Expired accounts

I remember a while ago (A few years) that if an account was idle (I believe) for a period of time their toon names would become available again.
I am sure there are alot of people that have up and left the game that are still holding (maybe) some good toon names. Would it be possible to make them available if say the account is unpaid for like 6 months or 12 months no matter the level of the toon?
I know there are probably some road blocks to this.... maybe some are just taking a break.... waiting for reactivation weekend.....
Or maybe there is already something in place that I am unaware of.

Just a thought.

Thanks

Anaku

The rules last time around (I think): Inactive (non subscribed) for 90 days, and affecting character below level 6.

When they run the script to do is entirely at the discretion of the developers but its not a set automatic ongoing process.

They may or may not inform us when they do so.

I have no idea when it was last actually done or if / when they intend to do so again.

That's all I recall.

The reason this hasn't been done in 4 years (has it really been that long?) is because it wasn't considered to be very successful at all. While many names were freed up, none of them were the really popular names that people seem to want. It seems the people who got the popular names stayed with the game, or at least leveled up beyond 6th before they quit.

So, even if they were to do this again, it's more than likely that the name you want so bad will still be taken when it's done.

What they should do is increase the time span and scope of the wipe. I would have it affect all characters on any account that has been inactive for more than a year (like the OP suggests). That should free up a larger number of names that people might actually like to have.

There's already a lengthy discussion going on about naming.

My suggestion is to be more inventive, when choosing a name. If it's taken it means that plenty of other people have already thought of that name.

The consensus in that thread is that *banned* accounts should always have their names freed no matter what, but it's more and more sticky when you get into non-banned accounts.

I have 4 total accounts. 3 of them are unpaid right now. Many of the characters on them are just fillers for my various supergroups, but they aren't names like "filler 21", they're actual name-names. But - I strongly suspect that no one will actually *choose* the name "Quaid Orrish" or "Lumiere Kalkin" for their toons. All the characters I have ever made have a more meaningful name to them than "fire blaster".

Get creative. Name problem solved. Now, go head to that thread, not here. Long discussion is long.

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Would it be possible to make them available if say the account is unpaid for like 6 months or 12 months no matter the level of the toon?

[/ QUOTE ]It's a bad idea. The single biggest reason someone will return to an MMO that they previously quit is that their characters remain as they were

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Would it be possible to make them available if say the account is unpaid for like 6 months or 12 months no matter the level of the toon?

[/ QUOTE ]It's a bad idea. The single biggest reason someone will return to an MMO that they previously quit is that their characters remain as they were

[/ QUOTE ]

You're right. I retract my support of this suggestion.

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Would it be possible to make them available if say the account is unpaid for like 6 months or 12 months no matter the level of the toon?

[/ QUOTE ]It's a bad idea. The single biggest reason someone will return to an MMO that they previously quit is that their characters remain as they were

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I know if I left for a while and decided to come back... if my characters had lost their names I'd probably not even go past the character selection screen. I'd likely just cancel my account right then and there.

Edit: Although perma-banned accounts should have the global+characters all freed up after giving enough time for an appeal to go through first (hell, could put it at 6 months - 1 year just to be on the safe side).

We've been saving Paragon City for eight and a half years. It's time to do it one more time.

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The reason this hasn't been done in 4 years (has it really been that long?)

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No, it has been less than 2 years since it was last run. The first time it was run was under 4 years ago.

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is because it wasn't considered to be very successful at all.

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Depends on who you ask.

NCsoft considered it a success due to the fact that it freed up a substantial amount of names with minimal impact on returning customers.

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While many names were freed up, none of them were the really popular names that people seem to want. It seems the people who got the popular names stayed with the game, or at least leveled up beyond 6th before they quit.

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During the first run (below 36) I got "Strobe" on Triumph. During the second run I got "Strobe" on another server.

Triumph: White Succubus: 50 Ill/Emp/PF Snow Globe: 50 Ice/FF/Ice Strobe: 50 PB Shi Otomi: 50 Ninja/Ninjistu/GW Stalker My other characters

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The consensus in that thread is that *banned* accounts should always have their names freed no matter what, but it's more and more sticky when you get into non-banned accounts.


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Depending on what got them banned, I'm not sure that I'd want the name formerly used by a banned player, should I run into someone who remembers them.

That's a very good point - however I'm suspecting not too many "real" accounts have been banned in the history of the game - more I'm thinking spammer accounts whose names are all along the lines of

atgazgqrlkng
andtatbgst
pwetasntak
and
thestbagapfna




And happy birthday!

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And happy birthday!

[/ QUOTE ]I've been waiting for that name to open up for ages! It'd be perfect for my cake-themed toon!

No, no,..... "lie" would be the perfect cake name.