A lot of times I watch movies people have their slaves setup as tiny screens on their existing screen. Do most people do this? I am playing with three 24" monitors and currently run one client of WoW across all three. I am planning on tri-boxing and was thinking I would just use one screen for each character. Would you recommend this, or would you think keeping it on one screen would be best?
Picture for reference: :P
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps99aed99b.jpg
Typically one full screen for your active window. The slave windows are really un-necessary, but do serve a convenience of being able to visually see a slave run off in a direction or, be rooted, killed, etc. A decent screen resolution being 1600x900 on high, and FPS limits at 60 for the main screen, meanwhile the other clients can have their FPS throttled down considerably, and if you get comfortable, turn down their detail setting to "Fair".
You will be primarily looking at the one screen anyway.
Personally, I only use the smaller client windows to verify an IWT action, and to verify any missed aggro... Else the entire team is usually visible from the main client window.
I run one screen, so I have the main take up about 80% of the area and the other four are stacked on one side, so that the screens are somewhat square-shaped.
Which setup works best is subjective. Try a few different setups and find which works best. One account on each screen might be best but it might also be more difficult to follow, or be more distracting. Or if the monitors can be rotated you might find it better to have the second and third accounts stacked on one monitor with the main on its own. And so on.
For wow, I ran it on 2 screens. leader on my main screen, and alts tiled on the second.
Of course, this was for 10 accounts. If I was only playing 3, I would give them each their own screen.
I use the main full sized on one screen and small windows for the slaves on the second screen. My browser takes up more room on my secondary monitor than my slaves do. There's really nothing I need to see in huge, spectacular detail on the slave screens that I can't see on my master screen.
If I ever do need a slave screen bigger for some reason, I have the option to swap it to full size on either monitor. I've found increasing the screen size for the slaves does absolutely nothing for my situational awareness and actually becomes rather distracting.
Wow Airstarcraft has the same monitor stand as me. I have my two outside monitors in Portrait mode though, and stack 3 toons on each outside monitor and 4 on the main.
If you guys run slaves in such small screens, how do you deal with quest rewards and when you really have to click something on their screens?
I created a PiP layout on steroids. I blogged about the original version of it a while back, but the long and short of it is if my mouse is over a "loot window area" - either a proper loot window or the quest reward window - I can press Left Windows Button + Left Click and all my windows will go full size, reposition and slip into "holes" I punched in them with PiP. It also sends the "shift down+mouseover" on each window so I can also have item comparison up as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Palee
Finally, I can use Left Windows Key + Left click outside of the defined loot window area and it will swap that screen to full sized on the main monitor so I can loot and equip slave gear. Alternately, I can use Right Windows Button + Left Click to maximize the slave on the secondary monitor.
There's also TeamEquipCompare and I believe Jamba has an option to autoselect the best quest reward.
I use the equip quest item addon that gives you an "select this reward and equip it" button on quest turn in, and then I cycle through the whole team using the "next slot" keybind. (isboxer).
Quest receipt is probably the only place I really care about having visible slave windows at all, but there is nothing more annoying than finishing a quest on 4 toons just to see that one toon couldn't be bothered to pick it up. Having the four visible quest dialogues visible out of the corner of my eye helps to cut down on that. If there is anything that I really want to see from the slaves, I pipe it in on my main screen through videofx's. For example in lotro I piped in quest trackers, cast bars, and mini maps all around the main toon.
I agree with khatovar, screen real estate spent on browser/media player is more useful than extra slave visuals.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Khatovar
Totally agree. When I was starting out, or when new content was out, having that browser open was invaluable. Now, having done most everything, I keep iTunes open and play music.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Palee
Its a lot easier than you think.
Once you press IWT and your slaves area ready for the turn ins as well, I use a combo of Jamba quest turn in options and a Mouse Repeater toggle mapped key that is bound to a thumb button on my mouse.
If everyone is picking the same reward, Jamba takes care of that, and I simply do the quest turn in.
If *most* of the team is choosing same reward, but one isnt (usually a tank or healer), then its a IWT > mouse repeat ON > click > mouse repeat OFF> click main window for alternate quest reward from team > Complete Quest.
If each one is choosing an individual quest reward, you can do as Khat suggests with Jamba team auto chooses best reward option, or do something similar as the window mouseover repeater region and exclude key clicks from current window.
Again, I haven't actually used the ISBoxer software or attempted this yet; but you have to run all clients in Windowed mode, right? Even the main character?
With ISBoxer yes. But the software will set all that up for you, if you choose to use the Quick Setup Wizard. And even afterwards, if you don't like it, there is a Window Setup Wizard that will help you customize or adjust anything.Quote:
Originally Posted by AirStarcraft
Essentially, if you had ISBoxer, and ran the quick setup wizard, you'll already have all the basic configurations done for you in under 5 mins.
I *HAVE* recently run into a situation with the latest version that doesn't auto setup the Control, General, FTL, Broadcast, or Formations keymaps when loading. There is a potential I am doing something wrong, or attempting to make a newer function more complicated... given I have been using the software for quite a long time now. But once you get set up, if you have questions, I or anyone for that matter, can quickly guide you and have you all done and ready to go.
Oh, and just to reiterate... ISBoxer doesn't NEED the Jamba addon, but its like having a pencil without an eraser. Totally handshakes with ISBoxer perfectly for easy use.
Thanks!
leader on monitor #1
toon2 on 1/4 of monitor #2
toon3 on 1/4 of monitor #2
keyclone, teamspeak on the other half of monitor #2