We’re making improvements to Nameplates, adding Damage Meters to the base UI, integrating boss alerts into our raid design in Midnight, and more.
Nameplate Improvements
As a part of our continuing User Interface (UI) improvements, we are taking aim at Nameplates in Midnight. Nameplates provide a valuable window into what is happening in the game with you, your allies, and the status of your enemies. This informs you of how you might need to respond to what is happening around you. Currently, the default Nameplates don’t provide all the information that players might be looking for.
All UI elements are subject to change.We want to improve the ability for players to see and customize buff and debuff displays on Nameplates. We also want to call out important lethal casts. This is being integrated into encounter designs. If there is a cast that is likely to wipe you out if it hits its targets, that is something that can be in a larger highlighted cast bar so that you’re aware that it’s a higher-priority interrupt. You shouldn’t need an add-on or an external guide to tell you these things when the game should.
PvP Nameplates will also highlight crowd-control effects when you’re in the thick of battle. It’s all about giving you the information you need when you need it.
Damage Meters
We are adding Damage Meters to the base UI. Damage Meters are currently one of the most popular add-on types that we see players use, and it is only natural to want to know whether a new talent build or trinket is having the desired effect. We want to make sure that information is available without needing to rely on external tools. This new addition to the UI will be tracked server-side, allowing for greater accuracy in certain situations than was previously possible with add-ons.
All UI elements are subject to change. Boss Alerts
Since nearly the beginning of raiding, players have used external tools to warn them of major boss abilities during raid encounters. While those tools are helpful to have, expecting players to go out to get them to use when raiding isn’t the experience that we feel players deserve. To rectify this, we are building in a lot of that functionality into our encounters in Midnight. Players will be able to see a timeline of major critical abilities that are coming up, receive alerts when targeted, and access other necessary information to overcome challenges.
All UI elements are subject to change. More Quality-of-Life Improvements
Personal Resource Bar All UI elements are subject to change.The Personal Resource Bar is also getting an upgrade. It’s becoming a HUD element instead of a floating Nameplate that can become hidden behind other elements. You’ll be able to fully customize this UI element in Edit Mode, move it, scale it, or change transparency.
Cooldown Manager Updates Accessible in both Edit Mode and the Options Menu, the Cooldown Manager lets you customize how you track your cooldowns. This new tool is currently available in the live game but we are continuing to make additional improvements with more arriving in the 11.2.5 content update.
You’ll be able to select which auras you want to track, add debuff states for your selected target, and even track active external defensives—like Iron Bark—on your teammates. You can save different profiles and set up sound alerts to call things out. It’s a powerful tool, and we’re excited to see how you use it.
These are just a few of the User Interface improvements that we have planned, with many more to come at launch and beyond, as we look to continue to make improvements throughout the future ahead. Our ultimate goal is to make the base user experience the best that it can be.
