Enemy Nameplates
Nothing is worse than trying to sneak up on enemies from the water or in the dead of night, only to have them see a bright white nameplate floating above your head - in some circumstances you can even see nameplates through ships!
To solve this frustration I believe enemy nameplates should be affected by light - given that lanterns, boat lamps, and island-based torches / fires are already a core part of the game, it's a mechanic that will be familiar to Players.
Essentially when an enemy is hidden in shadow, their nameplate does not appear. If they enter an area of light (whether it be a Player's lantern, a ship lamp, a torch, daylight, etc) their nameplate will appear. When they return to the shadows, after a small delay, their nameplate will disappear again.
Gains
- Players can actually use stealth now and it becomes a viable and interesting strategy
- Hiding will become an activity Players can participate in
- 100% gives a reason to keep your ship lamps on - don't want Players sneaking aboard your ship? Keep those lamps on, but risk other ships seeing you at night!
- It gives the Player lantern another mechanical use and will encourage Players to regularly check their ship on voyages for stowaways
- It lets Player's sneak around in the water without being spotted from afar
