Focus Unit

WoW Classic WoW Classic General Discussion
1

Here’s a conundrum.

  1. The concept of a Focus didn’t exist in Vanilla. We all used a scripting that set a variable to a Unit name, then used TargetNamedUnit() methods and the like, to target that unit for spells.

  2. In 2.0 they introduced the concept of a Focus to get around this need.

  3. In 2.0 they killed the scripting that allowed us to do it the “Vanilla way”.

  4. In the Alpha Build’s FrameXML\Bindings.xml, the “Focus Target” and “Target Focus” keybindings have been removed.

  5. We are using the post 2.0 API.

Blizzard Devs, does this mean that the capability to have a Focus has been removed (because it wasn’t in Vanilla) yet the ability to do the same thing with Vanilla scripting has been removed because we’re using the modern API?

This is a serious issue if Healers have no way to maintain a focus style selection on any given Tank or other heal target. You need to either allow us to use the Focus unit, or allow us to manually control a secondary focus like Vanilla.

You can’t cut both out…

2

The modern API allows custom unit frames to do things like vuhdo’s private tank frame which is essentially like settings up one or more focus targets, though I don’t think you can change them in combat like you can with a focus target.

3

Umm no, either way it is not a serious issue. If it is disabled it will be disabled for everyone. Not everyone was or is using it and the game is playable just fine.
No worries

4

You can’t, because Focus is a secure frame.

We’re losing the functionality that we had in Vanilla AND losing the functionality that was created to replace it. How is this “No Worries”. Clearly you’re not a healer.

5

Without any type of focus mechanic I’m going to have to relearn a bit.

I set my focus as any mob that needs to stay cc’d or, if no mob applies, my tank. Being on target is a massive asset.

Curious to see what the verdict is.

6

Yeah this will be painful if both options are removed. They should just leave in the original vanilla scripting.

7

Guaranteed that won’t happen. But whoever removed the Focus elements without thinking “How did they do this Vanilla?” was auto-pilot coding.

8

I don’t use /focus for healing that frequently. The only times I can think of are when healing on special raid fights where you have to heal an NPC or in some weird circumstances to heal a pet that was tanking something if I didn’t have pets showing on my frames.

It is also really useful for keeping track of a mob to CC.

I would vote for them adding /focus to classic, it doesn’t seem like it goes against the spirit of classic since you could accomplish similar things anyway, but is probably an easier solution than trying to create a new roundabout way of doing it via macros/addons. If they tried to restore the vanilla scripting methods of doing it they’d probably also reintroduce things they don’t want such as being able to create a dynamic frame of the most injured targets etc.

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9

Yeah I expected Focus to remain present since the Scripting methods were Vanilla.