Introducing: Status Monitor

[Zwiebelchen]

Keeps track of critical buffs/debuffs placed by the player.

Displays: Bufficon, time remaining, target unit (level if creep) [owner of unit if player]

I'm open for suggestions which buffs/debuffs you want displayed.

Note that this takes away some space on the screen, so we should limit this to critical buffs/debuffs worth monitoring (imho it doesn't make much sense to keep track of stacking debuffs like crippling curse or flaming arrows, for example).

The monitor only displays your own debuffs/buffs.


My ideas so far:
- Weakened Soul
- Mend
- Water Elemental
- divine fist
- body and mind
- taunt
- Symbol of Fury
- Fire Shield
- spell mirror
- Guardian Angel
- Embrittling Acid
- Curse of Vampire (Can't remember if it was stacking, if not, then this could be included)
- Soaked
- Frost Cage
- Dazing Trap
- Venomous Blade

 

[GIMLI_2]

well so does it show the buffs that you have casted on your enemy?
otherwise the soaked buff wouldnt make sense
i like the idea

 

[Zwiebelchen]

well so does it show the buffs that you have casted on your enemy?
otherwise the soaked buff wouldnt make sense
i like the idea

It is able to show both buffs and debuffs casted. But only selected ones that actually make sense, as it would be too complicated to keep track of everything (and would also litter the screen with useless stuff).

 

[Vestra]

Looking awesome Zwieb. I'll give it a think and come back if there are any additions that might be worth considering.

Why curse of the vampire and not crippling curse? If the monitor could manage multiple instances of crippling curse on the same indicator that would be pretty cool. i.e 3x Crippling curse with the duration of the latest showing.

Curse of the Vampire is pretty much the same thing, or do you want it on there to monitor the replenishment factors it offers?

Anyway, flaming arrows no but cripple has a pretty nifty bonus for both monks and bishops with talents so it might be worth considering.

Also yeah, what Gas said, the Divine Protection timer as well as Weakened Soul.

 

[GasQueen]

According to what you've stated, shouldn't the Divine Protection buff be displayed aswell?

 

[Zwiebelchen]

Looking awesome Zwieb. I'll give it a think and come back if there are any additions that might be worth considering.

Why curse of the vampire and not crippling curse? If the monitor could manage multiple instances of crippling curse on the same indicator that would be pretty cool. i.e 3x Crippling curse with the duration of the latest showing.

The thing is: crippling curse monitoring has no real purpose from a gaming perspective, as it stacks. You will basicly use crippling curse whenever the cooldown is ready on whatever target you want, so there's no strategic component to it.

Curse of the Vampire is pretty much the same thing, or do you want it on there to monitor the replenishment factors it offers?

I don't quite remember, but I think Curse of the Vampire does not stack. That's why there's a strategic purpose behind monitoring it. However, as the debuff is very easy to see, I think it's not really worth it either.

Also yeah, what Gas said, the Divine Protection timer as well as Weakened Soul.

Hmm... I think that doesn't have any real informational purpose either, as you can instantly tell when divine protection runs off (as the target takes damage then). But I might include it.
Too much status spam could probably violate the neat simplicity of this thing.
I want to keep it as clean as possible and only monitor what is really worth knowing.

 

[Vestra]

I'd say at least put Divine Protection in there. Knowing how long its going to last is indeed a strategic component, as it lets a player know if they're going to have to juke a spell completely. Say for something like ashes, knowing that Divine is going to tick off before the spell hits can make all the difference for survival if you're in melee range. Absorbing a few blows might be required in order to gain minion agro, but if you'd die as a result of that the clear choice would be to back away. Knowing how long you have can make all the difference ^_^

Its handy trust me.

Agreed on cripple and curse thing, keep those off they're both easy to monitor.

 

[Shapy]

u might can move the icon a bit more right, now it could use to much space. try to keep it as short as the threat meter. Also the milliseconds are bit to much.

also make it disable for somebody who dont want to use it.

do you need the classname actually ? right now i cant figure why you should add it. it just takes to much space.

 

[S0ulseeker]

I would like to note that my Gaias boner just extended 6 & 1/2 inches

(This looks amazing, as always great job!)

EDIT: Is there a way you can program it so you can type like -monitor or -buffs to enable/disable this additional addon for those who want to keep the threat bar shown but not the other stuff since it will take up space on the screen. It might be something that is good to be able to have the option to have on or off

 

[Vestra]

^ Told you a disable command was needed DIDN'T I.

 

[S0ulseeker]

Upon thinking about it more, you could really make use of that drop box menu at the top right. I've seen maps where you had the option to cycle threw different display options. It would be kind of neat to be able to do that within that menu somehow so instead of typing -stats or -resists you can just cycle threw the menu at the top right and it would dispaly your hero stats and then you can cycle it back to the status monitor/threat bar. Doing that would really allow you to display more stats/formulas/etc. and really make use of any information you'd like to display about your hero. It wouldn't really be 'needed' but it would be kind of neat.

Thoughts/ideas/complaints?

 

[Ihazdialup]

I like that s0ul, only if its space efficient, if its not then nty.

 

[Zwiebelchen]

Upon thinking about it more, you could really make use of that drop box menu at the top right. I've seen maps where you had the option to cycle threw different display options. It would be kind of neat to be able to do that within that menu somehow so instead of typing -stats or -resists you can just cycle threw the menu at the top right and it would dispaly your hero stats and then you can cycle it back to the status monitor/threat bar. Doing that would really allow you to display more stats/formulas/etc. and really make use of any information you'd like to display about your hero. It wouldn't really be 'needed' but it would be kind of neat.

Thoughts/ideas/complaints?

I don't have that much experience with multiboards, so I can't really say how that should work. Is it possible to have more than one multiboard active at the same time?

EDIT: Did a quick research and now I know how it's done. I will add a stats tab to the multiboard that you can swap to by clicking on the minimize button.

u might can move the icon a bit more right, now it could use to much space. try to keep it as short as the threat meter. Also the milliseconds are bit to much.

also make it disable for somebody who dont want to use it.

do you need the classname actually ? right now i cant figure why you should add it. it just takes to much space.

If I move everything one more slot to the right, then the timer wouldn't be "tabbed" away from the target unit display.
Unfortunately, WC3 doesn't allow tabs in strings. If I put everything in one row, the string would vary in length if the counter gets higher and this would look ugly.
But I see what I can do to make it a little smaller. I can probably move the icon between the counter and the target display to save space. Or I move the counter to the right side of the table.

The class name is basicly the target units name for indentifying. I could make it display the player name only, but I think it's easier to know the buff I placed is on the "Crusader" instead of "IIIIIixxxxOwnzorxxxxiiIIIII".

 

[Shapy]

you cant do multipile multiboards they just look that way. in many rpgs you can press -> or <- and you can change the "side". so in 1 side you see the threatmeter for example. 2nd you see the inventory and so on.

yeah i see zwiebel, im just worried the ui gets to big like in some wow games. (which get overloaded with addons and stuff) true that it is easier with class + name but lets say the crusader really is called: "IIIIIixxxxOwnzorxxxxiiIIIII" than you have a big amount of text in the mulitbord.

but we will see, in the end we still can disable it till it gets updated to the next version.

 

[Vestra]

Souls idea was neat, and ensure that it has both stats and resists up on there, that would be handy.

Pretty sure IIIIIixxxxOwnzorxxxxiiIIIII exceeds the wc3 name limit but sure, everyone loves that kind of shit. Having just the player names would be better imo, helps people recognise who they're buffing and why, makes relating players to -qi icons easier as well. If there are multiple of one unit type, shit would get confusing without names.

 

[Zwiebelchen]

I will keep both the owner name and the unit name in the window. There's enough space to do that, as the multiboard size is big enough due to the threat bar anyway.

I will work that stats/resists tab in today and switch the values around to make the board smaller. Hope this minimizing thing works without delays in multiplayer. Can't tell for sure, never played a map that used this, yet.

Also, I'm thinking about adding custom icons for all the advanced classes, based on the icons for the base classes.
This way, you can easier destinguish the different heroes when using -qi.

 

[GasQueen]

You should take a look at Dark Invasion II, hell of a map full of multiboards. But yes, I remember it being quite laggy.

 

[TinyTeaser]

Dark Invasion II multiboards were neat ^^, took a while to get use too, but when people did it was really nice and fancy AND useful ^^

 

[Zwiebelchen]

New screenshot of new layout and stat display when clicking on "minimize".

 

[muzzel]

So you can cycle through different multiboards, is there also an actually minimized state? In some situations the MB just takes away space on the screen if you play heroes which dont need the thread-meter (bard, druid, ...).

About DI2: i hated that map, the multiboards and the incredibly annoying combatsystem ruined it for me being a shining example for a technically overengineered project with zero usability.

 

[GasQueen]

New screenshot of new layout and stat display when clicking on "minimize".

Looks awesome, a very sophisticated and clear way to see stats or status. Something I have not yet acquainted: Suppose I click on the minimize button when it displays our character's stats, will it actually minimize or just return to the threat and buff display system? You could make a sequence to follow like: threat/buff - stats - minimize. So if someone wants to actually minimize the multiboard will be able to do it.

And regarding Dark Invasion. It took me a while to get used to use the C when I wanted to hit someone at first, but then I realize the guy who did it made a really awesome and cool engaging system, varying on combos and critical chances and rages and stuff, as well as the awesome multiboard shops. The only critique I can make on that map is the locked camera, that sucked.

EDIT: I just read what muzzel said, same question I did, sorry.

 

[Zwiebelchen]

So you can cycle through different multiboards, is there also an actually minimized state? In some situations the MB just takes away space on the screen if you play heroes which dont need the thread-meter (bard, druid, ...).

Hmm, the threat meter takes almost no useful screen space away, so I don't really think it's neccessary. Even on my 15" laptop, there's plenty of space on the screen.
But meh, whatever, I will add a minimized state. It's not like it's hard to do.

 

[Vestra]

Also, I'm thinking about adding custom icons for all the advanced classes, based on the icons for the base classes.
This way, you can easier destinguish the different heroes when using -qi.

Please for the all love that is good and holy do this. It would be immensely handy.

 

[Zwiebelchen]

I couldn't find fitting icons, so I used the icons I assigned to the class change buttons. Should fit.

 

[S0ulseeker]

about the status monitor, if Im a zerker for example and I get a buff from an ally for shield I know the bishop will get a timer since it is his buff but will the zerker have the timer displayed for him as well?

 

[Shapy]

New screenshot of new layout and stat display when clicking on "minimize".

this looks way better love it ! gonna be a nice feature in 1.2 nobody even think about

dont forget to add this clicking on minimize to the commands menu or the next player wont notice this at all.

 

[Zwiebelchen]

about the status monitor, if Im a zerker for example and I get a buff from an ally for shield I know the bishop will get a timer since it is his buff but will the zerker have the timer displayed for him as well?

No, only the bishop will see the timer. Also, the bishop will only see his 'own' timers. If there's two bishops in the group placing divine protection, you will only see your own buffs.

 

[Vestra]

So the target can't see how long divine protection will last on them...? 'cause that shit would have been extremely useful in combat.

 

[Zwiebelchen]

So the target can't see how long divine protection will last on them...? 'cause that shit would have been extremely useful in combat.

Let's try not to make things unneccessary complicated here.
The buff monitor was basicly designed to take some guess & try out of the bishop gameplay when using mend and divine protection (Getting an "already active" message on shield when the target is on 20% health was just annoying as hell with the effect not being that obviously visible). It wasn't meant as an addon to take away all estimation skills in general.

I added monitoring for several other buffs that I found convenient for the player to know (I think bards will love it!), but it wasn't meant to be a lot more than that: a convenient helper for buffers.

 

[S0ulseeker]

fair enough for me xD

 

[Vestra]

Bugger, knowing how long the shield active on you as the target seemed pretty crucial to me, especially when juking in what I assume will be challenging later bosses.

Ah well, if the bishop knows that works out well too.