Hello, I wanted to try using Midi playback software ( planning on using this https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1741070265 ) for the piano so I can try playing midi files that I’ve downloaded online. I’ve looked through various things and I’ve so far found that it’s okay to use in condos, but there is a chance to be flagged by VAC. I thought VAC only checked for injections into core game files and memory, though I don’t want to risk anything if that’s not the case. So I wanted to ask if I can still risk a VAC ban by using this software or others like it. Also is it not okay to use this type of software on the piano in Songbirds within a Plaza server? Thanks.
To clarify, I have read through the guide that I linked above, I just see varying answers to how VAC operates in different places and to my current knowledge, VAC only checks for what I said above. I just wanted to make absolutely sure with the community before trying this thing out for myself, admittedly out of paranoia for possibly creating irreversible damage to my Steam account.
I wouldn’t do it
It is safe in general, programs like that just send software keystrokes to applications(handled through your OS libraries) not much different to how your actual physical keyboard does it, it tells the OS to send a key press in a similar way. VAC could never ban automated keys like that, I think everyone would get VAC bans.
The risk is that you’re trusting the code being executed by someone on the internet, and that’s where you have to be careful. If that program does inject or something similar, then it could trigger VAC. So it’s not necessarily the sending keypresses alone, but other things that the program could be doing.
Naturally it’s your risk to take with what programs you run, piano macros have generally been allowed but that doesn’t mean the software is entirely safe. Despite Mac saying piano macros are OK, it’s still against the EULA and your responsibility.
I can tell you I’ve used my own program for hooking my MIDI KB to play in Tower Unite and I’ve used it for years no issues, I can’t speak for the .NET version for Windows though, but it appears alright.
Short and simplified version is that VAC checks that the parts of the RAM that is being used by the game isn’t being modified by a malicious program such as cheat engine.
Luckily VAC isn’t so good at this in that it only bans you if the program that is altering the memory matches a known signature in some database.
So as long as the midi playback program merely reads the midi file, encodes it into text and then sends it directly to the OS as a keypress then all should be well.
Unless the guy that made it decides to add a 360 noscope aimbot function and steam finds out about it, in which case nothing will be well.
As for playing in the songbirds store.
Playing with macros and midi playback software in your own condos is ok in macs eyes:
It has also been stated before that since the condo server that you are hosting is being hosted by your own computer, you pretty much get the final say on rules and what is allowed in said condo server.
However when you play on the servers hosted by Pixeltail you gotta follow their rules:
Which states that automation software such as keypressers, bots and macros aren’t allowed, which means you aren’t allowed to use automation software to play on the piano in songbirds.
Although if you’re lucky and ask them nicely they might decide to make an exception to allow it in songbirds, although i wouldn’t bet on it.