[NirAntae]

I was having a conversation with someone and this topic came up.  At first I pretty much dismissed it, but the more I think about it, the more sense it makes to me.

Adding one of the 'other body' values for shapechange to include the name displayed.  Defaulting to be the same as the human body value, of course, but giving the option to be able to alter it - to one specific alternative at setup.  It would need to still be a properly identifying name, of course, but I think there are a lot of characters in the game already who would benefit from such an ability.

There are several characters with some degree or flavor of 'possession' in which they are two distinct "people" - some with and some without the knowledge of the other 'half' of themselves. (One perfect example, Dagon/Kelien.  The human is Kelien while the dragon is Dagon, and Kelien is largely unaware of Dagon.)  There are a number of shapeshifters of one sort or another who take great pains to keep the knowledge that human and animal forms are the same being secret.  (My own Aniqa is this way, as are at least some of the werewolves, for example.)

Something like this would make that particular type of RP much easier for those folk, and help reduce unintentional meta'ing.  (It happens a lot, and leads to having to have an OOC bit of convo, which really breaks the flow of RP.)



I would think, as long as it was only one (optional) alternative, properly identifying, set during setup, especially with the .look not changing, the potential for abuse is not much different than being able to have multiple characters, which we already have.

[Cele]

I like this. At least one of my characters has not revealed their shapechange in game because they don't want their human glamour and true form associated by others.

[Kutara]

Something to keep in mind, and prepare for the inevitable calls for help. Having a different name when you are shapechanged will affected your hotkeys set up in the client. I logged in as Kutara the Human, shapechanged, then logged out, the next time I logged in as Bananapants the Gorilla, my hotkeys as Kutara would no longer exist, and would need to be reset.

This is not a huge thing. I just thought it bore mentioning.

[Katya]

I hope this is not off-topic, but Kutara, something just clicked for me. 

I posted a LONG time ago about my hotkeys constantly resetting in UO. I could NOT figure out why, for the life of me, or make a connection. 

I think it's the SHAPECHANGE! Every time I shapechange -- which is often, lately -- they all reset. :|

[Annika]

Hotkey issue aside, I absolutely second (third? fourth?) this idea. Beyond the players that have alternate identities/stories for their shapechanges, I've also repeatedly run into the issue of people metagaming my character's beast form to his human form and vice versa. I think it would remind people to not do this if I were even able to just do a simple name change to "a massive wolf" or "a dire wolf", etc etc.

[NirAntae]

Hotkey issue aside, I absolutely second (third? fourth?) this idea. Beyond the players that have alternate identities/stories for their shapechanges, I've also repeatedly run into the issue of people metagaming my character's beast form to his human form and vice versa. I think it would remind people to not do this if I were even able to just do a simple name change to "a massive wolf" or "a dire wolf", etc etc.

I think it would need to be more individualized than that, if such an idea is accepted.  Mostly because it needs to be identifying.  ie, it would still need to be a 'name', not a generic descriptor.

[Cele]

Hotkey issue aside, I absolutely second (third? fourth?) this idea. Beyond the players that have alternate identities/stories for their shapechanges, I've also repeatedly run into the issue of people metagaming my character's beast form to his human form and vice versa. I think it would remind people to not do this if I were even able to just do a simple name change to "a massive wolf" or "a dire wolf", etc etc.

I think it would need to be more individualized than that, if such an idea is accepted.  Mostly because it needs to be identifying.  ie, it would still need to be a 'name', not a generic descriptor.

Question about that, WHY does it have to be a name?

For instance, I do not intend for my kitsune or werewolf to be able to speak and couldn't identify themselves to someone else. I think there are two issues at play here, players who portray a completely separate entity from their character when in their second form that has it's own identity and name and those who may not have a separate identity but would prefer that their character name not appear above their shapechange because it is a secret they do not wish to be exposed. Obviously everyone knows all the character secrets ooc since the applications are public but in game it is easy to accidentally metagame a  name if it appears above a character even if you haven't been introduced to the character in that form yet. I would support both options being available to players.

[NirAntae]

I said I think it needs to be more identifying than 'a dire wolf', not necessarily a name as in like, 'Bob Smith'. The point is not to be able to be *anonymous* - that's not the point of a shapechange. It's just so people don't unintentionally meta-connect the two forms so easily.

[HeXiS]

As to the Hotkeys issue if we are talking razor.. i have two of my characters set up under one profile.. it is i admit a bit wacky at times given some character dont have the same spells or abilities and whatnot.. but that should work for this case... maby??? on that note i used to change the profiles manually before logging in.. last night i noticed razor switches for you so perhaps in theory one could copy one profile and then 'bind' it to the other name?? two possible solutions to the hotkey issue.. i cant say how well it would work for other helper thingies..and i dont have two names yet.. But i hope my input is at atleast useful to solving the quirkyness

[Parchaa]

I see that side of the discussion.. but then I am one who does not have this ability. With a name change its basically 2 separate chars. which seems to almost detract for me. I can use .look and 1 quick ooc and I can adjust.. but some of us have special or racial abilities that would sense things.. see glamours .Not saying we could penetrate them .. but notice them . I guess then it becomes a issue of who's RP abilities will be stronger in any certain situation. I know a some of us like to be in control.. some either way is fine depending on what is trying to be brought into play.

I understand where you all are coming from I really do. My char rarely gives out his name and its a challenge that others use it with no RP reason why they should. More and more have heard it so its really a non issue now though. He is a bit distinct and rumors and talk and what not. 7 foot Trow.. yeah thats Skorgi

But call me lazy .. call me stubborn.. but having to interact with a bunch more chars .. that do not speak and I have no way to communicate with them .. will probably not get his attention and create RP in great detail.

I have no problem with you all that want wolf packs and such. More power to you and which ever way this lands is fine with me. I just thought I would express my thoughts on the matter.

See you IG and hope we have great fun together