Dual-Boxing for Newbies

[Kimiko]

Ok, I am a complete newb when it comes to dual-boxing, so I'd like some suggestions on how to set things up. Preferably if I can get 2 instances of FFXI running on one system that would be great. Any advice?

[nekura]

There's nothing really too complicated about dual-boxing, just run two instances of Windower. If you play using a controller, I highly recommend downloading FFXISwitchMon so that you can switch windows by pressing a button on the controller as opposed to having to alt-tab or switch via mouse. You may also have to lower your settings depending on where you're taking the characters, but that's pretty easy to handle with Windower profiles.

[Starr]

I use keyboard ALT TAB and np with it

[Vertabreaker]

Exactly what's been said. If your PC can handle two instances of windower running, just open two instances and you're good to go.

[Zoot]

I have an older PC, and found that setting the resolution to 800x600 or lower, and otherwise lowering graphics settings in general makes lag much more tolerable. Having both at a higher resolution just rocks my graphics card too much.

[Falisa]

Make sure your plugins have loaded before you tab to the other window, for priority. Depending on your computer, you will have to lower the settings alot to get no lag.

I wish I knew what changed. I used to dual box on a computer nowhere near as good as the one im using currently and had both at full settings with no lag. Now I have to have the 2nd account down to the bare minimum in settings and I still lag.

[Ksandra]

If this is something you plan on doing long-term you might want to think of investing in a mini-tv (doesn't have to be too tiny, just something that can sit on your comp desk). I play my mage on the ps with the tv and my melee on the pc. I always found that easier than alth-tabbing just because I know controller=mage keyboard= melee. Of course some probably find the comp thing easier. XD

[solsovly]

I have a separate macro pallet with hard coded names.

So instead of /ma "Haste" <stpc> I just add /ma "Haste" Solsovly. That way I don't have to target and can switch, hit a macro and be done with it.

[Vigilia]

If this is something you plan on doing long-term you might want to think of investing in a mini-tv (doesn't have to be too tiny, just something that can sit on your comp desk). I play my mage on the ps with the tv and my melee on the pc. I always found that easier than alth-tabbing just because I know controller=mage keyboard= melee. Of course some probably find the comp thing easier. XD

Yup, I completely agree with the above. If you're planning to dual box a lot get two machines to run FFXI on. PS2/XBOX and a PC, 2xPC, PC and a laptop... doesn't matter what, but just makes it easier to be able to have both working at once and your graphics will be nicer than N64. If you're just doing it once in a blue moon then ignore this. Just run two windowers on your PC like others said.

[Kerberoz]

If you get a G15 keyboard and set up aliases, you can control both characters without tabbing. At least for simple things like PL/cure-botting etc.

[Lordwafik]

I wasn't able to do the whole 2box on 2 different consoles thing, my neck and body started hurting due to the whole having to swivel 45 degrees to cure someone, at the end I just started 2boxing on the same screen and found it easier.

On a side note : Didn't used to happen before, but when your whole PC freezes after something graphically awesome happens, and then you get a VPU recover (ATI), does this mean I've damaged my caard and time to get a new one?

[Wizerd]

When I dual box, I run both of them on 800x600 on a 1280x800 widescreen.

I put the melee on the top left so I can watch status icons (Utsusemi and others) and still see most of the log information (color-coding the messages helps a lot here). I put the mage on the bottom right of the screen to watch the log, and am usually focused on the mage since there's more work to it, except of course when resting.

I've been doing it regularly recently and I have no problem with <stpc> macros anymore, so it's nice when using 2 chars in a 4-man situation because it means you only need to split whatever loot you're getting with 3, instead of 4 people.

Running 2 chars at full screen is just a pain in the ass because you never know what's going on with the screen you're not focused on.

[Lexa]

If you get a G15 keyboard and set up aliases, you can control both characters without tabbing. At least for simple things like PL/cure-botting etc.

How? D:

[Kiyuan98]

If you get a G15 keyboard and set up aliases, you can control both characters without tabbing. At least for simple things like PL/cure-botting etc.

How? D:

you can also bind alt tab to a button on your controller, which is 15 times easier imo.

[BIGSTIC]

I have a Gateway® FHD2400 24" Widescreen HD LCD Display that has Picture-in-Picture. I have my PS2 plugged into the monitor and run my alt in the PiP screen. All the macros use names so i never target. Makes life so easy. If I dont have my Alt logged on I just change PiP input and watch cable while meriting

[Naramaska]

I wasn't able to do the whole 2box on 2 different consoles thing, my neck and body started hurting due to the whole having to swivel 45 degrees to cure someone, at the end I just started 2boxing on the same screen and found it easier.

I found the opposite, actually--I dualbox usually on two laptops, so I can easy have both of them in front of me. I've played around with triple boxing on my better laptop, but anything where i'd need to triple box, it can't handle the stress from, so it's rare for me to do.

[Ksandra]

I wasn't able to do the whole 2box on 2 different consoles thing, my neck and body started hurting due to the whole having to swivel 45 degrees to cure someone, at the end I just started 2boxing on the same screen and found it easier.

I had once where I ahd to do that and just had to stop 'cause my neck was always stiff. That's why I like the small tv route. If you get one that can fit on your comp desk you don't need to turn your head. It's basically having the dual-monitor setup without needing a comp that can handle two.

[Tubbers]

Dual screen.

[Rya]

How well does windowed mode work for this ? i haven't tried it for quite some time and i remember it not working too well as it squashed the picture or something ?

might give it a go when i get home this evening.

[Frenzy]

Well, Windowed Mode doesn't have anything to do with dual boxing, as in you need Windower to dual box and Windowed Mode and Windower don't mix (running both would be kinda redundant).

My general opinion on Windowed Mode (without Windower). My picture isn't squashed, the colors aren't weird, I don't experience lag (except for a small hiccup every once in a while when switch back to FFXI).
The only negative point to me is that I have to nudge the picture upward a bit (or tell the task bar to go hide when not in use) otherwise the last chat line goes missing (or I'd have to adjust windows size).

Windowed Mode is very nice and you can take pictures of your screen with menus and chat displayed in actual screen size.