BOXability of SWTOR

[Apps]

yup. reading is hard. I missed that comment. Tkx Crum

@Apps:
I don't understand how the presence or absence of macros makes hardware boxing easier than software. I spent two hours working in ISBoxer and got a setup that should work fine for PvE:

I have an individual keymap for each character. When that character gets pip swapped to it activates his map and deactivates the others. Each map has a unique "target partyX" and "assist partyX" bound in game. Then, every button that needs an assist has two steps; One step sends the unique "assist partyX" and the next step sends the keypress. Each of these activates on keypress down or up, so you can just spam the button.

It's not elegant but it's about the best that can be done without macros. It breaks down in BG's where you may or may not get to reorder your characters properly.

As long as multiple instances can be opened on one PC we're golden now... And I'm sure Lax can or has already included an option that will force games to open.

Already corrected me a couple hrs ago. Thats what I get for scan reading, instead of actually reading..lol

[Mercbeast]

You use the multi computer method for ISboxer. There is a setup guide but basically each character is launched by a separate computer and ISboxer broadcasts to each computer linked via innerspace. You can't effectively drive with anyone but the main character from what I have experienced since you have to turn broadcasting on and that causes all sorts of problems.

[Mercbeast]

@Mercbeast:
Ditto Esca's question. Also, there is an autofollow your target button that works on enemies?

If so, maybe melee *will* be doable. It's like IWT but better.

Now, I've been accused from time to time of being a Negative Nancy (Tm) and of being intentionally argumentative for no good reason, but...

You're the second person that I trust that cited knockbacks as basically a show stopper for boxing in BG's. I appreciate where you guys are coming from--You do BG's as a solo toon and get CC'd and knocked all over the place. I also appreciate that (after watching many hours of BG gameplay) Huttball is a really complicated map. At the same time...

I remember when I first saw Thunderstorm, and Typhoon and Death Grip and I thought "Wow, boxing is dead." Of course that was an overreaction but the idea was the same--I was convinced that these would hamstring boxing enough that it wouldn't be fun spending half your time collecting your guys. It isn't, but I don't spend half my time doing it. I spend just a bit of my time doing it.

~~~

One of the differences I've seen between Sith Inquisitor and any WoW caster is how many more insta cast abilities the SI has. As long as you don't get knockbacked onto another level of the map (I'm looking at you, Hutball) then you should be ok. Knocked into a loose formation? Cast the insta heal or the dot while you run back to the main. /shrug

I just feel like it's too early to throw in the towel and say "4 boxing will be way too hard at launch." Some of the brightest people I've ever known are active here on this site and I'm positive that with all/many of them working on these problems (follow, assist etc) we'll have an entirely workable setup for 4 boxing within the first week.

I guess we'll see, but for now I've got super excited face on

There is no IWT and autoface only works if you have LOS when you begin casting a channeled or casted spell, so this is good news for Mercenaries/Commandos and Inquisitors where their primary DPS ability is casted or channeled. Once you initiate the attack everyone will track and if you time it perfectly they will continue start right into their next attack without losing LOS. Problem then becomes once you get blasted via knock back, you have significant down time as you gather everyone back up line someone up and start DPSing again.

The reason why I think Scoundrels and Operatives might very well be the best 4 man PvP team is for this reason.

With the way autofollow works when tied into a DPS rotation, they will swing and then follow you. Each down stroke breaks autofollow, but each keystroke up turns it back on. Operatives have a bag full of tricks. First they have stealth and vanish. They have self shield, healing/hots. They have the ability to long duration mez out of stealth, but they also get short duration AOE mezes. They have CRAZY burst damage that only snipers/gun slingers can really hope to match.

Sages and Inquisitors really have low DPS, in fact they might have the lowest DPS of any class in the game. Take for example a level 50 Mercenary spamming tracer missile. This is a 1.5s casted ability. The GCD is right around 1.5s, I think it might actually be 1.5s. So what you have with tracer missile is a reverse weighted GCD ability because by the time it executes it is ready to be cast again.

Inquisitor burst is based off of force lightning combined with procs that make their next casted ability instant. Force lightning for example at level 50 is going to do about 1500 damage if memory serves over the channeled time which is 3s (I think, it might be more, I haven't played a Sorc since last build over a month ago! ;p ) Tracer Missile hits for about 900-1200 non crit every 1.5s and crits are 1600-2k (Both characters in fresh level 50 pvp gear). Mercenaries can also through a railshot or a heart seeker instantly right in behind tracer and these abilities hit as hard or harder than tracer. Best case scenario for a Mercenary is a 4-5k burst in one GCD. Best cast scenario for a Sorceror is probably half of that in a 1.5s GCD. The difference is, Sorcerors and Sages can DPS forever. They have essentially no fall off in terms of DPS output whereas a Mercenary has to keep their heat level in an optimal zone.

If you run 4 characters, I think that looking strongly at commandos and or mercenaries is going to be a very good idea. They have much higher front loaded damage, they rock tank level mitigation once their DPS is humming along and they can all heal. Additionally, if perspective locking ever becomes possible with the camera in game, you gain access to the absolute beastliest AOE's in the game. Death from Above and Mortar while unusable currently while boxing due to the perspective drifting are probably the best abilities in the game. Four of those sync'd up will kill *EVERYONE* caught in them for the full duration.

I got off point, I wanted to talk about Operatives! Ok, so the way follow works in game right now makes me think melee will be easier to manage and keep on target for PvP. A group of 4 operatives will mow through people lightning fast and the follow range will keep them DPSing on the target. Basically I see it working basically like this. Go up the melee tree, get ranged snare 100% 2s immobalize, work that into a round robin spam every 4s. This means that 6 out of 12s your target will be stuck allowing you to line up lacerate bursts. Throw in your melee stun on top of that and your 4 AOE mez's and you have all the disables you need to line up lacerate bursts which will blow people up.

For you specifically Mosg2 if you are dead set on running 4, consider running a BH powertech or Trooper Vanguard with 3 Sorcs or Sages. The PT/Vanguard is a range based tank, better yet for you however is that this class has a pull which has obvious implications for PvP. You can yoink people off of your Sorcs to set them up to get DPS'd. With a 4x Sorc/Sage setup you are going to struggle in flashpoints and many 4 man heroics that have bosses. With 1 PT and 3 Sorcs, you have probably the best PvE squad in the game.

[ZooljinX]

Tho the whole follow thing with Operators sounds cool it all depends on how far away you can use follow (if there is as people say alot of knockbacks) it would be very painfull as you need to get them all back to you before they can attack again, as IWT they just go attack at once.. and your position doesnt really matter?

So if you get knocked all over the place or just CCd yout slaves will just stand there following you which sounds bad, and too easy to get kited all over the place hehe..

not trying to sound all negative just looking for you'r ideas on melee boxing(as i would love to do it aswell)

[Mercbeast]

Tho the whole follow thing with Operators sounds cool it all depends on how far away you can use follow (if there is as people say alot of knockbacks) it would be very painfull as you need to get them all back to you before they can attack again, as IWT they just go attack at once.. and your position doesnt really matter?

So if you get knocked all over the place or just CCd yout slaves will just stand there following you which sounds bad, and too easy to get kited all over the place hehe..

not trying to sound all negative just looking for you'r ideas on melee boxing(as i would love to do it aswell)

Follow works from targetable range which is just short of visual range.

Just to add, operatives are also ranged. So even if you are not on them in melee, you can be putting out ranged DPS which is virtually 100% instant cast.

[Kris1234]

ok, so if im understanding what I have read right. you cannot currently run 2 or more copies of the client of 1 computer yes?

if that is so, would this work then?
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-...am-on-your-pc/

any error messages etc would be appreciated, for finding a solution

[Crum1515]

2 more days of beta and then we are getting a new build.

[Mercbeast]

2 more days of beta and then we are getting a new build.

Well, this build ends. Who knows how long the turn around will be. I've also heard rumors the NDA drops soon.

[Crum1515]

Well, this build ends. Who knows how long the turn around will be. I've also heard rumors the NDA drops soon.

im sure it will be short because they are keeping the forums open and not doing the reinvitation process and they are keeping the distro servers live and hot swapping the new build in.

[Mosg2]

This close to launch it'll probably only be down until the end of next week at the longest. They've got to do a couple practice patches before early access starts.