Addons- Introduction

=Addons/Mods for WoW= An "Addon" is a small piece of code made to "plug into" the larger WoW game. These "modules" aren't programs by themselves generally, and therefore tend to pose a low risk factor for downloading and installing as long as normal procedures for virus/malware scanning archive files are observed.

These small bits of code are aimed at expanding the capabilities of the WoW interface (or "UI") in various ways. Some of them do very small things like remove or hide bits of the interface, others can add information and features to the interface. And of course some of these modules are also authored with the interests of Roleplayers in mind. It occurs to me that the Wiki here might benefit from a list of such things, and of course in particular, those Addons dedicated to Roleplay.

=Distribution Websites= Mods/Addons are usually written by WoW users, for WoW users. But not every amateur coder has a place to put such things, and so a number of large archive sites have become available for users to upload and more commonly download user-created Addons. Some of the more popular sites for the distribution of Addons include:


 * Curse.com
 * WoWUI.net
 * WoWInterface.com

Some of these sites also feature site-based virus scanning and the like to ensure the safety of the files distributed (though this is by no means a substitute for personal caution) and automatic updating programs which you can customize only to download/update the modules you posess.

=Roleplay Addons=

RSP-Type Addons
...for lack of a better name.

These sorts of Addons owe their heritage to an old mod called "Xtensiontooltip". Basically what this module did was augment the existing game tooltip to display extra information- such as last names (never included in the game), short appearance blurbs, histories and so on. The Addon would share this information over custom chat channels to whatever users requested it by mousing over someone. The result was a neat seamless little way to share with other players this extra information. In time this function grew somewhat into larger, more robust Addons with more features, the first of which was known as "FlagRSP". For Roleplayers that use Addons, these sorts of Modules are considered to be the cornerstone of one's repetoire, and are often an easy way to spot fellow Roleplayers.

Initially, only FlagRSP served this purpose, but more recently (and as FlagRSP fell into disrepair by its author) several competing Addons were developed to fill this role. The top three in this category currently include:


 * MyRoleplay (MRP)
 * FlagRSP2
 * ImmersionRP (IRP, possibly defunct)

Each offers slightly different features, but for the most part, they are compatible with one another and capable of reading information from one another.

Language Addons
These Addons attempt to do their best to emulate the effects of speaking and/or learning different languages. Although Language Skills have been listed on the character pane since WoW was first released, Blizzard has never made them function as skills- you cannot learn more languages than the one or two you start with. Additionally Blizzard has been quite adamant about keeping the factions sperated from one another in language- and there are few ways- apart from rudimentary emotes- that a player on one faction can speak to another directly.

And while these Addons can't breach the faction language barrier, nor add real skills to a character's repetoire, they do use "garbling" algorithms very similar to what Blizzard uses in-game. The Effect is about as "real" as it gets.


 * Lore
 * Tongues

"Prop"-Creation Addons

 * Ephemeral
 * Gryphonheart Items

Miscellaneous

 * Roleplay Helper 2- This addon allows a player to add a bit more "flavor" to their interactions in the world with NPCs (both hostile and otherwise) by automatically triggering speech and emote in response to in-world events- such as speaking to an NPC, being hit in combat, or even Trading with other players. These emotes and sayings can be custom written by the player and have random triggers whose frequency may be set by the player.  Having this is not necessary of course, but it is a neat little mod I thought bears mentioning.