PTR Patch 3.2.0 User Interface Notes

[Cralor]

User Interface

• Character name auto-completion for the chat frame, pop-ups, and mail interface can be enabled through an interface option in the Development settings.
• Character names can now be colorized according to class in the chat frame through an interface option in the Development settings.
• Casting bars under a target's portrait will now indicate whether or not the cast can be interrupted.
• Druids will now be able to see their mana bars when shape-shifted.
• Item Comparisons: Holding the shift key while hovering over an item will now display the stat differences with the item currently equipped in the relevant slot.
• Macros and scripts will no longer be able to target totems by name.
• Quest creatures and objects will now show on the player's world map.
• The quest log is now double-paned for more easily viewing quest information.
• Vendor prices will now be listed on items whether or not players are at a vendor.
• For additional notes on Lua and XML changes please visit the UI & Macros forum.

Exciting!

[Slakah]

The quest log is now double-paned for more easily viewing quest information.

It would be nice if they would do a similar thing with the tradeskill pane.

[Petrah]

Originally Posted by Slakah It would be nice if they would do a similar thing with the tradeskill pane.

I totally agree!!

[danimal]

I'm just glad that they are finally getting with what we want outta the UI, bit by bit but still nice overall imo

[voodoodad]

The cynical part of me, which seems to be extremely dominant today, is asking how much of the code they are "borrowing" from existing addons that already do these things?

[Cralor]

More interesting news!!!

http://www.zam.com/story.html?story=18507

One of the cool parts:
"We plan to deliver more Battlegrounds to the players as often as we can. We see Battlegrounds as a very large and important part of the World of Warcraft PvP game and we would like to expand the system as much as we can. I do have a little tidbit that I can share with you guys today, though. We are planning to implement rated Battlegrounds in a future patch. We will be giving more details on this system at BlizzCon."

[Sepioth]

Originally Posted by voodoodad The cynical part of me, which seems to be extremely dominant today, is asking how much of the code they are "borrowing" from existing addons that already do these things?

I have to agree ...

Also I hate when they constantly implement "new" features like this. Now I will have to remove or update addons so they don't interfere with Blizzards additions.

I say they should devote this time to content over a better UI that the community has been doing already.

[Slakah]

Originally Posted by voodoodad The cynical part of me, which seems to be extremely dominant today, is asking how much of the code they are "borrowing" from existing addons that already do these things?

They've never borrowed any code from anything they've added before. Also it could be argued that they're taking ideas from WAR not QH or Carbonite.

[jaliborc]

Originally Posted by voodoodad The cynical part of me, which seems to be extremely dominant today, is asking how much of the code they are "borrowing" from existing addons that already do these things?

I totally agree. Anyway, where did this information came from?

[elder69]

yea this is great thats like 5 less addons i have to use

[voodoodad]

w/e

(DOH! Stupid character minimum limit!)

[ffxiedyn]

If no one has posted a relevant reply since post#5, and this thread is now 3 pages long...

Creating a new thread to move all the irrelevant posts to so this thread could have its 5 relevant posts...

Ok.. if you really want to ^_^

And sorry to bug people with a discussion in the wrong thread, see you all in the new thread!

Thanks.

[SDPhantom]

Most, if not all the rants I see in this thread were posted by normal players, while all the addon authors commend Blizzard for incorporating ideas brought on by various addons.

Most of the time, these actions provide additions to the API that lighten the load on client systems when dealing with gathering and manipulating data needed for the use of such addons.

Take the new threat API added in with the 3.0 patch. This was handled by a specific Threat lib used by different addons like Omen. The matter of data collection, manipulation, and synchronization, was all ported over to WoW's C code. This was much more efficient and accurate than any addon code could be. Instead of an addon trying to gather damage and healing done while trying to apply talents to come up with a number resembling a player's threat level, WoW's API can just look at the mob's aggro table.

Even though Blizzard never completed their built-in threat meter, the changes to the API took a burden off of many authors' shoulders, including my own, and many other changes opened up possibilities, letting addons do what was previously impossible.

[seebs]

I'm really happy to see the vendor price thing -- those databases have been a PITA to maintain, and not having to worry about them anymore will reduce my addon load noticably.