New here with what seems to me to be a simple issue

[Bambeans]

Hello everyone,

I'm brand spanking new to multiboxing and after hours of reading stuff, watching tutorials and practicing I've come to realize that all I want to do is make 2 characters of the same level with the same build, interface setup, addons etc. do the exact same thing at he exact same time. Is this a feasible concept? I tried to make it so it just mirrored every mouse click, but after I made my own tweaks to the basic wow script from hotkeynet it wouldn't register any of clicks at all. If I could just get movement and mouse clicks down I would be happy since I'm just boxing to level. From everything I've read it seems like this shouldn't be as hard as my brain is making it.

Specifically, I'm running 2 rogues with RAF using hotkeynet on one computer. Here is the script I use:

//================================================================
// SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR TWO WOW'S ON ONE PC 
//
// Instructions: Copy this entire script (all the blue writing
// on gray background including comments). Save it in a file. 
// Load it into HotkeyNet.
//
// Toggle the scroll lock key to turn hotkeys off and on. (You 
// can change this if you want, just like you can change 
// everything else with HotkeyNet.) 
//
// Requires HotkeyNet build 147 or higher.
// 
// For more info, go to www.hotkeynet.com 
//================================================================


//-----------------------------------------------------------
// PRESS CTRL R TO RENAME WOW'S IF YOU LAUNCH THEM MANUALLY 
//-----------------------------------------------------------
<Hotkey ScrollLockOn Ctrl R>
    <SendPC local>
        <RenameWin "World of Warcraft" WoW1> 
        <RenameWin "World of Warcraft" WoW2> 


//-----------------------------------------------------------
// SUBROUTINE TO LAUNCH AND RENAME A COPY OF WOW.
//-----------------------------------------------------------
<Command LaunchAndRename>
   <SendPC %1%> 
      <Run "c:\Program Files\World of Warcraft\WoW.exe">
        <RenameTargetWin %2%>


//-----------------------------------------------------------
// HOTKEY TO LAUNCH AND RENAME BOTH WOW'S.
//-----------------------------------------------------------
<Hotkey ScrollLockOn Alt Ctrl L>
    <LaunchAndRename Local WoW1>
    <LaunchAndRename Local WoW2>


//-----------------------------------------------------------
// DEFINE MAIL LABELS FOR SENDING KEY STROKES 
//-----------------------------------------------------------
<Label w1 Local SendWinM WoW1>
<Label w2 Local SendWinM WoW2>


//-----------------------------------------------------------
// DEFINE HOTKEYS FOR ALL KEY COMBINATIONS THAT WILL GET
// SENT TO BOTH WOWS. ADD MORE KEY COMBO'S IF YOU WANT. 
//-----------------------------------------------------------
<Hotkey ScrollLockOn A-Z, 0-9, Plus, Button4, Button5, Minus, space, F1-F12 except W, A, S, D, Q, E>
<SendLabel w1, w2>
<Key %Trigger%> 


//-----------------------------------------------------------
// DEFINE MOVEMENT KEYS THAT WILL GET SENT TO BOTH WOW'S.
// ADD MORE KEYS IF YOU WANT. 
//-----------------------------------------------------------
<MovementHotkey ScrollLockOn up, down, left, right>
<SendLabel w1, w2>
<Key %Trigger%> 


//-----------------------------------------------------------
// BROADCAST MOUSE CLICKS. HOLD DOWN OEM3 (ON U.S. KEYBOARDS,
// THAT'S THE SQUIGGLE KEY IN UPPPER LEFT CORNER) WHEN YOU 
// WANT TO BROADCAST.
//-----------------------------------------------------------
<UseKeyAsModifier Oem3>


<Hotkey ScrollLockOn Oem3 LButton, MButton, RButton, Button4, Button5>
   <SendLabel w1, w2> 
      <ClickMouse %TriggerMainKey%>

[MiRai]

I'm brand spanking new to multiboxing and after hours of reading stuff, watching tutorials and practicing I've come to realize that all I want to do is make 2 characters of the same level with the same build, interface setup, addons etc. do the exact same thing at he exact same time. Is this a feasible concept?

Depends on your definition (or expectation) of "at the same time," but generally yes.

I tried to make it so it just mirrored every mouse click, but after I made my own tweaks to the basic wow script from hotkeynet it wouldn't register any of clicks at all.If I could just get movement and mouse clicks down I would be happy since I'm just boxing to level. From everything I've read it seems like this shouldn't be as hard as my brain is making it.

If you're trying to use the mouse for moving both characters at the same time, then you're going about it wrong -- Use /follow macros instead.

Specifically, I'm running 2 rogues with RAF using hotkeynet on one computer.

You should share your HKN script if you need help and a resident HKN user will analyze it and get back to you as soon as possible.

[Bambeans]

Good idea, I'll edit my post to include the script I use. I don't really understand why I can't use the mouse for moving, but from trying to practice so far, I've come to accept that my dreams might not come true. Maybe I just need to practice and read more, but the idea in my head that I would like to figure out is just having the two characters occupy the same space and the slave client is just mirroring what the master is doing in every regard. If it can be done like that it seems to me like that would be the easiest way to level.

[Tattanka]

Good idea, I'll edit my post to include the script I use. I don't really understand why I can't use the mouse for moving, but from trying to practice so far, I've come to accept that my dreams might not come true. Maybe I just need to practice and read more, but the idea in my head that I would like to figure out is just having the two characters occupy the same space and the slave client is just mirroring what the master is doing in every regard. If it can be done like that it seems to me like that would be the easiest way to level.

In theory it might work, but in practice you would get out of sync very quickly which would lead to frustration at the very least.

To multibox Diablo3, you have to broadcast the mouse the majority of the time, and I found that I was constantly having to reset the team. I can't see a practical way to reset the positioning in WoW, and I definitely recommend using assist and follow macros as Mirai suggested.

[MiRai]

I don't really understand why I can't use the mouse for moving, but from trying to practice so far, I've come to accept that my dreams might not come true. Maybe I just need to practice and read more, but the idea in my head that I would like to figure out is just having the two characters occupy the same space and the slave client is just mirroring what the master is doing in every regard. If it can be done like that it seems to me like that would be the easiest way to level.

If you watch any World of Warcraft multiboxing video you will see that no one moves their entire team with the mouse, and even if you wanted to try this you can't do so using HotKeyNet because it doesn't broadcast the mouse cursor the way that you might think. If you're hell bent on trying to move your entire team all at once, then ISBoxer is currently the only software that is capable of allowing you to do so.

But, if you were controlling your entire team with the mouse... How would you recover from any form of CC? How would you be able to re-sync your characters each time this happened? How would you multibox melee and casters, or any mixed team, together?

[Wubsie]

As Mirai mentioned Hotkeynet does not broadcast mouse movements. Instead it only does clicks. Basically, when you hit the hotkey to broad cast a click, it captures the location of your mouse as X-Y coordinates on your game window and sends a click at the same position of the window to the other clients. It does not infact record or send any of the mouse movements (as far as I'm aware of anyways). ISBoxer does do a broadcast all function, but for even without the addition of de-sync due to knockbacks, CC, etc, movement is not really feasible with it due to slight inaccuracies that will occur. Mirai also does a fantabulous job of demonstrating this in the first episode of his multiboxing basics video series.

[Khatovar]

Good idea, I'll edit my post to include the script I use. I don't really understand why I can't use the mouse for moving, but from trying to practice so far, I've come to accept that my dreams might not come true. Maybe I just need to practice and read more, but the idea in my head that I would like to figure out is just having the two characters occupy the same space and the slave client is just mirroring what the master is doing in every regard. If it can be done like that it seems to me like that would be the easiest way to level.

There's nothing wrong with the script. What you're attempting will never be feasible. Multiboxing is an active process, not just a means of creating a perfect clone. There are a million ways to lose sync between characters ranging from latency to change of terrain and even bumping the mouse while it's traveling from one window to another can alter the mouse placement or camera angle or facing, all of which also need to be perfect at all times to do what you are looking to do.

Attempting to move by holding down the left and right mouse buttons together - completely impossible with HotKeyNet and totally impractical in general. Mouse actions, as Wubsie already explained, are not a seamless action that is duplicated everywhere at once. The mouse is forcibly moved from one window to the other for a split second to take the action requested and then returned to the home window {unless it's not and gets stuck on the slave window}. These are limitations that practice will never overcome and only get more pronounced the more that's going on.

To multibox, you need to set the slave up to follow and assist the main. For a melee team, your slave also needs to use interact with target and click to move.

The only thing you're going to reliably duplicate is hotkey presses. This, however, does not mean you can use WASD or the arrow keys to do the job you were trying to do with the mouse. Though it's more reliable than the mouse for movement, most of the same issues apply to cause the loss of sync. Hotkey-based movement is something that should be reserved for small amounts of movement, such as dodging out of the way of something during a boss fight.

I'd suggest going through MiRai's videos and some of the other posts around here to get a better idea of what multiboxing really is so you can get a better idea of how it works.

[Bambeans]

I suppose I started this thing with some misconceptions about multiboxing. I thought maybe using click to move would do the trick, but it's clearly a more dynamic process than that. I suppose I better hit the books some more and I'll definitely check out MiRai's videos. Thanks for the guidance.

[JohnGabriel]

And as a new user I suggest starting with a ranged class. Much easier to box than melee.

[Ughmahedhurtz]

I suppose I started this thing with some misconceptions about multiboxing. I thought maybe using click to move would do the trick, but it's clearly a more dynamic process than that. I suppose I better hit the books some more and I'll definitely check out MiRai's videos. Thanks for the guidance.

Even click-to-move is subject to the windows becoming misaligned. I know the old rule says "Thou Shalt Not Assume." In multiboxing, there is one assumption you should _always_ make: Thou Shalt Assume Thy Slaves Are Trying To Do Something Thou Didst Not Expect. Start from that assumption and explore common methods to recover from the vast myriad of "oops" conditions.

It really is a different mindset than anything you're used to. The closest analogue is probably being a raid leader, except that you now have to personally intervene on behalf of each raid member.

Once you get your head around it, it's a hell of a lot of fun. Good luck!