New Multi-Boxer w/ Questions and Thanks!

[VonHenry]

First, thanks for the great site, and all the help; that which I've read, and hope to receive. My goal is to get advice about what 'solution' is best for me, rather than digging through all the information, I want to explain what I'd like to do, and then be pointed to the pertinant info, or given advice here directly.

Overal Goal:
To simply level 2 characters simultaneously using 2 accounts and 1 PC.

First my specs:
QuadCore 6600, 3GB RAM, 8600GT (256MB), Vista Home Premium, Dual Monitors, 19-inch WideScreen LCD and 17-inch CRT.

What I know:
- In the end I will have to have 2 legal license keys (copies of the game).
- That with Vista Home Premium the Single Video Card should drive two windows with decent FPS (which XP would not, due to acceleration issues on the 2nd monitor). I'm not a graphics snob, so if I have to make some detail adjustments while 2-boxing I will.
- That I can either run 1-installation of the game to spawn each account, or that I can re-install WoW to a 2nd directory (i.e. c:\wow, c:\wow2).

Questions:
1 - Can I use a trial account to set up a new account, and therefore give this a 2 week try?

2 - Will I want KeyClone? I will 'never' run more than 2 accounts. 1 window per each monitor. For just 2 accounts seems like KeyClone would just add complexity....perhaps I'm wrong. * Note: I will not be "dual-leveling" a same class. (i.e. 2-Shamms, or 2-SPriests...etc)

3 - To that end. From those with experience. Am I better leveling 2-toons at the same time, or am I better off Power-leveling one at a time, using my lvl 70 hunter?

4 - Today I usually run WoW on 19-inch, and Thotbott, etc in 17. I assume the best solution for me is to run the 'Alt' character in the smaller monitor. I know I can run the same "install" of WoW twice, but can I do this using separate video settings? (are they account based, or 'install' based)?

5 - Lastly, what are the pro's/cons of using 1 installation of WoW vs 2 installations? Other than managing the WTF common LUAs, is there really a problem with just 1 installation?

Thanks so much for any guidance, suggestions. I hope I was clear on my intent. I really just want a bit of challenge, and more importantly, would like to level my toons a bit faster....that is, make better use of my time.

[VonHenry]

Thanks. I guess the first step is to get the trial account and try it out. In a variety of situations.
I'll search for the 1 vs 2 installations.

[BobGnarly]

Fursphere is our resident master of economy. :)

Yes a few additional thoughts:



Questions:
2 - Will I want KeyClone? I will 'never' run more than 2 accounts. 1 window per each monitor. For just 2 accounts seems like KeyClone would just add complexity....perhaps I'm wrong. * Note: I will not be "dual-leveling" a same class. (i.e. 2-Shamms, or 2-SPriests...etc)

You are wrong. :P

You're going to want keyclone, otherwise how are you going to control them both? alt-tab? not a very good solution, to me at least.


3 - To that end. From those with experience. Am I better leveling 2-toons at the same time, or am I better off Power-leveling one at a time, using my lvl 70 hunter?

Well, for all out get there fast, I have to say, you can level 2 toons independently pretty darn fast if you have the right setup. If that's your goal, and you have access to a 70 paly/mage/healer, and are just interested in getting them to 70 asap, that's the better way. Just know that there's a learning curve to m-boxing that you have to sit through, now or later.


4 - Today I usually run WoW on 19-inch, and Thotbott, etc in 17. I assume the best solution for me is to run the 'Alt' character in the smaller monitor. I know I can run the same "install" of WoW twice, but can I do this using separate video settings? (are they account based, or 'install' based)?


5 - Lastly, what are the pro's/cons of using 1 installation of WoW vs 2 installations? Other than managing the WTF common LUAs, is there really a problem with just 1 installation?

Everything is pretty much account based, except mods (which can be turned on/off on an account basis), video settings, and macros you put in "global". The video settings are in WTF/config.cfg iirc.

Fewer wow directories = better performance. If you want max performance, definitely no more than two (one for your main toon, the other for however many clones you have).

[Dorffo]

1. send yourself an invite a friend, try things out and get a month on your main if you activate the 2nd
2. Least amount of headache will be Keyclone, there are other options that are completely viable - with varying degrees of tweaking by you needed.
3. ditto on what Fur said, you can always fold your existing 70 back into your group but learning skills/synergy of your toons just doesn't happen by boosting.
4. You will want 2 directories for different config files which is related to question 5
5. My suggestion is to go with 2 install directories and Symbolic links (for Vista) which can be found with some searching - but I have the thread bookmarked: single vs multiple directories ('http://www.dual-boxing.com/forums/index.php?page=Thread&threadID=6364')

[VonHenry]

Thanks for the replies.

Great link on using the single vs. multiple directories. I was sold on Single, till I read the post by Chorizotarian, and his link to his script. Rock!
If I had 2 Widescreen monitors I'd be okay with same video settings and nearly maxed windows. But with two different type mons, it's a pain.

Last question:
I have a 36 feral druid and a 70 Hunter. Would it be better to pair the warrior with the druid right away, and perhaps use druid to farm RFC , WC grouped with the Warrior?
Or am I better off just escorting the Warrior around with the hunter (using Aspect of the Pack for the 20% bonus to speed) to get from A to Z faster, and do regular quests.

I guess I'll have to play with it some, but defiantly the 36-druid would gimp the XP less than the 70 hunter. So many options. I'll report back with what I find, though it'll be through the weekend before I really get to it. My goal, for now, is to get the warrior to 36 as fast as possible, then it'll be dual questing with the druid. (or my 34 Spriest, can't decide!)

[Dorffo]

I would suggest going with the quest route to catch the war up. Grab the QuestHelper and Cartographer addons and you will blaze through the quests then hit the dungeons if/when you run out of quests. Having the higher level around to help with red-con quests makes things smooth sailing.

Once they (druid/war) are symc'd up you can keep questing all the way through, or dabble in some instance grinding as well (for that pair i would go quest all the way though).