into the game yet to put an opinion on whether I would want it or not at the expense of stopping p2w.

Noaani

Atama wrote: »

I guess you could have spyware in the game client that snoops around and looks for the presence of VM software then reports back, but what do you think the optics are if Intrepid first gets into bed with My.com and then starts putting spyware on everyone’s machine...?

Not legally, you can't.

Even with something written up that users agree to, the personal data that would need to be sent back to Intrepid would be, let's just say... problematic from a legal perspective.

DontTouchMyHoHos wrote: »

VMs have their "unique" OS but it is still running off the original hardware. It isnt a separate computer, just a digital one inside another meaning there should be fingerprints left over that it exists.

Both of these statements are true.

A VM - if set up correctly - has it's own specific drive, its own CPU cores, it's own full ram channels, it's own USB perephials, and even it's own monitor. As a side note, this is why I will be setting my virtualization computer up with Quardos rather than regular RTX or Radeon cards - I can divide the resources inside an individual Quadro to specific VM's so they can also each have their own dedicated GPU.

It is worth pointing out that while not common, a VM can be set up to be used by multiple individual people at the same time, each with their own keyboard, mouse, headset and monitor. This is what I plan to do, as even if I am not multiboxing in an MMO, I enjoy the occasion where my friends and family come around and we are able to play various games together - and having it all within one computer is far more space efficient (even if not cost efficient).

What this means is that the computer I am currently building will have four HDMI outputs going to four monitors, and will have four USB hubs each with it's own keyboard and mouse.