ApplicantScout: LFG Applicant & Party Overlay

Pick applicants faster. Know the group you just joined.

ApplicantScout turns Group Finder applications and your current party/raid roster into a live Windows companion overlay. While you host, it surfaces Warcraft Logs, RaiderIO, role, item level, raid progress, raid-fit, M+ key-fit, and grouped-applicant context in one table.

When you join someone else's group, Party view can populate from the roster within a few moments, giving you a quick read on what to expect before the key starts or the first raid pull happens.

Requires the free Windows companion overlay: github.com/Antrakt92/ApplicantScout-Companion/releases/latest

Actively maintained. Feedback and suggestions are very welcome.

Install Both Pieces

ApplicantScout has two pieces:

1. ApplicantScout addon - the in-game addon installed through CurseForge.
2. ApplicantScout Companion - the Windows overlay that decodes snapshots, queries Warcraft Logs, reads optional local RaiderIO context, and renders the applicant/party table.

Installing only the CurseForge addon will capture snapshots, but it will not show the external Warcraft Logs/RaiderIO overlay until ApplicantScout Companion is installed and running.

WoW addons cannot query Warcraft Logs directly from inside the game client. This split keeps the addon small and uses public UI/screenshot APIs while the companion handles WCL credentials, caching, updates, and overlay rendering.

When You Host

• Applicant evidence without tab-hopping - WCL, RaiderIO, role, item level, raid/M+ context, and fit cells in one overlay.
• Raid and Mythic+ aware rows - raid listings keep raid evidence primary; M+ listings focus on target-key fit and dungeon history.
• Grouped applicants stay grouped - judge the package without hiding which member is carrying or weakening the group.
• Missing logs stay honest - no-evidence and low-evidence rows stay visible instead of being quietly treated as good or bad.
• Familiar WCL-style colors - strong and top logs keep their Warcraft Logs visual language.
• Small hosting comforts - default new M+ listings to Competitive, choose another playstyle when needed, and optionally send an Auto Hi greeting.

When You Join

• Party and raid roster context - after you invite players or join someone else's group, Party view can fill with WCL/RaiderIO context for the current roster.
• Know the shape of the group early - see score spread, raid progress, dungeon context, missing evidence, and role mix before the run really starts.
• Leader-key calibration - the addon can share/read party keystone data through a built-in LibKS-compatible shim, so the companion can calibrate Party view from the current leader's key without requiring BigWigs.
• Same evidence categories every time - easier to compare groups, applicants, and roster changes without opening external profiles.

Quick Setup

1. Install ApplicantScout through CurseForge.
2. Download and install ApplicantScout Companion: github.com/Antrakt92/ApplicantScout-Companion/releases/latest
3. Use the Windows installer asset named ApplicantScoutCompanionSetup-*.exe. The portable ZIP is mainly for manual/dev use.
4. Launch the companion and enter your Warcraft Logs Client ID/Secret.
5. Set the active WoW _retail_\Screenshots folder in companion Settings.
6. Reload WoW, then host a Mythic+ or raid listing, or join a group and use Party view to review the current roster.

How It Works

1. The addon watches your active Group Finder listing and current party/raid roster.
2. It renders compact QR snapshots and triggers normal WoW screenshots.
3. The companion watches the configured Screenshots folder, decodes ApplicantScout APS1 payloads, fetches WCL data, reads optional local RaiderIO data, and updates the overlay.
4. The QR frame appears only during the screenshot capture window so it stays out of the way between snapshots.

Privacy and Trust

ApplicantScout does not read WoW memory, inject code, automate gameplay, or send chat messages as a transport.

Trust notes for the Windows companion:

• It does not ask for Blizzard credentials or account access.
• It watches only the configured WoW Screenshots folder for ApplicantScout QR payloads.
• If the RaiderIO addon is installed, it can read local RaiderIO addon database files under your WoW AddOns folder to enrich score/progress context.
• It stores Warcraft Logs API credentials locally under your Windows user profile.
• It is source-available in the public companion repository.
• Current Windows builds are unsigned, so SmartScreen can warn on first install; the release also publishes a .sha256 sidecar for file integrity, not publisher identity.

Troubleshooting

• Overlay stays empty: open companion Settings and confirm the Screenshots path points at the active _retail_\Screenshots folder.
• WoW side looks idle: run /apscout status while hosting a listing.
• Need a manual sync: keep ApplicantScout enabled and run /apscout shotnow.
• Applicant state looks stale: run /apscout reset while transport is active.
• WCL cells stay empty: open companion Settings and use Test WCL.
• Windows warns about the installer: current builds are unsigned. Download only from the linked GitHub Releases page and compare the .sha256 sidecar if you want an integrity check.
• QR frame is in the way: run /apscout qrmove, Alt-drag it, then run /apscout qrmove again to lock placement.

Handy Slash Commands

/apscout on | off       enable or disable capture
/apscout config         open or close the settings panel
/apscout status         show current state and QR diagnostics
/apscout playstyle [off|learning|relaxed|competitive|carry] set M+ default playstyle
/apscout reset          clear transport cache and queue a fresh snapshot
/apscout shotnow        force a snapshot now while enabled
/apscout qrmove         toggle QR move mode; Alt-drag the QR frame
/apscout qrreset        reset QR frame position to top-left
/apscout debug [on|off] toggle debug logging

Compatibility

• World of Warcraft Retail / Midnight 12.x
• ApplicantScout and ApplicantScout Companion should be kept on matching current releases
• Versioned APS1 QR payloads with optional RaiderIO, raid/M+ roster, leader-keystone context, and temporary LFG-lockdown handling
• Optional RaiderIO main-score support when the RaiderIO addon is installed
• Classic-era clients are not supported

Links

• Addon source: github.com/Antrakt92/ApplicantScout-Addon
• Addon issues: github.com/Antrakt92/ApplicantScout-Addon/issues
• Companion releases: github.com/Antrakt92/ApplicantScout-Companion/releases/latest
• Companion issues: github.com/Antrakt92/ApplicantScout-Companion/issues

License

ApplicantScout is MIT licensed.

The bundled libs/qrencode.lua library retains its upstream 3-clause BSD license header. See the packaged THIRD-PARTY-NOTICES.md and libs/qrencode.lua for details.