I'd be willing to pay a second monthly sub for the following: -The ability on character select of my main account to slot a character into an "AI Box" position. -My main character can summon or dismiss this AI Box -AI Box follows main character around like a pet/merc, and earns XP when in the group. -AI Box acts like merc archetypes when in box position -My main character can swap positions with this AI Box (meaning I can play as either character --maybe a 5 min cooldown between swaps?) -Swapping position makes main act like merc, AI Box becomes playable as its regular class with the gear, abilities and AA I have earned on it. -on servers past SoD I suppose both characters could have mercs... Rationale: -in game single-account handiness of two-boxing, translates fine to progression imo (though box haters will disagree) since unlike mercs, your AI box would have to be levelled and geared with you as you go to be useful, elite boxers won't go this route as it is less control. AI Box could be swapped on character select giving the single account players some fun replayability and flexibility. This is within the spirit of "truebox" imo. Some players would ante up though which equals more revenue --if it is not a monthly sub thing then it takes away from box account $ (not going to happen). Anyways, that was my random idea of the morning.
I actually like the idea. I would pay for something like this as i don't like to use 3rd party programs. Not sure how feasible it would be tho.
Without overcomplicating things why not just make broadcasting a feature on the non true box servers? The software already exists and just needs to be added in to work with EQ. This will give you more control over your "player merc" and it provides extra subs and expansion sales for the game.
I imagine there would be quite a barrier with selling this concept to the larger EQ community, and quite a tech challenge with making a good enogh bot ai for the different classes. I would have an expectation of getting more merc classes as a part of an expansion, and I would likely have an expectation that the merc is smart enough. Especially wrt CC-tools, I am pessimistic that I would ever get what I want. Compared to my low expectations to such an ai, boxing sounds like the preferable option to me, but of course, seeing is believing.
Without digging, I believe this has been brought up no less that 50 times in the last 15 years. That said, I am completely in favor of single-account-boxing. Not an AI bot, mind you, but a real way to log in to the same account twice. Pay a fee, your account is granted 6 additional character slots, and you log in to the same account and launch your secondary toon. As far as DBG-sanctioned boxing software, EQ2 has a feature where you keep the MA targeted, put them on Auto-Follow, and you always face their target when attacking. All your offensive attacks hit their target, all your single-target beneficial abilities and spells land on the MA. It's actually quite excellent for boxing, especially for boxed melee classes. EQ2 does not do anything with key broadcasting, but does allow for nearly unlimited lines in a macro key. Would be pretty nice to see something like this implemented in EQ1 along with a DBG-sanctioned method for getting boxes to 'engage'.
Background of my suggestion is I have had multiple accounts in the past, didn't enjoy boxing (though my brother and I were doing it the multiple computer way as my rig at the time couldn't handle tabbing out between accounts). A method to let me legally play two characters at once, whether the "AI Box" mentioned in the original post, or the intriguing "2nd character hotbar legally on your main character's UI" concept could have appeal. What I think I like about the idea of the AI Box character using merc AI and following like a merc is that you don't control it or worry about it particularly unless you switch to it.
