ScrollingCombatText
Please read and use the main SCT site for news, bugs, and feature requests. I don't read these forums hardly ever.
Be sure to check out SCTD 2.0 if you want SCT to show your damage.
Also check out my simple but enhanced combat log EavesDrop
What is it?
A fairly simple but very configurable mod that adds damage, heals, and events (dodge, parry, windfury, etc...) as scrolling text above you character model, much like what already happens above your target. This makes it so you do not have to watch (or use) your regular combat chat window and gives it a "Final Fantasy" feel.
Why use 5.0 over WoW's new built in Floating Combat Text ? - SCT 5.0 is a complete rewrite of the mod from the ground up. Its is now based in the Ace2 framework and rewitten with more performance in mind. On top of that, it offers features far above and beyond what WoW's FCT can do. FCT is great if you just need a lightweight SCT with limited options, but using SCT's new Lightmode can get you the same performance with almost all of SCT's normal features.
What can it do?
- Damage messages
- Heals (incoming and outgoing) and Overhealing (with healer ID's), with filtering for small heals.
- Spell Damage/Resists and Damage Type
- All "Miss" events (dodge, block, immune, etc...)
- Custom Colors for all text events
- Config file to setup custom events (self and target), capture data, and display it.
- Debuff/Buff gain and loss Messages
- Low Health and Mana Warnings with values, and optional sounds
- Rage/Mana/Energy Gains
- Enter and Leave Combat Messages
- Rogue Combo Points, 5 CP Alert Message
- Class Skill alerts (Execute, Overpower, CounterAttack, etc...)
- Honor, Reputation, Skill Gain
- Eight Animation Types (Verticle, Rainbow, Horizontal, Angled Down, Angled Up, Sprinkler, Curved HUD, Angled HUD)
- Four Fonts
- Two seperate Animation frames, each with their own settings. Assign any Event to either.
- Ability to flag any event as critical or as a text messages
- Sliders for text size, opacity, animation speed, movement speed, and on screen placement (with custom editbox)
- Lightmode, for when you care most about performance (at the loss of a few features).
- Now Based in Ace2.
- CTMod, MyAddons, Cosmos, Cosmos2 support
- Settings saved per character by default, but supports all Ace2 Profiles
- Load/Delete settings from another character. Load built in Profiles.
- Localized to work in almost all WoW clients.
How do I use it?
First unzip it into your interface\addons directory. For more info on installing, please read install.txt. Now just run WoW and once logged in, type /sctmenu to get the options screen.
SCT_EVENT_CONFIG.LUA is used to setup custom message events. Please open up the file (notepad, etc...) and read the opening section to understand how to use it all. PLEASE NOTE - THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FILE IN SCT. IF YOU DON'T READ IT AND USE IT, THEN YOU ARE MISSING OUT ON A TON OF WHAT SCT HAS TO OFFER IN CUSTOMIZATION
/sctdisplay is used to create your own custom messages. Useage: /sctdisplay 'message' red(0-10) green(0-10) blue(0-10) Example: /sctdisplay 'Heal Me' 10 0 0 - This will display 'Heal Me' in bright red
FAQ
How do I get My Crits or My Hits to show? I would suggest you get SCTD: http://www.wowinterface.com/downloads/fileinfo.php?id=4913
My custom event doesn't work. What's wrong? - Make sure you have the text exactly right, punctuation and capitalization matters. If you need help learning how to capture data, please see the examples or try this site http://lua-users.org/wiki/PatternsTutorial. If its still not working, please read about SCT_Event_Debug and SCT_Event_List in the bottom half of SCT_EVENT_CONFIG.LUA to learn how to add almost any chat event to SCT's search capabilities
How do I change the text for parry, block, etc...? - open up the localiztions.lua file and look for the event you want to change. Then change the text to whatever you like. As of 4.1, you may also now add a custom event for these. As of 5.0 You will get notifications automatically for event specfic skills like Overpower, CounterAttack, etc...
How do I get get text to scroll? I only see numbers! - Make sure the "Show Events as Message" option is unchecked. This is only if you want events to appear as static text (not scrolling/animated)
I don't understand what the 2 frames are for! - Each frame lets you set different features. So you can set frame one using Sprinker animation and Default font, while frame 2 can be using Veritcle animation and Adventure font. You can then assign each event to a specfic frame using the radio buttons next to the events.
There's too many options. Help someone new see how things work! - Try out some of the new built in profiles. While on the options screen, click the "Profiles" button. At the top of the window will be a listing of some default profiles to try out. Maybe you'll fine one you like or it will spark some ideas for you to try.
How do I change the fonts? - You can now select from four fonts on the options page. You can also change the font of message and apply the font to the in game damage font used for your damage (requires relog)
I don't like friendly nameplates on. How do I make my heals appear over who I heal? - Friendly nameplates have to be on in order to show your heals. SCT will turn them on if you turn on the option, but you must manually turn them off if you don't like it (see Target keybindings).
I don't like the new spell icons, how do I turn them off? - There is an option to turn them off under the animation tab.
Support
Please post all errors and suggestions on http://grayhoof.wowinterface.com/ using the provided forms. Please post all questions and comments on the offical SCT thread.
German localization is done and currently being tested... If we get the content patch tomorrow, i'll do some more testing and maybe some corrections if needed and then send it your way Grayhoof... Up to now, it was working perfectly :)
And by now, it captures 99% of the Events (only thing that is missing, are some special abilities in the sct_event.config.lua which i still need a translation for.)
Is there a way for me to make the text scroll faster? I already have it on the fastest setting but its still too slow for the way I want it. I'm not bad at understanding code but I don't want to screw the mod up for anything.
They are in the works, but not just simple additions =)
will you add FR and DE support for next version ?
the problem is, that languages like german or french have multiple strings for one event (i.e. spelldamage, spellresists, ...). you cannot figure out a search matrix compatible for all spellevents. the UNIT_COMBAT & UNIT_SPELLMISS events are a more "technical core" function than a "cosmetical" thing. the events ignore the serverlanguage and deliver the values you search for with your stringfunctions. it would work a mouch better with translation, cuz the only things that must be translated are the output strings. nothing else (if you didn't search for buffs oder debuffs like weapon procs or clearcast).
your benefit would be, that new spells or namechanges or output-line-changes nothing happen to your script and any other users round the world would love you for an nice-to-translate script ;)
one new flag: UNIT_SPELLMISS: arg2=[DODGED]
bye
I understand what you are saying better now. You aren't using the chat events at all, your using then UNIT_COMBAT event. I'll have to look into that, but I'm not sure really what it would buy me at this point since I have the chat figured out pretty well. Maybe just help with tranlations like you said. Thanks for the info!
I've runnig a 2.5 from you with the modificated detect-routine. if you want i can mail you the files ;)
the problem i got: axethrower are determined as spellcaster. but with your search strings i cannot figure out a matrix to detect if the mob hits me or if i deflect or resist the attack (german client). with the "UNIT_COMBAT" and "UNIT_SPELLMISS" events it would work fine for me.
you cannot check in this way if you or an enemy debuff or buff you but every attack or heal, that would be afflict your hp-pool.
some flags i've figured out yet:
UNIT_COMBAT: arg2=[WOUND DODGE HEAL MISS] arg3=[CRITICAL ABSORB] arg4=[AMOUNT (damage & heals)] arg5=[0 (meele) >0 (spells i think it's the spellid)]
the event is triggert everytime an event could manipulate your hp-pool. (falldamage, heals after an battle, infight)
UNIT_SPELLMISS: arg2=[RESIST PHYSICAL DEFLECTED]
the event is triggert everytime a "spell" casted on you, didn't afflict you.
bye
Unfortuantely the way events work you can't really do it like that. In addtion, the chat messages are not consistent at all, so alot of customization has to go in to parse each message properly. I have reworked a lot of the searching code in 2.6, which should be out later today. Its a lot better than in 2.5, but it really hasn't made a difference in performance at all. Just a case of making ugly code look a little better =)
hi, what did you thinking about this event:
if(event == "UNIT_COMBAT") then ..if(arg1 == "player") then ....if(arg2 == "WOUND") then ......if(arg3 == "CRITICAL") then ........critical=true; ......elseif(arg3 == "ABSORB") then ........absorb=true; ......end ......if(arg4 ~= 0 or arg4 ~= nil) then ........amount=arg4; ......end ....elseif(arg2 == "HEAL") then ......if(arg4 ~= 0 or arg4 ~= nil) then ........amount=arg4; ......end ....elseif(arg2 == "DODGE") then ......dodge=true; ....elseif(arg2 == "MISS") then ......miss=true; ....end ..end ..return; end
i think it was a bit easier to handle with translations. heal-poitions / first aid bandages are also determined...
bye
I'm pretty sure the option you are thinking of is to turn of the damage text that floats above your character frame portait. The text that scrolls above your target there is no way to turn off I am pretty sure. Its also built into the game engine, not the UI, as it cannot be found in any of the interface files. I have a feeling this is the case with the new chat bubbles also, which means I may not be able to consider using some of their code for scolling text above party members.
I just wanted to tell you that I used your excellent mod in another way :) You can turn off the built in scroll text. If you couldn't I agree, that would be way to much information. I have basically copied the built in text but added some stuff that I wanted in.
Edit: You turn it off in interface options
Edit again: That option in the interface menu seems broken? The text is diaplayed even if I uncheck it :(
It is easy to add that, but that's not what SCT is for =) Its meant to be used along with the built in scrolling text; its takes care of your hits, SCT takes care of stuff hitting you. There is no way to turn off the built in scrolling text, so you would just be duplicating lots of info.
I may consider allowing you to add custom events based on your hits and damage spells, but that will be after 2.6 (see offical thread for details).
Grayhoof, excellent mod! One of my favorites! I just wanted to let you know that its extremly easy to show own text messages when you hit/crit/damage a mob. The event CHAT_MSG_SPELL_SELF_DAMAGE is triggered when you hit a mob with a normal attack (not for self damage as you imply in your code) and CHAT_MSG_SPELL_SELF_DAMAGE is triggered when you hit a mob with a skill/spell. I have modified your code and totaly replaced the built in damage-to-mobs scroll. Now I can specify my crits (I am a rogue) by showing "CC crited XXX" instead of the standard bigger numbers. This can be used for all kind of procs that trigger on a weapon hit event.
Its something I have been considering adding, just haven't had time to get around to it. Mostly been working on redoing the animation system and improving performance.
Before I undertake the task of modding SCT to include mana gains and losses through spells and effects, I wonder if there is any plan to add that in a future version? I understand Paladins might be interested in this feature, and I might try to mod it to work for my friend.
Awesome mod, BTW, thanks so much for all the work you put into it.
-Eunos, Kel`Thuzad server, 60 Undead Rogue
muddgutts, unfortunately that particular weapon proc will not work, as it is a damage spell, not a buff casted on to you. The game already shows you when it hits by showing spell damage above your target.
You're not doing anything wrong, its just not the right type of weapon proc. Sorry its so limited right now, I plan on expanding it sometime down the road.
Would Sap, Backstab, or Gouge be considered as as a buff or a proc? if so, what would i type for them?
You cannot add in custom text to any event using the sct_event_config.lua, it is only used for a "buff/proc" of some type that you gain. The game's default engine displays large static text above your target when you crit, and SCT will display larger text when something Crits you.
I've been trying as much things as i can think of but i still can't find out what words for search that i can put in when i crit : ( anything could help me out right now