"Hey, I know you!"

[liquidje 38]

This is by far one of the most in-depth suggestion I have read and the best part is that I think this is more than possible to be implemented in the game.

This. I don't have anything to add then saying "I agree with X", so I just sit back and lurk in this thread to see if I can contribute

anything. For now: GREAT suggestion thread. Even if this idea is not implemented: looking at the positive reactions, I shall use it to disprove those whining "people only bitch about others ideas on these forums, why don't you guys like the 500th repetition of this 20-words long idea description, which at least contains the words 'maybe', 'what if' and 'like' ". God, this thread should be the example of "How should a suggestion thread look like?"

[Techercizer 82]

Was a great idea when I first read it, and is still a great idea now.

[CompleteFallout 0]

Simply brilliant idea, hope it gets the attention it deserves.

[TheBrassThief 3]

Awesome idea. Definately want. +1.

I have an addition to make though.

How about if you "talk" to someone else, you both "swap" contacts and get eachothers tags for people you havnt tagged already. Imagine it like literally swapping stories. "I met this guy down in cherno and he took a pot shot at me, id stay well away from him, he looked like this...". This encourages survivors to pool information and encourages survivors to interact without neccessarily grouping up, thus keeping the lone wolf style viable. Survivors can link up to get usefull information and then part ways.

How about if youre within 5 m of someone you can click on their tag to rename them and select compare tags. It then lists all your known tags against theirs, showing where names overlap and where they dont, and you can copy a few down. You might find "helpfull stranger" for them was "known bandit" for you. You can then rename accordingly. You get to know more people and it encourages a community of survivors and bandits. Bandits can know other friendly bandit groups and know not to attack them.

[HardTarget 27]

What you're suggesting reminds me of what Okt mentioned earlier regarding player details/character visual data (Although that was in his linked former thread). However I'm not sure I'm entirely keen on a "swap" mechanic. I feel descriptions (if implimented) should all be handled by basis of the player's own ability to memorize, rather than a set ingame mechanic. I'm alright with having player descriptions, but how would they be handled? Would they be made for each new character someone makes? Auto-generated on respawn?

Also, while some think the view distance should be very close (25m~ish), what Razz said I feel holds true, we have a LOT of life's subtleties that are left out in a video game medium for simulation, so we can't entirely identify a lot of the give-aways that would tell who is who. Furthermore, if we want pure "realism", tear all the darn weapondry out, this amount of guns would not be around in this area of Russia in an apocalypse. I say it should be extended to typical Arma 2 encounter distances, or at least 100m. I would NOT want to use this mechanic if it required I had to hump up to some guy when I can rather take the time to just keep an eye on them from afar (I am fine with the need however to use scopes/binoculars for this distance).

Anyway, back to lurking for any additional new ideas/input, I'm thinking over some of the other aspects myself to see if I can come up with any better systems/new ideas.

[Senrain 148]

Back to the front page with you!

[CJon 0]

didnt read it but I'll bump it. xD

[synesthesia 4]

YES please. would greatly help with the current shoot on sight retardness. +1.

[Deviant (DayZ) 43]

It would be nice if it had a facebook approach.

You can "Mark" friendlies, and they'll pop up on your screen when they are nearby. Like a facebook friend, both people have to "accept" the "friend request" before you can see each other.

[TheBrassThief 3]

What you're suggesting reminds me of what Okt mentioned earlier regarding player details/character visual data (Although that was in his linked former thread). However I'm not sure I'm entirely keen on a "swap" mechanic. I feel descriptions (if implimented) should all be handled by basis of the player's own ability to memorize' date=' rather than a set ingame mechanic. I'm alright with having player descriptions, but how would they be handled? Would they be made for each new character someone makes? Auto-generated on respawn?

[/quote']

I didnt mean real features should be added, what i was saying was this feature could be called realistic because its the same as IF you had said those lines. Because skins are so bland and samey its better to use these tags and in a way "pretend" like everyone is an individual. Recognition would go a long way to turning the rampant murders into less rampant murders. I also think "notoriety" should be involved. If every survivor knows dude X is an ass and will rob you blind then it makes his work harder. Conversly if a survivor helps EVERYONE out he gets well known and someone hes never seen before may be more willing to trust him. Its about reputation. I think the tag swap idea is good on the basis that people will finally form some sort of real community. Names will be spoken in fear and awe, and others will be spoken in admiration. Knowing who is out in the wasteland would be fantastic. The perfect bandit would try not to get spotted or let a mark get away. More incentive from everyone to play closer together.

[TrUsT 2]

Absolutely brilliant, well thought out idea that I'd love to see implemented! +1 :)

[maxim_malcon@yahoo.com 0]

It would be nice if it had a facebook approach.

You can "Mark" friendlies' date=' and they'll pop up on your screen when they are nearby. Like a facebook friend, both people have to "accept" the "friend request" before you can see each other.

[/quote']

HoooooOOOoooOooooOooooOooooooOOORIBLE idea. ^^^^^^

Anyway, the main concept of this thread, I like.

However, you should be able to edit your notes anytime you wish.

I'll give an example.

You meet some guy and he gives you a canned food and you mark him "Friendly", then after a few minutes he shots you in the back.

You should be able to edit your notes into making him "Traitor / Bandit" after you respawn.

[Concise 13]

Perhaps you can only name someone if they agree to it, so you're only naming friendlies whom you wouldn't fire on if you exploited the tree scanning method? Also, you could un-name a sombitch former named friend who went ahead and shot you anyway.

Great idea, human!

[Delta Smoke 01 765]

I like the concept ! Although i do see how this could also be exploited. Really hope the devs come up with something using the basis of this idea. Just the thought of naming ppl silly things is making me giggle :p

Great idea though mate. Im liking how people are now going into huge detail about their suggestions to avoid being insta flamed. This is the way forward although perhaps in not so many words next time :P

P.S. Perhaps add an in game item "note pad" to review and change your notes?

[ZedsDeadBaby 2287]

Didn't find this post when I was writing up my player identification/classification system (because your title wasn't super descriptive) but it seems like a really similar idea. Great stuff. Support lodged.

Few comments, though I haven't read the entire thread so I apologize if they have been covered or mentioned:

1) Initial identification and future recognition should both be based on proximity. 20-50m or so with the unaided eye, equivalent distances with optics. You shouldn't be able to recognize a friend/foe from 1000m away.

2) An addendum system of "classification" would be useful - so when you name a survivor like "Stary Stalker" you can then place him in the "unknown" category and his name would display as grey next time you recognized him. However if you witnessed him murder someone and wanted to place him in the "Danger" category his name would appear red. This would all be manually done by the player, not the game itself - so it would be up to the player to set their own standards of judgement and categories. The classification system would really just be there to emulate human memory (since the models in the game aren't unique enough to do it for you).

3) I actually think it's essential that your memory be erased on death. Why? Because this creates an incredibly compelling additional reason to survive! Over time, your memory of other players will actually become more valuable than your gear. You can always find another gun, but those 350+ players you have encountered, named and categorized? That is PRICELESS information. And since there's no way to store your memory in a tent or truck or give it to friends to protect, it is attached to you and you alone.

Anyway. Great post. Good idea. +1, etc.

[adamtheheretic 106]

+1

10 Chars.

[Arnie (DayZ) 21]

Being "scanned" by someone accidently moving their binocs over me is one thing but it does not bother me as much as the range indicator. When it shows the distance to your target it turns binoculars in a range finder making the last item obsolete on those servers that allow nametags.

As far as the alpha version goes and if it makes people happy I'd not mind the names enabled if you manage to keep them in your sight for lets say 5 to 7 seconds as long as there is no range. Everybody with a M24 or one of the .50 sniper rifles that can be zerod in can land a shot on you once they know the distance. If they have to calculate it themselves using mildots its another story.

[Senrain 148]

Back to the top.

[Sentinal (DayZ) 20]

All that I can say on the matter is YES, You have obviously thought about the issue alot, you have given a way of implementation on top of the idea and I see that the idea is a direct benefit to the game.

[hoik 415]

Emmm beans, a very good idea that deserves attention - also I agree with ZedsDeadBaby that 'memory' should be erased on death!

[Enduar 0]

I don't think under any condition it's acceptable to view a player who doesn't want to be seen by seeing a nametag. Players who have been identified, who don't wish to be identified, should "lose" their indentity after escaping a certain radius, leaving LOS (outside of about 20m) or persisting beyond a certain timeframe (A couple minutes).

This would be established by distinguishing players who willingly ID themselves to someone, and those who have not. The difference between the two is simple- Players may ID other individuals just as the OP has established in his post, however it is temporary- removed once a certain distance between the two players is met (100m~), a certain amount of time has passed(a few minutes), or when line of sight has been lost (outside of a certain small radius, 30m~). The time limitation would be reset upon successful recognition (moving the crossair over the player)

Voluntary ID however would be the opposite. Players would tag themselves by selecting a player, making their name visible to the targeted individual. The tag would be susceptible to all the range/visibility descrepancies noted in OP's post and could only be removed by the player who allowed the ID, again, selecting the allowed player and un-tagging themselves. The ID would not disappear immediately, but would instead act as an involuntary ID and be removed once the conditions for Inv. ID removal was met (Time, distance, LoS).

Voluntary ID could be emoted, as well, such as a wave or salute as it's nature indicates lack of hostility.

(Optionally)

Voluntary IDing could also apply an involuntary ID status to any players lurking within a reasonable radius to simulate someone "overhearing", and alternatively players involuntarily IDing a player could communicate that same ID to any other nearby players looking in the same direction.

This seems to be a good fix over the guesswork currently involved, while the ideal result would be having static models customizable/unique enough to provide identification on their own. My post here is to just add some extra involvement to the OP's suggestion to make things work more for immersion and combat sensibility.

[IvanAK 0]

Awesome idea. Definately want. +1.

I have an addition to make though.

How about if you "talk" to someone else, you both "swap" contacts and get eachothers tags for people you havnt tagged already. Imagine it like literally swapping stories. "I met this guy down in cherno and he took a pot shot at me, id stay well away from him, he looked like this...". This encourages survivors to pool information and encourages survivors to interact without neccessarily grouping up, thus keeping the lone wolf style viable. Survivors can link up to get usefull information and then part ways.

How about if youre within 5 m of someone you can click on their tag to rename them and select compare tags. It then lists all your known tags against theirs, showing where names overlap and where they dont, and you can copy a few down. You might find "helpfull stranger" for them was "known bandit" for you. You can then rename accordingly. You get to know more people and it encourages a community of survivors and bandits. Bandits can know other friendly bandit groups and know not to attack them.

I think Wanted posters would be a good idea. You check a wall in the supermarket (an action) where there is a wanted poster, and then your character can recognise a bandit. Maybe you could recognise a hero too once you check the poster wall.

[hoik 415]

Thought I'd give this a bump. It is the most novel idea about identifying players I have come across - would love to see something like this in the SA.

[seddrik 44]

Fabulous idea for trolling.

I see some poor slob at distance... but all I have is a hatchet, pistol or one mag of some other gun I just picked up. I scroll... NAME this sucker and then use it like nameplates to track him...

It provides an uneven balance. No longer do you have all using just eyes and sound or all using name plates in a server... now one guy who camps and sees you can NAME plate you and you will never know. Makes player hunting noobishly easy.

[Rastamaus 323]

A very good idea, to echo other peoples additions the name tag should only appear when you can see the players 'face' clearly from a suitable distance, that distance should be say 30 metres or closer and appropriately further if scope or binoculars are used.

This would reduce exploiting and also make it more realistic, you would have to manouever yourself to get a look at his face to ID him, this would add a new element to gameplay and make the whole player recognition system believable.

Also be sweet if you could colour code the name tag, eg green for friendly, red for enemy and yellow for unknown etc

Edited November 25, 2012 by Rastamaus