Shayde Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 I just want to state flat out why none of the carrots they have offered to get me to move servers will work. I don't want to make this a complaining thread, because I have been a supporter of TOR from beta, and while it pains me to say it, will probably stop playing. It all boils down to the one factor in why I would continue to play an MMO over any other game. My attachment to my characters. Sure, TOR doesn't have a ton of customization options, custom housing, etc... but what it does have let me create my identity. My name was first and foremost, I rushed to get to the server assigned to me so I could forge that identity. I worked hard to unlock my legacy name. It is WHAT I AM in this game. Otherwise I am just some random toon. Now with the 15>1 server ratio of mergers, I looked at my destination and all my names are taken except one. Legacy is likely gone too. So to paraphrase the bard, is a toon, by any other name, just as sweet? Not to me. So what are my choices? Lose everything I built and move? Or die at the eventual forced server merges? Sure, TOR didn't handle names well, I get that. Not everyone understands the GENIUS that Cryptic came up with for Champions and STO. If our Legacy name was our identity, merges would be easier to handle. Sure, there might be 1000 Shaydes, but only one with my surname is me. This is nothing but woulda-shoulda-coulda. Should TOR at least give us a destination choice? Absolutely. Let me find a server that I can get a few characters transferred to intact. That will improve things. Or how about giving us a couple more destination servers? There are queues now, why not open a couple more and give us better options? I just had to get this out. I'm sure there are a lot of you out there that share my viewpoint. I know most of my guild leadership isn't moving for this VERY REASON. No free pet, or speeder, or other nonsense is going to do. If we leave we lose our identity. That is all we truly have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterKayote Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 So you know ... there is no point in resisting. Staying on an origin server will only delay the inevitable until you get merged. That said, you MAY, get merged to a different server than your current destination, or they MAY open up transfers to any server of your choice .... so you MAY get lucky. Still, your characters are going to leave their current server one way or another, sooner or later. If your name is too popular, chances are youre screwed either way. May as well transfer and get you perks now. I get the felling something is going to happen by the 30th when these perks expire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sagimore Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Took ball, went home Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urael Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 (edited) .... I thought OG was also playing on The Shadowlands Republic. Oh and Intrepid and Pre-CU SWG forever! Edited July 5, 2012 by Urael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shayde Posted July 5, 2012 Author Share Posted July 5, 2012 (edited) They should at least give us more options to move to. Hell, if I could pick the server I would pay to transfer, especially if I could keep my identity. My identity is all I have in this game. If that is gone, I have nothing. Edited July 6, 2012 by Parali bad quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiLune Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Well, hopefully they do open up multiple server destinations so people can get lucky enough to snag "Edward" of the Legacy "Cullen" before other people can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThiborF Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 That's a lot of typing to say that you won't move because of a name change but, regardless of that ... I can almost admire your passion about the game and yet part of me thinks you're being foolish. I had to change 5 of 8 names along with my legacy name. All five I managed to keep relatively the same by opting for one with a ' placed in the name at a syllable junction. ie. Bytor became By'tor. As for my legacy name, that previously had an apostrophe in it because the version without it was not available on my original server. But in the end, the combination of the two names, with or without an apostrophe here or there, is still me and it's doubtful someone with a similar legacy name has character names similar to mine. I might possibly understand better if this game promoted FAR more roleplaying than it does. But, at the end of the day, my guildmates know who I am and the rest on the server I'm unconcerned with. Your mileage obviously varies. But to me, who I am on the outside of a game defines who I am in-game. Whether I was Sam in AC2, Joe in SWG, Adam in WoW or Rob in TOR (all example names), my characters are simply going to be reflections of me and no matter what the devs do, they can't take that away. But, if it's going to be the final straw for you, best of luck in your next gaming venture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedip_enguin Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 When you start taking moral stands over the names of make believe characters in video games its time to say goodnight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaidown Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Part of your issue is very possibly the use of very common names. i dont think it's far reaching to say that the name 'Shayde' is not terribly original, and I can see if being used up on most servers within the first 30 minutes of launch that said... I do feel bad your name is taken, but I have to agree with others in expressing disbelief that you would quit over something as minor as a namechange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorpienne Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 I'm right there with you. I only got to keep *one* name when I transferred my herd from Sanctum to Ebon Hawk. But you know what... I'm a roleplayer. I've played absolutely fantastic pen and paper games with the crappiest rules sets available. I've loved games that have the most wretched graphics ever. What goes on in my brain >>> what goes on on my tabletop, in my LARP, or in my computer. Change my name? Fine. I really liked that one. I've been using it for 4+ years in other games, LARPs, and table top games. Improvise, adapt, overcome. I'm creative enough to look at this as a golden opportunity to get out of the rut and to do something new and different. I'm trying a new take on things that I've never done before. Great roleplayers are fantatically creative. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. Today is a good day to die... and to be reborn as something new and different... and maybe *better*! Step into that alternate dimension where things turned out a bit differently than they did last time. Worked for a lot of the movies/books/comic book heroes we loved. I mean, if the whole cosmology of Marvel and DC can change and re-invent itself every few years, so can we. And they're doing a lot more than just name changes, sometimes they change the fundamental *being* of a character (see for example, the new Spiderman reboot). Don't let foolish consistency, your comfortable rut, hobble you and keep you from doing something you enjoy. Be big-minded. Use that RP imagination-mind-spirit-soul thing you got deep inside that makes you so passionate. Paige Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiLune Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 (edited) If people enjoy the game then the name change is a minor impediment to continuing to play. As someone who went from a dead server to a "live" server, I can testify to the fact that the game is a whole lot better when there are people to interact with. If you have to have the name, try changing a few letters here and there. You might be surprised. Edited July 6, 2012 by Parali bad quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunafox Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 (edited) So you know ... there is no point in resisting. Staying on an origin server will only delay the inevitable until you get merged. That said, you MAY, get merged to a different server than your current destination, or they MAY open up transfers to any server of your choice .... so you MAY get lucky. Still, your characters are going to leave their current server one way or another, sooner or later. If your name is too popular, chances are youre screwed either way. May as well transfer and get you perks now. I get the felling something is going to happen by the 30th when these perks expire. Perks? What are these perks you speak of? I haven't heard, what are we supposed to get? And those who were compliant and transferred, do they get them too? Edited, Nvm, I found out about the goodies m'self thanks. Edited July 5, 2012 by Lunafox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shayde Posted July 5, 2012 Author Share Posted July 5, 2012 That's a lot of typing to say that you won't move because of a name change but, regardless of that ... I can almost admire your passion about the game and yet part of me thinks you're being foolish. I had to change 5 of 8 names along with my legacy name. All five I managed to keep relatively the same by opting for one with a ' placed in the name at a syllable junction. ie. Bytor became By'tor. As for my legacy name, that previously had an apostrophe in it because the version without it was not available on my original server. But in the end, the combination of the two names, with or without an apostrophe here or there, is still me and it's doubtful someone with a similar legacy name has character names similar to mine. I might possibly understand better if this game promoted FAR more roleplaying than it does. But, at the end of the day, my guildmates know who I am and the rest on the server I'm unconcerned with. Your mileage obviously varies. But to me, who I am on the outside of a game defines who I am in-game. Whether I was Sam in AC2, Joe in SWG, Adam in WoW or Rob in TOR (all example names), my characters are simply going to be reflections of me and no matter what the devs do, they can't take that away. But, if it's going to be the final straw for you, best of luck in your next gaming venture. I can see your viewpoint, but you get out of a game what you put into it. I'm defined ingame by my identity ingame, it has been consistent over 10 different MMOs, and it was a very important part of my part of my community. It's the only thing of value I have in this game. Every other bauble and trinket can be bought/sold/looted. A big part of it is my investment in the story. I watched Shayde's story unfold and take shape depending on what choices I made. It was my epic journey, creating an unrivaled criminal empire. Granted, there's a couple thousand others out there, but not quite like me. I guess that's the fault of the developers, in making a story so damn engaging. Funny thing, both my kids transferred without a problem. They didn't care because it was insignificant to them. This just illustrates why so many developers don't understand player retention. It is the attachment I feel that keeps players playing the game. Hell, there's thousands of ex-SWG players who would jump at the chance to play that game again because of what they invested into their characters in that game. There's people who wouldn't quit that thing even after sony screwed the game up beyond recognition because of their personal investment in the lives of their toons. That's devotion, that's loyalty. But I digress. Either way, I guess my toons will die when they shut Space Slug down. Honestly, I can't see how they expect people to come back and play TOR if they come back to having to transfer their toons and meet new people or reguild. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-Zekiel Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 (edited) Personally I hate the fact that when I eventually transfer my 50 assassin, I can't just have his name. But I don't want him to have another name, so I'll probably give him one of those "weird" characters in his name, much as I'd rather not, because it makes some things annoying. Edited July 6, 2012 by Parali bad quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiLune Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 (edited) Perks? What are these perks you speak of? I haven't heard, what are we supposed to get? And those who were compliant and transferred, do they get them too? You know all those stories about people going along wtih the authority and being shipped off somewhere where horrible things happen to them? Well its the opposite here where we've been shipped to a vibrant community where wine freely flows from the fountains and children laugh in the park while nothing but misery exists where we left. And they are giving everyone on an origin server or destination server a free pet and 25 BH Comms. It appears that if you didn't transfer off of the Origin server you will also get the reward, so I am not sure what it is rewarding beyond just being subscribed to the game on July 30th. Edited July 5, 2012 by DiLune Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunafox Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 You know all those stories about people going along wtih the authority and being shipped off somewhere where horrible things happen to them? Well its the opposite here where we've been shipped to a vibrant community where wine freely flows from the fountains and children laugh in the park while nothing but misery exists where we left. And they are giving everyone on an origin server or destination server a free pet and 25 BH Comms. It appears that if you didn't transfer off of the Origin server you will also get the reward, so I am not sure what it is rewarding beyond just being subscribed to the game on July 30th. Thanks for the quick answer, I went through and found the post about the gifts. It's pretty nice to get a free present out of all of this. I was unhappy at losing a name myself, and can certainly identify with the OP's point of view. I have that kind of devotion too, and certainly, I'd feel pretty upset if I lost all my names. It's too bad, that they didnt have a system of making the legacy your deciding name, and let people keep their first names. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shayde Posted July 5, 2012 Author Share Posted July 5, 2012 (edited) Thanks for the quick answer, I went through and found the post about the gifts. It's pretty nice to get a free present out of all of this. I was unhappy at losing a name myself, and can certainly identify with the OP's point of view. I have that kind of devotion too, and certainly, I'd feel pretty upset if I lost all my names. It's too bad, that they didnt have a system of making the legacy your deciding name, and let people keep their first names. All mmos should do this. STO and Champions tied their names to your handle's name, so there could be multiple character names, and you could tell/friend/interact with others by their handle. Really the best way to go in any game. But that ship sailed over a year ago. Edited July 5, 2012 by Shayde Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-Zekiel Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 All mmos should do this. STO and Champions tied their names to your handle's name, so there could be multiple character names, and you could tell/friend/interact with others by their handle. Really the best way to go in any game. But that bridge has been burned over a year ago. I like this idea pretty well. Monster Hunter had a good way of going about it , too, that I very much approve of. Basically, you had your ID number that was a combination of six letters/numbers. And aside from that, you picked your name. Multiple people could have the same name, but you distinguished them/added friends etc using their ID number. I realize this has repercussions, but I really think the pluses outweigh the minuses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swtonewbie Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 As stated its a video game... This goes for any game that you play, but you dont want to get attached to your character or items. When you get attached for whatever reason, then that starts to have some effect on your fun. Same goes for guilds and people you meet online, say for example you are an exceptional player but you are recruited to a guild of kind hearted people...that all suck at their classes. Do you stick around and be the nice guy even though your raids go very poorly? or do you find another guild? Me personally, i dont identify with my in game avatars, i know that my gear is meant to be damaged (or in some games destroyed). I accepted a long time ago in WoW after my first name/sex change that a name is just a name. My character name has the same kind of value as my pretend gear which is made up of purple pixels. I've done several server transfers now and if a name is taken want to know what i did? i double up one of the letters, and i moved on. I didnt emo rage quit post in guild chat or some forum saying that my character is worthless now and therefore has to be deleted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynospectrum Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Your name is generic anyways. You could probably think up a better one in the time it took you to make this post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shayde Posted July 5, 2012 Author Share Posted July 5, 2012 As stated its a video game.... Yes, but an MMO is a different beast. The game prospers by us being invested in the characters. That is what gives a game longevity. It is really the only thing. This haphazardness of the transfers damages that investment. As far as uniqueness.. this is the first problem I have ever had not getting my name. Over 10 MMOs. Didn't have that problem here until I'm being forced to abandon my server for one that has it taken. If I had a choice in the matter I wouldn't be here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxetius Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 When you become "known" in this virtual areopagus by a handle you kinda want to keep it. In that case should have reserved his moniker on every server if it was such a big deal. Didn't? Not Bioware's fault. obvious flamebait is obvious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shayde Posted July 5, 2012 Author Share Posted July 5, 2012 In that case should have reserved his moniker on every server if it was such a big deal. Didn't? Not Bioware's fault. obvious flamebait is obvious Because we ALL knew that 100 servers would be condensed to 12. Hardly flamebait, except that anything posted that isn't sycophantic towards the game gets flamed. If stating my opinion is flamebait than flame away. Others already have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liquidacid Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 (edited) when you start caring about a "virtual handle" you think you have become known by in a video game it's time to re-evaluate your life choices Edited July 5, 2012 by Liquidacid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shayde Posted July 5, 2012 Author Share Posted July 5, 2012 when you start caring about a "virtual handle" you think you have become known by in a video game it's time to re-evaluate your life choices I'll get right on that Tony Robbins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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