Hunter Pet head-turning behavior

[Qraljar]

Hey. I know this might not seem like an important feature to dedicate a whole thread to, but considering it's going to be pretty up-in-your-face, it might be a good idea to consolidate a list of screenshots of it. One reason for that is because I've already observed some issues with it, particularly with Spiders. This might allow a certain former lurker to check out what works and doesn't work and send the info on through to whichever team would be in charge of fixing it, preferably before release.

I will start taking some screenshots of this and posting them, but I don't think I can do it all on my own.

[Qraljar]

Okay, my first batch with some notes.
https://imgur.com/a/IJ8koq0

Some information

• Whether your pet turns their head(s) depends on multiple factors. It could be down to the race/sex, surroundings or the fact that your pet might not actually have a head. (Looking at you, crabs)
  It could also refuse to work for unknown reasons. It is based on vicinity, so for my character, a lot of pets stand too far away from my character by default to show this behavior.

• If a pet in my screenshot does not have its head turned toward me, then it doesn't currently support that behavior for one reason or another.

• Some pets I have seen show some.. issues with this system. I'll choose to highlight them below because I believe they need that attention in order to fix issues.

• I encourage anybody who can and wants to share pictures of their own pets doing this on either the PTR or the Beta.

The problems

Thin spiders do show this behavior, but it causes some pretty impressive issues. These are just two examples. I would assume this goes for any spider using a similar skeleton, like the Maexxna types or the Bone Spiders.

New traditional Silithids (and I assume the old version, too) turn their heads into their smaller appendages, meaning that they're constantly clipping through themselves, sadly.

A similar situation is true for the Aqir beetle, whose antennae clip through its legs.

[worgpower]

I don’t have a problem with it, but my biggest issue is when I don’t target them, I don’t know if it’s intended or not, but my pets always turn their heads toward me, and it really bugs me for some reason, but it would of been better if they did it if I targeted them

[Bowno]

I agree.
I dont want my pet always staring at me.
If I can control it, cool. Like if I target them.
But if my pet ALWAYS has its head turned towards me, then its a worthless companion because its clearly not paying attention to anything else, including potential dangers.
I want my pet to be alert and not like OMG I CANT LIVE WITHOUT YOU MASTER YOU ARE EVERYTHING TO ME I NEED YOU I LOVEYOU I WILL NEVER STOP LOOKING INTO YOUR EYES.
Honestly, I'll take Hati AI over my pet ALWAYS staring at me. Thats how much I dont like it lol

[GormanGhaste]

I would rather it only be when they are targeted as well. Having them stare at me all the time is creepy!

[Vephriel]

The head turn behaviour seems to be baked in, as all NPCs will do it as well.

I don't know, I really like it so far after playing through Beta for a while. It made my pets feel more lively, when I get close to them they turn to glance at me automatically, it really gives them a spark of life they never had before.

A couple are more awkward (spiders are the first to come to mind for me as well), but besides them I haven't been unhappy with it so far. The only strange part is when we're running side by side and my pet isn't looking where they're going haha.

I've noticed that crocolisks, core hounds, and cloud serpents cannot turn their heads. I haven't had time to do a more thorough check otherwise though.

[worgpower]

The head turn behaviour seems to be baked in, as all NPCs will do it as well.

I don't know, I really like it so far after playing through Beta for a while. It made my pets feel more lively, when I get close to them they turn to glance at me automatically, it really gives them a spark of life they never had before.

A couple are more awkward (spiders are the first to come to mind for me as well), but besides them I haven't been unhappy with it so far. The only strange part is when we're running side by side and my pet isn't looking where they're going haha.

I've noticed that crocolisks, core hounds, and cloud serpents cannot turn their heads. I haven't had time to do a more thorough check otherwise though.

Some creatures are very strange at it, especially spiders and bird horses, they clip through the neck or fangs, and it seems very weird to run around with pets looking at you and not paying attention on where they’re going, I’ve used a abyss worm and cloud serpent and only the abyss worm turns it’s head, quite strange even though they modified the skeleton a bit

[Qraljar]

The head turn behaviour seems to be baked in, as all NPCs will do it as well.

I don't know, I really like it so far after playing through Beta for a while. It made my pets feel more lively, when I get close to them they turn to glance at me automatically, it really gives them a spark of life they never had before.

A couple are more awkward (spiders are the first to come to mind for me as well), but besides them I haven't been unhappy with it so far. The only strange part is when we're running side by side and my pet isn't looking where they're going haha.

I've noticed that crocolisks, core hounds, and cloud serpents cannot turn their heads. I haven't had time to do a more thorough check otherwise though.

Some creatures are very strange at it, especially spiders and bird horses, they clip through the neck or fangs, and it seems very weird to run around with pets looking at you and not paying attention on where they’re going, I’ve used a abyss worm and cloud serpent and only the abyss worm turns it’s head, quite strange even though they modified the skeleton a bit

Yeah, honestly. When I saw that the Abyss Worm did it, I 100% expected Cloud Serpents to do it as well. Abyss Worms are so close to them that they still did the Cloud Serpent head scratch thing until recently. Same for Aqir Worms/Lampreys.

[Kaydia]

When you're issuing orders to a hunting companion to attack a certain target, you want them looking at the thing you're telling them to charge at. Not at you. It doesn't make sense for them to always be looking at you. Even when they're running alongside you. You want them watching where they're going, not you. If they're looking at you while moving, they're not aware of the giant hole in the ground before they fall in it, or the fallen tree they have to jump over. It's one of the new changes that really bugs me.

If you're targeting them, then they can be looking at you. Otherwise, I'd much prefer for them to use their old behavior.

[Xota]

Always being watched sounds like something out of a horror movie or nightmare. It'd be a pretty creepy visual effect for a curse named paranoia, everything turns its head to watch you. But as normal pet behavior, no thanks.

[Vephriel]

So the older spider models weren't the best, but they didn't look terrible.

However the new spider models REALLY break pretty badly, if there's a way to turn off this behaviour for the family, I think it might be best.

On these models it's particularly evident that the fangs are not part of the face soo they remain stationary while the head bends back and forth.

I tried to capture it with a GIF, hopefully you can see what I mean:
https://imgur.com/Za9y4J1

[Qraljar]

So the older spider models weren't the best, but they didn't look terrible.

However the new spider models REALLY break pretty badly, if there's a way to turn off this behaviour for the family, I think it might be best.

On these models it's particularly evident that the fangs are not part of the face soo they remain stationary while the head bends back and forth.

I tried to capture it with a GIF, hopefully you can see what I mean:
https://imgur.com/Za9y4J1

Oh man, that's really bad. Spiders really seem to have it the worst with this change.

On a side note, that texture on it looks really beautiful from the top.

[Dannihilate]

Ok, so this is new for all pets. I first noticed it when I tamed an undead T-Rex and it was REALLY unnerving when this giant skeletal beast just kept looking down at my character like he was a little undead snack.

[PrimalTazza]

I never played around on the PTR, but now that it's live... this is atrocious. I don't like keeping my pet out now. I just tamed a cloud serpent and it looked awful, especially when moving. WoW models can already have some pretty severe warping issues once they start moving, but when the head is turned and it's in its run animation or doing the neck-scratch idle animation... it just looks bad.

[worgpower]

I never played around on the PTR, but now that it's live... this is atrocious. I don't like keeping my pet out now. I just tamed a cloud serpent and it looked awful, especially when moving. WoW models can already have some pretty severe warping issues once they start moving, but when the head is turned and it's in its run animation or doing the neck-scratch idle animation... it just looks bad.

The heavenly cloud serpents do turn their heads, normal noodles , thundering noodles, and elegon does not turn their head, this head turning also bugs and makes me feel weird having pets turn their heads, really annoying

[Qraljar]

Yeah.. I hope Blizzard just changes it so pets only turn their heads when you target them, not automatically when they stand close to you.

[worgpower]

Yeah.. I hope Blizzard just changes it so pets only turn their heads when you target them, not automatically when they stand close to you.

That’s what I was hoping would happen, but no, I get constantly stared at, it ruins the beauty of my pets

[Bowno]

God I hate the head turning LOL

[Lupis]

I've honestly adored the head turning on my wolves, they feel much more alive- I wish there was a way to opt in or out of it, but I know that's asking a bit much! Admittedly it helps that they don't seem to do it a whole lot, and most of the time run facing forward or only turn towards my hunter every now and then.

That said, I've heard more bad than good, so I hope they do something about it. I love it, but wolves don't have models that break atrociously when they turn their heads. :,D

[Xota]

They currently opt in/out based off of how far away you are and if your pet is targeted. The distances are somehow modified by the pet model. There are some models that don't stare at the default idle distance, and some that do. But in general, the "always stare" is about 1 yard away. The "attention when targeted" is about 4 yards away. A fix would probably just make the "always stare" distance always be false for pets. You could opt in by targeting them. Not practical all the time, but maybe most of the time when you're noticing anyways.

Or since there's a bunch of blast from the past abilities, they could bring back pet happiness, and if you fed your pet it'd pay you more attention. pet happiness was the worst haha.