Xzin's Original 5 Box Setup

[Xzin]

This is where it all started. Drawing upon Team Wizzy's DAoC success, I was inspired to do the same for WoW. I didn't just want to do the same thing he did - I wanted more flexibility. I wanted to customize it for WoW and I wanted better input, better control, a better setup. I had absolutely no idea how to go about doing it so I dug in and found most of the resources that I have already posted about here. Vetras, wireless keyboards, X-keys, mini keyboards, KVMs, monitor mounts, etc. I wish a site like this was available when I started boxing - would have saved me a TON of time.

This was my original 5 boxing setup. Built back around 2004. I used it to level the Zins to 60 and achieve Warlord on all 5. It was a fairly complex setup at the time, 6 computers, 7 monitors, 2 Vetra Multicasters, 1 Vetra KVM, 5x Happy Hacking Keyboards, 1 X-Keys Stick and 1 X-Keys Desktop. I designed it myself - there were no guides or resources like this site to go by. I had to figure out what I wanted to do, what was possible to do and then actually figure it out through lots of trial and error. The computers are under the main desk and there are 2 more side desks that form a U, giving me lots of desk space. I modified the desk legs to give me more leg room and also added two "end tables" by cutting a 4th desk in half and using both sides on either side of the desk with the monitors to make the length of the "main" desk equal, rather than leaving gaps there. Not sure if that makes sense or not :).

My chair (not shown) is a LEAP chair - very comfortable and far better than an Aeron. The USB "piano" keyboard I used to dabble with creating my own digital music.

A decent 5.1 surround sound system, a Griffin powermate volume knob (to instantly mute, change volume) and a set of wireless mice help to round things out. A nice, clean, basic, functional setup.

The picture quality is pretty poor - at the time I lacked a real DSLR camera. Honestly, it looks worse than several of the other setups out there - but keep in mind that I did this back in 2004, over 3 years ago. I dug around and tried to find a better picture but it seems that I never really took a good series of shots before I started upgrading.

Anyway - here is the first generation of my computer setup. Knowing what I know now, it was a robust and reliable setup but there was certainly room for improvement. Which I have made and put into place for my latest 10 boxing setup :) Apologies for the webcam quality picture. I may be able to dig up some better ones.

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x45/Xzin-WoW/IMG00270.jpg

My latest setup.... is quite the upgrade from what you see above :) I doubled the number of computers and redesigned everything from the ground up, all custom made. But I will be saving those pics for later - if I decide to release them at all - see my next post for an explanation why.

[webology]

I think it's interesting to see your setup and there are several of us out there that have been doing this for years too. I have never gone as high as ten (or even five). I have been working on cleaning up my setup and documenting it as well.

I'm puzzled why you've mentioned that your current setup is so secretive. For a guy that has quite a few public articles about him and you've given the server name, classes, origins, and names of your characters publicly. You've documented your hardware, recommendations, even macros at times. I guess I fail to see why it's such a secret since you've been so public about everything else? (BTW, I don't mean anything negative by this but I am curious.)

[Xzin]

I'm puzzled why you've mentioned that your current setup is so secretive. For a guy that has quite a few public articles about him and you've given the server name, classes, origins, and names of your characters publicly. You've documented your hardware, recommendations, even macros at times. I guess I fail to see why it's such a secret since you've been so public about everything else?

I don't mind being known in the WoW Universe. But I keep my personal life separate from my gaming life.

In no particular order, there are a couple of reasons for this:

a) Not everybody "gets it" - they don't understand and I don't care to explain it to them.

b) I keep my business life and personal life separate. I keep my gaming life separate from my personal life. I have found through experience that it makes things easier.

c) I don't feel like I should have to justify my setup to anybody. You saw the reaction that the 47 boxer got? Most all of the comments were negative. People stereotype, they misunderstand, they don't want others to have nicer things - perhaps an element of jealousy? Hard to say but very few of the comments were positive.

d) I spent quite a bit of money and time on my setup, and I don't feel like flaunting it to everybody (even though it is pretty amazing and I put a lot of work into it). I am not going to lie about what I do or minimize and I realize that it is far beyond what most people are willing to spend on a game - but I don't feel the need to shove it in peoples faces.

e) Lastly, because it is so over the top and so far beyond what most people consider to be "normal" that quite honestly I am not sure I want the attention. Think the setup where Tank is at his operator console in The Matrix. It's like that - only worse. I mean... I customized EVERYTHING and while it looks quite organized and orderly... by most peoples "schema" of what a "normal" computer setup should be..... its so far out in left field that people have a hard time integrating it. People ask - "whats wrong with that guy" kind of questions. I have no problems helping people with their setups, describing what I did or how I overcame problems. You guys get it. Most people don't. And I am not really sure they ever will.

http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/warner_brothers/the_matrix/marcus_chong/matrix.jpg

Which hopefully helps to explain my reticence towards posting my setup.

[Otlecs]

D'oh! Typical. I get here too late to see the picture, which I guess has been blocked by the host due to the number of hits ;)

*sigh*

[Xzin]

I hosted it on photobucket.... it should display just fine....pretty sure the MASSIVE 20 or so people viewing it have not overwhelmded it... maybe they are down temporarily.

[mmcookies]

Geez I want a $900 chair =P

It sure looks comfy tho >_<

Just curious, and don't answer if you don't want to... what do you do for a living?

[caldvn]

c) I don't feel like I should have to justify my setup to anybody. You saw the reaction that the 47 boxer got? Most all of the comments were negative. People stereotype, they misunderstand, they don't want others to have nicer things - perhaps an element of jealousy? Hard to say but very few of the comments were positive.

47 computers didn't show us someone 47 boxing...

[Shogun]

Makes me chuckle that Xzin's "old" setup is what alot of us are currently aiming to set up :)

Shame we may never see the new one, as it sounds pretty phenomenal :)

[Xzin]

Geez I want a $900 chair =P

It sure looks comfy tho >_<

Just curious, and don't answer if you don't want to... what do you do for a living?

Entrepreneur.

[Scribbler]

Geez I want a $900 chair =P

It sure looks comfy tho >_<

Just curious, and don't answer if you don't want to... what do you do for a living?

Entrepreneur.

Can I have a job? :P

[Ellay]

Very nice setup man, glad to see it :)

[Bradster]

Thanks for sharing your old setup Xzin. It’s nice to see a picture and appreciate where it all started.


About what was said about being “Normal”, People don’t “Get It”. As strange as that comes off, Xzin is right. This recently 5 box computer project has caused me a lot of grief. From sharing my pictures and setup. The effects of something like this has on the “normal” person is never a good one. I learned the hard way its best to keep your mouth closed unless, you’re a place like here where something like this would be appreciated and not sent all over the net.

K, this reply may get too personal on here. But I've had one hell of week so give me a freebe.

As to what happened to me, I received an e-mail form my best friend’s wife. Haven’t spoke to her in 6 months, and my wife hasn’t spoke to her in a year. Showed my friend what I was doing, couple days later….. This is what happened when my friend told his wife about my not “Normal” computer setup.

Her (his wife) e-mail as follows :.( censored my wife’s name)
4 new computers for yourself?!?!?!? why dont you do something nice for xxxxxxx....why don't you take her on a cruise?!?!!? She would be REALLY surprised over that. Yeah, I think she deserves to be taken on a trip somewhere. Plus, $2000 can pay for an awesome all-inclusive stay at one of those Sandals resorts in the carribean. THINK ABOUT THAT. Buying all those computers is a BIG mistake!!!!! REALLY! Especially since xxxxxxx won't be able to use them, nor would want to. THINK ABOUT IT!!!!

Needless to say both of us were floored and offended about this message we received. Long story short, someone I had been best friends with for over 16 years, that friendship is now over. Due to the confrontation this e-mail created. Because this week I said “Check this out” this is what happened. Least my entire family is supportive of the whole thing; they really like seeing me getting really involved with something again.

To justify any further grief I received I created this http://www.bradster.net/fivebox.htm
On my website explaining why I 5 box. Please read it, people have a lot of different reasons to 5 box, mine sounds pretty human and most likely a direction no one thought for “why”.

My deal was worst case scenario (at least I’d hope!). My current setup scales with a lot of existing configurations on here. If I had something far out there, I’d most likely be on the same page with Xzin and not want to share it.

Still that doesn’t mean I don’t want to see it. I’d sure like too =) But I understand.

[Bradster]

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x45/Xzin-WoW/IMG00270.jpg

Is it light glare, or do the Xkeys strip and pro both light up? That's pretty nice.

[Xzin]

The strip lights up. The desktop shown there does not.

[zanthor]

Everyone has their hobby... I personally don't see why someone would spend the better part of a house on a piece of body art (Tatoo)... however I see the beauty in that art, I don't question their motives to turn their arm/shoulder/back into a work of art... I simply appreciate it.

There was a day when someone getting a tatoo as such would have received much grief...

I've got a $3000 earring myself... it's a long story about how I got it, but it's a diamond from my ex's engagement ring and the reason I chose to do it was personal, and as a reminder to not take bullshit again like I did... I get questioned regularly why... but hey, it's my art.

I've got a pretty serious setup at home for my computers, it's not as nice as what many of you have here, but it's definitely not bad either. Three LCD's driven by two systems... Athlon 64's (6000 and 5600) with 2GB ram, high end nVidia cards (7900gt and 7600gs), lots of hard drive space, another lower range system for my DVR again with lots of hard drive space...

Luckily the folks I consider friends don't question me about it. Though I did catch some shit at work when I mentioned that I had a big parts order coming in and I wanted the afternoon off (PTO) so I could receive it and assemble... My boss considered denying the PTO til I said "It's not like you need to understand why I want time off, god knows it confuses me when you take PTO to work in your garden..."

Ultimately everyone has their own hobby and or vice, and those who embrace theirs and are truely amazing at it, will be either praised by those who embrace it as well, or disliked by those who don't understand it (or perhaps do, but wish they could afford it.)

I for one hate Xzin... simply because he can afford what I can't. It's simple isn't it? :)

If you need me I'll be pretending to play wow on my new printout of the 6 30" apple media displays I printed out...

[DokujiN]

I was going to write a long comment on how I admire what you've done and that I appreciate people that put their heart into something and make it special. Tried typing it down over and over and realized that I could cut it all down to one word:

Awesome!

[Xzin]

Thank you Doku :).

[Lost Ninja]

Awesome!
Going with DokujiN here, this site cuts out so much of the idiocy of such a lot of the gamimg sites, especially those devoted to PvP titles. When I first started looking for information on multiboxing/dualboxing I only had the few posts on my current game forums and the one or two sites regarding Team Wizzy. Of the places that I asked for user help three out of four replies questioned my sanity, my right to a life and told me that I was breaching the EULA... etc. (Though interestingly all the GMs in three different games I have spoken to regarding dual boxing have all been happy with the idea.)

I already dual boxed, I used two N52s and Synergy in CoH. I got most of the way to cap before getting bored.

Then I found this site.

I was reading this thread and I thought of something I wanted to say:

I want to thank all the users of this site for posting informative, interesting and useful ideas thoughts and discussions. This is a great community that isn't divided over which side, which game or which OS. You don't need to wade through the rubbish to find the good stuff. Which is always nice.

So thanks again and long may it continue.

(edited for spelling)

[Runiat]

(Though interestingly all the GMs in three different games I have spoken to regarding dual boxing have all been happy with the idea.)
GMs loose their job if their company starts losing money. The more accounts the less chance of joining the LFJ channel - and you know how spammy that is!

I really love it how normal players seem convinced that the company to which they're paying $15/month isn't interested in money and would ban some of it's best costumers for having a slight disadvantage against a group of 5.
And of course how those players seem to believe that "Keybindings" in fact means "Awesome hacking skills allowing automated movements of several chars" whenever they see someone spread out his chars..