Can We Talk About Name Availability For A Minute

[MokahTGS.7850]

I've never understood why Anet chose the archaic method they use. All accounts have a unique player ID that reporting functions, friend, , mail, party and guild systems use so why haven't they fixed this. The only, and sad reason is that they created the badly designed soul-binding systems that tie items and story to a character and not to an account.

 

Unfortunately, this is the why the system is the way it is.

[Rasimir.6239]

> @"Lunia.2736" said:

> > @"Rasimir.6239" said:

> > > @"Lunia.2736" said:

> > > Loads of inactive accounts that will never ever touch this game again are hoarding interesting, fun and good names with level 2 characters.

> > How do you know that?

>

> Add them to your friendslist. They never log on, ever. In years.

How do you know that? As far as I know, friends list only shows character level information if it is a mutual friendship, and no last login date. The closest to that (outside of people in my guilds, and even that doesn't help with somebody that for personal reasons only ever plays with visibility set to offline) that I could find was "last ap gained" in the ap leaderboard list under this site's community section, and that is a lot different from last login. There are people on my friends list showing up with a date weeks or even months back that I know have been logged in as recent as yesterday, they just haven't gained any ap recently.

 

Besides I'm still curious, how many "loads of inactive accounts" do you have on your friends list to know they are in fact the problem with names?

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

> @"Lunia.2736" said:

> I agree with the OP and not everyone wants to be forced to use a name with spaces.

No one is forced to use a name with spaces. I've created dozens of single-word names.

 

> Has nothing to do with a "lack of creativity" as everyone claims.

Disallowing a space requires more creativity than allowing one.

 

> Loads of inactive accounts that will never ever touch this game again are hoarding interesting, fun and good names with level 2 characters.

As phrased, that's inaccurate and misleading

* We can't know that owners will "never ever touch the game again;" at worst, we can say that the owners haven't touched the game in X months. People come back after 2, 3 or even 6 years.

* "Hoarding" in this context implies an intent to prevent anyone else from using the name(s), which is almost never the case.

* The implication is that freeing up these names would make them accessible to the masses. In fact, at best, each name can be obtained by only one person and there are a limited number of such names.

* No evidence has been provided that a significant fraction of "interesting, fun, or good names" are held on L2 character by active accounts. If it's on a currently-inactive account, the character level is irrelevant.

 

> WoW used to free up completely dead and idle names through tickets until they automated it, I wish this game would too.

[WoW's rationale is](https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/15910697/release-the-names-character-name-reclamation-coming)

"_Our goal with this great name liberation is to make sure new and returning players have a large and varied pool of names available to choose from—so log in now if you wish to preserve your unused characters’ names for your ongoing journey through [next expac]._"

[And their policy is](https://us.battle.net/support/en/article/11226)

"_Character names on accounts that have been inactive for the past two expansions automatically become eligible to be used by other characters. We do not assist with releasing character names manually._"

 

[ANet's rationale & policy has been in place for over a decade](https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/support/support/Requesting-a-Taken-Name/4248872):

"_We do not take character or display or guild names away from valid accounts. Someone may step away and return to the game later, so the names must stay in place._"

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

A list of previous discussions on the same topic in the "new" forums (there are plenty in [the old forums](https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum), too)

* [October 2017](https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/12851/how-to-fix-the-naming-problem)

* [October 2017 also](https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/9755/name-purge-its-about-time)

* [November 2017](https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/16000/i-see-dead-names-all-the-time)

* [December 2017](https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/18951/name-already-taken)

* [February 2018](https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/26756/why-are-names-not-being-released-cant-create-character)

[Healix.5819]

> @"Rasimir.6239" said:

> The closest to that (outside of people in my guilds, and even that doesn't help with somebody that for personal reasons only ever plays with visibility set to offline) that I could find was "last ap gained" in the ap leaderboard list under this site's community section, and that is a lot different from last login.

 

If someone hasn't gained a point in years, they probably don't play. Also, you can lookup anyone's last login by inviting them to a guild, and although it doesn't update when invisible, it's still good for determining if they haven't logged in in over 2 years.

[Biff.5312]

I give all my new toons surnames. The odd time I still get denied, but for the most part this solves the problem.

[sorudo.9054]

do you see that nice forum name Anet assigned us, that one with the number next to it?

that's supposed to be our global name, if they use that for our in-game account we could have every frikin name we want as long as it isn't used by yourself.

[sorudo.9054]

delete this one

 

 

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

> @"sorudo.9054" said:

> do you see that nice forum name Anet assigned us, that one with the number next to it?

> that's supposed to be our global name, if they use that for our in-game account we could have every frikin name we want as long as it isn't used by yourself.

 

They could... except then I'd never be able to invite "sorudo" to my party or guild unless you were standing right next to me, and I could right click. To whisper you, I'd need to know your character name **and** your account's display name.

 

And I much prefer a game populated with one-off names, rather than see a full map of Daenerys Targaryens.

 

****

There are lots of ways to code a game to handle names. GW2 and WoW and BDO and ESO use different methods. Each has pros & cons. There's no right answer as to which is better (that depends on our preferences). However, there is a cost issue in changing the game as it exists now to cater to the preferences of a subset of players. Why should ANet spend for a different system, when the current one already offers plenty of options?

[Etria.3642]

> @"mauried.5608" said:

> No MMos do this and the reason is the same .

> They hope that players who have left the game will eventually come back, and think of the outrage when you do and your name is gone.

> Also, such a policy would have to be declared when the game was released so people would be assured that they wont be penalised for taking a break.

>

>

 

swtor does, actually. Free to play accounts lose names after a certain amount of time. Also when they merged servers, they had a hierarchy. IIRC it went most time played, first created, then which was highest level then something I can't remember which, but the code was NOT perfect, as I had the same name on about 10 servers(Etria, imagine that) and while my mainest of mains did keep Etria, my nextest main had to namechange and I lost the name Trouble altogether, which was heartbreaking. Presumably the other Trouble played longer or it was their main. I finally let my sub lapse last month, after playing since the month after release so I suppose my stable of 'cool' names will soon be taken. RIP Deadly

[Bloodstealer.5978]

there are literally thousands and thousands of names you can use from many name generators out there on the interweebs, me even use specific tailoring to GW2 themes. Both myself and a guild mate have been creating new toons recently and not had a single issue with names, even some more mundane ones. It comes down to what you want and if what you want is by its taken status, quite popular maybe then that is just how it is, move on and try others.

Use of accents is fine btw, several of mine use them without any issue.

 

Care to tell us what name your looking to have, perhaps we can offer up some solutions.. but if your looking for BoB, then you may find your out of luck.

 

Bottom line you have zero idea as to whether a name is being disused or no longer required, because the nature of GW2 makes it perfectly acceptable to go on an extend hiatus and come back. If however you feel you want to buy another players character name then that is on you, a waste of money imo, but that's your prerogative just like its other players prerogative to take breaks from the game.

Take 15mins, get creative and maybe you will have one of those light bulb moments..

[Bloodstealer.5978]

> @"Healix.5819" said:

> > @"Rasimir.6239" said:

> > The closest to that (outside of people in my guilds, and even that doesn't help with somebody that for personal reasons only ever plays with visibility set to offline) that I could find was "last ap gained" in the ap leaderboard list under this site's community section, and that is a lot different from last login.

>

> If someone hasn't gained a point in years, they probably don't play. Also, you can lookup anyone's last login by inviting them to a guild, and although it doesn't update when invisible, it's still good for determining if they haven't logged in in over 2 years.

 

That is not using a friends list, and its for guild members not generalised for anyone outside of that.

Add to that its a lot of hoops to keep going through which takes time.. time that could of been spent getting creative with alternative names, spellings, etc.. or just loading up a name generator instead.

All this is just poor mans excuse for "I can't be bothered to try cos I want BoB"

[Bloodstealer.5978]

> @"Etria.3642" said:

> > @"mauried.5608" said:

> > No MMos do this and the reason is the same .

> > They hope that players who have left the game will eventually come back, and think of the outrage when you do and your name is gone.

> > Also, such a policy would have to be declared when the game was released so people would be assured that they wont be penalised for taking a break.

> >

> >

>

> swtor does, actually. Free to play accounts lose names after a certain amount of time. Also when they merged servers, they had a hierarchy. IIRC it went most time played, first created, then which was highest level then something I can't remember which, but the code was NOT perfect, as I had the same name on about 10 servers(Etria, imagine that) and while my mainest of mains did keep Etria, my nextest main had to namechange and I lost the name Trouble altogether, which was heartbreaking. Presumably the other Trouble played longer or it was their main. I finally let my sub lapse last month, after playing since the month after release so I suppose my stable of 'cool' names will soon be taken. RIP Deadly

 

SWTOR's server mergers were a mare on many fronts not just naming collisions. It is safe to say ANET would be much better avoiding that kind of malarkey .. nuff said.

[Lunia.2736]

> @"Illconceived Was Na.9781" said:

> Disallowing a space requires more creativity than allowing one.

 

I never mentioned disallowing spaces.

 

> As phrased, that's inaccurate and misleading

> * We can't know that owners will "never ever touch the game again;" at worst, we can say that the owners haven't touched the game in X months. People come back after 2, 3 or even 6 years.

 

I'm talking more about people who bought GW2 on release and never touched it ever again. They probably don't even remember their character or name at this point. :p

 

> * "Hoarding" in this context implies an intent to prevent anyone else from using the name(s), which is almost never the case.

 

People do this in every MMORPG they start, hoard a lot of names for potential alts in the future, then realize they don't like the game and those names lay dead for eternity in this game.

 

> * The implication is that freeing up these names would make them accessible to the masses. In fact, at best, each name can be obtained by only one person and there are a limited number of such names.

 

Obviously a single name won't be available for the masses. But freeing up a million names from a million inactive and dead accounts would free up a lot of names for active players. There's a reason other games do this.

 

> * No evidence has been provided that a significant fraction of "interesting, fun, or good names" are held on L2 character by active accounts. If it's on a currently-inactive account, the character level is irrelevant.

 

I mean, what evidence are you looking for? You can add names to your friends list and find out yourself.

Everyone has a different concept of "interesting, fun and good" names.

 

> [WoW's rationale is](https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/15910697/release-the-names-character-name-reclamation-coming)

> "_Our goal with this great name liberation is to make sure new and returning players have a large and varied pool of names available to choose from—so log in now if you wish to preserve your unused characters’ names for your ongoing journey through [next expac]._"

> [And their policy is](https://us.battle.net/support/en/article/11226)

> "_Character names on accounts that have been inactive for the past two expansions automatically become eligible to be used by other characters. We do not assist with releasing character names manually._"

>

> [ANet's rationale & policy has been in place for over a decade](https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/support/support/Requesting-a-Taken-Name/4248872):

> "_We do not take character or display or guild names away from valid accounts. Someone may step away and return to the game later, so the names must stay in place._"

 

Yes and maybe they should rethink that rationale.

[Obtena.7952]

The big problem with Anet fixing this is that they have designed their game around people leaving and coming back. Imagine you come back after some period of time and you don't have the name for picked your character. MASSIVE CUSTOMER SERVICE FAILURE. I'm willing to bet that for most people, the name they choose is meaningful, so to come back and find part of your character's identity removed is unacceptable.

[kharmin.7683]

> @"Lunia.2736" said:

> Yes and maybe they should rethink that rationale.

 

With the ages-old question: what's in it for them?

[Danikat.8537]

> @"Obtena.7952" said:

> The big problem with Anet fixing this is that they have designed their game around people leaving and coming back. Imagine you come back after some period of time and you don't have the name for picked your character. MASSIVE CUSTOMER SERVICE FAILURE. I'm willing to bet that for most people, the name they choose is meaningful, so to come back and find part of your character's identity removed is unacceptable.

 

Yep. If that happened to me it would be the last time I ever logged into that game.

 

All my character names are meaningful, if only to me. I take my time thinking of something I like which is right for that character and once I've chosen one I never change it. Of course that also means the names I choose are very rarely taken, so it seems unlikely someone else would try to get the same name after I'd used it. But if they did take it that would completely ruin the character for me. It would be like if someone randomised their appearance, or changed their race and profession. And I have no interest in playing a game that would ruin my characters just because I didn't log in on their schedule.

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

> @"Lunia.2736" said:

> > @"Illconceived Was Na.9781" said:

> > Disallowing a space requires more creativity than allowing one.

>

> I never mentioned disallowing spaces.

You wrote, "I agree with the OP and not everyone wants to be forced to use a name with spaces."

 

>

> > As phrased, that's inaccurate and misleading

> > * We can't know that owners will "never ever touch the game again;" at worst, we can say that the owners haven't touched the game in X months. People come back after 2, 3 or even 6 years.

>

> I'm talking more about people who bought GW2 on release and never touched it ever again. They probably don't even remember their character or name at this point. :p

How many people do we think that includes? How many character names? How many of those are names that the OP wants? How many that you or anyone else want?

 

 

> > * "Hoarding" in this context implies an intent to prevent anyone else from using the name(s), which is almost never the case.

>

> People do this in every MMORPG they start, hoard a lot of names for potential alts in the future, then realize they don't like the game and those names lay dead for eternity in this game.

Yes, I'm sure that happens. The thing is: we don't know any particular player's intent, nor the intent behind the names that are unavailable. All we can say is that they aren't available right now; we can't say if they are hoarded.

 

>

> > * The implication is that freeing up these names would make them accessible to the masses. In fact, at best, each name can be obtained by only one person and there are a limited number of such names.

>

> Obviously a single name won't be available for the masses. But freeing up a million names from a million inactive and dead accounts would free up a lot of names for active players. There's a reason other games do this.

And there's a reason that other games don't. Some games do it because naming restrictions severely limit the options. Some do it because they want to please newer players more than veterans.

The fact that other games do it isn't a reason that GW2 should do it.

 

> > * No evidence has been provided that a significant fraction of "interesting, fun, or good names" are held on L2 character by active accounts. If it's on a currently-inactive account, the character level is irrelevant.

>

> I mean, what evidence are you looking for? You can add names to your friends list and find out yourself.

That tells us the name isn't available. It doesn't tell us whether it's held by an active or inactive account, nor for how long. It also won't tell us the level of the character.

 

> Everyone has a different concept of "interesting, fun and good" names.

Indeed.

The question is whether ANet should cater to the people who have a very narrow view of that or not.

 

>

> > [WoW's rationale is](https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/15910697/release-the-names-character-name-reclamation-coming)

> > "_Our goal with this great name liberation is to make sure new and returning players have a large and varied pool of names available to choose from—so log in now if you wish to preserve your unused characters’ names for your ongoing journey through [next expac]._"

> > [And their policy is](https://us.battle.net/support/en/article/11226)

> > "_Character names on accounts that have been inactive for the past two expansions automatically become eligible to be used by other characters. We do not assist with releasing character names manually._"

> >

> > [ANet's rationale & policy has been in place for over a decade](https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/support/support/Requesting-a-Taken-Name/4248872):

> > "_We do not take character or display or guild names away from valid accounts. Someone may step away and return to the game later, so the names must stay in place._"

>

> Yes and maybe they should rethink that rationale.

Why?

How is it to _this game_'s benefit to force people who return to change their character names? I understand why it might be to my benefit or yours or the OP's; I don't see an argument as to why it makes sense for Guild Wars 2, a game that prides itself on being friendly to those who take long breaks.

[sorudo.9054]

> @"Illconceived Was Na.9781" said:

> > @"sorudo.9054" said:

> > do you see that nice forum name Anet assigned us, that one with the number next to it?

> > that's supposed to be our global name, if they use that for our in-game account we could have every frikin name we want as long as it isn't used by yourself.

>

> They could... except then I'd never be able to invite "sorudo" to my party or guild unless you were standing right next to me, and I could right click. To whisper you, I'd need to know your character name **and** your account's display name.

>

> And I much prefer a game populated with one-off names, rather than see a full map of Daenerys Targaryens.

then how do you invite someone right now?

exactly, and it's just like that one instead you're inviting the account instead of inviting the character making it easier to find who is who.

[Lunia.2736]

> @"Illconceived Was Na.9781" said:

> How is it to _this game_'s benefit to force people who return to change their character names? I understand why it might be to my benefit or yours or the OP's; I don't see an argument as to why it makes sense for Guild Wars 2, a game that prides itself on being friendly to those who take long breaks.

 

I mean it's basically an eternal debate between people who want it and those who don't. There's no right or wrong in this matter. Not much to add.

 

> @"kharmin.7683" said:

> With the ages-old question: what's in it for them?

 

Some money from paid name changes? Happier players because they finally got the name that's being camped since release and never touched since?

 

That's a weird question tho since ANet releases plenty of stuff that doesn't "_benefit_" them. Like offering living story episodes for free whenever they launch or later on down the line, when they could be making money off them instead.

[kharmin.7683]

> @"Lunia.2736" said:

> > @"kharmin.7683" said:

> > With the ages-old question: what's in it for them?

>

> Some money from paid name changes? Happier players because they finally got the name that's being camped since release and never touched since?

And kittened off players who lose their name?

> That's a weird question tho since ANet releases plenty of stuff that doesn't "_benefit_" them. Like offering living story episodes for free whenever they launch or later on down the line, when they could be making money off them instead.

We don't know that giving LS free doesn't benefit them. I'd argue that it does; else they wouldn't do it.

 

[kettering.6823]

serious question: do you really want to be running around in a world with 10,000 Damiens? like, is that a game you want to play?

[XatraZaytrax.2601]

I've had problems getting the name I wanted since launch. It"s why my first character -- a sylvari -- is Bunnybane and my nor is called Storm of Hate -- how I was feeling in the moment. But on reflection they were perfect names because they made me think beyond the obvious and more creative, and they suit my characters.

[robertthebard.8150]

> @"Danikat.8537" said:

> > @"MikeG.6389" said:

> > > @"Danikat.8537" said:

> > > If they were to fix this problem I'd much prefer they do it by making it possible for two characters to have the same name. No, that wouldn't be an easy change to make but I think it's the only reasonable solution.

> >

> > Can you imagine the confusion when dozens of characters with the name "*insert-any-pop-cultural-reference*" are hanging out in the same city and they all participate in map chat?

> > The character names have to be unique to avoid confusion by other players and, I think, game mechanics, as well. For the latter, though, I think the game can differentiate quite easily between identically named characters by attaching the Display Name of the account to the character at creation. Or a hidden four digit number, like said Display Name. I don't know... Player confusion would still be a very real thing.

>

> That's part of what I meant when I said it wouldn't be an easy change. There are ways for computers to distinguish between identical character names as you said (the problem there is changing the database/s to factor in extra ways of identifying a character) but something which is clear for players and doesn't look a mess is trickier. It doesn't seem to be an issue on the forum, but I doubt anyone who wants Legolas would be happy with Legolas.374 instead, but if the number (or whatever other identifier they use) is invisible then a lot of current options, like typing in a name to find someone, won't work.

>

> I'm not saying it's an easy option, but IMO if Anet wanted to free up names which are already in use that's the **only** acceptable way to do it. Not taking names away from existing characters because someone else has decided they haven't logged in recently enough.

 

If you read the ToS, you'd know that anyone with the name Legolas would be getting a forced name change, because the name is copyrighted, and you can't use copyrighted names, which may be another reason you can't use a name. I don't know what message the game gives you when you try, because I've never actually tried to copy someone else's names. I have a list of names that I use in MMOs that I came up with on my own, and variants for in case my altaholism kicks in hard. In all the time I've been doing it, I've only run into one of those names being used once, and come to find out, it was me using it on an account I forgot I had.

[Ashen.2907]

"someone else has something that I want. Please take it away from them and give it to me."