Help with a "Spread Out" Macro

[Adronson]

Some people on these forums talk about a macro to make a character "step left" or "step right". Can anyone tell me how you would put a "step" command in a macro.

I've been stumbling around on various Macro guide sites until my head hurts, and haven't found anything yet. I'm sure I'm looking right past it.

[Paradima]

The only way I do it is by binding for an example; H to move left on char1, right on char2, back on char3 and so on. But it's not that useful imo..

Edit: I've seen people with like 5-boxes using other methods however I don't know the methods.

[Adronson]

Thanks, that works for now. If anyone else has any other methods please let me know.

[Runiat]

Most gamepads and gaming keyboards can do this with programmable keys, however, it's just sort of illegal..

Movement, as well as casting most spells, using the AH, etc. all requires hardware input, and simulating that tends to get ppl banned.

[Steph]

The way I do it is with different keymappings for each character.

I use [ins] and [del] to step my /follow characters apart from each other.

char1: strafe left: [ins]
char2: straft right [ins]
char3: backwards [ins]
char4: forward [ins]

That way when I press [ins] the four chars that follow my main each move in a different direction in a roughly diamond pattern. I have bound [del] to the inverse movement direction on each char, so I can move them back as well.

[Bradster]

The way I do it is with different keymappings for each character.

I use [ins] and [del] to step my /follow characters apart from each other.

char1: strafe left: [ins]
char2: straft right [ins]
char3: backwards [ins]
char4: forward [ins]

That way when I press [ins] the four chars that follow my main each move in a different direction in a roughly diamond pattern. I have bound [del] to the inverse movement direction on each char, so I can move them back as well.

That's what i do as well only a diffrent key. Looks pretty cool too. I love going in to town and using that. Draws a crowd real quick. Along with comments that follows "WTF" "OMG" "BOTTER" "PLZ HAVE MY BABYS"

I love it =)

[unit187]

is there any way to do that with AHK? trying to do that but chars seems to do just very small steps

[keyclone]

better yet... does anyone know a macro for 'face target' so a caster is pointing in the right direction?

[Shogun]

better yet... does anyone know a macro for 'face target' so a caster is pointing in the right direction?

Sadly there isn't one for WoW (that I know of) and I've read a few posts about WoW lacking one, shame as for multiboxing this would be great :)

[unit187]

doh, I was hoping to make some kind of spread out thingie on single PC ;/

[Shogun]

doh, I was hoping to make some kind of spread out thingie on single PC ;/

and why can't you? the above will work just fine, make sure if you use a single WoW install you have "Character Specific Key Bindings" :)

[unit187]

doh, I was hoping to make some kind of spread out thingie on single PC ;/

and why can't you? the above will work just fine, make sure if you use a single WoW install you have "Character Specific Key Bindings" :)
well I have tried it with AHK using different commands and stuff but it only does many-many small steps, so its not good enough - characters move to sides waaaay to slow.
And yes, I have a few different copies of wow on my PC.
It would be nice if u could suggest something else :) or maybe working AHK script or something :)

[Morganti]

Anyone ever had a hotkey setup for group turning? For instance, I use the Big Orange Button (BOB) on my nostromo for my spread out button (F12). Depending on how long I hold it depends on how far my guys spread out. Thinking about doing 2 alts to that button that causes everyone to either swivel left or right for those "you are not facing the right way" situations. That would be quicker than having to stick up and move my tank possibly off of my current target just to give LOS to my casters.

[Shogun]

Could just leave them almost on top of each other, and keep left/right arrows bound as turn left/right

[Ziie]

I'm having issues with the facing targets as well..

My first fix, use the auto follow to drag the alt to the right facing direction.
- this is very slow and only really is good for slow PvE

My second fix, I have mapped keys to turn both characters at the same time.
- this works "Ok" but I currently have both mapped so both turn making one not face the right direction (the main screen toon) this can be fixed by mapping a key just to turn the alt toon.
- this is also slow because it takes time to move him and get him facing the right direction and with the lag / delay sometimes he turns too far.

My Third option that I have not tried yet, My toons are Warlocks and have some spells that make them follow the target as the target moves (Channeling spells like Soul Drain) I'm thinking of having a button for the alt to cast that spell (which turns them to face the mob) then cast the next spell I wanted them to cast.
- Downside to this is mana used, but at least they are doing some damage while they are turning to face the mob lol.

If I get a "good" scripts working (or macros) that can help with this issue, ill post it.

Note: There are a few classes that have spells that turn them to face the mob. Warlocks (Channeling spells) and Hunters (Aim Shot) i'm not sure about the other classes.

Note: I have not testing if you can cast a Channeling spell on a mob thats at your back, but maybe there is a command to make your character do a 180 turn.

Ziie

[Morganti]

Arcane Missiles will turn Mages. That concept may work for me if they'll turn 180 degrees since my DPS is 2 warlocks and a mage.

[unit187]

there is no command to do 180 degrees turn afaik

[unit187]

so no one can give me good advice how to make spread out thingie on single PC? :) using AHK atm ^^

[Shogun]

so no one can give me good advice how to make spread out thingie on single PC? :) using AHK atm ^^

The only way afaik is the one suggested earlier, keybindings for movement set to one key, and just hold it down for a second or so

[Ziie]

I use AHK as well and run 2 warlocks on a single PC. I haven't made a "spread out thingie" yet, but will be adding one soon.

I'll add the script once I get it written out (when I get home tonight) but the theory would work like this...

Set a Key in AHK script to send one key press to WoW1 and a differant key press to WoW2.

Example:
W = WoW1 (move up) AND WoW2 (move back)
S = WoW1 (move back) AND WoW2 (move up)
A = WoW1 (move left) AND WoW2 (move right)
D = WoW1 (move right) AND WoW2 (move left)

This will get your toons to move apart in the Axis you want and then back together in the Axis you want.

Ziie

[Adronson]

Well, I'm not using AHK, but with Keyclone the method described elsewhere in this thread works like a charm on one machine. I'm running three WOW's on one machine and I bind the del key to "strafe left" on my mage and to "strafe right" on my priest, and my paladin's movement is not bound to that key. Tap the del key and the mage and priest jump about a body length apart while the paladin stays front and center. Hold the key down and they run apart until they run into something. I've also got a driud on a second machine with the del bound to "move forward" so that she moves up just behind the paladin to off tank if need be. The simplicity of setting it up in Keyclone was worth $10 to me.

I don't like calling attention to myself, so I played around with permutations of this in out of the way places. But, you can do some nifty parade ground exercises with this set up. I bind strafe right and left then bind /say macros to my paladin who is out in front. So the the Paladin will say SQUAD! DRESS RIGHT, DRESS! and the rest line up. Then bind another key so that the Paladin says PRESENT ARMS! and the group salutes. Etc.

Like I say, I don't use this in public because it tends to attract A LOT of attention and too many questions.

[Runiat]

My Third option that I have not tried yet, My toons are Warlocks and have some spells that make them follow the target as the target moves (Channeling spells like Soul Drain) I'm thinking of having a button for the alt to cast that spell (which turns them to face the mob) then cast the next spell I wanted them to cast.
- Downside to this is mana used, but at least they are doing some damage while they are turning to face the mob lol.

(...)

Note: I have not testing if you can cast a Channeling spell on a mob thats at your back, but maybe there is a command to make your character do a 180 turn.
You can't.
Oh and it wont wont work to cast the next spell too soon, as I don't believe there's any of the auto-facing abilities that wont trigger your global cooldown.

What I usually do is that I turn off autofollow on any alts about 20 yards from my target. Should I need to turn them around again (in which case the mob will have moved at least 21 yards and I'll most likely be right behind it on the main) I just turn on auto-follow for an instant and then switch it back off (wont be interrupting anything if I can't cast).

[unit187]

thanks for answers, gonna study ahk documentation once more, maybe I missed something but I couldnt get it to work. I mean I press my button which should move alt to the left but it just emulate alot of fast key clicks so the char almost doesnt moving. Gonna try to find a command to emulate key "press and hold" :)

[unit187]

...
uhm, last time I checked Paypal wasnt accepting any transactions from Russia. Maybe now they do so I can pay for keyclone, must check it someday :)

[hapiguy314]

thanks for answers, gonna study ahk documentation once more, maybe I missed something but I couldnt get it to work. I mean I press my button which should move alt to the left but it just emulate alot of fast key clicks so the char almost doesnt moving. Gonna try to find a command to emulate key "press and hold" :)

In AHK - Use Press Down Press Up function, it might work (similar to broadcasting Shift / Control / Alt keys). Broadcasting simple press of a key in regular AHK command means you only press it once - not holding it which causes the strafing.

[Steph]

I have WASD for the stick leader and the arrow keys for the /follow chars.
If I need to have the follow chars turn around the easiest way is to just run through them with the stick leader whom they are following. Since they dont actually start moving until you are three steps or so away from them, this wont interrupt spellcasts. Alternatively use the turn left/right keys you use for the following chars.

[keyclone]

re: keyclone binds to allow for line formation
now that is very nice work. hadn't thought of that. very slick.

[hardc0re]

i use g15 keyboard.. just hitting g1 key and perfect CROSS not that hard but then again G15 rocks for macros ;)