Hi i have some questions

[Arnai]

So does multi boxing mean i need multiple computers and screens to go with it?

[Aradar]

Originally, I believe it did, hence the term, but thanks to people like keyclone and others, it can now be done on one computer, one screen.

[keyclone]

no.. multi-boxing today is a combination term.

to be strict, early on... multi-boxing required multiple physical computers (with screens)... but with advances in computer hardware and software multi-boxing systems, it became possible to run multiple game clients per machine. technically speaking, this was known as multi-instancing... but that term was short lived... as people soon started using multiple computers... each running multiple instances.

and so, a single term has become the defacto standard to describe what we do.

multi-boxing

[Arnai]

ok so if i wanted to use one system what would be some hardware and software I would need

[Maz]

Depends on how many toons you want to run at once. You could run 5 toons on a machine such as:

2.4GHz Q6600 Core 2 Quad Processor
4GB RAM
8800GT Graphics Card

You'd probably want run two monitors though.

Software-wise, you'd need Keyclone or one of its alternatives.

[Arnai]

at the moment im setting myself up for 2 what like the minimun. Im currently at work so i wouldnt be able to say the spec of my pc but i believe i have 2gbs ram, 1.9ghz, and it have just the standard pc graphics card

[keyclone]

single, dual, or quad core cpu?

as for memory... you'd want 2G for up to 3 wows, 4G for 4+ wows (if you are on XP... get 4G of memory and your system will use as much as it can.. 3.5G of it)

and if you can, please get an nvidia 8800 w/ 512M of memory ... $150-200... definitely worth it
http://castle.pricewatch.com/s/search.asp?s=8800+gt

[Eteocles]

My current system is:

AMD x64 Dual-core 4200+
2x 1GB ddr2 ram
7900 GeForce GS vidcard

I run 3 at 1280x1024 with high settings just fine; I ran 5 @ 1024x768(Lead char maximized to fit screen, rest in default start position on top of each other) last night and had noticeable system lag until I manually assigned cores to each instance of WoW(3 on core1, 2 on core0) and ran just fine for a couple hours, seems they shut down with less HD-fuss than my tri-boxing did too, less of an after-effect once done.

Bottom line is if yer system's up to snuff and you know how to tweak it, you can probably make 5boxing work on a "RELATIVELY" weak comp...but the suggestions above spec-wise are your best bets for high-playability lag-free 5boxing. I ordered a system similar to described above(see my last reply in my CompUSA thread in the Hardware forum for specs if you care) and can't wait to use it instead :P

[Arnai]

i do believe its single.. when i get home ill post specs.. also something i have noticed i can run 2 different accounts from my computer but it seems i lag a little is that my internet or could it be my video card.

[keyclone]

my desktop is still a single core (yes.. i know... you guys put my rig to shame...) and i am able to 5 box on it.
i do limp through orgrimmar getting 4 fps on all... but once i get out of the city, i get a consistent 8/25 fps on 2 screens @ 1280x1024

i've got an amd 64 3800+, 4G of memory and an 8800GT OC driving 2x 22"

if you are laggy with only 2... odds are, each one is trying to get maximum fps. (hit ctrl-R to see your fps)

you have 2 things you can do. you can drop your resolution to reduce the number of pixels per screen wow needs to render...
and you can limit your fps by setting your maxfpsbk and maxfps. i would recommend 5/15 to start (5 maxfpsbk ... 15 maxfps)

fyi:
maxfps == maximum frames per second (while in the foreground)

maxfpsbk == maximum frames per second while in the background

[Arnai]

yea i see what your saying but what i mostly do is try to run myself through instances and it seems i lag no matter where i am. So i should get that card with in a week or two. Now my next question is would i need part upgrades like i been reading (Ymouse wireless keyboard etc etc)?

Im trying to advoid this as much as possible. Keyclone is not a problem to get i just dont wanna spend alot of money on the mouse and keyboard and such. Or is it a must

[Maz]

You don't need those. They're for people who hardware multibox. Keyclone replaces all that because it's win!









I put that last bit in for Rob

[Arnai]

well i mean you all have been very helpful and i know im getting annoying but hows a mage/mage combo do?

[Eteocles]

One thing I forgot that keyclone mentioned that helped me IMMENSELY was the maxfps/maxfpbk setting. I manually set mine to /console maxfpsbk 20 normally but when I went to 5boxing, turning it down to 15 on all windows at once made a HUUUGE noticeable improvement from barely 20 on main while alts had to to 15capped on alts and near-max fps on main window again.
/console maxfps 60
/console maxfpsbk 15
???
Profit! ;p

As for Mages, they have alot of nice instants(nothing like multiple pom/pyros) but they're VERY squishy and usually easily killed in pvp and won't be tanking or kiting much in pve. They can kill well enough though

[keyclone]

mage/mage is good...

you really don't understand the term -TOTALLY PWND- until you:

mage/mage/mage/mage/mage

ok... maybe a bit of healing for grins:

mage/mage/mage/mage/priest

or... if you want to avoid the facing problem...

lock/lock/lock/lock/priest

:D

as for hardware, no... you will not need any additional hardware. keyclone will route all the keys to all your wows running on the same machine. if you want to take advantage of any extra computers you may have, plug them into your network... get keyclone for each (new license per box)... then connect the keyclones together (ip:port in the command box). that's it. no extra keyboards or mice.

and it's no problem answering your questions. please feel free to ask (this is one of the good things about the community...)

[Arnai]

What would be a powerful combo that i can 2 man with preferably a caster

[Kaynin]

If you add fun factor.

Boomkin duo seems fun. There's a video thread with a dual boxing boomkin in the video section.

I don't think 2x elemental shaman works as effectively as 4/5 shamans, since you don't have cc nor much anti-cc, you're better off going with a class that has some form of cc. So, dual mages should work well. If you're serious about PvP, undead is pretty much a must. Or maybe a shadowpriest/lock combo, also quite interesting. ;)

[Arnai]

i wanna reroll alliance tbh i need alliance side mains

[keyclone]

if you're just 2 boxing, then go pure dps.... and i think mages get the highest dps.

this way, you'll group with 3 others... a tank, healer, and maybe a rogue. works well

[Arnai]

fire and ice?

[Kaynin]

Mmh, alliance side, this 'should' work probably...

Resto shaman + Ms warrior

This would be a very fun combo. *nod* And tremor will keep you going to some point in pvp, for anti fear, next to that warriors have quite some 'get out of fear' cards as well.

It's not a caster set up, true. >.> But if you want to go pvp, fear can be really really annoying. :p A trinket every 2 minutes will help some, but still, if people find out fear is your weakness. xS

2x bm hunters should work pretty well, as well. :)

[Eteocles]

It probably won't be super interesting but if you want I can post my 3 Boomkins vs ZF Temple Event video when I get home...I forgot the url and it's a pain in the ass to find(+hosted on a site my firewall here blocks) so I gotta wait till then to do so lol; 3 Boomkins can solo a fair amount and have healing/stealth to boot(even while in Boomkin form if you do go alliance, shadowmeld = uber helpful for a boomkin) once you learn how to play them right.

[Zzyzxx71]

I find it interesting that earlier in this thread we were discussing the history of multiboxxing - I've heard of people MB'ing as far back as Muds (not sure how that would work, but I never mudded). My first exposure to it was a gentleman who used to run a full group of 8 in DAOC back about a year after it came out (2002?). After some schmoozing, he introduced me to his app he wrote himself that broadcast key sequences via IP to other pc's on the network that had the client app. I 6 boxxed back then when 6 boxxing really was 6 boxxing. 1 fairly strong pc for the driver (in daoc this was the bard) with it's own monitor, another PC (not as strong, didn't need to be) with it's own monitor for the healer (they have group heals, was handy), then 4 other machines going through a KVM to 1 monitor. Didn't need to see them to control them.

Ahh the days /reminisces...

[Arnai]

well im mostly interested in having alliance because i have about 7k gold sitting on a 19 shaman. which i have everything that shaman needs. im also defenatly not interestecd in rolling a warrior, that is my current main :| so double mages is what im thinking. Hows double elemental shamans

[Eteocles]

Shamen are the Chuck Norrises of WoW; they can do anything without any real penalties(like SOME healers have to lose 10k armor to heal*cough*) :p

It also kinda comes down to what you can stand playing...I personally can't stand playing mages for long, nor priests.

[Arnai]

well i lvled a mage to 13 but i didnt find much excitement in lvling solo. i lvled my current main with a rogue, so this is why im looking to multiboxing. plus im thinking the more firepower the better.



PS this is all furstrocks fault damn 5 shammies killing me on akama

[Kaynin]

Shamans are effective as they can counter fearbombs and do shitloads of burst if you use 4 or more shamans. (Maybe 3 as well.)

But 2, you won't have the ability to kill quick enough before people get some cc's on you. Which kinda causes the set up to loose its charm a bit. It's still doable, and totems are still very nice for boxers. But in a dualbox, 2x mages > 2x elemental shamans by far I reckon. :p

[Arnai]

Hp pavilion

Intel(R)

Pentium(R)D CPU 2.80 GHz

2.80GHz, 1.99 GB of RAM

those are the sstats i got what can i run with this And just in case i run XP

[Arnai]

bump

[Jorai]

arnai, i am currently on akama horde side multi-boxing 3 warlocks. i've also done mage/mage and shaman/warlock.

if you aren't set on rolling alliance try horde, there are a few others on akama doing it besides the shammies

mage/mage is super fun, i started doing a frost/fire combo, shooting a frost and firebolt at the same time is great.

and one day you could meet the rock family with a clan of deathknights haha

at any rate good luck, it's a blast !

[Arnai]

yea thats what i been thinking lately just roll akama