On my characters, I tend to duplicate what we used to call "hitsmode" windows (back in one of the earlier UIs). I create a couple extra chat windows and set up up at the top. In the one on the top left, I put all the "combat spam". So hits by/against others. Damage Shield reports. Non mellee damage. All the stuff that wizzes by. In the middle top window, I put combat stuff I care about. Typically, this is my hits/misses, and hits/misses against me and nothing else. That way I can tell at a glance if I'm getting hit, and when in combat whether I'm hitting the other guy more often than he's hitting me (green versus red basically). Those windows I set to a transparent fade level, so that they are invisible unless I put my mouse over them. That way the text kinda just hangs out there, but doesn't block my view. In the bottom left window, I put stuff like spell casts and damage, special ability activations, etc. That way I can see when spells are being cast and what their results are, but it doesn't distract me that much.
This leaves the main window with just chat. So I can carry on a conversation and not lose track of it even if I'm in combat. Important when getting combat instructions from group members. I also tend to change the colors for certain things I really want to pay attention to. For example, with my paladin, I change the color for npc spell casting to a nice bright pink. That way I know when mobs are casting spells so I can try to interrupt them. It's not perfect, but it works.
Lots of possible variations, and what works best will depend on your own preferences and the class you're playing at the time. Regardless of how you specifically set things up, it's a really good idea to have one window that *only* shows chat. If you don't, you'll constantly be losing messages from other people. Which can range from annoying to deadly, or raid wiping.
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King Nobby wrote:
More words please