Breakfast Topic: To Addon or Not to Addon?
by Elizabeth Harper 
Jul 21st 2006 at 8:00AM
I spent a while on the test realms yesterday checking out all of the new goodies in the 1.12 client. Some of these, like the new floating combat text feature, have come directly from popular community-created addons. I think, in may ways, I prefer the addons that are integrated game - that way, come patch day, the features I use regularly simply work, without need to tinker or download new code. However, custom addons provide a level of flexibility that's not present in Blizzard's own UI. With floating combat text, specifically, I may continue to use the original addon - Scrolling Combat Text - because I prefer being able to customize a little more than Blizzard's addition allows me to. And what about all of you? Do you like to use addons - or even the sort that can't play when their addons aren't working right? Or do you prefer the low-maintenance of the default UI? And, whichever side you're on, do you like or dislike these new additions to the default UI?
Filed under: Patches, Add-Ons, Breakfast Topics
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Tigraine Jul 21st 2006 8:34AM
Ok .. first thing.
I use a LOT custom addons.
And I think I can't really play without.
I get nuts when I have to use the really digusting standard Blizzard Unit Frames. I just need more information on my mob, my own health and mana, targets target, etc.
Where I have stayed pretty Blizzard-Standard is the Bars and the Buff timers. No need to change anything there. I like the standard UI bars and I think I would go mad newly configuring them every 4 weeks when a new Patch comes out.
Now .. I'll have a look at the new scrolling combat text. When it does what I want it to do I guess I'll stick to the standard stuff.
But I guess without Superinspect and Perl Unit Frames I wouldn#t be able to play any longer.
It's the same like the Keybindings I use... Anytime I change something I think that would be more convenient .. I end up undoing the change 20 minutes later because I am pushing the wrong buttons without thinking.
Belurme Jul 21st 2006 8:55AM
I swear by the CTMod and all the bundled addons that comes with. The movable bags, self casting, cooldown timers galore, and many others are things I find hard to live without after a new patch comes out until they update the coding. Also, I swear by Titan Bar and the many addons you can put into that. Having a one look bar where I can see where I am coordinates wise, my bag status, my current cash, what guildmates are on, etc is something I find hard to live without. I also used TitanAggro for when I was running my pally so I could see who needed healing the most in my group based on the aggro they had. While the UI is great by itself, I find the plethora of options out there to be invaluable.
PodMonkeys Jul 21st 2006 10:01AM
I personally like using add-ons quite a bit, but I can play without them. It is really annoying after updates, when my add-ons stop working. I especially like EquipCompare as it saves a few seconds with not having to open the Character window, but its not exactly a necessity. If some of the ones I used were built in, I'd really go for that.
sollaires Jul 21st 2006 10:15AM
I'm definitely another mod junkie. I love having more information and options than I can possibly handle - it's part of the meta game I really enjoy. However, I am keenly aware at the performance hit of all the mods I'm running. Running the standard UI increases my framerate dramatically, especially when there are a lot of other chars around. It's a fine line to try to balance - performance of the game vs. moddy goodness. (If you're like me, you should check out KLM Peformance Monitor - it gives you some rough idea of which mods are actually taking up the processor and memory. For instance, TitanBar, with ZERO TitanMods, just an empty bar at the top of your screen, consumes more time than any other mod I've seen yet).
Silvertusk Jul 21st 2006 10:28AM
I try to avoid relying on too many AddOns; infact, I only use Scrolling Combat Text, CT_Raid/BossMod, and.. .. .. FlagRSP for the RP server I occasionally piddle around on. I also use one or two more additional AddOns for my druid character.
I do this to cut down on resource useage; my computer is, unfortunately, just barely able to play World of Warcraft semi-smoothly. The more AddOns one uses, the more computer resources that must be pumped into the game, which - obviously - results in slower gameplay.
Besides, a real PVPer relies on pure skill!
Dutchman Jul 21st 2006 10:55AM
I do prefer to use addons to add a little functionality to Blizzards default UI, but I dont go overboard with complete makeovers like some folks I know. I usually use little things like Fubar to have some information at-a-glance instead of opening several frames and using MoveAnything! to break up and move the default bars around the screen. Or even Benecast to make my priest and shamans life a little simpler.
Don't get me wrong, Blizzard has come a long way from the original UI they gave us over a year ago, and they have a long way to go before addons will be complete defunct. They leave too much lacking IMO, and that forces us to look for or write mods that can fill that need.
notelddimtwo Jul 21st 2006 11:04AM
I like the idea of integrating addons into the game itself. Kinda like mod work. Why doesn't Blizzard buy out some addons and include them into the code. These are good ideas that should be in the game, not as just an addon.
stapleboy Jul 21st 2006 11:27AM
I'm in the minority here, I guess... not a fan of addons. As much as CTRaid love seems like a universal among endgamers, I hate a lot about it. When I was briefly in a big guild (who, like all big guilds, required you to use it), I needed it for next to nothing... and I was a healer. I think addons contribute to the problem at endgame with gear imbalance - you get entire guilds of players running around in epic sets who could never beat a boss without the computer saying which button to press, and when.
That said, I'm real happy with the additions Blizzard has made in recent patches. The target's-target feature works so much better than its CTRaid equivalent, and adding more raid controls based on the good things in CTRaid makes sense. Flame on! :)
Steve Jul 21st 2006 12:06PM
Hey, Sollaries, where do I find that Performance Monitor mod? I googled it and checked Curse and worldofwar.net without any luck.
elizabeth Jul 21st 2006 12:35PM
To stapleboy - I agree about the Blizzard UI's "target of target" feature. I used to use CTMod to see my target's target, but Blizzard's addition has a much cleaner look than the CTMod version.
And as to CTRaid, there are some componants that are quite useful and informative - especially to a healer. The's a monitor that can show you who is targeting who for a rez - which I always found nice, since not everyone has macros to say who they're targeting. Then there's the emergency monitor, who will show you all players who fall below a certain level of health. So for raid healing, you can keep an one eye on your own party and the other on the emergency monitor.
sollaires Jul 21st 2006 1:02PM
Re: Steve
http://curse-gaming.com/en/wow/addons-4351-1-klhperformancemonitor.html
It KLH, not KLM. My mistake.