So Friday evening I checked and bam I have beta access.
Awesome!!
Thanks Bliz, I will do my best to report any and all issues I find.
However, logging into beta and not having my addons was pretty jarring. And while I have a lot of addons for various things, the MAIN thing that was the most detracting to my experience is the default UI.
I’m not talking about the frames.
I’m talking about specifically the character screen, and action buttons (that includes bags and system buttons).
Now before I even continue, I know there is going to be that guy who comes in here and shoots this down with the standard “don’t like the UI? Use an addon”.
Well obviously that is what I do on live, but here is the thing, addons die.
Addon authors quit playing the game and move on.
For something so basic yet integral to the game, I should not have to rely on 3rd party addons to make the experience actually tolerable.
Remember we’re not talking about something like a damage meter, or putting up complex visual/audio alerts for events.
We’re talking about the very basic bare bones frame you use to interact with the game.
I have 3 main complaints where I feel we could see some improvement:
The character sheet window has been stripped down too far. I’m going to use my favorite example here, Speed. Speed is one of many stats that you can get on gear now, yet you literally can’t check to see how fast you are moving as a result of getting it!!
How is this acceptable!??!
That would be like not being able to see what your Dodge is after getting gear with Agility, or worse, “Dodge” on it.
I could write an essay about this issue with other examples, but I think the Speed illustrates it best.
(2 & 3 kind of go together, well 2 made 3 a problem technically)
2. The bags and game menu buttons - WHY were they broken off and separated from the action bars and stuck in the lower right corner? I don’t even have OCD and this still triggers me. It’s not symmetrical. On large ultra wide screen monitors it makes it to where you have to move your mouse quite far just to click on some of those buttons.
Action bars. This results from #2. I’d be confident in saying that most WoW players use more action buttons that what is shown by default. Where they are using a 3rd party addon, or just the default UI. When you use the default UI and turn on the extra action bars NOW, after the separating of the menu/bag bugs, you get this horrible set of bars.
There is a little space/gap on the top row over the top of the up/down arrows.
Since there are action buttons on the right of the up/down arrows now, instead of menu/bag buttons, this also means your buttons don’t cycle those buttons even though they are on the same row. Ideally I’ve love to have the menu/bag buttons joined back, but if they’re going to stay in the corner, then the arrow button should be move all the way to the right end, instead of being in the middle. Then fill in that gap/missing button.
TLDR - by moving the menu/bag buttons, you’ve made the action bars look like crap when you turn on extra action bars.
I can’t put links to screenshots in here, or I would show an example of how weird the new UI looks comparatively.
I think the default UI is perfect and its one of the reasons I only use like 2 addons, and that would be bagnon and instance portal tracker. I’ve seen tons of addons that change or add things to the UI in massive ways and just seems so cluttered.
Point is, the default UI is 100% usable. I’d know.
Blizzard going in and doing what Adventure Guide and Appearance Collections did for the likes of Wardrobe and Atlas Loot (not a replacement, but at least comparable) for the UI would absolutely be called for.
I understand not wanting to rely on addons for your UI, but why would Blizzard put money towards changing the UI when addons are an option at all? There is no single UI layout that will please everyone, so Blizzard is already losing before they’ve even begun. Then there would be people who would just use an addon to get the old UI back, so what was even the point of Blizzard doing anything then?
Default UI is what I use, but it’s far from perfect. The spell bar is well below my eye level, and I need to keeo glancing at it to see my CDs and such. I’m thinking of using a different UI that raises the action bar closer to the middle of the screen.
I just use the default UI. I don’t think it is bad by any means - it works.
I would prefer using it rather than trying to mess with an addon that I’m completely unfamiliar with basically for looks. The UI just needs to function for me and the default one does exactly that and does it well.
I’m curious, what exactly do you like about it?
Also, do you like the current version more than how it looked 4 year ago before they broke off he bags/menu buttons?
Yeah I can’t stand the base UI. It’s actually doubly bad because my eyesight is terrible but there’s no way to scale up quest log text size that I’ve been able to find. I had to go to add-ons just to be able to read without leaning close to my screen or squinting. It’s terrible.
I get they probably figure with all the UI add-ons out there they don’t need to improve their UI much. But man… it could use some help. Especially for exactly this - beta testing and being stuck with it
Can you elaborate? I use some weak auras for specific situations, like feed mechanic of Shad’har or Gift of the Titans in visions. Is there a general weakaura that addresses my complaint?
I like that the default UI pretty much wraps around the outer edges of your screen while I feel like addons intrude and push their clutter more and more into the center of my screen.
I’ve done content of every difficulty level and think the stock UI is fine. I don’t care what my action bars look like. I’m not a clicker and so long as the cooldown is somewhat visible, I’m fine.
I also like them a certain size 
