NeedToKnow allows you to monitor specific buffs and debuffs of your choosing as timer bars that always appear in a consistent place on your screen in a consistent color. It's especially useful for monitoring frequently used short-duration buffs and debuffs. For example, a rogue could configure NeedToKnow to show timer bars for Slice and Dice, Rupture, and their own stack of Deadly Poison VII. NeedToKnow also works with procs and on-use trinkets. The number, size, position, and color of timer bars are all customizable.
New in latest version
- Works with WoW 3.0 (Wrath of the Lich King)
- Added option to only show buff/debuff if it was applied by you
Instructions
General options are available in the Blizzard interface options menu. You can type "/needtoknow" or "/ntk" to lock/unlock the addon. To configure individual bars, right click them while unlocked. Bars work while locked.
When entering your settings, be careful with your spelling and capitalization. Also remember that buffs sometimes have different names than the abilities or items that cause them. For example, the buff from Bloodlust Brooch is called "Lust for Battle".
Version note
The reminder icons from previous versions of NeedToKnow have been greatly expanded in functionality and split off into their own addon: TellMeWhen
To do list
Add more options for graphical customization: time display format, background color/alpha, bar spacing, and bar padding.
Version 2.0.1:
Updated for WoW 3.0 (Wrath of the Lich King).
Added option to only show buffs/debuffs if applied by self.
Version 2.0:
Added support for monitoring debuffs.
Added support for variable numbers of bars.
Added support for separate groups of bars.
Added support for monitoring buffs/debuffs on target, focus, pet, or target of target.
Bars are now click-through while locked.
Reminder icons have been been greatly expanded in functionality and split off into their own addon: TellMeWhen.
Cleaner bar graphics.
Users of older versions will need to re-enter settings.
Version 1.2:
Updated for WoW 2.4 API changes.
Version 1.1.1:
Icons should now work properly with item cooldowns.
Reset button should now work properly when you first use the AddOn.
Version 1.1:
Icons will now show when reactive abilities (Riposte, Execute, etc.) are available.
Added options for bar color and texture.
Added graphical user interface. Most slash commands gone.
Added localization support. Translations would be much appreciated.
Users of older version will need to re-enter settings.
Version 1.0:
Hello world!
Installation Guide
- Exit "World of Warcraft" completely
- Download the mod you want to install
- Make a folder on your desktop called "My Mods"
- Save the .zip/.rar files to this folder.
- If, when you try to download the file, it automatically "opens" it... you need to RIGHT click on the link and "save as..." or "Save Target As".
- Extract the file - commonly known as 'unzipping'
Do this ONE FILE AT A TIME!
- Windows
- Windows XP has a built in ZIP extractor. Double click on the file to open it, inside should be the file or folders needed. Copy these outside to the "My Mods" folder.
- WinRAR: Right click the file, select "Extract Here"
- WinZip: You MUST make sure the option to "Use Folder Names" is CHECKED or it will just extract the files and not make the proper folders how the Authors designed
- Mac Users
- StuffitExpander: Double click the archive to extract it to a folder in the current directory.
- Verify your WoW Installation Path
That is where you are running WoW from and THAT is where you need to install your mods.
- Move to the Addon folder
- Open your World of Warcraft folder. (default is C:\Program Files\World of Warcraft\)
- Go into the "Interface" folder.
- Go into the "AddOns" folder.
- In a new window, open the "My Mods" folder.
- The "My Mods" folder should have the "Addonname" folder in it.
- Move the "Addonname" folder into the "AddOns" folder
- Start World of Warcraft
- Make sure AddOns are installed
- Log in
- At the Character Select screen, look in lower left corner for the "addons" button.
- If button is there: make sure all the mods you installed are listed and make sure "load out of date addons" is checked.
- If the button is NOT there: means you did not install the addons properly. Look at the above screenshots. Try repeating the steps or getting someone who knows more about computers than you do to help.
Translations
When you download a mod, please be sure that the mod is compatible with your translation of wow. Some mods only work on the US versions, while some only work on some of the various European versions. These variations are called "Localizations".
TOC Numbers (Out of Date Mods)
When Blizzard patches WoW, they change the Interface number. This means that all mods will be "out of date" unless or until the author releases a new version for that interface. Some people go into the .toc files and update the numbers themselves, but this is STRONGLY advised against as it will cause problems locating possible incompatibilities addons. When you log into WoW after a patch, you DO NOT have to delete your interface directory. All you have to do is simply tell WoW to ignore the interface numbers and load all the mods anyway. All you have to do is, while at the "character select" screen, look in the lower left corner and click on the "addons" button. A window will pop up listing all your installed mods.
If you look in the upper left corner of that window there should be a box that says "Load Out of Date AddOns". You want to CHECK this box. Now simply go into WoW normally and all your mods should load. As of the 1.9 patch, you will have to do this after EVERY patch/update that Blizzard posts! If you encounter any problems with a mod after a patch, please be sure to let the author of the mod know so they can fix it.
See also: About "Out Of Date AddOns"
Mac Support
WoW addons are not platformed based. As such, they can be used on either Mac or PC. You can extract both .zip and .rar files on a Mac using StuffitExpander.
Directory Structure
World of Warcraft
|_ Interface
|_AddOns
|_*AddonName*
|_ *AddonName*.toc
|_ *AddonName*.xml
|_ *AddonName*.lua
|_ (possibly others as well)...