Tags: widgets, bar, beyond-all-reason, ui, build-menu, converters
Must-Have BAR Widgets for Cleaner UI and Better Economy Tracking
Community-tested widget setups that improve your in-game information without cluttering the screen — converter tracking, build menu ordering, and the widget database.
Track converter usage at a glance
Economy management in BAR is a game of percentages. A lightweight widget that shows the percentage of metal and energy converters currently in use lets you know instantly if you're wasting resources or about to get energy-starved. This is one of those widgets that sounds minor until you try it, then you realize you've been flying blind for dozens of matches. Any active BAR player running more than a handful of converters should run something like this. It changes how you think about economy transitions mid-game.
Reorder your build menu the way you want
BAR's default build menu isn't bad, but it's not optimized for how you play. You can reorder it yourself. Find your BAR root folder — open the launcher, click "Open Installation Directory." Create a luaui folder, then a configs folder inside that. From there you can drop in build menu configuration files that change the order of every builder option. Put your most-used units first, bury the ones you never build. This is a ten-minute change that saves seconds every single game.
The widget database exists
The SpringRTS WidgetDatabaseFAQ is the central reference for BAR widgets. If you're looking for something specific — economy tracking, unit info, map overlays — check there before building one from scratch. The database has dozens of community widgets, most of which work with current BAR builds. It's not always perfectly updated, but it's the best starting point we've got.
Creed
Tools that reduce friction and make complex information accessible are part of what makes BAR's community special:
"Creed of Champions is a great place to learn and play BAR in a friendly atmosphere. Training sessions, team gameplay, even some non-BAR stuff. Large cross section of abilities, time zones, and game mode interests."