Feature Request: Pointer to Current Target

[Nocturna]

I wonder if it would be possible to implement a HUD pointer, with distance, to my "current target" no matter what that may be, along with displaying a blip for that target on the map?

Kind of like Track Player, only not limited to a player but including anything I can target... so I could, for example, enter '/tar Time Lost Proto Drake' and, if my target command is successful (i.e., results in the acquisition of an actual target) have my Carb HUD immediately point to it and give me the range to it in yards.

This would have all kinds of uses in the game and in other situations (/tar Holyhealzor, etc.) and would add greatly to my ability to complete quests faster. I have tried to figure out a way to make a macro give me some clue where my current target is in relation to my location, but can't come up with a solution that way.

I know that the game 'exposes' my current target to some extent, although it doesn't show on maps, so I'm hoping Carb can implement this function.

Thx

[chococat]

i think this is an awesome idea! i would love to see it too. it would be useful on quests where you have to find an npc that is always moving around

[-Dragon-]

The game only gives coords to units in your party or raid, it's impossible to point an arrow at something you can't know where it's at

[Nocturna]

Originally Posted by -Dragon- The game only gives coords to units in your party or raid, it's impossible to point an arrow at something you can't know where it's at

Thanks for your input, but with all due respect, I disagree with that statement 'in principle.'

The game, and Carbonite, are able to track all sorts of entities that are not in my party or raid- examples include Guildies, Friends, 'Punks,' moving quest turn-in symbols (the yellow question marks) such as the ones on the airships in Icecrown, etc. etc.

With some exceptions, such as absent/distant party and raid members who are targetable at any range to facilitate summoning, the game will only allow 'nearby' objects to be targeted. For example, even if the TLPD (Time Lost Proto Drake) is up, I can't sit in the Argent Tournament grounds and target him because that is too far away from his patrol paths in Storm Peaks- I can't even sit in K3 (in Storm Peaks) and target him unless he happens to be flying by K3 at that moment. I have to be within a 'certain range' of him to acquire him as a target.

It seems to me that, in order for the game to figure out whether or not I am 'in range' of TLPD to decide whether or not to 'allow' me to target him, the game has to 'know' and expose to my UI the exact location of TLPD in relation to me- i.e. range & bearing to the target from my location.

As a practical matter, I have no idea whether or not the game exposes this info in such a way that an addon such as Carb can use it to give range & bearing to the target, which may have been what you meant (are you one of the developers of Carbonite?) But it seems to my non-addon-developer-mind that the range and bearing from me to anything I am able to target has to be 'known' to my UI.

Regardless of how this turns out, it's an interesting discussion. Thanks for your input. Looking forward to hearing from one of the devs of this fine addon.

[Jigain]

Originally Posted by Nocturna The game, and Carbonite, are able to track all sorts of entities that are not in my party or raid- examples include Guildies, Friends, 'Punks,' moving quest turn-in symbols (the yellow question marks) such as the ones on the airships in Icecrown, etc. etc.

Carbonite can only show guildies who are running Carbonite.
Carbonite can only show friends who are running Carbonite.
Carbonite can only show the last known "punk" location for someone using Carbonite who spotted him/her.
Carbonite can retrieve moving icons from the map, such as digsite icons or the Icecrown gunships, and base a location on the offset of that icon.

Carbonite can not, and I repeat, not track Time-Lost Proto Drake unless you first convince TLPD to install Carbonite.

[Nocturna]

Originally Posted by Jigain Carbonite can not, and I repeat, not track Time-Lost Proto Drake unless you first convince TLPD to install Carbonite.

You know, you could have let me down a bit more gently....

Was my devious plot (and tacit admission that I had targeted but lost TLPD due to not being able to visually find him after NPCScan targeted him for me ) that transparent?

OK, fine. I'm off to the Blizz forums now to petition them to have TLPD install Carbonite....

Thx to all for what seems to be a definitive answer. I have learned something from this discussion.

[Jigain]

Heh, sorry. I only meant to explain why and how Carbonite can do what you listed. No offense meant.

[Nocturna]

Originally Posted by Jigain Heh, sorry. I only meant to explain why and how Carbonite can do what you listed. No offense meant.

And none taken, thanks!

[Nocturna]

Odds Bodkins, not to mention Kowabunga!

With Patch 4.1, I am now seeing a red blip on my minimap for people/NPCs I have targeted!!! I don't know if the red blip is from Carbonite or from Blizz, because I never run the game barefoot (i.e. without Carbonite).

Has Blizz relented and decided to expose range & bearing to player targets? Is this idea (HUD pointer & range to my target no matter what my target is) worth revisiting?

[jeffy162]

It's from Blizzard. That doesn't mean, however, that addons can access the information that is necessary to put that target indicator on the map. IE: Active node indicator for herb/ore. Blizzard does it on their minimap, but there has never (yet) been an API released to the public to access the data needed to allow you to use it in an addon.