Using one PC to run two copies of a game(2 monitors/2 input)

[Starforsaken]

Hello guys!

I'm new here but whenever I tried google to find an answer, I got redirected to this product.

I've found this thread (http://www.sandboxie.com/phpbb/viewtopi ... ght=diablo) that had some info but not exactly what I wanted to do.

Basically, my girlfriend and I want to play Diablo 3. Her PC is way outdated (P4 with no GPU) which she only uses for iTunes and pictures/media. She's looking at upgrading it but the laptop she wants won't be available until June. However, as most already know, Diablo 3 will be here on May 15th and she really wants to play with me at launch.

We're looking at several different options (buying a cheap desktop, upgrading her PC *gulp*, buying another laptop, etc.) and one option we thought about would be to use my PC to run 2 copies of the game, if it's even possible.

I don't want to multibox, I don't want to cheat or anything. Basically we will have 2 copies of the game, 2 monitors, 2 keyboards/mice, 2 sets of speakers, it's just a second PC that we don't currently have.

Would Sandboxie let us play normally (even if I have to lower the graphics) using a single computer?

Thanks in advance

[MichaelS]

I'm not sure if you read my post (the last post) on that thread or not, but here you go:

Only the focused application/window has input priority. You can't control two windows at the same time with the same input devices. There are games that recognize multiple input devices and allow them to be used simultaneously (2 pointers on the screen), but I don't think Diablo 3 is one of them.

With or without Sandboxie, you can not use four input devices on a system and expect them to work independently, unless a game allows it, and most certainly not if the game runs twice as a different process.

The only solution that comes to my mind, would be the following:

if the game supports windowed mode, you can play it windowed and have the other game running in a virtual computer. that way you can control the game on your PC with your mouse and keyboard, while your girlfriend can control the input of the virtual PC with a mouse and keyboard hooked to a cheap laptop. that would work because the rendering of the game in the virtual PC is not done by the laptop, but by your PC, her laptop would be used only to control the input of the virtual PC. For this to work, you need more than a decent CPU, GPU and enough RAM to support the native needs of two operating systems and two instances of the game.

[D1G1T@L]

I really doubt that a modern game can run on an emulated VM video card, regardless of how fast the Host's GPU is. Emulated hardware is typically slow in comparison to what we use now. Therefore you should consider a setup that's closer to bare-metal.

I think the solution in your case would be to have another instance of Diablo III running in Sandboxie along with a remote desktop client. If it has anti-cheat then you must use Wraithdu's Block Process Access available at the Contributed Utilities section. I can not vouch for the success of such an undertaking since I haven't tried it out myself, but I would like to help where I can nonetheless.

If she has access to a very fast internet connection then such a setup is manageable. Any kind of lag can turn the remote screen viewing into a slideshow.

Another caveat to be considered, is that you must register Sandboxie in order to be able to use two sandboxes concurrently running.

[MichaelS]

I think the solution in your case would be to have another instance of Diablo III running in Sandboxie along with a remote desktop client.

How would that allow both of them to individually control each instance of the game with a mouse and keyboard? The remote desktop client would control the pointer of the host. Even if they remap the keyboard controls, the pointing device is still an issue. Thus the only solution would be to control a virtual computer from another computer via LAN by using InputDirector or similar software. Of course, the virtual GPU can't perform as well as the actual GPU, but I guess no one expects to use game high quality video settings in a virtual PC and be satisfied with it.

[Black_ice_Spain]

you can do it, but not with sandobxie, using some multi-seat software like aster v7 (for win7, the best i could find).

[Black_ice_Spain]

also you dont need two GPUs, but both monitors connected to main one, i used to play wow or wow + arkham asylum with it and no problems (except sometimes i got some kind of remote-desktop warning which wow had self-implemented, i hope diablo does not have).

[D1G1T@L]

http://international.ibik-soft.com/

According to ASTER's homepage there is a requirement that the PC have 2 video cards. It also requires that the second monitor/PC be physically connected to the system where the game is being run. Also if I understand correctly the OP's girlfriend will be accessing the game from a remote location, so his solution will be a no go.


@MichaelS

Yes you are right considering the mouse issue. It would be an impasse to my siggestion. However it must also be mentioned that Virtual GPUs are extremely lacking in terms of performance. They are designed to run simple 3D modelling software and old games. However running a modern game at any setting inside a VM is a futile exercise. What experiences did you have running games in one?


I am thinking I'll just leave it at that since the OP didn'tgive any input on what has been suggested so far.