Multiple instances of COH

Santa_Laws · 09-30-2011 08:51 AM

I used to be able to start up COH and then start a second instance with a second account. What happened?

Texas Justice · 09-30-2011 08:53 AM

You still can. You need to set it in the Launcher. See the stickied Guide in this forum section about how to make the new launcher play nice. It should have the settings.

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The_Spad_EU · 09-30-2011 08:53 AM

The launcher doesn't allow multiple instances by default, look in the options and there's a checkbox to allow it.

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Zyhar · 09-30-2011 08:53 AM

I am still able too.
Open NCsoft Launcher.
Click Play Now on City of Heroes.
Quit the Launcher.
Re-open the Launcher (a seperate instance of it).
Click Play Now on City of Heroes.

2 accounts works fine .

You cannot load up multiple instances with the same Launcher I have found.

Edit: Ahh thanks to the guys above, found this option!

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Hyperstrike · 09-30-2011 11:01 AM

Ah, beat me to it.

Thanks for helping him guys.

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Kurukaze · 03-04-2012 07:08 AM

Same title, very different problem:

I can start multiple instances - 2,3,4 no problem - but as soon as the second instance is up, Windows (7, 64bit version) is reducing the priority of both instances to lowest priority. As soon as I manage to close one (very slow in game or fast via task manager) the other instance recovers to normal priority. Needless to say this leaves me unable to play with multiple instances.

Anyone else has this problem or knows a workaround?

Ironblade · 03-04-2012 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurukaze

I can start multiple instances - 2,3,4 no problem - but as soon as the second instance is up, Windows (7, 64bit version) is reducing the priority of both instances to lowest priority.

This is probably not accurate. In order for you to be observing the task priority, you have the task manager active which means CoH is now a background task. If one instance of CoH is the foreground task, it will have a higher priority. Observing task priority changes it - Heisenberg's principle as applied to the task manager.

Quote:

As soon as I manage to close one (very slow in game or fast via task manager) the other instance recovers to normal priority. Needless to say this leaves me unable to play with multiple instances.

That sounds like your system isn't powerful enough to be running multiple instances. Or maybe you don't have enough RAM and it's slow because it's using the pagefile. I have zero problem running two instances under Win7 64 bit.

I set each instance to /maxinactivefps 5
so when it's in the background, the graphics card doesn't have to work so hard on it. Can we get your system specs?

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WanderingAries · 03-04-2012 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ironblade

Observing task priority changes it - Heisenberg's principle as applied to the task manager.

*pets Schrödinger's kitty* Are you certain about that?

That said, you can have the Task Manager set to "always on-top" *snickers* and see the effect the task has on resources.

Kurukaze · 03-05-2012 02:12 PM

Machine should be powerful enough:

i7 Core 870@ 2.93Ghz
nvidia GTS 450
4 GB RAM
Intel Series 5 chipset

Should do for at least 2 instances.
Running CoH from a fast SSD.

SuggestorK · 03-06-2012 12:42 AM

"4 GB RAM "

There is ur Problem.

each Coh Instance can use up to 1.7 Gig of RAM when they run for longer time. They start with 890 MB etc. but turn up higher the longer the instance runs.

Now u will say but 2 x 1.7 is maximum 3.4 which is truly correct but dont forget that your operating system and other tasks like antivirus software will use RAM too....

Another problem can be the settings of the Windows swap file on the Harddisk. If u let Windows manage it, it will slow everything down, its better to give the swap file a fixed size.

greetings
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WanderingAries · 03-06-2012 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuggestorK

"4 GB RAM "

There is ur Problem.

each Coh Instance can use up to 1.7 Gig of RAM when they run for longer time. They start with 890 MB etc. but turn up higher the longer the instance runs.

Now u will say but 2 x 1.7 is maximum 3.4 which is truly correct but dont forget that your operating system and other tasks like antivirus software will use RAM too....

Another problem can be the settings of the Windows swap file on the Harddisk. If u let Windows manage it, it will slow everything down, its better to give the swap file a fixed size.

greetings
SuggestorK

So long as the instances are using "maxinactivefps 5" and not both being actively used (IE: not both windowed at same time), then 4Gb is tollerable, but not pretty. If this is what you're doing (IE: playing toon A, while toon B just noms XP), then you may wanna try the "stopinactivedisplay" thing too.