Player Features and Ideas Discussion

Concord knows who you are.

CCP obviously does as well, seeing that you can log in.

I would like to see the option added to place everyone else on a "Need to Know" basis.
Maybe I don't want to be chatted up, or I see someone I don't want to talk with. Why should I need to advertise my chat presence?

Basic explanation: Create the option to change your chat status to "ANONYMOUS", replacing your name in Local Chat with this instead of your pilot name.
This would be strictly an option, like many chat systems, it is widely accepted that some players want to be seen, and the means to know who is feeling chatty can be helpful socially.

The need to separate pilots from each other can still be achieved by simply assigning them a number, based on how many are currently in system that seek anonymity.
ANONYMOUS-001
ANONYMOUS-002
ANONYMOUS-003
Etc.

(This would strip away all personally identifying details, such as standings, to prevent work arounds)

Suspect and criminal flagging, not being the result of identity directly, but derived from recent actions instead, would still appear.

You would still appear in the local chat system, showing someone was present and able to hear your poetic words, but they would not be identified to you through the chat system itself.

Players would be able to set the standing for ANONYMOUS to indicate a default hostile, if they are concerned about being warned.

EDIT:
There should definitely be the option to block anonymous, just like you would block a specific pilot, and thereby not see anything they say in chat. (You would still see them in the list normally, as ANONYMOUS-001, etc)
This would be inclusive of all using the ANONYMOUS option, just like they could all be flagged as hostile by default.

This would be a presumed function already, in my opinion, but I am specifying it here.


The overview, displaying ships in sensor range, would obviously have actual pilot details as normally present.

Let's help the people who want to chat stand out, and those wishing privacy to have that respected!

DARN YOU NSA!!!11elf

1. Local is supposed to be about chatting and not an intel channel.
2. You completely missed the point, it is about making your posts say anonymous said, and nothing to do with replacing your name in the list.

It should be pointed out, quite notably,that I conceded to such concerns already.

As stated in the OP:

You can choose to be warned in this manner.

Players setting themselves as ANONYMOUS will be doing so with the understanding that they will appear as hostile, creating a sense of discomfort in any who have adjusted their settings this way.

Guess I interpreted it wrong.

@OP you know better than to try a local discussion again. They dont end well.

This one is much more user friendly.

To those using Local for intel, you simply add ANONYMOUS to your hostile threat set, and you still get warned.


1. This sounds practical, I would suggest it be a right click option in the chat window itself.

2. No.
If you chat in local, it says ANONYMOUS-001 instead of your name, (number may vary per pilot).
If become flagged as criminal or suspect, you remain listed as ANONYMOUS but with the specific criminal or suspect icon established.

While suspect / criminal flagging is not a social function, the existing means of remote notification using the system is maintained by this compromise.

Privacy is respected, while concerned parties can still maintain a sense of security knowing when friendly names are voluntarily present.

As pointed out, everyone would just be "anonymous".

This is possible, while not necessarily being inevitable.

Do you believe everyone will switch over to being anonymous, despite expectations that such will be considered hostile by default?

Won't that simply help identify genuine threats more easily?

Again, while you obviously read enough to recognize this is about local chat, you are not acknowledging the ability to flag anything ANONYMOUS as hostile by default.

This, if abused to impact intel gathering, simply allows anyone to flag themselves as hostile, even to friends.
The moment they are viewed on grid, however, the truth always comes out regarding their standings.

If they want to scare their buddies in chat, that should be up to them.
If your friends do that to you... maybe you should try talking to them about it.

Thank you, but I've already been there.

While I did appreciate the gritty realism of some aspects, it was a bad match for my general play style.
(I missed the static connections, and the lack of station / market access)

My evaluation: thrilling, but too inconvenient for long term presence.