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So, UI mods/addons?

2

Comments

  • Squirv01Squirv01 Member Posts: 155

    I was going to say the same thing.

  • AnnekynnAnnekynn Member Posts: 1,437

    "I hope the guy who helped make EQ1 and that's now helping to run Trion (forget his name) remembers old school adventure and how no mods were used to kill bosses back then, and people STILL had fun with regular UIs to look at because the gameplay/grouping was the thing."


    Sorry but thats a silly argument to make. Thats like saying corpse runs were around back then which means that was a good thing. Or I can say because EQ didnt have addons and WoW did, thats why WoW was more popular.

  • AnnekynnAnnekynn Member Posts: 1,437

    "Age of Conan allowed addons because that population was going South in a hurry. "


    That is factually incorrect. Addons for AoC were available and allowed by the devs by the end of the first week of launch to address key deficiencies with the UI. If it wasnt for such "fixes" from players I wouldnt have lasted as long as I did in that game.


    "Half the time in WoW raids is spent either listening for the "AAAAROOOOOGGGGAAAAAAAAHHH!" siren if you do too much DPS or looking for the "SPAM CONSECRATE NOW IF YOU WANT YOUR RAID TO WIN!" message that comes across the screen. Most of the players don't even watch the actual fight or any of the effects in the battle. They just wait for the cheat prompts."


    And yet blizzard allowed it since day one. Guess they dont have a problem with it? Now those aggro sounds are part of the game and default UI. And now many of those warning messages are part of the game and the default UI. And honestly, youre complaining about 2 addons out of what, 5000? And honestly I dont consider those two to be UI addons and are not what im looking for.

  • AnnekynnAnnekynn Member Posts: 1,437


    Originally posted by Nadili
    What the devs have said is they like addons would like to support them but won't be releasing with support.  Sourced from the IRC dev chats.  I can look it up but feeling lazy you can find transscripts on telarapedia. =P

    Thanks! The question now is how long post launch before they add support...

  • popinjaypopinjay Member Posts: 6,539


    Originally posted by Annekynn

    Sorry but thats a silly argument to make.

    Or I can say because EQ didnt have addons and WoW did, thats why WoW was more popular.


    Anne, please don't say it's 'silly" when you made the same argument in reverse.


    Originally posted by Annekynn

    The two big games ive played after WoW, Warhammer and AoC, both supported addons so it wasnt an issue.

    Now it looks like were taking a step backwards. And with the devs saying this is "complete and most feature packed" and it doesnt support 6+ year old inventions like addons well then I question what else is missing. In my other thread I inquired about DX10/11 support, and that too seems to be missing.



    You basically argued that with all the advances, why aren't these things in the games as if that makes the gameplay better or something because it's shinier.


    Or..



    Originally posted by Annekynn

    ...but if WoW, WAR and AoC can do it, why cant Rift?


    I don't recall two of those games being better because 'they did it'.


    Your problem in a nutshell? Even though you've probably read and heard (more than likely) that this game is like 'Wow/War had a kid" that still isn't enough for you. You seem to want the full tilt boogie and put it ALL in here.


    You already got that. Two games that's practically dead (AoC/WAR) and one game people cannot WAIT to jump from if someone shows them a door (WoW).

    Stop theorycrafting and being cheap, lay down $5 for a pre-order. Try the beta for yourself instead of "How come... blah blah blah?" Wouldn't that be better, lol?

  • popinjaypopinjay Member Posts: 6,539


    Originally posted by Annekynn
    Originally posted by Nadili
    What the devs have said is they like addons would like to support them but won't be releasing with support.  Sourced from the IRC dev chats.  I can look it up but feeling lazy you can find transscripts on telarapedia. =P

    Thanks! The question now is how long post launch before they add support...



    1 year.


    Check back then.

  • popinjaypopinjay Member Posts: 6,539


    Posted by me

    "Age of Conan allowed addons because that population was going South in a hurry. "



    Originally posted by you

    That is factually incorrect. Addons for AoC were available and allowed by the devs by the end of the first week of launch to address key deficiencies with the UI. If it wasnt for such "fixes" from players I wouldnt have lasted as long as I did in that game.


    Again, they knew this game was in trouble in beta from the feedback. That's why they allowed mods/addon crap.

    I think I said what you just re-iterated.

    How many subs did they lose the first MONTH again?

    This game doesn't NEED that. It's what I'm trying (we're trying) to tell you. You just want it.

  • AnnekynnAnnekynn Member Posts: 1,437

    "How many subs did they lose the first MONTH again?"


    A whole lot. But they didnt lose me because I had UI addons fix a whole slew of my problems with the games design. Im sure if the addons were easier to use in those early days and more prominent then they could have helped many more people aswell. The games content is absolutely most important, but how you interact and see that content is quite important aswell. And when the UI becomes unsufficient, or it simply becomes dated and boring, UI addons and mods can help address that without taking away from the devs precious time. Why not let the community fix or rework some of the stuff? As long as it gives no one an advantage whats the harm? I see it as a big way of helping keep a game fresh, thats all.

  • QuizzicalQuizzical Member LegendaryPosts: 25,501

    Let's not forget that WoW needed add-ons because they shipped the game with a UI that was basically non-functional.  Just basic gameplay required add-ons for simple things like having more than one hotbar, so that using skills wouldn't require fishing through menus to make the right button appear on the screen.

    A game that ships with a decent UI doesn't need add-ons the way that WoW did.  It's quite possible for a game to have a highly customizable default UI built into the game with all the options that you need.  Guild Wars did, for example.

    The problem with outsourcing the UI to players is that you can't really limit what mods can do very well.  If you say, add-ons can do this and this and this and nothing else, then you might as well just build your chosen options into the default UI.  If you give add-on writers wide leeway to make add-ons do whatever they want, then they come up with things that halfway play the game for you.  Now, there are some people who like to have the add-ons halfway play the game for you--and they already play WoW precisely because of that.  But there are people who pick up games with the intention of playing the games themselves--and don't want to be at a crippling gameplay disadvantage because they're missing the "right" add-ons.

  • bigthoughtsbigthoughts Member Posts: 4

    I have played in more than a few MMOs and MMO betas.  I have worked for a video game company, testing in-house betas.  I have also been playing Rift beta since beta 2.  The dev team has had, hands down, the best and fastest response to in-game issues that I have ever seen.  This company essentially came from out of no where with what will likely be considered the best fantasy MMO yet.  People ask me if it's any good and the only really honest response I can give is that the devs took everything good in every MMO, put it into one game, and improved it all.

    Having said that:

    Mods have always had a tendency to cause a multitude of problems.  I could see skinning, but that's about it.  Unfortunately there is always someone or some guild who has absolutely no problem creating an add-on that let's them mindlessly perform there function without and real level of skill and practice.  A good example is the healer helper.  It takes absolutely no skill as a healer to hit one button and always heal the person with the lowest health in your party/raid.  Skill as a healer involves managing your mana and casting the right heal or HOT on the right person at the right time to keep the group alive.  If you need the audio alarm to alert you when someone is at low health then you should probably try to improve your skill as a healer.  The same goes for any role.

    The problem with developing a mod framework in a game is always about access limitation.  Putting too much access in will allow for mods that force others to get the same mods if they want to be able to compete.  This takes away from the game experience on many levels.  I would be overjoyed if the only modding allowed in Rift was skinning and even then it would probably be better to implement some avenue for suggestions to allow the "developers" to actually "develop" new skins and make them available in-game.  Changing the functionality of UI components will only serve to detract from the game experience in the long run.  Just because other games support modding doesn't mean that a game cannot still be FN awesome without them.  A lack of mods presents an opportunity to increase your playing ability to a point where you don't need them.

     

    IMO...

  • ExitarExitar Member Posts: 14

    Without addons,


    • How do you keep track of your DoTs duration, especially in group where the mob/boss have plenty of dots on him?

    • How, as dps, do know your threat relative to that of the tank?
  • ExitarExitar Member Posts: 14

    Originally posted by parrotpholk

    Originally posted by Exitar

    Without addons,


    • How do you keep track of your DoTs duration, especially in group where the mob/boss have plenty of dots on him?

    • How, as dps, do know your threat relative to that of the tank?

    O yes how in the world did folks ever play EQ, UO, or even AC without a dps meter..o my those days were so horrible and we were so deprived.

     

    Probably in EQ/UO/AC you just casted your spell randomly not caring if you actually played well or you were just carried by your group.

    The raid size in those game was so high because the devs had to take in account that players weren't exactly aware of what they were doing, so adding more clueless players helped to kill bosses.

  • isolorisolor Member Posts: 189

    Originally posted by Exitar

    Originally posted by parrotpholk


    Originally posted by Exitar

    Without addons,


    • How do you keep track of your DoTs duration, especially in group where the mob/boss have plenty of dots on him?

    • How, as dps, do know your threat relative to that of the tank?

    O yes how in the world did folks ever play EQ, UO, or even AC without a dps meter..o my those days were so horrible and we were so deprived.

     

    Probably in EQ/UO/AC you just casted your spell randomly not caring if you actually played well or you were just carried by your group.

    The raid size in those game was so high because the devs had to take in account that players weren't exactly aware of what they were doing, so adding more clueless players helped to kill bosses.

    Your kidding right?

    Most of the best players were in those games. Compared to the lazyness found to day.

    If you can't read your spells/combat arts and determin on your own when a dot times out or you can't figure out how much threat your generating then I think it is time to give up or learn how to play.  There is no excuse for not knowing how to play. Oh wait there is......

    " I don't have an add on, I don't know what to do"

    That is pathetic.

    I personally don't think that add ons should be in any game. I have never used one nor will I use one.

  • nerovipus32nerovipus32 Member Posts: 2,735

    mods and add-ons ruin mmo's, play the game like its intended to be played or dont play it at all.

    if mods are allowed guild will demand you have the current mods or else you wont be allowed join a guild. look what gear score did to wow.

  • ExitarExitar Member Posts: 14

    Your kidding right?

    Most of the best players were in those games. Compared to the lazyness found to day.

    If you can't read your spells/combat arts and determin on your own when a dot times out or you can't figure out how much threat your generating then I think it is time to give up or learn how to play.  There is no excuse for not knowing how to play. Oh wait there is......

    " I don't have an add on, I don't know what to do"

    That is pathetic.

    I personally don't think that add ons should be in any game. I have never used one nor will I use one.

     

    You and another cast the put  the same three dots on a mob (six total). Other players cast other spells, so let's say there are 20 effects on the mob. Which icons among the 20 ones under the portrait are yours?

  • nerovipus32nerovipus32 Member Posts: 2,735

    Originally posted by Exitar

    Originally posted by isolor

    Your kidding right?

    Most of the best players were in those games. Compared to the lazyness found to day.

    If you can't read your spells/combat arts and determin on your own when a dot times out or you can't figure out how much threat your generating then I think it is time to give up or learn how to play.  There is no excuse for not knowing how to play. Oh wait there is......

    " I don't have an add on, I don't know what to do"

    That is pathetic.

    I personally don't think that add ons should be in any game. I have never used one nor will I use one.

     

    You and another cast the put  the same three dots on a mob (six total). Other players cast other spells, so let's say there are 20 effects on the mob. Which icons among the 20 ones under the portrait are yours?

    its a game, its supposed to be fun.

  • LeucrottaLeucrotta Member Posts: 679

    Originally posted by Exitar

     

    You and another cast the put  the same three dots on a mob (six total). Other players cast other spells, so let's say there are 20 effects on the mob. Which icons among the 20 ones under the portrait are yours?

    dont need timers at all, when you figured out your spell rotation you know exactly when it runs out. If your spell rotation is about right your dot is back on the mob slightly before or slightly after it ran out

  • leroysgleroysg Member UncommonPosts: 97

    Originally posted by Annekynn

    So whats the official/final word on UI mods/addons? To this day one of the only reasons I still play WoW is because every few months I get to redo my whole interface and make the game look totally different. Helps keep things fresh and interesting even when the game itself is a bore. So besides the built in UI customization options, are we going to be able to install addons of any nature to change how the game looks?

    if they allow addons, i will cancel my CE pre-order or ask for refund !!!

  • isolorisolor Member Posts: 189

    Originally posted by Exitar

    Your kidding right?

    Most of the best players were in those games. Compared to the lazyness found to day.

    If you can't read your spells/combat arts and determin on your own when a dot times out or you can't figure out how much threat your generating then I think it is time to give up or learn how to play.  There is no excuse for not knowing how to play. Oh wait there is......

    " I don't have an add on, I don't know what to do"

    That is pathetic.

    I personally don't think that add ons should be in any game. I have never used one nor will I use one.

     

    You and another cast the put  the same three dots on a mob (six total). Other players cast other spells, so let's say there are 20 effects on the mob. Which icons among the 20 ones under the portrait are yours?

    It does not matter when my "Icon" shows up.

     For starters almost every spell will have a cool down. So say for example I cast a DoT that lasts for 10 seconds and the cool down is 45 seconds. Having that icon up counting down the 6 seconds means nothing. Just the cool down does. And you can visably see when it is reset to cast again.  If the cool down is the same as the damage tick. then I just count down my time. To recast the spell.  The only good thing about the icons is to see what others have up.  So if you are trying to place debuffs that don't stack you can time yours off of the others. They inturn can see yours to time theirs.

    There really is nothing hard about it. Just takes a little concentration. Also communicating with others helps.

  • popinjaypopinjay Member Posts: 6,539


    Originally posted by Exitar

    You and another cast the put  the same three dots on a mob (six total). Other players cast other spells, so let's say there are 20 effects on the mob. Which icons among the 20 ones under the portrait are yours?


    This is highly unlikely and laughable in a serious discussion about mechanics.

    Most times DoTs don't stack in this type of imagination scenario.


    If you and another cast the SAME three dots, I can pretty much assure you that there is no 'six dot' stacking in most AAA mmmos. 9/10 the most recent DoT cancels out the previous one resulting in one DoT, not two, lol.


    This is something that most experienced players know already, so one person is assigned to do THIS DoT and another person is assigned THIS DoT.


    Unless you are pugging, then you can put the DoTs anywhere you want because anyone thinking six dots of the same type can land and stack probably already has been pugging pretty much.


    But thanks for the laugh... 20 DoTs of the same type on a mob. What will people come up with next in hypotheticals to win an internet argument?

  • pierthpierth Member UncommonPosts: 1,494

    Blizzard makes Cataclysm take more CC/organization (i.e. difficulty) than WotLK, then people show up in Rift looking for addons- many of which reduce the number of button presses or combine game mechanics for simplicity or ease... coincidence?

     

    I find it particularly hilarious because some of the most common complaints during this past beta was how monotonous and dull combat was, now people crying for add-ons that largely make aspects of the game simpler.

  • bigthoughtsbigthoughts Member Posts: 4

    Originally posted by Exitar

    Without addons,


    • How do you keep track of your DoTs duration, especially in group where the mob/boss have plenty of dots on him?

    • How, as dps, do know your threat relative to that of the tank?

    To be constructive here I will srt by saying that I am not attackng you.  These are valid questions.  When I first started with MMOs these are questions I had (not commenting about your experience).  Once you are comfortable with a character your shuold be able to get a feel for the duration of your DOTs/HOTs.  A few strategies have been listed in this thread already so try a few and see what works best for you.  As far as grabbing aggro there are two parts to this.  First it is the Tank/Off-tank's job to maintain and re-aggro mobs.  Communication is definately key.  It's almost always harder with a pug group but those are the breaks.  VOIP helps a great deal to this end.  Second, it's the job of the DPS/Healers to realize when they are stealing aggro and adjust they're strategies to prevent this.  It's not supposed to be easy, it's supposed to be challenging.

    Due to the popularity of many MMOs there will almost always be information on the internet to help with a boss if you keep wiping and can't seem to figure it out.  If you're continually wiping as a pug you may want to consider joining a guild that can help.  Ignore the BS and focus on the contructive suggestions.  Plenty of people will want to make themselves feel better by bashing someone with a valid question but it's the people who want to help that will eventually lead you to the answers you need.  Constructive communication will always triumph in the end.  Unfortunately that also means that you have to sift through the hordes of ill-tempered and negative people that want to make themselves feel better by bashing you.

  • TictoxTictox Member Posts: 24

    I sure hope not.. mods only ruins games imo!

    i dont care about your gearscore or your damage output,

    what i care about is your ability to listen and be a team player!

     

    If they should have any kind of support like that it should be limited to skins only imo!

  • ethionethion Member UncommonPosts: 2,888

    From what I've seen so far the UI is one of the better UIs in a game today.  It has many features that are from addon's in other games.  It also has amazing in game customization.  Any element can be not only moved but also they can be resized.  Another really cool feature is that elements can be tagged onto other elements.  So things stack and line up properly as things that might not normally be there.  Like side button bars can automatically move the quest helper text over.  Anyway the UI in the game for a stock UI is a 10.

    Now customization would be nice but I'm not sure the level we see in wow really is a UI... In wow the things I've seen over the years go beyond UI and are like embeded programs that do everything from moving you to even automating game play.  The certainly stop this kinda stuff but still you got things in the game that pretty much tell you how to play, what buttons to hit, how long till you need to hit them again, etc.  At some point you aren't playing a game you are playing the UI...

    Customization like they have in eq2 I think is the right level of customization for the UI and I'd like to see that come to Rift.

    ---
    Ethion

  • clankyaspclankyasp Member Posts: 213

    lol i posted about addon on rifts forum and now its gone over110+ pages, overall most players in rift are against it but i hope trion will do something for people wanting addon.

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