Addon Spotlight: Adding on to the Blizzard Raid Frames
by Mathew McCurley 
Aug 4th 2011 at 9:00AM
One of the great joys of writing Addon Spotlight is watching the evolution of addons and their relationship to World of Warcraft over time and how the effectiveness and usefulness of certain addons wanes and waxes like the phases of the moon. Blizzard's new raid frames have not replaced my own custom job, but they have been getting progressively closer to a complete package, as I discussed only a few weeks ago. But there are ways, friends, of adding on to even the Blizzard default raid frame setup to give them just a bit more substance.
Today, I've got three little additions to the default Blizzard raid frames that can help you with targets, marks, and debuffs. If you like options, these addons will add a ton of them to the Blizzard standard setup, making the entire package look a little more like Grid. So sit back, relax, and check out these new additions to the Blizzard default raid frames.
Layover
Let's start simple. One of the issues with the Blizzard raid frames (Grid-style, naturally) is that they do not display pertinent information as clearly as I and many others would like them to. Buffs and debuffs should be as prominent as possible, especially in dispel-heavy encounters such as Alysrazor or that awful trash before Majordomo Staghelm. Sure, the default setup has indicators, but what if you want bigger indicators?
Layover is a simple addon that displays large icons over the Blizzard frames (only the new compact, Grid-like version) according to the player's specified customizations. You can access Layover with /layover or /lo, and then use a series of text inputs to change around what you want the addon to look for while in combat. For instance, if you want the addon to show the Fieroblast debuff from the Alysrazor encounter, type /layover add Fieroblast, and the addon will begin tracking that debuff on the Blizzard default raid frames.
You've got commands to change the size of the icon and the transparency of the debuffs or buffs, plus wholesale commands for poisons, magic debuffs, or diseases. It's a nice little addon that has simple text commands and makes the Blizzard raid frames that much more manageable. So check out Layover. It's pretty neat.
Download Layover at [Curse].
Blizzard Raid Frame -- Raid Icons
The next two addons were created by szandros, who obviously knows that the Blizzard raid frames needed a bit of a pep in their step when it comes to buff trackings and information sharing. Blizzard Raid Frame -- Raid Icons is the simpler of the two addons, allowing those fun lucky charms to appear on the Blizzard raid frames. DBM and other raid mods will routinely mark players with one of these colorful symbols when something bad is about to happen to them or people need to get the heck away from them. It's a common occurrence!
Raid Icons allows you to set the icon size and position of where the marks appear. Now, much like Grid or Vuhdo, your Blizzard default frames will display marks on their face, not just over the head of the person with said mark. Invaluable for a fight like Chimaeron, group/raid marks are an awesome way to coordinate your merry band with healing targets or who to stack up on. Any way to get that information out there more prominently is good in my book.
Download Blizzard Raid Frame -- Raid Icons at [Curse].
Now here is the big daddy of addons for the Blizzard raid frames. Blizzard Raid Frame -- Indicators is a Grid-like buff and debuff management system for the default raid frames, allowing you to customize nine different regions of each player's box on the frames to show time left on debuffs, missing buffs, stack sizes, and everything in between.
One of the reasons Grid, Vuhdo, Healbot, and all of those healing systems work is because of efficient information gathering. Healers can't heal or buff unless they know what's going on with a glance. For instance, you could put a timer or symbol on the upper right corner of the raid frame to show when someone does not have a buff that you can cast on them. As a priest, you can watch for timers of your Weakened Soul debuff and display them prominently in the center of the raid frame, to watch for who to heal and who can get a shield again soon. If you're a druid healer, you can set the entire bottom row of the frame for timers on all of your HOTs currently on the target, especially the tank.
Setting up your raid frames to show all of these options is not the simplest task, but it also isn't the most demanding task you've ever been given. The possibilities and options make it worthwhile. Blizzard may not add in this type of robustness to the default frames any time soon because, let's be fair, this isn't the most encouraging thing to get bombarded with as a player when you first step inside the healing role. The Blizzard raid frames work fine for the simple stuff. Now, they can work fine for more.
Download Blizzard Raid Frame -- Indicators at [Curse].
Mailbag time?
Submitting a typical "check out my AddOn e-mail" ...Thanks for the email, Parc. I like this. Didit sounds great and provides a nice piece of information for dungeon groups, especially. Nice job, man.
DidIt reports to chat the number of times each party member has killed the final boss in your current 5-player dungeon, taking into account whether it is on heroic difficulty or not. Regardless whether you are a tank, healer or DPS it helps to know how familiar your party members are with your current dungeon, particularly so for random Dungeon Finder groups.
To use, simply enter the slash command "/didit" once your party is in the instance and the report will come out a few seconds later in your default chat window. Or instead use "/didit party" to direct the report to party chat so everyone can benefit from the information. It can actually be kind of fun and an icebreaker in RDF PuGs, most of the time a few seconds after sending the report the player with the highest kills says "I win".
Regards,
Parc
On a totally related note, if you want to get your addon mentioned on Addon Spotlight as either a featured addon or even here in the mailbag, do what Parc did -- email me. I read everything. Really. Painstakingly at times, but I do read every email that makes it past my eyes. Or at least I try. Anyway, emailing me and showing me your addon is a good way at getting that addon on Addon Spotlight. Who knew?
Download DidIt at [Curse].
See you guys next week.
Addons are what we do on Addon Spotlight. If you're new to mods, Addons 101 will walk you through the basics; see what other players are doing at Reader UI of the Week. If there's a mod you think Addon Spotlight should take a look at, email mat@wowinsider.com.
Filed under: Add-Ons, AddOn Spotlight
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Nina Katarina Aug 4th 2011 9:09AM
I love the TauntMaster addon for tanking. Are there any addons that give you that sort of functionality on Blizzard's raid frames?
e.friedman1992 Aug 4th 2011 10:46AM
Wow! I have been literally looking for something that does this exact thing for weeks! Thanks for that, I'm gonna have to check it out after work
kaosgrace Aug 6th 2011 9:03PM
Well, if you just want to clickbind your taunts, you can do it with Clique, and the default frames have a border highlight to tell you who has aggro. But Tauntmaster has additional threat monitoring functionality (it can tell the difference between high threat, insecurely tanking, and securely tanking) and I don't know of any addon that adds threat monitoring capability to the Blizzframes.
genezer Aug 4th 2011 9:24AM
Horrible new addon this Didit, if it isn't already bad enough for all the snobs to check iLevel and leave/kick if they don't like the number, now they will kick you if you have not done a run often enough according to their little elite attitude.
Doug Aug 4th 2011 9:38AM
Conversely it might help people know when they need to explain fights. Although, unfortunately, I think your version will be the more prevalent. :(
tororu Aug 4th 2011 9:44AM
Personally, as a healer, I think it's nice to know of the group has experience with a boss. Sometimes people are too shy or embarrassed to say anything when I ask if they are familiar with a boss fight. Only after a wipe will they sometimes admit they had no idea. This add-on saves the guesswork and I can just check and determine if I need to provide guidance to the group or not.
babywhiz Aug 4th 2011 9:55AM
I can understand why someone would want that add on, but a ton of alts are going to be crying out "BUT MY MAIN HAS DONE IT 100000000000 times!"
Joe Aug 4th 2011 10:02AM
Well, the data that Didit uses is already there for anyone to look up. The addon just presents it in a more convenient form. So getting mad at Didit is just shooting the messenger.
Blizzard could have made it impossible for you to look up other player's kills, but they choose to provide you with that info. So it's ultimately Blizzard's fault if it's a bad thing to know other player's boss kills.
However, I do think that it is in bad taste to broadcast this info in party chat every time you start a dungeon (as the addon author suggested). Use it for your own information, sure, but broadcasting it seems like you'd get some negative responses.
Nathanyel Aug 4th 2011 10:07AM
As with all addons of that type, it can be used both for good and for evil. And those that would use it for evil would find another way to do evil (flame others) anyway.
gewalt Aug 4th 2011 10:19AM
stop being bad.
No seriously. You dont get kicked from a pug for having bad gear or for not knowing fights. You get kicked from pugs for being bad.
You dont get kicked from venoxis for getting hit with something avoidable. You get kicked from venoxis by dying to something after standing in it for 8 seconds. Same holds for every other encounter. It has nothing to do with not knowing the fight. It has everything to do with not being capable of learning on the fly. None of the fights in heroics are so hard that you cant learn it on the fly. JUST PAY ATTENTION.
You dont get kicked for having poor gear. Everyone knows the only way to gear up for raids is by running heroics. Everyone is ok with that. You do get kicked for doing dps significantly below what your gear is capable of. Or wearing stupid gear that makes it painfully obvious you dont have a clue how your class is supposed to function.
And heres the most important part. You dont get kicked from pugs for being honest. If you admit that you don't know what to do and need an explanation, people will give you one. even if its just a single sentence "kill kitties before boss". However, you WILL get kicked if you pretend to know the fight, and then do everything wrong.
DarkSpade Aug 4th 2011 10:20AM
I can see it being a problem in the hands of elitists, but it can also be a great tool for those who honestly don't mind explaining. People are so afraid to say they're new to a dungeon that they'll often just wing it and hope for the best. I've had countless wipes on the last boss of ZG just because someone didn't speak up and ask questions.
With didit, I'll know if I should give a quick run down before I pull the boss.
chris varner Aug 4th 2011 10:49AM
I agree w/the OP. It also doesn't tell you that a person's current toon has never downed this boss, but his 8 others have done it 57 times each.
Khirsah Aug 4th 2011 12:00PM
I agree with Gewalt on all points. I have mainly been focused on PvP lately, but when I do run a dungeon, I simply say to the group: "fair warning: I have very little experience in this dungeon. I will avoid the fire, but please let me know if there are certain spells I should interrupt or something."
I have never been kicked from a group, because I use DBM, GTFO, and I know my class well enough to adjust on the fly. Just like Gewalt was saying, be honest with your fellow players about your situation, and you will often be surprised at how patient and understanding they can be.
Vitos Aug 4th 2011 12:08PM
I think I'll use it as it gives me information. I use inspector just to get a quick glance at the Avg ILv of my party, so I know at what pace to pull, how much CC, etc...
With this, I'll still ask "everyone know the fight" but I'll be more attentive to people who have less experience and give them tips, or when a group says they know the fight, but stand in the fire/ignore mechanics and die, I know that it was/wasn't a fluke and react accordingly. I doubt that I'll ever use the report feature.
Talia Aug 4th 2011 3:26PM
@gewalt and Khirsah - if your statements/experiences were typical, the WoW world would be a better place 100-fold. Just the other night, we had a tank leave the group before we'd even pulled because my guildmate in the group was in mostly pvp gear. Didn't kick him, granted, but there were 3 of us from the guild there, so maybe he realized that wouldn't pass. Didn't give the guy a chance, didn't wait to see how it would go, just left. (We know his reason because one of his own guildmates chose to stay behind and told us.) So yes. People do get kicked (or lose out on runs) because they have bad gear or don't appear to potentially know the fights.
Khirsah Aug 4th 2011 6:33PM
@Talia...Sorry to hear about your experience with that d-bag tank. But I still think he represents the exception more than the rule.
To paraphrase another poster: A-holes are going to find ways to be a-holes. Does the addon in question give the a-holes another tool? Sure. Just like gearscore and recount were weapons in the a-hole arsenal. But in responsible hands, those tools can be used to help our fellow players, and ourselves, have a more enjoyable experience.
I'm especially surprised that it was the tank that had the attitude. Most tank, at least the good ones, take great pride in their ability to have a successful run with any group. They pride themselves on being the teachers and caretakers of the group, to a certain extent. I play a rogue and am not ashamed to vanish and hide while my party dies if things are going badly. Sure, I'll hang on as long as I can, and Evasion tank if there is a chance to get the boss down in the next few seconds to avoid a wipe, but I don't see the sense in upping my repair bill when vanish is within such easy reach. It's one of the reasons I'd make such a lousy tank. I don't have the caretaker mentality, as all good tank must.
I would chalk your experience up to a bad tank being bad, and an a-hole being an a-hole. Not much you can do about it. :)
jaii Aug 4th 2011 9:58AM
Anyone know of an addon that will tell me who is attacking my target, I use to have something that worked with xperl but I changed my UI to LUI, and want to make sure that I'm attacking the same target as the tank?
Nathanyel Aug 4th 2011 10:12AM
Use Xperl instead of whatever "Lui" uses :P
Just makes sure to enable the XPerl_RaidHelper sub-addon for this functionality.
Joe Aug 4th 2011 10:14AM
I'm a bit confused. "attacking my target" and "attacking the same target as the tank" are sort of two different things.
"attacking the same target as the tank" is easy, you just target your tank and pretty much any unit/raid frames addon will show you "targetoftarget".
For example, the new Blizzard raid frames (which can be used in 5mans as well), has an option to show the tank(s) separately and show the tank's target as well.
Showing things "attacking my target" is trickier because many things can be attacking a your target (whether it be a player or mob). So you'd really need the addon to show a list of things attacking your target. I'm not aware of an addon that shows such a list.
gewalt Aug 4th 2011 10:36AM
Theres an even better solution that alot of exceptional players use. a /assist macro.
Make a macro to /assist your focus target, focus the tank, and keybind your macro. Don't ever "look" to see if you are on the right target, just hit your keybind and be guaranteed you are on the right target.
(personal preference really, but I use the ~ key)