Option to remove the GM icon...

So, the funny part that is kind of my takeaway from the Grand Master capability is that it represents a level of fame. By hitting grandmaster you have hit a level of fame with that skill. It is a double edged sword. The famous enjoy being famous at some moments and try to be normal other moments. From the aspect of PvP combat, I consider it like feudal Japan. When you become a known swordsperson, then word spreads and you become a celebrity swordsperson.

If people didn't know they were fighting Musashi then absolutely that would provide a competitive advantage in the fight.

If you can hide GM icons, can you also hide hp and focus numbers? That gives a competitive advantage of being able to size up relative power level of your opponent.

That being said, I personally don't care about showing/hiding those markers. If they are intended to be an indicator of celebrity, then celebrity has its pluses and minuses. Giving away a tell being a minus.

Maybe there should be equippable disguises to hide your identity then? Tradeoff being equipment slot in trade for anonymity.

 

Yep, having a GM in blacksmithing would be a positive fame indicator as you are "known" for blacksmithing and thus may produce a better quality of good than other tradespeople.

 

Thing about fame is.. if you're never showing off to begin with then the fame is more or less artificial.

 

But that's only if you put your mark on it and that mark is known to be yours. If you did your work in private and didn't put your mark on it then who's to know who made what?

 

It does show the "Crafted by X." My primary point for the GM in blacksmithing being, if you are going to hire someone, then you will probably favor the one with credentials versus without. I.E. why some people go to college. To get a piece of paper that says you can be taught a particular discipline.

It would add a layer of depth if you could show/hide your "crafting signature".

 

It would be nice to have the option to NOT place your maker's mark as well. But that's another issue.

 

that just proves i should not be posting much when i am very busy at work..

BUT, both grandmaster and guildmaster - same damned opinion hehe

 

+1... personally me seeing a player at 23 GMs makes me feel like I'm somehow behind or like it's a contest. I'm guessing new players may see it this way too when they start playing and everyone already has multiple GMs above their nameplate.

Not sure why this is shown... if anything give the ability to claim titles of you have GM'd something, such as Grandmaster Blacksmith or Grandmaster Archmage... etc. Just my thoughts.

 

OP has not even the slightest intention of showing off crafting prowess.

He's just a PVP'er wanting an advantage over others - namely hiding his info while still being able to gather intel about others.

With regard to the discussion at hand, I would strongly oppose a way to hide your GMs while knowing your opponent ones.

With regard to Carfting GMs, I have no opinion.

 

Pragmatically speaking, what I would support and hope, is having all the GMs hidden by default, and then giving the player the option to show them off to party or to the world, individually skill by skill.

The dilemma of realism vs ease of coding. This game appears to always favor the latter, so maybe I'm going against some windmills by even mentioning that mastery in certain skill or skill group will almost certainly provide an ability to better assess the level of proficiency in that skill or skill group. In others words, a master archer will likely be able to recognize another master archer, and her mastery in archery will also carry over to other combat skills, to some extent, so that she would have somewhat easier time recognizing a master in some other art of war. Production skills might have similar groupings.

Personally and non-pragmatically speaking, I would ideally prefer doing away with the entire concept of "GMs", replaced by certain "people skills" set, which would include ability to recognize qualities in others ("read" people, this would also be tied to intelligence and one's own skills), and ability to teach (pedagogical skills, which would factor in party/apprenticeship situations, instead of some fixed "GM" tag).

 

My worthless take on the GM badges;
They don't matter. As soon as you fight/see someone fight you know their build anyway.

But you have options. GM nothing, they wont know what your packin' This is a valid tactic.
GM everything (or contradicting things), they wont know what your packin'. This is an expensive tactic lol, I know. Got Earth and Air innates GM'd, and other conflicting skills.

There are guys with NO GMs I'll never beat w/any regularity (curse you Turin ), and there are guys with 25 I'll never lose to (not gonna mention names here ).

The only real benefit to having GMs is for your guildies to train their skills up. (other than the obvious benefit of the higher level a skill the stronger it gets)

 

...generally what you are saying is true...but there are strong exceptions...like the passive skills...and other skills that don't pop up in the combat logs...and then some more...

Putting an option of not showing them you just make more people happy and nobody unsatisfied

 

I would like to see this GM tag be able to be removed, unless the GM training buff is in effect for your party. I have currently downgraded my GM's to 99 (and got the green bar to the 0 position for the extra minimal xp). I think it is as valuable to hide this information as it is to hide the gold or vital statistics like strength.. I seem to remember a thread about opening up the paperdoll interface for other people you want to view.. shouldn't the GM icon be viewed as revealing as the paperdoll? I think so. Therefore, the GM should be hidden, as the paperdoll and your skill levels are also hidden.

You should find out how tough your opponent is the natural way, and not have a preconceived notion of what you are getting into.

 

I understand you feel compelled to be my secretary and talk for me...if you would be my secretary I will let you open your mouth but not to speak for myself in a wrong way indeed...I never talked to have an advantage over other...but just a free choice for everybody...

Nobody talked to have a way to look at other GMs if they don't want...

 

One option would be having the amount of GM's always persistent, but having the ability to hide which gm's they are.

 

Oh, I don't need to be your secretary, you do a wonderful job at that yourself:

Is this about crafting? Please.

Is this about mentoring? Pathetic.

Is this about "free choice"? Seriously?

No, it's clearly about hiding clues about yourself from other players. And where else you would want to avoid showing around "their strong and weak" points but in PVP?

You're a known and despised PK'er, it's always clear what your goal is, from a mile away.

Yeah, sure...

 

ahahah...you are from Rome, Italy too....like me...

I don't want to embarrass you but...in this game there are no PK...ONLY consensual PVP...ce lo vuoi capire o no?

 

Could also be used to tell what your getting beat by.

Agreed. I'm not against the idea of hiding them. I just have more of a laissez-faire attitude toward it. I really dont see them as an issue.

 

I've found him to be honorable and respectful, which is more than I can say for a number of pve'ers but thanks for bringing your unfounded strife into a thread meant to help improve this game ......