Addon: TrueTargetLock - Solution To A 20+yr Issue

Hi friends,

I'd like to introduce TrueTargetLock, a simple addon that solves FFXI's annoying target lock system.

What does it do?
TrueTargetLock automatically keeps your character facing your current target. By default, it works while you are engaged in combat and target lock is enabled.

This prevents common melee issues where auto-retarget selects a new monster but your character is not facing it, resulting in "not facing the target" messages and lost attacks. Similarly, it allows you to actually attack your target during a large pull when everything is running around (see showcase below for an example).

How do I use it?
- Load it and it starts working.
- Out of the box, it behaves like traditional FFXI target lock (only while engaged and locked on).

******
--> Version 1.2 The old normal/always modes have been replaced with two toggles, so you can mix and match how it behaves:

//truetargetlock combat on|off		- Default: ON - ON: Only works while you are engaged - OFF: Works in or out of combat
//truetargetlock locked on|off		---------------------------------------------- - Default: ON - ON: Only works while Target Lock (*) is ON - OFF: Works even if Target Lock is OFF
//truetargetlock status		---------------------------------------------- - Shows your current settings

How do the combinations work?
- Locked ON + Combat ON (default): Faces your target while engaged and locked on. Matches traditional FFXI behaviour.
- Locked ON + Combat OFF: Faces anything or anyone you're locked onto, in or out of combat. Great for NPCs, party members, etc.
- Locked OFF + Combat ON: Always faces your target while engaged, even without target lock. (This was the old "always" mode.)
- Locked OFF + Combat OFF: Always faces whatever you currently have targeted, no matter what.

**Note: With Locked OFF, it will not allow you to face away from your target (while standing still).

Your settings are saved between sessions. If you were using "always" mode in 1.1, it will automatically be converted to Locked OFF.

Does it conflict with other stuff?
This addon does not conflict with any native windower addons. It will override any other addons that turn your character.

You mentioned a showcase?

Maintaining facing targets (Locked on + Combat on):


Locked off + Combat on:


Locked on + Combat off


Locked off + Combat off






Cheers friends!

I really like this. Thanks you !

Awesome addon!

It would be nice to also be able to use this with lock off, for the weirdos that play with autotarget lock off.

Hey Dodik, I appreciate the feedback!

Version 1.1 now released which has this functionality. :)

Could add it as a command toggle and disabled by default. Or add a whitelist for actor abilities but it gets into a greyzone area by then.

I like the idea of the addon, nice work.

Version 1.1 released with added functionality as requested by Dodic.

Ver 1.1 showcase:

Whats the difference between this and Gaze add-on ?

But yes the built in target lock is annoying

Hey Dane, I didn't know of Gaze before you mentioned it. On looking at the Gaze documentation, it describes that addon as turning away for you for gaze attacks and then returning back to facing the mob after the gaze attack is resolved. This appears to work similar to how React works.

My addon does not have any automation (which i try to avoid), so you'll still need to turn away from the mob if it uses a gaze attack. Essentially, this addon properly locks your character into facing your current target when target lock is on and has tracking when monsters move around (like a more modern TargetLock system).

Thank you for the question :)

Yeah thats its main purpose but it has targetlock as well. it calls it auto_point i think it is

i modified gaze to only have targetlock when im locked on a target (kind like your normal mode) since it was annoying for me that it was always on (like your always mode)

Ahh gotcha, thanks for clarifying — I didn’t realize Gaze’s auto_point effectively covers target locking too.

In that case you’re right that there is overlap in behavior, especially if you’ve already modded Gaze to only face when target lock is on.

The main difference (and the reason I made this) is that my addon is only concerned with facing your current target while engaged + target lock is on — no gaze logic, no turning away/returning, no reaction to mob abilities, etc. It’s basically trying to make the native Target Lock behave more like a modern MMO where your character actually tracks the mob’s movement consistently.

So if someone is already happy with Gaze (especially a customized version), they probably don’t need this. This is more for people who don’t use Gaze at all and just want reliable facing without any combat automation.

Still appreciate you pointing it out though — it’s good info for anyone deciding which route to go. :)

This is awesome!!! thank you, huge help to me.

Sorry for just jibber jabbing here.
But thank you for the reply

the autolock ingame not rally locking you on target has always been an annoyance to me. constantly have to move a bit for it to take effect.
The fun part is i asked the developer of Gaze to implement this since they where so close to having the perfect solution. but he said it wasn't possible.
That when I tried to modify the code (its probably a hack job)

Would you consider adding Turn away features in your targetlock add-on or do you consider that out-of-scope?

Hey DaneBlood,

Thanks for the inquiry :)

If this is about adding automation (auto-detecting gaze moves and turning you away), that’s out of scope for this addon by design. I’m intentionally keeping TrueTargetLock limited to enforcing facing on your current target when target lock is on, without any reaction or decision-making logic. (That said, if someone wanted to, they could combine this with an addon like Gaze with a flag/event handler that temporarily disables TrueTargetLock when it detects a monitored action, and then re-enables it when the action is complete.)

If what you want is manual turn-away control, that’s something I could add if there’s interest. I already have the foundation in my other addon FaceAway, and it would just be a matter of having a hotkey disable TrueTargetLock, turn your character away, and on a second press re-enable TrueTargetLock and face your target again.

Cheers!

Enjoying the addon! Thank you for your efforts.

New Update in 1.2:

• Normal/always modes have been replaced with two toggles: combat and locked

• //truetargetlock combat on|off : require being engaged (default on)

• //truetargetlock locked on|off : require target lock (default on)

• Can now work outside of combat. Face NPCs, party members, or anything you're locked onto

• //truetargetlock status to check your current settings

• Your old "always" setting carries over automatically

• Default behaviour is unchanged, so nothing to do if you liked it before

See below videos for new behavior:

Locked on + Combat off:


Locked off + combat off: