Immersion

[Noobstorm]

Sorry if some of this has been suggested before.

I think, to promote an RP atmosphere, that player names should be hidden until introduced. Instead of their name, it could say their gender and race. For example: "Male Klyros" or "Female Nolthrir." After being introduced by someone, (with /introduce, or right click + introduce) their name will be visible.

Also an option to write in a name for strangers would be useful too. Some examples: "flower thief" or "suspicious person."

And finally, I think descriptions should be enforced according to the guidelines that appear in-game:

This window is what people read when they click on you; this box is not to be filled with anything other than things that a person could reasonably perceive with their senses. There is no reason to include anything beyond what one can sense when looking at your character. While sensual detail ONLY is to be included, this does not mean that you should be sparing, please include as many appeals to the senses as your character clearly eminates that can be sensed with the five accepted senses (sight, touch, hearing and smell (being primary)(only list taste if you anticipate people tasting your character)).

[Minks]

Been there, done that, failed horribly. 
http://www.hydlaaplaza.com/smf/index.php?topic=31728.0

[Illysia]

hehe... Yeah this was actually already implemented but rather than give name it just said "Someone". It was a disaster in a way. I always liked the idea but we just never figured out how to tweak the implementation to make it actually work. However getting something like Male Diaboli instead of everyone being called Someone is a great tweak. The biggest problem with the system was that you had no idea who was talking to you until you were introduced which lead to players circumventing the system for practical reasons.

[Tuathanach]

I did like the idea of this before, I felt they should have at least left you knowing the people who were in your guild as displaying their name. Possibly also those on your buddy list.

It would be good if it also allowed people to show their guild, as some guilds have badges that members wear.

[LigH]

A marginal step into a similar direction is setting the label options to only show on target or mouse. I know it's not the same...

[Rigwyn]

The burdon of remembering who your character met is on the role player. As for newbies who get confused about name tags, it can work in your favor to some degree. If someone calls you by name, its a hint that they may be new. Ooc discussion can confirm this and lead to an opportunity to welcome them to the game. Having both an ic and conflicting ooc discussion at the same time should either clue them in to what is happening or prompt them to ask questions.

If I remember correctly, I don't think we had chat bubbles over people's heads when *someone* was implemented. You saw test from *someone* in the chat box, but had no idea who it came from.

[bilbous]

Ah yes all the lovely people running around spamming /introduce hoping against hope someone would introduce themselves back. I never did. That was the beginning of me calling everyone bud and claiming to be bud myself. Good times. Seems all the npcs know my name why shouldn't the pcs as well?

If you ask me how I knew your name I'll just claim that Harnquist told me, if not him maybe Thorian made a mind reading potion and listened to your inner thoughts. Me and him have been tight on the odd occasion. I am not sure why anyone would get upset about such a small thing. Maybe I should just call you Axeface as someone refers to one heroic dwarf npc. Would you prefer booger breath?

Using someone's name all the time might tend to indicate you care about their feelings. Surely that isn't always the case.

[yourcharname]

no

[bilbous]

http://www.hydlaaplaza.com/smf/index.php?topic=31728.0

I was posting as prolix at that time

[novacadian]

The only way for this wish to be minimally tolerable is if we could unique-ify our avatars like one can on http://osgrid.org. You've heard the one about three Roleds walking into the Keda right?   

[ Edit: /s/Keda/Kada/g ]

[LigH]

Uhm, no; but the true Roled will have had dried Joopiner berries and pie crumbs on his collar.

[novacadian]

Uhm, no; but the true Roled will have had dried Joopiner berries and pie crumbs on his collar.

 

[tman]

In general people only use their own name when introducing themselves to someone else, right?

Well maybe a solution is any time someone says their own name in main, everyone in earshot counts as being "introduced."  You don't have to go out of your way to introduce yourself to everyone in a group, just say "Hi I'm <name>" and it'll count.

Or just leave the game the way it is.  It's usually not that hard to remember people you've met.  And if it is, then just say your char is bad at remembering faces and reintroduce yourself.

[yourcharname]

no

[Chessire]

Maybe this would be interesting to try again. Perhaps if we lowered the chat bubble's position so they re visible most of the times and implemented a speaking animation? There has also been a suggestion of changing the intensity of letters on the chat window according to your distance from the speaking person, I think there is a PS mod somewhere too. All this could make hidden names functional.
There are more things to improve this, as writing race and gender instead of "someone" or allowing each player to give a personal color to their writing on the chat window, example, names appear always in green but my speech appears purple, yours is red, someone else's yellow etc, although said colors should probably differ from the ones used on whisper, guild, system and other channels.