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09-24-09, 10:22 PM   #1
bkp57
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Question 'Point me at my target' mod?

I sometimes find it hard to see myself while I'm tanking on my gnome death knight, especially in a crowd, so sometimes it's difficult for me to see which way I'm facing. If i'm not facing my target, that's a problem.

I'm a big fan of the 'crazy arrow' feature of TomTom and some other mods, so I was wondering if something similar exists or could be crafted that would simply 'point at my target', like something similar to a waypoint, showing direction and distance.

This could also be useful for some mods that help you to target rare spawns, as sometimes the target may be behind you somewhere, or in a place obstructed by terrain or cover (like forest or buildings or something).

Any ideas?

Thanks

bkp57
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09-24-09, 10:26 PM   #2
zero-kill
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Not to my knowledge, I usually zoom in to find my bearings - but then again I only play tank classes anymore so it's all natural from instinct, Juggernaut mode regardless of where I'm facing.
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09-24-09, 10:33 PM   #3
Seerah
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Addons cannot interact with the 3d world, and it is additionally impossible to know the coordinates of your target.
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09-24-09, 10:42 PM   #4
Xrystal
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Is there an attack that automatically faces the target ?

For my priest there is mind flay which automatically refaces you to the target. Perhaps other classes have something similar. Although I haven't spotted it myself on my other characters.
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09-24-09, 11:04 PM   #5
ShadowProwler420
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Isn't there some sort of setting in the game's options that will automatically turn you to face your target when autoattack is turned on? I seem to remember having something like that back when a friend of mine let me make a toon on his account (back when BC was still new).
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09-24-09, 11:32 PM   #6
zero-kill
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There isn't an option, however if you mash enough buttons you might be able to turn around or figure out that you aren't facing your target
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09-25-09, 01:50 AM   #7
Cowmonster
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Originally Posted by Xrystal View Post
Is there an attack that automatically faces the target ?

For my priest there is mind flay which automatically refaces you to the target. Perhaps other classes have something similar. Although I haven't spotted it myself on my other characters.
That's not the only one priests have and some other dps have one or two themselves, but to my knowledge no tank has an ability that "auto-faces" them.
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09-25-09, 01:51 AM   #8
Cowmonster
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Originally Posted by ShadowProwler420 View Post
Isn't there some sort of setting in the game's options that will automatically turn you to face your target when autoattack is turned on? I seem to remember having something like that back when a friend of mine let me make a toon on his account (back when BC was still new).
Best I can figure you are thinking of click-to-move which still doesn't really fill the need.
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09-25-09, 03:23 AM   #9
Mechrior
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Originally Posted by Seerah View Post
it is additionally impossible to know the coordinates of your target.
so how does NUI know the coordinates of rare mobs when you mouse over them?!
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09-25-09, 06:15 AM   #10
Akryn
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You should always be able to tell where your target is. Unless you click the action buttons your mouse should always be free for mouselook. So just hold the right button and face yourself at your target. Also, if you always turn via mouselook as opposed to the arrow keys you'll almost never be facing the wrong way.
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09-25-09, 08:42 AM   #11
zero-kill
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Originally Posted by Mechrior View Post
so how does NUI know the coordinates of rare mobs when you mouse over them?!
There is a database that has an approximate coordinate, however it is pretty accurate if the mob doesn't move (i.e. Humar in Barrens).
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09-25-09, 10:16 AM   #12
Cowmonster
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Originally Posted by Akryn View Post
You should always be able to tell where your target is. Unless you click the action buttons your mouse should always be free for mouselook. So just hold the right button and face yourself at your target. Also, if you always turn via mouselook as opposed to the arrow keys you'll almost never be facing the wrong way.
None of that helps if he doesn't know where his toon is. Roll a gnome tank and you'll see what he's talking about...those little buggers are hard to track in a group of mobs. To properly orient yourself to the mobs using either key-turning or mouse look you must first know your position relative to the mob and your current orientation which is, again, not easy to determine if you can't see your toon.
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09-25-09, 11:18 AM   #13
Akryn
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Originally Posted by Cowmonster View Post
None of that helps if he doesn't know where his toon is. Roll a gnome tank and you'll see what he's talking about...those little buggers are hard to track in a group of mobs. To properly orient yourself to the mobs using either key-turning or mouse look you must first know your position relative to the mob and your current orientation which is, again, not easy to determine if you can't see your toon.
Your character is always in exactly the center of the screen. If you get used to that it's pretty easy to intuit where you are even if you can't see yourself.

In any case, whether that's easy for you or the OP or not, it's impossible to do what's being asked (for good reason, it's your job to point your character the right way, not the UI's), so there's not really anything for it except to practice. Pointing your camera directly downward can help a lot if there's a situation where it's especially hard to figure out where you are (or you need to know with a large amount of precision).
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09-25-09, 12:30 PM   #14
Seerah
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Aye. Keep the camera high and zoomed out, and set the camera to "smart follow". That way, no matter what way you turn, the camera will always be behind you and you'll know what way you're facing.

Another tip is to use nameplates. While they may clutter the screen, iirc your target's nameplate looks slightly different. Or you can use Aloft for that, too.
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09-25-09, 07:10 PM   #15
bkp57
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wow, have a reply!

thanks everyone for the input!

I'll try the zoomed out Smart Follow approach and see if that helps. Great suggestions, all, keep them coming!

bkp57
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09-25-09, 07:32 PM   #16
tophero21
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Originally Posted by Seerah View Post
Aye. Keep the camera high and zoomed out, and set the camera to "smart follow". That way, no matter what way you turn, the camera will always be behind you and you'll know what way you're facing.

Another tip is to use nameplates. While they may clutter the screen, iirc your target's nameplate looks slightly different. Or you can use Aloft for that, too.
.

with the nameplates i believe your target is highlighted from the other ones (or at least it is with caelnameplates). only thing is that when there's a crowd of mobs the plates can get pushed away from your actual target.
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09-25-09, 08:29 PM   #17
Cowmonster
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Originally Posted by Akryn View Post
Your character is always in exactly the center of the screen. If you get used to that it's pretty easy to intuit where you are even if you can't see yourself.

In any case, whether that's easy for you or the OP or not, it's impossible to do what's being asked (for good reason, it's your job to point your character the right way, not the UI's), so there's not really anything for it except to practice. Pointing your camera directly downward can help a lot if there's a situation where it's especially hard to figure out where you are (or you need to know with a large amount of precision).
Yes, it is your job to play your character, not Blizzard's. I never said what he was asking was possible, or even should be. I am merely pointing out that in a large group when you are tanking and you can not see your toon then it is difficult to properly orient yourself and mouselook doesn't make it any easier. I use mouselook when I play and nameplates when I tank so I can see the hp/threat for each target around me, but telling orientation and position relative to the mobs in a large group can even be difficult for me at times and my tank is a druid (a bear you could hide a family of gnomes under). If it can be difficult for a larger toon in a crowd imagine how a pocket tank feels. All the suggestions here are great to try to get your bearings back and mouselook is the better way to move your toon and keep your ability/spell casting most efficient, but it isn't a definitive solution to the OP's problem.
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09-28-09, 12:03 PM   #18
AyaJulia
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Originally Posted by Xrystal View Post
Is there an attack that automatically faces the target ?

For my priest there is mind flay which automatically refaces you to the target. Perhaps other classes have something similar. Although I haven't spotted it myself on my other characters.
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=41367
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=42420
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WoWInterface » AddOns, Compilations, Macros » AddOn Search/Requests » 'Point me at my target' mod?

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