Tab target issues

I'd like to address the issue of the tab target system and how it hinders some gameplay elements that have plagued most, if it not all players. I hate that when i'm trying to tab target the nearest enemy to myself that's to my left or right on top of me it it targets the mobs way off in the horizon and it goes as follows:

I find myself trying to quickly tab target to my nearest enemies and it doesn't work often at times it picks the enemies at the top left screen not in proximity of my character so I have to play in such a way where I have to move my screen. There is a keybind to target the nearest enemy, however it doesn't work at all as it does not cycle through near enemies.

I was just wondering if anyone could post some constructive criticism about this issue or a helpful solution from the devs that would bring light to this issue as it has been an ongoing issue since the 2.x series. Not everyone will have a problem with tab targeting but I myself do, it also doesn't help in events such as FATEs, PvP, anything to do with waves of adds in trials/dungeons etc.

Thank you for your time.

I agree that there is an issue with tab-targeting in this game.

I often find myself switching the camera to a top down perspective to prepare for using tab so that it won't select a far target like the OP says, and it is annoying.

It'd be really useful to be able to switch targets that you're close to rapidly because many times tab will select an enemy that is completely out of my range, or even out of combat with anyone in a dungeon (which leads to accidental pulls of enemies).

I've tried using the target filter settings and the various targeting keybinds to set up my tab key so that it won't pick non "aggroing enemies" which is one of the options, or to "Cycle through Enemies (Nearest to Farthest)", which, again as the OP says, doesn't always function in the way that it describes, instead picking something strange. I think that it might have to do with the order at which the enemies appeared on your screen and which one(s) you've already targeted.

At the very least, adding an option to limit the distance in yalms (like a slider) at which tab can select a target would make it a more useful keybind for keyboard/mouse users, since I suspect that one of the reasons it works as it does is for gamepad users.

Oh, i thought i was the only one having this problem!

It's really annoying especially when Frontline. It always target on enemy whose very behind from all mobs than the very front ._.

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Originally Posted by Eul

It's really annoying especially when Frontline. It always target on enemy whose very behind from all mobs than the very front ._.

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I've gone through 10+ characters in a row who were all out of range or way off to the side/behind me before in Seal Rock. Then I try to click to target someone who's closer, but they're probably moving and then I end up clicking one of my teammates instead... :(

If you've got a macro mouse such as a Razer Naga (with buttons on the side) I find it much easier to set #1 as [F11] and #2 as [TAB]. F11 targets mobs from right to left <---. Tab targets mobs from left to right --->. Having both of these buttons right beside each other with insta-thumb access speeds up your targeting time tremendously. Especially when you accidentally Tab one too many times and don't want to go through the entire enemy list again to get to your mob. You can simply press F11 once to go back one in the other direction. I've had no problem getting snap hate in Coil / Alexander using this method (rather than clicking on the enemy list itself.)

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Originally Posted by Avidria

I've gone through 10+ characters in a row who were all out of range or way off to the side/behind me before in Seal Rock. Then I try to click to target someone who's closer, but they're probably moving and then I end up clicking one of my teammates instead... :(

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I have this issue but in reverse.

Healing my party is easy because they're in my party and I have a party list for them. But if I see someone in another Alliance running by who's getting really low, my AoE heals don't work on them and I have no idea what Alliance they're in. So I have to click on them.

End up clicking on the person chasing them -> LIVE DAMNIT, HAVE MY BENE -> end up healing myself -> alliance member dies -> feel like an idiot forever. :c

The derpy tab targeting has been a problem since the very beginning. I rebinded my tab to "Target nearest enemy" so it'll always target the enemy closest to me. It doesn't rotate targets but i'm fine with that. At least it won't target the enemy behind the lines, behind a tree or on another continent.

Personally, I don't like WASD to move, so I rebind those and the way I do it leaves A open, so I bind "Target closest enemy" to that and i rarely have targeting issues.

rebind your keys, add "Target nearest enemy" and "Target nearest player character".

your life will be better.

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Originally Posted by Awful

I find myself trying to quickly tab target to my nearest enemies and it doesn't work often at times it picks the enemies at the top left screen not in proximity of my character so I have to play in such a way where I have to move my screen.

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Same, and it annoys the hell out of me.

To the point where it puts me off playing.

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Originally Posted by Evangela

rebind your keys, add "Target nearest enemy" and "Target nearest player character".

your life will be better.

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Does this cycle from nearest to next nearest? I'm not at home to test.

The problem with "Target Nearest Enemy" (TNE) and similar options is specifically that it does not cycle between targets.

Acquiring a target, period, is not an issue for me, as tab already easily does that, it's acquiring the correct target, and quickly.

The main time I use tab cycling is when there are too many targets to quickly click the right one in a chaotic cluster of targets. This is especially true in Seal Rock, where minor latency between users results in targets bouncing around faster than players can move, making them even harder to click.

The mouse is imprecise with many closely packed and moving targets, and using TNE also does not let you navigate that cluster by itself. Using TNE and Tab Cycling in tandem still could target something ludicrously out of range, unfortunate in a rapid situation.

I assert that targeting functions do not make navigating easier whenever there are more targets, which is the main time clicking is also harder.

What would improve it would be more options to filter what it will tab to, like limiting the range tab can select targets, or the side of your character it will select from (instead of being based on the current position of the game camera), or even the function it uses to select the next target (like cycling between enemies near my current target instead of making a list of enemies to cycle through based on their at one moment proximity to me).

The current "Target Filters" under character customization seem to not be related to tab cycling but something with the game pad controller (I'd love for anyone that knows how they work to describe them for me and others here).

Worst thing is when there are millions of players in Seal Rock and you want to target lala scholar who is jumping from place to place.

Yet another issue that has been brought up (here as well as in other subforums) so many times and is still not fixed......

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Originally Posted by Galactimus

If you've got a macro mouse such as a Razer Naga (with buttons on the side) I find it much easier to set #1 as [F11] and #2 as [TAB]. F11 targets mobs from right to left <---. Tab targets mobs from left to right --->. Having both of these buttons right beside each other with insta-thumb access speeds up your targeting time tremendously. Especially when you accidentally Tab one too many times and don't want to go through the entire enemy list again to get to your mob. You can simply press F11 once to go back one in the other direction. I've had no problem getting snap hate in Coil / Alexander using this method (rather than clicking on the enemy list itself.)

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Shift+tab reverses the direction. Of you overshoot your target, just shift tab back to it. You don't ever have to go all the way around again. That'd be silly.

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Originally Posted by Evangela

rebind your keys, add "Target nearest enemy" and "Target nearest player character".

your life will be better.

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I already have Q, E, R, Z, X, C, V, and F bound to something important. :x And anything past that is too far away for my tiny woman hands.

The number of times I have accidentally pulled nearby mobs as a BRD while trying to switch to another enemy to multi-DoT...

The problem with "Target Nearest Enemy" (TNE) and similar options is specifically that it does not cycle between targets. A Huge point I can't stress enough.

I assert that targeting functions do not make navigating easier whenever there are more targets, which is the main time clicking is also harder. Especially in PvP, huge mob density groups and many other places with huge groups it's more of a chore than anything which is something that needs to change.

The habit I've gotten into when trying to target enemies directly in front of me has been to zoom in my camera and play with a more "face down" instead of "face out" over-the-shoulder view. The tab targeting will not select anything you cannot see, in most circumstances (clipping and weird angles aside).

Then I have on my controller R3 click set to put my camera back to its "default" state -- which for me is the highest, widest field of view possible for maximum situational awareness. This way it takes me a second to zoom in for precise targeting, but only an instant to get back to the action.

The TRUE solution to my problem is just: Overpower, Overpower, Overpower....

/cast [nocombat] Attack
/cleartarget
/targetenemy
/startattack
Ah, if only.

I remember at least one Mmo where we have the option to target the closest ennemy from camera center to the farest.
It's not bad.

The worst in pvp is when i play Paladin. I run in melee in order to be focus but the game only target very far ennemies and i'm just being gangbang without doing anything.

An other problem is in healer mode : outrange allies nicknames are not grey tinted so we lost a lot of time trying to select or heal someone who is completely elsewhere.

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Originally Posted by Awful

The problem with "Target Nearest Enemy" (TNE) and similar options is specifically that it does not cycle between targets. A Huge point I can't stress enough.

I assert that targeting functions do not make navigating easier whenever there are more targets, which is the main time clicking is also harder. Especially in PvP, huge mob density groups and many other places with huge groups it's more of a chore than anything which is something that needs to change.

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Why is this a problem? I'm genuinely curious.

(I haven't done any PvP yet)

I bound my TAB key to TNE long long ago, and I've never looked back. Target nearest... kill it... Target next nearest... kill it... this works exactly as I need it to, in all PvE situations I've encountered as a Paladin, Dragoon, and Bard. I have never encountered a situation where I need to cycle targets using hotkeys. If I need a specific enemy, I have a mouse for that...

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Originally Posted by Wadoka

If I need a specific enemy, I have a mouse for that...

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Sounds like you have reflexes and pixel-perfect targeting skills beyond those of your average player if the mouse is always enough when you need to quickly change to another mob.

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Originally Posted by Wadoka

Why is this a problem? I'm genuinely curious.

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In PvP you'll be wanting to cycle through targets in range. TNE will give you a PLD or a NIN most often - sometimes that will be useful, but most of the time you want the SCH or the SMN a little further away. Using Tab for that will get you a SCH or a SMN eventually, but the odds are about equal as to whether or not its the one you want or one halfway across the map. Most of the time in PvP when you are wishing to do this the mouse won't be of much help to you.

In PvE its more about being able to cycle through the nearest mob and not be cycling through mobs that aren't even pulled yet. Marking helps with that of course, as does a mouse. Less of an issue in PvE.

In both cases though being able to set a range filter within tabbing would help enormously.

If I had a dollar for every time I've Tab targeted an enemy I can't actually see because of the camera...

It would be really nice if they'd give us some control over how Tab targeting works, like options to have it cycle from left to right, or to prioritize the closest target, and so on.

Thank you for bringing this up. I have played since the original release in 2010, and it still bugs me beyond belief. >.<

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Originally Posted by Eul

It's really annoying especially when Frontline.

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I cannot agree with this enough. The tab targeting is tolerable in PvE content, but in PvP I'd say that its failings make and break whole matches. I couldn't count the number of times I've failed to defend a node because I couldn't target the enemy standing right in front of me or how long it takes me to focus on a healer, even though I know exactly where they are, because I can't target them.

Improved tab targeting is high on my list of most needed fixes.

The problem with TNE is that even if you do switch it out for tab target it still doesn't cycle nor does it even target the enemy you're on correctly it's not proximity of your character but rather how the screen is facing a certain way. You must have your screen a certain way as to always have your cycle going through each mob the way you're facing rather than how the games tab target is set up.

As for PvP it's a nightmare to tab target to get to a kill target friends that I play with we have to focus target each other, call out a target, and then focus it down. It's really tedious to do instead of how tab target should normally react, no one wants to tab 102090239 times to get that white mage that's already back in enemy lines because you couldn't target him/her.

I switch targets often enough, whenever I get close to getting aggro (or after it already happened).
Then you have situations where you have to free your group mates out of a prison spell and the boss is in the way so the mouse isn't usable.

So many cases where proper targeting would be helpful.

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Originally Posted by Moonleg

Sounds like you have reflexes and pixel-perfect targeting skills beyond those of your average player if the mouse is always enough when you need to quickly change to another mob.

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I have nothing to compare it to. This is the way I have always played. It's worked so far. The biggest nuisance using the mouse to target a specific person for me, is when I need to target another player (to heal them) when they're not in my party, they're running frantically away from a mob and trying not to die... that takes a bit of coordination, aye... "Hold STILL for just a moment, will ya...?"

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Originally Posted by WellFooled

I cannot agree with this enough. The tab targeting is tolerable in PvE content...

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I'd decided it WASN'T tolerable in PvE. I came over from SWTOR, where TAB was default "Target Nearest Enemy" and I could not figure out for the longest time, why, here, when i hit TAB, it would target a mob far away, in the back of the room. "No! Not that one! The one about to eat me -!"

That's why I keybound "Target Nearest Enemy" to TAB, and use my mouse (G502) to pick out specific enemies in PvE - the healers, the mages... same as my old SWTOR habit.

I will certainly agree, we could use more and better logical targeting options.

I tried something yesterday, doing pvp all day long :

i bind "target nearest ennemy" to G, it works, then i use tab and it switch between the other close ennemies.

(i bind "F" to "face the target". It's a great help when i heal in pvp to quickly find out in which direction the ally you clicked on is.
And i use ctrl+tab to cycle between close allies, it work well like in Swtor)

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Originally Posted by Mclyde

I tried something yesterday, doing pvp all day long :

i bind "target nearest ennemy" to G, it works, then i use tab and it switch between the other close ennemies.

(i bind "F" to "face the target". It's a great help when i heal in pvp to quickly find out in which direction the ally you clicked on is.
And i use ctrl+tab to cycle between close allies, it work well like in Swtor)

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I dislike the idea of using my other precious binds to make a semi work-a-round for SE's craptastic tab target system. :/

The amount of cursing in PVP when I can't tab target the guy jumping around near me and go all over the map is no joke. >.<