WoW Insider Show's look at multiboxing now available
by Mike Schramm 
Apr 9th 2008 at 7:00PM
Last Saturday on the weekly podcast, we used the whole show to take a look at multiboxing. We had multiboxer Xzin on, along with Adam Holisky from WoW Insider, Duncor of WoW Radio, and myself, and we chatted all about this strange and interesting way to play MMO games like World of Warcraft.- We took a look first at the history of multiboxing, including how Xzin originally got interested in it.
- We examined how exactly it is done, including not only the equipment you need to make it work, but how much multiboxers pay in account fees.
- We talked with Xzin about the limits of PvE multiboxing, including class combinations and how far you can get running a raid group by yourself
- And in the second half of the show, we get into some of the controversy about multiboxing, including whether it's fair for multiboxers to take their characters into PvP, and whether Blizzard will ever change or reconsider their decision that multiboxing is legal
- And finally we talked about the future of multiboxing -- will any MMO game every actually embrace playing multiple accounts at a time as a gameplay mechanic?
If you have input on how the show went or anything else you'd like us to cover on the WoW Insider Show (especially any other guests you might like us to have on), leave a comment below or email us at theshow@wow.com. Next week we'll be back to normal on the show (we're planning to finally have a nice hardcore PvP chat), so stay tuned this weekend for more about our weekly podcast.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, How-tos, WoW Insider Business, Virtual selves, WoW Insider Show, Hardware
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Rowvina Apr 9th 2008 7:12PM
still trying to download the show... it must be popular... until that time, I can only guess or speculate on what multiboxing is... someone care to elaborate?
Cheers, Rowvina
Matt Apr 9th 2008 7:17PM
Multi-boxing is playing more than one character at the same time. It's called that because you usually run each copy of the game on a separate computer (box) and control those computers through one KVM setup (keyboard, video, mouse).
TotalBiscuit Apr 9th 2008 9:58PM
Yeah sorry, this tends to happen when WoW Insider's show comes out. We've been using a crapton of bandwidth lately and after long bursts our pipe gets restricted somewhat. We're looking into torrents and cohosting :)
bluesky_v2.01 Apr 9th 2008 7:38PM
Wow, people are willing to do anything to avoid human interaction.
Raaj Apr 9th 2008 9:44PM
It's not that they want to avoid people...they just want to avoid STUPID people. I'd say that's roughly 95% of the population these days, unfortunately.
Xzin Apr 9th 2008 8:54PM
You can stream it at: http://www.vimeo.com/864164
Or learn how to multibox at: www.dual-boxing.com
And no, just because one multiboxes doesn't mean you can't raid in a guild. My priest didn't get T3 from Naxx pre TBC through sheer willpower alone :)
Raogrimm Apr 9th 2008 9:00PM
I'm planning to start multi-boxing five shamans, so by the summer, people in my battlegroup will fear chain lightnings!!!
Glory to the Horde!!!
Oh and thank you Xzin for inspiring me to do this ^^
Naix Apr 9th 2008 10:01PM
I have been inspired to multibox now. I am starting 5 Hunters on Destromath!
For the Horde!
Sean Riley Apr 9th 2008 11:46PM
You didn't highlight the basic point of why PVP multiboxing is unfair -- It's an insurmountable communication advantage. Nobody will ever improve upon the communication within a single brain.
JALbert Apr 10th 2008 2:55AM
Mitigated by the fact that you don't have 5 sets of hands to control with.
I mean, are you seriously arguing that playing 5 characters is easier than getting four friends coordinated in an arena team? No disrespect to Xzin and the multiboxing community, I get a kick out of what they do, but it's not an advantage that outweighs the drawbacks. Looks like a ton of fun though, and more power to 'em if they can pull it off well.
Sean Riley Apr 10th 2008 2:58AM
More so in Battlegrounds. Warsong Gulch, which they mentioned, is a case in point -- Keeping everyone in a group, choosing targets in unison... it's hard to do well, and multiboxing does do it very well.
Pzychotix Apr 10th 2008 4:06AM
How does it do it any better than 5+ players on a vent server?
Until a single player can prove that he'd be better off by himself controlling all five characters, than 5 copies of himself controlling each one and communicating just as fast through voice and various assist chains, there's little doubt that many people single boxing > one player multiboxing. The only advantage that multiboxing has is the fact that it replaces 4 dumb players with 4 distracted players who will try to do your every beck and call. Just gather 4 friends instead and voila, you've got a team that can hands down beat the multiboxer.
Clasifyd Apr 10th 2008 9:00AM
Unfortunately, the 'five sets of hands' thing isn't true... I know for a fact that there's a 'set' of Ally Shaman on the Durotar server that use one button press to make every shaman do the same thing, i.e. One jumps, they all jump. He seems to regularly 'one-shot x4' many people with his chain lighting. Ever tried to cap a tower in EotS with 4 chain lightnings firing at you? It's no easy task, I can assure you.
The one saving grace of having a guy like this is that when the 'leader' goes down, it really messes him up and gives us a few HKs. It's quite hard to control 4 characters when one's in the graveyard across the map.
pudds Apr 10th 2008 9:20AM
"Its an insurmountable communication advantage"
On the contrary; their linked nature makes them very susceptible to anything that can pull them apart or force them to be mobile.
Multiboxers have 3 significant weaknesses: They can't easily control separate characters, they can't easily mobilize, and they can't generally react quickly.
If you engage them 5v1 and let them hit you with 5xCL, you will die. However, if you engage them 5v5 with 5 coordinated players, its generally a simple matter to break them up. A well timed Psychic Scream or Howl of Terror is a huge advantage, as is line of sight, AoE and invulnerability powers. The key is to make sure you get out of the way when you're the target.
John Apr 10th 2008 12:10AM
Multiboxers in pvp are fun. howl of terror, then pick em off one at a time as they try to regroup.
dkurohige Apr 10th 2008 12:56AM
Blizzard allows multiboxing because it makes them money, 5 copies of the game and five subscriptions.
Let's look at the possible outcomes:
If Bliz continues to allow multiboxing, noone is going to quit out of frustration, well a few may, let's say a couple dozen people actually quit BECAUSE multiboxing is allowed, just for argument's sake.
If Bliz disallows multiboxing they will lose hundreds, potentially thousands of accounts, people who had two or more accounts will only have one. Blizz is no different than any other company.
Unmei Apr 10th 2008 3:42AM
Personally I'm not against multi-boxing in pve stand points. There are times where I wish I could solo run a 5 man dungeon with all the alts I have.
PVP is a little different that's where I do mind it. =/ its bad enough when you get ganged up on by 5 players of the opposite faction, it's another to know their all the same person..... it just cheepens the pvp experiance for me.
Gadai Apr 10th 2008 4:19AM
As an observation why is being ganked by 5 separate people playing 5 separate characters any less 'honourable' or 'worthwhile' then being ganked by 1 person playing 5 characters? I'm just curious at the rational if you could spare the time to explain it? :D
Lori Apr 10th 2008 3:59AM
Are people that multibox known as polygamers?
doug Apr 10th 2008 6:41AM
I see what you did there.