Resizing character bounding box.

[Tcei]

Is it possible for me to change the size of the "target box" of my character? It would be nice if I could target something next/near me with out having to spin my camera all the way around then tilt and twist it (While standing on my head juggling fire), just to target another character standing 2 feet in front of me.

For example:

From that angle I was unable to target the little green hatchling talking to Pratt, I had to twist the camera around till I was nearly looking head on at myself and tilt up a bit more before I could target either it or Pratt.

[hallucin8]

I second that... When hunting the piles in the doom, when there is a chest near it (often off to the side behind it) it is very difficult to select the chest instead of the pile without going up to it, and if it is a mimic I like to leave it alone :P

[Steelclaw]

Is selecting "around" a dragon only a problem with your character (the one in the middle of the screen) only, or is it difficult to select around another nearby dragon?

There are two selection modes: poly and bounding box. Poly selection requires you to click on the visible portions of the object being selected, while bounding box selection just requires you to click on the object's bounding box. There's a time and place for both of those (can you imagine trying to select necroflies in poly selection mode? ). The trick is figuring out when to tell the client to switch between the two.

[Tcei]

The issue is trying to click around myself, (and other dragons for that matter.) There's a large area surrounding me where I cant target anyone/thing unless I position the camera so that the character appears to be more or less infront of me. (That is in relation to how things appear on my screen)

So in that example I couldnt click on the little green hatchling. But the black one I could as long as I clicked on the front half of it.

Edit: I'll upload another picture showing what I mean better here in a little while

[Raptress]

Is selecting "around" a dragon only a problem with your character (the one in the middle of the screen) only, or is it difficult to select around another nearby dragon?

In my experience, it happens with both. On my own character, it doesn't happen unless I'm zoomed out to the point where I presume selection switches from poly to bounding box. If I zoom in, I can select things nearby again. It's got to be the bounding box causing the issue, unless dragons have invisible polygons that we're not aware of. :P

[Tcei]

Here's visually what I mean.
Linking due to size

Everything roughly withing the red square I couldnt click on. The zombie dragon on the right I could only click onthe back half of. I could only click the head of the black ancient behind me. The hatchling I could click because he was infront of me. Pratt I couldnt click at all with out reajusting the camera.

The only way I could click on the zombie dragon's front half would be to angle the camera a bit more to the right, bringing him closer to he foreground, same with Pratt. the black ancient I"d likely would have had to move to target more than just his head.

[meepsa]

haha, I only know one answer to this problem, and it's setscale, whenever I go in doom, or any place with small mobs I just setscale my ancient to 0.1 (or I put in the hatchling mod)

but as for resizing the bounding box, can't help you there

[Steelclaw]

In my experience, it happens with both. On my own character, it doesn't happen unless I'm zoomed out to the point where I presume selection switches from poly to bounding box. If I zoom in, I can select things nearby again. It's got to be the bounding box causing the issue, unless dragons have invisible polygons that we're not aware of. :P

Yup, it's the bounding box. There's a distance switch now that you mention it. The question about whether or not it happens with other on-screen characters is to give me an idea of how to address it -- like tweaking the switch distance; factoring in the raster area covered by the object to be selected; or, simply making your own character poly-select only. (The latter might make selecting a gnome difficult...)

[Tcei]

Yep, it happens with other characters too. Its an issue I've had even as a hatchie, tho to a lesser extent, compared to being an ancient.

A gnome would be easy compared to a dryad! XD. My ancient tail cant even see a dryad most of the time. :P

Imho reducing the bounding box to about half of what it is now would fix most- if not all of the problem. There's no reason why I shouldnt be able to click on anything that far from me. That or giving an option to disable clicking on self.

Outa curriosity are there individual bounding boxes seperated by character/race or is it sort of a universal type thing that just scales up depending on size?

[Steelclaw]

There's a base sized bounding box for each entity (so defined by race and gender), though depending on the options in the entity's description file, the bounding box can be set to be automatically resized when the character's geometry changes (growing and shrinking as a dragon flaps its wings, for example).

If you're curious, you can try
/setpref displayBoundingBoxes true
to show the bounding boxes on screen.

[Frith-Rae]

Yea this is a long-running gripe on most dragons (if you try to play in regular size) I'm constantly having issues trying to click on craft nodes that are anywhere NEAR my body - wether in front, side, or tail. I often have to move around, zoom in/out, reposition, move the camera wierd ways - before I can click on something right in front of me (or anything that is clearly within easy clicking distance).

In certain circumstances I have problems clicking on others - but only if they are in a tight bunch. I.e. If two adult/ancient dragon are sitting together with a hatchling between them (or slightly in front and between) - often times it will be next to impossible for me to target the hatchling in the middle.

I can't speak for other races, I rarely ever see them to click...heh.

[Shian]

Yea this is a long-running gripe on most dragons (if you try to play in regular size) I'm constantly having issues trying to click on craft nodes that are anywhere NEAR my body - wether in front, side, or tail. I often have to move around, zoom in/out, reposition, move the camera wierd ways - before I can click on something right in front of me (or anything that is clearly within easy clicking distance).

Just harvest with your butt! Much easier. It was said once upon a time that the dragon's center of gravity was in it's hindquarters rather than the front. (For calculating distance away etc) This probably has changed, but ever since I read that, if I'm not setscaled down to nothing, I run backwards and click things behind me

[Frith-Rae]

aww, I hate that though... heh.

[walkerglassmire]

There's a base sized bounding box for each entity (so defined by race and gender), though depending on the options in the entity's description file, the bounding box can be set to be automatically resized when the character's geometry changes (growing and shrinking as a dragon flaps its wings, for example).

If you're curious, you can try
/setpref displayBoundingBoxes true
to show the bounding boxes on screen.

Is REALLY trippy using that command in a lair. All sorts of polys going from green to yellow to red. What I'm not seeing is my own bounding box when I use that. Though, a few of the Dragon NPCs I found in Chico have nice, small cylinders in their middles that I assume are their bounding box. That would be nice.

[Tcei]

I noticed that too! Its trippy flying around Dralk/Char with it on too