Character Name Policy -- Thirty Day Notice!
By
0zymandous,
Posted on: 2007-07-31 15:59 in News, Events and Announcement Discussion
I know a lot of older players who had reserved names and quit and won't come back for all the tea in China.
I'm happy I'll finally get a few of those names 
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I would agree with this. At some point, people are just not going to come back. Their names should be freed up eventually. While a poster above said 15 months should be the cutoff for your name going back to the pool regardless of level, I think that is a bit too soon. I would support sometime over 2 years inactive losing you the right to squat on your level 50's name, and possibly even their space in the database. It may sound harsh, but how many really come back after a 2 year hiatus?
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You'd be surprised. I know I've gone back on "nostalgia trips" to my other MMO's on occasion. A great many people aren't long-term community members, but they like to come back when enough changes have made the game fresh again.
Any game that puts barriers to the returning player cuts off a revenue source. You decide how much you're willing to alienate and weigh it againt the benefits of such a system.
In this case, 6 levels is the balance they came up with... and it appears to have been researched and discussed with considerably more forethought, planning, and access to information, than any of the suggestions offered here.
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Dang, this means I have to activate my 3 other accounts that I am saving names on, just to make sure they arent free'd up for someone else to use?
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No, it means you should stop hoarding names, name-hog! 
Dec out.
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I don't think the policy is unreasonable. I do think that anybody that thinks names are scarce is just being unimaginative.
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QFT
On my 10-15 toons If a name I was going for is taken, it isusually because it is a blatantly obvious name that suits the power sets. Once I got past that and started being creative with my names I have had no trouble with them being taken at all.
I think the people really getting worked up over this are the ones that are so imaginitive that throwing a . in their name is a viable solution.
I am so glad that I come up with names that I won't see several people running around with . versions of them
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I think that calling those people who feel that the new name change policy "unimaginative" is pretty unfair. How do you know that they have a lack creativity? How can you even speculate that they are the ones who are putting "." in their characters' names? Perhaps they just disagree with the policy because they feel that Cryptic and NCsoft should give priority to actively paying customers instead basing their policy on a hope and a prayer that an inacctive accountholder will return (among other reasons).
Just because someone thinks that the new policy is too lax does not indicate a lack of creativity and imagination. I think in some cases, it's quite the contrary...these individuals have the creativity and imagination to think outside of the box and come up with a different solution that could better serve Cryptic's and NCsoft's customers.
I've got several names that I've wanted that people have apparently made characters up to over the level 35 that originally name-changes were done by. And for as long as I've been on, never played them.
Any argument involving the quality of the names being freed is silly, in all honesty. One man's quality is another man's trash. If your definition of "quality" is merely only the names that you, in particular, want, and can't have at the moment, then the name-purge process would most likely disappoint you, no matter what level the cut off is, or how long the grace period is, or whatever other stipulation they might decide to place on it. Stop bringing in subjectivity into this. The only logical way to do this is exactly the way the dev's plan on doing it...setting a reasonable level cap and grace period, based on datamining and internal testing , and seeing what comes out the other end.
And honestly...for every lvl 50 that is mothballed, there are probably 10 or 20 times that many lowbies not being used either. Simple math says, go with the strategy that yields the biggest number. Again, the devs have found a solution that fits.
A question to the devs: Is there going to be an email notification sent out to all accounts, both active and inactive, about this? If there are people overseas or otherwise unable to play the game, but still have access to email, they would be able to contact you and request some kind of extension, or personally verify that they would like to release their names to the current customers. I'm not sure how easy it would be to verify whether Joe Blow is really in Afghanistan or not, but it would seem like the proper thing to do to at least offer the chance for them to make that decision, since most of them got shipped out with little notice, and are most likely coming back sometime soon, and would like to resume their game.
Loose --> not tight.
Lose --> Did not win, misplace, cannot find, subtract.
One extra 'o' makes a big difference.
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Okay, time to ask an incredibly stupid question. I had a name for one of my characters, then stopped playing for about a year due to various reasons. Came back, and had to get a new name. If this frees up my old name (assuming it does), how would I go get it back?
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You would purchase a rename token, or credit and apply it to your account. When you do this you may then try to capture the name you lost supposing it is available.
Ex
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Why do you have to purchase the rename token before finding out if the name is available?
If I paid $10 because I wanted to change my name to Dorkfish and then found it was taken and I didn't want any other name other than Dorkfish or my original, why am I being charged $10 when I make no change?
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Just because someone thinks that the new policy is too lax does not indicate a lack of creativity and imagination. I think in some cases, it's quite the contrary...these individuals have the creativity and imagination to think outside of the box and come up with a different solution that could better serve Cryptic's and NCsoft's customers.
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From what we've been told by the rednames posting here, it seems to me that they *have* come up with a solution that they feel works best for their customers, and makes good business sense; e.g. not alienating potential returning customers needlessly.
It may not be the solution that you think works best for you, *personally*, but they do have a business to run, after all. IMO, the solution they've chosen is a good compromise between doing something nice and helpful for their existing customer base, and possibly discouraging returning customers.
My Characters
Knight Court--A CoH Story Complete 2/3/2012
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Any argument involving the quality of the names being freed is silly, in all honesty. One man's quality is another man's trash. If your definition of "quality" is merely only the names that you, in particular, want, and can't have at the moment, then the name-purge process would most likely disappoint you, no matter what level the cut off is, or how long the grace period is, or whatever other stipulation they might decide to place on it. Stop bringing in subjectivity into this.
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I don't know about everyone else, but when I refer to quality I'm referring to names that have numbers, letters or punctuation that don't make sense because the person who held the name couldn't get the name they wanted otherwise. A couple examples of what I would consider poor quality names include...
lceman (lower case "l" used instead of an upper case "I")
Iceman. or Iceman' or 'Iceman, etc (inclusion of punctuation)
Iceman123 (inclusion of numbers)
lceman123. (combination of above examples)
My biggest fear is that the name purge may just end up freeing up a bunch of "workaround" names and not enough "non-workaround" names. Sure, another person's junk is another person's treasure...but how many people would consider lceman123. "treasure?" 
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Okay, time to ask an incredibly stupid question. I had a name for one of my characters, then stopped playing for about a year due to various reasons. Came back, and had to get a new name. If this frees up my old name (assuming it does), how would I go get it back?
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You would purchase a rename token, or credit and apply it to your account. When you do this you may then try to capture the name you lost supposing it is available.
Ex
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Why do you have to purchase the rename token before finding out if the name is available?
If I paid $10 because I wanted to change my name to Dorkfish and then found it was taken and I didn't want any other name other than Dorkfish or my original, why am I being charged $10 when I make no change?
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How hard it is it add Dorkfish to your friends list to see if it already exists?
Agua Man lvl 48 Water/Electric Blaster
"To die hating NCSoft for shutting down City of Heroes, that was Freedom."
Faith is a good thing, Blind faith on the other hand....
Face it, the facts are simple, if everything the devs did was correct when they did it (through thier datamining, research, whatever) there would never have been any changes to powers, ED whould never have appeared and patches would be limited to new addition to the game.
The reality is devs do make mistakes, errors are made. Changes which look good on paper and work well in testing dont do so well in actual use.
to say that the devs researched it so we should all accept it as the best thing available is naive. The past has proven that theory of faith doesn't always work out.
My main has constantly been tinkered with by the devs who find some problem here, or something not working as they thought it would, or closing some loophole in the ability that some player found.
Heck even my main villain had his power graphics changed. Why? because they wanted too. Not because of any real reason, guess inv just isn't evil enough unless its purple and black.
Whatever.
Suggestions are just that. Suggestions. I think everyone has an opinion on this and I think the devs want to know or else they would have made the announcement and not allowed for a reply in it.
Nemsis lv50 Inv/SS
Arch-Nemsis lv 50 SS/Inv
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Just because someone thinks that the new policy is too lax does not indicate a lack of creativity and imagination. I think in some cases, it's quite the contrary...these individuals have the creativity and imagination to think outside of the box and come up with a different solution that could better serve Cryptic's and NCsoft's customers.
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From what we've been told by the rednames posting here, it seems to me that they *have* come up with a solution that they feel works best for their customers, and makes good business sense; e.g. not alienating potential returning customers needlessly.
It may not be the solution that you think works best for you, *personally*, but they do have a business to run, after all. IMO, the solution they've chosen is a good compromise between doing something nice and helpful for their existing customer base, and possibly discouraging returning customers.
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Look, I do understand that Cryptic and NCsoft have a business to run and that the name policy that will be going into effect is that they feel is the best solution for their customers (existing or returning). Some customers feel otherwise and have suggested solutions that they think may work better...that's okay too. There's nothing wrong with a difference of opinion. Everyone's got an opinion and the purpose of this thread is to discuss what customers think of the new policy.
What I don't think is good for the community (and what I've been seeing a lot of in this thread) is people who are calling those who have a difference of opinion "unimaginative" and "uncreative" (which I feel is the equivalent of name-calling). The purpose of the statement that you quoted was to help support my arguement against the name-calling. Please read the entire arguement as a whole, not just a portion of it!
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under lvl 6 is kinda lame how about:
Inactive account 90 days toons under 10
Inactive account 1 year toons under 30
Inactive account 2+ years nothing is safe
also any account inactive for a year that wasn't active for more than 3 months sould also not have safe names.
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I understand the need to free up names , but I'm with Ex and company on this one.
One particular reason is simply this: our fighting men and women stationed overseas. I know several of them (at least) that LOVE City of Heroes, and have characters ranging the full level spectrum. If someone is called away/deployed, more than likely, they are going to shut down their account for the duration of their duty overseas, since they will not have access to play in such places as Iraq or Afghanistan (plus that vaunted poverty level pay scale the military has doesn't help one's budget while deployed). So imagine their surprise when they return home, as many have after 14 months of extended duty to find their favorite characters names taken from them. I'm sure they could live with the level 5 and belows being gone, but anything above that I think should be available.
The other reason is some folks don't powerlevel their characters, and take their time developing their characters. Of those, and I'm sure many forum readers are in the "been ther/lived that" situation, where there just aren't enough dollars in one's bank account to maintain the "entertainment" category that CoH/V is, and instead, cut it off until they can get their finances in order. My impression is that many die-hard CoH/V players are in this category, living pay check to pay check (or are students, sraping by on the ever-cheap Ramen), and I'm sure they'd be more pleased with Ex and company's plan than your suggestion.
I know you are thinking of the players, and I applaud that. There are other folks out there in our community, however, that we have to keep in mind, and our military men and women, are amongst them.
Again, I think Ex has hit the nail on the head. Cudos, Ex!
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Have to agree with Major_Deej here. There are ALOT of our people overseas right now, that do not have access to CoH. Some have been gone for as long as 2 to 3 years already. Going without seeing the significant other for such a length of time is one thing....but without knowing their hero or villain names are safe? Insane!! 
'If Champions Online is what "CoH was supposed to be", I'm glad that I have what I have rather than "what it was supposed to be".' - The Alt oholic
"I solo'd Hamidon...but I also totally cheated." - Back Alley Brawler
"It is still early. Someone is going to get stabbed tonight I can feel it." - Ishmael (said in Jello Shooters chat)
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The people who are insisting that the level 1-5 range is too small because of the insignificant amount of work to achieve level 6 appear, to me, to be missing the point; which is that the insignificance of the characters in that level range is what makes them viable targets for name recovery. A player who comes back to the game and finds out that Mr. Tamborine Man (security level 3) has lost his name is going to experience a minor irritation and go on about his business. A player who put days, weeks or months into a character is much more likely to be annoyed enough to quit again.
As for the viability of an old player returning - it happens all the time. Players return when new issues are published. They return at holiday events. They return when the player has grown bored of his current game and experiences nostalgia. They return when NCSoft runs a "give us another chance" free account reactivation.
Not to mention that if NCSoft ever decides to create an "all access" pass along the lines of SOE's access pass, you're going to see a lot of really old-timers returning for the perceived value.
In any case, it makes the most sense to start "small" and expand from there. You can always add more levels to the "recovery" range, but you can't take them back if you go full-bore at the beginning.
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From what we've been told by the rednames posting here, it seems to me that they *have* come up with a solution that they feel works best for their customers, and makes good business sense; e.g. not alienating potential returning customers needlessly.
It may not be the solution that you think works best for you, *personally*, but they do have a business to run, after all. IMO, the solution they've chosen is a good compromise between doing something nice and helpful for their existing customer base, and possibly discouraging returning customers.
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Look, I do understand that Cryptic and NCsoft have a business to run and that the name policy that will be going into effect is that they feel is the best solution for their customers (existing or returning). Some customers feel otherwise and have suggested solutions that they think may work better...that's okay too. There's nothing wrong with a difference of opinion. Everyone's got an opinion and the purpose of this thread is to discuss what customers think of the new policy.
What I don't think is good for the community (and what I've been seeing a lot of in this thread) is people who are calling those who have a difference of opinion "unimaginative" and "uncreative" (which I feel is the equivalent of name-calling). The purpose of the statement that you quoted was to help support my arguement against the name-calling. Please read the entire arguement as a whole, not just a portion of it!
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I did read it, but I felt it was not particularly relevant for the point I was making.
Name calling aside, aren't you contending that your suggestion "could better serve Cryptic's and NCsoft's customers" than the policy that NCSoft has chosen?
I'd argue that although expanding the rename policy to higher-level characters might be a marginal QoL improvement for current customers, the fact that it also might alienate potential returning customers makes it a bad bargain for NCSoft.
My Characters
Knight Court--A CoH Story Complete 2/3/2012
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I would agree with this. At some point, people are just not going to come back. Their names should be freed up eventually. While a poster above said 15 months should be the cutoff for your name going back to the pool regardless of level, I think that is a bit too soon. I would support sometime over 2 years inactive losing you the right to squat on your level 50's name, and possibly even their space in the database. It may sound harsh, but how many really come back after a 2 year hiatus?
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I agree except that I think level 50's names should be forever locked for posterity and not recycled. 49 and lower should be fair game after 2 years inactivity.
We don' need no stinkin' signatures!
<QR>
I am strongly against name-camping.
Every pre-20 character not played in the last 30 days should have its name made available. Ever pre 32 not played in the last 60 should have its name made available. Every 50 not played in 120 should have its name made available.
The quality of names has really suffered due to the number of people camping names that they will never use. The only risk to giving up a name you've camped is that someone else will play it regularly, which says to me that they deserve it more than you.
That's how it works in comics, too. Names get passed on when the old holder fades away.
Virtue: Steel Cherub - em/inv brute | bad romance - fire/kin corr | Sudden Chill - ice/kin corr
Freedom: Sad Sam - ss/da brute | Tommy Atomic - em/el brute
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I do think that anybody that thinks names are scarce is just being unimaginative.
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I don't, never did. However that isn't why they're reinstituting this. They're doing it mainly for the people transferring characters. In almost every case those characters are going to be of sufficient level to have a marked time investment. Whether they're moving to be near friends they made since starting, or because their original server got too crowded or isn't crowded enough, they're doing it, and willing to pay money for it.
In such a case, I don't think anyone with a lowbie that was essentially unplayed, who has been gone over 3 months deserves the name more than someone active, paying, and invested in that name.
Sure, think of the person who had to leave for hardship, but think a little more about the person who is here and supporting the company. At the end of the day, this is about business, and they're running one, and their first priority needs to be with the people who are here.
"Null is as much an argument "for removing the cottage rule" as the moon being round is for buying tennis shoes." -Memphis Bill
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From what we've been told by the rednames posting here, it seems to me that they *have* come up with a solution that they feel works best for their customers, and makes good business sense; e.g. not alienating potential returning customers needlessly.
It may not be the solution that you think works best for you, *personally*, but they do have a business to run, after all. IMO, the solution they've chosen is a good compromise between doing something nice and helpful for their existing customer base, and possibly discouraging returning customers.
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Look, I do understand that Cryptic and NCsoft have a business to run and that the name policy that will be going into effect is that they feel is the best solution for their customers (existing or returning). Some customers feel otherwise and have suggested solutions that they think may work better...that's okay too. There's nothing wrong with a difference of opinion. Everyone's got an opinion and the purpose of this thread is to discuss what customers think of the new policy.
What I don't think is good for the community (and what I've been seeing a lot of in this thread) is people who are calling those who have a difference of opinion "unimaginative" and "uncreative" (which I feel is the equivalent of name-calling). The purpose of the statement that you quoted was to help support my arguement against the name-calling. Please read the entire arguement as a whole, not just a portion of it!
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I did read it, but I felt it was not particularly relevant for the point I was making.
Name calling aside, aren't you contending that your suggestion "could better serve Cryptic's and NCsoft's customers" than the policy that NCSoft has chosen?
I'd argue that although expanding the rename policy to higher-level characters might be a marginal QoL improvement for current customers, the fact that it also might alienate potential returning customers makes it a bad bargain for NCSoft.
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Personally, I think the name policy is a good start and I contend that my suggestion is something that NCsoft could consider in the future should the need arise for freeing up more names. Would my suggestion better serve the playerbase...heck if I know! But again the purpose of this thread is to hear player opinion...so I gave my concerns regarding the current policy (quality of names vs. quantity) and gave a suggestion on a name policy that I would be comfortable with seeing.
QR
You guys can argue all you want, but Posi has already cleared this up.
From his tone it seems like if it doesn't clear up that many names (which is ASININE to think so, since they already did the homework on it) they can also extend it or revise it.
As usual, I say take a wait and see approach.
Just because it doesn't free up the name *you* want doesn't mean it won't work.
As someone else alluded to up thread, it sounds like for some unless they get the exact name they personally want, they just going to declare it isn't working.
Sorry, but it sounds like some folks are going to be sorely disappointed.
Also, I'd argue (with no evidence to back this up ) that if it's a really qualtiy name, its probably a character someone cares about and is more likey than not on an active account.
Remember folks there are PLENTY of folks who might take a break (especially during the between issue lul) yet still continue to pay. That's an active account.
Blazara Aura LVL 50 Fire/Psi Dom (with 125% recharge)
Flameboxer Aura LVL 50 SS/Fire Brute
Ice 'Em Aura LVL 50 Ice Tank
Darq Widow Fortune LVL 50 Fortunata (200% rech/Night Widow 192.5% rech)--thanks issue 19!
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Okay, time to ask an incredibly stupid question. I had a name for one of my characters, then stopped playing for about a year due to various reasons. Came back, and had to get a new name. If this frees up my old name (assuming it does), how would I go get it back?
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You would purchase a rename token, or credit and apply it to your account. When you do this you may then try to capture the name you lost supposing it is available.
Ex
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Why do you have to purchase the rename token before finding out if the name is available?
If I paid $10 because I wanted to change my name to Dorkfish and then found it was taken and I didn't want any other name other than Dorkfish or my original, why am I being charged $10 when I make no change?
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If you go look on the Training Room, you'll see that they have added a "check name" button, so you can check to see if Dorkfish is available before you ever buy the token. By the way, it's not...
Kyle Al'Mordu - Lvl 50 MA/SR Scrap
Fusion Force!
TRIUMPH
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I would suggest a sliding scale of some sort. Something akin to:
Lv 1-6 inactive account 3 months
Lv 7-14 inactive account 6 months
Lv 15-30 inactive account 9 month
Lv 30-40 inactive account 12 months
Lv 40-50 inactive account 15 months
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Are you out of your [censored] MIND!!!
Lv 50's should NEVER EVER be considered! It takes some peoople almost a year to hit lv50!
Didn't it used to be lv35 or 36 for cutoff?
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Ha! I've been playing the game since Day 1 and still dont have a lvl 50 yet.
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I don't think the policy is unreasonable. I do think that anybody that thinks names are scarce is just being unimaginative.
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QFT
On my 10-15 toons If a name I was going for is taken, it isusually because it is a blatantly obvious name that suits the power sets. Once I got past that and started being creative with my names I have had no trouble with them being taken at all.
I think the people really getting worked up over this are the ones that are so imaginitive that throwing a . in their name is a viable solution.
I am so glad that I come up with names that I won't see several people running around with . versions of them
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I think that calling those people who feel that the new name change policy "unimaginative" is pretty unfair. How do you know that they have a lack creativity? How can you even speculate that they are the ones who are putting "." in their characters' names? Perhaps they just disagree with the policy because they feel that Cryptic and NCsoft should give priority to actively paying customers instead basing their policy on a hope and a prayer that an inacctive accountholder will return (among other reasons).
Just because someone thinks that the new policy is too lax does not indicate a lack of creativity and imagination. I think in some cases, it's quite the contrary...these individuals have the creativity and imagination to think outside of the box and come up with a different solution that could better serve Cryptic's and NCsoft's customers.
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I did not call anyone unimaginative for feeling this policy was unfair, too lax, or whatever. If a person feels they're entitled to the name Iceman or Icyhot, or whatever, and someone else has a level 20ish, 30ish, 40ish character with that name and they have had to deactivate for an extended period (6 months to a year) and people are already carping about how the policy doesn't yet handle this eventuality...well, let's just say I'd have a very different and unflattering set of adjectives to describe them.
As has been stated, there are many different reasons for extended leaves. You can't just toss away a persons investment in a character because you (or whoever) weren't there first to get that omg so obvious bloody name.
The policy will no doubt evolve over time as needs demand.
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Level 5 and below is affected because it is the least intrusive to our player base but nets the greatest number of names.
Trial accounts are in a different pool altogether. We can free up names from trial accounts whenever we want without recourse because they were never paid for accounts.
These are only accounts that have been or are presently subscribed to City of Heroes/City of Villains and we realize that people come and go to our population. So we wanted to present a service without affecting our player base who for one reason or another is not currently subscribed.
The number of names that will be freed up will be substantial, if we need to adjust this policy we can do so as long as we grant 30 days notice. So if it is deemed at a later date that more names need to be made available we can do that.
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Thank You Ex. I believe I am happy with the reinstatement of this policy being one of the ones pushing for it. It has always been my contention that only NCSoft could determine what the level parameter should be. I thank you for explaining the reasoning behind the decisions made.
I trust that there will be datamining conducted to see if the policy parameters need to be raised.
I would like to ask clarification on the trial accounts. When you say that you can free up those names at any time, does that mean that you will be freeing up those names?
I would also like to suggest that as long as this policy doesn't place an undue burden on the staff that it be maintained permanently.
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I don't think the policy is unreasonable. I do think that anybody that thinks names are scarce is just being unimaginative.
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QFT
On my 10-15 toons If a name I was going for is taken, it isusually because it is a blatantly obvious name that suits the power sets. Once I got past that and started being creative with my names I have had no trouble with them being taken at all.
I think the people really getting worked up over this are the ones that are so imaginitive that throwing a . in their name is a viable solution.
I am so glad that I come up with names that I won't see several people running around with . versions of them