2 boxing questions

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Erulehto

Guest
Hey all, I am new here. Played Live for about a year or so when it first came out. And then I discovered this site yesterday, loaded up EQ from my old discs, patched up and all that. I want play a Shaman/Monk duo, and I have never 2 boxed before, so I am really lost on what to do...whether I need to download a program, configure something, or whatever..

I tried searching the forums but couldn't find straight step by step instructions. Can anyone summarize the steps I need to take to do so? Or point me to someplace that explains it well? Thanks so much, I can't wait to start playing.
 
Assuming you're using the same box to do it (because using 2 computers, it's very straitforward...), here's what you do. Ready? This is pretty complicated, you might want to take notes.

1) Start EQ normally, log on the first character.
2) Switch to desktop (I use windows key + D, but you can use whatever method you're most comfortable with), launch EQ again, log on second character.

That's all there is to it :) If the 2 characters are on the same account, and they zone at the same time, one or both will crash. Similarly, if you use the same EQ folder (that is, if you only have it installed once) for both, logging in simultaniously or logging out simultaniously (such as on a zone crash) can cause problems. Best bet is to use 2 accounts and make a copy of your EQ folder for the second. Good luck!
 
Yeah, pretty much what Joudas said. Most versions of windows XP are stupid and require you to use ctrl + alt + s to switch between windows and ctrl + alt + r to release the mouse and allow you to move it outside the EQ window. You can disable this, though (I don't recall the program for doing so; I never had to).

What Joudas left out is that you'll probably want to use EQW, which puts the game in windowed mode. Back on live I tried multi-clienting in fullscreen and the delay in switching screens could be fatal. EQW comes with the SoD files, so no worries there. When you run the SoD patcher, click on advanced and select the EQW option, and when in the EQW startup screen make sure the file path directs you to eqgame.exe.

As he said, be sure to make your characters on two different accounts. While you can use just one, it causes problems when zoning with both at the same time. As for using two different EQ directories, I don't have any problems running off of just one, and I almost always load both characters at the same time.

It doesn't take a very powerful system to run two instances... as long as you've got something from the past few years and at least 512mb RAM, you'll probably be good to go. If you run into graphics slowdown, make sure you're using old world models. I keep spell particales low or off (though I do that single boxing as well, just out of preference), and you can lower the clip plane if you need to.
 
I'm running Win2k, so that might be why the disparity, but when I don't use 2 seperate EQ installs, I (occasioally) get a flat out CTD when I try to log in 2 characters simultaniously (that is, have them both on the character select screen, hit enter on one, switch, hit enter on the other - one will CTD sometimes, occasionally both). If you don't have this problem, great, no worries. If you do, a second copy of your EQ folder will (most likely) fix it.
 
Thanks a lot for the feedback.


My video card takes 2 monitors, so I am going to hook up my spare monitor. Then use EQW to display a window on each one. I find it hard to play on a window less then 1024x768..

I have XP SP2
XP2100 (~1.7ghz)
1 gig ram
5600 Ultra 128 MB video card

Does anyone think I can run 2 - 1024x768 windows with EQW based on my specs?
 
My computer is pretty similiar. I mostly use my laptop or my other computer to run a second account, but sometimes I have to run both accounts on 1 computer.

I cant stand EQW, so I dont use it. I just fire both clients up and ALT-Tab between them. Its instant (unless one is in full screen), and I dont have to worry about releasing the mouse and all that jazz.

With a gig of ram like you have, you shouldnt have a problem at all running 2 clients in that resolution. Try it with EQW and without, and see how you like both.
 
QuartoKhan said:
My computer is pretty similiar. I mostly use my laptop or my other computer to run a second account, but sometimes I have to run both accounts on 1 computer.

I cant stand EQW, so I dont use it. I just fire both clients up and ALT-Tab between them. Its instant (unless one is in full screen), and I dont have to worry about releasing the mouse and all that jazz.

With a gig of ram like you have, you shouldnt have a problem at all running 2 clients in that resolution. Try it with EQW and without, and see how you like both.
Click to expand...

I have thought of trying that too...but isn't difficult not being able to see what is going on at the same time?
 
Well, usually my second character is just there for support/buffing what have ya. It would probably be a real pain if it were 2 melee or something like that.

I usually just have the secondary character set up with hotkeys. Just a quick alt-tab and '1' for a quick heal for instance.
Also, 'target primary, /assist, /pet attack' hotkey works great for the pet class alt.

2 computers are a hell of a lot easier to work, but a single computer can be done with just a little more inconvenience.
 
Erulheto, your specs are almost identical to my system before I upgraded it, and 2x 1024x768 is what I ran, albeit on one monitor alt-tabbing between them. I had a slightly older vid card (ti4600), but it still worked great.

As soon as you get used to it, one computer is incredibly simple--and possibly even faster than switching keyboards for a second computer.

It's really not difficult at all to play two melees, two casters, to clerics, what have you. I've done virtually every combination of 2-boxing between here and live, and a number of different combinations of 3- and 4-boxing back on live. Those started to get complicated if you lost track of which window was which, but that's really not a problem here.

Alt + tab is basically instant, and allows you to do pretty much whatever you want with your two characters. I've been puller, main tank, and main slower on raids; two clerics in a CHO (back on live); two rogues; and probably the most intense, my usual combination: puller, tank, slower, and healer in groups (pally/shaman) in areas with large pulls (FG or RSM, for instance).

Give it a day of alt + tabbing and you'll be used to it. In a week you'll be proficient and do it without even having to think about it.
 
QuartoKhan said:
My computer is pretty similiar. I mostly use my laptop or my other computer to run a second account, but sometimes I have to run both accounts on 1 computer.

I cant stand EQW, so I dont use it. I just fire both clients up and ALT-Tab between them. Its instant (unless one is in full screen), and I dont have to worry about releasing the mouse and all that jazz.

With a gig of ram like you have, you shouldnt have a problem at all running 2 clients in that resolution. Try it with EQW and without, and see how you like both.
Click to expand...

Without using EQWindows changing the gamma while in windowed mode would not do anything. At the time I didn't have a video card that would allow me to crank up the brightness internally, so I had to use EQWindows to allow me to change gamme while windowed. Not sure if it's still like that. Also, I've had no problem with using EQWindows.
 
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