Hiding Your Identity

[Gnom]

Yeah, now I should buy better dictionary.

there will always be loopholes through which those safeguards can be bypassed.

I don't know how time constraints could by bypassed, but it's impossible to reply such kind of argument. In addition, I couldn't say exactly what I want in that language. So I surrender.

[Gnom]

I agree, right now things are nearly impossible for thieves but easy for guards...if masks are added they should balance that out, not reverse it completely.

I think that visible mask changing won't change the situation. And that's the reason I defend my idea.

[Nick]

I don't see an argument for why it shouldn't be visible.

Plenty of arguments against. And I'm quite sure at this point, the Programming Department would agree (if they want to implement it, at all). You'll have to be pretty convincing.

[Gnom]

I don't see an argument for why it shouldn't be visible.

Okay, I try to explain what I'm talking about. I think we agree, that masks should help thiefs in cities. In my opinion, masks with visible changing won't change it. Why? Because I don't see any adaptation of that kind of mask.

When I put on the mask in one location (outside, building etc.) and I go into other to stole something, everyone would see that.

John is outside. Everyone see event:<b>John put on mask and becoming unnamed masked person</b>. After that <b>unnamed masked person</b> enter the shop and then that <b>unnamed masked person</b> steal something and come out of that building. Now, person who see that theft could come out and easily get to known who that <b>unnamed masked person</b> is. Such action could have only one end.

But if it'll be my version - unvisible mask changing, there could many ends. And I think that I don't have to explain why. And stopped that thief won't be hard, if guards will work quick. Particularly, if it will be some time constraints puted on masks.

[Sho]

Visible mask changing would still be fine for intercity raiding - raid a town with your mask on, later pass through quietly with the mask off, having changed it on the road, on a ship or in another town. Land-raiding pirates would love it - the Bandit's crew had trouble finding a place to farm for food that wouldn't kill them on sight.

The problem with silent mask changing is that it makes it too easy for poor characters to use. Visibly changing masks would only be really useful if a character had some other way of getting away from the scene of the crime, so a criminal who could effectively use a mask would be one who already was on equal standing with the guards. Silently changing masks could more than substitute for a getaway vehicle, upsetting the balance of power.

[Gnom]

Visible mask changing would still be fine for intercity raiding - raid a town with your mask on, later pass through quietly with the mask off, having changed it on the road, on a ship or in another town. Land-raiding pirates would love it - the Bandit's crew had trouble finding a place to farm for food that wouldn't kill them on sight.

This could be interesting! We would start having masked heros and criminals with a secret identity having a normal social life.

Yes, but "criminals with a secret identity having a normal social life" wouldn't exist. And this was (in my opinion) the most interesting result of creating masks.

The problem with silent mask changing is that it makes it too easy for poor characters to use. (...) Silently changing masks could more than substitute for a getaway vehicle, upsetting the balance of power.

I don't agree with your theory "unbalance power in Cantr world". Not in that situation. Some time constraints puted on masks makes revealed <b>unnamed masked person</b> very easily. It won't be any "unbalance power".

[WojD]

Perhaps Octavio's version is close to optimal solution. Possible to implement and can't unbalance game.

When you rob bank you don't put mask inside bank... You make this outside target - in car, or on street. You try to make it in place, where people can't see you.

Mask should hide name and char, so instead of

9999-9.09: You see a man in his twenties entering...

there should be

9999-9.09: You see someone in mask entering...

Clickable but not editable:) so you can't change it. Sure - if you see man in his twenties putting on mask - you can change his name to man in his twenties who wear mask - but not after. This gives a chance to theif - who still can be hitted, dragged, killed...

[Nick]

No, you should definately be able to change the name of a masked person.

At the very least, to differentiate between more than one masked attacker.

[AzzY]

Well...I don't think there should be a way to differentiate masked people by anything but their clothing. That includes the mask he is wearing, but also all the other details found on the charr page. If they both wear the exact same clothing, why should you be able to tell a difference?

It ain't diferrent in real life (well only for stature for example, but things like tall persons don't really exist in Cantr)

Great idea though, hope it gets implemented.

[Hellzon]

If they both wear the exact same clothing, why should you be able to tell a difference?

Well, then the problem becomes that you can't see the clothing of someone who has already left. Which makes the success of putting on a mask, entering town, hitting someone and leaving a matter of who's online the most. Do I have to quote the line on the main page about Cantr being a slow-paced game again, people?
Besides, with that line of resoning, you shouldn't be able to tell the difference between two unclothed men in their twenties (newsflash, there are plenty of these).

/Hellzon - likes masks, but masked people should be nameable.

[Gnom]

Yes, here I agree, that masked people should be nameable. But not mask (Octavio's idea).

But I still haven't heard any argument which can convince me, that silent mask changing is only solution. I still suppose, that Octavio's idea - that timers - are good solution. And won't unbalance game. And Sho's argument that "there will always be loopholes through which those safeguards can be bypassed" haven't make any sense. I don't see any way or chance to "bypassed" time constraints.

[Chris Johnson]

The mask changing should be visible to everyone on the same location. I can see no argument for making it otherwise , with the exception of making the game more "interesting". If you want it more interesting then we could turn off the entry and exit notification - that would make it easier for thieves .

Yes it does limit the action of a thief, the ones who put on the mask in the middle of the town square are going to get caught , just like stupid criminals IRL. A more successful and intelligent thief will make sure they are not seen when they put it on , inside a often used building when no one is around, in a vehicle or up the road , out of sight.

[sanchez]

I'd like a mask to turn one into an anonymous 'man in his twenties', so that any name you'd given that person would be gone until the mask is removed. And you'd have to look at his clothing to see he had a mask on.

[Nalaris]

Ah, so many opinions, so many options. I'm not sure which would be best implemented, I just know that it should be implemented. I'd say that a timer is unrealistic and unnecesary. I think that masking should be visible. A smart thief masks on the road. A dumb thief does it in a public area. This should prevent newbies from grabbing a cotton mask, running away top speed with every note in town and being almost totally unidentifiable. Everyone will know who he is because he put it on in public.

A mask should create a second identity. It should be "A masked man in his thirties" instead of "A man in his twenties". Let's call our person "Nalaris", just for kicks. Let's say Nalaris makes himself a mask and puts it on. He then goes outside form his secluded building and declares himself "Zorro". Everyone now thinks he is Zorro. If they see him taking his mask off, they may rename the mask "Nalaris as Zorro" or something. Smart thief, dumb thief.

And by the way, in your first post, it's "think", not "mind". To think is to use the mind. If I knew Polish I'd translate. Your other mistakes are too numerable to count, but my Latin's no better.

[CrashBlizz]

I'm not sure how I'd like it to work but I think there should be some way to hide your identity from other, it would add more depth to the game and make it more realistic.