f13.net

I just started leveling up an alt after a long break. I was reminded how much of a pain I find the experience bar. The old hack I used to remove it long since stopped working. So I took a look at the Blizzard code again.

Pretty much every interface element in WoW young can disable with a one line Element:Hide(); script. No so the experience bar, which is specially coded to prevent that. The only option if you want to get rid of the experience bar is to trash the entire MainMenu frame and build your own.

Fortunately, lots of people will do that for you. The Bongos addon for example. But what baffles me is why someone in Blizzard thinks it worth extra coding to make removing the experience bar a big hassle. Are they afraid that without the little bar to follow, people will quit playing?

It was meant to drive WUA insane.

IT WORKS TOO.

Instead of trying to hide it, can you just mess up its data source somehow?  Make it always display a full bar or an empty bar or whatever.

Yeah. Thats what I did in my first pass years ago. Just modified Blizzard's code to turnoff the update function. But they rewrote the UI system to hide all that code. Now you can only send a simple range of messages to the UI elements. Including a message to say "hide". Except they specially modified the ExperienceBar object so it wouldn't obey this messsage.

Create UI/addon window shaped like an XP bar, but black, and position it over Blizzard's XP bar so it covers it?

Tried that. Works until the XP bar updates, then the new image overwrote my black bar. At that point, I just quit trying and downloaded the Bongos addon. But I thought I would post about it.  I tihink its significant that someone at Blizzard expended resources to make the XP bar difficult to remove. I'd like to see "Hide experience bar" on the tick list next to "Hide helmet". But obviously that is never going to happen.

Tape a thin piece of construction paper across your monitor when you play? That'll hardcode that pesky exp bar out of your vision.

Set it to display your current reputation level with a useless or rarely interacted with faction.  At least that way, it never moves (cenarian circle would probably be a good one)

It displays them both.. just makes the xp bar smaller.  I know from doing this on my latest alt.  :drill:

Oh? Is that on the default UI? I use a UI mod, so mine, i think, just shows the rep bar, no exp bar.

Yeah. The default UI really, really doesn't want you turning off the experience bar. Once you start loading major addons, it ceases to be a problem. But if you are replacing your default UI, you are already pretty hardcore. Need less cheese right under your nose to keep you subscribed.

CT Mod has an option to hide the XP bar within it's CT_Bottom Bar options.

So does Bongos 2

Yep. I'm using Bongos and like it. But my point was more that Blizzard are deliberately adding code to make turning off the experience bar difficult. That would be prime material for a lawyer if a "you addicted my child to WoW" case ever makes it to court. The restriction is of no benefit to the player. It only enhances reinforcement. Good game design perhaps, but perhaps a bit risky legally.

sigh wtf is that? reinforcement of addiction? are you serious? might as well blame dps metre for making me feel depressed and suicidal right? The People VS Ctidalwave

I'm trying to think like a lawyer here. If the argument sounds insane to the average gamer, I am clearly on the right track :-) . Stop giving them more ideas..

I draw an experience bar on the wipe board in my cubicle everyday.  I gradually color it in as the day goes by.

It makes me feel like I actually am getting something done and has addicted me to my job.

Experience bars are the best thing evar!