This sounds like a really useful new feature that enables a script to put a PC into targeting mode, complete with a new module event to process the result.
I can see that it could be used from a custom feat, for example, though we can already do targeting with that.
Is there any way it can invoked by using an item, without the spellcasting animation?
You can already invoke this with item or feat. To prevent animation to be processed you need nwnx modification. It cannot be done in singleplayer.
I use this functionality in conversation, another option is chat command. Not much else comes to my mind.
Isn’t really new however (nearly three years old). Using it for a while now in convos / NUI windows for target selection.
I see the value in conversation / NUI.
Pity it doesn’t help with items (since indeed nwnx is not an option in SP).
Yes, it’s also the way all special powers are done in my Tupilak Module, but nice that it’s more accessible in the toolset now. It has lots of potential uses to a builder.
You should join the NWN Developers Discord and request “Items need a property that allows instant script trigger” or similar, might be useful.
Most people however would use NUI for instantly needed targeting events.