What will our fate be?

[TheFrostLord]

So I've been playing this game since launch off and on. I've been subscribed most of the time, and because of the decrease in population I've been moved to a new server twice since launch. Unluckily I suppose I'm now on Bastion, another dead server. I expect that it will be merged with the more popular Harbinger server. I would transfer but someone took my main characters name and they don't even play on that character (I've made repeated attempts to contact them). I would hate to lose the name of my main character that I've had for five years, but it also sucks being on an empty server. How does Bioware decide who gets to keep their charname? Is it based on /played or is it whoever had the name on the server that gets to stay? I ofcourse expect some of my 26 alts to have to name change, but I'd be pretty disappointed if my main did. I don't expect Bioware to answer, but does anyone else have any insight? Me and my girlfriend won't transfer to the more populated server in the hopes that there will eventually be a merge and we will get to keep our char names since we have more /played time on them. What will our fate be?

[AllisonLightning]

So I've been playing this game since launch off and on. I've been subscribed most of the time, and because of the decrease in population I've been moved to a new server twice since launch. Unluckily I suppose I'm now on Bastion, another dead server. I expect that it will be merged with the more popular Harbinger server. I would transfer but someone took my main characters name and they don't even play on that character (I've made repeated attempts to contact them). I would hate to lose the name of my main character that I've had for five years, but it also sucks being on an empty server. How does Bioware decide who gets to keep their charname? Is it based on /played or is it whoever had the name on the server that gets to stay? I ofcourse expect some of my 26 alts to have to name change, but I'd be pretty disappointed if my main did. I don't expect Bioware to answer, but does anyone else have any insight? Me and my girlfriend won't transfer to the more populated server in the hopes that there will eventually be a merge and we will get to keep our char names since we have more /played time on them. What will our fate be?

 

I think it works on who had it first so you should get the name since it's been five years. It doesn't work on /playedtime as far as I know and I don't think it ever should but by how long you've had that character. A lot of us have other things we have to do, or in my case migraines where I can't play my main and I'd absolutely go spare if someone who had their character a shorter time than me but played them more time in the interim got to take either main, or my alts names. I deliberately name all my characters double names now as to reduce the risk of a server merge ever taking a name away.

 

If you can see their legacy name at all, try to find out if they still play or anyone who knew them.

[DarthMaulUK]

Unless there's a name purge (LOL), they won't do anything to help. During the yawn fest DvL, you're better off rolling on a new server and transferring over.

[UlaVii]

If you transfer to a new server and somebody there already has your character name then you will be prompted to rename your character when you try to login with them. On the character select you will see the character name is changed to all random characters. When you select them to login you will get a popup asking you to choose a new name. Be careful here as you could accidentally proceed with the random character name!

 

You can test it out first by creating a new character on the target server with the name you want. If it goes through then you know the name is available. Whenever you are ready to transfer over you can then delete the name placeholder character to free the name up again.

 

In the past with server merges, certain servers are chosen as the destination servers. People on those keep their names, others that get merged into it have to rename if the name is already taken.

Edited August 15, 2016 by UlaVii

[Holocron]

Last time the merge happened it worked like this: If two characters had the same name, then the highest level character kept the name. If both characters were the same level, then whichever account used that character name first would keep the name. The reality however, wound up being that the merged server population generally lost their names to the new populated server.

[Ildun]

Last time the merge happened it worked like this: If two characters had the same name, then the highest level character kept the name. If both characters were the same level, then whichever account used that character name first would keep the name. The reality however, wound up being that the merged server population generally lost their names to the new populated server.

 

This is so unfair

Why don't they try different approach? I saw some game using name color, title( xxx of xxx server ) to differentiate player.

[Tychus]

So I've been playing this game since launch off and on. I've been subscribed most of the time, and because of the decrease in population I've been moved to a new server twice since launch. Unluckily I suppose I'm now on Bastion, another dead server. I expect that it will be merged with the more popular Harbinger server. I would transfer but someone took my main characters name and they don't even play on that character (I've made repeated attempts to contact them). I would hate to lose the name of my main character that I've had for five years, but it also sucks being on an empty server. How does Bioware decide who gets to keep their charname? Is it based on /played or is it whoever had the name on the server that gets to stay? I ofcourse expect some of my 26 alts to have to name change, but I'd be pretty disappointed if my main did. I don't expect Bioware to answer, but does anyone else have any insight? Me and my girlfriend won't transfer to the more populated server in the hopes that there will eventually be a merge and we will get to keep our char names since we have more /played time on them. What will our fate be?

 

Contacting the player for the name you want is fair enough and good luck with that, but who's to say that person dose not also equal attachment to the name you want, and even if they are not currently playing does not mean they don't play on said character when you are not online.

 

I also have had the woe of having to rename a good chunk of my characters when Bio did their first server merge but I feel for you not having to go through it once but twice, guess I was lucky but it is now the main English speaking pve server in the EU.

 

Bioware is unlikely to do anything to said player so you can have their name on said server, even with a name purge as "AllisonLightning" said which is called *Character Name Renewals* and it only affected "free to play" people and "Preferred Status players" below level 30, anyone level 30 and above are safe from Character Name Renewals, and for people who pay a monthly subscribe will not be affected as stated here http://www.swtor.com/support/helpcenter/5304 *edit or it did until they changed the support set up*.

 

 

I will just quote Mr EricMusco from 2013

which was posted - http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?p=6921211

 

Hey Liron!

 

I wanted to clear up how the Name Renewal will work to alleviate any concerns that you have. You are obviously a subscriber right now, this means that even if you unsubscribe today, you will be completely unaffected. The reason is that you would then become a preferred status player. Preferred players are completely unaffected as long as they logged in to those specific characters within the last 90 days. Being how the name renewal is next week, that is far less than 90 days

 

Here are the exact rules for Character Name Renewal:

 

If you are a Free-to-Play player:

• If your character is below level 10, and you have not played that character in the last 60 days, your character will be flagged for rename.
  
• If your character is below level 30, and you have not played that character in the last 120 days, your character will be flagged for rename.
  
• Characters level 30 and above will be unaffected.
  

If you are a Preferred Status player:

• If your character is below level 10, and you have not played that character in the last 90 days, your character will be flagged for rename
  
• If your character is below level 30, and you have not played that character in the last 180 days, your character will be flagged for rename.
  
• Characters level 30 and above will be unaffected.
  

If you are or become a Subscriber:

• You will be unaffected by this
  

As of right now this is a one time name renewal, so if you are unaffected on the 12th then you will not have to follow these rules unless we do a renewal again at a later date. Of course if we do that we will notify players of it so they can save their names.

 

TLDR - Nope, you are completely unaffected by this (except that some names might open up that you want!)

Edited August 15, 2016 by Tychus

[Holocron]

This is so unfair

Why don't they try different approach? I saw some game using name color, title( xxx of xxx server ) to differentiate player.

 

The color differentiation would be really cool for people who got merged. Especially If both players became well known on their servers.

[WayOfTheWarriorx]

This is so unfair

Why don't they try different approach? I saw some game using name color, title( xxx of xxx server ) to differentiate player.

 

How is this unfair? How would you like it if one day you tried to sign on to a character you've already been playing and it says some new jerk off just came into town and because he has the same name you have to relinquish your name to someone who just moved in next door?

 

I don't care how long they had the name. They want to move into "your town" that means you were there first.

I don't care how many people in China have my name, If they move to America I'm not changing my name for them so they can have the name in America. I was in America first, even if they lived longer than I had while they were in China.

[americanaussie]

Just add an extra vowel/change the vowel/add an extra letter that is already in the name. Aeryn - to Aerynn. Aisa to Aisaa. Meh, it doesn't really make much difference. Add an ae in place of an a. Add an H on the end of it ends in a vowel Sara/Sarah. It isn't world ending usually. Best of luck! I'm on the Bastion but I'm happy to stay on there.

[DarthSpuds]

So, what EXACTLY is the problem with having multiple toons with the same name?

 

I know 5 John Smiths.

I know 3 Dave Thompsons.

 

 

All The Best

[Nempo]

So, what EXACTLY is the problem with having multiple toons with the same name?

 

I know 5 John Smiths.

I know 3 Dave Thompsons.

 

 

All The Best

 

Whisper/mail issues.

[ross_deutsch]

All my characters are some form of rosco, rowdyrager, rowdyraginrosco, raginrosco, etc. all with ò,ó,Ø,ö in the Os as needed.

 

I know I lack a lot of creativity but thats how my WoW names are too.

 

So if you ever seem someone like that, chances are it is me.

 

If I am rude or have ever been rude, I do sorta apologize I say sort of because I am normally not rude unless I feel it is warranted which is a point of view and you cannot tell tone from text so what I say might come off as cocky but that might not be the intention.

[TheFrostLord]

How is this unfair? How would you like it if one day you tried to sign on to a character you've already been playing and it says some new jerk off just came into town and because he has the same name you have to relinquish your name to someone who just moved in next door?

 

I don't care how long they had the name. They want to move into "your town" that means you were there first.

I don't care how many people in China have my name, If they move to America I'm not changing my name for them so they can have the name in America. I was in America first, even if they lived longer than I had while they were in China.

 

Not really the same thing here, as the guy that took and yes to say took because his char is low level and he does't play it. Additionally, it's not like I have a choice to go there if the servers get merged, so the whole' I'm moving in to "your town" is moot.