This meta post is an update to TankPoints Addon v2.8.2 - Helpful Hints for Feral Druids.
As I threatened to do, I cracked open the lua files in the TankPoints addon, and recognized that Whitetooth is using the Ace3 framework, with a new architecture that can integrate TankPoints into his other wonderful addon, RatingBuster.
The good news is that there is a version of RatingBuster out there that correctly accounts for the changes to Feral Druid armor contribution from items made in 3.0.8. After I updated RatingBuster, TankPoints began reporting the correct values as well.
Painless! My goggles go off, once again, to the magnanimous Whitetooth for this elegant design.
As an aside, I refrain from using Rawr or Pawn or any other addon that lets me set my own numerical weights to the different combat ratings, because I don't want hypothetical numbers and values. I want the correct values, specifically the reverse engineered values that Whitetooth has produced through empirical testing, and I want my talents, glyphs, current form, diminishing returns, and level to all be accurately accounted for when determinining the impact a stat change will have on me at go-time. I also want transparency in the methods used to perform the reverse engineering.
This optimal data is precisely what RatingBuster and TankPoints bring to the table.
My Skyrim Walkthrough: 6 Random Episodes
12 years ago
Question: How do Whitetooth's numbers have any more transparency than those arrived at by respected feral theorycrafters like Emmerald or Tossk?
ReplyDeleteThe way you're describing them so far they seem awfully black-box to me. Could you perhaps go into more detail in a future post?
BTW - when most people use Pawn/Rawr, they plug in numbers from theorycrafters who have spent countless hours analyzing/number-crunching/simulating feral mechanics. Also, add-ons (like Pawn) correctly take into account things like stances without needing the player to remember to switch forms to see the proper numbers.
What are the differences between Whitetooth's data and Rawr's except for the fact that Rawr is religiously kept up to date?
ReplyDeleteSo is this a special version of ratingbuster or just the lastest update, which is 1.4.3.? As it stands, I've pretty much quit using TP and RB for evaluating tank gear since 3.0.8.
ReplyDelete@All: I'm a grad student in computer science. So, I'm not opposed to Rawr or strong competition in the addon community at all, and am not perfectly content with *any* of my addons. Further, my intention is not to be dismissive of the use of these addons or to insult anyone's preference for them. I'm grateful for the different perspectives posed here.
ReplyDelete@Karthis:
RE: Whitetooth's numbers vs respected analysts like Emmerald or Tossk - I'm sure you'll agree that a respected theorycrafters' reputation is derived from the quality of his or her data, not vice-versa. If their data is sound, it should be used. We're fortunate to have a diverse community of smart folks who can independently verify each others' work. Whitetooth's formulae derive the base combat ratings in use for WotLK. None of these (such as agility points per % chance to dodge) have changed in 3.0.8 to my knowledge.
@Scott: Correct, this is not a special version of RatingBuster, just the latest version (1.4.3). I should have checked to make sure I was up-to-date prior to making the first post, and won't make that mistake again. I'm still actively looking for bugs and areas of improvement in the latest version of RB.
@wewhoeat: Rawr's "extremely user friendly, graphical, fast, easy to use interface" does not run on OS X, which kind of upsets me now that I've heard so many great things about it. Whitetooth's combat ratings data can be used inside the game, on a Mac. I'll be happy to try Rawr just as soon as they port it.
@Etaiu:
ReplyDeletePerhaps you could run thru Whitetooth's numbers in some future post. I would find something like that to be quite informative.
Thanks!