Reader UI of the Week: Puddinpop adds on with a larger screen

Each week, WoW Insider and Mathew McCurley bring you a fresh look at reader-submitted UIs as well as Addon Spotlight, which spotlights 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@wowinsider.com, and follow Mathew on Twitter.

Adding to UI compilations is a fine art we talk about on occasion here at Reader UI of the Week. Some things are easy to fit into a preexisting setup, whereas others are much more difficult, unable to fit in a premade UI's rigorous framework. Puddinpop, a blood elf paladin from the Saurfang server, has submitted a UI that features many additions to a basic RealUI setup smashed together with some of the design elements of LUI.

On top of the challenge of expanding on work already existing on the screen, Puddinpop takes the challege a step forward with a gigantic monitor. Sometimes it is just as difficult to design a UI around a much larger monitor as it is with a laptop or smaller screen. Many of the same concerns are present, just in a slightly different way. Fonts may be too small versus too large, UI elements might just never be noticed, and you could actually be straining your eyes to read too-small text. Big monitors can be a burden.

Let's get to it, then. Start us off, Puddinpop:

Thank you very much for the email and submission, Puddinpop. My initial reactions to the UI are that it is truly amazing to see this game in all its Warcraftian glory. People still give WoW's graphics guff, but I continue to stare on in amazement as Blizzard keeps cranking out pretty artwork, textures, and models. It has to be something in the water over there.

With such a large screen, you'd have to create segments or quadrants where aspects of the UI would live and operate, while keeping your eyes on the so-called prize. There are many different setups and configurations that can work for this type of large screen, and Puddinpop has gone with a smack-dab middle approach.

Focus on the middle

Raid focus is unquestionably at the middle of the screen, with raid warnings and the rest of the endgame accoutrements. Health and status bars sit faithfully to the side, flanking timers and cooldowns. It's a very focused setup that keeps everything raid and combat related in the same space.

The advantage of the focus area type of UI like Puddinpop has is that you reduce copious amounts of eye movements and darts across the screen. As you confine your eyes to a certain area of the screen, you have made yourself some boundaries to stay within. On top of the forced boundaries, you are able to clue your brain into thinking about certain types of gameplay or getting into the right frame of mind when playing. I know that when I'm looking at my raid addons, I approach information processing differently than when I am, say, doing archaeology.

The premade UI

While we are fairly familiar with the RealUI and LUI setup, it is nice to mention the basics of this type of prefab user interface. LUI, RealUI, and many others work to change a large portion of your user interface in profound ways, mainly to be a sort of one-stop shop for all of your interface needs. This is very attractive to many people who would rather deal with one or a few addons versus a potential suite.

The biggest downside to a premade, total UI conversion is that every addon in the pack has to be updated essentially to let the whole run as competently as it did during a stable release. While this isn't too much of an issue right now, you can bet that once Mists of Pandaria hits, there will be some significant addon updating going on.

Is a premade UI right for you? Maybe. Try it out! If you don't like what's going on, uninstall the addon. Remember to first make a backup of your existing UI, as some premade, full UI conversions change settings of addons you may already have. To be safe, copy your addons folder and WTF folders in a different directory, and use those to restore if something goes wrong.

With great space comes great responsibility

Having a large monitor and plenty of space to roam around means keeping your crazy in check. Remember, having all that space doesn't mean you need to fill it with stuff. Chronic addon installation is a real and dangerous thing. The amount of players out there drowning in addons is more than you could possibly imagine. We must help them.

Just because you have room for something doesn't make it essential. Remember the golden rule -- simplicity is usually better than making something too complex. Need a ton of little addons in the same place? Why not try looking for a dock or LDB bar of some kind and group them all together? Addons too small? Try increasing the scale and keeping the same amount of information, but make it look like more space is being used up.

When I first got my widescreen monitor, I suffered from this same issue. I had too much new space and not enough information to fill it, so I started to load on the "cool stuff." After a few crashes, some slowdowns, and just a general blah-titude about the new setup, the old UI got scaled up and tweaked a bit, producing a better result.

Pretend like you're moving into a new house but you're taking the same furniture

Wrapping up

The key information to take from Puddin's UI is how to build around the static pieces of the already-laid framework. Build out and around already existing addons, keep things relatively the same size, and keep space open, especially if you've got a larger monitor. Consistency, like Puddin' says above, is key.

I say it all the time, but I mean it -- work slow, and work one addon at a time. You'll be amazed at how simple addin on to RealUI or LUI can be. Take a look at Puddinpop's setup, glean some ideas, and see if you like the station-esque setup. This is my raiding station. This is my farming station. You get the idea.

So there you have it -- a nice, simple, and great-looking UI that smashes together loads of different styles and somehow comes out smooth on the other end. I like it. If you'd like to see your UI on Reader UI of the Week, send an email and some screenshots to readerui@wowinsider.com today. You won't be disappointed. Special props to some beta UIs that use the new movement tools to create something totally new from the default interface.

See you guys next week.

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Interested in getting the most out of your user interface? Come back once a week for more examples of reader UIs. For more details on individual addons, check out Addon Spotlight, or visit Addons 101 for help getting started.