Posts with tag parrot

Each week, WoW Insider's Mathew McCurley brings you a fresh look at reader-submitted UIs as well as Addon Spotlight, which focuses on the backbone of the WoW gameplay experience: the user interface. Everything from bags to bars, buttons to DPS meters and beyond -- your addons folder will never be the same.

The Addon Spotlight Team and I have been hard at work combing through emails in the Addon Mailbag, doing our best to get answers to as many questions that come in. Sometimes those questions are so good that they get featured right here on the column. Today is one of those magnanimous days.

A reader named Jeff sent me an email that stated he is in the market for a new scrolling combat text addon. His email didn't give an exact reason for the sudden swap from SCT staple Mik's Scrolling Battle Text, so the exact reason why he needs a different scrolling combat text display isn't known. I also don't want to assume that everyone just defaults to Mik's, but it has been the predominant force in scrolling combat text engineering and design in the last few years.

Here's the whole email:

Hey Mat,

What's another scrolling combat text addon other than MSBT? Thanks!

Jeff

For a while, Mik's just didn't work. I think this was back a few patch ago, either in the patch 4.1 days or back near the end of Wrath of the Lich King. I had turned on the default floating combat text that came in the box, and lo and behold, the thing wasn't half bad. I needed more options and information, however, so a search was on for alternative scrolling combat text displays. It is good fortune, then, that I may pass on this timeless knowledge to all who wish to learn.

One thing Blizzard likes to slip in every few patches is a new UI function that "replaces" a popular add-on or set off addons. They've done it with Scrolling Combat Text, Threat Meters, and most recently, with Equipment Managers.

The New Equipment Manager is nice, but it's also pretty basic. You choose to save a set, choose a name and icon for the set, and there you go. You can drag the new icon onto your toolbar for quick changes, at least, but there's not much else. You can't synchronize it with a talent change. You can't set events to automatically change sets. Because of this, or even because of straight up familiarity and the issue of remaking all your sets in the new system, I'm sure a lot of people will stick to addons like ClosetGnome and Itemrack (if it ever updates).

Just a little tidbit (and possibly a bug) for Hunters on the PTR from our friend Mania. Aotona, a parrot-esque Bird of Prey rare in Sholazar Basin, is apparently tameable in the latest 3.1 build. It's not that big a deal -- apparently the bird is just a bird, with the usual skills of that family, but it makes a parrot sound instead of the other birds that you can tame right now (not to mention that it's got some striking coloration that's pretty cool and unique).

There is a chance this may be a bug -- we all know it's not the first time that something has appeared tameable on a PTR when it isn't on the live realms. And the parrot sounds could be placeholders or simply just an option that's not toggled the right way. But Hunters could have a new friend to make if Aotona keeps the tamable flag up until the patch drops.

"You love Rat." "You love Chicken." "You love Rabbit." I have to admit, before the achievements came to the game, I was a critter-killer -- I usually ended the lives of any critters I came across, because this is war and the world is no place for them. But since achievements appeared, I've gone around loving every little animal I could -- I haven't gone at To All the Squirrels I've Loved Before with a plan, just emoted towards everything I found.

But Random Ravings isn't quite as random -- they've got a terrific list of where to find every single critter you need. Only two are actually in Northrend (I thought there was more), and the rest seem to be in muliple places around the world, so it doesn't seem too bad at all. The hardest might be the wild parrot -- that one seems to be only in Un'Goro, but brave the dinos down there, find the bird, and you're all set.

Nice list. Anyone ready to head up to Borean Tundra and just grab the last two? BBR says they're also working on a list of all the books for the reading achievement -- can't wait to see (and eventually run around and do) that one either.

If you're an Ace mod fanatic like I am, you may use Parrot for your scrolling combat text needs. If you've used Parrot since 2.4, you've noticed, like I have, that the dang thing just plain doesn't work. Even though the ever handy WoWAceUpdater continues to update it, there's some block of data it's missing. And that means that when I get into combat and look for my scrolling information... nothing happens. There's no pretty numbers to the side of my characters. Hey, that's fair enough. 2.4 was the patch of the great combat log change, and it's understandable that not every addon is quite caught up.

That said, I like how I have Parrot set up, and I didn't really want to try to find and install a new mod, or heaven forbid, use Blizzard's base system. So, I went searching, hoping to find some way to bring back my beloved Parrot.

For those of you who haven't farmed Bloodsail Buccaneer faction for their Buccaneer's Uniform, Bloodsail Admiral's Hat and Blood Parrott, WoW Insider has a quick list of easily obtainable pirate costumage:

For your shirt, hit up your local guild tailor for the simple to make a Black or White Swashbuckler's Shirt. A good alternative for the ladies who desire the busty wench look is the Azure Silk Vest.

Throw on some Azure Silk Pants and fish up some Buccaneer's Boots from Stormwind Canals for the Alliance or Wailing Caverns for Horde (or the AH.) Then head to the Deadmines and knock off a few Defias until one drops a Defias Rapier and Parrot. Or, you can fly down to Stranglethorn Vale and buy one of two parrots from Nark in Booty Bay.

Finally, for your head, farm 6 Long Elegant Feathers in Feralas from Frayfeather Hippogryphs for a tailored Admiral's Hat or you can settle for a quick and easy Silk Headband, made from simple materials.

Or you can avoid all that shopping and just hit yourself with a spare Hallowed Wand - Pirate from last year's Halloween Event.

Now, your ready to hit the high seas!

EDIT: I missed the easiest costume of all: eating Savory Deviate Delight will transfrom you into a scurvy blight on the high seas (or a ninja). I guess I'll be the one walking the plank this day!