Remove nametags

[Cici]

This server has worked its way towards a more realistic standard after having community discussions about CK wars.  Although I wasn't for the CK war idea, it's still a pleasure to see this server moving in a direction that caters to hardcore realism.  I guess I'm satisfied with the end result, because change in the end, where it may not be favored, is actually good. But since we're moving it in that direction, why don't we consider this next piece of realism?

Nametags are pointless.  Why?  Because every character gets to construct their own face and their own clothes.  There is no need to have it. 

To make metagaming less possible and to push for a higher level of alertness and consciousness while in game, we should see to remove these.  I think that while some people may be for or against it,  this will level the playing field for a number of roleplayers on this server.  After all, are we are a heavy RP server.  It's sad to know that some roleplayers still identify you by your nametag, instead of physically seeing you.  What I hope to accomplish if this suggestion gets passed is, nametags will no longer be a worry when you're being hunted down by people or cops.  I'm not saying hide everyone's identity, because as a person talks or yells, he has his (or she has her) own voice.  Names in context will remain the same, because a person's voice can be recognized.  Especially if someone yells, or talks.  Now robbers will have to change their voices and the robbery will shoot right down.  (But it won't limit players from still doing it.)  It'd also eliminate clutter in screenshots, I believe. 

Healthbars are also pointless.  Because sometimes, when a player sees that you may be at low health, they will use this as an opportunity to get an advantage over you.  It's an OOC factor that can potentially cause someone to do something they wouldn't initially do without thinking about it.  Removing health bars would eliminate powergaming, because if you can't SEE what chance the other player has, and they can't SEE what chance you have , they can't treat you unfairly or deny you a fair chance to roleplay in a phsyical situation that would involve the health bars.  Because it's the same for everyone. 

In a compromise to any staff members who may disagree with this:

I think only the staff should have access to health bars and nametags.  And they should be forced to toggle it if they're in character.  This way, spectating a situation makes it easier for them when they're in admin-mode.  And they're still required to do what everyone else does when they're in character. 

So; TLDR:
- Remove nametags & health bars.

- We'd still keep names of people in context.  If they yell, they're more likely to give up their position.  If they talk, same thing.  Voices can be recognized.

- We'll take nametags and health bars out of the visual aspect of this game.  It'll require people to actually roleplay more (Or simply think more) to identify someone.

 

____________________

PROS:

People can no longer metagame your name tag as you drive by or walk by.  You don't have to worry so much about driving around.  It'll immediately kill any metagame.  People also have to actually witness crimes now to call them in, get a face, a description, all of that.  Text based roleplay will become more immersive.  Criminals or killers can now start to plan and consider the right times to strike.  With this suggestion, people can no longer /me describes, because you have to ACTUALLY describe the features of a person.  It will eliminate OOC clutter from screenshots.  It will get people's brains focused while they're in game, because they have to actually identify the person their roleplaying with themselves. It will level the playing field, it seems like there can be so much good to come out of this, and the only people it'll hurt are the metagamers and the nonRPers.  Won't hurt nobody else.

CONS:
The ONLY problem I want to bring up with this change is, reporting players would be hard if they don't roleplay at all, like some do.  You know the type.  Roll up and shoot, no RP.  SO MAYBE we can come up with a command that informs the player who killed them or maimed them without roleplay, like a /whokilledme sort of deal.  It'd be against the rules to metagame it or revenge kill anyway, so why not trust the player with the information?  Otherwise, if the offender/rulebreaker does manage to roleplay, thanks to the names staying in the context, reports will not become any more than slightly less difficult, because they can still be screenshotted.

I don't really see this suggestion hurting anybody.  But it certainly would be a reputable change in the way we conduct our roleplay.

 

I want this to remain a brain healthy discussion for a brain healthy server, please.  Hopefully I worded this right, I apologize in advance if my point was confusing.  I'd also like to see some feedback and constructive, non-insulting discussion.

(Maybe a poll.)

 

STAFF EDIT:  Please focus the discussion on nametags - Health bar removal has been forwarded and agreed upon. 

Edited December 19, 2017 by Notbond
Edited to make sure discussion is focused on Name tags

[GINO]

I fully agree with you.

[MalteseWolf]

Health bars being removed or at least not always shown has already been forwarded here:

 

Removing the name tag entirely however might be a little too extreme though. Sure it'd help against metagamers, but it would also cause a lot of awkward encounters because while you can make very different faces in-game, the subtle differences might not always be noticed easily. So you'd be walking up to a guy who resembles your best friend IC and you go "Hey dude" but in reality its just a different character that looks like him.

 

Sure, the same thing can happen IRL, but IRL you're actually inside the situation, not looking at it through a monitor from potentially a third-person view off your character's shoulder.

 

When GTA 5 (or 6?) gets ultra-realistic graphics and a VR mode which lets you entirely immerse yourself into the game and recognise people as easily in-game as you would IRL? I'd be all for that shit.

 

However I do agree that we could work at making names more restricted. Such as shown from a shorter distance, and an even shorter distance if the character is in a vehicle (maybe depending on the tint level of the windows too).

Edited December 19, 2017 by MalteseWolf

[GINO]

That's why they have /do's. You can ask questions and the other party will confirm it. However lying should be the very last resort they pick.

 

Admins will have to think up a suitable punishment for those that lie or deny their true identity. If their faces are not covered, then it's only realistic for you to recognize him or her as the person you are looking for.

Edited December 20, 2017 by El Botas Blancas

[Notbond]

This should focus on nametag removal due to the fact that health bar removal has already been forwarded. 

 

Title change and edit in main post to reflect this. 

[St3fan[NL]]

How will you report other player reports (no dm) if you dont know the name?

[PandaGaming]

Hell no. Okay it’s an heavy RP server but the custom skins not that best and also, it’s more comfortable now.

I’m not threating or something but if they will remove the name tags I will definitely wuit the server...

Edited December 20, 2017 by Samantha

[JoeSlice]

I'd be against this for several reasons:

- Reporting people for breaking rules would need a work-around.

- Multiple people having the same skin would cause confusion and could even be abused.

 

- Can't tell when somebody is low on HP so can't offer them a burger(just kidding)

My last argument would be that throughout the years of playing SAMP and roleplaying there I have associated a nametag and a healthbar with roleplay, though I do not metagame them it still adds a little bit of ascetic feeling to he game because you don't need to constantly ask people in /do if you'd recognize them, because you know that you do.

[Everett]

It would be good in the perfect world. However, as St3fan said, how will you be able to report others? Or even random things, like seeing someone with some clothing that you really like and you wanna ask the ID of it, or simple things like that - it would make these much harder and if everything will go through /b it would create spam.

[Guest Ingram]

Sadly I disagree. Not supporting to remove the health bar either.

Edited December 20, 2017 by Ingram