Learn about SimCraft

WoW Insider just had a recent article regarding gear simulations, in which the author comes out in defense of gearing simulators (such as SimulationCraft), and while this article will likely lead to many joining the world of theorycrafting, I know that many others have been around the circuit for quite some time.  However, for those that are just getting into the theorycrafting game, you may be wondering where to start.

Where to Start?

A good place to start is by looking into your individual class theorycrafting sites.  As a shadow priest, I frequent the forums on http://www.shadowpriest.com (though I will admit that I have rarely posted on the site),  which is considered the quintessential shadow priest website, and I very much recommend going there if you are interested in making yourself into a top of the line Spriest.

However, you may want to get into doing a bit of your own theorycrafting, at which point, I would direct you over to the download section of the SimulationCraft (a.k.a. SimCraft) website, where you can pick up the latest version of their software.  Once you download the software, which is downloaded in a .zip file format, you simply have to unpackage the zip file, and find a place for it on your computer (for a decompression program, I suggest 7-Zip, an easy to use, Open Source (free) program).  Once you have unpackaged the zip file, you are ready to start your simulations.

To start your simulation with SimCraft, you have two options:

1. Graphical Interface
2. Command Prompt

I strongly recommend using the graphical interface (SimulationCraft.exe), because the command prompt version takes quite a bit more effort to use, and you basically end up with the same results anyway, so why not use something that is a bit easier to use.

DoT & HoT Haste Calculation Made Easy

Recently, Cynwise over at Cynwise’s Battlefield Manual posted a spreadsheet for calculating haste, which is an incredibly useful tool.   However, I found that it had one major downfall, it lacks the ability to have more than 4 DoTs/HoTs in the spreadsheet without a good bit of editing, and even if you do add more than 4, it would become somewhat ugly to look at if you decided to add all DoTs/HoTs for every class.

So, I have decided that, in order to make our lives easier as theorycrafters and players, I would write a small program that could handle the same basic information (in fact, using the same calculations), but allow the information to persist, and be easy to use.

Greens Replacing HM Gear? Not quite!

Recently, while questing in Mount Hyjal people were complaining about replacing their heroic mode Icecrown Citadel gear with Uncommon quality “green” items from the quests in Mount Hyjal (and in Vashj’ir as I have been told), but from my experience questing through the zone, I was not finding the same “upgrades” that they were seeing.  So, I decided to do a little investigating on the items.