Keybinding scripts and the simultaneity rule
Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2019 12:13 am
Hi,
I wanted to ask for clarification regarding scripting tools tools creating keybindings for specific NS actions (e.g., NS Breeze), and how they are affected by the simultaneity rule listed in the OSRS. As a tl;dr, I state my questions at the end of this post; but they are hard to explain clearly without a lengthier description, hence the long post in-between.
For reference, in addition to the OSRS, I've found two threads that relate to this question. I'll list all three threads below for convenient reference:
I will use an example scenario to explain my question. Let's say that you want to endorse a list of 20 WA nations. I describe below the most efficient fully-manual, completely-unassisted way for doing this (as far as I know at least).
Fully-manual, completely-unassisted case:
1) Open the nations' pages of the 20 nations in 20 consecutive tabs on your browser.
2) Repeat the following 20 times:
2)(a) Use CTRL+TAB (or other browser shortcut) to switch to the next nation page.
2)(b) Click the "endorse" button to endorse the nation.
Note that, as a player quickly alternates between steps (2)(a)-(2)(b), it is very likely that they will submit multiple near-simultaneous requests to NS. In particular, most likely they will end up hitting several endorse buttons in a row before their first "endorse" request has produced a complete response from the NationStates server (this is how simultaneous requests are defined in the OSRS simultaneity rule). However, given that this is being done completely manually, without any assistance, the simultaneity rule does not apply and the above is legal.
Now consider how this changes when the player uses a keybinding script (I've put the difference in bold).
Keybinding script-assisted case:
1) Open the nations' pages of the 20 nations in 20 consecutive tabs on your browser.
2) Repeat the following 20 times:
2)(a) Use CTRL+TAB (or other browser shortcut) to switch to the next nation page.
2)(b) Use E (or other keyboard shortcut) to endorse the nation.
As in the completely-unassisted case, the player is very likely to generate several simultaneous (as per the OSRS definition) "endorse" requests. In fact, given that hitting E is faster than clicking an HTML button, the number of simultaneous requests is likely greater than in the completely-unassisted case. However, unlike that previous case, the player's actions now are being performed through a tool, and therefore are subject to the simultaneity rule. Consequently, the above sequence of actions becomes illegal for violating the simultaneity rule.
As far as I am concerned, the difference between the two cases is so trivial, that it'd seem way too excessive to rule the script-assisted case illegal. But still, as far as I can tell, a strict reading of the simultaneity rule would indeed make the second case illegal.
The explanation of the simultaneity rule (second thread I linked above) does not seem to say anything that would make the above strict reading of the simultaneity rule incorrect. To the contrary, there is the following quote that could be interpreted to apply to the keybinding script-assisted case; and if it does apply, the quote points towards this case being illegal:
Related to the above is this post by Eluvatar in the third thread I linked above. This post refers to buttons being moved by CSS manipulation. Eluvatar says that, if the purpose of the CSS manipulation is to facilitate clicking several times in quick succession, the simultaneity rule needs to be enforced. While not exactly equivalent to the keybinding situation, it is a fairly close analogue.
Another post worth noting in this thread is this post by [violet]. There, she recognizes that this very strict enforcement of the simultaneity rule on CSS manipulation tools would be unreasonable, and she hints that such tools may in the future be excluded from the simultaneity rule. However, it is not clear whether this exception has taken effect; it is also not clear whether it extends to keybinding scripts.
Given the above, could you clarify the following:
1) Is the "keybindings script-assisted case" I describe above illegal under the simultaneity rule?
2) Has the exception to the simultaneity rule for CSS manipulation tools taken effect?
3) Can we expect a similar exception as for CSS manipulation tools?
Thanks in advance for the information!
I wanted to ask for clarification regarding scripting tools tools creating keybindings for specific NS actions (e.g., NS Breeze), and how they are affected by the simultaneity rule listed in the OSRS. As a tl;dr, I state my questions at the end of this post; but they are hard to explain clearly without a lengthier description, hence the long post in-between.
For reference, in addition to the OSRS, I've found two threads that relate to this question. I'll list all three threads below for convenient reference:
- The One Stop Rules Shop---Script Rules for HTML site [Note: The table of contents in the OP of this thread does not link to the script rules, making them easy to miss.]
- How to follow the simultaneity rule [Note: This thread really ought to be linked in the OSRS thread.]
- Post Suppression Throttle [Note: Page 2 has the most relevant discussion.]
I will use an example scenario to explain my question. Let's say that you want to endorse a list of 20 WA nations. I describe below the most efficient fully-manual, completely-unassisted way for doing this (as far as I know at least).
Fully-manual, completely-unassisted case:
1) Open the nations' pages of the 20 nations in 20 consecutive tabs on your browser.
2) Repeat the following 20 times:
2)(a) Use CTRL+TAB (or other browser shortcut) to switch to the next nation page.
2)(b) Click the "endorse" button to endorse the nation.
Note that, as a player quickly alternates between steps (2)(a)-(2)(b), it is very likely that they will submit multiple near-simultaneous requests to NS. In particular, most likely they will end up hitting several endorse buttons in a row before their first "endorse" request has produced a complete response from the NationStates server (this is how simultaneous requests are defined in the OSRS simultaneity rule). However, given that this is being done completely manually, without any assistance, the simultaneity rule does not apply and the above is legal.
Now consider how this changes when the player uses a keybinding script (I've put the difference in bold).
Keybinding script-assisted case:
1) Open the nations' pages of the 20 nations in 20 consecutive tabs on your browser.
2) Repeat the following 20 times:
2)(a) Use CTRL+TAB (or other browser shortcut) to switch to the next nation page.
2)(b) Use E (or other keyboard shortcut) to endorse the nation.
As in the completely-unassisted case, the player is very likely to generate several simultaneous (as per the OSRS definition) "endorse" requests. In fact, given that hitting E is faster than clicking an HTML button, the number of simultaneous requests is likely greater than in the completely-unassisted case. However, unlike that previous case, the player's actions now are being performed through a tool, and therefore are subject to the simultaneity rule. Consequently, the above sequence of actions becomes illegal for violating the simultaneity rule.
As far as I am concerned, the difference between the two cases is so trivial, that it'd seem way too excessive to rule the script-assisted case illegal. But still, as far as I can tell, a strict reading of the simultaneity rule would indeed make the second case illegal.
The explanation of the simultaneity rule (second thread I linked above) does not seem to say anything that would make the above strict reading of the simultaneity rule incorrect. To the contrary, there is the following quote that could be interpreted to apply to the keybinding script-assisted case; and if it does apply, the quote points towards this case being illegal:
It is also illegal to create a button which causes something to happen when clicked and can be clicked again before the result of the previous click is complete.
Related to the above is this post by Eluvatar in the third thread I linked above. This post refers to buttons being moved by CSS manipulation. Eluvatar says that, if the purpose of the CSS manipulation is to facilitate clicking several times in quick succession, the simultaneity rule needs to be enforced. While not exactly equivalent to the keybinding situation, it is a fairly close analogue.
Another post worth noting in this thread is this post by [violet]. There, she recognizes that this very strict enforcement of the simultaneity rule on CSS manipulation tools would be unreasonable, and she hints that such tools may in the future be excluded from the simultaneity rule. However, it is not clear whether this exception has taken effect; it is also not clear whether it extends to keybinding scripts.
Given the above, could you clarify the following:
1) Is the "keybindings script-assisted case" I describe above illegal under the simultaneity rule?
2) Has the exception to the simultaneity rule for CSS manipulation tools taken effect?
3) Can we expect a similar exception as for CSS manipulation tools?
Thanks in advance for the information!