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[Zak Blayde]

If I understand correctly, every player has the name "Unknown", with the option to manually write down their name. Why would this be more efficient? First, you cannot discern one Unknown from the next, so it might be a problem with tagging. As well as lead to immense amount of impersonation as there is no way to know if Unknown is really Bob or is he lying.

It could be Unknown like it could be something else. Someone presents himsel like he want. The cool thing is that he can lie. But if you had his real name before, you had written it, and you know that he is a liar.

[JustGreat]

JustGreat:
Ok, I've taken a while to think about your suggestion. I don't think it is possible to account for every scenario, best would be just to try it for a week.

There is a problem that some people would like to be known by everyone - for example a leader of TTTLA would like every newb to know him, so when they first arrive to BH and from town preview see him there in the main entrance, they know the town is secured by TTTLA so they can safely enter and do their thing, unless TTTLA considers them as outlaws. It would be hugely impractical and boring to stand in NCR and wait for every newb to pass and do the introduction kung-fu on them. So I think this could be solved by electronic notice-boards (imagine 1m tall pipboy) in guarded cities which would have central database of faces, and if you wanted everyone to know you, you could upload your ID there and anyone who updated their database in their pipboy by interacting with terminal in any city would know you.

There would be no need to display some weird strings like "Player63643" (I hate the idea of this) - the client could all manage it internally, the tagging etc, and just display "wastelander".

Yeah, I can agree here with what you wrote, I only suggested using random strings because it would be a way to keep track of people talking.

I also would want some functionality of a mugshot - also integrated in the pipboy terminal database... wait... doesn't it sound like name colorizing? (even better - integrated in game!)

So what this would bring? Since all well known outlaws, deliquents, lawyers and outlaw hunters would have mugshots in the database, not much would change for them... On the other hand newbs and alts would experience a change... it is possible that some kinds of chars would essentially become worthless for their purpose after being put in database, so there could be interesing game of hiding your identity. A thief would not only have to successfully steal, but also successfully disappear unseen.
I really don't know, it probably would be fun system. My suggestion about unintentionally revealing your identity would be accounted by the mugshot thing, so I am content with that.

Can you explain what you mean here further. For example how does a mugshot work, and when is it taken, and is the mugshot mechanic, assuming generated names or not?

It could be Unknown like it could be something else. Someone presents himsel like he want. The cool thing is that he can lie. But if you had his real name before, you had written it, and you know that he is a liar.

Yeah, that is pretty interesting, it has potential for griefing, although I like the idea.

[Ned Logan]

Ok, been thinking about the mugshot thing a lot - Fallout world resembles old american wild west a lot, so I am gonna draw parallels from that...

On the wild west, there WANTED posters of outlaws, usually with a price on their head. This isn't really applicable to FOnline universe, since there is no single authority like sheriffs - outlaws have their WANTED posters too.

On the other hand in wild west there were numerous places which propagated themselves to visitors and customers. The analogy to FOnline isn't too clear in this case - it is practially impossible to maintain a public place, like a shop, bar or a town - they change ownership too often. So instead of places, we have faces - if you can recognize TTTLA members guarding a town, you may consider it safe, if you are not an outlaw to them.

These two features today are provided by name colorizing.
Using the innovative system we discussing this feature would be provided in game, by pipboy. Imagine pipboys were a very common accessory in the pre-war world of Fallout (they had energy weapons and power armors after all), much like iPhones, Android phones and whatever are becoming today. Since the war probably has wiped out all the satelites on the orbit, we are kinda disconnected, have to use radio etc...

So there would be an pipboy management agency lets say in NCR which not only sells and repairs pipboys but manages data which users can download - sort of digital library, poor wastelanders internet. This agency would manage the mugshots... for a fee you could submit your own depiction with name to the database so everyone recognized you.
Or, out in the wild you could take a depiction of someone (kinda like those angel/devil coloring buttons). Whether the person introduced to you or not, the agency won't accept your depiction and associated information with it - like name, name coloring etc, because stuff is relative, they have no reason to trust you.
Factions and individuals could have accounts in the database where they could manage the depictions and their associated information. It would get really complex when dealing with distrubiting and merging these data... I really don't think creating such complex in game system is a good way to spend time as a developer.
So I think best would be just that players keep their name coloring and name records in their pipboy and it could be exported and loaded from file like NameColoring.txt now is. That file would contain internal server ID of the character, it's known name (optional) and coloring (optional).

This would be nice way for gangs to manage lists of their members, friends and enemies, while not breaking the original idea.

[Zak Blayde]

So I think best would be just that players keep their name coloring and name records in their pipboy and it could be exported and loaded from file like NameColoring.txt now is. That file would contain internal server ID of the character, it's known name (optional) and coloring (optional).

I think this is a great idea !