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

[Shadow Man 142]

Well I'm pretty much sold on the idea. I hate nameplates as they were before and always play on servers with them disabled. But if this could be done right, its the closest thing to being able to recognise a player by "face".

I would be happy with permanent names too, maybe with a 6 month wait to be able to change it. Its always kinda bugged me that death isn't really that consequential.

I would welcome the removal of player lists in servers. I know alot of people like to know this stuff, but for DayZ to actually function as it was intended, it requires some radical concepts which go against what many are used to.

You could even have it so that you dont even know how players are in a server. Maybe it could tell you if there are zero, or between 0 and 10, or 10 and 20 etc so you only have a vague idea.

A possible solution to the nameplate in shadow/bright light etc would be that the lettering ould be coloured and made to mimic the lighting effects of the person you are looking at. In a similar way to how you get glare on your compass, the name could be made to blend into the texture of the terrain behind it, so you have to look hard and move about to be able to see it clearer, much like you would struggle to see a persons face if the sun was behind them. It would also limit you "getting lucky" while scanning terrain. The name may start to fade in but if it were similar colours to the terrain you may miss it.

All in all you have my beanz.

[colekern 1364]

it's either this, or the "hey I know you" idea. Basically, you have to see someone first, then you just call them whatever you want. For example, see someone wandering around? What's their name? You would just call them something simple, like wanderer or something.

Or a mix of both.

[OrLoK 16182]

Hello there

I too would like the memory system where you assign a name to an unidentified char. Once you meet them you'd need to be able to "edit" their name in your "memory"

Rgds

LoK

[DZR_Mikhail 2424]

Hello there

I too would like the memory system where you assign a name to an unidentified char. Once you meet them you'd need to be able to "edit" their name in your "memory"

Rgds

LoK

Unfortunately this idea doesn't solve the problem #1

PROBLEM #1

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

I make a very distinct stress on the two problems in DayZ. I'm not stating my suggestion is exceptionally convenient and appropriate. But it's effective even in theory.

Your Memory feature will surely contribute to my idea, I see no problems having both yours and mine working perfectly together.

No unique names! No, no, no!

I'm glad I don't have to play as "RainbowDash097x", I like clean nicknames.

Unfortunately sometimes we must ignore the convenience to solve very serious problems, which ruin much more in the game, than just your personal comfort of playing clean username. I outlined the two major problems, which terminate social and logical aspects of player interactions. We can't ignore this. I'd rather have a messy nickname, but have a very strong underlying social mechanics.

But there is one main problem you need to consider: It's a game. In games and especially in roleplaying games like DayZ, you always can choose between a variety of paths you wanna follow and if you have died, you can be someone else - that's basically the difference between a game and real life (being someone else without personal consequences).

As soon as there are permanent nicknames, you won't be able to restart and play another character - you have just one path left (exaggerated) and so a lot of the game is lost.

In a game, I want to try out things - how is it to be a bandit, a survivor, a merchant, a mercenary, a medic, a bounty hunter, ...

A possible solution for this would be, being able to create 3-5 different characters, each having a different permanent nickname (maybe for 3-6 month). This way you can have a bad character and a good one...

But just having one single nickname is a bit too restricting in my opinion.

No problems here. I already considered it many times. The problem is really not very critical if you introduce, as you mentioned, multiple character creation. If we gonna have different difficulty levels for servers and characters will not be able to enter other difficulties except the ones they were created at (as Rocket promised), then we can have more "slots" for character at easier levels, and 1-2 at the highest level. I prefer making ONLY ONE character on the highest level, non deletable, permanent, hardcorest of all, without the ability to erase his history.

Another soultion is very effective too. Give the ability to change the visible nickname to other unique one for a certain amount of time. It can be month, can be 6 months, doesn't matter. Just clearly inform the players about their usernames will be fixed permanent after this trial period.

Anyone will be able to understand what it is, what are the consequences and gives the choice they need.

If you are not satisfied and want to change personalities - goe to more easier level servers where you can create multiple characters with new usernames. I swear I won't be wasting my time on such servers. The potential of the permanent identity is immense and opens up the creation of unique player relations, history and brand new world of unique social experience.

[enforcer1975 1111]

Like, but please no extra account other than in the game and not some extra game loader. Perhaps like they did in Crysis, one login but not something like the name Enforcer has been taken and then i have to rename to Enforcer12345, we have IDs for that which should be shown behind the name info at all times.

Edited January 25, 2013 by Enforcer

[DZR_Mikhail 2424]

Like, but please no extra account other than in the game and not some extra game loader. Perhaps like they did in Crysis, one login but not something like the name Enforcer has been taken and then i have to rename to Enforcer12345, we have IDs for that which should be shown behind the name info at all times.

Again, I must drive your attention to the genre of th egame. Crysis is a straightforward classic session shooter. DayZ is a MMO, which must have strong social mechanics, because survival is not meaning only maintaining physical conditions. Survival is social too, because more than a half of the people you will meet will be driven by social aspects when trying to decide whether to kill you or spare you. If there are no strong social mechanics behind it - they'll just shoot you without thinking, because they don't know you, they are not able to know you, they have no ability to identify you and they risk nothing, because noone has the same ability to identify them. It's a parade of anonymous killers... even if most of them are not willing to kill on sight, they do, because the SOCIAL ASPECT IS BROKEN.

[enforcer1975 1111]

I meant the account management, not the game type. I hoped keeping it short will make it easier to understand...it failed.

[DZR_Mikhail 2424]

I meant the account management, not the game type. I hoped keeping it short will make it easier to understand...it failed.

Oops. Sorry, now I understand what you meant. Anyways, there must be some simple and effective way to know who is exactly and immediately you're looking at, as in real life, you see face, you know the face or not. May be ... WOW... just got an idea :)

First name is your desired name, change whatever you like. Second name (like surname) is the unique permanent id. What do you think?

[Carnage752 15]

100% support this. It would also help ID hackers. They'd have to manage the whole name popping up factor though, maybe at point blank range would work. Otherwise, 100% support!

[Hellfire447 7]

First off I want to say that I agree that anonymity is one of the greatest factors contributing to KOS.

Why should someone care if they kill you or not, there are no consequences, the FBI isn't going to come knocking.

That is the entire mentality for this game right now. I know for a fact it wasn't this way in the beginning. I remember a few months back when we had a range of 40-80 servers to choose and almost all of them were full. You had to choose a server, and stay because getting your entire crew, and yourself onto one server was hard as F**K.

And because of this fact, people got to know you, people remembered you and there was quite a deal of drama on side, I can still remember a specific well know bandit from a server a while back, when ever his name plate was spotted or his clan tag, it was all over side. People would flock to fight his clan or get the F**k out of town. This was the Dayz I fell in love with, you try and survive in the world, you did everything you could, but you had a personae, an image if you will; that people will remember and recognize, and due to this single fact you would adapt your play style, you didn't kill everyone in fear of constant, KOS calls on your presents on a server.

Reputation is a huge factor in humanity, being held accountable is one of the greatest tools mankind as ever transgressed, whether that be through religion, law, or moral empathy.

Without these factors, we are no longer dealing with humanity, we are dealing with barbarians, wild animals, running on pure animal instinct, kill or be killed, sure that is how an apocalypse would play out, but we would still have remnants of are civility, this part of human history still existed, so all of man would still be effected by this.

By all means, a hyper-realistic, survival MMO simulation, cannot function, if people play as animals, and not survivors.

I delved into this idea on my own recently after reading this post, I have became a true believer that this mechanic, reputation, perma-existence, what ever you may call it. It has to happen, or Dayz will never be a simulation, it will always be a death-match.

http://dayzmod.com/f...y/#entry1197993

This is the post I made, all I want to say is, check out my ideas, they are similar and not nearly as thought out as the OP, and he even answers things that i could not. But the message is the same.

http://dayzmod.com/forum/index.php?/topic/120185-standalone-suggestion-for-humanity-indicator/

This is another great idea towards how I feel the humanity mechanic should aspire to create. Kudos to the creator of this post.

-Jesse

TLDR: GET REAL PEOPLE, THIS IS A SIMULATION, NOT AN ANIMAL KINGDOM, WE AREN'T DOGS, WE ARE HUMANS.

Edited February 25, 2013 by Hellfire447

[Uuni 74]

Must start with at least 5 letters.

Can agree with everything but this. Why 5 letters? 3 letters seems more reasonable at least for me

[DZR_Mikhail 2424]

Can agree with everything but this. Why 5 letters? 3 letters seems more reasonable at least for me

I had to come up with some limitations and thought that 5 was ok. Don't worry, all the numbers and details I've provided are just an example. 3 will do too, no problems :) Whatever decision developers make, the only one thing will matter in the end - THE TWO OUTLINED PROBLEMS MUST BE SOLVED.

Edited February 25, 2013 by -=PA=-Mikhail

[FlashHawk4 44]

I do like the idea, I'd just like to suggest fine-tuning the actual visibility distance. Fifty yards seems a bit far to be able to recognize faces. I'd say just give it a test in a parking lot using someone with 20/20 vision. The distance where they're no longer able to identify life-size photographs of different people's faces is about where the cutoff should be.

[Uuni 74]

I had to come up with some limitations and thought that 5 was ok. Don't worry, all the numbers and details I've provided are just an example. 3 will do too, no problems :) Whatever decision developers make, the only one thing will matter in the end - THE TWO OUTLINED PROBLEMS MUST BE SOLVED.

Yeah I kinda figured out the numbers weren't exact that it was the concept you were trying to get across but still, I was curious why so many people think 5 letters is a suitable minimum lenght for a name :)

[joe_mcentire 2073]

for the sake of importance! implement this. this would be an ultimate anti-hacker-tool implemented directly as a game-mechanism! what do you want more?!

[thesodesa 99]

Why not just do it like every other mmo and make people create a face and a permanent name in character customization, and save those to the database.

I don't wanna see any floating text in game, no matter how inconspicuous. One of the reasons I'm buying the SA is to play a game without any hud or hand holding(aka floating text), a game that actually makes me pay attention to my surroundings and learn things.

No hud = no floating text.

Period.

[GotBeanZ 45]

*nevermind*

No hud = no floating text. Period.

Yes.

Edited March 5, 2013 by GotBeanZ

[shadowleaper 22]

Love this topic. Voted it up all the way :)

[Jakub-SK 15]

No name plates . If you want realism = identify someone by yourself(skin,glasses,beard, skin color) it realy isnt that hard , but slightly harder when the person uses default skin . Anywat I cant see any nameplates IRL , or do you have the special ability ?

[joe_mcentire 2073]

Anywat I cant see any nameplates IRL , or do you have the special ability ?

holy moly! there are so many things in the game which are in fact not as IRL! you know that right?! so your argument is completely invalid!

[mr_chabowski@live.co.uk 2416]

Why not just do it like every other mmo and make people create a face and a permanent name in character customization, and save those to the database.

I don't wanna see any floating text in game, no matter how inconspicuous. One of the reasons I'm buying the SA is to play a game without any hud or hand holding(aka floating text), a game that actually makes me pay attention to my surroundings and learn things.

No name plates . If you want realism = identify someone by yourself(skin,glasses,beard, skin color) it realy isnt that hard , but slightly harder when the person uses default skin .

You're both failing to see the point of the suggestion I think.

Yes, a character and player will be interlinked (obviously), but you can't hope to identify characters solely by physical appearance if there are resrictions on how "custom" you can make your avatar.

Clothing will be entirely swappable. So that's absolutely useless for identification of others.

Faces will be resricted to whatever BI/teamRocket provide us to choose from. (3 races at release from the sounds of things)

That means, based on appearance, we won't be able to tell eachother apart.

Removal of the HUD seems to have been done to show that there are less intrusive, more natural ways to indicate certain infos.

I 100% support the NOHUD scheme and understand fully that knowledge of in-game conditions and surroundings shouldn't come from indicators, icons and pop-ups.

But simply put, Player/Character identity isn't a piece of data that can be shared in this way.

I'd like to see "humanity" associations removed entirely, in favour of player-accountability.

That's not possible if we're unable to recognise people.

We can only hope that in Rocket's vision of DayZ, individual identity hasn't been overlooked.

[DZR_Mikhail 2424]

One of the reasons I'm buying the SA is to play a game without any hud or hand holding(aka floating text), a game that actually makes me pay attention to my surroundings and learn things.

No hud = no floating text.

Period.

Of course you will be able to disable these nameplates completely if you like. We discussed it already. Obligatory option to disable showing of permanick for the streamers and anyone who doesn't need it.

No name plates . If you want realism = identify someone by yourself(skin,glasses,beard, skin color) it realy isnt that hard , but slightly harder when the person uses default skin . Anywat I cant see any nameplates IRL , or do you have the special ability ?

I can't see ability to change my skin color, I don't see ability to have only three head shapes, only one height, only one physical shape in real life. Or do you have special ability?

I already explained it all. Many times. Long time ago :) Welcome newcomers.... Please, read the first post through.

In short

There are TWO problems.

They are killing DayZ

I'm solving them - you're not. Skin, glasses, beard, skin color? Will a character still be unique? Among 1,500,000 players?

If DayZ will require passing a biometrical examination, so that developers recreate YOUR EXACT BODY in the game then the problems are solved. So if you are a skinny student, with pale skin, thin muscles, asthma, low height, pale skin and bad vision and wearing glasses - SO YOU'LL BE this very weak and not very bad-ass character. Anyone wil be unique.

Since this is not possible, the ther option is to give a lot of customization. Give people a choice to create their appearance. And you honestly think everyone will be choosing their own appearance. A weak, skinny student, with thin muscles, with huge glasses may be... or some person with overweight comes to the game... is he coming to show everyone his appearance? No, he comes to make a history, to turn into another man, to play role, to enjoy the virtual life... to socialize without showing his real personality.

SO, he makes a Rambo character. Some bad-ass Schwarzenegger in a leather jacket, camo vest and military boots. Facial customization? Can you give example of the best facial customization in a game? SIMS? Many characters are still alike. They differ, but not to an extend of Real Life uniqueness. Skyrim? Same here. Most Nords are pretty much the same.

Try to understand me, I'm not against extended customization, not at all. I dream about it too. I like it a lot. I'll be happy to see it. But it only contributes to the social mechanics core, not replacing it. But the social mechanix core IS MISSING. There is a huge, wide and pitch black ANONYMITY instead of it.

Whatever depth of appearance customization we have, now, please ask youself two SIMPLE questions:

1. When meeting somebody in DayZ, will you be 100% sure it is the same person you've met before?
   
2. When meeting somebody in Real Life, will you be 100% sure it is the same person you've met before?
   

My answers are

1. No, you can't be sure. Because there are still predefined heads and appearance patterns and mostly people gonna use the most badass ones. Or change them whenever they like. You can't rely on this alone.
   
2. Yes, I'm completely sure I see the person I know, because APPEARNCE comprises not only face, but walking manner, general pose, height, movements, voice, that hump on the back, that funny ears popping or that beautiful unforgettable eylashes.... UNIQUENESS and the fact it CANNOT BE CHANGED. That's why it it a YES in real life.
   

Now, think about all I've said. Read the two problems I outlined. Find a better solution or find something better than permanickname and nameplate in terms of uniqueness and effectiveness.

Edited March 6, 2013 by -=PA=-Mikhail

[HappyMushroom 68]

I don't agree with removing the tell tale skins at all. If I go about and heal as many survivors as I can, I want to known for it, I want my name to be there loud and clear. I want that awesome as hell hero skin with the plaid shirt and jeans. I want people to look at me and say, "Hey, that guy doesn't have a towel head, he helps people!" I want to be able to tell who the merciless killers are and who the saviors of humanity are. When I see a normal survivor I am friendly towards them. I know they haven't killed enough people to merit themselves a Bandit skin. When I see a hero, I walk up to him and give him my appreciation for sticking his neck out to help people. If these visual indications were never here, I would be the same as every other bandit in the game. No penalty for killing hundreds of players, no reward for helping. The game would then feel like a pointless deathmatch where you scavenge for a gun and kill anyone you see. The fact of the matter is, I'm a hero with over 60 thousand humanity, and I love every second I am one. If you take that away from me, then what point is there in trying to help other players? What is the point in trying to approach someone who I cannot tell if he's a bandit or hero, when they don't have a penalty for killing me. In the gaming environment, actions like taking the life of another person don't matter. What's to stop him from blowing me away? You may think the current humanity system is broken, I say it works well enough, and with a little education to everyone who plays the game, people won't complain. If they knew how it works, next time they have someone in their sights, finger on the trigger, they'll think: "If I kill him, I'll become a bandit, and people will know I've taken many lives. Most likely they will kill me for being a bandit, so maybe I shouldn't kill him." And someone like me would say: "That guy really needs help, if I help him, I'll be rewarded for it, people will know I'm a dependable guy and that the allure of mercilessly killing people hasn't corrupted me."

If you take away the penalties of killing and the reward of helping, what's to stop me from pulling the trigger? It's not like it'll matter. Because he would also have no penalty for killing me.

On the fact that I cannot change my name, I disagree with that aswell. Whenever I want I can walk up to any stranger and tell him that my name is sally, or george, or amanda. He will never know. If you bind me to one name I cannot change, how the hell would you call that fair and right? Just imagine if you accidentally misspell it. There is a better way around this than brutally forcing players to features without choice. If you take away basic customization of your name, you're basically saying "You will be called this, and you will like it. No objections." Don't make a great game anti-consumer.

[roykingtree 125]

I find nothing wrong with this idea and I think it's great. The amount of work and quality of work put in to the OP tells me this Idea should be implemented. The OP's layout should also serve as a reference for further suggestions posts.

[roykingtree 125]

I don't agree with removing the tell tale skins at all. If I go about and heal as many survivors as I can, I want to known for it, I want my name to be there loud and clear. I want that awesome as hell hero skin with the plaid shirt and jeans.

No, this is the problem with current humanity/skin system. The fact that you seem to think the only reason to give blood is for some spEciAl l33t skin tells me that you are more of a temperamental kind of player. You should give blood because YOU want to give blood, not to achieve some stupid skin.

If you take away the penalties of killing and the reward of helping, what's to stop me from pulling the trigger? It's not like it'll matter. Because he would also have no penalty for killing me.

If you have morals then it does matter. Again, you have ask yourself should I kill this player or should I help him? Weigh the risk/reward. Don't throw all your ethical decisions out the window just because you won't "recognized" for it anymore.

If you bind me to one name I cannot change, how the hell would you call that fair and right? Just imagine if you accidentally misspell it.

OP already addressed this issue by saying you have 2 days after creating profile until anything is permanent.