Ruby’s new UI- Ruby Sanctum

I spent the last two days creating what I think is the ultimate UI! Well for me anyway. I’ve been using Spartan UI but I just felt really cluttered and realized I didn’t need every button showing after all. So I got down to work and came up with my Ruby Sanctum theme based heavily on the BornabeUI BTex Druid skin. Much thanks to Bornabe from the WoWinterface forums for creating the original!

I’ve designed the UI to only show what I need to see, when I need to see it, and to otherwise just be inspirational art. I’ve posted two pictures, one when my character is doing absolutely nothing and the other with everything showing (though there is no time that all of the buttons would be showing at once).

The first picture is of the UI in it’s natural state. The only parts of the game interface you can see is the mini-map with my lore mod button right below it, Ruby’s portrait, and a single row of buttons along the bottom allowing me to sprint, mount, a steath timer indicator, and my Gryphonheart Items button. Besides those it’s nothing but artwork from the Ruby Sanctum!

 

Next is a picture with everything activated. The chat window only shows when people are chatting, Recount and Omen only show when I call them up, all of the buttons above the minimap and Recount as well as the bags only show up on a mouseover, and finally the rest of stuff you see only shows up during combat.

The combat buttons near the chat window are done 3x4 as it corresponds to my Razer Naga mouse. They’re just there to remind me which button is what when I forget.

The result is a clean and uncluttered UI that to me helps enhance the game rather than take away from it.

The following mods were used to create this UI:

-Btex Graphic UI Mod

-BornabeUI BTex Druid Skin

-Sexymap (not only lets me move the minimap but it provided the leafy border to match the rest of the UI).

-XPearl frames

Also used was the artwork from the Ruby Sanctum loading screen and a red drake taken from WoW Model Viewer.

Technorati Tags: World of Warcraft,Ruby Sanctum,WoW UI,WoW Hud

Whimsical Day

What do red dragons do when they’re not busy guarding Azeroth from the horrors of the Old Gods and their pawns? They have a relaxing day in their Ruby Sanctum. Enchantment and wonder ensure!

Just thought I’d share an image of a wallpaper I made for my desktop featuring Ruby and… Alexstrasza! It was made for a resolution of 1152x864 pixels as that is the resolution of my screen.

I know Alexstrasza’s size is a little bit off but I thought the feel of the scene was more important than realism. I’m super proud of it and think it came off well. At the very least it makes me smile every time I minimize my browser.

Of course when the Black Dragonflight assaults the Ruby Sanctum soon… Ruby will be pissed. Can’t a dragon have anywhere to just hang out and be themselves?

Technorati Tags: World of Warcraft,Role-Playing,WoW Wallpaper,Red Dragonflight,Alexstrasza,Rublestrasza,Ruby Sanctum

/Wyrmhearth

The Dragonsworn Council is pleased to announce the creation a new IC chat channel for the Sentinels server. /Wyrmhearth will allow players to role-play even while grinding, questing, PvP’ing, instancing, and even raiding! A perfect way to liven up a day when other aspects of the game are starting to wear thin or to meet new RP contacts that you might not otherwise encounter.

/Wyrmhearth by default is set in the Wyrmhearth Tavern in Thelsamar, but when not otherwise in use it can be used for other settings temporarily.

The rules are as follows: Keep it PG-13, please be courteous to the other players in the channel, and listen to the Wyrmhearth’s staff the rare times they may need to moderate. The Wyrmhearth Tavern is run by Moralynn and Rublestrasza.

Please note: Your desire to be an ass does not trump the right of others to feel comfortable. If a moderator tells you to stop something, even if they’re wrong, they’re still right. Just move on to another topic.

Technorati Tags: Sentinels server,Role-Playing,Dragonsworn Council

What is DragonWhimsy.net?

Quick summary:

DragonWhimsy.net is a role-player's blog for World of Warcraft containing character journals, fiction, articles on role-playing, reviews and reflections on how the game can effect the typist.

Longer version:

DragonWhimsy.net is a blog about bringing out one’s creativity, imagination, and sense of wonder through the use of an MMO (in this case World of Warcraft) and the interaction with like-minded people and their characters that can only be found in such a form of entertainment as well as how life on a role-playing server in an MMO can effect the typist’s real life as well.

Going forward you can expect the following kinds of articles:

-Articles on role-playing. Tips, advice, and just thoughts on the art in general.

-Quick reviews on World of Warcraft merchandise from a loregeek’s perspective.

-Journal entries from my in-game characters.

-The adventures of the Dragonsworn Council, the heavy RP’ing guild I founded.

-Observations on how life in an MMO can effect the typist.

The author reserves the right to occasionally offer comments on other non-WoW fantasy related geekery.

The Characters:

The following characters are covered in the journal entries:

Ruby Astherion: Ruby is currently my main character for RP’ing. She is a crimson whelpling who has learned to shift far too early for her own good. She’s small, cute, fierce, wise, and innocent all at the same time. She is quickly reaching her drakehood however and is more teenager than child. She loyally serves Alexstrasza the Life-Binder.

She is also known by her true name Rublestrasza the Noble.

Elitists may want to read this blog entry before passing judgment:

I play a dragon, deal with it.

Rhune Astherion: Ruby is Rhune’s “pet” though it may be more accurate to say Rhune is her pet instead. Perhaps “adopted father” is closer the mark. He is my previous main character for RP though he is currently in semi-retirement after being played almost uninterrupted for the two years prior to my rolling Ruby up as a gnome.

He was the center of a great many storylines which all took place prior to my creating this blog unfortunately. He still shows up from time to time and I have the feeling it is only a matter of time before the spotlight shines on him again.

He is also the patron of the Astherion family which at one time was a large family of characters played by various friends of mine that has since faded somewhat.

Rhune serves the Kirin Tor and it’s pro-Alliance faction the Silver Covenant.

Dame Faylian Lanstryde: Faylian is my death knight and the character I turn to when I want to play someone a bit “darker”. She has the same goals as most adventurers in the current war: the destruction of the Lich King and the Scourge, but she will achieve that aim at any cost. She is a very dark shade of morally grey. Sorrow has also rendered her not entirely sane and those that meet her will find her either ice cold or very emotional. There is never a middle ground with Faylian.

Faylian is ultra-loyal to Highlord Mograine and the Knights of the Ebon Blade.

The typist responsible for all this:

My name is Terren Bruce and I am a proud geek and bookworm. Favorite pastimes include World of Warcraft (Sentinels RP Server), StarCraft 2, Dungeon's & Dragons 4th Edition, and Battletech.

I have a passion for writing and storytelling. Nothing makes my heart go pitter patter more than a well told story or crafting such myself.

Dragons and magic, worlds of enchantment and wonder, epic tales and whimsical adventures... those are what I love.

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