In-depth guide for BigWigs configuration, a DBM boss mod alternative with FULL BRF se

[Deleted]

Hello all,

This is the second time I'm posting here with another long guide I wrote for my guild, this time all about the BigWigs addon.

**My first guide post was all about effective keybinding, in case anyone is interested here is the post which has been very popular: http://failed-experiment.enjin.com/f...tively-keybind


I'm sure many of you have heard of or used BigWigs in the past, possibly dismissing it as being basically the same as DBM. I really cant emphasize enough how much more of a superior boss mod addon I believe BigWigs to be compared to DBM, and dedicated this guide as a tool to help get guildies converted over. I thought I would share with MMO-Champ and see what everyone thought of it? The guide includes everything about BigWigs with regards to how to best position all the frames/core settings, as well as a fully expanded list of how I suggest to track all the abilities for BRF. If you struggle with getting overwhelmed during any encounters, or would like to streamline your UI and maximize your awareness please check it out!


I would love to hear any feedback on whether or not this was useful for you, and any ways you believe it could be improved. Thanks for your time.

Bic


**Have decided to post the MMO-Champ compatible version of the guide directly into this thread. For the properly formatted version check out the link below.**


http://failed-experiment.enjin.com/f...bm-alternative


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~





********************************
+++++ What is BigWigs? +++++
********************************

Formal description from [curse.com]
Big Wigs is a boss encounter add-on. It consists of many individual encounter scripts, or boss modules; mini add-ons that are designed to trigger alert messages, timer bars, sounds, and so forth, for one specific raid encounters.


Laymans description
An addon designed to provide alerts to the player during raid fights, of upcoming events and boss abilities. Functionally similarly to DBM (Deadly Boss Mods)

Download: http://www.curse.com/addons/wow/big-wigs





*****************************************************************************
I already use DBM (Deadly Boss Mods), do I really need this?
*****************************************************************************

While BigWigs and DBM are both designed for the same general purpose, in my experience using both I've found that BigWigs not only looks a great deal cleaner, it also provides some fantastic extra customization options.

The two major features which are much more nicely handled by BigWigs is the ability to toggle which abilities you want to be displayed in the alert bars on a boss by boss basis. In addition, you are also able to emphasize certain abilities that are extremely critical to be aware of.

Below is an example of what a "basic" boss encounter would look like with the bars and messages placed appropriately.

http://i.imgur.com/Zu77vXD.jpg

The emphasize setting will announce in the "emphasized messages" anchor, in large text the ability coming up, and importantly WHO the ability is affecting. Emphasizing boss abilities appropriately will enable you to make sure you are reacting appropriately, as well as allowing you to check on the rest of the raid.

There is an option to enable a countdown for any of the boss abilities, and as the name implies causing a visual and audio countdown from 5 seconds prior to the ability commencing.

If desired, there is an option to additionally cause BigWigs to pulsate and/or screen shake when extremely critical abilities/debuffs/events occur. Depending on your general raid awareness, this is an extreme option which you may find beneficial.

TLDR: BigsWigs can toggle what, how and when boss abilities you want to display are shown, as well as make them enormously obvious when they are about to occur, DBM does not share these features!

Raid Leading: BigWigs is also able to set aside two custom raid icons which it can be enabled to automatically apply to raid members/enemies affected by certain abilities. If the boss has an important debuff that gets thrown onto a raid member, BigWigs will not only make that affected person announce in a chat bubble, but BigWigs will also mark that player with a raid icon, and output the event to the raid chat.






**************************************************
How can I properly configure BigWigs?
**************************************************

Installing BigWigs is very easy, but its a good idea to take the time to properly learn how to hide the all the extra noise and spam that defeats the purpose of a boss mod.

To get started, type /bw to see the following screen;


Positioning the Bar/Message Anchors

Another vital step is making sure you properly position your bars so that they do not obstruct important areas of your screen, while still remaining clearly visible.

Here you can see some screenshots of my UI with BigWigs configured to display in "test mode" by clicking the "Toggle Anchors" button in the top left corner of the /bw interface.

http://i.imgur.com/kJp0Ddp.jpg


Depending on your UI set up the positions chosen by me may not work for you. This being said there are a few guidelines I would highly encourage;

1) Emphasized Bars: These should be centered on the x-axis of your screen, and ideally placed towards the top of the screen
2) Regular Bars:There is more flexibility with this bar, however I recommend below your buff/debuff display and pushed towards the side of the screen, additionally you should consider interference with the space to the right of the screen for the boss frames.
3) Emphasized Countdown + Messages: These go well together, centered on the x-axis is highly recommended again and directly over/above your character is a good reference point for the y-axis placement
4) Alt Power: Currently unused in BRF and HM content, place this to the side as it will be permanently hidden (may change in Hellfire Citadel)
5) Messages: I prefer to place these messages above my player unit frame as these are not critical yet you still want to be kept up to date with their occurence.


Advice: You can elongate the bars by dragging them from the bottom right corner, you can see in my picture below that I have extended the length substantially from the default and I would recommend you to also do this (Emphasized and Regular Bars).


Once you are happy with your positioning, you can spam the "Create Test Bar" icon to simulate how the information will be displayed.




Screen Shake

aN7fYRb.png

As mentioned earlier, BigWigs offers players the ability to make boss ability/event alerts very obnoxious and hard to miss by shaking your screen or pulsing a brief flash of colour on your screen. If you would benefit from these alerts then you can enable the option to display here, else disable it.



Bars Config

If you like the look of the bars that I am using, you can change the default to my settings as shown in the following picture for the bar tab

http://i.imgur.com/ARq6M0a.png

Next up, you'll likely want to reverse the bar growth from the default setting so that the bars project downwards. Make sure you change both the regular and emphasized bars as desired.

http://i.imgur.com/rdYcSeA.png



Icon Marking

If you are leading the raid, I mentioned earlier that you can have BigWigs mark players with raid icons when they are targeted by certain boss mechanics, the option is configured in this window

http://i.imgur.com/cGulIVH.png

The remaining tabs I felt were quite good with their default configurations, so any settings not mentioned above have been left as their default.











******************************************************************
++++++++++++ Customizing boss ability/event display ++++++++++++
******************************************************************


As I had earlier mentioned, one of the major advantages of BigWigs over DBM is the ability to clean up what is displayed in the bars, so that only what you actually need to see is shown. This is very simple to do.




************************************************************
General Guidelines for Configuring Ability Alerts
************************************************************

**LESS IS MORE**
Disable any alerts of mechanics you have no direct influence over/outside your control
When possible/convenient use the "Only When On Me" option to hide events which are only relevant when you have been targeted (Fixate and important debuff's are common examples)
Disable any alerts which do not require immediate urgency of your awareness
Rely instead on reactive measures (such as visually "loud" boss abilities/chat bubble /say or raid icon marking) for less urgent abilities and events.
Use the "Countdown", "Pulse" options sparingly and try and limit this option to ONE ability per encounter
Filter displays according to the role (healer/dps/tank) you are playing, class is also often a consideration. Spells listed in BigWigs with an icon next to them (such as a healer or tank icon) by default will only display when you are playing as one of those roles, and may be left enabled without issue.







************************************************************
**Weak Auras 2**
************************************************************


I use weak auras 2 in conjunction with bigwigs to help supplement/improve the display of certain abilities (principally debuffs/buff tracking) of the boss encounters. I would highly recommend you learn to use this addon for tracking such abilities.


**Weak Aura 2 strings** referenced in guide may be found here among others - http://failed-experiment.enjin.com/f...d-aura-imports

How to Import Weak Aura 2 Strings[/b]
http://failed-experiment.enjin.com/f...mporting-guide







From the BigWigs menu /bw, click on the icon in the top right corner for "Bosses". Listed below is my suggested settings for all the Blackrock Foundry bosses.

http://i.imgur.com/LLgIT5D.jpg



**********
++++++++++++ Gruul ++++++++++++
**********

***Inferno Slice*** Everyone must enable "Emphasize"
**Tanks and Healers**: must also enable "Countdown"
**See BRF WA String**


Overhead Smash Enable

Overwhelming Blows - Fully Disabled
**See BRF WA String**


Petrifying Slam Enable "Only when on me", optional "Pulse" and/or "Flash". See BRF WA String Import
**See BRF WA String**


Destructive Rampage Enable

Cave In Fully Disabled

Berserk Enable





******************
++++++++++++ Oregorger ++++++++++++
******************

***Acid Torrent*** Fully Disabled for Melee DPS Enabled for Ranged DPS
**Tanks and Healers**: Must enable "Countdown", "Emphasized"
**See BRF WA String**


Acid Maw - Fully Disabled

***Retched Blackrock*** Fully Disabled for Tanks and Melee DPS
**Ranged and Healers**: Enable "Emphasized"

***Explosive Shard***Fully Disabled for Ranged Healers Tanks
**Melee DPS**: Enable "Emphasized" and "Countdown"
**See BRF WA String**


***Blackrock Barrage*** Enabled
**See BRF Oregorger Interrupt String, the boss gains up to 5 stacks of the buff (on Mythic), each cast of the barrage or a successful interrupt reduces the stack by 1**

Rolling Fury Enable

Stages Enable

Berserk Enable




************************
++++++++++++ Blast Furnace ++++++++++++
************************


Adds


Bellow Operator Spawns Enable

Security Guard Spawns Fully Disabled EXCEPT for Tanks
**Tanks**: Enable

Firecaller Spawns Fully Disabled EXCEPT for Raid Leader
**Raid Leader**: Enable

Cauterize Wounds Fully Disabled

***Volatile Fire*** Fully Disabled EXCEPT for Ranged DPS and Healers
**Ranged DPS and Healers**: Enable "Emphasize, Only When On Me"
**See BRF WA String**


Firecaller Marker Fully Disabled



Furnace Engineer


Furnace Engineer Spawns Fully Disabled

Repair Fully Disabled

***Bomb*** Enable "Emphasize, Only When On Me"
**See BRF WA String**


***Cluster of Lit Bombs*** Enable "Emphasize"
**See BRF WA String**



Foreman Feldspar


Pyroclasm Fully Disabled

Melt Armor Enable

***Rupture*** MUST Enable "Emphasize, Only When On Me" Pulse/Flash recommended if awareness if poor
**See BRF WA String**



Primal Elementalist

Shields Down Enable "Emphasize"

Shields Down Marker Fully Disabled EXCEPT for Raid Leader

***Reactive Earth Shield*** Enable "Emphasize"

***Fixate*** Enabled "Emphasize, Only When On Me"
**Raid Leader**: Enable "Emphasize" only so that you may see who must move to the primal elementalists
**See BRF WA String**


Burn Fully Disabled

Hardened Slag Fully Disabled

Slag Bomb Fully Disabled EXCEPT for Melee DPS
**Melee DPS**: Enable



Heart of the Mountain

Blast Enable

Heat Fully Disabled
**See BRF WA String**

***Melt*** Enable "Emphasize, Only When On Me" EXCEPT for Tanks
**Raid Leader**: Enable "Emphasize" ONLY, to allow indication of who has been targeted
**Tanks**: Fully Disabled
**See BRF WA String**


Superheated Fully Disabled


General

Stages Enable

Berserk Enable




******************************
++++++++++++ Beastlord Darmac ++++++++++++
******************************

***Rend and Tear*** - Fully Disabled for Ranged and Healers
**Tanks and Melee DPS**: Enable "Emphasize" and "Countdown"
**See BRF WA String**


Savage Howl - Fully disabled EXCEPT for Hunter. Druid, Rogue, Healers, Tanks
**Hunter Druid Rogue Healers, Tanks**: Enable "Emphasize"
**See BRF WA String**


Seared Flesh Enable
**See BRF WA Encounter String**

Inferno Breath Enable "Emphasize

Inferno Pyre - Fully Disabled

***Conflagration*** - Fully Disabled EXCEPT for Healers
**Healers**: Enable "Emphasize, Countdown"
**See BRF WA String**


Conflagration Marker Fully Disabled EXCEPT for Raid Leader

Superheated Shrapnel Enabled

Superheated Scrap Fully Disabled

Flame Infusion Fully Disabled

Crush Armor Enabled
**See BRF WA Encounter String**

Tantrum Enabled
**Healers**: Enable Emphasize

Stampede Enable

Epicenter Enable

Unstoppable Fully Disabled

***Pinned Down*** Enabled
**Healers and Ranged DPS**: Enable Emphasize, Countdown (and/or) Pulse
**See WA Pinned Down Import alternatively**

Pin Down Marker Fully Disabled EXCEPT for Raid Leader


**Call the Pack** Enabled
**DPS and Tanks**: Enable Emphasized

Stages Enable

Proximity Display Enable

Berserk Enable




******************************
++++++++++++ Operator Thogar ++++++++++++
******************************

Grom'Kar Man-at-Arms Marker Fully Disabled EXCEPT for Raid Leader

Grom'Kar Firemender Marker Fully Disabled EXCEPT for Raid Leader

Iron Bellow Fully Disabled EXCEPT for Healers
**Healers**: Enable "Emphasize"

Cauterizing Bolt Fully Disabled

Delayed Siege Bomb Enabled "Only When on Me, Emphasize"
**See BRF WA String**


Enkindle Enabled
**See BRF WA String**


Prototype Pulse Grenade Enabled "Only When on Me, Emphasize"
**See BRF WA String**


Train Warnings Enable
**Suggested to Install Thogar Helper Addon which replaces and improves the BigWigs Train Warnings**




************************
++++++++++++ Iron Maidens ++++++++++++
************************

Jump To Ship Enable "Emphasize, Countdown"

Warming Up Enable

Bombardment Enable

Corrupted Blood Fully Disabled

Earthen Barrier Fully Disabled

Deadly Throw Fully Disabled EXCEPT for Tanks
**Tanks**: Enable
**See BRF WA String**


Admiral Gar'an

***Rapid Fire*** Enable "Emphasize, Only When on Me"
**See BRF WA String**

***Penetrating Shot*** Enable "Emphasize"
**See BRF WA String**


Deploy Turret Enable EXCEPT for Melee DPS
**Tanks Healers and Ranged DPS**: Enable "Emphasize"



Enforcer Sorka

Blade Dash Fully Disabled

Convulsive Shadows Enable "Only When On Me"
**See BRF WA String**

Dark Hunt Enable "Only When On Me, Emphasize"
**See BRF WA String**



Marak the Blooded

***Blood Ritual*** Enable "Only When on Me, Emphasize"
**See BRF WA String**


***Bloodsoaked Heartseeker*** Enable "Only When On Me, Emphasize"
**Healers**: Enabled with "Emphasize" only
**See BRF WA String**


Bloodsoaked Heartseeker Marker Fully Disabled EXCEPT for Raid Leader
**See BRF WA String**


Sanguine Strikes Fully Disabled



General

Iron Will Fully Disabled




**************************************
++++++++++++ Hans'gar and Franzok ++++++++++++
**************************************

Smart Stampers Fully Disabled
**Recommended to use Hansgar and Franzok Assist Addon as alternative**

Disrupting Roar Fully Disabled EXCEPT for Caster DPS and Healers
**Caster DPS and Healers**: Enable "Emphasize"
**Alternative if Hans and Franz assist addon is installed you can Fully Disable

Skullcracker Fully Disabled

***Crippling Suplex*** Fully Disabled EXCEPT for Tanks and Healers
**Tanks and Healers**: Enable "Emphasize, Countdown"

Shattered Vertebrae Fully Disabled
*See BRF WA String**

Scorching Burns Fully Disabled

Body Slam Enable "Emphasize"

Stages Enable




**************************************
++++++++++++ Flamebender Ka'graz ++++++++++++
**************************************


Aknor Steelbringer

Devastating Slam Fully Disabled

Drop the Hammer Fully Disabled



Flamebender Ka'graz

***Lava Lash*** Enable "Emphasize"

Summon Enchanted Armaments Fully Disabled

Molten Torrent Enable "Emphasize"

***Molten Torrent on you*** Enable Emphasize
**See BRF WA String**

Summon Cinder Wolves Enable
**Tanks**: Enable "Emphasize, Countdown"

***Blazing Radiance*** Enable "Only When On Me, Emphasize"
**See BRF WA String**

***Firestorm*** Enable
**Healers**: Enable "Countdown, Emphasize"

Rising Flames Enable
**See BRF WA String**

Cinder Wolves Marker Fully Disabled EXCEPT for Raid Leader

Fixate Enable "Only When On Me, Emphasize"
**See BRF WA String**


Overheated Enable "Emphasize, (optionally) Countdown"

Charring Breath Enable
**See BRF WA String**


***Rekindle*** Enable
**All DPS**: Enable "Emphasize, Countdown**


General

Proximity Display Enable

Berserk Enable




**************
++++++++++++ Kromog ++++++++++++
**************

Mythic Mode

Rune of the Trembling Earth Enable

Call of the Mountain Enable


General

Warped Armor Enable

Stone Breath Enable

***Slam*** Enable
**Tanks and Healers**: Enable "Emphasize, (and Tanks optionally) Countdown"

***Rippling Smash*** Enable "Emphasize, Countdown"

Rune of Crushing Earth Fully Disabled

Rune of Grasping Earth Enable

Thundering Blows Enable

Frenzy Fully Disabled

Berserk Enable





******************
++++++++++++ Blackhand ++++++++++++
******************

Stage 1

Demolition Enable

Molten Slag - Fully Disabled




Stage 2

Siegemaker - Fully disabled for everyone EXCEPT hunters (who will be aggroing them).
**For Hunters**: Enable "Countdown" and "Emphasize"


Fixate - Enable "Only when on me" and "Emphasize"

Black Iron Plating - Fully disabled for everyone EXCEPT for Ranged DPS:
**Ranged DPS**: Disable "Bars". Enable "Messages" and "Emphasize"

Explosive Round - Fully Disabled EXCEPT for Ranged/Healers
**Ranged and Healers**: Enable the alert and Disable "Bars"




Stage 3

***Massive Shattering Smash*** Everyone must enable "Emphasize" AND "Countdown"

Massive Shattering Smash Marker - Fully Disabled

Slag Eruption - Fully Disabled

***Attach Slag Bombs*** Everyone must enable "Only when on me", "Say", "Pulse" and/or "Flash". Disable "Bars".




General


***Shattering Smash***
**These are the smashes that occur during Stage 1 and Stage 2 NOT Stage 3*
Fully Disabled for all EXCEPT for Tanks and players designated for clearing out adds on balcony
**Tanks and Balcony Group**: Enable "Emphasized" and "Countdown"


***Marked for Death -*** Everyone must enable "Only when on me", "Pulse", "Emphasize".
EXCEPT for players with an immunity (deterrence/iceblock)
**Classes with immunities**: should disable "Only when on me".



Marked for Death Marker - Fully Disabled


***Impaling Throw***
**This is the spear that is thrown at you during Stage 3**
Everyone must enable "Only when on me", and "Emphasize" EXCEPT for Healers
**Healers**: Must disable "Only when on me"


Throw Slag Bombs -
**These are the bombs that are randomly dispersed during Stage 1 and Stage 2 NOT Stage 3**
Full Disabled EXCEPT for Melee DPS and Tanks
**Tanks and Melee DPS**: enable "Emphasized".


Stages - Fully Disabled

[funkydude]

You don't really do the guide much justice by linking to a forum with a (seemingly) broken/restricted layout. You've clearly spent a lot of time on it, you should just post the actual guide here. Search engines will be more likely to pick up on it also.

[Smothered Hope]

Hmmm...I like it!

[Torchler]

I prefer BigWigs due to how well you can change each event / ability per boss fight. The reason why I don't use it is because how well DBM has implemented voice packs and HudMap.

BigWigs has this:
http://www.curse.com/addons/wow/bigwigs_voice

It's very incomplete though but i am sure people can contribute to it.

It's a good guide though

[Deleted]

You don't really do the guide much justice by linking to a forum with a (seemingly) broken/restricted layout. You've clearly spent a lot of time on it, you should just post the actual guide here. Search engines will be more likely to pick up on it also.

Hmmm...I like it!

It's a good guide though

Hey, thank you all a lot for the praise, I had considered putting it onto mmo-champ directly. I may do this over the next few days as I agree that the mere link is offputting. Actually this thread was so dead when I first posted, I wasnt sure there was any interest at all, glad to see that is not strictly the case :P.

*Edit: have done basic version of guide, wasnt as troublesome as I had expected.