Dual Box Setup Ideas

I am considering looking into getting a second account for FFXI to use for dual-boxing and kinda looking into some dual boxing setups. Thought I would list some of the options I am looking into and ask for inputs from you guys, especially people who dual box already.

Each setup will include my PC I currently play on as one of the two stations.

Setup 1 - PC/Xbox360, This setup would be pretty cost efficient since I already have a 360 to play on. My only "meh" about this setup is that I have a 47 inch HDTV and I know some games look like total assbarf on it because of the large resolution. Does anyone have a TV this large they play on, how does it look for FFXI?

Setup 2 - Two PC's. This would basically just be a simple setup with 2 PCs, costs would include the new PC and a controller. Pretty straightforward.

Setup 3 - (I don't know if this would even work) Running a virtual machine and paying FFXI on the same computer across 2 monitors. Cost would be buying a 2nd monitor. I don't know if/how well this would even work considering my primary OS is Windows Vista (lol). We started learning about Virtual Machines in one of my classes and that's what made me think of this idea. Assuming things like the VM getting it's own IP address and enough resources allocated to run FFXI I think it would be possible? Has anyone ever tried this?

Thanks for your time guys and any inputs!

Used to 2box on one PC, one monitor and wouldn't do it any other way. ALT+TAB is as fast as possible, anything else would be shitty

If you use Windower(OMG CHEATER, etc) you can just multi-instance on one computer. Though you have to Alt-Tab, I've found it's the most cost efficient plan, assuming you have a good enough PC. I'm not sure how your system is set up, but you could in essence put one instance on each monitor, but you'd still have to alt-tab back and forth to make the other active. I think that would work.

Did you guys have to run a virtual machine to do it, or can you run more than one instance of POL/FFXI?

*edit* someone answered me derp :p

Use Windower GUI

Or just use windower and log in as many as you want.

If you wanna 2box on PC and play with a controller, FFXI Switch Monitor is very nice to have. It'll let you switch between FFXI characters with a single button. Like alt tabbing, without having to tab past useless crap you don't need when 2boxing.

I'd say it all depends on what you want to multibox for, if you are competent enough to play 2 characters fully at once I wouldn't suggest trying to alt+tab, as in you can't see both at once, unless you use 2 screens, even then you can only control one at a time, unless they have some sort of plugin that allows you to assign inputs (idk?).

If the 360 is extra or you just don't do much with it sure, but I've personally had bad luck in the long run with 360's, especially for XI. A used xbox with a HDD you could probably get for $100-$150 so if you have the extra TV go for it, if not go for the pc, I wouldn't play it on an xbox you use regularly but that's me.

i use 2 separate pc's. enabling me to, say, kite an nm if i have to warp back in after a 1 shot when i wasnt paying attention.

New question: What is the best method to getting the second account running? Do I need to buy a physical copy of the game, can I buy codes direct from SE/POL? Would I be able to buy the Steam version ($4.99! sale!) and then just use the registration codes without downloading it and all that malarky?

I've heard steam latches on to FFXI and you can't use Windower. Best way would be either buying a physical copy, or getting it off steam on a computer you can completely wipe/one you wouldn't play ffxi on.

Purchase with Steam -> Uninstall after codes are obtained -> Reinstall using discs -> Install windower -> Install PL bot -> Kill ***

You can't use windower with the steam version? That blows.

Oh idk, I'm just going off what the previous poster commented on the steam thing. Assuming you can't, thats what you would do.

I heard Steam is a *** to get rid of without wiping your HD.

If for some reason you cant uninstall it through the normal routine, you can use a digital wiper/shredder, and a registry cleaner.

That's what I do to Steam once I'm done with it. It's mostly good enough deleting local data though.

Has anyone tried the Gamestop direct download or know how their direct download system works? By that I mean do they force you to download and install the whole thing before giving you your registration codes or do they email them or what?

I tried Direct2Drive when I created my second account, but was turned down because they don't sell the ultimate collection to Canadian citizens. Steam is probably your best option. Getting the registration code from there and creating a new account with it on POL should work.

As for dual boxing, I have a pretty lame PC and I was able to dual box very reliably. I even did it in my regular resolution. I just used alt+tab to switch between them really quickly.

The only problem I ever had with dual boxing is that your chat logs will start to overwrite each other. You might be looking through your chat logs and suddenly see stuff from the wrong time, or even the wrong character. It's not a huge issue but if you like to view your chat logs a lot it can get a little frustrating.

Well I decided to try gamestops online services since their instructions say they give you the registration codes prior to downloading the files which would have been swell. Only thing is they use another company for the processing and they are apparently HELP I AM TRAPPED IN 2006 PLEASE SEND A TIME MACHINE. I put a dash in my apartment number 4-2 instead of 42 and it doesn't match the address my bank has on file... so even though I have been charged, they have to review the purchase... I was just hoping for a quick purchase so I could start rocking it out. yay for gamestop -_-

i was able to run windower through steam by putting a shortcut to my windower on there, so idk how it'd screw you over, through playing through steam adds no real benefit whatsoever either, so, y'know

I haven't had a single problem with Steam either. I did pretty much what Ironguy did... just created a shortcut to Windower to my taskbar and never ran into any issues on either my laptop or my desktop (Windows Vista or 7).

Told gamestop to fudge themselves, going the steam route instead.

When I dual boxed (about 3 years ago) I ran 2 windowed instances on a 24" monitor with double res settings on an upper mid range card flawlessly and could even run three instances with a touch of lag (Hell I remember I would farm and play a windowed age of empires III on my second monitor with only a touch of slowdown on each when tabbin).
On said monitor, only about 10% of the second instance would be obscured by the first (one in top left, the other bottom right). Made good money spamming hagun on BLU+RDM ^^

The same card is worth about £50 now. 11 was never a particularly "high resource" game, it was simply coded/ported badly. I run a 4ghz quad core, DDR3 ram & Radeon 4870 now and it still lags up next to the AH (I am talking FPS not connection speed -.-) or in certain weather conditions while dead space 2 runs flat-out flawlessly.

Having two monitors is definitely a massive advantage when dual boxing rather than having two overlays of FFXI on the same screen. Not to mention alt tabbing between the two could be a real nightmare from the sudden change of position and information rather than having it side by side for paneling observation.

I definitely recommend controlling your two characters with simply alt tabbing at first. Once you get the hang of responding between the two instances of FFXI, you could (if desired) move onto a more advanced method; such as using DualSend to send commands to your second instance of FFXI from the first one.

Complicated and frustrating at first, but once kinks are worked out in scripting and functionality put together with spellcast or aliases, it becomes rather invaluable when activities become more time and focus demanding, and one can't afford to look to the side, alt tab and take action; and god forbid someone sends you an instant message or anything to *** up your alt tabbing routine.

I agree if your screen is small, but I had/have the option of a second monitor and found it considerably worse having to alter my head position every time I alt tabbed & not being able to keep track of my second character peripherally.
That and the fact I could never get 11 stable on the second monitor, it would just randomly decide to crash for no given reason from time to time.

If you have a relatively up to date PC with at least a dual core, you shouldn't have too many issues running two windowed instances of FFXI.

I have both running at 1920x1080 background resolution and overlay with 5.0 drawdistance rating with very few hiccups. If any they're network related or background processes interfering in a minor way.

But really, when playing there's no need to have anything else open aside from maybe skype/vent and firefox.

Also yeah, if using dual monitors, they have to be relatively close to each other to get the full advantage, otherwise looking to the side will cause more harm than good. But sometimes you'll see something you didn't out of the corner of your eye when your character has a different viewing angle than your currently active character.