i've been realy wanting to try 2-boxing lately, but only have one computer
to do so on. I run on an athalon 1.5gz, 1024mb ddr ram, some g-force four video card that i think has 64mbs of video card ram, and have a cable internet conection.
Now what i want to know is, if i were to get eqwindows and run two accounts simultaniously on my one pc, how well would it work out for me?
Would there be a several minute lag period whenever i alt-tab between characters? Would i crash anytime more then 2 people in my immediate area cast a spell? Or would everything run smooth and well allowing me to fulfill my wet dreams of slaying uber monster on a whim with the awesome powers of a pocket cleric/druid healing me?
If anyone has any advice on wether or not i have what it takes to be a 2-boxer, any help would be super.
Goretex
(#1 ranked beastlord on the cazic thule server)
I've seen people two box on system similar to that. The real key is what you use for settings.
- Old models
- NoSound.txt
- No spell effects
- No dynamic lighting
- No names
- Very few chat settings
- Low clip plane
- No 3d Sky
- etc.
I'd start off with almost nothing turned on the main character and even less on the boxed char. Then try it out with a friends account if you don't want to spend the money at first until you are sure. You can raise settings up as you test what works for you. I personally don't like most of the new models or anything so some of it is nothing major for me to lose. I don't think you'd be able to run full models, 72 person raid, spells going off like mad. However, to exp with and stuff should be good.
I run 2 chars on one machine. I made a copy of my EQ directory (to a different drive can help a bit if you have multiple hard drives) and run the 2nd char from that copy. That second copy has nosound.txt, old models, low-rez, no sky, etc. Then my 'main' copy has all the usual bells and whistles. Works just fine once they're both up and running. Zoning is maybe a bit slower, and starting them both up is a bit slower, but that's about all I've noticed for slow downs.
Alt-tabbing back and forth is sub-second, with 1GB of ram (same as me) you shouldn't have to worry too much about that.
Originally I wasn't using EQWindows, but I realized that EQ in windowed mode blows if you've done any gamma tweaking, whereas EQW will 'respect' your gamma settings.
hmmmm, as it stands i allready play with no sound, no sky, and no effects
And with my bard trader guy, i can run around the bazaar with the clip plane all the way up at selo's speed without lagging much at all. I don't really care if have a cleric i can bring on raids, because raids tend to all ready have a few clerics present. mostly it'll just be when i want to group up with my non healer friends or if i feel like soloing. sounds like it's worth a shot anyway, time to start me up a cleric and/or druid!
I'm pretty sure you'll have no problems then. Both cleric and druid are fun to Plvl with a bard btw. Mage still my favorite lol. Most thought it was insane how fast I level'd my bard, but to watch how fast my bard Plvl'd my mage was truely a sight to behold hehe. Not suggesting you box a mage with bard I just get off on rants usually. 8P Enjoy your two box'n it's fun.
i play 3 windows of EQ on one machine using a 2.0 ghz processor...Radeon 9200 128mb video card...and 512mb of memory...on dial-up connection...only thing bad about it is i zone really REALLY slow
have all sound off and graphics set to the minimum settings
bst+cleric+enc is awesome combo btw!
I'm running EQW on my system, with nearly all options on, and have no problem, even on a dial up line. I do have soud disabled on the secondary account. Zoning is slow, however.
Athlon 1800+
1.5 gig DDR
TI500 64meg vid card.
-K