Why do people Dual Box?

Ok, I get that its cool and all the some people have 2, 3, or maybe more computers.They log on 2 seprate computers, make 2 diffrent characters, or 2 of the same character, to have a self twin combo, which is fine in concept, but usually a bad thing when they want to team.

Im curious as to what makes people that do this, belive they can handle the focus of 2 Characters at once?They usually do a poor job controlling to characters, because its not possible for 99% of people in general to do such a thing, and would take special keyboard set ups to allow you to fully use 1 on each hand, then your attention would get diverted if lag hit one computer, and one of them went in another direction.Then recharging toggles, HPs, Endurance, ect.Theres just alot of variables and things to pay attention to.

Not saying its impossible, im saying its highly improbable.

Iv gotten into the habit of leaving a team when 2 people join, or the team leader makes me, and everyone else aware that he is Dual Boxing.Thats asking for team wipes, I have never been on a team that had a player Dual Boxing, and NOT had a team whipe.

I dont often run into this, but when I do, I get irritated, am I wrong to be bothered by this?

If they're doing it badly, not at all. However, most of the people I know that dual box do it well enough where you'd probably never know unless you asked or they told you (I'm not quite at that level - usually when I run TFs I leave one parked at the contact and play the other one). I don't run on normal mission teams, and many of the people I play with do the same, so we don't run into that issue often.

Regarding "dual boxing," the reason I generally run more than one account at once is to get accolades (both characters getting kill badges at once = twice as fast as doing it individually), so I can complete lowbie missions easily with a level 50, or so I can PL an alt without having to have someone do it for me.

I started doing it as an experiment and got kind of hooked.

I wasn't aware how common it was, and ended up modifying some existing software to allow me to control two characters simultaneously. This programme (Synergy) means that keystrokes are broadcast across the LAN to both computers, so pressing 1 will activate both characters first power in the tray and so on. Binds and power tray organisation can make two characters pretty effective this way.

I started off solo-ing, something I do a lot of due to my time zone, and the fact that I spend all day managing people and often just want to chill out on my own in game after work.
Once I got good, I started joining teams as a sort of Turing test, seeing if I could play well enough that people wouldn't realise I was one person. As dual Empathy Defenders I was usually very welcome on teams and pulled my double weight, no-one complained about being double Fortituded much.
This was pretty stressful, I was usually knackered after a couple of radio missions from the concentration required.
These days I pretty much solo dual-box or join teams as a single character. I've done that little experiment and dont really want to repeat it, like I said, its far from relaxing on two identical Empaths, on other character pairs its a nightmare.

I make groups of characters to solo, around 10 at a time and pair them up in mix and match duos for solo-ing, and keep other characters for teaming with others.

As for being annoyed by dual-boxers, thats your call.
If the second character is (for example) an Empath on follow with Healing Aura on auto, then yeah, I'd feel a bit gypped too. I deliberately deceived teammates by omission - I wouldn't openly declare myself as one person playing two characters on joining a team, so I guess its quite reasonable to be annoyed by that too.

Leaving a team when two people join simultaneously is jumping the gun a bit though, isn't it? There are plenty of duo characters played by two different players, I've done that too.

Try this setup. Dual boxing? No prob, try thirty six boxing.

I have 3 accounts. Mine, wifes, sons. I wouldn't run missions with people with them. I may let one sit and soak up xp, but i don't pug either. I run with the same few. I mainy use mine to farm. I run a fire/kin. I use a fire/rad on wifes and a fire/sonic on sons to run thru a BM, Freak, and Demon farm. The door really opened up for me with multiple account with what i could afford in WW. Granted at the time we had to get "fillers" for bigger spawns. Now, i just do it to PL our toons.

Not sure why OP asks if its cool to be annoyed, while OP is annoyed at just about everything.

I dual box to lvl up two toons at the same time. Usually a dmg dealer, and a buffer of some sort. If that buffer turns out to deal massive dmg later, all the better.

Do I dual box on teams? No. Infact, I rarely team, mostly because of time constraints. That leaves me to solo, which works better for me, as most pugs make me puke up a little bit in my mouth.

I think you need to find your playstyle, and be comfortable with it. Coming to the boards every day and venting your frustrations about everything from "My defender isnt wanted on teams" to "Why does everyone min/max" is getting boring to read.

Let me share an experience of mine with you OP. The first toon I rolled was an emp/psi defender, who teamed almost exclusivly with a ma/regen scrapper. This was back in isssue 1. It was great because even though I did piddly dmg, with my buffs, the scrapper made up for it. Then he got instant healing... Dude didnt want to team anymore because there was no need. Infact, it was hard to find a team at all as an emp.

It was very frustrating. That toon was ruined for me. I vowed then and there, to not depend on other people for my enjoyment of the game, and never rolled a toon I couldn't solo to fiddy without wanting to blow the top of my skull off.

Dont let others dictate your fun, or you will never be happy.

SD

I run two accounts at once all the time (not dual-box...dual-windows on one PC).

I never team that way though. I've got so many characters that its fun to mix and match them and run through AE missions or something. I team a Fire/Kin and a Cold/Ice Defender a lot and it's awesome. The ice shields make the Fire/Kin unkillable and the Fulcrum Shift makes the AOE attacks on the Defender into awesome-sauce. Stuff dies quickly. When you are in the mood to be a god that is one way to do it.

Also I've been running a Fire Tanker with a Fire Blaster....nice to have no aggro on a Fire Blaster. You just kill everything in comfort.

I suppose a bubbler on follow would work on teams. Just bubble everyone every few minutes. I doubt I'll ever do it.

I do it cause I know how much it bothers the OP.

You tell him 666 >.<

I run multiple accounts usually when I'm badging or getting accolades.
I use it extensively for market activities -- moving/crafting recipes, posting items to WW on toons I'm not actively playing, influence transfers, etc.

I never dual box when teaming with others except when the team approves.
Example: Yesterday I came upon a TF group in Skyway unable to take down Babbage. I was on my scrapper and needed the badge so I logged in my rad on the other account to debuff the GM enough for them to knock him off.

I do for two reasons. First I can self PL. I hate playing toons pre stamina and pre SOs. Second I can make overpowered character combos that are just plain fun such as 2 traps defenders. However when I am on both comps at the same time I very rarely PuG unless I'm asked to join a team. Even then I warn the team leader who's asking. On an even rarer occassion I get on a PuG where the people understand that standing next to the force field generators is a good thing. If you really want a good laugh get two empathy defenders powered up to the point that they can keep Adrenaline boost on each other permantly. Of course I'm not a jerk either if the team I'm on is suffering because I'm dual boxing I'll log one of them off. My duos are all level pacted anyways.

I never, ever dual box on teams with other players. Like Jeet, I run multiple copies of COH on one PC. And I mainly do it to power through the boring process of getting Stamina, or to do simple stuff like move recipes/inf around.

I don't believe I have ever run into anyone dual boxing other than me - and I don't dual box in the sense of running a mission, just trading stuff.

I have had a lot of fun talking to myself while logged in to both accounts when an SG mate happens to show up, though.

people dual box on pugs? i just do it for farming and occasionaly for accolades/tfs

I dual box 2 accounts on the same computer... so for me I just switch windows. No one can tell I'm dual boxing, but I only do it with "friend" teams or with my SG. Running a Fire/Fire tank and a Fire/Kin can do real damage and makes some of the kill all missions a lot less grind-like.

I have a friend who does the same, but his toon tends to be a follow-bot. So I understand why some people frown on the whole concept.

I mainly dual box for the trading ability. I have a few storage bases. Because I dual I can quit and re-invite my toons to my diff supergroups. And trade items to any toon.

So don't hate on the dual boxers... we're nice people.

Also: Posi and synapse can be done in no time with 2 toons and dual boxed. I just get people to fill for me and i'm off. 1 hour and 15 mins for posi is my norm

While I only have one account, I often team with my RL twin brother and his wife. We get accused of dual-boxing or even triple-boxing sometimes.

I've tried to dual box... I'm waiting on a response from mods to find out if the use of auto hot key (similar to Synergy except it's for one pc not two) is a violation of the EULA before I pursue it further... without it I just don't see the point.

I have however been on a team with someone playing his and his wife's account... had he not told us I'd have never known.

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Mainly for PLing or accolades but occasionally to contact sit (e.g. on certain Shard TFs). Occasionally I'll pad a TF if we can't find enough good players or once in a while for the challenge (2 box the tank and cold on a STF, weeeeee).

Sometimes if we couldn't get someone to do a Cap SF with us, my buddy would dual boxing with one of his support corrs. I dual boxing now, mostly to pl my lowbies, or trade stuff between toons (which helps me so much, since my buds arent on when i need them )

But, here is a bad experience I've had with dual boxing:

So my buddy and I were on an ITF. Team of 8. The leader seemed nice, first mission started off fine. I noticed this toon sitting at the door. Leader said don't worry about it.

Next mission, same toon at the door. I mention something, and so does my bud ( why mention something? We had a stoner, and the door sitter was a kin). Leader does a "Lol, why do you care".

Cut to the last mission. Leader admits that thats his alt account, and he had it join just for the merits. And he says he is unable to do both accounts efficiently, which is why its at the door all the time.

Couple of us say that ain't right. Would be different if he stated at the beginning when we joined "This other character is my alt. I'd like to bring him along to doorsit for some easy merits. Is that cool with you? If not, drop now".

Well my buddy and I give him a couple minutes of jabbing comments towards the end of the last mission (was our nature not to let a sleeping dog lie). The leader says he does it all the time, and since he is leader, it doesnt matter what anyone thinks. Mission is almost over, down to the last 20 guys to kill. Bam we are both kicked, with a tell after the mission was over in broadcast that we were "Whiny Bit$$$$, and thats why we got kicked". The team said it wasnt right, but oh well.

Out of years of playing, thats problem my only negative dual boxing experience.