1) What kind of (technical) setup are you running?
You can multibox on both a distributed system (with multiple computers) or with a one-computer setup. I'm playing on a One-computer-setup. People think you need a monster to be able to run 5 wows at the same time on one computer, but that’s not the case. My machine has the following specs: Intel Quad core Q660 2.4GHz., 4GB of ram, Windows 7 (Ultimate, 64 bit), 5 HDD´s, NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT. I have 2 screens (1280x1024 on both). My main char window occupies screen one (1280x1024) and the four slaves share one screen (640x512x4). The slave-windows are quit small to look at, but since I focus 90% of my attention on the master-window it works all right. I also have a G11 Logitech keyboard for some additional keys (you tend to run out of keys when multiboxing).
2) Can you tell me more about how you are able to run 5 installations on such a "weak" computer?
All my slaves have a forced FPS set to 20 FPS and all slaves have all graphical settings on low, in order not to take up to much processing power. Since I have a quad core processor I also force the different WOW´s to utilize different cores. On top of that I have multiple hard drives to minimize read times (OS running on a one HDD, master is running on one, and the slaves are running from one). To minimize memory usage I have the big data-files symbolic linked which means they are only read into memory once.
3) How can you make all characters cast a spell at the same time?
Imp using a keyboard multiplexor?
4) Ok, what is a keyboard multiplexor?
A keyboard multiplexor is either a piece of hardware or a software program that send one key press to all wow´s. That is: when I have my main´s window in focus and press e.g. '2' the keyboard multiplexor makes sure the key press ('2') reaches all the slaves as well (yes this is legal). Personally I'm using a software keyboard multiplexor called Keyclone (http://www.solidice.com/keyclone/), but there are others as well: AutoHotKey, HotKeyNet, ISBoxer, PwnBoxer and Synergy to mention some.
5) How can your characters do different things at the same time?
As described before I use a keyboard multiplexor, which sends the same keystroke to all my wow´s. The trick is to bind the same key to different abilities on all characters. Let’s look at an example:
When I hit the '2'-key it is distributed to all 5 windows, but on my Paladin-tank they '2'-key is bound to "Consecration", while three of the shamans has "Lightning bolt" bound to '2'. The last Shaman casts "Healing Wave" when she receives information about that the '2'-key has been pressed. Once again: This is NOT illegal, as long as every character is only performing ONE action per key press which they all are in the example above ... its still legal when they do different abilities. Of course it gets much more complicated than that.
6) How do you move you characters and how can you spread them out like that?
When just moving around in the world (questing or doing instances) I make 4 characters (the slaves) follow the main (the master). More info on HOW this is done will be explained in a later episode.
It seams impressive when the characters spread out but it’s very easy: key bind different movements on all toons to the SAME key. Bind PageUp to strafe left on slave 1 and 2 + right on slave 3 and 4
Bind PageDown to strafe left on slave 1 and right on slave 4
Then just click PageUp followed by PageDown and your characters will spread out in a perfect line.
When doing a square just
Bind the Home-key to:
Forward on slave 1, backwards on slave 2, strafe left on slave 3 and strafe right on slave 4.
One hit on the Home-key and all 4 slaves will create a perfect square around the master.
7) What is the most basic (in game) setup to get started?
There are of course different setups, but this is the one I find the easiest and most reliable.
1) Create a macro that will set your tank as your focus and assign it to a key (e.g. '9'). Do this on all four slaves:
/focus grimstone
2) Create a follow-macro and assign it to a key (e.g. '1'): Do this on all four slaves:
/follow focus
(The reason to not only do /follow grimstone is that you might want to change your master from time to time, and with this solution you don’t need to rewrite all macros when you do).
3) Create a spam-macro and assign it to a key (e.g. '2'): Do this on all five chars:
Paladin spam-macro (simplified):
#showtooltip
/castsequence Crusader Strike, Shield of the Righteous
Shaman spam-macro (simplified):
#showtooltip
/cast [target=focustarget] Lightning Bolt
So when you start playing, invite all your chars to the same group, and then press '9'. This will make all your slaves set your master (in this case Grimstone) to the focus. Hit the '1'-key and all four slaves will start following your master around. Press the forwardkey (or something like that) to make the slaves stop following your master. Target a mob with your master and run to it while you start hit the spam-key ('2' in this case). Hit the Spam-key until the mob is dead, and then press the follow-key ('1') to get your slaves to follow you again.
Now you just need to polish your key bindings and macros for a while. Next steps might be a single target heal button (start with just tank healing), AEO-spam-button when there is multiple mobs, some sort of nuke-button (e.g. trinkets, CD´s and heroism) and maybe a buff-group-button. Before you know it you have filled all macro-slots as well as key bound every key on your keyboard.
8) What about that "star" some multiboxers are "drawing"?
This is quite easy (if you have 5 shamans), just position the shamans at the corners of a pentagon, and then cast chainhealing (ofc you need to make sure that the shamans cast on the right target).
söndag 27 februari 2011
tisdag 15 februari 2011
Multiboxing FAQ - Part 1
As promissed in my latest Youtube video ... here is the transcribe of the questions:
1
Are you rich or doesn’t it cost you A LOT to multibox?
This is by far the most commonly asked question I get. I usually reply that I easily spend more money during ONE night at the pub than one month worth of multiboxing, and that I can think of hundreds of more expensive hobies than multiboxing.
Also, I tend to pay pay for 3 or 6 month at the time and of course all my accounts I have been using the reffere-a-friend-program, in order to keep the cost down a bit. Not to forgett: I have a fairly well paid job.
2
Are you rich (in game)?
Depends on what you mean with rich. All my 5 chars have epic flyers, my main got the Reins of the Traveler's Tundra Mammoth (16k gold mount) and I have well above 10k gold in hard cash on each char. But this does not come from the fact that I'm a multiboxer. It’s true that I can loot every item in every 5-man dungeon I'm running, but what people tend to forget is that I have to pay 5 repair bills, buy gems and enchants for all 5 chars. So I don’t earn more cache / char than anyone else does when running a 5-man. Of course I save a good amount of gold by cutting my own gems, creating my own glyphs and doing the enchants myself, but if you are in almost any guild with decent people, you would get this for free as well. There also exist some multiboxing friendly daily quests which could bring in some quick cache, but since Imp not in a need of money I don’t do them on a regular basis.
Here are my two best gold-making tips (for free): ALWAYS loot EVERYTHING and use the AH!
3
How come all you characters have the same gear?
One of the most common questions, and to be honest I don’t people think before they ask .Of course all chars do the same quest, which of course results in the same quest rewards, all chars have the same amount of emblems/justice points, which results in the same rewards ... and all have the same amount of reputation, which also results in the same rewards.
When I'm grinding a specific boss-drop, then they won’t have the exact same gear until Imp finished with the grind.
4
How fast do you level?
Most people think you can rush trough levels just because your multiboxing but that not the case ("referee a friend" is the exception, but I started multiboxing before that). Of course, doing quests that requires you to kill 20 mobs (when all your characters get credits for every kills) is done in seconds ... but doing a gather quest takes forever (since most of the time there are not enough mobs for five people to grind at the same time, and looting across 5 chars is just a pain (until 3.1 that is))). And since I don’t have a multiboxers-level-guide I tend to do a little bit of both.
You never have to wait to get a dungeon-group, but administrating macros across 5 characters every time you get a new spell can be quit painful and take up some precious level-time.
5
But, it’s illegal (read: Against the EULA) to multibox, I will report you.
A common misunderstanding is that "boxing" and "boting" is the same thing. Blizzard has nothing against multiBOXING and the EULA does not say anything about boxing. Also there are a lot of blues that have posted on the official forums about this, saying it’s ok ... as long as two basic rules are followed:
1) ONE key press should equal ONE action per account
2) No automation what so ever (that is: no additional program than runs in the background to somehow help the player (or that can play the game by itself. Or key macros (one key press does 2 things on the client)).
In fact I reported myself at level 20 to see what would happen. I had an interesting discussion with a GM and described my setup, and didnt have any issues with it. I have been reported many times since, but Blizzard has never taken any actions against the way I play the game.
6
Please boost me in Deadmines!!!
One of (many) reasons to multibox is to avoid PUGing. I love helping out, I often boost guild friends, but I don’t really see the point to kick one of my own level 80 characters just to let a random player tag along in a level 20 instance just because Imp a multiboxer. Also ... any level 80 can boost you in stockades.
1
Are you rich or doesn’t it cost you A LOT to multibox?
This is by far the most commonly asked question I get. I usually reply that I easily spend more money during ONE night at the pub than one month worth of multiboxing, and that I can think of hundreds of more expensive hobies than multiboxing.
Also, I tend to pay pay for 3 or 6 month at the time and of course all my accounts I have been using the reffere-a-friend-program, in order to keep the cost down a bit. Not to forgett: I have a fairly well paid job.
2
Are you rich (in game)?
Depends on what you mean with rich. All my 5 chars have epic flyers, my main got the Reins of the Traveler's Tundra Mammoth (16k gold mount) and I have well above 10k gold in hard cash on each char. But this does not come from the fact that I'm a multiboxer. It’s true that I can loot every item in every 5-man dungeon I'm running, but what people tend to forget is that I have to pay 5 repair bills, buy gems and enchants for all 5 chars. So I don’t earn more cache / char than anyone else does when running a 5-man. Of course I save a good amount of gold by cutting my own gems, creating my own glyphs and doing the enchants myself, but if you are in almost any guild with decent people, you would get this for free as well. There also exist some multiboxing friendly daily quests which could bring in some quick cache, but since Imp not in a need of money I don’t do them on a regular basis.
Here are my two best gold-making tips (for free): ALWAYS loot EVERYTHING and use the AH!
3
How come all you characters have the same gear?
One of the most common questions, and to be honest I don’t people think before they ask .Of course all chars do the same quest, which of course results in the same quest rewards, all chars have the same amount of emblems/justice points, which results in the same rewards ... and all have the same amount of reputation, which also results in the same rewards.
When I'm grinding a specific boss-drop, then they won’t have the exact same gear until Imp finished with the grind.
4
How fast do you level?
Most people think you can rush trough levels just because your multiboxing but that not the case ("referee a friend" is the exception, but I started multiboxing before that). Of course, doing quests that requires you to kill 20 mobs (when all your characters get credits for every kills) is done in seconds ... but doing a gather quest takes forever (since most of the time there are not enough mobs for five people to grind at the same time, and looting across 5 chars is just a pain (until 3.1 that is))). And since I don’t have a multiboxers-level-guide I tend to do a little bit of both.
You never have to wait to get a dungeon-group, but administrating macros across 5 characters every time you get a new spell can be quit painful and take up some precious level-time.
5
But, it’s illegal (read: Against the EULA) to multibox, I will report you.
A common misunderstanding is that "boxing" and "boting" is the same thing. Blizzard has nothing against multiBOXING and the EULA does not say anything about boxing. Also there are a lot of blues that have posted on the official forums about this, saying it’s ok ... as long as two basic rules are followed:
1) ONE key press should equal ONE action per account
2) No automation what so ever (that is: no additional program than runs in the background to somehow help the player (or that can play the game by itself. Or key macros (one key press does 2 things on the client)).
In fact I reported myself at level 20 to see what would happen. I had an interesting discussion with a GM and described my setup, and didnt have any issues with it. I have been reported many times since, but Blizzard has never taken any actions against the way I play the game.
6
Please boost me in Deadmines!!!
One of (many) reasons to multibox is to avoid PUGing. I love helping out, I often boost guild friends, but I don’t really see the point to kick one of my own level 80 characters just to let a random player tag along in a level 20 instance just because Imp a multiboxer. Also ... any level 80 can boost you in stockades.
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