Interface enhancements
 
A welcomed update is often one rich in new functionality. Which is lucky since the Dofus 2.6 update that we have been presenting to you with for the past few weeks is surely not lacking in new features.


But for an update to be truly successful, it isn't enough to just add new things... we must also improve the existing stuff! So, here are some improvements to the Dofus 2.6 interfaces.

Quick Shortcut Bars

 
Shortcut placement
First of all, we reviewed the shortcut bar system that can be found on the bottom right of the game interface. For the purpose of clarity, we wanted to standardize the way that the "Spells" and "Objects" tabs work.
 
Previously, it was only possible to move or add spell shortcuts if the Spell List interface was open, but this could be done both during a fight or out of combat. However, objects' shortcuts could be moved without the inventory being opened but became impossible to move once in a fight.
 
Now, both tabs perform the same functionality:
-    Outside of battle, you can move any shortcut without needed to open the corresponding interface.
-    In combat, you must open the list of spell in the Spell List interface to move a shortcut out of the bar. For item shortcuts or fast equipment icons, one must open the Inventory.
 
Smileys and Emotes
For the longest time we found that spells, items and fast equipment icons seemed to be bored, all alone in these big shortcut bars... So we decided to provide them with a little bit of company by allowing you to define shortcuts for your favorite Smileys and Emotes.
 
It is quite easy to place an emote or smiley in the shortcut menu: simply drag them from their expandable menu on the left of the interface, just above the chat area, to the shortcut tile of your choice. This way, all your favorite emotes will always be just a click away!
 
Smileys have also benefited from a slight reorganization, thanks to Seyroth, so that their ordering is more logical.
 

Maps, Guilds and Filters

Customizing Map Landmarks
 
There is another tool that we have wanted to improve on and that is the world map, as well as its little sister... the mini-map of the central medallion. We've come to realize that the landmarks placed on these maps as well as those automatically added by quests (and also by following a spouse, a group, a NPC location, coordinates of Zaaps, paddocks or a house for sale, or simply by clicking on coordinates mentioned in chat) often lacked clarity.
 
This made the possibility of adding multiple reference coordinates to your map a reality, and yet -  as you can see - the problem was that it was impossible at times to remember the purpose of these landmarks easily.
 
In order to fix this readability issue, I looked into the whole landmark placement system.
 
Landmarks better differentiated.
 
For starters, the color codes of the different landmark options were reviewed:
    - Yellow for a customized position (manually placed on the map).
    - Green for quest objectives.
    - Black for profession related maps or NPC.
    - Pink for your spouses' last known coordinates.
    - Blue for the coordinates of a character being tracked by the "Follow a group member" feature.
    - Dark Orange for a character's last known coordinates.
    - Light Orange for the coordinates of a house or paddock listed in the Estate Agent's interface.
 
We have also added a tooltip on both the map and mini-map which will be displayed when hovering over the various markers, in order to remind you of the type of map marker it is.
 
Better visibility of quest objectives
 
It is the green map markers (that show quest objectives), which have benefited the most from some special attention. Unlike the other types of unique landmarks, you can accumulate up to 5 simultaneous quest related map markers.
Upon hovering over those markers on the mini-map, the name of the quest objectives as well as the corresponding map coordinates will be displayed. Right clicking on the landmark icon will also open a contextual menu with a link to the associated quest.
We hope to make your roaming around a lot easier as well as simplifying your life when doing quests, saving you from the usual issues such as "What is this flag for again?" or "Where do I have to go again?"
   
Easily removable points of reference
 
To avoid overloading your maps with too many unnecessary or outdated points of reference, we reviewed the various means available to you to remove a map marker. Three options are now available to you so you can delete a point of reference that you no longer need:
    - Click again on the button or text that originally placed the landmark.
    - Open the contextual menu of the landmark by right clicking it, then click on "Delete".
    - If it is a quest landmark, simply go to the map associated with the landmark, with your character.
 
New filters
 
In addition to the reorganization of the points of reference, we added two additional filters to the world map in order to improve its legibility. These filters allow you to display or hide a specific category of icons on the map.
You are already familiar with the "Dungeons" filters for the entrance maps of different dungeons, "Territory of Conquest" for Bontarian and Brakmarian prisms, "Miscellaneous" for Zaaps, emotes, boats and carriers, "Workshops" for professions, "Sell rooms" for commerce, and "Class Temple" for your temples and the dopples they host as well as the Astrub statues.
 
From version 2.6 onwards, the filters "Points of reference" and "Possessions" are added.
 


The first one will simply allow you to display or hide active points of reference on your map.
The second and more complete filter, will allow you to display the house associated with your account on the server, if you have one, and also all of your Guild's active houses, paddocks and perceptors.
 
When hovering over the icon of an active perceptor, a tooltip will appear listing the kamas, remaining pods, estimated value of gathered resources and experience accumulated.

 
Finally, the filters that were previously reserved to the world map can now be modified from the mini map in the contextual menu that you can open with a right click.
 
Combat Log
 
With the democratization of multiple effect spells and weapons with several damages... the combat log in the chat interface has become harder and harder to follow, with so many lines of text scrolling at high speed without giving you a chance to breathe! The logical result of this lack of legibility was simple: less and less players follow the combat log. Taking into consideration the fact that we wish to propose fights that become more and more tactical, and that it is often necessary to pay attention to the effects of spells casted by enemies in order to understand the strategy of a fight, we had to do something to improve the combat log! As such, several changes have been made to its display:
 
Attack damages that result in several lines of descriptive damages are now grouped as follows: <total damages> (<per line detail>)
   
Note: This feature will be activated by default as of version 2.6 but you will always be able to disable it and revert back to the traditional display, through the game options.
 
Similarly, the loss of BP (Shields) are grouped:
 
When the damage of a spell causes the death of its target, the information on both the damages and the death of a character are also grouped:

 
If an attack causes no damages (due to significant resistances or invulnerability, for example) the damage information is still displayed in order to better identify the offensive spells (even when failed), in the log.
 
As always, we hope these small improvements will assist you and that your gaming experience will only benefit from it! We also would like to remind you that these changes are planned for the 2.6 Dofus version, so beta testing will take place during the month of March.
 
Thank you for your time, and enjoy the game!
 
(*And thanks to our volunteer translator for helping get this devblog out today)