MacroQuest

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WIP

Word up Front

Macroquest, or often referenced to as MQ2, is a fantastic tool to help you in game.
Mostly it is used for boxing, since it's the easiest program out there, that allows you to send commands to your box toons.
It can quickly get very detailed and extensive, but this guide is to act as a helpful "start-up" reference.
If you are going to be boxing, it is suggestible to use something like Wineq.
It is very easy to set up, and lets you work easier with multiple clients from the same directory.
If you want to do this, at the bottom of the page, the very last topic, is a "quick" explain on how to.

Ofcourse if you are already very formilar with it, this guide is probably not for you.
MQ2 can also be used in combinations with Keypress, but that is overall even more complicated to memorize / work with.
Keypress is something that allows commands to be used by pressing certain keys, like movement, or attacking.
If you are interested in using / learning that, please take a look here or here.
You can also use / build batch macro's, but this is even more complicated.
It would also require a minimal amount of knowledge regarding scripting this.

For this guide though, we are going to stick to the basics, and a little bit extra.
You can obtain MQ2 here, here, or here (server specific).
Make sure you download the version suited for the EQ client you are running!
There are of course tons of guides, info, and websites to be found on the internet with information regarding MQ2,
and with that in mind, this page is just a guide to get the basic info that is useful to start using it.

Also, in some cases there are several varieties possible, but in this guide I'll highlight the most simple ones.
When speaking of Macro's in this guide, it's a reference to the actions window socials page (default CTRL+O),
where you can customize 10 pages worth (120 macros in total) of macros.

Options that are going to be treated

  • Getting started
  • Plugins
  • Giving commands
  • Channels
  • Targets & Targetting
  • Sticking
  • Multilines
  • group / raid invite & auto accepting
  • Attack
  • Casting
  • Delay Commands
  • Twisting

Getting started

After downloading, extracting and installing it,
Best / easiest is to right click the rar file, select the option extract to <same name as the rar file>, then after that rename the folder to how you want it,
Cut and paste it to a proper place (it would be best to put it into your EQ directory since it sort of belongs together),
and then from inside that folder, right click the EQBCserver and MacroQuest2.exe files, and copy them to your desktop for easy access.
This is merely a suggestion, you don't have to do this!

EQBCserver is used to proces commands you are giving from your main (or currently played) character to your boxes / the rest.
EQBC means EverQuest Box Chat, or if you prefer to memorize as a more flowing name, EverQuest BroadCast.
Macroquest ofcourse takes care of the rest.

Before you start your EQ client, first run MQ2.exe and EQBC.exe.
Normally the IP set up in the MQ2Eqbc.ini file works properly.
Should it not work properly, you can set it up with your personal IP address.
If you do not know how to do this, find a way on your pc to open up the command prompt (CMD).
The way to open this, varies per windows version.
Once you do have it open, type in ipconfig and hit enter.
In there find the line : IPv4-address, and copy / type over that number in your MQ2Eqbc.ini file, which is located in the MQ2 folder.

Even if the default IP address works, you can change it to yours, it does not make any difference though.
For each following time, before you start up EQ, run MQ2 and EQBC first, that's all you have to do.
The above info is only needed for the very first use.

Plugins

MQ2 is dependent on plugins.
Plugins determine what commands you can pass to your boxes.
The more plugins you use, the more variety you have, but also the more unstable / buggy MQ2 becomes.
Do not worry though, before it actually starts to become buggy, you'll need to be using 20+ plugins,
or plugins that are simply incompatible (IE : downloaded from the internet).
One of the best websites to find detailed information per plugin, is MMObugs.
Overall you should not need that many.
To find out which plugins are loaded / active, in game, type in : /plugin list.
To load / enable a plugin, type the following : /plugin MQ2<plugin name>... /plugin MQ2melee
Here are the most used plugins :

  • MQ2Chatwind

This provides an additional chat window, that lists commands and events used in MQ2.

  • MQ2Autologin

This is to set up your characters automatically logging in.
This again is best to be used with a program like Wineq, to easily create multiple clients.
You have to manually configure autologin for each character.
Below is a copy/paste of the default information, and sections broken down into pieces.

[Settings]
KickActiveCharacter=1
InstantCamp=0
UseStationNamesInsteadOfSessions=1
UseINIServerList=1

[ServerList]

[Accountname]
Password=
Server=
Character=


This bit is default in the MQ2Autologin.ini file

[Settings]
KickActiveCharacter=1
InstantCamp=0
UseStationNamesInsteadOfSessions=1
UseINIServerList=1


Under serverlist, you fill in the server name and its ID.
The ID however, changes when the server has been rebooted, reset, or when Eqemu has had a reset or update.
You'll notice this when your character won't properly log in, or when your EQ client ends up at a blank character selection.
That means it has taken the wrong server (since the ID has changed).
If so, you need to manually log in to the game, and after that, find and open the following file in your EQ directory :
eqlsPlayerData
In there, at the start you'll see : LastServerID=<nr>.
This number is the one you need to put in the below section than.
If you use WinEq, the file you need to look at for the server id is called : eqlsPlayerData.WinEQProfile1.

[ServerList]
Raidaddicts=30


Per account and character you need to fill in the appropriate info.
Below are examples :

[Accountname]
Password=
Server=Raidaddicts
Character=

[Mortenson]
Password=Mortenson1
Server=Raidaddicts
Character=Mortenson

[Mortenson2]
Password=Mortenson2
Server=Raidaddicts
Character=Kingmort

Etc etc.


  • MQ2EQBC

This is needed to be able to actually send commands to your box chars.

  • MQ2Map

This is used to see all npc's and mobs, and their movements on your in game map.
You can also filter settings by using the in game command /mapfilter

  • MQ2Itemdisplay

This displays additional information on items and spells that the base game does not.

  • MQ2Moveutils

This plugin makes sure you can have your boxes follow you around, and is a far improved version of EQ's basic follow command.

  • MQ2Exchange

This allows you to swap items from your inventory to equipped slots, without actually having to do it yourself (IE via macro).
This can come in quite handy for having a box char swap out a weapon or item that is required to be equipped to be cast,
and swap it back out to its inventory when done casting.

  • MQ2Melee

This plugin lets you, or your box toons, automatically use skills in combat.
It is quite an extensive plugin, and has to be fine-tuned by using the command /melee.
It actually differs in options per class, and as is obvious, should only be used for melee (and hybrid) classes.

  • MQ2Cast

This is the opposite of the melee plugin, and is mostly used for casting spells, discs, and AA's.
This also is quite extensive, and in some cases is dependent on the Bandolier (MQ2Bandolier) and Exchange (MQ2Exchange) plugins.

  • MQ2Twist

This is mostly used for bards. It can be used to twist cast spells, but simply isn't working as proper as it does with bard songs.

Besides these plugins, there are tons more, but are a personal choice if you want to run them or not.
To remove a plugin that is active, when offline,
open the MacroQuest.ini file in your MQ2 folder, and remove the one you do not want anymore, save and close.

Giving Commands

To actually use commands, you (almost) always have to start with the following :

  • /bca

To use a mnemonic, this means BroadCast Announce.
That means that any line starting with this command,
sends out commands to all other connected clients to do something.
Examples of what, follow below in the other topics.

  • /bcaa

This means BroadCast Announce All. Which means it does the same as above,
but in this case it ALSO includes the client (character) that is actually giving the command.
For example : /bcaa //camp desktop.
This would result in all your clients, be it one, or 24, camping to desktop.
More examples will follow below.

  • /bct

This means BroadCast Tell.
This allows you to send a command to a specific channel (that you set up, how to do that you'll see below in the topic Channels).

To make it clear, it probably does not actually mean BroadCast Announce, or BroadCast Tell, but it is an easy reference to explain this.
I have not yet actually found out what it would actually mean, if it is an acronym at all :)

As you also notice above with the /bcaa // example, there are 2x a // after it.
This is required to give the command, all that bcaa does is provide an entry to somewhere (in this case, every client).
The 2x // that follow, will let you initate whatever you want your clients to do.

Channels

Channels are something you can set up, if you are running multiple different toons from different classes.
It isn't necessary to do this, since you can dedicate your commands into tells as well (/bct),
Here is an example though of when it actually COULD be useful.
Say you run 2 groups, with in total 2 tanks, 2 heals, 4 rangers, and 4 mages...(it's only an example).
In that case you can set up your rangers in a channel, your mages in a different channel, and your healers in a 3rd channel.

Now not all channel names work.
I do not know why, but cases like a class name often seems to not work (like using a channel named Mage or Magician).
Nevertheless, you can easily set up channels in 2 ways.

- One way is by typing it in via the client (character) that needs to be in a certain channel.
For example on ranger one, you can type /bccmd channel Raanja.
Doing so would result in your MQ2 window displaying that <name of ranger one> has joined channel Raanja.
(bccmd command comes from the EQBC server, and has A LOT of options, to find out more about those, check this)
Then on your mage one, you could do for example /bccmd channel maage.
And so on, and so on.
Sometimes though, this also will not work properly.
Sadly there is no explain as to why, but in case it is, you can result to the alternative method.

- In your MQ2 folder, you have a file called MQ2Eqbc.ini.
Open this, and you can manually add channels like this :
[Character name]
Channels=channel name

[Mortenson] (this would be a ranger)
Channels=Mortierules
[Kingmort] (this would be a mage)
Channels=Mortieowns

You can add as many char names and channels as you want in here.
Reminder : The actual main client (the one that would mostly if not always initiate all commands)
does NOT have to be in the channel, or any channel that you use for your box toons, to give commands.
When you are all set, you can easily test them out in game.

For example, log in one, or all chars that are in that channel you are wanting to try out.
When they are online, you can for example try out something like this :
/bct raanja //target Kingly
Then switch to one of the characters in that channel, to see if they actually have Kinglykrab the Exchanger targeted.
If so, you know that your channel set up works properly.

Targets & Targetting

Targetting works with multiple signs and letters.
They also vary for a mob or yourself.
Make no mistake, that using as a command /target Mortenson, could very well result in the ones needing to target Mortenson,
to actually target his pet instead of him (if he would be a mage).
This is because the /target option, works to target that what is closest and matches the name.
For example would you be in kerra near the fire pit, and do a /target King, you would target Kinglykrab, instead of King Mortenson.
This is because he is closer.
That is why targetting is mostly used as described below.

  • Targetting self

You might use this more often then you would think.
Mostly used for the follow (stick) command, or if need be, a specific buff from a box char that requires a target.
//target id ${Me.ID}
This causes whoever to get the command, to target the person responsible for giving the command. Me in this case.
For example :
/bct Kingmort //target id ${Me.ID}
/bct Kingmort //casting 0000
This means that the main client is telling kingmort to target me, and cast a spell.
The 0000 would be the spell ID number, which you can find by inspecting spells on the designated character.
To be able to read this information, you would need the MQ2Itemdisplay plugin as listed above.
As you can also see, it takes 2 up lines in a macro window from EQ.
This could potentionally form an issue, that is why further below the section Multilines is being addressed.

  • Targetting NPCs and Mobs

This is mostly initiated from the main client.
That means that this client is the first one to target this npc or mob, and give out further commands to the rest.
(as in, you guys need to target this mob).
Ofcourse this can be performed from any client.
/bca //target ID ${Target.ID}
If you perform this in game trying to explain to somebody what to type, you'll end up with the following :
//target ID NULL
That is because MQ2 can not process a blank target, hence it comes up as NULL.
A good example of this usage would be a pet attack button (or players, but we'll stick to pets for the example).
/bca //target ID ${Target.ID}
/bca //pet attack
If in the above example, you are a pet class as well,
you could change the 2nd line to /bcaa, so it includes your pet as well.

Sticking

Sticking is the advanced and improved version of EQ's /follow.
The best macro you can have for this is the following :

To start having everyone follow you :
/bca //stick uw id ${Me.ID}
In this case the uw stands for underwater.
It does not literally mean that, but more so to face the sticking target.
Meaning everyone following, would automatically look up and/or down if need be,
When you go over a hill, or dive into water.
Notice in the above case, there's only 1 a.
/bca instead of /bcaa.
That is because would you try to use /bcaa, the client would try to have you follow yourself, which is impossible.

To turn this off, simply use : /bca //stick off

Both these options are best made into a macro and put on your hotbar for you to quickly use.

Multilines

Multilines are there to solve the space problem you can run into when making macros.
Multilines can also easily appear to get messy, but once you get the hang of it, it's not so bad.

When using multilines, you are required to use the ; sign to split the commands.
Multilines can be used in 2 ways.
One is to start with them, as in that being the initial command,
the other is to put them in after starting another command.

Here are some examples :

group / raid invite & auto accepting

Attack

Casting

Delay Commands

Twisting