How do I join the Global Network?
If you’re wondering what the Global Network is, read this more detailed post.
Ready to join? Contributing your computing power is easy and we have a few options so it doesn’t interfere with your gaming (like slow it down, that would be bad!) It also will never interfere with your bandwidth, so it won’t affect streaming Netflix – the data sent back and forth is 10x smaller than a simple image. What we need is your computer’s processing power, not your bandwidth.
There is one exception: If you have a laptop or computer that is prone to overheating when under heavy use, we suggest you do NOT join the Global Network. We appreciate that you want to help, but laptops in particular aren’t good under full, constant CPU use.
If you’re wondering how big of a difference you can make – a big one! Every person counts and my initial goal is to get 500 people connected. I hope you will be one of them, and if you are, take a look at the progress we’re making on this status update post.
TLDR:
If you are familiar with the client already, it’s easy. When you have the client open, press any key to bring up the menu. You’ll see a Global Network option. Select that, and if you want you can set a schedule (jump to step 5 for more details below).
Step 1: Download the client.
If you already have it, make sure version 331 or higher is running. If it isn’t, just run any simulation from the site to force it to update (or download it again, whatever you prefer).
If you are used to the program already, skip to step 5.
Step 2: Unzip the file.
Step 3 – Open the client
After you extract it, look for the AMR.exe file and double click it to open the client.
Step 4: Setup the client with the super magical interface
The first time you open it, you will be prompted to login. Use your Ask Mr. Robot website login.
Type in your username, then hit the enter key. Next you will be asked for your password – type that in and hit enter.
It’s a pretty fancy UI, I know 🙂
You might be prompted for some other settings, follow along, using arrow keys to move between options and enter to select an option.
Step 5: Enable the global network.
Press any key to bring up the menu if you don’t see this menu already.
Choose the Global Network option, using arrow keys. Typing “5” into the console won’t select it, sorry.
Then choose a Global Network speed. Use the arrow keys and hit enter.
Next you will be asked if you want to run it on a schedule. I set mine to run overnight, from 3am until 10am. Use military time.
You can set multiple schedules. For example, from 1am until 8am, while you are asleep. And again from 10 am until 5 pm while you are at work. To enter multiple schedules, separate them with a comma. For this example it would be 0100-0800, 1000-1700. Hit enter when you are done.
That’s it, you are now on the Global Network. You need to keep your client open so we can use your computer.
If you need to interrupt it, no problem. Press any key to open the menu. Select the “Exit” option. You can also just close the client, although using the exit option is slightly better.
Thank you! No really, you are helping millions of wow players!
People play WoW because it is fun. It isn’t fun to worry if you have the ‘right’ gear equipped, or spend more time outside of the game simming stat weights than you do playing the game.  We want to take that stress away and get everyone to spend more time in the game.
While we don’t reach every WoW player, we do have a million+ users that we can help every time they visit. When you join the Global Network, your computing power helps make this possible for all of those people. And it really means a lot to us that you are happy to help this cause.
More information & Updates
More info can be found on this thread on our forums, along with updates. Feel free to post any bugs on the forums too (wait, bugs never happen, right?!)
Also, this is still pretty early, and I’d love to be able to send out updates to you via email – NOT marketing. It would be more like the progress on pre-running stat weights and if we need you to restart your client for some reason. If you don’t mind me emailing you (it will be me personally), please drop your email in this form.
PS. If you got this far, I /salute you. And I thank you for joining the “GloNet.” 🙂