Being usable out of the box is a big deal for a lot of users, and IceHUD doesn't disappoint. Third, IceHUD has lots of textures and setups available out of the box. Addons with built-in class functions get more good marks because of their ease of use and one-stop shop mentality, which is excellent for those of us who do not want to clog up our interface folder with too many different addons. Second, IceHUD comes equipped with various class specific bars, including combo point counters and Slice and Dice timers for rogues, a sunder tracker for warriors and much more. Modular addons score high in my book because of how customizable they are, especially for players with slower CPUs. First of all, it's a modular addon, meaning pieces of the addon can be turned on or off depending on the player's needs. Therefore, anything that can alleviate some clutter pain is good in my book. Unit frames are one of the biggest offenders in terms of space hogs. Routinely on Reader UI of the Week, for instance, we discuss space-saving tips for players. On the other hand, having an interface like IceHUD opens up an amazing amount of possibilities for user interface customization. Personally, I have been playing massively multiplayers for so long that the traditional unit frame setup is ingrained into my playstyle and well-being, and a HUD hasn't changed that. I am of two minds about HUD interfaces in general. I like to imagine it as the Scrolling Combat Text of unit frame information placement - to the left and right of the player's character are bars that show their health, their target's health and mana and a host of other informative bits that regular unit frames can show. The gist of the HUD unit frames layout is that the blocky information hubs of regular unit frames are replaced with bars detailing health, mana, casting and so on that can be placed wherever you like. HUD-style interfaces take this information and present it in a wholly different way. When most people think about unit frames, the traditional Blizzard-esque box containing a portrait, health, mana and other assorted information comes to mind. They are one of the more important conduits of information about other players and enemies that you encounter. This particular portion - the unit frames - shows player and target data, targets of targets, health, mana, spellcasting and countless other data entries. The WoW user interface is broken up into many portions. First, let's tackle the unit frames category as a whole. The best HUD, in my opinion, is IceHUD.įor this Addon Spotlight, we are going to first talk a bit about the category of the addon and then get to the specific addon itself. However, their straightforward information approach as well as points for style make HUD displays a compelling alternative to the regular batch of unit frame modifications out there.
HUD-style unit frames have pros and cons and aren't always the best thing for everyone's playstyle. An acronym for "heads up display," HUD references an interface style like that of the information meters on your car or the targeting system on a fighter jet. Today we discuss a different style of unit frames - the H.U.D.
Next week, we will delve a little deeper with Power Auras for a bit of an advanced class. I have been receiving nothing but good wishes and comments from so many people perplexed by Power Auras who are now using it for simple tasks. The response to my Power Auras Spotlight last week has astounded me. We'll look at everything from bags to bars, buttons to DPS meters and beyond - your interface folder will never be the same! This week, Addon Spotlight enters the world of HUDs and presents IceHUD, based on the novel "Push" by Sapphire. Addon Spotlight focuses on the backbone of the WoW gameplay experience: the user interface.