Identifying other players

[gottyplays 5]

I remember dean talking about ways to recognize clan members, the best non-intrusive while natural and simple way could be coloured rags entwisted on arms



or maybe clan logos sprayed on shirts?

[Moorpheusl9 1]

I'd prefer floating nametags personally.

 

The issue of people waving their mouse over an area to locate people could be solved by a key press as others have suggested.

 

You could also have it so that the nametags only appear at a certain distance - that way, Mr Sniper can't press the 'identify' key constantly whilst scanning an area.

[thewobblyorange 7]

Keep it HUD free. The idea of patches or badges or coloured cloth is excellent. It's simple and realistic and for the sneaky among us it could provide a real bonus to conducting recon on another player base. That way you could masquerade as a member and steal all the things. Certainly an idea if it's a group that outguns you.

[RelativeBlue 53]

To me not knowing is part of the thrill.

If I could look at a guy on a hill 800m away and see immediately a nameplate to identify him... that'd kill it for me.

More clothing would be nice, as it'd give enough variation. But even then you could still mistake someone for another.

I personally enjoy the anxiety, and the cost of carelessness.

[vgreg 0]

Hey I have an idea. When you join a server and before your character spawns, you have the option to select the players from the server list. The players you select will get a notification that you selected them. If a player is selected, they receive a message that, if accepted, will enable the two players to see each other's nametag. That way, groups can play together. It also allows people to stay anonymous if they want to. 

Edited January 8, 2014 by vgreg

[Magicks 17]

I don't approve of any tags of that nature. In the real world you can still choose to say your real name or stay silent. It's you choice afterall....

 

 

First off, this isn't the real world. Secondly, because of that you don't have all those added benefits of being in the real world. It's harder in game to quickly acknowledge certain characteristics of a person because  A.however slow or fast your ping is B.random lag spurts and C.there just isn't enough distinct body characteristics to use on the characters.

 

If you want to use the real world thing, well guess what if i walk up to a someone in the real world that i know and theyre not wearing a mask i can tell i know them because of theyre facial details, their gate(which is how they walk) and so on.  Also even if i don't know the person, if i've seen them before i'd know or not. The human brain is very very good with facial recognition. In the game you cannot tell that at all, also a player can just die and change his defaults and then respawn as someone different looking. So don't use the real world thing as a basis for your argument about identification.

 

Something needs to be implemented whether it's name tags on the player or allow a lot more choices for character customization (not items, i'm talking different facial traits, body types, ect.)

[Roshi (DayZ) 397]

That's one of the suggestions I posted in this thread on Squad Identification.

 

In addition to patches, and military facepaint like this dude:

 

 

 

 

How can you identify him if he blends in seamlessly to his surroundings? :P

[TLa/-Elrico 9]

Or just use team speak/vent.

[Zedicologist 162]

+1 for the armbands.  That would be pretty cool, and realistic

[wisper 61]

Why do I get the feeling that whoever does not approve of all kinds of nametags just wants to be safe while griefing? How realistic is to have the same litle shit server hop and bait all noobs, (or even friendly old dogs like me :) ) from the safety of anonymity. Plz spare me the recognition through arm bands/clothes argument, as in dayz u can even change your physical appearance... how realistic is this?

[n1mble 10]

I am opposed to most of the 'gamey' suggestions people offer around here, but I like this one. If both players agree, then they should have some kind of prompt when you mouse over your team mates. Whoever said that you can identify someone by their gait is absolutely correct. If I see someone I know walking, I can usually recognize them within 200m. (IRL)

[Rantanplan 18]

I am opposed to most of the 'gamey' suggestions people offer around here, but I like this one. If both players agree, then they should have some kind of prompt when you mouse over your team mates. Whoever said that you can identify someone by their gait is absolutely correct. If I see someone I know walking, I can usually recognize them within 200m. (IRL)

For a squad such an option makes it way too easy to identify their squad members, no more doubts or friendly fire - you mouse-over=aim anyway, if no tag pops up push the fire button...

[klusps 4]

I don't like name tags, but I do like the idea of war paint, spray paints, colored rags(possibly be worn by the arm), and basically more variety of clothing.   

[Sidewinder24 103]

Whatever happened to using Voip? Oh that's right, the people that are demanding these features are the ones that only communicate to each other through a 3rd party communicator completely removed from the actual game...

[Brofessional 9]

I like the idea of having an "identify" key.

Someone could hold you up and demand you identify yourself, you then press the key and a nametag pops up above your head for a few seconds.

 

I would like to see squad/clan/steam friend markers in addition though.  Just make the markers scale with distance and not render through walls/etc.  So then you don't have a bunch of HUD markers all over your screen, but you can still identify your friends when they're nearby.  Even better require you to mouse over them to show the marker.

[Spesago 13]

I think arm bands might work if there are 3 lots on each arm and 10-15 clearly different colours to use, these can then be used to make a colour code for example 1 group can use Green Green Red on the left arm to show alliegance to a particular clan, could be had to use though unless they make the rags and method of colouring them a very common spawn

[wisper 61]

Do u know why the army has your name written on your chest? Because they can't have it floating over your head in neon... yet.

[n1mble 10]

For a squad such an option makes it way too easy to identify their squad members, no more doubts or friendly fire - you mouse-over=aim anyway, if no tag pops up push the fire button...

 

thats a good point. I dont think if such a thing were implemented that it would work at all ranges. Maybe with 25m. If you were close enough to a team mate IRL you would KNOW, unless someone of an identical build was wearing identical clothes, something much more likely in a video game. At 25+ meters, for sake of game mechanics, you would have to rely on visuals and your communication to identify team mates.

[BL1P 252]

Name tags go against everything the devs are working towards concerning the HUD.

 

Armbands and different clothes seem a good solotion.

 

Quite looking forward to spotting a group wearing red armbands and then making myself one so I can quietly slip in with their formation as they move :) 

 

"set"

"moving"

"set"

"hello"

"mov... WTF?"

[ghua 44]

more different jackets / hats.

[Roshi (DayZ) 397]

Why do I get the feeling that whoever does not approve of all kinds of nametags just wants to be safe while griefing? How realistic is to have the same litle shit server hop and bait all noobs, (or even friendly old dogs like me :) ) from the safety of anonymity. Plz spare me the recognition through arm bands/clothes argument, as in dayz u can even change your physical appearance... how realistic is this?

I'm totally against name tags and I'm certainly not into griefing. Also, name tags and server hopping are kinda separate beasts - get rid of server hopping and the griefing argument above isn't such an issue. There have to be more immersive ways of doing this - e.g. like I said above implement individual face generation. I just want DayZ to be as plausible as possible.

[korpisoturi (DayZ) 127]

Same color bandanas to buddies and problem solved!

 

Also armbands!

Edited January 10, 2014 by korpisoturi

[klassent 28]

Not only just more colors of clothing, I'd also love to see more camo patterns incorporated. Nothing wrong with TTsKO (Though I bet I just murdered the capitalization) but I'd really like to see some urban, desert, jungle camo patterns integrated. That way, you don't rely on a completely garish color that clashes against your efforts to remain hidden. I mean, I'll readily admit that the easiest way to ID friendlies lately is a giant purple backpack, but it kinda throws our whole camouflage scheme to the wayside. ;)

 

At least if you had a dedicated scheme-- say urban pants with DPM tops-- you'd at least have more variety to your group's "uniform" while still retaining at least some of the camo properties.

[Asteroid (DayZ) 20]

I think decals are a good idea. So what if people draw dicks? its meant for a 15 or 18+ audience...

[wisper 61]

Anything other then nametags can be copied/faked. Plus, it's a game, no matter how much diversity is introduced there are bound to be many repetitions in appearance. As for immersion... u get killed-u respawn... super realistic :p

U make nametags appear AFTER proper introductions by ALL parties and only if u CENTRE your view on them and PRESS RECOGNITION BUTTON, while in SHORT distance. This represents your effort to actualy recognize someone.

U think this is not immersive enough, just don't use it :)