ui-changes
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Warlords of Draenor: New UI introduced for keybinds
I've been messing around in the Warlords alpha, but I'm afraid I haven't gotten very far in actual gameplay, largely because I keep getting sucked into the UI and the subtle changes that have been made. The latest change is a small one, but incredibly welcome -- the keybinding interface has gotten a small revamp. Instead of scrolling through one very long list, keybinds have been broken up into sections, and players can simply choose which section they want to work with. Once you've chosen the appropriate section, functions are clearly labelled to choose from. Just click on the keybinding you want to change, and press the appropriate keys you want the function bound to -- the same as it functions right now. There aren't really any major changes in regards to the keys you can bind, it's the same list. The layout has simply been refined and rearranged into something that is much easier to look at, and easier to use. Given the customization capabilities of so many addons out there, this new layout may not be of use to everyone. But if you, like me, are sick of scrolling through a seemingly endless list of options in one small panel in order to keybind one function, your days of being irritated are almost over.
Warlords of Draenor: New quest and map interface
The quest UI has received some tweaks and changes in Warlords of Draenor -- no longer simply a quest log, it has been renamed to the more appropriate Map & Quest Log instead. Hitting L for your quest log will now bring up a new pane which combines both map and quest log into one handy place. You can still hit M for a full sized map, but it almost isn't necessary with this new feature -- the drop down menus at the top of the pane will let you switch between continents, and then sub-zones within those continents. It honestly reminds me of the current Dungeon Journal UI, which lets you choose between expansions, dungeon or raid content, and then individual dungeons or raids for boss strategies and loot lists. And frankly, this is one of those quality of life changes I didn't really realize I needed until I saw it in action.
Darkfall December patches include cannons, new dungeon, and more
Darkfall fans have more to look forward to this month than just a holiday to get off work (and game more!); Aventurine has posted a list of features that are coming to the sandbox during December. Along with UI changes (a new chat system and hotbars that show skill placement), players will get to experience a new epic dungeon called Sinspire Cathedral, cannons atop the towers in player cities, and Prowess Monoliths that grant prowess to all those who stand inside. Additionally, the third Primalist school -- Chaos -- is in the final stages of development, but might need a little extra time and miss a December release. For more details on these December highlights, check out the official post. [Thanks to Dengar for the tip!]
Free for All: RuneScape 3's UI changes would be welcome in any MMO
Jagex just keeps surprising me with its flagship title, RuneScape. Almost every time I sit down to get some time in the world of Gielinor, I find something new. This time around, I want to talk about how the newest version of the game brings not only a fantastic world event and tweaks to all sorts of systems but offers options to the UI that are surprising and wonderfully innovative. The first thing I thought when I played around with the new UI options was, "Wow, why isn't this happening in more MMOs?" Another thought occurred to me as I slid, snapped and joined parts of my UI: This feels suspiciously like a tablet-friendly change. Jagex has mentioned the possibility of a tablet version of RuneScape, thanks to the new HTML5 client (which is still in beta), so could this new UI be the first of many steps to playing on our portable computers? I'll wait and see what happens with that, but in the meanwhile I wanted to show you the most impressive parts of the UI redesign.
Patch 5.0.4: Changes to the spellbook
With patch 5.0.4 dropping today, there are quite a few UI changes you'll need to get used to. Many of those changes are coming to your trusty spellbook. The way you find and use spells has changed slightly, and the spellbook now includes some handy hints to help you grasp your class and spec's role and abilities. Here's the basic rundown: All core class and spec skills are now on one tab under the main Spellbook tab. The Core Abilities tab gives you a rundown of the key abilities you'll use for your class and spec. The What's Changed tab lets you know what's new for your class and spec. The Mounts and Companions tabs are no longer in your main spellbook. Let's take a deeper look at each of these points now.
Illyriad's revamp adds friends list, medal designer, and more functional UI
Although some people might argue that "less is more," that don't hold up well when it comes to features in an MMO. Who doesn't appreciate more goodies? Illyriad players were treated to just that this weekend as a major update added new features and improved existing ones. The free-to-play fantasy MMORTS now sports a cleaner, more functional UI, a friends list, and a new Alliance medal design system. Illyriad also released a video dev chat with Community Manager GM Luna and Art Director GM Cerberus highlighting these changes. GM Luna explains that "everything has been 'refreshed' from the ground up... to make it more user friendly." The new UI transformed the Herald into an interactive book where players can read the lore of the game. The friends list, a precursor to private chat, is designed so that players must approve all requests. The medal design feature allows players to create personalized awards and titles for others. The video then ends with a community Q&A. You can watch a demonstration of these features in the dev chat after the break. For more about Illyriad, check out Beau's inside look at the game. [Source: Illyriad press release]
Square-Enix announces end of Final Fantasy XIV's free play and roadmap for next year
The latest patch for Final Fantasy XIV brought some major changes with it, but there are more coming. In a new series of announcements, Square-Enix announced that the unbilled period of the game will be coming to a close between late November and early December in recognition of the large-scale work done by Naoki Yoshida and the game's team. But the announcement was more far-reaching than that -- no, the entire game is going to undergo a major process of changes well through next year, including a graphical engine and UI overhaul as well as major changes to the game's maps. Several design documents have been posted along with this update, making it clear that the changes will be observed and influenced by players taking part in content during this time period. And these changes will be massive -- the new UI will not only look much cleaner but also be able to support player add-ons. With a promised redesign of maps, changes to the landscape, the upcoming PlayStation 3 version, and major updates to the battle system and armoury system, it's going to be very busy over the next few months as Final Fantasy XIV moves toward version 2.0.
First DC Universe Online patch goes live tomorrow!
Players have been anxiously awaiting the promised monthly patch from DC Universe Online, and tomorrow it will be here. Sony Online Entertainment has released DCUO's complete patch notes on the game forums, and boy, do they have a lot to say. At a glance, it appears that every power set and weapon type has been adjusted, but that's not the reason most people want to read through these notes. The very top of the notes displays the new content we can expect to find when we log in Tuesday morning. The Dark Knight opens the Batcave for an eight-man raid; Catwoman leads heroes and villains on a chase across the rooftops of Gotham; and Aphrodite needs super-powered humans to help her resolve the battle between devotion and scorn. However, the change most anticipated by players has to be in the social and chat systems. Although most of the UI changes are a bit vague -- "Improved the layout of Voice Chat options on the Social UI" -- certain items like "Pressing '/' (forward slash) on the keyboard will now open quick chat mode and automatically add a slash to the text field" may be specific enough to satisfy players. Be sure to log in tomorrow and let us know whether it was enough for you!
3 makeover suggestions for WoW's default UI
The default World of Warcraft user interface has undergone some excellent changes over the last few months. After the Shattering and Cataclysm, loads of new UI features were implemented and improved upon. In the future, even more tweaks are being added, with the addition of enhanced dungeon maps and other goodies for lore buffs. I can honestly say that right out of the box, the WoW user interface is better today than ever. However, there are still improvements that could be made, most of them in areas that just haven't been updated in a good long while. I've got a list of three pieces of the UI that I believe could use a makeover.
Reader UI of the Week: Mezzer's UI
Each week, WoW Insider brings you a fresh look at reader-submitted UIs as well as Addon Spotlight, spotlighting the latest user interface addons. Have a screenshot of your own UI that you'd like to submit? Send your screenshots, along with info on what mods you're using, to readerui@wow.com. I'm getting super-excited for Cataclysm and have been hard at work on my Cataclysm UI that will go into effect around a week or so before Dec. 7. A fresh new expansion deserves a fresh new user interface, no? How about you join me and my Reader UI of the Week brethren for some tips, tricks and discussion on getting your UI ready for the big day? This week, we have a nice submission from Mezzer, who is not only here to show off his UI, but also to get some suggestions for the up-and-coming Cataclysm version. A user interface looking for Cataclysm tips and tricks at the exact moment I wanted to discuss getting ready for said expansion? How fortunate! I am more than happy to oblige.
Patch 3.3 PTR: Target marking, the end of lowbie raids, and other UI tweaks
There are quite a few interesting UI tweaks in the latest build on the patch 3.3 PTR. First up, Blizzard seems to be making quite a few changes that aim at streamlining current frustrations: the Ignore list is set to 50 different entries (to match the Friends list), XP earned in a quest will show up in the rewards section on the quest log, and not only can any member of the raid now mark targets, but instant quest text is now turned on by default for all players. The last two changes are somewhat questionable -- cynics that we are here at WoW.com, we can see raiders in PuGs messing around with raid marks "for the lulz," which could be frustrating for raid leaders. Then again, it'll be much easier than the current situation of having to set up a marker as raid leader or assistant. Instant quest text, too, seems like a choice by Blizzard to step away from the immersiveness of having quest text write itself across the window, but then again, who doesn't have it set on instant already, and Blizzard has already admitted quests aren't that immersive anyway.There is another issue, though, that may be worth Blizzard's reconsideration before bringing all of these changes live.Patch 3.3 is the last major patch of Wrath of the Lich King. With the new Icecrown Citadel 5-man dungeons and 10/25-man raid arriving soon, patch 3.3 will deal the final blow to the Arthas. WoW.com's Guide to Patch 3.3 will keep you updated with all the latest patch news.
