Creating Custom Cursors

[Elloria]

Ive decided to dig into custom cursors. I need to know a few things before i start and possibly some advice.

My main goal really would be to use a gif as the cursor but from what ive read thats not possible(maybe if i could create and addon but i can't i dont know lua well enough yet)

What size can the cursor image be? Does it have to be 32x32?


My big idea is to make cursors out of weapons. Like the 2 handed merciless gladiator sword or a cool looking dagger. But working with such a small space makes them look like crap when i shrink them down. Even if i take the picture ultra tiny its almost unrecognizable once im done with it.

Any suggestions?

[Dridzt]

If you don't intend to expand it to something more than Decoded's Custom Cursor maybe you could work on that project adding a few more graphics as available options?

Author has stated that he's in the process of creating a tutorial on how to make custom cursors,
so I'm guessing he would be responsive to requests about that or general info.

Edit: To add some relevant info.
Most cursor changing packages are not addons, they're graphic replacement packs.

That means they're not meant to go into
<wow root folder>\Interface\AddOns\
but instead to
<wow root folder>\Interface\Cursor\

Before the usual questions, graphics elements that are not meant to be overridden
in this way are ignored by the game when it loads but cursors are among those elements that are ok.
(at the time of posting)

API access to the cursor is provided through SetCursor and ResetCursor.
This however will not change the standard cursor
(when your mouse is hovering the WorldFrame)
Cursors in-game are context sensitive (change depending on what's under them).

In any case a combination of graphic replacement (for the standard cursor) and addon (for other cursors: attack/gather/loot/quest or whatever) would probably
get you quite far into customizing Cursor appearance throughout the game.

[Mery]

Yes, cursors have to be 32x32 pixels (and it is hard to make such a cursor, i noticed while making Zap-A-Gnome, that looks like some ingame item).

[Elloria]

Wow thank you both very much. You gave me what I needed to know. I just have to keep working on the art to make it look better smaller. Im sure i can come up with something cool. Thanks again!