Removing Player Blips from the Map; The Definitive Discussion

[Rewdalf]

Something I'm still trying to wrap my head around, since the release of GTA:O

Why exactly are we able to see every single player on our maps, at all times?

 

What exactly gives us this ability?

They can be above you.

Below you.

In a building.

In a specific vehicle.

Have passengers.

Be alone.

Minding their own business.

Chasing after you.

 

Why though?

I can't seem to understand the reasoning myself.

There probably is a reason.

It doesn't necessarily have to be a good one.

But I'm sure it exists.

 

Here's why I think it shouldn't...

 

First of all, how is it possible?

What exactly makes it so we know exactly who our competitors are?

I mean, it's useful. You know which one of the many people in the city have cognitive thought. (Well, mostly cognitive...)

This is probably helpful in being able to find others who you can interact with.

I mean, sure. You can "interact" with just about anyone in Los Santos, but those engagements are mostly restricted to three or four words, usually tossed at you in an angry tone, and the ability to decide their fate in one to three bullets.

Those happy few who are blessed with a big white blip though, they have so many more options. Totally not just bloodthirsty hoodlums who want you dead.

You can easily find a player in a lobby, and proceed with your next course of interaction; Whatever that may be.

 

Why is this necessary though? Why is finding people in the game so important? What exactly would you be missing out on if you couldn't easily pinpoint a player, find out exactly what vehicle he was driving, exactly what clothing he was wearing, get his exact player level, K/D, skills, birth date, height, blood type, and maiden name...

 

All I know is, one thing this encourages is malicious intent.

I know, crazy right?

Being able to know people's level and their limitations is a bad thing. It's great for higher level players, but why put new players on the chopping block like that? It's idiotic to be painted on the map as a newbie and hunted for sport, especially in a game where PvP isn't really all that profitable. In fact, "hunted for sport" wouldn't even be a good way to put it. There's no sport involved. No elusiveness. No strategy. Just run, gun, and repeat.

But my imaginary numbers! They grow! I can feel their power!

 

Imagine a lack of player blips. No dots on the map. No name above your head. Nothing.

You can drive down the highway towards Los Santos, blending into the traffic. You have no idea who around you may or may not be a player controlled character.

Maybe you pass someone on the street that's dressed a little more eccentrically than the rest. Are they a player? No way to find out.

In fact, you could be the guy on the street, free of consequences.

One thing you notice about GTA:O these days (and consequently, every single day since release) is that everyone is restricted to a vehicle. Rarely anyone ventures out on foot unless they're fixin' to gun you down. There's just too much risk. No way to escape. Exposed to the elements...

Imagine being able to walk the streets.

Go to a clothing store (without a chrome supercar pulling up and peppering the place with SMG rounds...)

Visit a park.

Climb Mt. Chilliad.

Enjoy yourself...

 

"But you can already do that in an invite-only session!"

Yes, but why can't these people be able to mix in with the psychos? It stops being a multiplayer game when you can't safely play it with other people.

Many complain endlessly about the state of GTA:O. A lot of them are justified. But does that mean you never want to run into another player ever again?

I would be thrilled to roam the city, while masses of crazed players are causing havok and gunning down civillians; But I don't want to be signaled out to them for no good reason.

 

But of course, the real reason invite only sessions just aren't a viable option.

 

You can't make money in private lobbies.

So you have to run your businesses under the public eye.

 

Apparently for a reward, you also need a fair amount of risk.

That's fair.

No, really. It is.

What isn't fair is not only are all players always broadcast on the map, but players who are running their businesses are advertised while doing so!

Now that's just asinine...

PvP has almost no rewards, but that's strictly speaking about player A gunning down player B strolling down the street. You would think that meddling in other's business would at least be rewarded half as much as it's forced.

 

But.

What if people had to work for it. If hunting business shipments down actually required attention and planning.

There are so many in-game jobs and missions that require you to scan five trucks/vans/unsuspicious wooden boxes to find "the goods."

How is it that as soon as a player picks up a box of guns, the entire city, and consequently the countryside, mountains, oceans, and every plane of existence as far as the eye can render is immediately told to hunt them down with extreme prejudice...

Why is it that people who want to earn money legitimately have to put in endless work, but those wanting to ruin other's experience are just handed the means to do so?

It should be the other way around.

Those fixing to hunt players need to be the ones who must navigate menus, scan the map, go on a search for the deliverer, trial and error, etc...

Even then, if there's little to no reward in the end, you'll still have done enough work to warrant at least some feeling of accomplishment...

 

What if you want people to notice you?

Maybe your personality is just flashy, like your car.

Well, I highly doubt anyone is going to overlook a chrome armored vehicle.

You could easily pick these people out of the crowd, even with a lack of blips and icons.

Anyone lacking pants, dressed as the joker, caked up with face tatoos, wearing masks, helmets... You know the rest.

They would be just as obvious as if they had their name written above their head. You want to be overly eccentric? Then you'll be the target.

Players would have to change their strategies.

The game would be an entirely different experience...

 

For instance...

 

Imagine spotting an armored Insurgent up the road, gunner swinging his weapon wildly around and shooting down anyone in range.

You're trying to play it cool, acting like an NPC in your average-looking car so that they don't spot you and make you their new target.

Maybe you attempt to avert yourself from its path, but you move a little bit too quickly and they notice you...

Now you're being chased, the large armored vehicle changing course and coming up behind you, gaining fast while you take a number of rapid turns and duck through parks and between buildings to lose them.

Imagine finally reaching an alleyway out of their view and sitting parked, silently listening for the sound of .50 cal fire in the distance, praying that it doesn't come closer.

You could even ditch your car. It's already been spotted anyway; But they don't know what you look like. Besides, you're much more squirrely on foot.

In fact, maybe you reacted differently to that chase. How dare they try and end you. It's time to fight back. You pull out your sniper rifle and head for the nearest rooftop.

Maybe they found another target, or sped off to cause havok elsewhere. But wait. They've spotted your abandoned car. The driver inches closer and observes it, parked in an alley and missing it's driver. The gunner looks around, hoping to spot you on foot nearby.

No such luck. You're on a rooftop staring them down through a scope. Who to shoot first?

You decide on the gunner. They were the one who would have done the dirty deed anyway...

You silently put a round through his head. He goes down instantly, much to the driver's surprise. He panics, and plows through your abandoned car, speeding off before you can finish him off.

Now you're on the chase, and your pursuer is running as fast as they can...

 

Events like this and many more wouldn't be possible if everyone knew where you were at all times. It just takes the piss out of the game. You can't blend in anywhere, you can't stroll down the street or drive through the city. What have you done that warrants your tracking?

 

Maybe there's a player who wants nothing more than to murder everyone in their sight. Well, then. Why not broadcast them? Maybe they want a fight. But Joe Schmo down the road who's just finished finalizing his outfit and wants to drive his new car around for a bit wont exactly play along...

 

But I digress. Lets get to the point, wherever it may be.

 

"Okay... So, please tell me, what do you want?"

 

I want an option to play in public lobbies where player names and blips are disabled.

Anyone who wants to blend in is able to, and anyone who insists on driving a chrome supercar with dollar rims can still be easily distinguished in the game world.

 

"So, what will this do for the game?"

 

Well, lets look at one example. You hate jet griefers, right? (If answered no, please remove yourself from this topic. Or not. Doesn't matter) Well, how do they know exactly where to shoot? Is there a GPS screen up in that jet? Are they using your heat signature to pinpoint your exact X, Y, and Z? No! It's pure bullsh*t.

If you didn't appear on the map, then people in jets would have a much harder time finding and ending casual players.

Maybe you'll get spotted speeding down the highway.

Maybe they'll get lucky and hit you near a store or landmark.

But no more can they just circle around your exact position and repeatedly strafe it.

The same goes for a lot of other griefing methods as well. People intending to grief would have to put a bit more work into doing so.

I'm not saying it will stop happening. I'm not even saying that I myself wouldn't do this either.

It just seems like it would add more depth to the game...

 

"What about businesses and missions?"

 

What about them? Do you want to shoot down business supplies? Well then, go grab your vehicle of choice and get to work.

Rather than having them appear at all times on the map, and even have their own custom blip, why not have potential attackers have to scan for them?

Why not take that ever further, and warn business owners when an attacker is scanning for them.

Maybe then, you'll know exactly when you're being tracked or looked for, and give you more of a chance to fight back.

Maybe even spawn a few dummy vehicles that look exactly like the delivery vehicle. Make it so they have to find the right one.

Why can't business owners get a fighting chance...?

 

"This is stupid, the game is fine the way it is."

 

Okay. But why is it fine the way it is? I'd be more than happy to hear you out.

In fact, I haven't even listed all of my ideas here. Figured this was getting long enough. Gotta leave some room for discussion.

There are endless (new) possibilities with this system, and I want to hear ideas.

It would be a fantastic way to breathe new life into a game formerly known for malicious stalkers and griefing maniacs. Forget the absolute zero possibility of this ever happening. We here at GTAForums are known to be unrealistic dreamers...

 

TL;DR

Removing player blips from the map would make the game more fun to play...

[Rabid Vulpix]

I'd like to see it as the legit second type of lobby.

 

Lobby Type #1: Assisted Aim & Blips Always

Lobby Type #2: Free Aim & Blips Always N/A

 

I doubt we'll see anything like that in this installment.

Let alone any changes to player blips, given the features R* added to hide them via contact requests.

[.Diana McFarland.]

Na im good.

 

 

you cant even say you're skillfull for playing them

 

 

cuz the entirety of the lobbies would be a 'get shot in the back' fest

[hugh750]

to me removing player blips isn't a good idea, i like seeing where everyone is and no one is sneaking up on me.

[Excrescent]

Yeah. And how about a proximity chat feature that allows you to communicate with players that are close to you? It would surely change the game but then people in freemode would go around with Quad Lenses to spot unusual, non-pedestrian movement.

 

Maybe if you sustain damage, the player that is inflicting said damage will appear briefly on the map. Maybe for one, two or even three seconds.

 

idk.

[_47_]

I support removing player blips from the minimap as well as the mini-expanded map. You want to find randoms to kill, do it the old fashioned way by going to the menu.

 

This player blip nonsense is nothing but a cheap copout of encouraging hostile behavior amongst random players.

 

The only player blips that should be allowed are crew members and friends only.

Edited November 9, 2017 by _47_

[HamwithCheese]

Little things to make the game better. I feel like blips should be revealed when firing a loud weapon. Then, the game should give you the general area a player is in if they're firing a suppressed weapon or piloting armed vehicles.

 

And of course, our good friend Lester could reveal players if you're a try hard.

Edited November 9, 2017 by HamwithCheese

[Spectre "2K"]

i'd feel better if ghost org/off the radar were inverted with the same time duration/price but revealed everyone instead of hid a few

[No Use For A Name]

Player bips should only pop up within a certain range, say a quarter mile or so. That would at least give players who are getting harassed the opportunity to high-tail it out of there and lose the attacker.

 

It would solve/cut down on many complaints about online.

[gtafan26]

to me removing player blips isn't a good idea, i like seeing where everyone is and no one is sneaking up on me.

Dont ya think without the blips always on, that is gonna be kind of hard, you know, because, oh I dont know, just throwing this out there, they will have no idea where you are on the map

[JustCallMeNiko]

Voted no since it wouldn't be my preference but if it were a secondary lobby option like freeaim it would be fine.

[ash-274]

It was one thing in IVs Multiplayer because you could set boundaries and the only goal was to kill each other, anyway.

 

Now Im running multiple businesses while fighting the cops and random gang members (and occasional players) in that same environment. All of the positive things that no-dots *could be* it would be overwhelmed by the same PvP warriors camping at various spots where player traffic is high and ambushing them with homing missiles and Explosive rounds.

 

Plus, it would split the player base into even smaller groups.

Edited November 9, 2017 by ash-274

[Happy Hunter]

I don't know about definitive changes to the radar, but I'd like to see more vehicles with radar features. The way they suddenly threw in the ultralight with these abilities - this late in the game - kind of felt like a bit of a tease to be honest.

 

it's like, they showed they could do all sorts with vehicles. Could possibly have ground vehicles that jam the radar in the surrounding area, or just take you off the map. Stealth helicopters (think Commanche). That kind of thing.

[Da Elite Ninjah]

My answer is not up there....

I would make it so you only see blips of people not close to you. As soon as you get close to each other the blips disappear.

[Snoopbr]

I don't know. I would take some time to get used to it cuz there is a certain paranoia regarding off-radar players.

I would suggest a sense (hearing) system:

 

- Maximum range to appear in the radar
- If you shoot from an audible distance, your blip wil appear in for some time untill it fades out slowly

- If you get one star you'll appear in the map

- Sounds from car accidents, planes, etc can be spotted in the map from a certain range, but you won't be able to know who is there unless you see the person

- The more you kill players, the more you'll take to become off radar

- Certain missions are 100% on radar

- Don't forget to use suppressors and surprise your target

- You can take your dog to help you to find players in the map (expen$ive DLC)

[DangerZ0neX]

How about they make it dynamic?

 

• Blips work like a hybrid between GTA IV's ranged blips where your blips appear to people in your vicinity and RDR's Hardcore mode where your blip momentarily appears if you fire a gun or detonate an explosive. The louder the gun/explosive, the bigger your noise radius will be like the mini-map implies during stealth missions.
• Blips are always on for people in weaponized ground vehicles, examples being the Vigilante and W. Tampa.
• Entering weaponized aircrafts, like the Hydra or Nokota, will make your blip appear on the map.
• Your blips don't appear on the map if you're on foot, travel around in a normal vehicle, or flying a non-weaponized aircraft.
• Using a suppressor will make your blip less pronounced. You won't appear on the map for anyone, even if they're in the same neighborhood as you. However, if people are on the opposite side of the wall from you, they'll obviously hear the suppressed gun.
• Your friends and crew-members will ALWAYS appear to you and vice-versa.

Removing it all together obviously won't work.

[Da Elite Ninjah]

They should remove it for friends also.

So you have to talk on the chat where to meet up and such. Ask where they are.

 

People can listen to that and plan an attack.

[SHOKKERZ91]

No blips? Well, the only thing you will see is guys with oppressors flying around waiting for the lock-sound sound. lol

Edited November 9, 2017 by SHOKKERZ91

[Hécate-II]

Just include a radar screen in the HUD for air to air combat, air to ground, ground to ground. I mean all armed vehicles should still be able to spot each other with a radar blip.

 

SR introduced the thermal sight helmet, it should improved, making it more easier to switch vision for pilots.

 

Infantry fights would become much more tacticool and instinctive.

 

I mean, different from actual Tryhard Battle Simulator.

[EggsAndJam]

Crew/Friends should be a toggle-able on/off option.

 

Players that shoot you appear on your map for X amount of time so you can engage if desired.

 

And if players want to find other player there should be a $20,000 option to reveal their vicinity - not their location but their general sort of whereabouts...

Edited November 9, 2017 by sleepwalk1980

[RyuNova]

Remove them all from everywhere.

Showing where players are should be a power from Lester. If someone is driving a tricked out Car then that's a player, its pretty simple. This would make owning the fastest and most armoured cars a double edged sword.

[Guest]

Remove them however...

 

Add blips for psycho players in close proximity

Add blips for high wanted level in close proximity

[RyuNova]

Remove them all from everywhere.

Showing where players are should be a power from Lester. If someone is driving a tricked out Car then that's a player, its pretty simple. This would make owning the fastest and most armoured cars a double edged sword.

[Sanches]

I'd like to see what's this will lead too.
On the one hand, this will show a whole new breath of doing sell missions and destroying them.
On the other hand, we have such stuff as thermal vision, which works as WallHack (and im not talking about cheaters yet). So that makes half of me want blips to be removed and the other half don't.

Im going way too far, but Rockstar could create some kind of "hardmode" server pool, where there's no blips, bad sport points, sell missions are available only with a certain amount of players in the lobby and they're double payouts or something. You know, the real risk bonus or something.

Edited November 9, 2017 by Sanches

[Lonely-Martin]

Voted yes/remove both... Thou, as below, when a player flashes up and you can see them, their name pops up too.

 

I've been in support of this idea since I first read it dude, for me, it is one of those changes that could be done to show the players that gaming/competition actually means something here. And it'll reduce the chance encounters so much more. I don't mind it when with I/E, or hangers when I do begin there that players come attacking and actually plan to steal my vehicle/product...

 

For me, though your way would totally work for me, I'd set the sessions up just like a DM... Players are discreet, they stay off radar, the start making trouble or similar, they flash up for a few sconds, not permantely mind you...

 

Like Happy Hunter said above with the Ultralight, the ability is there to tweak this stuff, IMO, and the way DM's are done is too... To me it seems like an easy change to impliment, there for little from R*'s end to do so...

 

But alas, as we're 'freeloading' and 'undermonitized' at this current state - I know, I know. Even with $1bn in 24hrs and the millions since - This type of competitive nature, will remain just a dream of what could have been, unless the shark card buyers ask for such a change too...

 

We are minions, we are proud!

 

* agree with others that crew members/friends show up to the player too. And that these things can be reversed with a call to Lester, costing a pretty penny, and with a cooldown to stop spamming of such a big 'pick me up' from Lester...

Edited November 9, 2017 by KWF1981

[III-Ari-III]

Because gta is not a hardcore/survival game, and it will never be, no point arguing about it, it is this way and it's fine, the thing rockstar should take care of is hackers.

[Pedinhuh]

Just apply the system that currently works on deathmatches, that would be good enough IMO.

 

Regarding the blips while doing any vip, ceo or mc business, I'm on the fence, on one hand that would be great to move our sh*t in peace, on the other, it would go against R* idea of those jobs being "high risk and high reward"(which is a ducking non-sense in game that all it takes to make you lose everything is one or two jet passes, and the reward is not all that high ).

[Karrecod]

In this state, the game is 50% Cloud Simulator and the rest is "gameplay". Remove everything from the map and it becomes 20% CS and the other 80% "where are you?", "no the other building!", "for the last time, BEHIND YOUUUUU!" and "are you blind?! I'm right here!".

[flexcreator]

PUBG don't have any radar or stupid blips. And man, it's sooo much better. You can still recognize the enemy position by other factors (like sound and flash)

 

- Show the blips for mentally unstable (red) players and players that have police on them.

- Add an option to reveal your blip to everyone, to crew or to friends.

[Hécate-II]

, it would go against R* idea of those jobs being "high risk and high reward"(which is a ducking non-sense in game that all it takes to make you lose everything is one or two jet passes, and the reward is not all that high ).

Exactly, so don't ask to run missions beside VIP jobs and MC contracts which are already available in IO. Such lobby should exist for only PvP purpose, not mixing PvP and money making. Imo its the best way to achieve it, R* would not agree if you ask them to touch their highriskhighreward sacred cow. Edited November 9, 2017 by Hécate-II