Why is 'T' info given to enemy?

[______________Telorn]

Why does AO give information of someone of the opposite side?

For example, any clanner can 'T' me and get all my information. Most of that information doesn't really bother me, but I think, to the 'enemy' that a character's level and definitely a character's profession should not be viewable. Allowing the enemy to see my profession is unrealistic and a burden to me and my group. For instance, I am a doctor, and in the future, when team PvP begins, if you don't remove the profession from 'T', the doctor will always go down first because all the other team has to do is 'T' me to see who I am. This goes for any profession, as well. I'm just speaking in terms of my doc, since that is what I play. Where is the role-playing aspect in this?

What the enemy should have to do is 'guess' that I am the doc by my actions. This would allow characters to get creative. FOr example, I could put on some omni-pol armor or something along those lines, and a low lvl mausser. Try to disguise myself as a soldier. The only way the other team would know otherwise is by watching my actions. Seeing that I am constantly casting, and that when I do, the healing spells go off. This would make the team PvP aspect so much more interesting. It would actually require a strategy on the parts of the teams, rather than just, "Target the doc first!" Now they are like, "Who the hell is the doc?!"

What do you all think?

Telorn
101 Doc RK-1

[_____________ZenBeck]

I like being able to see who is what. It helps so much when looking for ppl to join your team and what not... however, I do see your point from a pvp point of view. I dont pvp but I can see how "Target the Doc first" would be a problem... for the Doc...lol

[____________Ejeckted]

Knowledge is Power 'n all that
Allowing an enemy to 'T' you is like
putting a big 'GangBang Me First'
sign in the Docs . .
We want strategy!
I want to be able to throw an omniMed
cloak on my nano-enforcer to really give
those clanners a nasty suprise >: )
"nanobreed. . waitt armor .. omnimed cloak..
must be a doctor, right?" SURPRISE!
*WHACK* *WHACK* *WHACK* *WHACK*...
lol

please,
hide the profession info from opposing sides
give us some chance to use psychology/strategy here

picture the battle scene
where a team of clanners out to hunt encounters a team of omnis
a couple guys in nano-armor .. docs? NTs? MPs? nano-enforcer? (lol)
a couple guys in omnipol .. one has a sword .. adventurer? enforcer? possibly MA?
choices must be made quickly .. players must watch other players
and react quickly to the enemies actions..
frantic team communication as individuals start to figure out
(or take wild guesses at) who is who .. a fluid dynamic battle . .
instead of the situation now where the 'order of aggro' is predetermined by the 'T' button.

Players are smarter than mobs
we dont need a hatelist of who to attack first
We should have to figure that out on our own

[______________Xombie]

I think the info box is more of a social feature, and not really part of the game's setting. If we were to talk about realism, it would seem more reasonable that we can't click on people at all.

[______________reggie]

-quote
Xombie>> I think the info box is more of a social feature, and not really part of the game's setting. If we were to talk about realism, it would seem more reasonable that we can't click on people at all.

I use to click on people, all the time. I walk out on the street, and then I see someone I like OOPS I click on them., to find out who they are. Maybe I've been playing too much AO

[_______________Snarf]

> Why does AO give information of someone of the opposite side?

Because pvp and the whole concept of strategy and tactics are entirely missing from AO.

[Laeni]

To be honest I've never given this a thought. But since you brought it up I have to agree that in pvp it could be a problem for doctors (or even fixers or traders who happen to be with the team and are not tanks).

Perhaps something could be implemented that when you cross into a political zone, the only information you get when you press T is whether or not the person is lower, even, or higher in level than you (and by how much).

Since I'm not a programmer, I don't know how difficult this would be to implement. Anyone know?

[_____________Marthos]

It would make sense that same side people could see the info, but the level, profession, and guild affiliation should not be viewable by the other side. Or make an option where you can hide that information.

What I'd like to see, is something sort of like the map upgrades. You can buy upgrades to your "personal scanner" or whatever, that will show you the level, profession, guild affiliation of enemies.

I do really like the idea of dressing up an Enforcer as a doctor though...

A good post, and some good things to think about.

[____________Valerian]

Hehe, go to the end of the queue please! We neutrals have been asking since day one to not show up on TAB. They dont listen.
Now they just introduced permanent name tags in the game. Nice shining white letters with your name so you cant hide and using a cloaking device is obsolete as your friggin name is visible high above your head (concealment skill doesnt work anyway). Alot of features are negating others in this game. Alot of opportunities for strategy, roleplaying and fun are lost here.

Val (hehe reminds me of Wolfenstein. Kill the medics first!)

[______________Tedric]

I *really* like this idea (it's one I've proposed before, also . The 'T' key should not give all the current info in a political zone, *especially* not the profession. I see lots of game-wise god things coming from forcing people to guess and observe other chacters to figure out who the Doc (or NT or...) of a group is. Now you get that on a platter, no strategy or thought required.

Funcom, you listening? Here's a case where players want the game to give _less_ information, should not be too hard to implement *grin*

[_______________spydr]

In the modern world, it's not logical to 'click' on someone and get their info, but who knows what the year 32001 will bring?

I see something like that happeneing in the relativly near future. Think about it...

Right now, there is a handheld game that is trying to sweep the country (and failing miserably) in the US (dunno about elsewhere). In this game you build up your 'monster' and a short-range radio transmission (probably) allows you to fight other peoples' monsters..even if they don't know you're there. So you could, in essense, ambush them to score a win (griefers!). You can at least see what type of monster they have before you query for a fight.

A few years ago, there was another electronic gizmo wannabe fad that tried (and failed just as miserably) to sweep the country. It was a nifty little diary/day planner that allowed you to 'chat' with other people, using IR beams between the devices. One would send, and the other would recieve the message. You could get things like name and birthday from someone elses' planner-thingy. In theory, you punch in what you are like, and what you want (in someone) and you could automatically search all these thingys you see for a 'match' on your information.

More than a few years ago, Nintendo introduced a nifty little thing for their gameboy handheld system. You could use this device instead of a cord to play a game multiplayer. It used IR beams to send/recieve information.

A while ago, the Texas Instruments company introduced a new gizmo for their popular line of gameboys ...er Graphing Calculators. You could use it (or rather, the pair) to send and revieve information from across the room, without the use of wires (very usefull in getting that valuble test information from one side of the room to the other..right behind the teacher clearing the memory). It was very sensitive, and you basically couldn't move the calculators while the datatransfer was taking place, or you'd break the connection. This also used IR.

----------

You might be wondering what is the point of my trip down memory lane. Well, if they have that now, is it that difficult to think that in the future, they wouldn't have it? In AO everyone even has a computer implanted in their brain! It wouldn't be that hard to get the information out of it. Granted, you would probably set up something to block someone of opposite alignment from getting anything vital, but they probably would still be able to get stuff like your age (i.e. level) and your name.

I agree that someone of opposite alignment probably shouldn't get all your info, but I dont' see the problem with names. Also, when you are sneaked or cloaked, your name shouldn't show up when someone has the "show names" thing checked.

[______________reggie]

good point spydr.

still, you would think that omni would be trying to develop systems to protect viable information about their soldiers being shown to members of opposing factions.... and vice versa....
I'm thinking about the "profession" thing.

Actually, I can't see the system changing.... it just kindof has to be that way.... still, maybe some way to camouflage in certain situations? To make yourself appear as a different profession to the enemy? Maybe some requiring equipment that makes them unable to see your profession at all, unless they have some decrypt utility or an appropriate skill raised high enough... Maybe an Agent's high-level nano making him able to make his teammates appear as a different profession to the enemy.. i dunno.......

[______________Profit]

SImple point.

Maybe, just maybe percpetion and concealment should determine what info you get from your target? Hmm? Wouldn't that be nice? Skills that _do_ something?

Profit

[________________cman]

just as an example ill use 1 situation where not bein able to get the info could pose problems.

lets say you are lvl 130+ and you are in 25% gas. There are a bunch of gray enemies around...at your lvl theese "non threats" can be up to around level 100 and be gray, if the only way you can find out if they are indeed over level 75 and *possibly* one of the classes that can still realistically put up a fight against you is to tab-q every one of em, people will start doin it, in fact to be safe you will have to do it.

i dont currently attack anyone i see in 25% gas if i have 50 levels advantage on em, especially if they are a weaker class (well unless i have heard bad things about em bein gridcampers or rude jerks etc).

Without info on em tho i will be tab-q'in em all to see if they *could* attack me before i attack, i wont just walk around and give people the chance to attack me first without at least *knowing* who im giving this advantage too.

[____________Ejeckted]

the main arguement here has been against profession being advertised to the enemy ..
a few also suggested hiding level or giving a PoD meter instead..
i personally like that PoD idea best.
however, above all, the best change they could make here to
really ****e up PvP is to force players to make assumptions
about the enemies profession thru appearance and actions
instead of just hitting the 'T' button.

everyone seems to think this is a fun idea

what other info should or shouldnt be seen is up for debate . .