So, will we be able to psychically know every NPCs name just by looking at them? Or will we have to ask them, then it will appear from then on, or never, and we just have to remember ourselves. I vote for having to ask at least, for the sake of realism.
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then once you have asked have it show up on them .
also another point will be , will the guards have names or will it be like skyrim where they are just called "winter hold guard "
Names flying over NPC’s heads is not a good option I think.
That would be kinda distracting
The more important question is if we really need to know the Names of every NPC
The only thing I can imagine we need names for is quest related. If we need to find someone we only know the name of for example. In this case someone will tell us the name in a dialogue most likely and we may ask at the local tavern keeper if he knows someone with that name
The other aspect is if it would be more fun/realistic when every character has a name… I dont mind if every npc has a name but then I think we should only see the names in dialogues.
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That’s a question really. We are more inclined to using nameless guards for a reason. Guards are the most endangered neutral NPCs by their nature. As such they need to be replacable, as such they are not good and reliable as quest NPCs. Naming all guards would require using names generator. That’s not a big deal technically but is a pointless complication design-wise. So, we are thinking about this.
Man that would be handy in real life.
well yes i did slaughter many guards for the lols on skyrim . however i think it would add almost a personality to each guard , maybe just name the guards inside the cities and then leave out any guards that wander the roads .this would allow you on release from prison to go hunt down the guard that arrested you and murder him and his entire family for putting you in jail 
not that i would ever commit such a murderous crime 
Guards seem to be a sticky situation as has already been pointed out on this post. Since they are prone to “accidents” it makes sense in away to keep them kind of generic. However names at least would help with the immersion i suppose. i’m interested to hear what others think of this.
Also depends on whether the game the NPC incorporates them into families. Then could be a member of a clan - who happens to serve as a soldier - definitely take a more beneficial function in the game, when the player knows him better, or the family of the soldier is well known with the players. Then the name and in particular a way of recognition would (known / unknown) is helpful. Could be done by a light flashing under the NPC, in contact with the cursor opens a note (reminder - Name / helpful / dangerous / stupid / son of xxx)
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@tomtom That would be pretty nice, havent thought about families and relations.
If you have a good relation to the guards family there could be lots of benefits.
So if its not too hard to implement I’d vote for a name generator.
And when I think about it, it would be great if you point into an npc’s direction and press some button informations will show up like name, relation etc.
If you have to press a button it wouldnt be distracting anymore
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that would be epic , but like Mad​Smejki said its a waste of time on guards as they just get killed then another guard needs to be generated and there isnt going to be a infinite number of families
I think that @janfo has a good idea - those popups with names of NPCs (and monsters and anything) which come out everytime you look at someone/something, like in Skyrim, are distracting, on the other hand sometimes you really need that info gameplay wise - so probably something like “examine” button to invoke this could be a solution (maybe bind it to your “common knowledge skill”, or if you have actually spoken to this NPC before or killed same kind of creature before… which all could determine the range of info you get, from NPC’s name to a generic “commoner”).
Nooo! You have to at least ask them! That was my point, I don’t want to be able to magically know anything about them! However, if you ask them their name, then your character should know it from then on, but you shouldn’t be able to look at someone and get a full family history and bio, were is the realism?
For the love of… You see no problem with just knowing their names telepathically?
[quote=“Wicker, post:13, topic:17324”]
were is the realism?
[/quote]You are mistaking realism and simulationism.
I know, these two terms easily overlap so it is a bit confusing to use realism as it might include many aspects while not including some other which still may fit in a very broad deifnition of the word.
So, when speaking about realism we are still more talking about absence of fantastical aspects, about evading non-propable yet popular plots, about using real events and places. Yes, we even include some level of simulation - character management (or survival if you wish), causal agent based simulation of life.
However we are still making a game. A system which is engaging and fun to interact with. We are not making a simulation. Demanding clicking on a each and every person to find their names is just a busy work. It’s an obstacle which would serve purpose in a game which is about finding specific people among unknown crowd while being somehow limited (like a spy searching game maybe?). But we are not doing such a game. So again, we might end up doing this or something similar but I don’t think it’s likely. There is no gain.
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Sorry if I thought the word “realism” directly corresponded to the word real. My mistake. I didn’t say “click on them” I said ask them, I want to have to ask people their name, just to clarify I guess. I don’t see what the gain is from knowing everyones names by magic. It’s all just personal taste in the end 
I have a thought. It might be a little unconventional. But what if we ask the NPCs their names and we remember them? I mean these people will look fairly unique. I don’t know how well that’ll be taken or not, but if you stick with the conventionally being able to read NPCs names just have it be a popup when speaking to them like to the lower left of the screen. Sort of out of the way but still easy enough to reference.
- Edit Also I’m a big fan of journals, bestiaries ect… If you fill their name with a picture of them in your journal I think that’d be a good reference as well.
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At a diary or a notebook in general I had already thought of this too, and the Quest (progress) will include documented there. I find a good idea. (with Picture - very comortable)
Think, we will probably only after playing the alpha get a picture of what makes sense for the game and what unnecessary ballast
I really like the Diary or notebook idea. Just knowing every ones name can be rather silly. A town or place youve never been and boom you know every ones name as if it was cheers.
The general npcs that just mill around dont really need too much in the way of interaction. The ones that do give you jobs, their info could go in the diary. or people that can help you with things. You helped some one and he will repay the favour by teaching you something if he cant pay.