\nHere we have the stock Blizzard UI with a couple changes that can be made via game options. I\u2019ve altered the UI scaling to give me more real estate to work with and I\u2019ve zoomed my camera out to the maximum to allow me to see more of the battlefield in raid. In 4.1 Blizzard allowed players to move their target and character unit frames around the screen. But no matter where you put them, the stock unit frames leave a lot to be desired.<\/p>\n
Unit Frames:<\/strong> I\u2019ve chosen to stay with Pitbull 4<\/a>. While it may seem daunting at first, the customization options are logically laid out let me build the unit frames exactly how I want them in addition to where I want them. In the pic above you\u2019ll see that I line the top edge with (from left to right) Player, Target, Focus with the target of target for the last two. I\u2019ve set up buff and debuff locations and sizes to show the most critical type of what I normally target.<\/p>\n For my target, usually the boss, the debuffs are small and located under the frame. Buffs however are usually critical (think shields on ODS) and are large and on the side of the frame (shown here with Precious\u2019 Ribbon).<\/p>\n I also swap the Buff\/Debuff sizes between the target and it\u2019s target. I want Buffs on the Boss to be large, but I want debuffs on his target (usually our tank) to be large. While this is mainly from an RL perspective, I think it benefits DPS to know what\u2019s going on as well. I\u2019ve intentionally put more space between the Target and it\u2019s target than I did the Focus and its target. My target frame uses larger debuffs and shoes more of them. While it looks wonky with no debuffs, it smooths out in raid.<\/p>\n Many players pull this information down below their character in order to limit where they are looking on their screen\u2026and so they are staring at their feet making it easier to see the big nasty void zone. I prefer them up and out of the way leaving me with room under my toon to place other bits. Also, I would rather be looking around the room planning my escape routes, watching how I relate with other players, and on fights like Al\u2019Akir watch the bad things coming so I can be more proactive in my response. I look around the boss\u2019s room so much that I have no problem seeing my frames up top.<\/p>\n Raid Frames:<\/strong> Cast Bars:<\/strong><\/p>\n Even though I have my Unit Frames shaowing a small cast bar, sometimes I want something much more substantial for both my own and a target’s casts.<\/p>\n In addition to the small target cast bar I have on the Target Frame, I have a very large cast bar from Quartz<\/a> for the cast of my focus target.\u00a0 This is useful on multi-boss fights or when there is some Raid Wipe level cast that requires me to react.\u00a0 On Conclave of Wind, I am usually DPSing Rohash.\u00a0 It’s important to know where he is in his cast cycle of the knockback before jumping back to his platform. \u00a0 Often I just have the boss focused the larger cast bar but other times I will focus additional mobs that I need to know what they are doing.<\/p>\n I also use a Quartz cast bar<\/a> for my own casting.\u00a0 This bar makes it easier to adjust my casting for latency and makes continued casting more efficient as opposed to just pounding the button repeatedly.\u00a0 My keyboard isn’t a Power Pad.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Eclipse Management: Managing Eclipse Power (however we will do that came 4.2) is critical to maximizing Moonkin damage output.\u00a0 As you see in the stock UI post above, the graphical tracker we get from Blizz is functional, but only just.\u00a0 I want something much more customizable in size and location.<\/p>\n In the past, I was sold on Squawk and Awe.\u00a0 Since the introduction of the Balance Power Tracker<\/a>, I\u2019m no longer looking for anything new.\u00a0 This mod serves all my needs and the ability to show me more things if I want.\u00a0 BPT isn\u2019t shown in the screen shots until the end because I simply forgot it\u2019s an add-on.\u00a0 I have gotten so used to it I forget it\u2019s not what comes stock from Blizz.\u00a0 If you\u2019ve spent much time as a Moonkin, you really should get this little gem.<\/p>\n Action Bars:<\/strong><\/p>\n I use the stock Blizzard Action Bars. I\u2019ve used Bartender in the past and after huge debacles on Malygos and other \u2018vehicle\u2019 fights I just never cared for it. For me, stock works just fine. I use very little of it for my normal abilities as they are all macro\u2019d to either keybinds or mouse buttons (and I\u2019m testing using Vuhdo for all dps functions but that\u2019s another post). Most of the action bar slots (and all of the Right Action Bar) are just visible storage for general macros, \u201con use\u201d trinket macros, or random things like a button that\u2019s a \/combatlog macro. At this point I could go the minimalist route and not even have an action bar show in combat, but the work to setup an add-on for that just isn\u2019t worth it for me.<\/p>\n A lot of folks tell me this is the single greatest shortcoming in my UI. However, I\u2019ve spent and lost a lot of time testing other action bar setups and other than saving some space they haven\u2019t given me anything I needed.<\/p>\n Ability Notification:<\/strong> I\u2019m a huge fan of Power Auras<\/a>. Blizzard has done a really nice job of adding the base functionality of Power Auras to the game in the form of \u201cSpell Alerts\u201d but this really only scratches the surface of what Power Auras can do.<\/p>\n I like having a graphical representation of when trinkets proc, durations, cooldowns, etc. There are some great resources which teach you how to use Power Auras and some of the really stellar Moonkin like Calculated have posted their Power Aura exports. I am always changing my Power Aura setup to deal with current progression content, but certain elements are static.<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to get carried away with adding more and more notifications. The important auras for me are Dots, 4pc T11 proc and counter, Shooting Stars Procs, and finally my trinket procs.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Encounter Warning:<\/strong> I currently use Deadly Boss Mods<\/a>. I was a huge fan of DXE, but since it isn\u2019t up to date, it\u2019s not that helpful. I had it set up visually just like you see DBM below. I have the long term timers over on the extreme right, and then have the timers fly down to my character when they are about to expire.<\/p>\n Theat: In-game Combat Log Parse:<\/strong> Tool Tips:<\/strong> <\/p>\n Target Plates:<\/strong> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Summary:<\/strong> Howdy all. I\u2019ll be the first to admit that my normal UI is a train wreck. I\u2019ve been leading progression focused raids for over two years now so my UI has morphed into a giant raid data display. I\u2019ve decided … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.acheron-guild.com\/zosima\/files\/2011\/05\/stock_ui.jpg\" "\\"stock_ui\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\n
\nThe first UI tweak I make on any new toon is changing the Unit Frames system. This is the bit of the UI which shows your character, your target, and even a focus target. The Blizz system is pretty, but it doesn\u2019t show me the information I want easily. I want unit frames which can show both the value and percentage of health and energy when I want it while including a target cast bar. Oh\u2026and it needs to be easy to read at a glance.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nI use the new shiny Blizzard UI for my raid frames when DPSing at the moment.\u00a0 Since I use Vuhdo for healing<\/a>, I’ve been experimenting with a full converstion for DPS which I’ll write about some other time (like if it works). Before Cata, I used grid with about 37 plugins, but as a DPS, the stock frames serve my purpose.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\n<\/a>As players, we need to know what the Boss is doing, what\u2019s going around in the room, but we also have to know what\u2019s going on with our own character. With talents, trinkets, and a myriad of other things, there\u2019s a lot to try to track. There are good and bad ways to track these things. Back in the day before Squawk and Awe, Eclipse had about 40-45 seconds after it proc\u2019d before the opposing eclipse could occur. Back then Faerie Fire was about the same time. A painful way to track eclipse was to cast FF just after it proc\u2019d and when the FF expired you were due another Eclipse\u2026you can see why we need something better.<\/p>\n
\nAs I mentioned before, there\u2019s a lot going on in a fight these days. The Devs have discussed that they assume players have a boss mod of some sort and design the encounters around this assumption. Knowing that, there\u2019s little reason not to use one.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Omen Threat Meter<\/a>. Not much more to say there.<\/p>\n
\nSay it with me, \u201cIn-game Combat Log Parse.\u201d Recount<\/a> is so much more than just a damage meter, although it does that job very well, too. I use recount when I don\u2019t have time or the need to tab out and look at the live parse we run at World of Logs. I often keep it on the \u201cDamage Taken\u201d screen.<\/p>\n
\nI know it doesn’t seem like much, but I never liked the way the Blizzard tooltips looked, especially when mousing over other characters.\u00a0 I use TinyTip<\/a> and TinyTip Options<\/a> (yes, the options package is a separate mod) to dress up tool tips and character info and put there where I want them.<\/p>\n
\n<\/a>My time tanking led me to TidyPlates<\/a> with the ThreatPlates mod<\/a>.\u00a0 This mod makes it a lot easier to ID different targets and multi-target health.\u00a0 It’s really helpful on Maloriak, Magmaw, and Chogall (makes finding eyestalks a piece of cake).\u00a0 The Threat Plates theme is helpful in AE tanking situations where you might be about to pull off one mob and can swap to single target for a sec to let the tank catch up on the one you were about to pull.\u00a0 Another really nice Quality of Life feature is Tidy Plates has a setting in which the target plates are off while you are out of combat and turns them on once the pull happens.<\/p>\n
\nThis best advice I can give anyone when they start customizing their UI is…the best UI modification is the one that you like and helps you do your job.\u00a0 There are truly some impressive UI packages out there, but I like being able to simply put the things I want where I want them.\u00a0 I look forward to reading your comments and hearing your UI mod stories.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"