Multiboxing software

Multiboxing is a term used to denote one user playing multiple accounts simultaneously. This can be done using one or more machines. Solutions exist for both the PC and Mac. There are also solutions for using both PC and Mac at the same time.

Software requirements
To multibox, you must first have a separate copy of World of Warcraft for each account you plan to play together. If you plan to roll Draenei or Blood elf characters, or take advantage of any features from Burning Crusade, you must also have separate copies of the expansion as well. Additional software is required and can vary depending on the desire to run all accounts on one or across many machines.

The second requirement is software to broadcast keystrokes from one copy of the game to other copies. Actual software needs will depend on your operating system, and your decision to multibox on one computer or use multiple computers.

Software-driven solutions are generally cheaper than Hardware solutions, however, a single PC running multiple games will require specifications at a higher grade than multiple PCs running single game installations. In general, if you have a medium modern PC, the software multiboxing route may be your best solution. However, if you have more than one older PCs, a hardware multiboxing solution may be a better route. Note: Hardware multiboxing often requires an initial investment as well.

Broadcasting software
Key broadcasting sends keystrokes for one application to one or more copies of the application, whether they are on the same machine or not. Note: This does not broadcast the effects of keystroke, such as a complex macro, but just the actual keystroke itself.

AutoHotKey
AutoHotKey is a PC-only application that sends keystrokes to more than one clients on the same machine.

Although it does take a bit to set up, this is an example of setting up the "2" key to be sent to both World of Warcraft clients.

WinGet, wowid, List, World of Warcraft ~2:: KeyWait 2 IfWinActive, World of Warcraft {  ControlSend,, 2, ahk_id %wowid1% ControlSend,, 2, ahk_id %wowid2% Return }


 * Premade AutoHotKey script for nearly all keystrokes
 * Home of AutoHotKey

GameCommanderPro
GameCommanderpro is a multiboxing management program. It provides all the required functionality (Key and mouse broadcasting, macro generation, window management, processor affinity, etc.).

Its key feature is a configuration interface allowing the user to think in terms of game actions rather than the technical aspects. The configuration process creates all the basic macros you need for multiboxing.

GCP allows creation of complex spells (where each character casts a different spell) through a single form. For more complex situations, it features a graphical spell rotation editor. These can be used with no knowledge of macro creation and key broadcasting.

GameCommanderPro links with a special in game mod to provide advanced targeting, including the ability to rapidly change roles(ie. Tank, DPS, Heals) for each your characters, even in combat. This targeting system replaces FTL.

Though simple to use it still has lots of features for advanced users including a command language.


 * Home of GameCommanderPro

HotkeyNet
HotkeyNet is a PC-only application that lets you control several programs on your network from any keyboard no matter which PCs the programs are running on. A single keystroke can send commands to one character, two characters, or any number of them. The commands can be the same or different. You can control more than one program on each PC. You can press hotkeys on any keyboard. The same hotkey can do the same things or different things when pressed on different keyboards. A single command can tell each character to do one thing or many things.

You can use HotkeyNet as a simple key-broadcaster, but it can also do much more. Despite its power, HotkeyNet is fairly easy to use. Here's a sample key definition:

  Whoopee!   


 * Home of HotkeyNet

ISBoxer
ISBoxer features instant window swapping, highly configurable key mappings with WoW macro management, and mouse broadcasting that includes an actual cursor visible on all windows (including AoE targeting circles) -- whether using 1 PC or multiple PCs. A new Video Feeds feature can be used to show a live view of minimaps, combo points, bag space or other useful information from each window right in your main game window. In-game Click Bars can be created with a simple editor, to click buttons for some actions instead of memorizing more hotkeys. Keep different configurations per Character with virtual files, without needing to sacrifice performance by using multiple folders. Very easy to get started with the Quick Setup Wizard, which sets up all of those things, plus auto-assisting Action Bar hotkeys, in seconds.

ISBoxer also provides the ability to mouse broadcast from specific areas on screen to any target windows. This means you can use standard healing addons (such as Grid, Healbot or Vuhdo) to heal your team or an entire raid from any window with mouse clicks, instead of creating several hotkeys per character you want to heal.

ISBoxer works for many games, including EverQuest, EverQuest 2, EVE Online, Lord of the Rings Online, RIFT and World of Warcraft.


 * ISBoxer Home Page
 * Supported games
 * Quick Start video
 * Quick Start Guide - Deutsch version

Keyclone
Introduced in April 2006, Keyclone is a peer-to-peer keyboard multiplexor that will simultaneously pass keys between machines and to specific games/windows of interest. This allows for scalable multi-boxing while also getting the most out of your hardware.

To do this, keyclone links applications together, enabling you to hit 'F1' within one application, and having that key simultaneously sent to each of the other applications keyclone is managing. It will also send those same keys to any other keyclones you may have linked in, which in turn will distribute the keys to the applications they are managing. This interconnection allows for an unlimited number of characters under the control of a single user (theoretically).

Keyclone also has the ability to help the user lay out their screen using it's 'maximizer' feature. Using keyclone's maximizer, the user can resize and position each game wherever they wish. For example:


 * 1 screen, 3 regions
 * 1 screen, 5 regions
 * 2 screens, 5 regions

The idea behind this product is to allow for advanced multiboxing without all the expensive hardware. This product is not free, but does require a one time lifetime fee.


 * Forum information on this program

PwnBoxer
Created in 2009, Pwnboxer is a PC only multiboxing software. It has a drag and drop ability to set the size and location of wow windows. A user can bind any key such as F1, Numpad0, to "broadcast" to their entire multiboxed group of characters. Users can also broadcast mouse movements to cast AOE spells such as Blizzard and Flamestrike.

Pwnboxer also can control CPU usage by setting different wow's to different cpu. An example would be setting your primary wow to cpu 1 and 3 additional wow's to cpu 2. This allows your PC the ability to run multiple copies of World of Warcraft without additional hardware.

In addition to keyboard and mouse multiboxing features, this software also has a built-in in game web browser, allow you to browse websites such as Wowpedia without exiting out of the game window. There also exists the ability to chat with multiboxing gamers worldwide through built-in chat functions.

The software also has extra features such as video recording and network monitoring, two functions gamers often take advantage of.


 * Official Releases of Pwnboxer

Synergy
Synergy, available for Windows, OS X, and GNU/Linux, is an application that allows sending of keystrokes to clients on other machines. It can also send mouse movement as well but some have found this difficult in practice. It allows you to seamlessly transition from one PC to another simply by moving your mouse to that screen or through the use of hotkeys. Once you've moved over to another PC your keyboard and mouse have complete functionality. Each PC does require its own monitor, it just enables you to control all with one keyboard and mouse. Setup time does take a bit, but is well worth the time spent.


 * Sourceforge homepage for Synergy
 * Solution to overcome mouselook problems

Multibox
Multibox is an open source program developed for multiboxing games. Multibox is similar to synergy in many ways, but is more friendly for gamers. Multibox allows broadcasting of keys and mouse movement/clicks to all or some of the connected clients. There is support to limit which keys should be broadcasted while broadcasting is enabled. It has multi-resolution support for mouse movement.


 * Official blog for Multibox

Jamba
Jamba is an addon for World of Warcraft that is designed to assist multiboxers. Jamba is divided into modules. The core Jamba options involve configuring the multi-boxer's group of characters and setting one of the characters to be the master character. Through the many modules Jamba providers, an interested multiboxing gamer can automatically control such things as party requests, flying, accepting quests and more. Jamba can also automate actions such as buying and selling, talking to people, and repairing.

For more information, see their official website here:
 * Jamba

WoW-Multiboxer (freeware program)
Under Mac Os X it is not possible to run multiple World of Warcraft applications without using Terminal or duplicating the game installation folder. Solution for this problem is to use WoW-Multiboxer application which lets you run two or more World of Warcraft applications simultaneously. The only requirement for using this application is to have your World of Warcraft application installed in the default folder (Applications folder).


 * Home page of WoW-Multiboxer for Mac

Plexor (commercial program)
Plexer is a commercial key broadcasting software for the Mac. It has support for remember creating configurations for a group of applications, black listing of keys so that only some of your keys make it to your apps, and a few other nice features.


 * Plexor Website

Clonekeys
Clonekeys is a simple Mac application which replicates keystrokes across designated applications. It is incredibly easy to use. Simply start your game sessions and the Clonekeys program. For each session tell Clonekeys to add a program and then click that programs window.


 * Home page of Clonekeys