I’ve has a few weeks off work so I thought I’d take a look at AddOns
It is not something I have used historically - I think the only time I can remember was using recount in WofLK
I wanted to see what they brought to the party
ElvUI seemed to be the go to but I just didn’t see what benefit I gained and there were downsides - no quick bag access - no quick character access - no mount bars
It seemed to replace the UI I had already but require several more AddOns to replace the functionality I lost
Same with the various action bar AdsOns
I like them at the bottom where they have always been - moving them around seems to make no real difference in rotation and functionality
Damage meters are always useful I suppose - but only confirmed today that my output was as good as anybody else’s - I knew that already
The Deadly Boss Mod only really told me what I could already see - don’t stand in crap - dodge crap shooting at you - keep an eye on unfriendly crap stacking up on you
I have learnt that they seem to be a comforter but not an enhancement - but I guess I knew that
I will install a threat vs tank meter in Classic - that is a useful tool - but I’m assuming a lot there - the threat multiplier in Classic was much higher than BfA
I like the standard UI and functionality - my opinion is that the AddOns don’t bring much to the core of the fights
There isn’t much to discuss as your argument is flawed because you don’t know how ElvUI works. You don’t loose anything. Just some elements like microbar and bag bar are disabled by default, they can be enabled again.
On the other side, default UI is insult for usability.
I spent a long time looking at ElvUI - and yes - it’s highly adaptable - but I seemed to be just adding more layers to end up where I began with poorer text fonts and icons over my field of view
i mostly use standard UI with some tweaks, but some addons are very useful.
about the ones you mentioned:
damagemeters: you deal a good amount of damage compared to everybody else, good, other people do not, in those cases having a dmgemeter installed can help you notice subpar performances and therefore make you aware of potential mistakes you’re doing, at least it did for me, you can try different rotaitons/spell priorities on a dummy and have a good estimate of which one is better in some circustances.
deadly boss mod not only enhances some alerts or abilities that are easy to miss, but gives also timers that can help you know how to behave knowing that a certain thing will happen in X seconds, use or save cooldowns, premove to certain locations, etc.
It also shows you timers on certain boss spells. This allows you time your cooldowns so you won’t burn everything right before you have to run away and can’t dps for example.
Addon’s are just UI improvments, most of them aren’t made to fights.
For example I use action bar addon to just raarange how the bars are set, make them bit smaller and layout spells how I like visually. Not to mention much easier keybinding. One of my favorite addons is BlizzMove, it allows you to change size of any UI window with just a mouse wheel and move any UI window just be grabbing it with your mouse. Another addon I realy like is Talent Art, all it does is just add artworks, depending on the spec as a background for talents window. It’s not always about functionality, it’s sometimes jsut aesthetics.
Addons are there to give you easier access to certain UI functionality or expand it. For example I have a simple adddon that allows me to access Garrison or Order Hall report with just Right Click on the Missions button. Normally it’s accessible via script or macro but that way is just easier. Another addon for moggers I made allows people to save more than 20 transmog sets and they are all easly accessible via default UI. There are addons for RP players that give you character sheet to fill out, write a bio and others have access to it.
As for ElvUI, I don’t like it becasue it replaces all the cool art with bunch of rectangles. I don’t understand how is this a superior UI.
Simply because it is super customizable and visually pleasing, a lot of people don’t cosider blizzard Ui artwork “cool”, for me, it just looks ugly, like webpages from 2000y.
Opinions and all that. I use standard UI mostly. As for addons I dislike DBM so I sometimes don’t use it to be frank. Learn your bosses, focus other tank for swaps and you’re good.
Recount/Details are needed if you are looking for real progress.
Healbot or something else for healing is a must, really.
Utility addons such as TomTom, Astral Keys or what not are nice, but hardly a game altering thing.
And IO if you’re going to pug is a must.
Sure it is opinion. However usability issues are fact. You know, when you develop website right now, you implement such things as “high contrast” for better readability, buttons that increase font sizes, bigger font sizes for handheld devices, screen readers so that blind people could still use your website.
WoW UI is absolute opposite of it. Nothing like that is implemented (except mode for daltonists) and people with bad sight are pretty much forced to use addons like ElvUI.
Well, it may be because you don’t know how to make visually pleasing UI. Checkout some streamers UI like Naowh.
Or maybe you don’t like minimalism.
I didn’t realise I would provoke ElvUI’s biggest fan to troll what I hoped would be an informative discussion
Some great tips from folk above will make me take another look at DBM and use a damage meter on a target dummy
The standard UI does have accessibility options - perhaps you never checked them out
The biggest downside to ElvUI for me was giant sized spell icons right in the middle of the screen - they did not appeal to me
I want to see the environment - making them smaller and out of the way just put them where I liked them on the standard UI
Somebody mentioned a TomTom AddOn - I’ll look at that tomorrow- must be the co-ordinates that keep getting shouted out in Mechagon - that would be useful
It is informative discussion. I told you didn’t I?
There is no way to increase font size with default UI - usability issue.
No way to increase action button size - usability issue.
No way to increase portait size and text on your HP bar.
Yes you can go colorblind mode, yes you can increase nameplate size, yes you can increase whole UI scale but that isn’t really helping. For example you can’t have big quest text size with normal UI buttons.
I would like to remind you camera changes in legion, when blizzard tried to force closer perspective and made people nauseous.
Just because you like small UI elements doesn’t mean others like it too. And since there is no way customize it, people use addons like elvui - simple as that.
I need distance glasses to drive and get around and I have 3 different sets of reading glasses with different focal lengths depending upon what I am reading and how;
Half moon magnifiers for the paper and books
A set for the 22” monitor at work 3 feet from me eyes
A set for the 55” monitor at home 4 feet away from my eyes
A UI is never going to compensate for bad eyesight - you need a properly made set of glasses or contact lenses for that
That is not the only issue with eyesight. You know some people see good only in narrow field, or by being close, or by being futher away.
Thing is, with addons like ElvUI (not really the only one, there are others that let you customize fonts/ui elements etc) you can customize pretty much anything as you see fit.
I prefer my action bar, player and target frame being close to middle of screen because without moving my eyes I can see:
If I am standing in shiet
What is my current HP
What are my current cooldowns
What am I attacking
With default UI i cannot move action bars.
And this is probably the reason why top players also have UI set up like this.