I started out downloading and installing rof2 using the copy supplied by Hidden Forest. I did not have to set up an account because I had already done so years ago. My account is a THF account, not a general EQemu account. For information about this, go to http://www.hiddenforest.com, click on Forum and then click on the menu item Getting Started. Be sure to run the THF Downloader at least once...it will add files to the rof2 install so as to make it compatible with Hidden Forest.
Next step is finding MQ2. As of today (as far as I know) there are three safe places to get a compiled version of MQ2. For those of you who don't know, "compiled" means you can double-click it and it will install. An uncompiled version has to be compiled for the operating system that its to be run on. Unless you are a Linux user, you should not have to worry about this. Anyways, the three places are mqemulator.net, redguides.com and mmobugs.com. There is a fourth site, macroquest2.com, but it seems mainly for the devs and coders who work on the MQ2 program. Redguides and mmobugs require that you subscribe to their sites which may or may not require money. Since I have no subscription with them, I don't know much about them. I used mqemulator.net...click on the Downloads menu item, choose ROF2 as the client, and MQEmulator Classic Build as the build. If you want, click on the little question mark bubble to see their description of it.
I installed both the RoF2 folder and the MQ2 folder into an EQ folder at c:\ so as to keep my EQ world in one handy spot. Do NOT install anything into Programs(x86). Files in there are treated differently, and this can manifest into Win10 blocking your attempts to edit ini files (which you may be doing ALOT). This blocking is related to that dumbass way that Microsoft has put in Win10 where, even if you give your Win10 account administrator access, it does not treat you like an administrator, You have the title, but not the full privileges. Can you get around this problem by playing with individual file permissions? Yes. But honestly, you can save yourself grief by simply installing stuff in the root of c:\. (Shout-out to tibbs3d over at the THF E3 Macro discord server for telling me about Programs(x86)).
- the main program, MacroQuest2.exe.
- the server program, EQBCServer.exe. This is what your main and all your alts will connect to, and allows you to control your alts via your main (hence the name EQ Broad Cast Server). If you only play on one character, then you don't need to run the server.
- the plugin files. These dll files are what you run in order to make MQ2 do all the fancy stuff that it can do. The function of the plugin is usually written into the name (ex. MQ2Melee.dll). I would say there are maybe 200-300 plugins for MQ2, but most players will only run a couple. Keep in mind that every plugin uses computer resources and too many plugins can slow down computer processing...not a good thing during intense fights like raids. More information about this is available upon request.
- the macros. These files can be created by non-coders like me, to make MQ2 do things that are not done already by plugins. For me, this is usually some small specific thing. For example, I made a small macro that watches for the donor buff Shadow of Erebos given by the donor legs on my shadowknight. If the buff disappears, the macro double-clicks on the legs.
- the settings files. These are ini files that can (and will) be custom created and edited. They are text files and so need to be written in Notepad. Be wary of using any fancier text program, as many of them can add formatting commands into the text document which are invisible to you but can be seen by MQ2 and mess things up.
Next step is to make the EQ client and MQ2 play nice with each other AND autologin. (Big Assumption Here: you ALREADY have an existing character in Hidden Forest!) Here is what I did:
1) Drag the eqgame.exe (from the rof2 folder) to your desktop so as to make a shortcut. Rename it to the name of your character. Mine is Jaton.
2) Go into the properties of the shortcut and modify the line labeled Target. Here is what Jaton's looks like: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Everquest_THF\everquest_rof2_THF\eqgame.exe" patchme /login:xxxJ. My folder path is long cause I do extra stuff with EQ. Your own folder path will be different. The important modifications are the patchme and the login. Note there is a space both before and after patchme. The login portion is part of the auto login feature of MQ2. The xxxJ is the username of your Hidden Forest account. And no, that is not Jaton's real account. 8-P There are no spaces in the login portion.
3) Go to the Compatibility tab of the shortcut and check/verify that Run This Program As Administrator is checked. In some cases, this option is right in front of you in the Shortcut tab. Sometimes you may have to hit the Advanced button in the Shortcut tab to get to the admin box.
4) Go to the rof2 folder again, and go to the properties of eqgame.exe and check/verify that its admin box is also checked using the same method that you did for its shortcut. In theory, this should not be necessary but I like to be sure.
5) Make shortcuts and check admin boxes for both EQBCServer.exe and MacroQuest2.exe (they are in the MQEmu_Classic_ROF2 folder) just like you did for eqgames.exe in steps 3 and 4 above.
6) In win10 Settings, go to Update&Security-->choose Windows Security from the list-->push the Open Windows Security button-->choose Firewall&Network Protection from the list-->click on Allow an app through firewall. This will give you a list of apps that win10 security looks at. Scroll down the list until you see eqbcserver and check its box and the box in its Private column. Oddly enough, I did not see entries for either eqgame.exe nor for MacroQuest2.exe. I have no idea why.
7) Ensure that MQ2 is going to automatically run the MQ2AutoLogin.dll by opening the file MacroQuest.ini and checking the [Plugins] section. Verify the entry mq2autologin=mq2autologin is there. Btw, this is how you auto run any dll. When you want to NOT have it run, then you can either delete it or put a pipe symbol in front of it |like this. The pipe symbol tells MQ2 "don't run this line, its only for humans to read".
8) Now you have to set up MQ2AutoLogin by editing its MQ2AutoLogin.ini file. Here is what mine looks like:
[Settings]
KickActiveCharacter=1
InstantCamp=0
UseStationNamesInsteadOfSessions=1
[Servers]
HiddenForest=The Hidden Forest [ http://www.thehiddenforest.org ]
[xxxJ]
Password=notgonnashowyou
Server=HiddenForest
Character=Jaton
[xxxS]
Password=notthiseither
Server=HiddenForest
Character=Shadome
Note 1: this example has entries for two characters.
Note 2: the character entries are MANUALLY created by YOU, the user. They are NOT created by the program. The section names are account names, not character names.
Note 3: the server name in [Servers] must be very exacting. In this case, you MUST include the spaces on either side of http://www.thehiddenforest.org.
Note 4: if you read the forums concerning autologins, you will have noticed lots of questions and some trouble. The ini I have pasted is a cumulation of what solutions worked, and is based on having a direct THF account (NOT an EQemu account) and the rof2 client (NOT Underfoot). Plus, I use it for all my characters and it gets them all the way to the zone, so...yeah.
8) Start the EQBC server program. You'll know its on when you get a rather sparse window on your desktop. The text in it will say:
EQBCS (EQ Box Chat Server) 1.2.v1
Waiting for connections on port: 2112...
You might want to minimize it to get it out of your face. You won't be typing anything in it.
9) Start the MQ2 program. It won't open with a splash screen or window but will simply put its icon in your system tray (the tray is that area in the taskbar to the right, where the clock is).
8) Now its time to finally try things out. Cross your fingers, hold your groin and double-click your character's shortcut. If you did everything correctly...if your win10 security version has not changed...if the phase of the moon and the alignment of the planets is just right...then autologin will skip over the THF Downloader and some other screens, log into the THF server, choose your character and plop you down into a zone. You will know MQ2 server and main programs are working by observing an MQ window in your EQ window, along with some Welcome text in it.
9) In the MQ window, type /mac setup. This will create a character ini file in the MQEmu_Classic_ROF2. Mine is named HiddenForest_Jaton.ini. This file has a few default settings in it used by MQ2NetBots. Note that this step might only be for the mq2 that is distributed by mqemulator.net. MQ2s put out by other websites might have a slightly different setup.
And...that's it. There is a lot more information that you'll probably have to (or want to) know concerning usage, strategies, other plugins, etc. But those are subjects for other posts.
Have fun.
