Command proposal: @displayname, Localized display-name changes
I'm sure most people on SL have expressed annoyance at the Lab's one-week enforced cooldown upon Display Name changes, and the fact it hinders shorter-term naming changes, for one. I'd like to propose a new RLV command that essentially would act as a "locally defined display name" for a user; That is, while the command was in effect, the user would appear to have the text set in the command as their display name, rather than their current (or lack of) display name. This 'faux' display name would be entirely local to the user whom the RLV command is set upon, would (obviously) last as long as their logged-in session or until the command is removed, and should appear in place of their Actual Display Name in all locations. The command should be viable for both self-usage, and applying a faux name to other people (still, local to the avatar+viewer the command was executed upon)
=== Suggested command structure ===
//@displayname:<UUID>;<name>=add//
Where: <UUID> is the UUID of the avatar we're displaying a faux display name for. <name> is the new name we want to temporarily use for them.
=== Examples=== Self-naming: I (Batche Manen) wear an attachment; The attachment's on_rez() issues //@displayname:5e2798e8-66c7-4b32-8cef-853fb6f2d845;Random Stranger=add// where the UUID given is my own UUID. From then on instead of seeing my display name above my head, or next to my lines in chat, it would show "Random Stranger: Blah blah blah" and so forth to me. To others, it would still show "Batche: Blah blah blah" or equivalent.
=== === Other-naming: Marine Kelley wears an attachment that issues //@displayname:5e2798e8-66c7-4b32-8cef-853fb6f2d845;Random Stranger=add//, where again, the UUID is mine (Batche Manen's). From then on until the command is revoked, on Marine Kelley's viewer any chat uttered by Batche Manen would appear as being said by "Random Stranger". To myself and others, my chat would appear as normal.
=== Assumptions === It's assumed that: The user has display names set to be visible in the first place. The issuing of this command doesn't alter or reset the regular Second Life display name functionality at all, merely discards showing it in favor of issued commands. The actual underlying username (first.last or username format) would not be altered or hidden in any way; Only the display name is altered. In the case where a user may not have a display name set - their 'display name' instead falling back to their Legacy Name/Username, that visual representation will be considered a 'display name' for the purposes of the issued commands (with caveat that user.name representations remain unaffected) *An object issuing //@shownames=n// would still cause these faux display names to be hidden, just as if they were the regular Proper display names.
=== Issues === There is a possibility of light griefing via relay-grabs to make someone appear as if they were another person (or a Linden); This is lessened by the fact it falls under the same possibility regular Display Names do, and that LL warn about - that if in doubt, you should check the username. Certain characters would be ineligible to be part of a faux display name due to the tokens used in RLV's command structure - perhaps the String name could be escaped, to solve it? (ala solving a 'DROP TABLE' injection, so to speak)
=== Uses === Can see a few uses for this, both D/s themed and regular themed. For example, a domme could have their (regular) display name set to "Lady Batche", for the general public to refer to them by, however a sub of theirs may see the name above their head as simply "Mistress". Drones in a 'hive' may be designated with Unit designations; Enabling handlers and others to direct a single one at a time. However to each other they are simply "Unit", further reinforcing their lack of individuality. Players in an SL-based RPG, or SL combat could have their names prepended by a 'rank', or Squad members could identify each other via prepended squad names (compared to other combatants appearing 'squadless') Someone may want to use a renamer still to translate all their chat to another name, as they're unable (or unwilling) to change their display name for whatever reason. They could use the renamer, then set their own 'faux' display name to the renamer-set name - thus letting their chat still appear as white to themselves, even if it doesn't to others. (if the relevant option is set in the RLV, of course)
=== Extensions === While thinking through use cases for this command, An ancillary command idea came to me; The extension of //@shownames=n// to allow for exceptions. i.e., //@shownames:5e2798e8-66c7-4b32-8cef-853fb6f2d845=add// would add an exception to the avatar name hiding for that specific avatar alone, showing their name still - this could be used in conjunction with @displayname in the first suggested use case; The sub may be prevented from seeing all names except for one, "Mistress", 'the sole one they need to' so to speak. Additionally there would be a possible combat use also - Hiding names to emulate not knowing who is who, friend or foe - a @shownames exception could be set on someone for a few moments upon a successful mouselook 'target', emulating "spotting" them and highlighting their location in a lot of modern shooters.