kenspeckle Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Hello BW and fellow gamers. I returned to SWTOR in Dec after leaving in Feb (also played in closed beta). I'm happy to be back and am enjoying the game, but see 1 major hole in SWTOR that is easily fixable: Modable UI. Here's my organized rationale: UI customization is a metagame: Of course the archtype for modable UI is WoW, but watching videos of WoW I'm always amazed at the diversity of UI configurations people use for various tasks. Some are cluttered, like I imagine the gamers room is cluttered. Some are incredibly spartan. Some have artistic (and incredibly creative/beautiful) borders and boundries. While you can move UI elements around in TOR you can't change the look whatsoever. A UI can create a gaming atmosphere. That's not possible with TORs UI. UI customization allows innovation: WoW didn't originally have a dmg parser. That came from the UI community. I know this has been run thru so many times, but MMOs are a min/max game. It attracts spreadsheet gamers that spend hours analyzing their own data. Yes, you can use outside parsers, but we all know it's crap. Yes, it will expose mediocre gamers, but how will the advance if they don't know they are mediocre? UI customization builds community: The UI mod community is hardcore. They create sites, d/l's, traffic, free advertising, etc. Of course there is a dark side to modding the UI, but the benefits strongly overwhelm the the negatives/risks. Yes, WoW did it....but TOR can take the best of another game without being "me too". My guess is there a senior dev that hates modable UI, but SWTOR would be better if it listened to gamers with an open mind. Having a UI community would free up the UI team (and be a good recruiting community). I truly believe TOR would have had a very different 2012 if they had allowed UI customization and dmg parsing. Respectfully... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toryn_Wattan Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Erm, I apologize, I may not be understanding. But SWTOR did get a UI customization in patch 1.2 i believe. Are you referring to a different kind of customization? If not there is a small arrow set just above the quickbar lock icon which will open this customization. Cheers, Toryn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vhaegrant Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 I think you'll find, from the OPs second paragraph this is more of a call for DPS meters and Threat meters. Also, a way of adding in a Boss mod to tell you what and when you should be doing it in an Operations Boss fight. SWTOR has a rudamentary combat parser that can be switched on in the preferences menu and manipulated by third party software for post fight analysis. The most I would like to see for actualy UI optimisation... - Remove the little icons for Interface Editing and Ability Bar Lock/ Unlock from the position on Bar 1. - Add the ability to resize buffs/ debuffs - Allow for recolouring of the UI. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpope Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 The most I would like to see for actualy UI optimisation... - Remove the little icons for Interface Editing and Ability Bar Lock/ Unlock from the position on Bar 1. - Add the ability to resize buffs/ debuffs - Allow for recolouring of the UI. I would definitely vote for these changes. The only other one I can think of is some info text (health, cast bar, etc) on the Focus Target. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phyltr Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 I would definitely vote for these changes. The only other one I can think of is some info text (health, cast bar, etc) on the Focus Target. I love being able to mod my UI in other games and, to me, its a mini-game in and of itself that is fun (to me). I certainly am 100% opposed to saying these are the only things I'd want to see changed, but its an OK start. Although you need the ability to not only re-size buffs and debuffs but the ability to move them and to filter them as well. For example, while I need to know when "Energized" has proc'd, I don't care, to see my stim buff staring me in the face for the entire fight, its not tactically useful information. Also for focus target: range meter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenspeckle Posted February 10, 2013 Author Share Posted February 10, 2013 I'm talking more about opening the UI to outside modification....so a mod community could create new unit frames, new map artwork, etc. Yes, also for things like dmg counters, etc., but mostly for the variation in gamers ability to experience the game. See this site for examples: http://www.wowinterface.com/downloads/index.php?cid=113&sortby=dec_hits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larity Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 I'm talking more about opening the UI to outside modification....so a mod community could create new unit frames, new map artwork, etc. Yes, also for things like dmg counters, etc., but mostly for the variation in gamers ability to experience the game. See this site for examples: http://www.wowinterface.com/downloads/index.php?cid=113&sortby=dec_hits Yeah and then they can make up programs to tell you when to hit a button during a fight and then they can tell you when to use an attack to grab a mob before anyone else and then the game could play for you. Na, TOR's ui customization is fine. If you want mods, go back to wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthZak Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 More colours and visual stuff would be cool Aggro meters would be lovely so I know when to dump my aggro most efficiently In-game advice of when to taunt and stuff? Nah, **** that. If that would be happening you might as well macro an entire boss fight (which is possible) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikesellr Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Yeah and then they can make up programs to tell you when to hit a button during a fight and then they can tell you when to use an attack to grab a mob before anyone else and then the game could play for you. Na, TOR's ui customization is fine. If you want mods, go back to wow. I personally think this is one of the many things that broke wow for me. Though I do feel like the UI customization needs to be a bit more detailed. For example there are a few things that need to be on its own frame like the buff/debuffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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