Getting started with 2-boxing SWTOR

[OldRod_KS]

OK, a few things since my first post.

1 - Checked out Input Director. It doesn't work for me. The mouse on the slave computer is horribly sluggish and once I move back to the master computer it won't see the slave any more (only goes to the slave computer once). I've been through all the faqs and support on their site and haven't found a solution yet. I thought it was maybe a firewall issue, but even with firewall off temporarily, I had the same problem.

2 - Tried Synergy. Can't even get it to recognize the slave computer.

3 - Looked at Multiplicity, but I'm not sure I want to plunk down $49 and find out it doesn't work any better than the other two I've tried.

4 - Looked at ISBoxer. Is it really $10 every 90 days? That seems kind of lame. May try out the 7 day trial tonight to even see if it works, but I just don't know.

I did a couple of runs through Black Talon and Esseles with 2 chars/2 companions. It was slow going, and had a couple wipes, but I was successful playing two computers side-by-side. If I could get the keyboard/mouse sharing to work I think it would be a whole lot easier. So I'm still looking

[Pyro_box]

OK, a few things since my first post.


4 - Looked at ISBoxer. Is it really $10 every 90 days? That seems kind of lame. May try out the 7 day trial tonight to even see if it works, but I just don't know.

STWOR 4(x) @ $55.00 = $220.00
Subscription 4(x) @ $15.00 = $60.00/mo
4 Monitors @ $185.00ea = $750.00
Computer system /upgrade that will run 4(x) character at the same time = $1500.00(+ ); my new video card set me back $250.00 at christmas on my i7

Total Investment for first year = $3,200.00

$36.00 a year to run all 4 accounts seems pretty trivial; to each their own.

[Apps]

Pyro_box, not exactly apples to apples, but I believe your point is made none the less.

OldRod_KS,

*this is a concept that (I believe has been tried and proven, but.. I have personally NOT done it..

Purchase (1) wireless USB keyboard and mouse combos with the wireless receiver. (the receiver part is important)
http://new.gimcomputers.com/product_...products_id=35

Then purchase (1) Female to Male to Male USB "Y" Splitter

http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/Add...t/1733216.aspx

Plug the splitter into both computers, and wireless receiver into the other end of the splitter. Press the Sync button on all three and sync both keyboard and mouse to the single receiver.

Both computers "should" recognize the single keyboard and mouse for each.

*The problem... your functions are exactly 1 for 1. There is Zero room for margin of error when moving. Example: if you operate two toons, and say one toon gets snared or is the victim of a force push, or even dies. Your two toons are now off. the /follow wont work properly etc. There are a lot of negative sides to this.

In the end... I believe you will use the trail version of ISBoxer, and realize the value of your time to the value of the software greatly outweighs itself. In that case, (me for example), my time is far more expensive than $36 a year.

[Starbuck_Jones]

Both Synergy and Input director work fine for me on win7 and xp machines networked together. Seeing how you have problems with both programs seeing other systems sounds like a network problem to me. Firewall, permissions, non matching workgroup names, or even some goofy router setup that's trying to route traffic to the internet and back instead of across the network. But two completely different network apps have the same network problems. My money is on the network being the problem, not the apps.

You could test it pretty easy if the systems have gigabit nic's just run a network cable from one to the other, no switch or router needed, set some static ip's and try it again.

[Pyro_box]

Pyro_box, not exactly apples to apples, but I believe your point is made none the less.

OldRod_KS,

*this is a concept that (I believe has been tried and proven, but.. I have personally NOT done it..

Purchase (1) wireless USB keyboard and mouse combos with the wireless receiver. (the receiver part is important)
http://new.gimcomputers.com/product_...products_id=35

Then purchase (1) Female to Male to Male USB "Y" Splitter

http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/Add...t/1733216.aspx

Plug the splitter into both computers, and wireless receiver into the other end of the splitter. Press the Sync button on all three and sync both keyboard and mouse to the single receiver.

Both computers "should" recognize the single keyboard and mouse for each.

*The problem... your functions are exactly 1 for 1. There is Zero room for margin of error when moving. Example: if you operate two toons, and say one toon gets snared or is the victim of a force push, or even dies. Your two toons are now off. the /follow wont work properly etc. There are a lot of negative sides to this.

In the end... I believe you will use the trail version of ISBoxer, and realize the value of your time to the value of the software greatly outweighs itself. In that case, (me for example), my time is far more expensive than $36 a year.

Back in early days of Everquest I ran (2) accounts on separate computers with the setup above; very frustrating, leading me to eventually give up on the idea of practical multi-boxing. My second computer worked out best having my toon /follow with me manually inputting keys on (2) keyboards. Eventually the N52 gamepad came out making things much easier.

My post was not meant to be harse; I look at all the money that I have invested in online gaming since Ultma Online, the frustration that I have endured over the years trying to figure out how to maximize my game play time, not always being able to group. From the moment I ran the trial version of Isboxer several years ago, I became hooked/spoiled by the shear genius and simplicity of multi-boxing. My education has provided me with a job that pays double per hour what Isboxer is per year, so to me, $36.00 a year for a service that has revolutionized my free time is trivial.

I do understand what may seem trivial to me is not to others, and for that I apologize for any offence.

[OldRod_KS]

Both Synergy and Input director work fine for me on win7 and xp machines networked together. Seeing how you have problems with both programs seeing other systems sounds like a network problem to me. Firewall, permissions, non matching workgroup names, or even some goofy router setup that's trying to route traffic to the internet and back instead of across the network. But two completely different network apps have the same network problems. My money is on the network being the problem, not the apps.

You could test it pretty easy if the systems have gigabit nic's just run a network cable from one to the other, no switch or router needed, set some static ip's and try it again.

I'm thinking that is the case as well. I figured I would play with the router tonight and see if there is some setting there that makes a difference.

[OldRod_KS]

OK, I did a 7 day trial and tried ISBoxer out last night. It works fine, but I'm having problems getting it to do what I want.

Is there a list of hotkeys for ISBoxer to use in SWTOR somewhere? I found a list of keys, but it was for WoW and none of them seemed to work in SWTOR.

Mainly I'm looking for a hotkey to swap screens back and forth without having to use the mouse. Then, is there a way to broadcast only certain keys? I want to do TAB and the 0-9 keys, but not the WASD movement keys, for example.

[Apps]

OK, I did a 7 day trial and tried ISBoxer out last night. It works fine, but I'm having problems getting it to do what I want.

Is there a list of hotkeys for ISBoxer to use in SWTOR somewhere? I found a list of keys, but it was for WoW and none of them seemed to work in SWTOR.

Mainly I'm looking for a hotkey to swap screens back and forth without having to use the mouse. Then, is there a way to broadcast only certain keys? I want to do TAB and the 0-9 keys, but not the WASD movement keys, for example.

yes, yes, and yes.

You can do a window swap hotkey, AND load a specific set of mapped keys at the same time. Unless someone posts this by the time I get home and get some screen shots made to show you how to do it... or if MOSG2 WOULD ACTUALLY POST HIS MANIFESTO!! (kidding, the dudes not feeling well at the moment), its really not hard to set up.. just need to work your way around the settings for a little bit.

If you want to mess around some, you basically need to make a keymap for each toon, and then make a keymap for your basic controls. I would also suggest making one for NO BROADCAST for when youre trouble shooting and or manually altering your keybinds in game. Example: I have my setup as "Apps Control", another for "No Apps", another for "Apps Warrior 1", "Apps Warrior 2", "Apps Sorcerer 1" and "Apps Sorcerer 2" (youd only need two as opposed to my four)

My Controls, have the basics like "Follow Me", "Target Me", and "Assist Me"

The class specific ones like "Apps Warrior" and "Apps Sorcerer" hold the dps keys and their rotations, and refer back to the "Follow", "Assist", "Target". Those have a single key to load them each... like "F1" loads "Apps Warrior 1", and turns off all the rest.. (I also have it setup to flash a text across the screen indicating as such.)

Then in your Character set., you can go to Slot 1 (which is one of your toons), and choose a hotkey to swap windows specific to that character slot... and use the same keybind as you would for the individual character mapped keys... so using my example, I used "F1".

the result is, when I press "F1" the window swaps to my primary warrior, and loads all the keys I want for him... including the follow, assist, target, dps rotations, and dps rotations specific to the others, from the warriors point of view.

I know this all sounds very confusing... but once you do it one time, and really study it, you'll see how simplistic it is.

again, if someone else doesnt post or provide better / more specific info, ... ill post some screen shots tonight when I get home.

[OldRod_KS]

I would love to see some shots of that Apps, if you have time

[Mercbeast]

You're welcome.




Depending on your current level of awesome... you can dual-box HEROIC+4 stuff. HEROIC+2 is easy and often soloable. RAID (Flashpoints) are NOT two man-able while attempting to use companions in the place of actual characters.

1. The healers are smart, just not predictive or focused. They wont stop an action to heal you at the moment you need.
2. DPS is no where near an actual player
3. Tanks do not have the gear or enough mitigation to be an effective tank... if you pull off it, its yours... they arent smart enough to save a taunt and pull it back.
4. Companion DPS constantly breaks CC's with AoE. They dont care.
5. Two maning a FP is doable, but only when you out level and out gear the FP significantly, while using companions.
6. Of course, companions cant join in the warzones.

I believe the companions are there to help the story along while doing the PVE stuff minus Raids.

So far, my favorite team is a Jugg and Sorc combo. They each have enough companions to allow me to inter change them and accomplish whatever I am up against at my level. The Jugg is Defense with dps gear. The Sorc is Madness with heal gear, and a few points into heal. When faced with some Republic scum, I am able to blow away my opponents in world PvP easily up to about 7 levels above me, and if I focus, and with all skills /attacks at my disposal... even up to 10 levels above.

Tanks companions actually do save their single target taunt for when they lose agro.