League of Extraordinary Multiboxers
Posts: 585
Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2012 7:37 am
Location: Omaha, NE
Sat Jun 22, 2013 1:25 am
ISBoxing EverQuest: /Slash Commands and Text Strings
CREDIT
Credit is due Kresharth for this idea. I simply hijacked the concept and took it to the extreme.
DISCLAIMER
This method is limited in its approach:
THE CONCEPT
After reading Kresharth's post about handling "/follow" and "/assist," it occurred to me almost every Mapped Key I was broadcasting consisted of a /social made up of ... /slash commands. In many cases, I discovered I could do away with the /social entirely and just broadcast the /slash command itself. Originally, I used this method to run Dain's and OMM Monster Missions by Virtualizing my Character's normal abilities into a Shroud /alt activate command. This concept became exponentially more useful with the /useitem command implemented in May 2013.
The following Key Maps are a collection of various generic Mapped Keys templates sent to Self (Window: Current) as referenced in ISBoxing EQ: Keybinds. I have also included some random samples of other /slash commands one may find a use for. Once again, these Mapped Keys do nothing on their own and will have their Window Target defined elsewhere in the profile.
The template attached to the Table of Contents includes the first three categories as these are fixed /slash commands. This section includes screenshots for other various uses; however, they are not included in the template as those Mapped Key naming conventions may not match other users preferences.
PASTE FROM CLIPBOARD
This Key Map will be referenced frequently by other Mapped Keys which use "New Key String Action."
IMAGE 01
SPELLCASTING
This Key Map contains "New Keystroke Actions" to /cast all twelve spellgems as well as /stopcast for Casters and /stopsong for Bards.
IMAGE 02
USEITEMS
This Key Map contains "New Keystroke Actions" to /useitems for all 10 top-level inventory slots, 22 worn inventory slots (excluding the Power Source), and the first 20 internal bag slots for the first top-level inventory slot. SoE Patch Notes from May, 2013 [EDITED 2018-03-23: Deprecated Link. Please post a comment in the thread if there is another repository of patch notes available.] contain additional information regarding /useitem indexing.
IMAGE 03
BANDOLIERS
The following images illustrate how to combine multiple /slash command text strings into a single Mapped Key. Using "Execute a Step when the Hotkey is Pressed or Released" as highlighted in Image 06, one can execute a /slash command exceeding 15 characters in length with a single Keypress.
IMAGE 04
IMAGE 05
IMAGE 06
MEMSPELLSETS
This Key Map contains "New Keystroke Actions" to sit and memorize spellsets as determined by character class, level, and each player's individual preference (See also: Buffs and Spellsets).
IMAGE 07
GENERAL UTILITY
Image 08 contains examples I have found *extremely* useful. This section is by no means all inclusive.
"/Attack on," "/attack off," "/sit," and "/stand" are specific states. The Hotkey which can be made from the Actions Window Sit/Stand button is a toggle. Have you ever tried to get all your characters to sit when some are standing? Broadcasting to the Hotbutton makes the Characters sitting, stand; and the Characters standing, sit. There is no way to resolve the sync issue without Alt-Tabbing or turning on the repeater and manually typing "/sit" or "/stand" (See also: General Utility).
A similar scenario may when each Characters attack state is not in sync. Broadcasting to a Hotbutton, or the default "Q," will make characters with attack on, turn it off; and characters with attack off, turn it back on. Group invisibility does not stick very well when attack is on (See also: General Utility).
Have you ever been forced to Alt-Tab multiple times to drop a DZ or Raid? Ever tried to find all your corpses after a wipe? All these situations can be remedied by sending "/dzquit," "/raiddisband," or F1 and "/corpse" to Window: All w/Current. This is all accomplished with a one and done Keypress with no Alt-Tabbing and without wasting a valuable /social slot on a ton of single line macros.
IMAGE 08
ALTERNATE ABILITIES (AAs)
Image 09 is a snapshot of the AA text strings in my actual profile for Old Man McKenzie Monster Missions. The /alt activate codes were captured by executing the "/alt list" command while in shroud form after zoning into the Mission. After compiling the abilities I found most useful, I set up Mapped Keys with the /alt activate text strings and proceeded to Virtualize them with the Like a Pro method.
IMAGE 09
WHAT!? WHY WOULD I WANT TO DO THIS?
Image 10 is a dummy Mapped Key created to illustrate how powerful the synergy between Keybinds, Text Strings and ISBoxer's Virtualization really is.
IMAGE 10
Let's presume you're playing on a Druid. You have a snare /social normally mapped to the ninth Button on your tenth Hotbar (HB10:B09):
The example above illustrates two separate concepts:
In other games, this is very easy due to a Global Cool Down. With EQ cooldowns spanning instant re-use to over one hour, this is an extremely complicated process. This issue is further complicated by active /socials being canceled by subsequent Keypresses or Right Mouse Clicks as well as the bug of being able to inject target switches in between the processing of individual /social lines.
RETURN TO ISBOXING EVERQUEST: TABLE OF CONTENTS
The End.
2018-03-23: Fixed broken image links, reference links, and typos.
Credit is due Kresharth for this idea. I simply hijacked the concept and took it to the extreme.
DISCLAIMER
This method is limited in its approach:
- Big Thanks to Lax! As of Version 41.4.0623.1 we now have support for "New Key String Action" for commands which will (more info):
- *only* ever be sent to one Character *at a time* on *the same computer.*
- be sent to multiple Characters at the same time where the intended action is exactly the same.
- Text Strings which do not fit into the above two classifications can use New Keystroke Action to simulate Text Strings. This method is limited to a 15 character output including the "/", spaces, and "Enter." If one exceeds 15 characters in a single Mapped Key Step, the entire line of text will not be processed. With that said, one can use "Execute a Step when the Hotkey is Pressed or Released" to combine multiple 15 character snippets together (See Bandoliers Below).
- In order to send punctuation with the New Keystroke Action method, one must send any keystrokes to be modified by Shift in a separate Mapped Key Step.
THE CONCEPT
After reading Kresharth's post about handling "/follow" and "/assist," it occurred to me almost every Mapped Key I was broadcasting consisted of a /social made up of ... /slash commands. In many cases, I discovered I could do away with the /social entirely and just broadcast the /slash command itself. Originally, I used this method to run Dain's and OMM Monster Missions by Virtualizing my Character's normal abilities into a Shroud /alt activate command. This concept became exponentially more useful with the /useitem command implemented in May 2013.
The following Key Maps are a collection of various generic Mapped Keys templates sent to Self (Window: Current) as referenced in ISBoxing EQ: Keybinds. I have also included some random samples of other /slash commands one may find a use for. Once again, these Mapped Keys do nothing on their own and will have their Window Target defined elsewhere in the profile.
The template attached to the Table of Contents includes the first three categories as these are fixed /slash commands. This section includes screenshots for other various uses; however, they are not included in the template as those Mapped Key naming conventions may not match other users preferences.
PASTE FROM CLIPBOARD
This Key Map will be referenced frequently by other Mapped Keys which use "New Key String Action."
- NOTE: Make sure to set CTRL-V as the Paste from Clipboard Hotkey inside EQ Options -> Keys -> All. By default, this Keybind is empty in the EQ client.
IMAGE 01
SPELLCASTING
This Key Map contains "New Keystroke Actions" to /cast all twelve spellgems as well as /stopcast for Casters and /stopsong for Bards.
IMAGE 02
USEITEMS
This Key Map contains "New Keystroke Actions" to /useitems for all 10 top-level inventory slots, 22 worn inventory slots (excluding the Power Source), and the first 20 internal bag slots for the first top-level inventory slot. SoE Patch Notes from May, 2013 [EDITED 2018-03-23: Deprecated Link. Please post a comment in the thread if there is another repository of patch notes available.] contain additional information regarding /useitem indexing.
- NOTE: Be advised, the indexing for internal bag slots starts with 0. The Mapped Key naming convention in the template starts with 1.
IMAGE 03
BANDOLIERS
The following images illustrate how to combine multiple /slash command text strings into a single Mapped Key. Using "Execute a Step when the Hotkey is Pressed or Released" as highlighted in Image 06, one can execute a /slash command exceeding 15 characters in length with a single Keypress.
IMAGE 04
IMAGE 05
IMAGE 06
MEMSPELLSETS
This Key Map contains "New Keystroke Actions" to sit and memorize spellsets as determined by character class, level, and each player's individual preference (See also: Buffs and Spellsets).
IMAGE 07
GENERAL UTILITY
Image 08 contains examples I have found *extremely* useful. This section is by no means all inclusive.
"/Attack on," "/attack off," "/sit," and "/stand" are specific states. The Hotkey which can be made from the Actions Window Sit/Stand button is a toggle. Have you ever tried to get all your characters to sit when some are standing? Broadcasting to the Hotbutton makes the Characters sitting, stand; and the Characters standing, sit. There is no way to resolve the sync issue without Alt-Tabbing or turning on the repeater and manually typing "/sit" or "/stand" (See also: General Utility).
A similar scenario may when each Characters attack state is not in sync. Broadcasting to a Hotbutton, or the default "Q," will make characters with attack on, turn it off; and characters with attack off, turn it back on. Group invisibility does not stick very well when attack is on (See also: General Utility).
Have you ever been forced to Alt-Tab multiple times to drop a DZ or Raid? Ever tried to find all your corpses after a wipe? All these situations can be remedied by sending "/dzquit," "/raiddisband," or F1 and "/corpse" to Window: All w/Current. This is all accomplished with a one and done Keypress with no Alt-Tabbing and without wasting a valuable /social slot on a ton of single line macros.
IMAGE 08
ALTERNATE ABILITIES (AAs)
Image 09 is a snapshot of the AA text strings in my actual profile for Old Man McKenzie Monster Missions. The /alt activate codes were captured by executing the "/alt list" command while in shroud form after zoning into the Mission. After compiling the abilities I found most useful, I set up Mapped Keys with the /alt activate text strings and proceeded to Virtualize them with the Like a Pro method.
IMAGE 09
WHAT!? WHY WOULD I WANT TO DO THIS?
Image 10 is a dummy Mapped Key created to illustrate how powerful the synergy between Keybinds, Text Strings and ISBoxer's Virtualization really is.
IMAGE 10
Let's presume you're playing on a Druid. You have a snare /social normally mapped to the ninth Button on your tenth Hotbar (HB10:B09):
- You want to jump into an OMM Monster Mission and play a Shadowknight? Done. Snare is now the shroud's /alt activate Clinging Darkness.
- You want to Virtualize Snare as Vinelash Cascade on your spellbar to AoE Snare/Root Redfang's adds in DSK? Done. Snare is now /cast 5.
- You need to root park a mob with your Slimy Ooze Injector? Done. Snare is now using the third item in your first bag.
- The mob resisted your Root clicky and is fleeing at low HP. Maybe you can kill it with your .8 second Nuke clicky? Done. The third item in your first bag is now your Breastplate.
- You misjudged the HP. The mob didn't die. It has fled out of range. You can't pursue and cast at the same time. Done. Snare is now your Sap Encrusted Branch so you can simultaneously pursue and melee while hoping for a weapon proc.
The example above illustrates two separate concepts:
- Event switching for Monster Missions or Raids; and
- an abstract of a Cascading Combat Chain where your character is always doing something, always has a fallback position, and never misses an "Action Window" by wasting Keypresses on abilities which are on cooldown.
In other games, this is very easy due to a Global Cool Down. With EQ cooldowns spanning instant re-use to over one hour, this is an extremely complicated process. This issue is further complicated by active /socials being canceled by subsequent Keypresses or Right Mouse Clicks as well as the bug of being able to inject target switches in between the processing of individual /social lines.
RETURN TO ISBOXING EVERQUEST: TABLE OF CONTENTS
The End.
2018-03-23: Fixed broken image links, reference links, and typos.
Last edited by firescue17 on Sun Mar 25, 2018 2:42 am, edited 37 times in total.
