[DGD] Relative Naming Problems

[Steve Wooster]

On 24 Aug 2005 at 10:44, Par Winzell wrote:
> That said, I've come to increasingly feel over the years (well, I had 
> arrived at this opinion by 1996 or so) that these description-based 
> systems are actually LESS realistic than the ones where you immediately 
> see somebody described with an absolute unique name.

You just reminded me of the other reason I wanted to use relative naming... If I see 
some player, remember their face, then go into a dark cave and they talk to me, I 
should have no way of knowing it's them. But if I've heard them talk before, I should 
be able to recognize their voice. Yes, that's right... "voice strings"! Heheheh.

On the other hand, I guess it would be possible to provide similar functionality with 
absolute names, too. To be honest, the more I think about it, the more I'm starting to 
think that relative naming adds a lot more complexity/problems without adding much 
that can't be accomplished with absolute naming. Villains can still wear cloaks to 
disguise their indentity in muds with absolute naming. I guess being a spy wouldn't 
be very feasible without creating a new character, though.

One thing I really liked about relative naming, is that you could name your char 
whatever you liked regardless of if there was already somebody using that name. 
(thus there wouldn't be a shortage of "cool" names) Does anybody know if there is 
any way to acheive a similar affect with absolute naming? The only thing I can think 
of would be surnames.

-Steve Wooster