Overhead Healthbar Quest: API Dwarf Sorcery
Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2025 9:44 am
Hi everyone,
I’d like to ask about something I’ve been exploring recently — specifically regarding addon capabilities for tracking and displaying overhead health bars and related unit info in-game. I was gonna dive into development and quickly found myself face to face with a wall: limited access to unit info unless they’re my target, in my group, or hit me with something nasty and loud.
So, I’d like to know a bit more about the current API limitations. My main questions:
Are these APIs and hooks not available due to engine limitations, or are they intentionally restricted because of performance concerns in large-scale RvR?
Is it technically possible to expose something like:
A list of currently visible units (in render range)
Basic data like health%, buffs, cast state, and career
Possibly an event like OnNameplateDrawn(unitName) or similar? (For LOS)
I get that Warhammer is about massive chaos, and rendering 50–100 floating bars is probably not ideal — but I’m not aiming to draw a floating CVS receipt above everyones head either.
More like 5–10 bars for high-priority targets, assist calls, or just keeping a few tabs on those unhinged Squigs nuking my healer.
If it’s an engine thing, fair enough. But if it’s a protective measure, I’d love to know if a limited, performance-aware version could be considered — even if it’s opt-in or gated behind dev review.
Thanks in advance for the insight.
I’d like to ask about something I’ve been exploring recently — specifically regarding addon capabilities for tracking and displaying overhead health bars and related unit info in-game. I was gonna dive into development and quickly found myself face to face with a wall: limited access to unit info unless they’re my target, in my group, or hit me with something nasty and loud.
So, I’d like to know a bit more about the current API limitations. My main questions:
Are these APIs and hooks not available due to engine limitations, or are they intentionally restricted because of performance concerns in large-scale RvR?
Is it technically possible to expose something like:
A list of currently visible units (in render range)
Basic data like health%, buffs, cast state, and career
Possibly an event like OnNameplateDrawn(unitName) or similar? (For LOS)
I get that Warhammer is about massive chaos, and rendering 50–100 floating bars is probably not ideal — but I’m not aiming to draw a floating CVS receipt above everyones head either.
More like 5–10 bars for high-priority targets, assist calls, or just keeping a few tabs on those unhinged Squigs nuking my healer.
If it’s an engine thing, fair enough. But if it’s a protective measure, I’d love to know if a limited, performance-aware version could be considered — even if it’s opt-in or gated behind dev review.
Thanks in advance for the insight.