Hotkeys : How many do you really need?

[creo]

I have seen this topic come up from time to time, generally from those new to ISBoxer and often new to multi-boxing in general. It was something that I also pondered as I was becoming familiar with ISBoxer and multi-boxing a team of 5 or 6. As we start to explore what is needed to control multiple characters (our team), it is easy to fall into the line of thinking that we will need a large number of hotkeys. We look at the available game binds and then multiply that by the number of characters we want to control (as we may imagine individually controlling each character on the team with unique commands that target only that character) and it is easy to become convinced of the need for some large number of unique hotkeys, particularly given that we do not want to overlap the existing game binds.

It seems that there are two sides to this issue, one related to how many hotkeys can actually be created with the available modifiers + keys, and secondly how many hotkeys are actually needed to effectively control any given team. While the first is a simple matter of doing the math, the second is much more subjective and greatly effected by the choice of classes to be mixed in a given team.

So first, Lets go through the math on how many hotkeys can be created given the 3 base modifier keys available to us with ISBoxer. While the 3 base modifiers can be used singularly, they can also be combined which gives a total of 7 unique modifier combinations. Just the alpha-numeric keys alone would yield 252 unique hotkeys, and if you start adding in the F keys, numpad keys, along with the other ancillary keys that number quickly climbs to over 600. Not enough yet? If you acquire yourself a gaming keyboard such as a G11 or G15 V1 with 18 G keys (and a few other usable keys as well) the available hotkey number is increased by more than 150. You can also add a G13 to your setup and increase the total even more. Now, take into account what can be done using more advanced methods such as outlined in this post:

http://isboxer.com/index.php/guides/43-using-any-button-as-modifier-key

and this number swells well past what would be considered as a practical limitation for the number of unique hotkeys that can be made available.

So, how many hotkeys would you actually need to map? In LOTRO for instance, taking into account those things that would be related to normal game play situations, the number seems to fall well south of 100 for an average player (if there is such a thing when multi-boxing ) and maybe 150 for a select few, which would not exceed what can be done with 3 modifier keys, let alone what can be accomplished using more advanced techniques.

However, there is much more to the equation than just looking at the number of skills you may have across all the classes in your team. I have found in developing my own play style as well as in talking with other multi-boxers and reading comments regarding their setup, that in practice you can be more efficient by reducing your hotkey count (the minimalist approach). That is not to say that you would reduce your skill usage, but that you would stack skills on fewer mapped keys in different steps such that you create a skill sequence, or skill chain.

Since mapped keys do not have to be assigned a hotkey, you can create a different skill chain for each class and most likely multiple chains for a given class that would be situational in use, without even using any hotkeys. Then, by using a few hotkeys specific to your current situation, you can enable an appropriate chain for your team and then by spamming a few, or even a single "DPS" hotkey you can execute a relatively complex sequence of skills. Similar techniques can be used for healing as well... So, you can collapse what could be a relatively high number of skills to be used, into a few, possibly even a single hotkey that will cycle through your chain.

Of course, every player is going to have differences in their personal play style. Some are more comfortable with a mouse, others the keyboard. Each battle can present unique circumstances that may require you to adapt your play style for that fight. ISBoxer is amazingly flexible in what it allows us to do, and in the tools provided to tweak our configuration to meet those unique challenges. Experiment, ask questions and don't be afraid to challenge how you think something needs to be done... Just about the time I think I have the perfect solution, someone will ask a question or propose some alternative point of view that forces me back to the drawing board...

Cheers,

creo

[Ualaa]

I find when building a new team (wow related, but the basis should be the same for any game), I look at all of the unique abilities which I might want to use. I may decide upon 10 or more hotkeys for each character type.

But when I'm actually playing the game, I don't use nearly this many on an ongoing basis.

My setup is usually along these lines now:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0, -, =..... as DPS keys with assist... '1' to '4' is used 95% of the time.
Shift A through Shift ; (home row), for team specific spells which don't need assist.
Shift F1 through Shift F10, for boxing commands that are the same across every team.
G1 Interact With Target
G6 Enables/Disables a mapped key for the team, changing how they DPS.
G13 - G15, character swaps.
G18 - group invite.

So I'm using 40 odd mapped keys, as a maximum across a team.
And really, 98% of gameplay could get by with half of this.

I really like your set up mine is very similar when I used keyclone. Any chance you could share how you added the home row and the f keys set up I play 5 Druids if you have a way to toggle mouse repeater when I hit trents and then it goes off on click. Same with huricane. That would be great.

[Ualaa]

Adding keys is fairly basic.
If you want an assist component, you are pretty much copying the FTL DPS Keys, except for a different hotkey and a different output.
If you don't need assist, then its even easier.

In the top pane, I expand Keymaps.
Then click on the General Keymap.
I choose General, because I want these keys to apply to every team.
In the bottom left pane, right click on Mapped Keys.
Select New Mapped Key.

Give it a name.
I choose Sh_A, Sh_S, Sh_D... etc.
Click on the name, and then in the right pane, click the arrow beside the hotkey field.
When that opens, hold shift and type the key (can check the shift modifier with the mouse if you prefer).
Then click the 1, under Steps (Left Pane).

Right Click on Actions (Right Pane).
We want Keystroke Actions > New Keystroke Action.
Target: Window All With Current
Keystroke: Shift A (or whatever, same as the hotkey).

When you're done, export to Inner Space (From the File Menu).

If you want an assist component... for example Shift J is single target buffs in my setup.
You'll just right click on Actions (prior to the Keystroke Action... can move actions up/down after you make them).
Keymap Action > New Do Mapped Key Action
Keymap: General, Mapped Key: FTL Assist Me, Target: Current Window.
This says the Current Window runs the FTL Assist Me mapped key, which is in the General Keymap.




For the mouse broadcasting on a hotkey.
For many of my teams, Shift A is an AoE spell.

In the top pane, expand Action Target Groups, then Right Click and Create a new ATG.
I have three for this purpose.
- AoE on Shift_A
- AoE on 4
- AoE on 5

So now we have the ATG's created.
Click on one, and navigate to the top pane.
Find and expand Characters.
Left click and drag characters from the top pane to the bottom left pane, so they're inside of the ATG.

If you have only one toon on the team which will AoE on Shift A, then only drag the one name there.
If you run eight teams, and have a total of 12 toons who AoE on Shift A, then drag each toon there.

My "Shift A" mapped key is in the General Keymap.
I select (click the name) of the mapped key in the lower left pane.
I place a check next to "Send Next Click", and select "Group: Others in AoE on Shift_A".
If only some of the team will be doing an AoE on this key, Block click from current window can be checked too.

Remember to Export to Inner Space (File Menu).