Character Names, not a trivial problem.

[MariaD]

Attachment to our characters is the only reason players continue to play, or return to, a game. People have different reasons for this attachment - for some it's amount of time they've put into it (probably factors in for all of us actually), for others it's the customisation they've achieved with their characters, and so on, A character's names falls under the banner of customisation attachment.

 

Removing this attachment can remove desire to play game - if suddenly your character had been de-leveled about 40 levels and you were L10 again, with all your gear gone, I almost guarantee you would quit game. For some people removal of a name is like a complete death of the character, like being de-leveled to level 0.

 

I appreciate and value the power of the Dark Side! And attachments, of course are Dark. And I like your thought experiment about levels a lot. Actually, this is exactly what many players go through when they re-roll on a different server or different faction. I know people who've done it a few times.

 

I find it hard to imagine a scenario where devs would de-level existing characters, though. They occasionally take away or change stuff that exists in-game. For example, my hunter in WoW lost her ability to wield the vast collection of swords and axes I lovingly accumulated.

 

To answer your question, my reaction would depend on the reasons behind the decision. In the case of WoW and hunter melee weapons, it was a part of a huge game mechanic change, and I personally saw no other way to implement it. In the case SWTOR and names, server mergers were necessary to maintain healthy populations, and name changes came with that territory.

 

If there was a good in-game reason for deleveling characters (no examples come to mind - do you have any?) - yeah, devs could do it. My decision to stay or go would depend more on those reasons than on my deep attachment to the fact my personal main is, indeed, 50.

[lollie]

...If there was a good in-game reason for deleveling characters...

 

The probability of devs de-leveling isn't relevant in this example. The point is understanding how a person might feel.

 

Some call this empathy.

Edited November 22, 2012 by lollie

[MariaD]

The probability of devs de-leveling isn't relevant in this example. The point is understanding how a person might feel.

 

Agreed.

 

I am saying it makes the best sense to me to have feelings that are based upon the big picture - such as reasons behind changes. I feel this stance brings me the sense of balance and fun, over the long run. That's why I wanted to share it - in case it helps OP and others.

 

You can re-frame and re-direct feelings. Here is what I do about names, in particular. I consider the game world just one representation of the universe where my characters live (say, Star Wars Extended Universe). My decision-making powers in the SWTOR part of that EU are really limited. But I have other places where they aren't, like my stories. So the avatar of my favorite Sith Lord in-game can lose his attributes, or not gain some I want. I can name him, level or de-level him and make him bang Lieutenant Pierce all I want, on my end of the universe, so to speak.

 

What happens in-game does not have to be all that happens to a character. We can roleplay a lot of things - a different name, too.

[Vego_Mohenjo]

While I agree with the assessment, that indeed the reasons for changes matter, there's also the consideration of alternatives. If they could have adjusted the balance of the other game without deleveling everyone, that would have been a preferable solution.

 

What I'm saying is there is a preferable solution here to simply stealing away people's in-game identity. Their reasons for the server merge were valid and prudent. There was and is another way to handle the naming issue, however.

 

The real point I'm trying to make is that it's something they need to do to avoid losing customers. It IS a trivial issue, however important it is to many of us. Even so, it can still - and I believe it WILL - have a terrible effect, particularly in the long run. I say, nip the problem in the bud. Deal with it before it does enough damage to cripple or kill the game.

[Aebrynis]

I've been playing since launch, and when the server consolidations happened, I lost the names of the characters I cared most about. The names I managed to retain were on toons that I wasn't too worried about...of course. That's how the universe works.

 

I didn't come to the boards to complain, because I knew that few, if any, people here would give a flying fink in a rolling doughnut. That's how the universe works. (Note: To the OP, that was not meant to insult or criticize your concerns - I genuinely believed at the time, as I do now, that this was/is the case.)

 

I didn't /ragequit. I enjoy the game.

 

So I did the only thing I could do. I decided if EA wasn't overly concerned with names, then I would not be, either.

 

When the free Legacy re-name was given, I chose an amusing word. Then I gave the characters that needed re-names new first names to fit.

 

Although this is neither the Legacy name I chose, nor the names that went with it, this will give you an idea of the manner of thinking I used.

 

Legacy Name: Muffin.

 

Characters: Buttery, Oatbran, Poppyseed, Chocolatechip, Maplecake, Orangepeel, Applespice, Banananut.

 

Oh, yeah, this is also on a roleplay server. As I said, if EA isn't going to take any interest in names, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it, either.

[patchew]

gonne be honest here.

 

if you are THIS upset about a name of a character in a computer game .. you have an awful lot more to worry about than that.

its a computer game.

build a bridge and get over it.

its a computer game.

once more for clarity.

its a computer game.

 

may i take a moment to refresh your memory on something?

great, thanks.

tis a computer game.

just to clarify.

its a computer game.

to make sure we all fully comprehend and understand ..

its a computer game.

yup, is true.

its a computer game.

 

if you truly care this much, i think it may be time for you to step back from your computer screen and think about things a bit.

 

dont forget ....

ah, you know what im gonna say

[MariaD]

While I agree with the assessment, that indeed the reasons for changes matter, there's also the consideration of alternatives.

 

This is a very good point, Vego_Mohenjo. There are always choices of HOW to go about something.

 

Several different solutions to the name problem have been proposed on these forums. Every time one was proposed, however, people came out to say they would dislike it, to various degrees. I am yet to see any proposed solution that would be universally popular!

 

I assume developers looked at several different alternatives before deciding on the current one.

 

What I'm saying is there is a preferable solution here to simply stealing away people's in-game identity. Their reasons for the server merge were valid and prudent. There was and is another way to handle the naming issue, however.

 

I am curious about the solution you propose. What is it?

 

Also, do you see some ways people like you could cope? I have two main ways. First, I make up RP reasons for name changes (immigration, marriage, the Empire taking over your land, suddenly realizing who your father really was). And second, I consider in-game avatars "actors" for "real" characters that I personally create in my mind (or my stories, or my Photoshop) with whatever attributes I want.

[MariaD]

I just remembered another way people cope with the lack of control over naming in virtual worlds. People get attached not to the whole name, but to some attribute of it.

 

For example, there is a character in our guild who starts all alt names with "Cal" - that's the part important for him. The rest of the name is variable. It's also rather convenient for guildies, I may add.

 

Some people go with a theme, like that Muffin Legacy described here - we have a Vodka-themed Legacy on our server.

 

Then I saw someone go with the same word (goodbye) in different languages, like Russian "Dosvydanya." He's a PvPer - good choice of naming! With thousands of languages (like Twi'lek), and their different transcriptions into English, he has a lot of choices.

Edited November 23, 2012 by MariaD
typo

[Surakis]

The naming thing may have been two months ago, but I wasn't told about it. That's part of the problem. If they had INFORMED people about the upcoming merge, and told us an active subscription would allow name retention, many of us would have signed up to avoid losing our names. THAT would have been fair. THAT would have been courteous.

 

Exactly why do you think, as a non-paying (non-subscribed) customer you should have had special privileges afforded you? You quit the game and someone who didn't got the name they wanted... what's the issue?

[Surakis]

Again, we have no idea of the numbers, but however many it may be, it's more than the game can afford to lose.

 

Utterly self-serving.... if the number of people is insignificant it is a waste of resources to "fix" what doesn't matter.

 

The fix was in your hands since the beginning, in any case... pick a unique character name!

[Surakis]

I've already spoken to several people who went to try the game, spent half an hour to an hour trying to get a name, and gave up trying. Those were people who would have been customers, but for the existing naming system. Granted, it may not happen all the time, but it shouldn't be happening at all.

 

Clearly, you don't care what your characters' names are. That's fine, there's nothing wrong with that. I expect a majority of players feel that way. However, many players feel the same way I do, or these kinds of threads wouldn't keep appearing. That fact alone makes this an issue that needs to be considered. It's a trivial concern that can have a non-trivial impact.

 

If people can't get a name, they're aren't really trying or are using insanely common names.... if you liked that name from that movie, TV show or book, you can bet someone else probably did too.

[Vego_Mohenjo]

gonne be honest here.

 

if you are THIS upset about a name of a character in a computer game .. you have an awful lot more to worry about than that.

its a computer game.

build a bridge and get over it.

its a computer game.

once more for clarity.

its a computer game.

 

may i take a moment to refresh your memory on something?

great, thanks.

tis a computer game.

just to clarify.

its a computer game.

to make sure we all fully comprehend and understand ..

its a computer game.

yup, is true.

its a computer game.

 

if you truly care this much, i think it may be time for you to step back from your computer screen and think about things a bit.

 

dont forget ....

ah, you know what im gonna say

 

Gee, I'm glad you're here to tell us these things.

 

The thing you're missing is that it's more than a game to some people. Some of us invest a good deal more into the creation of our characters than just a guy to go shooting things. We create characters, not "toons." For instance, my LotRO character has a bio that's now in excess of 300 pages long. I've written careful personality notes, and I have a strong sense of who the character IS. I have a lot invested in the character in terms of time and creativity. To suddenly change his name would diminish him, however, as his name is part of his identity. When one has invested so much into the creation of something, it's difficult to accept someone else damaging or diminishing it, especially when there is an alternative.

 

It is a trivial thing that is not trivial to many of us, and I believe the effect is has will not be trivial in the long run.

[Vego_Mohenjo]

This is a very good point, Vego_Mohenjo. There are always choices of HOW to go about something.

 

Several different solutions to the name problem have been proposed on these forums. Every time one was proposed, however, people came out to say they would dislike it, to various degrees. I am yet to see any proposed solution that would be universally popular!

 

I assume developers looked at several different alternatives before deciding on the current one.

 

 

 

I am curious about the solution you propose. What is it?

 

Also, do you see some ways people like you could cope? I have two main ways. First, I make up RP reasons for name changes (immigration, marriage, the Empire taking over your land, suddenly realizing who your father really was). And second, I consider in-game avatars "actors" for "real" characters that I personally create in my mind (or my stories, or my Photoshop) with whatever attributes I want.

 

If the developers considered other options and chose this, they need to rethink their choice.

 

My solution has been presented here a few times, and elsewhere as well. In essence, it's to have everyone choose a unique account identity, and attach the character names to that. Thus, my character Shein would be Shein@vego_mohenjo while someone else's would be Shein@someothername. Both characters would have the name Shein, but as far as the game server is concerned, they would be unique by virtue of their account suffix.

 

I have already planned a way to "cope," but I'm waiting to see if my efforts to get access to my names have a result. As far as I can tell, the characters sitting on my names have, with one exception, never been played. If the accounts of those players are inactive, perhaps they will reinstate my names for me. Doesn't hurt to ask.

[Vego_Mohenjo]

Exactly why do you think, as a non-paying (non-subscribed) customer you should have had special privileges afforded you? You quit the game and someone who didn't got the name they wanted... what's the issue?

 

In all honesty, I don't think that's unfair. However, there's two things about that. First, my account wasn't inactive because I quit. I suspended it temporarily for external reasons. If they had contacted me to let me know what was going to happen, I could have reactivated, even temporarily to deal with the situation. The other thing is what I mentioned a moment ago, that my names have been awarded to seemingly inactive accounts.

[Karquile]

I love threads where the OP keeps coming back in again and again and arguing with everybody.

 

The servers have shrunk as much as they're going to shrink, except whatever they figure out for APAC. The merger collisions are over, and the "damage" (I use that word guardedly) has been done. They are unlikely at this point to make a fundamental change in the character/account system, and if they did, we'd just have some other permathreads wailing about how THAT's a game breaker.

 

Character names are important, although you wouldn't guess it from seeing "Bobsotherbank" jumping on the mailbox. The super-special name you lose in a merger collision was also important to the player who kept it. That's MMO life. I keep a "stable" of about 20 names, all of which I enjoy, and some of which are available even on the most crowded legacy server. I take the ones I can get and move on.

 

Anyone who absolutely cannot stand this particular reality should probably try a different game.

[DanikasDad]

I call shenanigans on the whole "I haven't seen them online so they must not be playing"

 

I play almost every day for at least a couple hours a day. I haven't seen my friend from work online in at least a month. Yet he has been playing quite a bit as well. Part of this is due to the friend system being busted if you are on different instances it doesn't always show, some of this is just different schedules.

 

But otherwise I agree with all the posters. Lots of whining, about such a trivial issue.

[Vego_Mohenjo]

Utterly self-serving.... if the number of people is insignificant it is a waste of resources to "fix" what doesn't matter.

 

The fix was in your hands since the beginning, in any case... pick a unique character name!

 

It's not self serving. Even if this weren't an issue now (and it is), it will only get worse. Names are a limited resource. As names get taken (and often abandoned by free to play players who are here just to try the game out), there will be fewer options for further new players.

 

As for what's considered insignificat, that's not up to us. Personally, considering the game's track record, I don't think any number insignificant. One player lost over this is too many. If making the changes I and others have suggested avoids the loss of customers, then it's not a waste of resources. Quite the opposite, in fact.

[Vego_Mohenjo]

I call shenanigans on the whole "I haven't seen them online so they must not be playing"

 

I play almost every day for at least a couple hours a day. I haven't seen my friend from work online in at least a month. Yet he has been playing quite a bit as well. Part of this is due to the friend system being busted if you are on different instances it doesn't always show, some of this is just different schedules.

 

But otherwise I agree with all the posters. Lots of whining, about such a trivial issue.

 

To be fair, I'm not drawing a conclusion like that. I'm saying that, because I've not seen evidence of their presence, the possibility is it's an inactive account. My hope is that Bioware might look into it. If they discover I'm correct, then perhaps I can get my names back. If not, then I'm back where I started.

 

Either way, whether I get my names back or not, I still think this is an issue they need to deal with before it causes irreparable harm.

 

 

I'm not really coming back to argue with people. I'm discussing, clarifying my point where necessary, or seeking to understand the points of others. I think it would be disrespectful to ignore someone's discussion in a thread I started. If you take the time to post, it's only fair I take the time to read your post, and if needed, respond.

[DPCummerbund]

Oooh good, a thead about name changes! It's about time somebody started one!

[scullzomben]

Daww guize, I can't be looke. i tryed luke too but som1 took that 2. to hard too pick name guize.

[AboB]

tl:dr - vocal minority problem(?)

 

firstworldproblems

[Primarch_PWnD]

The real problem was with the poor planning for this game on Bioware's part.

 

Their goal, which they made no secret of, was to compete with WoW, who has 10 million subs.

 

Let's say they got half of that number, 5 million:

 

Did they really expect 5 million people to be able to come up with 5 million unique names, and then a unique name for each of their alts?

 

It's literally impossible with a 26 letter alphabet to come up with 5 million unique, pronouncable, tolerable-sounding names (don't forget, they've also blocked out the names of many of the NPCs they've got in the game too).

 

The ONLY option that is realistic for their goal of competing with WoW was one in which the same name could be used by two different accounts.

 

There's a reason this game bled massive numbers of subscribers when it came out, and while this by itself isn't the reason, it's a symptom of the real reason: poor planning on many many fronts.

 

And these people aren't wrong in being upset about this. This was a terrible job of foresight by a company who should have known better.

[Vandicus]

The real problem was with the poor planning for this game on Bioware's part.

 

Their goal, which they made no secret of, was to compete with WoW, who has 10 million subs.

 

Let's say they got half of that number, 5 million:

 

Did they really expect 5 million people to be able to come up with 5 million unique names, and then a unique name for each of their alts?

 

It's literally impossible with a 26 letter alphabet to come up with 5 million unique, pronouncable, tolerable-sounding names (don't forget, they've also blocked out the names of many of the NPCs they've got in the game too).

 

The ONLY option that is realistic for their goal of competing with WoW was one in which the same name could be used by two different accounts.

 

There's a reason this game bled massive numbers of subscribers when it came out, and while this by itself isn't the reason, it's a symptom of the real reason: poor planning on many many fronts.

 

And these people aren't wrong in being upset about this. This was a terrible job of foresight by a company who should have known better.

 

You clearly didn't do any research about any of this and were not here pre-game launch. Their target goal was 1 million subs, upside of 2 million, what they needed(before they reduced staff size) was 500k subscribers. No statement was ever made by the developers that they were intent on competing with WoW. FYI, if we're talking actual literal subscriptions here, WoW has around 4 million. The other "subs" are a number based on revenue from a different payment method used in some Asian nations.

 

First names are not unique across all servers, which is in fact the basis of the problem you're criticizing.

Do you really think all the characters in the game are on one server? Hell, have you ever even played WoW?

[lollie]

You clearly didn't do any research about any of this and were not here pre-game launch.

 

People did ask BioWare to include surnames, just so we could all make up unique names. If they'd listened to the pre-launch people and implemented surnames (first name space surname = unique name) then we wouldn't have this problem now.

 

They were very cagey about how names were going to be (saying "can't talk about this right now" type stuff) so I am guessing their not doing surnames was some technical issue their coders couldn't get around for god knows what reason, laziness, or being miserly about data space.

Edited November 24, 2012 by lollie

[Vandicus]

People did ask BioWare to include surnames, just so we could all make up unique names. If they'd listened to the pre-launch people and implemented surnames (first name space surname = unique name) then we wouldn't have this problem now.

 

We'd have the problem of people complaining about their unique last names instead. So, same problem, different cover. That wasn't my point to the other guy anyways, his statements were just full of complete ignorance in regards to everything regarding this game and MMOs in general.