I would like to change the current radar just a teeny bit.

1. Add the feature to automatically target a ship as it comes within range. Say I'm in the middle of a huge war, and kill Icarus/Phoenix/Yooyooma/Thargoid. Obviously, when they return, I'll want to deal with them before anyone else, so I set my radar to automatically target them when they come into range (and possibly give out a little warning beep?).

2. I would like a key bound to select a target immediately behind me. When I'm fighting someone, and see that red dot coming up fast behind me, I don't want to turn around to target them, nor do I want to scroll through everyone within range. A simple "target closest hostile to the rear" key would solve the problem quite nicely.

Good ideas. I second them both.

Nifty feature, but not helpful in all cases. I'd say make it optional. I'd hate to chase someone down only to have some other guy come up behind me and lose my lock on their target just when I'm about to finish 'em off. Beeping would be helpful (see Proximity Alert thread), but when the radar takes over MY ship... I'd be pissed.

#2 is a button you hit, like "g" or "x." #1 would be a feature that you could "lock in" your radar. It really doesn't matter who you're fighting, Arolte. If Phoenix or Thargoid is closing in on you, you'll want to deal with them first. It's just setting target priorities.

Expanding on that concept, there could be a drag'n'drop feature. Hit "u," you see a global list of active players, and a sector list of active players. From the two lists you could put together an automatic targeting list.

Global Active Players

Serco
Blitz
Serco Fighter 1
Arolte
[SDF] Spellcast
[SAW] Theta
[SAW] Delta

Neutral Territories
Sage
[ECAV]0031
[DW] First Acolyte
Newb Trader

Itani
[INM] ?
[INM] Cohen
[INM] Piroko
Yooyooma
Durgia

Sector 7 Players List

Blitz
Serco Fighter 1
Sage
[ECAV]0031
[INM] ?
[INM] Cohen
[INM] Piroko
[SAW] Theta
[SAW] Delta
Yooyooma
Newb Trader

Now, obviously I would not want to target any Serco, as they'd be on my team. Piroko is probably a priority target, as his rail guns will bleed wounded Valkyries to death. Yooyooma and Durgia are others as well, as they has no qualms with rocket-ramming you. The other INMs and the ECAV go on the list too:

Target Priorities:

[INM] Piroko
Yooyooma
[INM] ?
Durgia
[INM] Cohen
Sage
[ECAV]0031

I would leave the newb trader off, as he is not a target. My targeting computer would automatically select the target of highest priority ([INM] Piroko) and switch to the targets with correspondingly lesser levels or priority as the higher targets were destroyed.

An interesting implementation of this is using it within the guild/group system, where a "group owner" or "squad leader" could create a list of priorities and share it with his group/squad/clan.

It all depends on your personal playing style. I for one would like to kill the target I initially targeted before attacking the person who is chasing me. Killing the flaming Centaur in front of me would be a lot more rewarding than turning around and attacking a Valkyrie with only half the ammo left. For those who can dodge just long enough to kill the target in front of them and shake off the assailant who is chasing them, this feature would be a hinderance.

It's a good idea of making targeting more intuitive for general combat, but as I said I think it should be optional just so it won't interfere with other people's playing style. Some people like more control. Some people like automation. That's why we have the option to choose between physics and arcade mode. This shouldn't be any different. Other than that I think it's a great idea.

Well of course not. Like if I had Phoenix ahead of Yooyooma, and had Yooyooma down to the single digits, I would keep pursuing yooyooma. If you don't like a feature (like arcade, physics, multilog, etc.) don't use it. But for when you're in the heat of battle and your situational awareness is dimmed, this would be a good feature and a big help in prioritizing threats.