2 boxing in FPS

[Thaeds]

Actually, I don't play FPS games, I play MMORPGS like everyone else here, but I don't want to box like you do! I did the alt-tab thing for awhile in EQ, and successfully used an enchanter, warrior, and two clerics to kill BOT tower bosses by myself, and do Ikkinz trials with a buddy who boxed DPS.

Anyway, TO THE POINT. I know almost no one here alt tabs anymore, so what exactly do I want to do differently? Well, like alt tabing, you guys are all really only controlling one character at a time. You can switch the character you are currently controlling, and you can send commands through to other characters in the background, but you can still only move one character at once, and if that character gets separated from your "pack" it's basically useless.

What I want to do, is to play two complete and independent characters. I want to be able to move them independently, and simultaneously. I want to be able to jump and circle strafe, on two different characters, while killing two different targets, in two different zones, at the same time... I hope this is clear!

So obviously this wouldn't be too hard. Just need 2 computers, 2 monitors, 2 keyboards, 2 mice, 4 hands, done.

Wait! 4 hands means two people, or surgery... I need to do it with two hands!

So basically, to play two characters with two hands, I need to figure out a way to play one character, functionally (jumping, circle strafing, while killing someone) with ONE hand. If I can figure out how to do this, I'll just mirror it for my other hand, and I'm done.

You guys see why this is different? Anyway I have some ideas. Since I can only use one hand for each character, and I really want to be able to jump and circle strafe while killing people, I can't really use a keyboard. I don't need access to a mouse cursor, but I do need access to mouselook. So I was thinking of either using a mouse with lots of buttons (for skills) or a Joystick with lots of buttons (for skills of course) Obviously even the most button laden mouse might only have 15 or so, same with the joystick, so I figured that I could use a foot pedal for shift states, which I believe would give me enough buttons to play.

Anyway, I'm looking for others thoughts, and some more ideas. I am not willing to automate movement, or restrict one character as a "master" and the other as a "slave". Both characters must be fully functional, simultaneously. While I know a lot of you achieve near this, I highly doubt your 5 box combos can spread out in 5 different directions and then circle strafe around 5 moving targets while killing them!

While I don't really want to spend $500 on something just to get this to work, but if it was the only way, I might be willing. I have two separate working computers with two monitors already. Just need to figure out the best hardware/software to use to make this happen!

As for "WHY?!" my answer is that traditional gaming is far too easy, and this seems pretty fucking hard.

[unit187]

first of all, you need to be able to pay alot of attantion of both screens in the same time, thats kinda hard, but possible

2nd, you gotta use 2 mouses with spells binded to them. That will be far from enough to use even half of character's possibilies.

3rd. There is no way you can learn to use mouse with left hand anytime soon.

4th, I dont see how is it possible to move with both chars in the same time, target something different in the same time, cast different spells, etc etc etc

you will constantly fail to do right spell, move to right side etc.

I am pretty sure the idea is pretty weird and impossible for human. If you are naga-ogre with 2 heads and 4 hands - you can try.

[Thaeds]

Consider it an exercise for my brain if you like. When I played EQ I would often play 3 characters in high stress situations, IE warrior, enchanter and cleric in a 6 person group. Being the only healer, CC and tank, and managing it makes me think that this is possible.

The only real addition is to be able to move more than one character at a time, which will take awhile to get used to, but I have forever.

Learning to use a mouse with my left hand might be hard, Joystick then? I don't mind learning left handed mouse anyway.

As far as not having enough spells, using a footpedal with 4 shift states a 15 button mouse could have ~60 keys bound to it! Seems like enough. Finding a decent mouse with 15 buttons might be tricky though.

Don't get me wrong I don't like the idea of my spells bound on a mouse, or a joystick for that matter... I just can't think of a better alternative. =\.

[unit187]

Consider it an exercise for my brain if you like. When I played EQ I would often play 3 characters in high stress situations, IE warrior, enchanter and cleric in a 6 person group. Being the only healer, CC and tank, and managing it makes me think that this is possible.

The only real addition is to be able to move more than one character at a time, which will take awhile to get used to, but I have forever.

Learning to use a mouse with my left hand might be hard, Joystick then? I don't mind learning left handed mouse anyway.

As far as not having enough spells, using a footpedal with 4 shift states a 15 button mouse could have ~60 keys bound to it! Seems like enough. Finding a decent mouse with 15 buttons might be tricky though.

Don't get me wrong I don't like the idea of my spells bound on a mouse, or a joystick for that matter... I just can't think of a better alternative. =\.

when you played EQ you alt-tabbed between chars, its different

moving with 2 characters at different directions without losing full control on the is much harder
for human it is pretty hard to even move your own body to different directions. I mean for example there are exercises where you do circle movements with one hand clockwise and with other hand - opposite direction. Thats pretty hard, isnt it?

Controlling 2 different characters for me seems almost the same, you gotta run in the same to the left and to the right and even more comples movements.
I mean you gotta move your left mouse to the right and in the same time move your right mouse to the right and backwards. gg

[Thaeds]

Well then to start with I would only move one at a time, with two different hands. This should be easy enough once I learn lefty mouse moving.

Then after only moving one at a time, and only casting with one at a time, using separate hands, I should naturally get better and better at it... Eventually maybe I can move with one and cast with the other, or cast with both at the same time.

Then after awhile move with both. Really doesn't seem that hard to me.

I think it will take a lot of practice, but I bet it's like riding a bike, once you get it, you get it.

[unit187]

imho it will take long monthes of practice...

also I dont see how can you do effective control of both chars at the same time simply because you cant monitor them in the same time in case of mouse movement and targeting. I doubt even after monthes of practice you can do pretty accurate mouse clicks after all...

[Thaeds]

Honestly don't see how it's significantly harder than alt tabing between characters. Alt Tabing involves using two (or in my case four) characters at once, moving them manually, casting their spells manually, and then switching to another...

If anything this would be easier to do, since you don't have to switch characters, once you got used to it. It's impossible for it to be less effective than alt tabing, since you could always just use one at a time.

I know while alt tabing boxing I've wanted to move another character, and not been able to.

I don't think this would be terribly difficult, the only major obstacle would be learning to mouse with my left hand.

[Zaelar]

I'd say it is completely possible to run two characters in wow while they are separated and be somewhat effectively killing normal mobs at your level. The only major problems I see is when you need to react to something fast, like a powerful aoe you need to avoid or something you need to dispel, which doesn't come up too often in the solo content. I have no idea if this is the case in other games though.

[unit187]

Honestly don't see how it's significantly harder than alt tabing between characters. Alt Tabing involves using two (or in my case four) characters at once, moving them manually, casting their spells manually, and then switching to another...

it is huge difference. You can manually move different characters, but you move one character in time. When you move two characters in the same time, with non-usual way (mouse in left hand), it is much harder.

Tell me, can you write paint an image with left hand and completly different image with right hand in the same time? Thats pretty the same...

[Xzin]

What happens when you respawn at a COMPLETELY different part of the map?