Perma-identity. Nickname is permanent. Nickname as face. Cover face - conceal nickname.

[DZR_Mikhail 2424]

This feature is a part of a collection of features about "How to make DayZ harder"

Vote it up on Reddit too - http://cp.reddit.com...k_is_permanent/

I really hope Rocket sees this and follows my logics. I feel it’s a huge feature. Having permadeath surprised everyone, but together with permaidentity it will produce even more effect on everyone.

PROBLEM #1

• Player changes nickname at any moment. :facepalm:
  
• Has no face. :blink:
  
• Nothing unique per person. :(
  

Social aspect in game is destroyed.

Requires out-of-the-game communication\organisation\socialisation

PROBLEM #2

I remind some of the core DayZ principles:

• Authenticity :thumbsup:
  
• No player action judgement. :thumbsup:
  

Bandit-skin feature destroys these two principles and is ineffective. :o

BANDIT SKIN FEATURE ANALYSIS:

1. No authenticity - you’re technically forced to wear headwrap. You kill 10-15 players - You get bandit head skin.
   
2. Killing is judged - players are forced to think anyone with bandit skin is bad.
   
3. But system is too unperfect. Self defence is still a murder.
   
4. You can become bandit if you kill 10 freshly spawned hostile players who try to kill you.
   
5. Blood transfusion restores humanity. So you can erase your story without consequences.
   

In fact. This adds only confusion, not authenticity.

As a result, Non-bandits can become “bandit-skinned” mistakingly.

Bandits can still getaway without bandit-skin and do murder.

Effectiveness: almost 0%

SOLUTION TO BOTH PROBLEM #1 AND #2

Perma-identity (nickface concept) + Authentic face hiding.

Nickface = nickname + face.

First watch the design concept video to understand what I mean in all the following explanations

+ BUDDY\SOCIAL LISTS (NEW! HOT!)

HOWTO IN SHORT

1. Remove bandit\hero skin feature completely (bandit heartbeat is okay though).
   
2. Replace face with permanent nickname bound to cd-key forever. (name is persistent to every new character)
   
3. Give ability to hide face and reveal it again at any time.
   
4. Show players nickname for cursortarget at 50 metres (cursortarget means right in the centre of the screen where your crosshair is, not everyones nick around).
   
5. Hide nickname if his face is hidden\covered.
   
6. Hide nickname if you look at player from behind his head.
   

IDEA:

Let’s transfer FACE function to players unique NICKNAME and bind this nickname to CD-KEY permanently. Show player nickname within authentic range (60-90m ?) you can recognize persons face.

WHY IT’S MORE AUTHENTIC

You can’t easily change your face in real life, but you can disguise or cover it. Want to hide your nickname\identity to act anonymously? Cover your nickface. Expect people go suspicious. Want to gain trust or fame\infamy - expose your nickface. Your choice. Your story. Your DayZ. :thumbsup:

COMMENT

In reality apart from balaclava or ski-mask you can wrap any cloth or t-shirt around your head to hide your face. You can’t have unique face and body as in real life. Thus no one can recognize you. Pretend nickname is the face.

Nickname specs, same as face in real life

1. It has unique features.
   
2. It is never identical.
   
3. It cannot be changed.
   
4. It can be remembered, and can be forgotten.
   
5. It can resemble another one.
   
6. It can be ugly.
   
7. It can be beautiful.
   
8. It can be stupid.
   
9. It can be hilarious.
   
10. And at the same time it cannot represent actual players nature and intentions. But once exposed in action - people spread the word about you, either bad or good.
    

IMPORTANT EFFECTS:

1. Social aspects boosted at last. Trust is introduced in game. Presently its totally absent unless you use out-of-the-game forums and communication software.
   
2. You choose who you are at any moment. More dramatic actions can be done. More intense atmosphere.
   
3. Gain trust or make people suspicious by revealing or covering your face accordingly.
   
4. You risk your name get infamous in DayZ.
   
5. You have chance your name to become legend in DayZ.
   
6. People may fear your name and don’t mess with you.
   
7. People can know they’re safe with you around.
   
8. You gain reputation to your nickname.
   
9. Immense roleplay potential! You can be hero with face revealed and act villain and bandit with your face covered.
   
10. You can finally make pun for “This is your story.” because your story will be imprinted in DayZ forever via your unique nickname and actions. Presently its erased or easily doubted because of risk somebody cloning your nickname in game profile. This can cause somebody jeopardize your personality by acting on your behalf with your name.
    
11. No controversy, no judgment, no authenticity damage - everything is in place and working to the core concepts.
    

GAME MECHANICS RULES:

1) Nickname is shown only within authentic recognition range. (60-90m?)

_effectiveRange = 60; if( (!faceCovered(cursorTarget)) && ((cursorTarget distance) < _effectiveRange) ) then {call ShowNickface(cursorTarget, player)}; //rough code

2) Optical zooming devices expand this range authentically.

if(player HasWeapon "Binoculars") then {_effectiveRange = _effectiveRange + (zoomFactor "Binoculars")} ; //rough code

3) If players face is covered - nickname never shown.

4) You can remove face-cover from dead bodies and learn their nicknames.

5) Face cover is easily obtained in the world. Any clothing, cloth, window-sheet etc. can be crafted into an improvised balaclava to cover nickface. (I suggest giving face-cover on startup)

6) Hide nickname if looked at from behind. (attach invisible box at the face and use getVisibility when head interferes between this box and line of sight.)

7) Fade nickname colour\transparency depending on whether player is in dark or in light. (Something like Observation may be able to handle nigh visibility)

8) Fade nickname readability (colour\transparency) at distance. Fully visible at 10m, less visible at 40, Almost vaguely visible at 50 and seems almost non visible at 60m.

9) Reduce recognition range when player goes prone. Good point is to detect flat (exposed) or grassy (concealed) ground under player.

10) Fade the nickname even more if player is prone and not moving for, let's say, 5 seconds.

11) Nicknames must be registered in DayZ Database and attached only at respawn. Server's playerlists must contain only vanilla information, such as profile name. In player lists DayZ nickname must never be used for security! DayZ nickname is INGAME and visible only INGAME.

12) Ther must be some way to verify and show your true DayZ nickname on the forums. Immense forum intergration for better experience and socializing. But if you don't want to reveal it - it's not a requirement. Choose wisely.

13) Nicknames must meet minimum requirements following common sense and technical\design and must be approved before being used.

• No special characters except underscores, only A-Z a-z letters, and 1-9 numbers (no zero for "O" letter ambiguity).
  
• Must start with at least 5 letters.
  
• Case insensitive so that Nick and niCK cannot be mimicked or confused.
  
• No initial or final underscore in the nickname.
  
• No double underscores.
  
• Nickname is 20 chars max.
  
• Non-abusive or explicit.
  
• No mimicking abuse\explicit words. E.g. STFUuPR1CK
  
• No nicknames with "Rocket", "Admin", "DayZ", "WarZ" and other "trademarks" inside.
  
• No racist, sexual, offensive etc. nicknames.
  
• Incremental nicknames must have underscore preceding the number, e.g. DrWasteland, DrWasteland_1, DrWasteland_2 .. DrWasteland_2013.
  

14) If permanent nickname creates a public confrontation, give ability to change nickname once in 6 months for the next respawn. Not recommended.

15) If you are too persuasive and players attack fiercly - make it once per 3 months. Very not recommended.

16) A new player must be inormed he is given a trial period (2 days? week?) when he can change his nickname at will. When trial period ends - nickname is saved forever (or untill the next allowed nick change opportunity, see 14 & 15).

________________________

So far a most discussed and pretty fair drawback:

People are not ready to accept and abstract metaphorical transition of face function to nickname.

Many people just can't sacrifice the ability to always have their nickname private and be shown on demand, lie about their names, and have all the anonymity advantages of being able to trick, scam and pretend. When I tell them "COVER YOUR FACE" and do all you want, they say that with a mask everyone will loose their trust and kill on sight.

And this fact is a crucial point where I say "It is awesome and authentic", but they say "It is unfair and restricting freedom"

I feel their pain, but paying this price will equal all players possibilites and finally introduce social life to DayZ. Fair price, useful sacrifice. Huge future possibilities and immense underlying effect on DayZ Universe. Continuing DayZ with such complete anonymousity and changing names at will only increase the overall PvP and social disorder and ruin ingame communication and atmosphere. It is of course not a main feature for the alpha release, but this must be definitely dealt with with this feature or a better idea of DayZ developers.

________________________

HOTFIXES - Solutions to subsequently discovered drawbacks, disadvantages and issues.

• Problem: Exposing identity will attract griefers and abusers, allowing them to follow you on servers and track you down.
  
• Soultion (under the spoiler)
  

I disagree with the idea completely, say what you want I'm not going to agree with it, loads of other games allow this kind of change and I would hate it of DayZ didn't allow it.

One big reason I have is that Trolls and the like can use it to follow you across servers, yes they can use it to grief also by changing their own name but I do not want some little sh1t following me because he feels like it and being able to change my name or create a new character with a different name is what I want.

Oh, I will say what I want, that's for sure, and I hope you don't leave disappointed

Apart from detailed explanation of this feature I wrote a dozen posts expanding my idea and the only one drawback\issue\error you have yet found was this? Gosh, what a compliment to my work. Thank you sir. I can solve your issue easily. Hope you won't get offended and feel relieved.

Method 1. Persuasion.

I can't understand how they can use it? They know your name, so what? How can they track you down in Chernarus easily? Describe the howto. Can you reproduce the possible actions of a troll or griefer to do something to you?

As far as I can gueess, to track Oldy1Kenobi in DayZ a troll\griefer\small\sh1t:

1. Must check thousands of servers and check every playerlist to find your nickname. It's easy, some hour or two browsing the servers.
   
2. WHEN\IF he finds you on some server, he logs in and rubs his hands. Easy. 2-5 minutes approximately.
   
3. He then he thoroughly checks all the 225 square kilometers of Chernarus to find you. It's easy, just run for 9 hours checking the land with Thermal Scope (Chernarus is 15x15km. 5 kmPerHour. 15km \ 5kmh = 3 hours each. 3 hours * 3 hours = 9 hours).
   
4. At last! He finds a survivor! Now he must politely ask this survivor to come up at the distance when his nickname will get visible to him. If it's Oldy1Kenobi. BINGO! Kill the survivor. If not... Apologize and continue the search.
   
5. If he encounters a survivor in balaclava or headwrap and his nickname is invisble, he must politely an carefully ask a survivor to remove the disguise and reveal his nickname. Be sure you reveal yours first. Piece a cake!
   

!!! WARNING !!! IMPORTANT NOTES TO TROLL\GRIEFER !!! WARNING !!!

• Check playerlist every 20 minutes, to be sure your target hasn't left the server.
  
• Be aware of the fact, that Oldy1Kenobi may have already walked to the place you already checked. So go back and doublecheck often. (9 hours * 2 = 18 hours)
  
• Be aware that thermal imaging is blocked by trees and hills.
  
• Be cautious, because you can be shot by randomly encountered bandits, especially when you be thoroughly checking Sobor, Cherno, Electro, Berezino, Krasnostav, Airfields, Komarovo, Solnichniy, Mogilevka etc.
  
• Be sure that you have enough ingame food and water for 9-18 hour long run.
  
• Be sure that you have enough REAL food and water for 9-18 hour long play.
  
• Be sure you have plenty of ammunition for your automatic rifle, so that you don't stop running while being attacked by a horde of zombies.
  

I mean, seriously! You still not convinced it's not an issue?!

Method 2. Technical game changes.

We can disable playerlist in DayZ. But you're wise and you say someone can be sneaky enough to query gametracker or check PlayWithSix or dayzcommander and still get the server playerlist?

Fair enough.

Solution: We make your real nickname only available in DayZ database. It is tied to your character upon respawn based on your UID. In servers playerlist poeple will only see your profile username, not you global unique DayZ nickname. Go to your profile, change it whenever you want, and you're safe. Your INGAME nickname is only shown INGAME.

Bulletproof! Aren't you convinced?

• Problem: If your name and appearence are persistant even after death then you have essentially negated the entire "perma death" feature of this game. You didn't die... you're back with the same name and appearence.
  
• Solution (under the spoiler)
  

I like the idea of having the same name until you die. If your name and appearence are persistant even after death then you have essentially negated the entire "perma death" feature of this game. You didn't die... you're back with the same name and appearence. How do you explain that nobody really dies; they just wash up on shore everytime they get knocked out? Perma death is a big draw for me to this game and really simulates the notion that this is a harsh, gritty, world where almost nobody makes it. Those who do survive truly have achieved something that is very difficult and rare. In other games your character was simply ressurected. That doesn't seem to be the case here; there is no magic to bring life back to those that have died.

Under the covers there should be a unique account name that can not be changed. Some ID number or whatever. So that administrators and developers can track people, weed out hackers / cheaters, and deal with other administration problems that stem from anonymous players. However this should not be visible in game. Your characters' name should be different.

You miss the point completely. It's you, the player, who neglects permadeath completely and resurrecta magically, reincarnate every time with a new body and name BUT WITH THE SAME PLAYER PERSON IN HIS HEAD, SAME OPERATOR IN CONTROL. Player is not dying in front of the screen hopefully. Neither they have an amnesia for the previous survival attempt. His CDKEY is not revoked and banned. His nasty actions are not erased or forgotten. His words and promises and lies are remembered. So in fact, your location is reset and your lewt is taken away. Dear lord, what a painful permadeath, considering the fact you can walk up your corpse, tent, car and have it all back in half an hour. That all seems more of a magic cheat to me.

True permadeath would be if you cant join the server you died on for lets say 6 months. Youll soon value your life and suffer from being forced to play on some sub polar Russian servers with 1500 ping and a drunken bear in the lobby, because you died on all servers already. 

But if you try to think deeper, what I suggest is not an easy way, not a magic cheat or simplifying gameplay feature, not a single attempt to help you and make DayZ casual as other MMO.

JUST THE OPPOSITE.

I expose and eliminate the last exploit in DayZ concept, the last dirty legit cheat - full anonymousity and no consequenses, no reputation or responsibility for your actions, not a single regret about a survival attempt (besides lost lewt and time), NO VALUE TO YOUR CHARACTER LIFE. "You are Dead"? Oh, well. Sad, but pffffff, whatever, restart in Electro, run and lewt again, kill em all, mwahaha.

Just get me right. I restore the missing link between your NOT DEAD player personality, and your NOT DEAD (though new) character. He is NOT DEAD, he is reset to zero. But you are not reset. YOU CONTINUE SURVIVING.

So my feature brings immense realistic and authentic psychological brutality to your next survival attempt - you will suffer and enjoy the consequences you triggered in your past life, your former presence changed the world and other people, the world was not reset as your character, and you are back in this changed world, and now you either hide your face an take a warpath of a bandit/renegade and be freed of fame/infamy and reputation problems, or show your face and gain fame/infamy you deserve for your NOT DEAD PERSONALITY in the world you changed.

That is authenticity. You think before you act, you know how people react to it, you value reputation, no one likes disgrace, shame and betrayal, and you do not rely on a cheaty perspective of gaining new name, face, identity and a chance to neglect any lessons and burdens of your past deeds.

In real life you really have permadeath. No BS. You make mistake, you mess with wrong people, you act like a psycho with a sniper rifle, you KOS, you rob or rape... you eventually die because of that, or worse... You live with it and everyone knows it was you. Sometimes you get more sneaky, more stealth, more pro, COVER YOUR FACE, and dont get caught. So noone knows your dirty biography. You dont get all the punishment. Unreliable, risky path it is, but you can choose it.

You can choose another path. Honest, open, heroic, but even more difficult than the above. Because you oppose the anonymous legion of face-covered crimes. You are hunted more than a simple newb. You inspire and help others, you are famous and noble man. By just your presence you decrease the crime influence. Coverfaced envy you and hate you. And they KNOW YOU as everyone else does. This makes your Path even more dangerous.

I offer you a genuine Freedom and Choice, but remember the price if you get caught without the mask, even if you are a hero.

Do you understand now what I meant for this feature and what it brings to Dayz?

So far DayZ was about physical survival...

This feature makes survival complete with psychological survival. Survival as a personality, not another clone from the coast.

• Problem: In combat you just pretty much scan the area with yout crosshair and someone thats perfectly hidden in tall grass is now exposed
  
• Solution (under the spoiler)
  

koze wrote

"I don't like the idea that you can see someone's name in game (name plates). Even at a cirtain distance, I think it is still better to hide it otherwise things such as ghillie suits would be useless. You pretty much scan the area with your crosshairs and someone thats perfectly hidden in tall grass is now exposed."

FIRST: Good point and we can easily decrease the range of nickname display when a person went prone. If engine allows we can track whether he is in the grass or on the asphalt and make it more realistic. I bet we can somwhow make the engine understand whether a person is in light or in the dark\shadow and reduce viibility even more.

SECOND: I see no contradiction with your words and my feature. Ghillie suit will definitely be hiding face and nickname. And by the way, fair point, grass and plants view obstruction is another disease to be discussed. Of course grass MUST hide or make visibility less intense. If I could fix the engine, I would fix grass concealement someway at the first place. Same goes to player hiding in a shadow of a tree. Technically his face is exposed, but visually youd never see it in this contrast\darkness.

But, anyway, no one forces you to hide in grass with yout face revealed. That's a most frequent GOLDEN answer to such questions. If you enter a battle or risk being exposed to an enemy - COVER YOUR FACE! SIMPLE. No problem. I'd do that in real life or at least paint it camo.

• Problem: Some people may not want to show everyone their name.
  
• Solution (under the spoiler)
  

koze wrote

"Another reason is, some people may not want to show everyone their name."

I BET they may not want it. But life is different. If we agree their nickname is their face. Just imagine real life. Many people don't wnat their face being seen or remembered. They wear glasses and hats to disguise. Here we go again! If some of you don't want to show everyone your nickname - COVER YOUR FACE! SIMPLE.

• Problem: Glory hunters will pursue streamers and celebrities.
  
• Solution (under the spoiler)
  

run4way wrote

"Good idea. Could find only one cons - if nickface will be permanent, glory hunters will pursue streamers."

Wow, good point, didn't think about it, but why is it a CON? Streamer is a live TV journalist, who is broadcasting events from the world to media in realtime. They are always persued this way or that. It's their choice, their life. They are public personalities. Everyone knows their faces, names and can contact them. Choosing a path of a streamer will lead you to this very public exposure. I see no problem here. ONly a better simulation and authenticity. Thsi is very cool! Of course if half a country knows that you're standing at some street talking something and half a country can watch it live.... Well, haven't you seen some jokers jump in the camera view to make faces? Same here, but the jokers are armed. Seriously, it's aint a peaceful place with police around and civic glamour events. It's a wild freaking apocalypse and you run with camera broadcasting your location to thousands of crazy killers around you?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Are you nuts?!!!!!! Get yourself a gun and run for cover you fool!

______________________________________________________________

Small FAQ built upon questions and answers in this topic.

Balancing visibility and avoid being exposed to enemies

having strong bold colours works better (ie the blue/white face thats available) it can bee seen fom a further distance, but that means your enemies can PID you too and if you stick out you're first to go down.

I suggest the size and the transparency of the nickname is changed respectively to the distance. I'll make some concept art screens to illustrate this. Basically, your nickname must not get bigger than your body. If it's unreadable, than it's not shown at all. It's a matter of design.

If you fear of being exposed with your nickname - quickly hide your face if you are in the battle so that you are not exposed at close range. If anyone is fighting or in the fight, then participant are meant to hurt and kill each other. This is not the place to show your face :)

About the overall concept of Internets being anonymous or not at any time.

I'd like perma-identity with changeable nicks. If they were to do anything, then let people choose one face, and stick with that, for instance. But I think part of this internet thing is getting to choose who you can be at any given moment.

I can't see problem here. In fact, I introduce a feature for you to get protected from exposing your identity. Hide your face and be Zorro or whoever you like. No one will know your name. Show your face only to whom you trust. This adds drama and tension to your survival, this makes you bear responsibility and enjoy consequences of your actions. If you think it over, you will understand how brutal DayZ may get with this feature.

It's not the Internet thing. It's a game with strong survival elements at the breakdown of social order. Basically survival is about trying to restore your social and physical conditions to be able to act and live as a human further. So you can't be anonymous all the time. Social life is an immense part of this scenario.

About clothes and character customisation serving the same purpose. And about the idea that your character dies, but preserves personality\identity.

1) Character customization is something that is probably coming with the standalone at one point or another, it's a frequently requested feature and a very logical one at that. It could help a lot with the identification problem, along with more variance in clothing.

2) Being forced to play with the same Nickname/Face doesn't sit right with me and it kinda contradicts the whole 'perma death' scenario because you're forced to be the same person after death. I think you should have to create a new character each time you die, that includes choosing a new name.

3) But I like the idea of being able to hide your face and avoiding identification that way.

1) Yes. No doubt a wide variety of clothing and customization can bring some uniqueness to players, but only when you have played and "levelled up" enough to have a good choice of clothes. In the very early periods of playing everyone (counting hundred thousands) will be just the same cloned baseball cap man. And following your logics means you will positively identify somebody dressed in a certain way. I think it's obvious you can meet a player with same outfit. Trusting outfit is not reliable. You judge a book by it's cover. And concerning the social aspect. How can you make friends with a combination of customized outfits? It's the person, personality that you meet with. Real nickname makes it possible ingame without Skype\Forum verification.

2) Dude, your not forced. Please, think about this: YOU ARE the same person after your character dies. That's what sits right in this game. Choosing a new name every time you die kills all the social features right away! It's a disaster! Not a single MMO or persistent world multiplayer roleplay game allows that for obvious reasons. All the games use the same old method very long time: "CREATE 1 CHARACTER. UNIQUE NAME. DEATH DOESN'T CHANGE THE NAME." So in the worst case DayZ must have at least this system. Let's say, 5 characters per server\world. No name change. I can accept this. But choosing name after death is unacceptable. It's agains any common sense.

3) Yes, this idea came to me, I liked it a lot and thought you guys gonna love it too.

This feature will put streamers in danger.

Good idea. Could find only one cons - if nickface will be permanent, glory hunters will pursue streamers.

Wow, good point, didn't think about it, but why is it a CON? Streamer is a live TV journalist, who is broadcasting events from the world to media in realtime. They are always pursued this way or that. It's their choice, their life. They are public personalities. Everyone knows their faces, names and can contact them. Choosing a path of a streamer will lead you to this very public exposure. I see no problem here. ONly a better simulation and authenticity. This is very cool! Of course if half a country knows that you're standing at some street talking something and half a country can watch it live.... Well, haven't you seen some jokers jump in the camera view to make faces? Same here, but the jokers are armed. Seriously, it's aint a peaceful place with police around and civic glamour events. It's a wild freaking apocalypse and you run with camera broadcasting your location to thousands of crazy killers around you?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Are you nuts?!!!!!! Get yourself a gun and run for cover you fool!

Suggestion to rather have two preset factions of Bandits and Heroes and choose your side before character creation.

To me I would rather see a choice when you start the game like when your asked male or female.

Male/Female

Good\Evil

Then make two sets of skins you can find with them being for either good or evil players only.Another idea I think would be kool is to make say 5 skins that get more and more badass as you kill more of the opposing type of players.Be honest and agree with me that if you had a level 5 bandit skin(10 kills per level) that was a ghillie suit with a hockey mask and then get killed you would feel much pain!

Very good idea, but not that hardcore as mine, and it is a bit restricting in the roleplay freedom. But I won't mind having these two factions in DayZ outlined honestly and cleanly. With my feature, you can switch sides at any time, just go round the corner, pull on your balaclava and rob your new friends the same minute. Then take out balaclava and pretend it wasn't you. :)

Suggestion to rather have group\buddy social mechanics.

I think the social system will be better. I mean: you can add people to your friend-list and after that you can see their names in game (and servers where you have friends), even if they change the name.

It a technical restriction to authentic freedom. How can you explain that you see everyones faces around, but recognize only your friends and anyone else around seems a cloneface to you? Nothing logical. But if you see everyones nicknames if their faces are not covered, you can still recognize your friends and remember others around.

If you think deeper, you suggest just a partial social system solution, covering only group\buddy aspect. Your variant still doesn't deal with the problem of anonymity and clonfaces. While I suggest an immense passive social mechanism.

Switching servers is breaking reputation and no humanity indication forces KOS\PVP badly.

1) As long as players are able to switch servers, it's impossible to earn a reputation as a mass murderer, because you're not tied to a specific location and you're victims are also just randomly joining servers.

2) While it's not realistic that bandit parades around with with a bandit indicator wrapped around their heads, nor is it realistic to exist in several seperate, but identical universes. Without any indication of humanity, we'll see KOS mentality accelerate out of control. We've already seen this twice.

That's the problem I described, and that's the solution to this I suggested!

1) With this perma-identity it doesn't matter if you switch servers or not. If everyone on these forums rumour you, the "Dallas" nickname, to be a dangerous mass-murderer, then your name becomes historically active, you fame grows irrelevantly of the server you play - it starts imprinting in the DayZ universe, in its History! If someone sees Dallas in front of him in this example, he shits pants, drops beans and runs away for his life. Because he read about that "Dallas massacre at EU#87" when someone named Dallas cut two dozen bandits with only a Makarov and a violent laughter on global VON....

Do you get what I mean? You can get famous or infamous. No one will ever forget you if you make a great action ingame and expose your identity.

Humanity indication is out of this feature. It's not something you easily percept in real world. In fact. You can't possibly ever know person's humanity. It's not a badge, it's a deepest moral and ethical personality structure. Having a badge "I'm bad\good" is no good. It's judgement, with probability of false judgement of some machine\algorithm\script. And it's a technical means. What I suggest, you SHOW your humanity, make your actions get known in DayZ universe. Make your fame\infamy work as better indicator. Everyone in DayZ will soon learn, that the one that hides his face, has something to loose if he reveals his identity. Good people have no reason to hide their faces and conceal their personality. This will be a natural way to distinguish bad and good humanity. A subtlety that is obvious as well.

Permanent nickname is too much. Let's have a huge period of time (3-6 months) when you can't change it. Then you can change it again for the next period.

Surely if you REALLY wanted to change your name the option would be available. Rocket reads the forums, it wouldn't take long for the point to get across if it became an issue.

Nobody wants to be stuck "xXv*hollow boast regarding weapon proficiency*1337vXx" forever.

It would probably have to be a "real world" debit transaction, getting more expensive every time, to stop griefs and trolls simply switching names to avoid detection.

Either that or it would have to be limited somehow. Maybe so you can't change your name more than once in a 3 month period.

Yes sir, good find. I know it can get frustrating with inability to change some stupid name. With this feature being truly hardcore and me liking it a lot, I'm honest and cannot ignore this can grow a bigger problem. Permanent name for 3 months - sounds sane. But I'd increase it to 6 months! That would be both still very effective + hardcore and not that frustrating for the ones who desperately need to change name.

Edited June 20, 2013 by -=PA=-Mikhail
Buddy\Social lists added

[The Stoned Wolf 491]

I like it a lot, you listening Rocket? :P

[OrLoK 16185]

Hello there

A player identity I like. I like it alot.

it's the player skin that's the issue. I use a custom face (and have done since OFP) which has a bloody great Union Flag on the back of my toons head, this helps ID me for SL's but unless they're damn close it's almost useless due to how the engine handles it.

I like the idea, it needs to be fleshed out though.

Rgds

LoK

EDIT: having strong bold colours works better (ie the blue/white face thats available) it can bee seen fom a further distance, but that means your enemies can PID you too and if you stick out you're first to go down.

Edited October 21, 2012 by orlok

[kebman 213]

I'd like perma-identity with changeable nicks. If they were to do anything, then let people choose one face, and stick with that, for instance. But I think part of this internet thing is getting to choose who you can be at any given moment.

[DZR_Mikhail 2424]

I forgot to mention you have 1 or 2 days before your nickname gets permanent. Before that, you can change it any way you like.

[Dancing.Russian.Man 1631]

Seems like you have thought about this a lot.

I'd be very happy to see this in the standalone.

[starwarsfan@gmx.de 450]

I've seen better concepts for Identification.

Character customization is something that is probably coming with the standalone at one point or another, it's a frequently requested feature and a very logical one at that. It could help a lot with the identification problem, along with more variance in clothing.

Being forced to play with the same Nickname/Face doesn't sit right with me and it kinda contradicts the whole 'perma death' scenario because you're forced to be the same person after death. I think you should have to create a new character each time you die, that includes choosing a new name.

But I like the idea of being able to hide your face and avoiding identification that way.

[run4way 45]

Good idea. Could find only one cons - if nickface will be permanent, glory hunters will pursue streamers.

[aksuduud 64]

Seems pointless.

[Raged 187]

Yes. Definitely.

I miss the times when the suggestion forum was flooded with well crafted ideas like this one. :beans:

[wolfstriked 143]

I actually hate the skins aspect for reasons that it never works to convey if the person is good or bad.I get killed by heroes all the time and not by peeps wearing headwraps.I sometimes KOS and just wonder what type of player I just killed was.To me I would rather see a choice when you start the game like when your asked male or female.

Male/Female

Good\Evil

Then make two sets of skins you can find with them being for either good or evil players only.Another idea I think would be kool is to make say 5 skins that get more and more badass as you kill more of the opposing type of players.Be honest and agree with me that if you had a level 5 bandit skin(10 kills per level) that was a ghillie suit with a hockey mask and then get killed you would feel much pain! :)

[dallas 5195]

Killing someone in self defense will only label you as a bandit for a short while, however you chose to solve all conflicts by the way of the gun, you bandit status will soon become permanent.

The bandit shemagh offers an solution, where you're covering up your identity, but at the same time identifies you as a possible murderer. IF you look at the post-apocalypse lore, the raiders, bandits and marauders are often easy to recognize. As they become more dehumanized, they'll dress to intimidate and decorate their strongholds with heads on sticks.

As long as players are able to switch servers, it's impossible to earn a reputation as a mass murderer, because you're not tied to a specific location and you're victims are also just randomly joining servers. While it's not realistic that bandit parades around with with a bandit indicator wrapped around their heads, nor is it realistic to exist in several seperate, but identical universes. Without any indication of humanity, we'll see KOS mentality accelerate out of control. We've already seen this twice.

Despite having hero/bandit skins, no one is completely safe and bandits can still cover up, using camo clothing and ghillie suits. Some players will kill anything irregardless of skin, but others will think twice before shooting anyone, who's not visibly a bandit. I never shoot other survivors, I don't shoot bandits wearing camo clothing/ghillies, I always kill head scarfs instantly, not even caring if they are massmurderers or a suvivor with one self defense kill. If you're a survivor with a single self defense kill, you shouldn't been in the larger cities anyways. You should be scavenging in the wilderness, regaining your survivor skin at 2500 humanity.

[uptime 47]

I think the social system will be better. I mean: you can add people to your friend-list and after that you can see their names in game (and servers where you have friends), even if they change the name.

But if you put on a mask - your friends can't recognize you. But they will shoot to each man in mask, i think. If you was killed by your friend who without mask - you get a message about him. If he was with mask - you will not know his name.

Edited October 21, 2012 by uptime

[Dartendal 19]

As long as players are able to switch servers, it's impossible to earn a reputation as a mass murderer, because you're not tied to a specific location and you're victims are also just randomly joining servers. While it's not realistic that bandit parades around with with a bandit indicator wrapped around their heads, nor is it realistic to exist in several seperate, but identical universes. Without any indication of humanity, we'll see KOS mentality accelerate out of control. We've already seen this twice.

I agree witht he first part of this paragraph, but not the second. (The indication of humanity) For the time I've played (Fourish months?) when bandits were forced to wear that hat, and had the heartbeat when you looked at them, is about the time I started playing. In that time, I've almost exclusively encountered KoS, private hives aside. I believe the only reason it's different on private hives, is because of the servers with side chat.

IMHO, humanity indicators will do nothing to help that situation. There's nothing to do after gearing up. There's no reason to be with other players, aside from defending yourself from other players, or attacking other players. There's no goal that requires multiple people. Everything you can do can be done solo. There's no reason to be friendly to people, outside of your trusted friends. Most of the time, majority is KoS. If you try to be friendly, you can end up getting killed, which I don't believe is wrong. But, there are no ways of subduing a person with a guarantee of the other player's survival. And if the person turns out to be hostile and fires at you, a lot of people will defend themselves.

Just my feelings and observations on that.

[DZR_Mikhail 2424]

having strong bold colours works better (ie the blue/white face thats available) it can bee seen fom a further distance, but that means your enemies can PID you too and if you stick out you're first to go down.

I suggest the size and the transparency of the nickname is changed respectively to the distance. I'll make some concept art screens to illustrate this. Basically, your nickname must not get bigger than your body. If it's unreadable, than it's not shown at all. It's a matter of design.

If you fear of being exposed with your nickname - quickly hide your face if you are in the battle so that you are not exposed at close range. If anyone is fighting or in the fight, then participant are meant to hurt and kill each other. This is not the place to show your face :)

I'd like perma-identity with changeable nicks. If they were to do anything, then let people choose one face, and stick with that, for instance. But I think part of this internet thing is getting to choose who you can be at any given moment.

I can't see problem here. In fact, I introduce a feature for you to get protected from exposing your identity. Hide your face and be Zorro or whoever you like. No one will know your name. Show your face only to whom you trust. This adds drama and tension to your survival, this makes you bear respoinsibility and enjoy consquaences of your actions. If you think it over, you will understand how brutal DayZ may get with this feature.

It's not the Internet thing. It's a game with strong survival elements at the breakdown of social order. Basically survival is about trying to restore your social and physical conditions to be able to act and live as a human further. So you can't be anonymous all the time. Social life is an immense part of this scenario.

1) Character customization is something that is probably coming with the standalone at one point or another, it's a frequently requested feature and a very logical one at that. It could help a lot with the identification problem, along with more variance in clothing.

2) Being forced to play with the same Nickname/Face doesn't sit right with me and it kinda contradicts the whole 'perma death' scenario because you're forced to be the same person after death. I think you should have to create a new character each time you die, that includes choosing a new name.

3) But I like the idea of being able to hide your face and avoiding identification that way.

1) Yes. No doubt a wide variety of clothing and customization can bring some uniqueness to players, but only when you have played and "levelled up" enough to have a good choice of clothes. In the very early periods of playing everyone (counting hundred thousands) will be just the same cloned baseball cap man. And following your logics means you will positively identify somebody dressed in a certain way. I think it's obvious you can meet a player with same outfit. Trusting outfit is not reliable. You judge a book by it's cover. And concerning the social aspect. How can you make friends with a combination of customized outfits? It's the person, personality that you meet with. Real nickname makes it possible ingame without Skype\Forum verification.

2) Dude, your not forced. Please, think about this: YOU ARE the same person after your character dies. That's what sits right in this game. Choosing a new name everytime you die kills all the social features rightaway! It's a disaster! Not a single MMO or persistent world multiplayer roleplay game allows that for obvious reasons. All the games use the same old method very long time: "CREATE 1 CHARACTER. UNIQUE NAME. DEATH DOESN'T CHANGE THE NAME." So in the worst case DayZ must have at least this system. Let's say, 5 characters per server\world. No name change. I can accept this. But choosing name after death is unacceptable. It's agains any common sense.

3) Yes, this idea came to me, I liked it a lot and thought you guys gonna love it too.

Good idea. Could find only one cons - if nickface will be permanent, glory hunters will pursue streamers.

Wow, good point, didn't think about it, but why is it a CON? Streamer is a live TV journalist, who is broadcasting events from the world to media in realtime. They are always persued this way or that. It's their choice, their life. They are public personalities. Everyone knows their faces, names and can contact them. Choosing a path of a streamer will lead you to this very public exposure. I see no problem here. ONly a better simulation and authenticity. Thsi is very cool! Of course if half a country knows that you're standing at some street talking something and half a country can watch it live.... Well, haven't you seen some jokers jump in the camera view to make faces? Same here, but the jokers are armed. Seriously, it's aint a peaceful place with police around and civic glamour events. It's a wild freaking apocalypse and you run with camera broadcasting your location to thousands of crazy killers around you?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Are you nuts?!!!!!! Get yourself a gun and run for cover you fool!

To me I would rather see a choice when you start the game like when your asked male or female.

Male/Female

Good\Evil

Then make two sets of skins you can find with them being for either good or evil players only.Another idea I think would be kool is to make say 5 skins that get more and more badass as you kill more of the opposing type of players.Be honest and agree with me that if you had a level 5 bandit skin(10 kills per level) that was a ghillie suit with a hockey mask and then get killed you would feel much pain!

Very good idea, but not that hardcore as mine, and it is a bit restricting in the roleplay freedom. But I won't mind having these two factions in DayZ outlined honestly and cleanly. With my feature, you can switch sides at any time, just go round the corner, pull on your balaclava and rob your new friends the same minute. Then take out balaclava and pretend it wasn't you. :)

I think the social system will be better. I mean: you can add people to your friend-list and after that you can see their names in game (and servers where you have friends), even if they change the name.

It a technical restriction to authentic freedom. How can you explain that you see everyones faces around, but recognize only your friends and anyone else around seems a cloneface to you? Nothing logical. But if you see everyones nicknames if their faces are not covered, you can still recognize your friends and remember others around.

If you think deeper, you suggest just a partial social system solution. Your variant still doesn't deal tiwth the problem of anonymity and clonfaces. While I suggest an immense passive social mechanism.

1) As long as players are able to switch servers, it's impossible to earn a reputation as a mass murderer, because you're not tied to a specific location and you're victims are also just randomly joining servers.

2) While it's not realistic that bandit parades around with with a bandit indicator wrapped around their heads, nor is it realistic to exist in several seperate, but identical universes. Without any indication of humanity, we'll see KOS mentality accelerate out of control. We've already seen this twice.

That's the problem I described, and that's the solution to this I suggested!

1) With this perma-identity it doesn't matter if you switch servers or not. If everyone on these forums rumour you, the "Dallas" nickname, to be a dangerous mass-murderer, then your name becomes historically active, you fame grows irrelevently of the server you play - it starts imprinting in the DayZ universe, in its History! If someone sees Dallas in front of him in this example, he shits pants, drops beans and runs away for his life. Because he read about that "Dallas massacre at EU#87" when someone named Dallas cut two dozen bandits with only a Makarov and a violent laughter on global VON....

Do you get what I mean? You can get famous or infamous. No one will ever forget you if you make a great action ingame and expose your identity.

[dedicated 3]

Problem there is that, Like minecraft, Once you choose your name its there forever right? Well by chance you dont like your name down the track your stuck with it, and adding the feature would not only effect dayz player base but would also effect arma playerbase.

[mr_chabowski@live.co.uk 2416]

Surely if you REALLY wanted to change your name the option would be available. Rocket reads the forums, it wouldn't take long for the point to get across if it became an issue.

Nobody wants to be stuck "xXv*hollow boast regarding weapon proficiency*1337vXx" forever.

It would probably have to be a "real world" debit transaction, getting more expensive every time, to stop griefs and trolls simply switching names to avoid detection.

Either that or it would have to be limited somehow. Maybe so you can't change your name more than once in a 3 month period.

[DZR_Mikhail 2424]

How can it possibly have any effect on Arma? It's a totally different game with own engine. Of corse we dont speak about the mod. It is technically inferior. I'd rather forget the mod and wait for standalone.

[DZR_Mikhail 2424]

Surely if you REALLY wanted to change your name the option would be available. Rocket reads the forums, it wouldn't take long for the point to get across if it became an issue.

Nobody wants to be stuck "xXv*hollow boast regarding weapon proficiency*1337vXx" forever.

It would probably have to be a "real world" debit transaction, getting more expensive every time, to stop griefs and trolls simply switching names to avoid detection.

Either that or it would have to be limited somehow. Maybe so you can't change your name more than once in a 3 month period.

Yes sir, good find. I know it can get frustrating with inability to change some stupid name. With this feature being truly hardcore and me liking it a lot, I'm honest and cannot ignore this can grow a bigger problem. Permanent name for 3 months - sounds sane. But I'd increase it to 6 months! That would be both still very effective + hardcore and not that frustrating for the ones who desperately need to change name.

[koze 113]

I don't like the idea that you can see someone's name in game (name plates). Even at a cirtain distance, I think it is still better to hide it otherwise things such as ghillie suits would be useless. You pretty much scan the area with your crosshairs and someone thats perfectly hidden in tall grass is now exposed.

Another reason is, some people may not want to show everyone their name.

I do agree with the rest of your ideas. Having permanent names/nick names would also help tracking hackers, and identifying friendlys and foes.

EDIT:

"this feature will put streamers in danger" I do like this, but I think the ability to see whos in a server should be debated about.

Edited October 22, 2012 by koze

[DZR_Mikhail 2424]

1) I don't like the idea that you can see someone's name in game (name plates). Even at a cirtain distance, I think it is still better to hide it otherwise things such as ghillie suits would be useless. You pretty much scan the area with your crosshairs and someone thats perfectly hidden in tall grass is now exposed.

2) Another reason is, some people may not want to show everyone their name.

3) "this feature will put streamers in danger" I do like this, but I think the ability to see whos in a server should be debated about.

1) I see no contradiction with your words and my feature. Ghillie suit will definitely be hiding face and nickname. And by the way, fair point, grass and plants view obstruction is another disease to be discussed. Of course grass MUST hide or make visibility less intense. If I could fix the engine, I would fix grass concealement someway at the first place. Same goes to player hiding in a shadow of a tree. Technically his face is exposed, but visually youd never see it in this contrast\darkness.

But, anyway, no one forces you to hide in grass with yout face revealed ;) That's a most frequent GOLDEN answer to such questions. If you enter a battle or risk being exposed to an enemy - COVER YOUR FACE! SIMPLE. No problem ;) I'd do that in real life or at least paint it camo :)

2) I BET they may not want it :) But life is different. If we agree their nickname is their face. Just imagine real life. Many people don't wnat their face being seen or remembered. They wear glasses and hats to disguise. Here we go again! If some of you don't want to show everyone your nickname - COVER YOUR FACE! SIMPLE.

3) Ability to see who is on server is such an enormous cheat, that I can name it as a "GODMODE WALLHACK". For **rist's sake, how can anyone possibly know NAMES of people when entering an apocalyptic territory?! This must be definitely removed for good. Buddy\Group systems suggested earlier may cope with that. People just see where their friends are playing. That's OK! Even now in PlayWithSix you can track your buddy. But being able to know who is playing on the server... This feature must be left ONLY to admins.

Edited October 22, 2012 by -=PA=-Mikhail

[dedicated 3]

It uses the same Arma 3 engine, so Your right in the ascpect, sorry forgot about the modifyed Arma 3 engine being used for Standalone.

But the crossharis thing would not Suit say a ambushing party, or a sniper with OUT a ghille suit. This would be a game breaking CQB thing put in, this shouldn't be added, maybe not the whole post but i strongly disagree with this idea in particular.

[DZR_Mikhail 2424]

Dedicated Greatness, I won't deny it can influence CQB. I will try to think about it and may be there is some natural solution to the situation you described.

[dragonkatol 135]

It uses the same Arma 3 engine, so Your right in the ascpect, sorry forgot about the modifyed Arma 3 engine being used for Standalone.

But the crossharis thing would not Suit say a ambushing party, or a sniper with OUT a ghille suit. This would be a game breaking CQB thing put in, this shouldn't be added, maybe not the whole post but i strongly disagree with this idea in particular.

I think i get what Mikhail is saying, and by that if you don't want to be seen even in CQB or have an ambushing party then cover up your face. It's simple yet an effective way of saying "You are in combat mode". If i see someone in 50m without it, i would ask if its friendly as it can be another survivor trying to loot but if i see one with a covered face, i'll most likely kill him.

[DZR_Mikhail 2424]

It uses the same Arma 3 engine, so Your right in the ascpect, sorry forgot about the modifyed Arma 3 engine being used for Standalone.

Oops. It's not Arma3 engine at all. It's the next version of Real Virtuality engine. It's already not Arma2, but it's far from Arma3.

I think i get what Mikhail is saying, and by that if you don't want to be seen even in CQB or have an ambushing party then cover up your face. It's simple yet an effective way of saying "You are in combat mode". If i see someone in 50m without it, i would ask if its friendly as it can be another survivor trying to loot but if i see one with a covered face, i'll most likely kill him.

Exactly!