FTL modifiers for large groups

[Smedbox]

RIFT doesn't distinguish between left and right CTRL, so there are only modifier combinations enough to control 7 characters.

What do you guys do to control more than 7? Spam the in-game toolbars with assist/targetting macros for every char?

My idea was to each group of 7 characters handled by just one in-game macro (using FTL modifiers). Character 1-7 uses up one ASSIST button on the toolbar, Character 8-14 another button on the toolbar. Etc. This would drastically reduces the action bar pollution. i.e. You'd just need two ASSIST buttons to support any from 1 to 14 characters, for games that supports ctrl/alt/shift modifiers.

My idea is that depending on who the active character is ("Initiator"), he would trigger the AssistMePlz action in IsBoxer. The AssistMePlz would broadcast FTL+F6 if the Initiator is character 1-7, and FTL+F7 if he's character 8-14. The in-game macro for F6 assists characters 1-7, using FTL modifiers. The in-game macro for F7 assist characters 8-14, using FTL modifiers.

I did some attempts with Variable Keystrokes, to remap ASSIST (F6) to F7 for the character 8-14, but it happens all the time, no matter who the "Initiator" is and if he's in the character 1-7 range or character range 8-14.

Is there an existing feature I could use right now? Or is there a new feature planned for in the future to make this possible?

One workaround I'm thinking about it to have an Action that switches out the AssistMePlz action when a character gets activated. If the activated character is in the 1-7 range, the AssistMePlz action will send FTL+F6. If the activated characters is in the 8-14 range, the AssistMePlz action is switched out to another action that sends FTL+F7. I wouldn't need the Variable Keystrokes feature at all for this.

Does this workaround seem like the way to go? Would it work at all? Are there there better ways?

[lax]

By chance, I was actually in the middle of building something for this into the Quick Setup Wizard yesterday, and will probably finish that up today.

Here's the trick -- and again the wizard will make this easier by doing the ISBoxer config part for you... The FTL Modifier system is "Simplified" FTL, which uses the same Key buy with per-Slot Modifiers. You just need "Advanced" FTL, which lets you use whatever Key Combination you need, on a per-Slot basis.

So to begin with, set up your /follow and /assist macros in the game, one per Character, and assign whatever Key Combinations you need for each one. Just like following the RIFT Macros walkthrough, except you don't have to follow the pre-defined table of Key Combinations.

Then, in ISBoxer, open up Variable Keystrokes. There's already ones for "Target Slot 1" and up to "Target Slot 6" -- this will be sort of like that. Create "Assist Slot 1" through however many Slots you have, and set the "Default Key Combination" to whatever the key combo is that you assigned to each one in the game. So for example, in the original table, Assist Slot 1 is Shift+F12. Do the same for "Follow Slot 1" through however many you have, and set the key combo for that -- in the original table, Follow Slot 1 is Shift+F11, Follow Slot 5 is Shift+Ctrl+F11, etc.

So now you should have your "Assist Slot 1" through "Assist Slot 14" (however many Slots you have) each with their own Key Combination defined, as well as Follow Slot 1 through Follow Slot 14 (or however many).

Now you're almost done. You just need an Assist key, and a Follow key. You might already have them, but the new ones will be a little different.

First make the Follow Me key. Create a new Mapped Key, give it a Hotkey you want to press for Follow, and add a Variable Keystroke Action to Step 1. (Do NOT enable the FTL Modifiers option.) Set the Target to "Window: All w/o Current", and the Variable Keystroke to "Follow Slot {SLOT}" (you have to type or paste this in the drop-down box, it is not an option).

Then make the Assist Me key. Create a new Mapped Key, give it a Hotkey you want to press for Assist, and add a Variable Keystroke Action to Step 1. (Do NOT enable the FTL Modifiers option.) Set the Target to "Window: All w/o Current", and the Variable Keystroke to "Assist Slot {SLOT}" (you have to type or paste this in the drop-down box, it is not an option).


That it.

[Smedbox]

Ok, I had some vague thoughts about that alternative before - it's basically doing all the FTL modifiers manually instead of using the automatic check-box.

Just one question - in Step 1 of the mapped key for Follow Me, you would have 14 Variable Keystroke Actions, right? One for each "Follow Slot <N>" Variable Keystroke?

UPDATE: Oh wait, {SLOT} is a keyword! How does this work with multiple computers then? Different characters from different character sets will have the same Slot number assigned to them.

[lax]

Just one question - in Step 1 of the mapped key for Follow Me, you would have 14 Variable Keystroke Actions, right? One for each "Follow Slot <N>" Variable Keystroke?

UPDATE: Oh wait, {SLOT} is a keyword!

No, you use one Variable Keystroke Action. Right, it is a keyword.

How does this work with multiple computers then? Different characters from different character sets will have the same Slot number assigned to them.

With multiple PCs you can also use {CHARACTERSET} to differentiate between the slots.

For example, your Variable Keystrokes could be...
Follow CharSet1 Slot 1
Follow CharSet1 Slot 2
Follow CharSet2 Slot 1
Follow CharSet2 Slot 2

And then the Variable Keystroke Action would do Follow {CHARACTERSET} Slot {SLOT} -> all other

Also, the aforementioned Quick Setup Wizard changes are now in place in ISBoxer 41.3.0530.1 (available via Help->About ISBoxer). It's not using the multi-PC safe method though currently

[Smedbox]

Is there a keyword for Character Name?

That would be great, because it would make all the Variable Keystrokes work no matter what Character Set I happen to be using, and whatever combination of characters I'm playing. And it would be more pleasant to the eye with "Follow Smedbox", or "Assist Lax".

[lax]

Yes you can do that instead if you have a different macro for each specific Character, good point.

Follow {CHARACTER}
Target {CHARACTER}

[Smedbox]

Excellent! I should be all set then! I'll try it out tonight.

[Smedbox]

Alright, so far I have just tried it with two and five chars but this method seems to work smooth as butter. Thanks Lax!

(I tend to have just a single "Character" for each account but a lot of character sets and computers for different combos, so using {CHARACTER} works very well in my case.)