[Survey] Would you like to have random soldier callsigns (nicknames)?

[memmaker]

Hi folks,

I'd like to have an additional callsign for my soldiers. So that in addition to the name "John Smith" the game would generate a nickname like "Snake" or "Bombshell" for my soldiers. The callsigns could be modded exactly like names currently can: By nationality and gender.

Callsigns would be assigned at random on soldier generation and the current plan is to only display them in the BattleScape if they are defined. Reverting to default behaviour if not.

I am looking for people who support this idea and if there are enough I would go and implement it.

So: Opinions, please 

[efrenespartano]

DOOOOOO IIIIIIIT!

Question: are going to be displayed like the statStrings, at the end of the name? i.e. Tony Stark "Can Man"?

Or like a middle nickname between the name and the surname?

Enviado desde mi LG-M400 mediante Tapatalk

[Meridian]

DOOOOOO IIIIIIIT!

That's exactly the kind of feedback I'm not looking for!

If you want it, say why.. and how (if you can).
If you don't want it, also try to say why.

Question: are going to be displayed like the statStrings, at the end of the name? i.e. Tony Stark "Can Man"?

Or like a middle nickname between the name and the surname?

Probably none of the above, there is not enough space on the GUI to show both at the same time. Already just simple statstrings cut off sometimes significant portion of soldier names. Nicknames would cut off even more...

I'd guess it's just one or the other?

[memmaker]

I would just like to have the option to display that nickname in the battlescape instead of the real name + statstring.

Also having them randomly generated alongside a real name gives additional depth to the soldiers. I like to have my german soldier "Bernd Becker" to have the random callsign "Bombe" for example. I think there is some genuine fun to have the game assign these monikers randomly but controlled by modders.

Of course the change would be completely optional and I do not plan adding invasive UI changes at the moment. Also the current plan for displaying it is just the callsign (only in the battlescape), if defined. And the name + statstring else.

I feel like the current combination of Rank + First Name + Last Name + Statstring can already be quite long..

[misterx]

It may be quite fun, i saw a screenshot with one being called "worried milf". Some word puns may found its way through the mod, for instance id' like to see "raw deal" 

[Rubber Cannonball]

Callsigns would be assigned at random on soldier generation and the current plan is to only display them in the BattleScape if they are defined. Reverting to default behaviour if not.

Also the current plan for displaying it is just the callsign (only in the battlescape), if defined. And the name + statstring else.

I feel like the current combination of Rank + First Name + Last Name + Statstring can already be quite long..

A question:  If you only see the callsign in the battlescape and only see first name last name in the geoscape and never see both callsign and real name together anywhere, how do you remember which real name goes with which callsign?

Another question:  Why not just replace the real name with the callsign or nickname? And for that matter, why not make a small mod that generates callsigns instead of names for the soldiers.  For instance, the gals names in X-Piratez sound like piratey call signs instead of real names.

[memmaker]

1. That's not the case. In the current implementation you can switch between the traditional names (+statstring) and the callsign display by right clicking the stats in the battlescape.

2. The reason is character depth and preservation of information. The same reason we have soldier diaries. I find it way more entertaining to have my soldier "Bernd Becker" assigned the callsign "Bombe" at random than having only the nickname. It also opens up other possibilities for modders, like giving away callsigns at specific ranks.

Gesendet von meinem Pixel 2 mit Tapatalk

[Rubber Cannonball]

In the current implementation you can switch between the traditional names (+statstring) and the callsign display by right clicking the stats in the battlescape.

This already exists in the latest OXCE or is this part of your proposal?

As for the rest it seems like a nice idea.  However, if both the nickname/callsign and the regular name can't be shown at the same time, I doubt I personally would bother much with toggling between callsign and regular name while playing.

[memmaker]

This is part of the basic proposal. I envision further features like having a ruleset setting for how the callsign is displayed. One could easily set that to sth. like middle name, prefix or separated.

Gesendet von meinem Pixel 2 mit Tapatalk

[skyhawk]

Keeping the Statstring is pretty important. If configured correctly, it lets you know what each soldier is and isn't good at at a glance, while in combat.

I'd suggest, if the GUI has room enough, to present both the proper name and callsign on the soldier stats screen, both in base and in battlescape.

There should be an option for Callsign + Statstring [As opposed to Name + Statstring] in the Battlescape overview screen [Where space is very limited]

[memmaker]

I am currently thinking about a more versatile solution. I want to share my current thoughts here:

Facts:
The smallest textfield for names seems to be the one in the soldier inventory equip screen when launching a mission. It has space for 19 characters. There are some title screens which display 21 characters of a soldiers name, while most list display 20 characters.

The random names from vanilla sometimes already exceed this space. While I found that the longest name for american nationality seems to be 19 chars long other countries can easily exceed this.

I am currently thinking about some ruleset options like this:

Code: [Select]

nameInLists: "{NAME}/{STATSTRING}"
nameInTitles: "{NAME}>{CALLSIGN}"
nameInBattleScape: "{CALLSIGN}>{TAGSTRING}"
nameInBattleScapeAlternate:  "{NAME}/{STATSTRING}"

This would allow everyone to display names as they see fit. Even down to the separator character.