Raiding without addons
by Adam Holisky 
Jan 27th 2008 at 2:00PM
But in all honesty, are these addons really necessary for raiding? There's some interesting arguments both ways.
One of the most convincing that I've heard is that if Blizzard really wanted you to use things like Omen, they would have built a threat meter into the game itself. That does make sense in a lot of ways. The rebuttal to this argument is that Blizzard provided a huge Addon API for programmers to make things like Omen.
Another argument that I've heard thrown around is that addons detract from the spirit of the game. This one actually rings true. After all, think about the role playing value of the game a bit. Say you're fighting something we've all done, like High King Maulgar. We all know that he whirlwinds about every 30 seconds. This isn't a big deal after you've learned the fight, because what ever boss mod you're using will pop up a countdown timer to the whirlwind, and then even give you some audio alert when he's about to spin around and kill all the melee.
If this were real, would you have any warning that Maulgar was about to spin around like a merry-go-round? Probably not much, if any. You sure wouldn't have a colorful countdown bar remind you. But then again, this is a game.
In my opinion, addons are a necessary component of any successful raider or end game player. They take a lot of the guess work out of the game, and let you have a better time playing it.
What do you think are the necessary addons for raiding? If you've ever killed a raid boss without addons, how did you do it?
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Add-Ons, Raiding, Bosses
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Centurius Jan 27th 2008 2:09PM
Pfft, GUIs are for scrubs. The best use command lines.
Dejablue Jan 27th 2008 6:13PM
A LOT of great new features have been added to the game DUE to addons. Combat text scrolling, numbers on hp and mana bars. Target Casting bars. Target of Target avatars, the list goes on:
From Euro Forums and You Tube video listed below:
1.5.2Q Can we expect improved UI features?
1.5.2A Yes, the UI will get some very nice features. First off it will introduce an itemrack/Outfitter like feature. Basically it will allow you to easily swap gear compilations. However, it’s just not that; it will also introduce storage for those items. If that’s not enough, you can also expect a Big-wigs/Deadly boss mods like warning system. Last but not least; a build-in threat-meter!
1.5.2S http://news.curse.com/details/2592/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGpUX1FpA_I (around 07:30)
http://news.curse.com/details/2842/ (around 17:00)
So in conclusion UI mods are EXPECTED to be made by us o simply give us what we want and of course save blizz time and money to develop the things. So if you can do it with the lua code and it works in wow, go for it. if Blizz doesnt want it they will break it ala Decursive.
As far as raiding goes, the ONLY 2 UI addons required for all members of our raid team is Big Wigs and Omen. From there it is a class choice. And as shown above Blizzard fully intends to make DBM/BigWigs and Omen default UI features.
Dejablue Jan 27th 2008 7:25PM
Sorry, I intended to reply in general, not to your comment speciffically.
hpavc Jan 27th 2008 8:07PM
Sadly we cannot do vi keycodes for wow yet, no multiple modifiers :(
hockeydude99 Jan 27th 2008 2:11PM
i used to play without mods that was all teh way to 60 prebc and i did a few MC raids without them. the only time i really downloaded mods was when i hit 70 and the guild required them
Silverslide Jan 27th 2008 2:11PM
Haven't Blizzard already said they are adding a basic threat meter (hence the combat log changes in 2.4)?
That and the fact that they added voice chat implies that Blizz's baseline interface is playing catch up with it's own gameplay.
Silverslide Jan 27th 2008 2:24PM
If you read my reply I said they are changing the combat log in 2.4 not the threat meter - it's been said more than once that it is planned and whether they've started it already is anyones guess.
The point being of course that the admission that they need it in the default UI on when they get round to coding it.
Spad Jan 27th 2008 2:27PM
no, you said "Haven't Blizzard already said they are adding a basic threat meter"
It's there for everybody to see mate :)
Replex Jan 27th 2008 2:35PM
Number of addons is dependant on your class, as a Hunter I could get by on only using Omen and Deadly Boss Mods.
Chai Jan 28th 2008 8:06PM
When I started raiding, I didn't use anything. I just listened to what they told me on vent :]
When I started using them though, I got hooked
Saiforune Jan 27th 2008 2:45PM
Yea Blizzard has already said at Blizzcon that they were going to look at addons like Outfitter and implement in the game, they said quote" We are looking to implement things like outfitter into the game for players with many resistance sets, but the thing that addons can't do is give you extra space to hold that junk." Yea then the crowd cheered. So they are looking to do stuff , but the bad thing that comes in with the "more space" is we're going to be looking at more resistance based fights...T.T I call FTL.
Aigarius Jan 27th 2008 2:57PM
Omen and DBM are the only two mandatory mods really. All others are optional: raid assist mod, decursive/healbot for those who can do it, pallypower for the pallies, NaturEnemy cast bars for your timers and maybe Grid if you like to watch how other people die.
Michel Jan 27th 2008 3:14PM
what is DBM ?
Aigarius Jan 27th 2008 3:18PM
Deadly Boss Mods
Fyxie Jan 27th 2008 3:10PM
My must haves as a healer are DBM, a DoT counter, and a nice looking raid frame. I could do without others, but prefer not to. The raid frame is a must because if I'm going to stare at life bars all night they better look pleasing to the eyes.
Michel Jan 27th 2008 3:13PM
he said, blizzard already said they are adding a basic threat meter
he NEVER said it was for 2.4
blizzard itself says it may add it in some futur patch or wrath itself. it's true, you can check that on the us forum.
but Silverslide, so, think it's one of the reasons blizzard improves the log combat in 2.4 ("hence the combat log changes in 2.4")
to pave the way of a basic lagmeter in future.
here is , what Silverslide said for everybody to read.
Varus Jan 27th 2008 3:43PM
What the fcsk is everyone on about? It's like I'm in some sort of strange StarTrek alternative universe episode where I can read the words but can't understand the meaning.
The raid encounters are designed to be beatable with the standard UI. The mod API is just there for you to help you. Remember the pre-2.0 healing mods (yes, before TBC)? Passive targeting? Automatic downranking etc. They nerfed it because they thought it was too close to cheating.
I'm fairly sure they'll nerf the API again if they think addons are getting too powerful. They're nice help, but don't get too dependent on them, the functions you can't play without could be gone in next patch.
And it wouldn't be the first time they're trying to kill addons by adding the function in the game-proper. They added scrolling combat text (though made a real hash out of it and sct is still much better) and they added new maibox functions (which pretty much killed CT_MailMod and the like for me).
They're not playing "catch up" with the gameplay. They DESIGN the freaking gameplay. They just add features that seem like a good idea and bring added value to the *whole* playerbase. We - the elite who read sites like WoWInsider, install addons and do instances and stuff - sometimes forget the fact that we're actually in the minority. The big masses who play this game don't have any clue addons even exist.
Also, Adam, way to go inserting that "Say you're fighting something we've all done" flamebait in the article. Really pro of you.
And finally if we didn't have the bossmods, we'd have someone with a stopwatch next to their computer shouting "whirlwind coming in 5..4..3..2..1" on TeamSpeak/Vent. We're just lazy because popping in a mod is so easy and convenient. Duhh.
Dave Jan 27th 2008 3:15PM
The way I see it, Yes you absolutely need a threat meter. Maybe not for you, but for everyone else in your raid that actually cares. Chances are you care too, and if you don't you're probably not that successful or you're a backup raider that most of the serious people would rather not have along... but that's your own choice I suppose.
As for DBM, you don't need it necessarily. Only your raid leader NEEDS it and they can just turn on announcements and /rw the entire raid whenever things are going to trigger.
If you'd like a real-world comparison, imagine modern warfare where everyone has a headset in combat, and there's usually a general/LT/cmd/etc who's overseeing the operation that's going to call out incoming fire, enemy movements, or whatever other tactical information they can relay in order to have people not die. Maybe the grunts don't have this communication system in place and they're more or less expendable. This is kinda likek the grunts in WoW who choose not to play with all the helpful things, and they're more or less expendable in fights and to their guilds for the most part.
Everything else mostly I think just helps you organize the information you need in a raid to be successful. There's usually a pretty strong association between successful raid groups that are all on the same page in terms of mods and their utility, and the groups who for whatever reason struggle through content. I think the number of people who can successfully raid with absolutely no mods is far smaller than the number of people who can while using the mods their teammates use so they can accurately share and utilize information during a fight.
Manual mistakes, ignorance mistakes, and all of the other things "we" do to wipe a raid happen a lot less when you've got help. Nothing's foolproof, but it helps.
bigdaddygamebot Jan 27th 2008 3:23PM
No one NEEDS any Add On. The fact that people think there's a need just goes to show how much of the mediocre majority they really are. Add Ons make it easy. People like things easy. Add Ons help the lazy. Generally, people are lazy.
Add Ons spoil the game and the fact that there are guilds out there that require to to have the add ons just goes to show you how misdirected people are.
Charneldeath Jan 30th 2008 3:57PM
So says the man who has never been outside of Karazhan