Release Names or Tie to Global
By
Ad Astra,
Posted on: 2009-11-11 12:02 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
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Even if counting all the Green Lantern Corps as a single naming entity you'd probably need to acknowledge the existence of the Alan Scott Green Lantern separate from the GLC. On an added note, there are currently three Flashes running around (Jay, Barry, Wally) and there were three Supermen (Earth-2, -1, and -Prime) until Kal-L was killed. Then there are cross-company dupes like Scarecrow, Daredevil, Hercules, etc.
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Originally Posted by Gunstar_Grey
point is yes there've been multiples of people to use these names, but not at the same time, and I'd hardly count Green Lantern as they've evolved over the years to the point that Green Lantern is a title more so than an actual superhero name, almost akin to calling a cop 'Officer'
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Umber's Hall of Heroes & Villains
I'm in a Green Lantern homage gimmick group with one of my characters and our approach was to take a fairly uncommon word that we would all use as a "first name" and then have unique "second names." Since we're the Cosmos Corps, mine is named Cosmos Kronos. Others include Cosmos Prime, Cosmos Aurelias, etc. Just another way that creativity can allow you to do whatever you want within he current system without compromising what you were going for.
That said, I'm all for clearing out some names. I'm not sure what criteria, though. Selfishly, I want them to clear it out in whatever way will allow the name "Captain Libertarian" to become available on Victory since I originally made my character back when it was too long for the naming system. If that means level 50's that haven't logged in this week, then that's fine with me. 
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Originally Posted by Mask_of_Many
Saying "but it's mine and I don't want to share!" just seems greedy.
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Originally Posted by Mask_of_Many
Lastly, could we all just calm down and stop with the implied insults and knee-jerk reactions? It's a hypothetical situation, ffs.
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@Mindshadow
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As someone who left three years ago, and was pleasantly surprised to find my favorite alts still there and ready to go when I came back for a free activation weekend, I heartily concur.|
Originally Posted by Blood Spectre
Seriously... sometimes people who leave for a long time come back. Knowing that those characters are exactly as they left them is a draw for those lapsed players to return. You are suggesting that NC would burn that bridge to appease a customer who, let's face it, is rather unlikely to leave over the matter?
Or, let me put it like this. If I took a year off from this game, under this policy, I'd never return. |
Had it been otherwise, I wouldn't have stuck around.
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Originally Posted by Westley
I want to be unique. It's that simple for me.
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Originally Posted by UnSub
I don't think there are any arguments that you are unique. ;-)
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I keed! I keed!
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I didnt think character names were case sensitive? ie if DriveBy is taken, then Driveby, DRIVEBY etc are all taken.
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Originally Posted by GibberingLunatic
Pfft, shows what you know! He's a Villain! So there!
Nah its a habit of mine to do words like that, but still, Drive-By and Driveby were both available, thanks to my (albiet odd) case of OCD I capitalized the B in By so there yah have it. Now I only wish he had a car... (snip) I'm a professional, trust me o.O |
I don't suffer from altitis, I enjoy every minute of it.
Thank you Devs & Community people for a great game.
So sad to be ending ):
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You would be correct.|
Originally Posted by tanstaafl
I didnt think character names were case sensitive? ie if DriveBy is taken, then Driveby, DRIVEBY etc are all taken.
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--NT
They all laughed at me when I said I wanted to be a comedian.
But I showed them, and nobody's laughing at me now!
If I became a red name, I would be all "and what would you mere mortals like to entertain me with today, mu hu ha ha ha!" ~Arcanaville
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What if he is a programmer in his secret ID? |
Originally Posted by Thirty_Seven
I respectfully disagree that that is a good name, on the basis that "real" superheroes don't use CamelCase.
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Paragon City Search And Rescue
The Mentor Project
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CamelCase - the superhero private investigator who's got the hump.
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Originally Posted by Thirty_Seven
I respectfully disagree that that is a good name, on the basis that "real" superheroes don't use CamelCase.
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Arc#314490: Zombie Ninja Pirates!
Defiant @Grouchybeast
Death is part of my attack chain.
If they tied account names to globals, it wouldn't be hard to create a disambiguation that is elegant and attractive. A vast proportion of the names on any one server would be unique; it is the small number of cases of non-unique names that would have to be disambiguated.
There could be two layers to this:
1) A per-character user-defined feature that says "I wish to reserve my character name on this server." This character name cannot be duplicated. If you want your characters to be 100% unique on that server, click the box. Otherwise, if you don't care, don't. If you do not log in the character for 365 days, this option clicks OFF. Therefore, any idle names on any accounts, paid or not, can be duplicated after 1 year, but the original player doesn't lose anything when he returns.
2) When displaying the character name in chat, show the global handle ONLY IF there is more than one example of that name in existence on that server. All other characters, who have non-duplicated (i.e., unique) names, do not show the global handle.
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You are Incorrect :P (granted you are correct about the case sensitive part however I hadn't selected the name yet, only the idea and was glad to find out all variations were available.)|
Originally Posted by tanstaafl
I didnt think character names were case sensitive? ie if DriveBy is taken, then Driveby, DRIVEBY etc are all taken.
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| but still, Drive-By and Driveby were both available, thanks to my (albeit odd) case of OCD I capitalized the B in By so there yah have it. |
One of them few posts you gotta read into cause my friends say I'm naturally cryptic and vague 99% of the time.
Honestly... I don't get it.
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Originally Posted by Grouchybeast
CamelCase - the superhero private investigator who's got the hump.
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V.I.L.L.A.I.N. Sheeezh. Don't make me show you why hes called DriveBy....
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Once again, any technical difficulty or unpleasantness in the visual result is hand-waved aside. If it wouldn't be hard, then explain such a system to us.|
Originally Posted by Hertz
If they tied account names to globals, it wouldn't be hard to create a disambiguation that is elegant and attractive.
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| 2) When displaying the character name in chat, show the global handle ONLY IF there is more than one example of that name in existence on that server. All other characters, who have non-duplicated (i.e., unique) names, do not show the global handle. |
Paragon City Search And Rescue
The Mentor Project
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As long as you start from the premise that the right to a unique character name on a server has zero value, its easy to create systems that eliminate that right that have no cost.|
Originally Posted by Hertz
If they tied account names to globals, it wouldn't be hard to create a disambiguation that is elegant and attractive. A vast proportion of the names on any one server would be unique; it is the small number of cases of non-unique names that would have to be disambiguated.
There could be two layers to this: 1) A per-character user-defined feature that says "I wish to reserve my character name on this server." This character name cannot be duplicated. If you want your characters to be 100% unique on that server, click the box. Otherwise, if you don't care, don't. If you do not log in the character for 365 days, this option clicks OFF. Therefore, any idle names on any accounts, paid or not, can be duplicated after 1 year, but the original player doesn't lose anything when he returns. |
And we just got rid of using idle time to remove items from character's auction slots. I find it difficult to believe that wasn't done because the idea of removing anything, even a right like right to unique name, from an otherwise active paid account was considered to cause more harm than good.
The original player does lose something. The question is always is it worth it to take it away from them, knowing it might harm your relationship with that customer. Sometimes, that's true. In this case, I think that's highly questionable.
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| 2) When displaying the character name in chat, show the global handle ONLY IF there is more than one example of that name in existence on that server. All other characters, who have non-duplicated (i.e., unique) names, do not show the global handle. |
Chat windows
Team Windows
Supergroup listings
Above characters in the UI
Arena interfaces
Trade windows
City Terminals
Player Notes
In all of these cases there is a need for identifiers to be unambiguous, and in many of them there is an additional need for the user interface to reserve sufficient space to display the worst case scenario length identifier. Some of them are easier to alter than others, but all of them would require some developer work. I still don't see the "elegant" solution that is continuously presumed to exist.
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In my opinion, holding a unique name on a server not only has zero value, it has negative value in that it can serve as a barrier to people who might want to join in the fun and support my MMO of choice. (But then, other people place a different value on unique names. They call me uncreative; I think them selfish. But it boils down to what you value about the game.)|
Originally Posted by Arcanaville
As long as you start from the premise that the right to a unique character name on a server has zero value, its easy to create systems that eliminate that right that have no cost.
And we just got rid of using idle time to remove items from character's auction slots. I find it difficult to believe that wasn't done because the idea of removing anything, even a right like right to unique name, from an otherwise active paid account was considered to cause more harm than good. The original player does lose something. The question is always is it worth it to take it away from them, knowing it might harm your relationship with that customer. Sometimes, that's true. In this case, I think that's highly questionable. |
I also think that what my character is named is more valuable to me than what names you have to see on other avatars is to you.
I further hold the opinion that encountering similarly named avatars is currently very rare in this game. Under a non-unique naming situation, I think seeing avatars with the same name would be similarly rare, and very little of an issue.
To the extent duplicate naming is an issue and might "confuse" people who are otherwise seemingly intelligent enough to type and use computers, I think that using the currently existing name-coloring system (check your options tab if you haven't enabled it) is one way to alleviate any such confusion and allow said intelligent people to continue to communicate effectively.
But again, these are merely my opinions, and I am well aware that there are some vocal advocates of the opposite position. Hopefully, if this idea is considered, market research of some other type than polling the forums or a room at Hero Con would be used to determine which is in the game's best interest.
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Actually, this one can be dangerous. It's not possible to predict what would happen here. Because it's also possible that the main reason there's so few similar names is because people are dissuaded when they find out something is taken.|
Originally Posted by Johnny_Velocity
I further hold the opinion that encountering similarly named avatars is currently very rare in this game. Under a non-unique naming situation, I think seeing avatars with the same name would be similarly rare, and very little of an issue.
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From my earlier example, I tried to take Black Jackal. I had no intention of just settling for Bl4ck J4ckal and calling it a day. I think that there are a lot of people out there who don't want to so clearly broadcast their lack of creativity. With crazy simple names like "Darkness," all the variations may be taken as well to the point that someone just gives up.
If names weren't unique, that'd never happen. I would never know there's another Black Jackal out there until I ran into him/her. And every single person who ever thought to name their toon Darkness would immediately be able to do so, and zone right into Atlas Park next to Darkness, Black Jackal, Catgirl, and Darkness.
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Originally Posted by PRAF68_EU
Dispari has more than enough credability, and certainly doesn't need to borrow any from you.
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We did?? Jeez, I'm out of touch. Was that in a patch note, or just a passing dev comment?
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
And we just got rid of using idle time to remove items from character's auction slots. I find it difficult to believe that wasn't done because the idea of removing anything, even a right like right to unique name, from an otherwise active paid account was considered to cause more harm than good.
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Originally Posted by Hyperstrike
English does not borrow from other languages. English follows other languages down dark alleys, hits them over the head, and rifles through their pockets for loose grammar.
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It has negative value to you. It has positive value to NCSoft, because at least some players value it. Therefore, NCSoft has to consider removing that feature as having a negative value (a cost) associated with it which counterbalances the benefit of adding a non-unique character naming feature. That should factor into not just the decision on whether to implement such a feature, but whether its even worth the cost of attempting to determine if such a feature is cost-effective. The question is how likely is it to be a net-positive. |
Originally Posted by Johnny_Velocity
In my opinion, holding a unique name on a server not only has zero value, it has negative value in that it can serve as a barrier to people who might want to join in the fun and support my MMO of choice. (But then, other people place a different value on unique names. They call me uncreative; I think them selfish. But it boils down to what you value about the game.)
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I see no reason to believe that likelihood is high. I see no reason to believe that likelihood is low either, but in such a circumstance NCSoft would be better served pursuing game improvement opportunities that are much more likely to be bear fruit. In other words, not only is it likely to be low on the list to implement, its likely to be low on the list to study.
There's only one thing I can think of that would significantly change that situation: cross-server content. If the devs are considering cross-server PvP, or even something more dramatic like cross-server teaming, then the whole question of unique naming becomes in-play, because relative to the issue of cross-server identity, no character name is guaranteed unique already, and the issue of resolving character name collisions is forced.
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I never checked it personally, but I remember reading it in the Issue 14 release notes (they are long, so I would recommend searching for "60").
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Originally Posted by ZephyrWind
We did?? Jeez, I'm out of touch. Was that in a patch note, or just a passing dev comment?
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In one little corner of the universe, there's nothing more irritating than a misfile...
(Please support the best webcomic about a cosmic universal realignment by impaired angelic interference resulting in identity crisis angst. Or I release the pigmy water thieves.)
I just scored "The Stygian Nightmare" on Freedom, a Dark/Dark stalker...
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ORLY?|
Originally Posted by Johnny_Velocity
To the extent duplicate naming is an issue and might "confuse" people who are otherwise seemingly intelligent enough to type and use computers, I think that using the currently existing name-coloring system (check your options tab if you haven't enabled it) is one way to alleviate any such confusion and allow said intelligent people to continue to communicate effectively.
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Please, kind sir, explain to me how we can tell the difference between two names that are spelled the same and are also the SAME COLOR? Yes, you can turn on the color names, but the color selected for each name is based on a mathematical formula and is NOT under player control.
Maybe you should learn how things work before you get sarcastic and force some of the "said intelligent people" to explain things for you.
Paragon City Search And Rescue
The Mentor Project
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Or at least, only creative in the same way as enough other people have been creative as to resemble uncreative.|
Originally Posted by Celestial_Lord
Perhaps I'm uncreative.
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I've rarely had any names that I really wanted not be available, in some fashion or another, slightly mutated. On the other hands, amongst the names I wanted, I've scored or grabbed for people the names Emblazoned, Reforged, Swivel, Coil, Vandalous, Battlebriar, Tradewind, Eavesdrop and Drawforce.
This is on Virtue, the second most populated server.
What I would suggest, though, if there's a name you really want, hop on and do a /getglobalname for the names you want. Sometimes you'll find a global name, and that's someone you can ask. You'd be surprised how many people are free with giving away names in these situations.
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It should be pointed out that the type of people that are going to go to a fan fair are almost always long term hardcore players.|
Originally Posted by warden_de_dios
Very Very interesting. I find it's a bummer the room was all NOOO!!! to tying names to globals. It would be nice if there was an option in the game to display names in chat and team search as playername@playerglobal. Stars are great, but I can't see them in chats and using a popup window to pull globals off a team search is rather lame.
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In other words, they got in early enough to get some really good names on established characters and have a vested interest in not having those names available to others.
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Really? Because I've been playing this game for about a month and a half, for a few hours every weekend, and still think this is a bad idea. Am i hardcore nao?|
Originally Posted by Targoth
It should be pointed out that the type of people that are going to go to a fan fair are almost always long term hardcore players.
In other words, they got in early enough to get some really good names on established characters and have a vested interest in not having those names available to others. |
If you actually read the thread you would see that there's a literal ton of reasons give against the idea other than "we got here first".
I can see both sides of the arguement, which is why I offered up a suggestion earlier in the tread which could have kept both sides happy. Sadly it didn't seem to go down too well. Oh well. But when I create a toon I always start with concept, and maybe even a basis for a bio before I even choose an AT or powerset, let alone a name. Usually I get a feel for the name from the concept, then as i choose AT and power sets the name starts to take shape in my head. Some examples of my toons, past and present, are as follows...
1: Tess Trueshot, an extreme range archery sniper
2: Psi Fire, a sci-fi geek who after being kidnaped by a villian named THe Blazing Bolt learns she has pyschic powers, defeats the villian and takes his armoured suit and fire weapons systems and customises them for herself (thus making her technically a dual origin character :-) )
3: Loita & Lina Lethal, genetic clone twins that escaped from a test lab where they were being "matured" and implanted to be the pefect asassins but were seperated during their escape, one ending up in paragon city the other in the rouge isles.
4: Nowucimi Nowudont, a stage magician that discovers he posseses real magic.
5: Perfect Pitch, a mutant girl with vocal chords that cannot be used for human speach, but can be used, among other things, to duplicate any musical instument she has ever heard.
I could carry this list on for ages with my other toons, like Terror Poser Blondi (spider), Dread Visage (WS), Primary Star (PB), Pretty Hate Machine (bots MM), Trouble Seeker, Kid Ego, Sergeant Psyche, Microwave Girl (SG in joke) N'Jahl Stormcaller, A Cold Spell, Aspen Darksfire, Kunoichi Jounin Kai, etc. None of those names were set in stone and some were not even first choice names, but they are names that fit and work perfectly for the character.
Comming up with a name then working everything else to fit the name to me just seems odd to me, especially with how long I usually take making a character. The name is usually the icing on the cake rather than the cake itself for me. The name finishes off the concept, the concept isn't made to fit the name.
Honestly, I'm worried I will never find a team cause everybody is too busy in Pocket D to do anything