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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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. |
Interestingly enough, those long-term hard core players are still making new characters and getting names they want.
That's the one thing that people who make statements like this seem to ignore - it's not the norm in this game to have only the one or two characters first made on an account. The more typical behavior is to have many, many characters, with new ones being made as new issues come out or the fancy takes the player. And those characters also need names.
True, Golden Girl got a great name at launch (or whenever it was that she joined the game) - but the thing is, she is still using it now. Allowing another player to use the name while she is using it would cause all the problems already outlined (more than once) in this thread.
Name purges would be OK, with notice given of the conditions that will get a name released. I trust what the devs have said that the first one wasn't really all that effective. But most everyone here is in favor of a purge for inactive accounts, with a variety of definitions of "inactive" being put forth.
Disclaimer: I don't know Golden Girl outside this game, but I've always admired the name & costume. I would love to have been the person who nabbed it, but I didn't. Grats to her, I'm a bit jealous, but I don't want to copy her. I will make my own original, TYVM.
Altoholic - but a Blaster at Heart!
Originally Posted by SpyralPegacyon
"You gave us a world where we could fly. I can't thank you enough for that."
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Good point. I always forget about colour blind people, probably because colour perception is one of the easiest things to take for granted. I do, however, remember the many times people have asked for a write-up of all the colours with names given, complained that the pink experience bar looks the same as the blue patrol experience bar and so on and so forth.|
Originally Posted by Morac_Ex_Machina
Also, what about colour blind people?
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Largely, colour-blindness-related complaints have been cosmetic. Telling people apart is NOT cosmetic, so going by colour alone is not a good idea. That's even IF we change the name colours system to not be based on the ASCII of the name.
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
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The hardcore player is willing to sit on a character concept for an extended period of time until they get a name they find acceptable. Also, as a generalisation the hardcore long-term players know the naming system well and how best to use it to get what they want (e.g. checking multiple servers, they might have their own naming system of prefixes and / or suffixes or changes to names to get something they like, saving costumes, hunting down someone with the name and asking them to release it, etc). |
Originally Posted by Ad Astra
Interestingly enough, those long-term hard core players are still making new characters and getting names they want.
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I don't expect non-unique names to appear alongside GoRo. All indications point to a name purge prior to its release though (although name purges have advantages and disadvantages as well, but since the community has seem them before the disadvantages are considered acceptable for the advantages it provides).
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You exaggerate. I've been with the game for over five years now, and a couple of weeks ago, I thought "Hey, why not make a Panda Girl?" And so I did, and I snagged the name Pandala on my first try on the first server where I tried it. It's not in the slightest unique or creative, but I still got it. This has been the case with most of my new characters recently. I don't always get the name on the first try, but if I play around with it, I have a name within 15 minutes.|
Originally Posted by UnSub
The hardcore player is willing to sit on a character concept for an extended period of time until they get a name they find acceptable. Also, as a generalisation the hardcore long-term players know the naming system well and how best to use it to get what they want (e.g. checking multiple servers, they might have their own naming system of prefixes and / or suffixes or changes to names to get something they like, saving costumes, hunting down someone with the name and asking them to release it, etc).
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Getting a good name does not require insider knowledge or unusual skill. It just requires the ability to let go of the one that didn't make it through.
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
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go play champions if you want to have non unique names.
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Only if you consider 10-15 minutes "an extended period of time".|
Originally Posted by UnSub
The hardcore player is willing to sit on a character concept for an extended period of time until they get a name they find acceptable. Also, as a generalisation the hardcore long-term players know the naming system well and how best to use it to get what they want (e.g. checking multiple servers, they might have their own naming system of prefixes and / or suffixes or changes to names to get something they like, saving costumes, hunting down someone with the name and asking them to release it, etc).
I don't expect non-unique names to appear alongside GoRo. All indications point to a name purge prior to its release though (although name purges have advantages and disadvantages as well, but since the community has seem them before the disadvantages are considered acceptable for the advantages it provides). |
And as far as the strategies you mention (checking other servers - wow, that's something a new player would not think of, really?
) - well, I honestly think you aren't giving these hypothetical new players enough credit for thinking of alternatives.
Altoholic - but a Blaster at Heart!
Originally Posted by SpyralPegacyon
"You gave us a world where we could fly. I can't thank you enough for that."
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Originally Posted by Ad Astra
Only if you consider 10-15 minutes "an extended period of time".
And as far as the strategies you mention (checking other servers - wow, that's something a new player would not think of, really? ) - well, I honestly think you aren't giving these hypothetical new players enough credit for thinking of alternatives. |
Psh, EVERYONE knows that new players are like dumb babies. They can't do ANYTHING on their own!
Problems with non-unique names: Ugly/unweildy if tied to global etc. Confusion and/or griefing if not tied to global etc. Several aspects of the game might have to be redesigned (/tell commands, size of LFT team screen columns).
Problems with unique names: Players may have to be somewhat original in coming up with names.
Of the two, I'll take the second set of problems.
My original account (now defunct) straddled the two name purges while I was over in Iraq. I lost a grand total of one name: the lame moniker "Baron Skull" for my lame Skeletor-homage throwaway character. Simply added a "von" in the middle when I had to rename. After a dead computer and a lost CD key, I started my two current accounts from scratch in November of 2006. Even giving those dirty bad nasty "been here since Beta" greedy name campers a few years headstart, I've had no trouble getting names I've wanted. On a couple rare occassions, my first attempt was taken; my subsequent names have always beem more statisfying.
Upstream, a poster talked about not being able to get "Black Jackal" or any reasonable combination thereof. A couple minutes of name checking came up with the following available names on the two most populated severs:
Freedom server: Jackal Black, Midnight Jackal
Virtue server: Dark Anubis, Sable Jackal
I didn't bother with the smaller servers and I stopped at two viable names each. Admittedly, Virtue with its name-savvy role players is a bit harder for names, but certainly not too terribly difficult. (Personally, I'd much rather have Dark Anubis than Black Jackal anyway, but that's personal taste.)
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Someone new to the game might not know that names are server-specific. I think that when you type in a name for a new character and it is taken (not that it happens very often, but it does happen), the responce message should be changed.
Instead of "That name is unavailable, try again.", it should read "That name is unavailable on this server, try another name or try on another server."
Bonus points if it looks for servers where it IS available and suggests those.
For some folks, the choice of servers is more important (my SG/friends, other characters/etc. are there...)
For others, the choice of name is more important (my characters have always been named this since pen-n-paper days, I really wanted this one concept etc....)
They can sort themselves out.
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Eh, why not? Have the name search feature query all the servers and give you back a list, like:|
Originally Posted by BBQ_Pork
Someone new to the game might not know that names are server-specific. I think that when you type in a name for a new character and it is taken (not that it happens very often, but it does happen), the responce message should be changed.
Instead of "That name is unavailable, try again.", it should read "That name is unavailable on this server, try another name or try on another server." Bonus points if it looks for servers where it IS available and suggests those. For some folks, the choice of servers is more important (my SG/friends, other characters/etc. are there...) For others, the choice of name is more important (my characters have always been named this since pen-n-paper days, I really wanted this one concept etc....) They can sort themselves out. |
Freedom: Available
Virtue: Taken
Victory: Taken
Pinnacle: Available
Guardian: Taken
etc.
You can do the same thing manually, anyway, and it might help people. It won't help me, since I pick my server first and my name, like, third, but it might help other people.
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
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Alternatively, maybe when you try to take a name on a server, instead of telling you the name is already being used, it generates a list of playful taunts like "Come on, that's a pretty boring name," or "You can do better than that. Try again."
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Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow
Eh, why not? Have the name search feature query all the servers and give you back a list, like:
Freedom: Available Virtue: Taken Victory: Taken Pinnacle: Available Guardian: Taken etc. You can do the same thing manually, anyway, and it might help people. It won't help me, since I pick my server first and my name, like, third, but it might help other people. |
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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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Or even:|
Originally Posted by Dispari
Alternatively, maybe when you try to take a name on a server, instead of telling you the name is already being used, it generates a list of playful taunts like "Come on, that's a pretty boring name," or "You can do better than that. Try again."
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"Did you really think such a common name would be available? Are you STUPID? Are you going to try the name Spiderman next?"
Paragon City Search And Rescue
The Mentor Project
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Originally Posted by Ironblade
Or even:
"Did you really think such a common name would be available? Are you STUPID? Are you going to try the name Spiderman next?" |
/Win
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"Are you stupid? Are you retarded or something? What are you going to try next? The Godamn Batman?"|
Originally Posted by Ironblade
Or even:
"Did you really think such a common name would be available? Are you STUPID? Are you going to try the name Spiderman next?" |
Something along those lines?
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
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"You want Lord Dark Darkness? I've seen four of those in Atlas Park today already. Try something better."
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Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow
"Are you stupid? Are you retarded or something? What are you going to try next? The Godamn Batman?"
Something along those lines? |
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"I'm sorry. IceMan, IceWoman, IceBaby, IceIceBaby, and IcedDarling have all been taken. And I swear if you type in Vanilla Ice one more time I'm going to Blue Screen on you!"
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Originally Posted by BBQ_Pork
"You want Lord Dark Darkness? I've seen four of those in Atlas Park today already. Try something better."
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It is when you are just trying to name a character and repeatedly told "This name is not available" (hmm, I really should go and check out exactly what that message is as a point of interest).|
Originally Posted by Ad Astra
Only if you consider 10-15 minutes "an extended period of time".
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It might not take 10 minutes in all reality, but the aim should be to get a new player as smoothly as possible into the game rather than potentially frustrate them during character creation.
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That's weird, because I find that new players take ages making new characters and have heaps of fun doing it, because of all the customization. When you take forty minutes on the outfit, taking five on the name seems a small concern.
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Originally Posted by UnSub
It is when you are just trying to name a character and repeatedly told "This name is not available" (hmm, I really should go and check out exactly what that message is as a point of interest).
It might not take 10 minutes in all reality, but the aim should be to get a new player as smoothly as possible into the game rather than potentially frustrate them during character creation. |
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I have honestly taken about 2 hours with one outfit before...|
Originally Posted by Talen_Lee
That's weird, because I find that new players take ages making new characters and have heaps of fun doing it, because of all the customization. When you take forty minutes on the outfit, taking five on the name seems a small concern.
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... Stop me before I go blind... please?
Wait... Just one more outfit... srsly plz!
NUUUUUU!!!! *gets torn away from the computer*
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Not menacing enough.|
Originally Posted by je_saist
"I'm sorry. IceMan, IceWoman, IceBaby, IceIceBaby, and IcedDarling have all been taken. And I swear if you type in Vanilla Ice one more time I'm going to Blue Screen on you!"
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"I'm sorry. IceMan, IceWoman, IceBaby, IceIceBaby, and IcedDarling have all been taken. And I swear if you type in Vanilla Ice one more time I'm going to go Blue Steel on you!"
NOW, it's menacing.
Paragon City Search And Rescue
The Mentor Project
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Hmm, I've never done any of that, because I'm actually unwilling to do any of that. I don't "sit" on character concepts for extended periods of time just because a name isn't available. I assume if a name is unavailable, its permanently unavailable. I never use prefixes or suffixes unrelated to the name. I decide which server I want a character on before I begin making it, and I never change that decision due to name availability. I have never, and will never ask someone to give up a name: I would consider that rude and I can't think of any way to phrase the request that would make it less than presumptuous.|
Originally Posted by UnSub
The hardcore player is willing to sit on a character concept for an extended period of time until they get a name they find acceptable. Also, as a generalisation the hardcore long-term players know the naming system well and how best to use it to get what they want (e.g. checking multiple servers, they might have their own naming system of prefixes and / or suffixes or changes to names to get something they like, saving costumes, hunting down someone with the name and asking them to release it, etc).
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I just make characters and pick names. And to be honest, I've almost never had to take more than a couple of tries to get a name. Half my names I've scored on the first try.
Not that long ago (early this year, if I remember correctly) I decided to make a set of new characters just to test solo leveling speed. But rather than make throwaway characters on test I decided to make permanent characters on live, so I put actual thought into them. The five characters I ended up making (all on Triumph) were:
Libra Moon: DB/Will scrapper
Ms Fortune: Arachnos Widow
Amber Vendetta: Claws/Elec stalker
Plasmina Dynamo: Fire/Kin controller
Electrocutioness: Elec/Elec Brute
Ms Fortune took two tries (Miss Fortune was taken). Libra Moon took three tries (three totally different names). Everything else took one try. Five distinct names in eight total tries. I had no special advantage over any brand new player in picking those names just for being a long-term player. They were not camped, they were generated this year, they use no special strategies to avoid name collisions (unless you count trying both "Ms" and "Miss"), they did not require jumping servers, and I did not have to ask someone to vacate the names. And every name is closely tied with my mental concept for the characters: none of them is a "random" name.
I only ever do what I expect everyone else to do. Think up a character, and then pick a unique name for the character. That's all. No tricks, no special advantages.
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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.
Translation: It isn't fair that people who do things first get to pick first.
When Targoth goes to the movies no one that got there before him is allowed to buy concessions or pick a seat first because it isn't fair if they get the fresher popcorn or choice seats just cuz they got there first.