Editor’s Note: as of November, 2018, there are reports that Standing Stone Games has started banning people for using ‘keyclone’ software (specifically isBoxer). They have not issued any official update or clarification of the longstanding stance, however, that as long as a human is pressing a key to activate each skill, they are not botting, and therefore their multi-boxed keystrokes are acceptable.
I am very disappointed in SSG for taking these actions, and I have cancelled the subscription on my second account. So I guess I will just play completely for free on my lifer account from now on! Apparently SSG wants less money, for some reason. (To be clear, I was not actioned, nor was I using third party software to box as described by my guide.)
The WordPress servers are also now stripping the code out of this guide, with no way around it. So I can’t make this edit without breaking the guide. Instead of reposting it elsewhere and possibly exposing myself to eventual actions by SSG and other hate of which the comments below show only a small fraction, I am just removing this guide. If you are a clever and persistent rebel, however, you can still get code examples through the old HotkeyNet Scripting link listed on the top bar of this page.
Kitty Kitty Boom Boom 
January 9th, 2011 at 4:10 pm
[…] Basic Guide to LOTRO Duel Boxing from Kitty Kitty Boom Boom […]
September 18th, 2011 at 5:57 pm
So what you are saying is that you are using a third party (ie. Hotkeynet) to facilitate your multi boxing, in clear violation of LOTRO’s Code of Conduct and Terms of Service. Cool. Have fun cheating.
February 3rd, 2012 at 8:18 pm
You use Microsoft products (ie. Windows) in order to access and run your copy of the game. Therefore you also use third party software. And if you read the actual agreement, third party programs are not banned. They only do not support third party programs that are in violation of their many other rules. HKN has read these rules and assures it’s clients that they are in fact not in violation of any of them, and due to the clearly divisive emotions that surround multi-boxing, Turbine is constantly reviewing HKN and similar programs to ensure that they stay within the rules. So to be blunt, educate yourself before writing hateful, unwarranted attacks on random threads, and try multi-boxing before calling it “cheating.” You’ll find it’s much more difficult than the facerolling everyone makes it out to be.
September 18th, 2011 at 7:09 pm
Thanks for the note, Robert. Despite the unnecessary hostility, this is a valid observation. Here are the facts: HKN is not a macroing or a botting program. The distinguishing characteristic is that you still have to press every key for every skill. All HKN does is alt-tab for you to the correct game window when you press a given key.
HKN is also used in WoW, wherein like past LotRO forum threads on the issue, no official guidance has been given on this specific usage. Unofficially, of course, Turbine wants people to play more and create more accounts, which I have done, contributing more money to LotRO’s coffers.
I’ve also linked this post in my official forum signature for ages as an upstanding, eight-star contributing community member with a popular custom UI to my credit. Nothing has been said, and I’ve used this system quite a bit.
If anyone using this system is banned or receives a warning from Turbine, or if an official representative from Turbine would like to clarify, please let me know so that I can report this with an appropriate caveat.
October 27th, 2011 at 7:05 am
[…] Basic Guide To LotRO Dual Boxing I dual box LotRO frequently with two accounts on one computer. It's the most fun and challenging thing I've done in a video game. When you're dual-boxing, you call the shots and strategically sele…… […]
November 26th, 2011 at 9:25 pm
Thank you for posting a great guide to boxing. I have been using HotKeyNet to play 6 LotRO accounts at one time on one computer.
I recommend SendWinSF instead of SendWin. At least it works for me to send key strokes to my five background windows in LotRO. I have not found a way to make HotKeyNet send mouse clicks to a backgound LotRO though.
November 27th, 2011 at 12:27 pm
Thanks so much for taking the time to offer advice, Tony. I was not able to duplicate this, but I updated the guide to include the possibility of using SendWinSF to send commands to background windows.
April 5th, 2012 at 12:22 pm
a great guide. well done 🙂
dual boxing is something ive wanted to do for a while now and ive had 2 accounts for simply ages but never been able to bring a character on from each no matter what ive tried. My
i was pretty excited to hear about changes to enable this (or at least remove some of the obstacles) but, alas, still no joy 😛
maybe its an april fools day kinda thing 🙂
April 5th, 2012 at 7:03 pm
I wonder why it’s not working for you. Both of the above methods work for me. Are you getting an error message of any kind?
November 23rd, 2012 at 10:24 am
I tried and tried this, to no avail. Then I remembered that I open as admin and tried just opening and it worked. Luck!
November 26th, 2012 at 8:00 am
I have no idea why that works and not admin, but thanks for posting in case it will help someone else. 🙂 Glad it’s working for you.
December 5th, 2012 at 12:10 pm
I’m one of the people who used to provide scripts and help with HotKeyNet for Lotro boxing in the past. Now that Freddie has stopped the support forums, I created a new program in a similar vein (not networked, only single computer though) that addressed some of the setup problems that HotKeyNet had determining the # of clients/characters running, if you wanted skill rotations different for each client for each keypress based on character class, etc. Wasn’t sure if you still multibox Lotro, but if you wanted to beta test it, I could email you a zip to try with instructions. It follows the same key setup as my original hkn scripts for the most part, with a couple small changes. Plus the ability to create xml files that have rotations based on character class – heal / attack mode. (thats so you can customize it to the toolbars you have created on your characters)
January 30th, 2013 at 7:39 pm
Nice guide, I get so much bad tells from people in game, I 6 box and it is very hard to do so. I use isboxer, it cost like 50 a year but well worth it. Also I never had to chage any of the lotro coding to run all 6 at one time.
January 30th, 2013 at 10:56 pm
I’m tempted to do a third account sometimes, but it’s so much work to deal with the legendary items. If we keep representing boxers well as players, eventually public perception will change. Thanks for the note.
May 23rd, 2013 at 6:09 pm
Hey there! I’ve been following your blog for a long time now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout out from Houston Tx! Just wanted to tell you keep up the great job!
June 3rd, 2013 at 5:31 pm
Due to endless spam, I am closing comments on this post.