Good character names are running out, huh?

Not similar, the SAME. We're not talking about someone else creating another regenerating mutant with claws... we're talking about people creating the EXACT SAME NAME that someone else already thought of. You can't try to claim to be creative when you want what someone else had first. It's as simple as that.

Two players both could have come up with imaginative, iconic character names, but the one who registered the name first on a particular server gets to keep it. I think that process is fine, and it's similar to patenting inventions.

However, it doesn't make the second person who attempted to register the name some sort of dullard, since there's no way to find out if a name's already in use apart from using the "check name" feature.

I can accept this of course. What I'm saying is that when you demand to have the same name or get in a huff because other people have taken "your names" and demand a way to still have that name even though someone else does.... when you give up... that's where I draw the line at "uncreative".

When people demand that the SYSTEM changes because they aren't creative to think of a new name or don't have the "stamina" to keep trying... that's when I have an issue.

No, nothing of the sort, but it just shows me you only see what you want to see and ignore everything else. If you read my post and see it as rubbing it in your face, then you are beyond arguing with.

If you actually cared to read it, and I'm beginning to seriously doubt you ever did, it's more "I got a name that I like and so can you if you tried." but apparently that makes me some kind of elitist jerk. Do you really want me to play the bad guy here? Really?

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.

I was getting "In a huff" because anytime the subject comes up, the majority opinion is "You're just not creative enough" which leads to an annoying argument instead of an intelligent discussion.

I always change my characters, not just the names, but change the character to suit the new name, as I've said before. Does'nt mean I'm not allowed to be annoyed with the process, and it does'nt mean I'm less creative.

The general tone of your post was rather sarcastic, it was'nt you offering a friendly option for those having trouble naming their characters, of which there are many already. The title of it implies insult to people who find the names they want taken.
Once again, the tone was'nt helpful or encouraging, it was just sarcastic.

"Super Dr. Fallout Man"?

I'm not going to listen to a woman with bunnies in her bra!

If you think Faint Protector is a good replacement for Dark Sentinel then arguing this with you is pointless. Just because words are listed in a Thesarus doesn't mean that putting them together makes them mean the same thing.

I'd rather not cause the deletion of another thread.

Sometimes it's the same and sometimes it's not. It depends on how signifigant the name and it's particulars are to you.

Shadowed Sentinel sounds a lot better then Faint Protector anyways.

Isn't that what a Thesaurus is for, finding words that mean the same thing?

It's not so much "proving" as giving evidence for "you might be surprised at what's still out there."

I got "Macavity" and "Great Rumpuscat" on Triumph just last Sunday - and if the names of a couple reasonably-famous literary characters have sat untouched for so long, who knows what else hasn't been taken either? Sometimes you get lucky, though I do agree it's frustrating when you don't.

Agreed, I just made a spines/fire scrapper and named him Fever Spike a couple weeks ago. I thought for sure the name would be taken, and I was surprised.

I wasn't offering friendly advice because I didn't post to offer advice, partly because people like you always turn around and throw it right back in my face, and partly because I didn't post to offer advice, but rather because I was happy I got a name when I was CONVINCED I would be completely unable to get a name without switching theme entirely. I'm sorry my happiness is such a sore spot in your eyes, but if you'd actually read my words rather than my tone, you might have seen that. Let me explain, just as a saving throw against being a total dick.

I was convinced that good, obvious names had long since run out. If you've participated in any of the recent threads that I have, you might have seen me claim that all the obvious names went on day one. Not last week, not last year, not "recently." On day one as soon as the door opened and people poured in to make their characters. That's the day when all the "Ultra Man" and "Flame Lass" and "Icegirl" names went. Poof, just like that. They have not been back since and they will never be back because, on the off chance they are freed, someone snatches them up pretty much on the spot, so you're never going to get an obvious name. Ever.

Or so I thought. However, having gotten a decent name without diverging from concept, that changed my mind. I no longer believe that all the good, obvious names are gone, because I now have proof that they are not. If I can find a name like this, anyone can find a name like this. Obviously, if someone has already found a name he can't use, then this discussion is completely inappropriate for that, because it's about FINDING names, not griping about names you can't change. If you can't change it, there's nothing to find. If you can't budge or yield or alternate a bit, then you have my condolences, but I was never talking to you to begin with. In fact, I wasn't talking to you at all. I was addressing my own belief that the obvious names were over, which you will see plain as daylight if you actually read my original post.

I never claimed anyone who can't find a name was uncreative, and rather than misquoting me on that, I would appreciate if you could find a direct, real quote that has me saying it or stop insisting I did. I never claimed it was easy, I never claimed it was always possible, I never claimed that it would work for anyone. In fact, if you'd read my original post, I never claimed my own name was actually any good. All I said was that I liked it, and I was confident there are still names left out there that other people will like. In fact, the only thing that original post said was "Look what I found! I'm happy with it! If you look, maybe you will be, too!"

And, forgive me for the harsh tone, but I'm getting a little tired of passive-aggressive people who can't see past their own noses reading every thread or post about how someone has found a good name or how good names can be found as some kind of hidden insult against their intelligence. And, yes, resorting to using "tone" as an argument is pretty dang low, because it's basically an impregnable argument. "That was your tone." "No it wasn't." "That's what it sounded like to me." Well, yeah, but it wasn't, and unless you can bring out a tuning fork to prove it, I will trust myself.

If you've ever found yourself not being able to use a name you wanted, I'm sorry. You have my honest condolences, because I've been in the same boat more than once. Nevertheless, do avoid inserting yourself as the victim every time the topic of character names comes about. It may not seem like it, but not a lot of people lie in wait for the perfect opportunity to call you uncreative. Most of us are just happy with the names we've gotten. Why does that bug you?

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.

Yes, we get that just fine.
Where we have a difference of OPINION, is that some of us think this is a good thing for the game, while you clearly think it is not.

That's our logic - we feel that having unique names is BETTER FOR THE GAME. Unfortunately, I can't see any way to gather evidence either for or against this opinion.

You might as well stop right there.

Sailboat's OPINION is that the uniqueness of a name has inherent value.
Your OPINION is that it does not.

For either of you to try to 'correct' the other is just stupid.

Actually, based on my reading of the various threads, I think the majority opinion is that people prefer the system the way it is. I think most people don't care *WHY* someone can't get the name they want (resulting in forum posts). We (I put myself in this group) just want the system to stay the way it is because we think it's BETTER.

Not because we're greedy jerks.
Not because we enjoy that some people struggle to find names they like.
Not because we're contrary.
We honestly think this is the best way to handle character naming.

Also, and this should be BLATANTLY OBVIOUS, we're still playing the game and have just as much chance as anyone else of having our first choice unavailable the next time we make a character. We just feel this is an acceptable trade-off for the benefit of unique names.

Welcome to the Internet!

You should have quoted a little more of that, since I can't recognise my own post the way you cropped it.

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.

I don't like your tone. You sound aggressive to me, so that must mean you're an evil meany! This chip on my shoulder is proof enough of that!