I've had a look at a few of those 'gampad' type devices, and would be especially interested in how you find it over the course of the next couple of weeks.

Would it be possible to take a pic of the N52 and show how the button configuration works? I had a look at a picture of it and cand see how the button mapping works - maybe im looking at an older version...

Yeah, I'll definitely post more as I get better used to it. I am finding that some buttons are easier to push than others, and tweaking buttons as needed. I'm still learning where things are, so that is probably the biggest issue I'm having right now. I think the true usage of this will shine once I don't have to think about where things are, which I can do with the keyboard now but not this to the same extent (yet.)

Here is a link to a review that better shows the software than what I can do: http://www.extremetech.com/article2/...2034223,00.asp

You basically assign keys (or macros which are a series of keys you can record) through the software both in the normal state, and then for each of the shifted states (Red, Green, Blue.) Then, i set up my bars to have the same keybindings - so for example, the Green bar, button 1 is Shift+1, which I set as the key combination in the Nostromo software for that button when in the Green state. I used keybindings that always reflected the number (unshifted button 1 is keyboard 1, green is shift+1, red is ctrl+1, etc.) so that assigning the keybindings in the WoW bindings menu is easier, since Bongos keybindings are still grouped in sections of 12, but each of my bars consist of 15 buttons. A word of caution: if you do set a button to be a macro of several key presses, make sure you leave the delays in there as I'm finding that if I get in to a situation where I spam something (say, if I'm stunned and spamming something) it will disconnect me from the server with all the keypresses that are occurring.

I tried using that Nostromo thing a little bit, just not enough buttons on it, plus they are hard to hit. The state changes were bad as well (imo). I would love to see how it's working for you, but there was no way I could use it.

I was considering the mod that displays a colored button depending on your range from a hostile target. Nudge displays a blue button for in range, red for out of range, yellow for dead zone, green for melee. I wanted to expand on this idea and instead of having a button, have a solid border or possibly even a gradient.

Here's a quick photoshop edit to show the idea:

www.ferrum.edu/fact/oor.jpg
www.ferrum.edu/fact/ir.jpg

The first link shows what it would look like if you were out of range, the second if you were in range. Of course, I would want the gradient to be behind all my UI elements and not in front of them, but you get the idea.

Sadly I am not mod savvy and was wondering if anyone else knew an easy way to do it.

If not, please point me in the right direction, thanks!

Edit: here's a zip file containing the addon I mentioned: www.ferrum.edu/fact/Nudge.zip

Here is a mod that does something similar: when you get low on health, it flashes a red gradient around the edge of the screen. I am told it is very helpful and makes it very obvious when you are low on health.

This seems to match with the idea posted earlier in this thread, that color- and motion-based warnings, positioned so they are off to the side, are very effective due to the way the brain processes peripheral vision.

http://www.curse-gaming.com/en/wow/a...h-warning.html

I've been awaiting grid for awhile, and so far i like it a lot. Currently i have it setup with any immediate notifications as a border (ie. debuffs/aggro), and renew and currently being healed on bottom right and left. Sort of an awkward SS, but it's the only one showing my raid elements i liked.



Thought i'd go over the addons seen here since i've got quite a few PMs, about mostly grid and IMBA.

Unitframes - Custom Nurfed layout modified slightly by a guildie.
Actionbars - Nurfed along with Autobar
Raidframes - Grid - Relatively new, sort of brings the concept of emergency monitor integrated with raid frames in a very small area. Extremely customizable, overwhelming at first though.
Heigan timer(Boss Mods) - Imba - Kind of overkill for the fight, but a very nice boss timer addon package made by resident forum troll cryect. Although i also use Bigwigs, which is of equal 'niceness' which is disabled in this picture.
Minimap - Squeenix
Buffbars - Elkbuffbar
Castbar - oCastbar

That concludes anything of relevance, to use most of the files listed here you'll need the ace/ace2 framework also found on the filepage.

I really like it as well, thought it was a silly idea when I first heard of it, but in practice it's surprisingly useful. Especially in situations where the damage is pretty spread out it's nice to have the entire raid in such a small area. Combines very well with a good set of MT frames which show the actual MT as well as their target.

It does suffer from being a bit intimidating to configure, with the menu with the submenus with submenus... While I can appreciate the efficiency of Dewdrop, occasionally the Ace authors should really just go for the good old-fashioned options window.

AceGUI2 is still not ready, so dewdrop is the only option now sadly :(
I'm trying grid now too, so i can get used to it... But it will really shine in tbc, with new focus and filtering options and 25 ppl raids

Thanks for the help, with your direction I was able to make what I wanted. It's really quite awesome if you're a hunter and you don't have your buttons visible, causing you to resort to an addon to check your range. The gradient at the sides are perfect because i don't have to divert my attention to them, yet somehow I can still see them and check my range. Take a look

www.ferrum.edu/fact/RangeGradient.zip

Please don't distribute this link, this is only an example.

Asylum, that is the most ingenius idea for useage of the N52. Any way I can con you into telling me which bar mod you're using that lets you shape buttons like that with color coded backgrounds?

Oki, where do I get that Heigan timer ? I really do have to get it - our ppl cant dance like Michael Jackson, so this'd be a great feature for our raids :)

Can someone please explain to me how this is done ? Im very interested in this.
I want as few frames on my screen as possible , and no hud. So this would be perfect for me. Thx in advance.

Here's how I did it:

For the bars, Bongos was used as mentioned.

The circled effect comes from a mod called cyCircled, which can be found on the wowace forums.

For the background, those are just chat frames that have been detached, had all the channels removed from them, and then colored and set behind each of the button blocks.

My ui has something that most ppl don't normally have, it's not an addon per se it's more of a additional program that overlays text over wow, that displays who is currently speaking/joining/leaving the channel you are in on ventrilo/teamspeak. For some reason I cannot find a way to screenshot the text in action, so I photoshopped in the text of how it looks under the various conditions. It's a great program that lets you learn peoples names over vent/ts much easier. once I find the exact name of the program I'll post it, kinda forgot the name.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...-10-06_txt.jpg

aside from the chat overlay it's a simple ui. nothing too out of the ordinary as far as addons. I have a 5 button mouse which the extra keys are bound to pet skills (attack/passive/howl), most important kills are keybound.

VoiceOverlay? You can't screenshot it, as it works on the 'screen layer' above WoW. But it is very handy if you don't have the G15 LCD to show the same thing, and/or don't know peoples' voices well.

Maybe im stupid and I have missed this being posted about already, which for my first post on this forum would be just awesome, but im surprised this hasnt been talked about more, especially with all the insane healer UIs I see around. (ie. ugly as fuck) I cant believe how sexy this person has made their priest-UI, its very no frills so id be interested to know how much less functional it might be than some others...

http://sairen.wind-force.net/interface - info and screenshots.

I have basically modeled my UI on that, using a HUD because I dislike the harshness of unit frames - I use agUF still, for party and raid frames but that is all. That aside ive basically copied 100%



My biggest issue right now is the minimap, I hate the damn thing. I dont think that it is physically possible to have it enabled and not ruin a UI. I dont think that there is a place on the screen that it can be put and not look ugly, no matter the skin. I really only pvp these days so hiding it is not much of an issue at all, I use the 'm' map in BGs for that sort of info if I really need it. I dont find that it bothers me as much as having the minimap actually on my screen :P

Probably the 2nd biggest issue I have is the chat box. I cant really find a place where I 'like' it. Its not too bad now, unobtrusive enough I spose - definately could be better but I like having my fubar and action bar centered so putting it to one side would have to push those slightly off.

After that I guess you could say that my HUD is quite cluttered, I have alot of shit going on right in the middle, its where I can see it but it is very much on the virge of 'too much'. I dont like my cooldown timer bar placement either but again, its where I can see it without shifting my eye focus.

Suggestions about my 'issues' would be appreciated.

Is it me or am I still seeing the same UI's over? the only difference between this and the 'Post your UI' post is that this is more a discussion on UI's

It still is the same basic UI, with 1 or 2 things 'new' For instance using grid, or a 'new' action bar, or using the nostromo. How unique can a UI really get?

I think its interesting debating the finer points of UI. For example, I disagree with qMass's UI quite a bit. Some things I think any WoW person who plays on a reasonably large monitor (19" and higher) should consider:

- use viewport/oSkin to cut your viewport down and put UI elements at the top or bottom (or both I guess). You aren't "looking" behind your buttons, chat windows, etc at opponents or anything, why not increase rendering speed and cut down the viewport?

- huds are very dependent on the person. A graphical display of health/mana, whether its yours/opponents/teams is of dubious value imo. I ran with huds for a long time until I moved back to aguf, I find myself reacting with a much better sense of information than with a hud. Also its difficult to switch from a hud display method back to bars while raiding, your clashing two completely different display methodologies and your reaction time suffers. For a pure non-healing PVPer huds are probably ideal though.

- people need to figure out how to layout their UI. You have the rendered world. You have your "action bars" area where all the things you can do are shown. You have the chat/combat windows. And finally you have "useful info", such as cooldowns/timers/enemy casts/damage meters/etc. Spreading all this everywhere makes no sense, you want your eyes to switch between one or two areas at most constantly. If you find yourself looking at action bars before you press buttons (or god forbid your a button pusher :) you should put most of your useful info around the buttons.


I still have a mostly noob UI (ace2 generic of course) still working out how to arrange stuff so my hands move the least, my eyes stay focused in mostly one area, and provide max real estate for the game world.

I agree with this 100% - for me that is what I strive for, to the best I have figured out so far. All my info is down the center of my screen because on widescreens especially its a long way from left to right - and Ive tried to keep it all bunched, however, there is only so much real estate available before you can no longer see 'nature' beneath the development and you do lose functionality.

As for some of your other points; I find the viewport changes distractingly ugly. They are one of the biggest bothers for me in the generic ace UI. I agree that HUDS are more and less usefull to certain classes. As a rogue where 90% of my PVP is spent looking at health, stun timers and combo points a HUD is much better for me - in PVE Im not even sure that a HUD is much better than unit frames on rogues, however, the tiny amount of time lost looking around your screen is negligable in PVE. As far as the action bar region of the screen, I basically try to keep it as far down below my character where generally nothing I will need to see will be on my screen, that includes the chat box even though I dislike how it is placed currently.

I've been working on what I hope will be a unique UI, but what I'm really trying to find is somewhat to turn off all those annoying combat sounds. After casting my 10th fireball I grew very tired of the same sound file being played and its hard to hear vent with the sounds turned on. (other combat sounds are just as annoying too) anyhow does such a mod exist where it will disable the combat noise but yet leave the sound files that mods use alone? ie I'd like to hear the c'thun warner squack at me.

And mini map icons, is there someway to disable the icons around it? the default ones, the new mail and your gatherskill icon. With those two mods my UI would definately be on the way to being unique

I don't know about disabling only some combat sounds, but visor will allow you to move or hide any frames in the game. It's an ace mod and you can find it on their file list.