Add-Ons for the Addict

Hello my fellow Turtle Haven-ers!
This is a post I've been intending to write for a very long time! These are some of my favorite add-ons that every add-on addict needs to consider adding to his own bag of tricks.

First of all, I use the Curse Client (available from www.curse.com) for all my add-on needs. I like it because it automatically downloads updates to my add-ons, I can search for add-ons without visiting the website, and I can delete add-ons without visiting my Program Files. In fact, I haven't been to that Interface folder in like, 6 months. I should send it a postcard...

For the sake of conciseness, I'm going to try and not repeat any of the add-ons that Wahoo mentioned in his post.

Cartographer
This is a great map add-on that plays nice with questhelper. You can turn the fog (that undiscovered space) on or off, which is great for going where you need to go, even if you haven't gone there before. Cartographer also has instance maps, battleground maps, and built-in coordinates. There's also a bunch of cool note options I haven't dinked around with yet.

Dominos
There used to be this great add-on for action bars called Bongos, but the person who made it stopped updating it and made this one instead. In between Bongos and Dominos I tried many different action bar add-ons and none have made me as happy as this one. I use all 10 of the available actions bars with 12 slots on each. This gives me a whopping 120 spaces to use, or not use. In addition to all my spells and professions, I have my hearthstone, my pots and foodz, my funny trinkets, and most of my pets and mounts available to click on instantly. This mostly leads to me having a different mount every time I choose to ride, but I'm random (read: awesome) like that. You can change the scale of the bars, so my pets and mounts are tinier than my spells and such.

Healbot
I know I said I wasn't going to repeat any of Wahoo's, but I have to say few things about Healbot. This add-on should be a requirement for healers. For example, I have key or mouse combinations for every spell I normally use. This means I merely have to click on your name in the tidy healbot box to do anything I want to you. That's what she said. I can also see what healing spells are already on you, see any incoming heals that would render mine pointless, and judge whether you have all your buffs, and with a mouse-over, see when those buffs expire. I can see when you are poisoned or diseased, whether you are out of range, and whether you are in combat. All this from glancing over at this tiny box of delicious joy. Its even fancier for raids. I'm done now, let me wipe up my drool and continue to the next add-on...

myReputation
This is one of my favorites because of it's simplicity. What happens with this one is every time I kill a mob that gives rep, I get some text that pops up in my chat window. It says how much rep I just received, for whom, and how many repetitions of that particular mob it would take to get to the next rep level. Also, I enjoy the large and exciting text that pops up in the middle of my screen whenever I level my rep. This is a must for reputation and achievement junkies.

NotesUNeed
This is my new favorite. I am able to add notes to individual players. I got this with the intention of marking those players that have been less-than-desirable to play with. Now, of course, I use it to mark everyone I come into contact with. It has a very detailed window for each person where you can fill in their class, professions, etc. but it also has some pre-made one-liners that are quick to set and show up next to their name in chat or in a mouse-over tool-tip. These are funny and serious. I marked Viz as a "Mr. Bean", the definition being "a player that is always wandering off, pulling adds from every direction." Wahoo is a "Roadrunner," or, "a player that runs at top speed toward every chest, quest objective, or shiny bauble, usually resulting in adds, a scattered group, and a wipe." Fun right?

RecipeRadar
This particular add-on tracks recipes you haven't learned yet on your mini-map. That's right, if you forgot to buy that blue lumberjack shirt recipe from that dude in Khranos 50 years ago, it now shows up on your mini map (or on a convenient drop-down menu that corresponds to each zone). I really like this because there's always those weird obscure recipes that get sold by the most random vendors. I would never think to look in their bags. That's what she said. This add-on is a must for anyone serious about leveling their professions.

Here's a nice little picture of my UI setup. I try to keep everything mostly clean and out of the way.

And with that I will close my lengthy post. I do want to reiterate my love for Titan Panel, Quest Helper, Auctioneer, and Atlas Loot, all of which were covered by Wahoo but deserve a plug at the end.

Your favorite Draenei (<---I just learned I've been saying and spelling this wrong) Holy Priest,
Sabr

General Guild Update - It is that time!!

All,

Well we all have been very, very busy and accomplishing many great and wonderful things. This is just an update to let everyone know what is coming up in the near future and about some recent in-game accomplishments.

So far the Meat Master and Cloth Master tournaments have been fairly successful. Many guildmates have received great high quality gifts for participating and have enjoyed the experience. Additionally, the guild bank and guildmate professions have really benefited from these contests. Everyone is enjoying the plethora of food and mats available. So...due to the large success of these contests we will be introducing a new contest that will occur on a monthly basis focused on the collection of crystallized mats (crystallized fire, earth, water, air, and life). These mats can be used to create eternal fire, earth water, air and life. There are several areas within Northrend to farm these mats and they are extremely useful in several professions such as tailoring, alchemy, blacksmithing, and leatherworking. This new contest will be titled "Master of Crystallization"!! Dates for all upcoming contests follow:

• Meat Master - March 27 at 8pm EST


• Cloth Master - March 28 at 8pm EST


• Master of Crystallization - April 4 at 8pm EST

Okay..now we are moving on to something very important..A GUILD PHOTO and PARTY!!!! The 1st Annual Guild Easter Party and Photo will take place on April 11, 2009 in Menethil Harbor aboard the moored ship. During this party there will be contests of various types, prizes, and a guild photo will be taken. Party will last approximately 1 hour so please show up to partake in the fun.

Finally, I would like to take a moment to recognize some significant recent accomplishments or accomplishments in process:

• Sabr and Elwynd just cannot stop exploring. Dora watch out!!


• Judex and his alt Swashbuckler have joined the guild..Welcome!!


• Holychic and Wahoofish recently earned War Bears for completing the "For the Alliance" achievements.


• Several members (Seffera, UrPally, Wowsham, Grejius, Shekhinah, etc.) have reached level 70 or greater. Fantastic work!!


• Mustardhead no longer misenchants..we have made progress.


• Vizeroth and Acherus both recently took down a Northrend rare!

Oh yeah one more thing..I have been doing some guild statistic work and have noticed we could use some plussing up in the following areas: So for those of you out there recruiting (most of you have the power) please keep in mind that we need more of the below:

• Mages


• Shamans


• Warlocks


• Rogues


• Jewelcrafters


• Engineers

Thanks all for your continued membership in the guild. It is through the combination of our quirkiness, kindness, sense of humor, and wide range of player types that makes this guild so special. I truly enjoy talking to each of you because I know I will always enjoy myself.

Your fortunate, poor at tanking forget to set 20% aggro increase, in love with Britney and Chuck Norris, achievement worshipping, Guild Leader,

Wahoofish

Sabr's World of Eating: No.1

Sabr's Delish Homemade Chocolate Sauce for Ice Cream:
1/4 cup Butter
3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa
1/4 cup Corn Syrup
1/2 cup Milk
2 tsp Vanilla Extract

I have tried this with both skim milk and soy milk and it all tasted fine.

Melt butter on low heat.
Remove from heat and add sugar, cocoa and corn syrup. Stir.
Add milk until the sauce has a consistency you like. I personally don't add all the milk, probably like 2/3 of it.
Put back on heat and add vanilla. Stir until smooth.
Serve by drizzling warm sauce onto the ice cream.

I usually double this recipe so I have leftovers.

Happy eating!