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_NPCScan

 
Project Updated:
Files Updated: Wed, Dec 9 2009
Supports Game Version: 3.3.0
Category: Achievements
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Project Manager: Saiket
Additional Authors: No additional authors
Current Version: _NPCScan 3.3.0.2
License: GNU General Public License version 3 (GPLv3)
Development Site: CurseForge.com
Avg Daily DL (last 30 days): 1,690
Downloads Total: 376,435
Favorites: 476
Comments: 110
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  • About _NPCScan
  •  

_NPCScan tracks seldom-seen rare mobs by proximity alone, making the old “/targetexact …” macros obsolete. It has the same range as those targeting macros, but you won't have to mash any buttons. Just go about your business and let _NPCScan alert you when it finds something.

Details

The Cache

This addon doesn't use nameplates or mouseover units to find rares. Instead, it checks your creature cache for the moment a rare mob is found. There is one catch to this technique however: Once a mob is “found”, _NPCScan won't be able to find it again until your cache is cleared.  If you find a rare mob's corpse—Dirkee for example—you would have to clear your cache before _NPCScan would find Dirkee again.  Thankfully, clearing your cache is a safe and simple matter.

Clearing Your Cache

To clear your cache, follow these straightforward steps:

  1. Exit World of Warcraft.
  2. Delete the “Cache” sub-directory inside your World of Warcraft folder.  For example on a standard Windows XP installation, you would delete the folder “C:\Program Files\World of Warcraft\Cache”.

Note: Windows Vista and Windows 7 users see this info to find your Cache folder in WoW's Virtual Store.

That's it.  Log in after you've done that and you'd be able to find Dirkee a second time.  It's completely safe because WoW will recreate your Cache folder after you log in again.

Cache Warning

If a rare mob is already cached when you log in, _NPCScan will print a warning message with the names of those mobs.  If you see this message but still want to find the listed NPCs again, it's time to clear your cache by following the above procedure.  Otherwise, you can quit searching for those mobs using the Search options window detailed below.  You can suppress this log-in message using the main options pane, as well.

“Found” Alert

When a rare mob is found, _NPCScan alerts you by playing a loud and distinctive sound, making your screen pulse red, and displaying an animated targeting button.  To get a feel for what this alert looks and sounds like, try the “Test Found Alert” button in the addon's main Interface Options panel. (See the Options section below.)

Targeting Button

When clicked, the targeting button tries to target the most-recently-found mob.  You can also bind a key to hit this button. If the default button position isn't to your liking, you can move it while holding your <CTRL> key.

Note: The button cannot be shown during combat.  In the unlikely case that you do find a rare while fighting, the button will appear after you leave combat.  You will still hear the alert however, and the name of the mob will appear in your chat log.

Options

_NPCScan's main options window can be accessed from the Interface Options menu.  This panel includes a “Test Found Alert” button, various ways to customize the alert sound, and an option to suppress cache warning messages on log-in.

New sounds can be added to the alert sound dropdown menu by installing SharedMedia-type addons.

Search List

The list of mobs that _NPCScan searches for can be modified easily through the Interface Options panel, however it comes pre-configured with most rare Outlands and Northrend mobs.  To access the mob list, type “/npcscan”.

Grayed out NPCs in a list aren't being searched for, either because they're cached, a pet, or not needed for their achievement.

  • The first tab available lists Custom NPCs that you can enter or remove manually.  NPCs that are already cached show a red “X” in the first column.  You can add or remove Custom NPCs with the [+] and [-] buttons at the bottom right.
  • All other tabs control achievements like Bloody Rare and Frostbitten.  These tabs show an additional column on the right with green check marks for completed achievement mobs.  You may enable or disable tracking each achievement with its tab's checkbox.

The two checkboxes at the top left of the pane allow greater control over which mobs to search for.  “Search for tamable NPCs” controls searching for mobs tamable by hunters (to avoid the issues detailed in the “Limitations” section below).  “Search for completed Achievement NPCs” allows you to keep looking for mobs you no longer need for achievements.

Finding NPC IDs

A mob's NPC ID is its unique identification number, and it can be found on sites like WowHead or WowDB.  For example, search for the mob “Dirkee” on WowHead and go to the mob's page.  That page's URL will look like “http://www.wowhead.com/?npc=32500”; 32500 is Dirkee's NPC ID.

Limitations

The only problem mobs for _NPCScan are tamable beasts.  Even when you run across the tamed version, _NPCScan gets tricked into thinking that mob is nearby.  In order to prevent those false positives, _NPCScan only shows alerts for tamable mobs in their original zones.  That is, if you spot Loque'nahak in Dalaran instead of Sholazar Basin where it usually patrols, _NPCScan would ignore it.  When one of these tamable mob false-alarms happens, you'll see a message in your chat window explaining why it got ignored.

Since this makes tamable mobs are so difficult to track, I suggest you fly to the tamable mob's zone first, clear your cache, and then search for it.  Any time you pass through a populated area like Dalaran, you risk filling your cache with popular rare pets.

  • Downloads (7)
  •  
File Name Release Type Game Version Downloads Date
Addon Curse.com Beta 2.3.3 0 9/29/2008
  File Name Release Type Game Version Downloads Date  
  _NPCScan 3.2.0.5 Release 3.2.0 55,388 8/20/2009
  _NPCScan 3.2.0.4 Release 3.2.0 49,214 8/6/2009
  • Comments

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  • I find a automatic mining addon
    www.deadlybossmods.org
    I appreciate all the hard work you've put into it.Very simple.

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  • xion824 said

    Even with the updated 3.3.0.2, Arcturis still does not show up as a listed rare. Even tried an uninstall and reinstall of the program. No go.

    Reply Report Permalink
  • xion824 said

    And yes, I cleared my cache.

    Reply Report Permalink
  • Saiket said

    Make sure to restart WoW after installing 3.3.0.2, or else it will still think it's version 3.3.0.1.

    Reply Report Permalink
  • xion824 said

    I did. Now when I open NPSscan (/npcscan) it shows Arcturis without a zone listed for him. Will it still automatically detect him and put up the notification? At least it shows up (partially) now.

    BTW... great addon! I have always loved this one. As well as the overlay.

    Reply Report Permalink
  • Saiket said

    He'll be detected fine (if you spot him in Grizzly Hills). That zone name gets added by _NPCScan.Overlay, but I don't have a map of Arcturis' patrols yet. That will get added to Overlay after WowDB has a chance to record where he goes.

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  • Ferin333 said

    incredible ADDON, just love it but recently i got or bad luck finding rares or it doesnt work for me anymore.
    I was wondering if blizz has banned it, because they would love us to grind for every mob 100 hours, but apparently not and im more that happy to hear that. Will try to reinstall it, delete cache, rob the santa...
    everything just to get it up and running again.

    Reply Report Permalink
  • Saiket said

    It should still work. You might want to double check your list of mobs to search for with "/npcscan" though, especially the checkboxes on the Bloody Rare/Frostbitten tabs. As long as everything's turned on, you should be good to go. :)

    Reply Report Permalink
  • It does still work. Perfectly.

    My new Time-Lost Proto Drake says so.

    Reply Report Permalink
  • This "legal", or Addon for him punished for official servers?

    Reply Report Permalink
  • Saiket said

    It's legal. Even if Blizzard decided they didn't like this addon any more, they would simply break the addon. That is, you can't get in trouble for using it.

    Reply Report Permalink
  • Just a question, how do you find the NPC ID on Wowhead? I can't seem to figure out where it's shown...if anyone knows, please respond.

    Reply Report Permalink
  • Saiket said

    Once you find the rare on WoWHead, check out the address bar of your browser. It should contain something like this:

    http://www.wowhead.com/?npc=1234

    That's the NPC ID number. There might be some extra text after it (ex. 1234 here), but you only need the number after "?npc=".

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  • Ahhh, I see, thank you.

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  • Selestas said

    I am not having any problems finding the rares, I just am not getting credit for them. Has anyone else encountered this problem? I talked to blizzard and now they are saying it may be an add-on. Think they are pointing fingers. But wanted to check it has happened once in Outlands with Fulgorge and once in Northrend with the Crazed Survivor.

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  • Saiket said

    When you disable all your mods and look up the Bloody Rare achievement, are the green check marks the same as they are with mods enabled? If you have any mods that affect the achievement list window (Overachiever is one example), they /might/ be hiding those check marks somehow. _NPCScan doesn't touch that achievement list window.

    If you still don't see the check marks using only the default UI though, that means you really didn't get credit (i.e. not a diplay issue) and it couldn't be caused by an addon. You could double check with the armory too, since that absolutely can't be changed by mods.

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  • lost2minds said

    This is the best rare mob addon i have seen yet, awsome job on this. I was wondering if it would be possible to add an option in the future so that even though it scan a rare, it doesnt stop searching for it? i like to farm some rares for somethings such as pet drops, and such, but find it kinda a pain to have to delete my cache everytime i log on. if not i understand, and wont stop using it..lol. Thank you for all the work into this, adn making it a quality addon =-)

    Reply Report Permalink
  • Saiket said

    There's no way around clearing the cache, unfortunately. Once a mob gets seen, _NPCScan can't tell if you see it again until you clear it out.

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  • Solneryl said

    I absolutely love this addon! It has made rare hunting (something I already enjoy) a lot more enjoyable.

    Slightly unrelated: The default alarm sound... I must have it as a ringtone! Does anyone know where I can find it, or even where the sound is from?

    Thanks!

    Reply Report Permalink
  • benmrii said

    Much like your example, I spotted Loque'nahak as a tamed pet. I'll need to clear my cache once I'm ready to being working on Frostbitten, but is there any way to clear just him from the cache? If not, how do I go about re-adding (or subtracting) the several rare mobs to the cache that I have already found and slaughtered? Will that change also be affected on the overlay (i.e. I won't have a big green area in the middle of Dragonblight even though I've already killed Tukemuth)?

    Thanks for your help and the terrific addon.

    Reply Report Permalink
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