It's 7+ years and still no name reset. Why?

[Randulf.7614]

> @"yoni.7015" said:

> I never had any problems finding a name for a new character. Maybe be more creative than Legolas or Jon Snow.

 

Jon Legolas!

 

Hahahaha it wasn't even taken (I nabbed it, but deleted it, so if anyone wants it, it's yours in 24hrs)

[Pifil.5193]

> @"Randulf.7614" said:

> > @"yoni.7015" said:

> > I never had any problems finding a name for a new character. Maybe be more creative than Legolas or Jon Snow.

>

> Jon Legolas!

 

Giovanni Legolazzio the Italian elf ranger (and forward for Divinity's Reach United)!

[Menadena.7482]

> @"Just a flesh wound.3589" said:

> > @"Menadena.7482" said:

> > > @"Just a flesh wound.3589" said:

> > > It’s actually not that hard to get a unique char name. Adding a last name or changing the spelling a bit will do it.

> >

> > That only applies to languages you are fluent in. A lot of languages are full of words where a minor variation will change it into something completely different. I once had a name on a Sylvari and was asked why I was using the name 'small metal disc' (obviously I did a typo and had not noticed).

>

> That doesn’t invalidate what I said. It only changes what you thought the name meant. It still is a unique name if you vary the spelling or add a last name.

>

> By the way, Small Metal Disc could be a cool name for an Asuran engineer. ?

 

Apt for an asuran engineer, yes, but when you are going for something treelike? My point was if you are using real words, from whatever language, you are best not exploring varying the spelling unless you are at least semi-fluent. That was just a purely unintended word, what if by misspelling I typed in a swear word instead and whatever filters they have did not stop me?

[Gryphon.2875]

> @"Xar.6279" said:

> > @"AgentMoore.9453" said:

> > Hard no, buddy. Imagine paying for a game where it's understood that your characters are yours until you delete them, losing access to the internet for any number of reasons, and coming back to find your account stripped of characters because you didn't log in soon enough?

>

> It actually happened to me. Other (successful) mmorpg's reset character names and it works fine.

>

 

I wouldn't play a game that did that. They can be successful without me.

[AgentMoore.9453]

Listen, if I was able to get the name Large Lady three months ago, I'd say the system is working as intended.

[Danikat.8537]

Here's a few tips for how to modify a taken name to get one which is available. They won't all work with all names but at least one should work for whichever name you're thinking of.

 

1) Change the spelling. Add a letter, remove a letter, change a C to an S or an E to an I, whatever works for you. This works best with names that don't mean anything, but it might be worth a quick Google search to make sure you're not inadvertently referencing something.

 

(I once had a temporary character called Corvus Coraxx or something like that. It's a slight adaptation of the Latin name for ravens, but multiple people assumed it was a reference to a Warhammer character I didn't know existed because I don't play it.)

 

2) Add an accent or other special character. This can make typing the name difficult but it's rare that you need to type someone's name out to contact them in this game.

 

3) Add a family name or title, or simply a second name (e.g Sarah Jane instead of just Sarah). Especially effective for humans who will often have family names and titles. Norn are highly likely to have one or the other and charr always have a warband name unless they're a gladium (which your character is not, according to the story).

 

4) Use a synonym. For example if Wraith Darkblade is taken (it is) you could use Ghost Darkblade or Wraith Nightblade or Wraith Darksword etc. As well as charr names this is effective with names which describe the character in some way.

 

5) Use a different language. Again this works best with descriptive names, but many real life names have equivalents in other languages too. It's not totally foolproof of course, this is an international game and this approach is pretty common so even English speakers will use multiple languages, but it's unlikely every variant will be taken.

 

6) Or there's the old favourite of adding something random before/after the name, so Deathlord becomes X Deathlord X or Deathlord I or whatever. I don't like this approach myself but a lot of people do it and say it doesn't bother them, and it works.

 

And if just 1 doesn't work and the name is still taken try using another method as well.

[XatraZaytrax.2601]

> @"Menadena.7482" said:

> > @"Just a flesh wound.3589" said:

> > > @"Menadena.7482" said:

> > > > @"Just a flesh wound.3589" said:

> > > > It’s actually not that hard to get a unique char name. Adding a last name or changing the spelling a bit will do it.

> > >

> > > That only applies to languages you are fluent in. A lot of languages are full of words where a minor variation will change it into something completely different. I once had a name on a Sylvari and was asked why I was using the name 'small metal disc' (obviously I did a typo and had not noticed).

> >

> > That doesn’t invalidate what I said. It only changes what you thought the name meant. It still is a unique name if you vary the spelling or add a last name.

> >

> > By the way, Small Metal Disc could be a cool name for an Asuran engineer. ?

>

> Apt for an asuran engineer, yes, but when you are going for something treelike? My point was if you are using real words, from whatever language, you are best not exploring varying the spelling unless you are at least semi-fluent. That was just a purely unintended word, what if by misspelling I typed in a swear word instead and whatever filters they have did not stop me?

 

If your name is later found to be offensive -- mostly through complaint -- Anet will make you change it.

[Just a flesh wound.3589]

> @"Menadena.7482" said:

> > @"Just a flesh wound.3589" said:

> > > @"Menadena.7482" said:

> > > > @"Just a flesh wound.3589" said:

> > > > It’s actually not that hard to get a unique char name. Adding a last name or changing the spelling a bit will do it.

> > >

> > > That only applies to languages you are fluent in. A lot of languages are full of words where a minor variation will change it into something completely different. I once had a name on a Sylvari and was asked why I was using the name 'small metal disc' (obviously I did a typo and had not noticed).

> >

> > That doesn’t invalidate what I said. It only changes what you thought the name meant. It still is a unique name if you vary the spelling or add a last name.

> >

> > By the way, Small Metal Disc could be a cool name for an Asuran engineer. ?

>

> Apt for an asuran engineer, yes, but when you are going for something treelike? My point was if you are using real words, from whatever language, you are best not exploring varying the spelling unless you are at least semi-fluent. That was just a purely unintended word, what if by misspelling I typed in a swear word instead and whatever filters they have did not stop me?

 

Well, yes. If you’re typing in a foreign language and you misspell a word it’s possible to get a meaning you don’t want and not realize it. Of course, you could do that with a language you are fluent in and misspell and get a word or meaning you don’t want, and not notice till later. However this has nothing to do with what I said about changing spelling or adding a last name to get a useful variant. All you're adding is to proofread and google before hitting accept in order to be sure you didn’t mess up.

 

[Zaklex.6308]

> @"Xar.6279" said:

> > @"Diak Atoli.2085" said:

> > > @"Xar.6279" said:

> > > > @"Dante.1763" said:

> > > > > @"Xar.6279" said:

> > > > > > @"Just a flesh wound.3589" said:

> > > > > > How do you know that the names you want are from people who stopped playing in 2012? Unless you’ve been checking since that time they could have stopped recently.

> > > > >

> > > > > There's actually no nicknames I want. But meantime IMO they should reset it regularly.

> > > >

> > > > Disagree with you. i had to stop playing for three years because of multiple deployments, i would have been pissed off if they reset my names when i came back.

> > >

> > > Why? Just rename it. It's just character name.

> > > ID is more important in GW2.

> >

> > If it's not important, why does it matter if character names are released or not?

>

> Reason is very simple. With regular name resets (once per 2 years for example) it would be MUCH easier to find some cool names for your new characters.

 

There are literally dozens of name generators out there for those without the imagination to come up with one on their own, a name reset is completely unnecessary.

[Sonja Teh Trapper.7012]

i love making characters in gw2 names! my guild is mostly empty of those that might be in other guilds or just quit! the guild leader had to stop because not much activity in events an such!

[Blude.6812]

> @"Xar.6279" said:

> Do you really think that players which stopped playing in 2012 still care about their GW2 character nicknames? While they literally don't care about this game anymore?

> Current players and newcomers could use those nicknames.

 

Here we go again. Revisiting a well discussed and dismissed topic.

[SoulGuardian.6203]

> @"Blude.6812" said:

> > @"Xar.6279" said:

> > Do you really think that players which stopped playing in 2012 still care about their GW2 character nicknames? While they literally don't care about this game anymore?

> > Current players and newcomers could use those nicknames.

>

> Here we go again. Revisiting a well discussed and dismissed topic.

 

Yeah.

Just like the GW2 is dead topic.

 

I sometimes wonder why I still bother comming here to the forums.

Man, I absolutely despise drama and sense of entitlement.

 

It's one thing to give an idea or concept in hope that the devs read it... then stick to your guns, regardless of how many people disagree.

It shows you have balls, even if you can't find all the right words to back that up.

But to come in here demanding absurdities like name resets, it's just preposterous.

 

I can come up with hundreds of cool names that are probably not yet taken, just of the top of my head.

The longest I took to come up with a name for my necro was less than 10 minutes.

Just because every variation was already taken.

It seems Lilith Darkthorn is very popular.

I really wanted that name so bad.

But after trying about 6 or 7 times came up with her current name.

Never came to mind at the time that I could have followed my own advice and placed a í instead of a normal i in Lilith.

 

[mercury ranique.2170]

To answer your question;

Because it would be thievery.

 

Also, please try not to be so entitled, specially when it comes to someone else's property. They picked it and it belongs to them. Asking to take it away is asking to have something that is currently theirs and not yours. It doesn't matter If they use it.

If I have say 1000 USD in cash in my matrass and haven't used it in 7 years, why on earth should it be taken from me and why should you have it?

[kharmin.7683]

> @"mercury ranique.2170" said:

> If I have say 1000 USD in cash in my matrass and haven't used it in 7 years, why on earth should it be taken from me and why should you have it?

I get your point, but arguing with metaphors is always risky. Your example here isn't quite a match. The money is already yours. Technically, nothing in game is yours as you are only allowed to use it due to the licensing agreement.

 

Oh, and I don't agree with the OP. Just pointing out the slight fallacy in this comparison.

 

[magnusthorek.8027]

I'm that kind of players who experience tremendous difficulty to name a character because, well, I'm creative like a coconut, so much that my Guardian's name took me 3h to come up with.

 

While I do understand most of you defending an account without use shouldn't be deleted, you have to agree that's extremely frustrating building a background for your character with a fitting name - after all part of an MMORPG is, well, RPG - only to reach the last screen and be unable to proceed because someone had the same idea or that name was used in a book you neverd heard of.

 

When I wanted to create my last character, a Warrior Charr, the name wasn't available. It was a name from a famous TV show that eventually died long ago. Still, it had remarkable characters that because of this restriction only one person could show appreciation.

 

It's like if in the whole world only one John, Paul, Richard, Mary or any other common name could exist.

 

I could change a letter to this name I wanted - especially because it's derived from Greek - but I found this unacceptable and held my wish to play as a Warrior until a few days ago, when Johanna von Mordkönige was born.

[Brycar.2651]

If there is a name I want but it is taken then I add a race appropriate title. Like Lady, Lord, Duke, Shaman, Warden, Centurion, Gladium, Secondborn, etc

 

Most often I have to do this with Asuran characters because the common short names are taken. For example I have Engineer Gunn, Savant Tyme, Agent Elle and Peacekeeper Bonk.

[LadyRhonwyn.2501]

> @"magnusthorek.8027" said:

> I'm that kind of players who experience tremendous difficulty to name a character because, well, I'm creative like a coconut, so much that my Guardian's name took me 3h to come up with.

> I could change a letter to this name I wanted - especially because it's derived from Greek - but I found this unacceptable and held my wish to play as a Warrior until a few days ago, when Johanna von Mordkönige was born.

 

There's another thing you can do (instead of replacing a character with an accented character, which is what I personally would never do). Often there are various spellings of a name. Take the Johanna for instance. If the name had been taken, Joanna would have been exactly the same name with only a different spelling.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johanna

 

 

 

[dbill.7483]

> @"yoni.7015" said:

> I never had any problems finding a name for a new character. Maybe be more creative than Legolas or Jon Snow.

 

So, I took this challenge and for kicks tried "Jon Snow" and (of course) it was taken. Then tried Jon Snowe, Sir Jon Snow and finally Sir Jon Snowe and that took. It will be my key farmers name for one week for anyone that wants to use this later.

[Lord of the Fire.6870]

> @"Diak Atoli.2085" said:

> > @"Lord of the Fire.6870" said:

> > Well the only things I can say to the topic is if the character exists the name is taken but if the character is deleted because whatever reason e.g player deleted it or the AC became banned then it should be free again. By the way it would be nice if banned players would be removed from guilds after sometime.(3-6 months) My guild/leader has a police never to remove players from the guild I think we have even beta test ACs in our guild in which never again someone will log in.

> >

> > On the other hand making a new name is really hard it takes a lot of creativity or a name generator xD (http://chriswetherell.com/elf)

> > GW2 isn't exclusive to this Path of Exile has also all good names taken

>

> Along with the other responses, I would like to point out that if an account is banned, the character names are not released. In effect, they are also banned.

 

Well that is what I mean after 6 months they could release them and delete also out of guild basically clean up all the stuff in the database.

[Dreamy Lu.3865]

I'm playing since beta and have lot of chars. I delete/create regularly. I like to keep my chars having same name than my chars of GW1, mainly because on one side, each name has a meaning (to me) and on the other side, for the continuity, because for me they are the legacy. I'm therefore glad that my names are reserved and can't be taken by someone else.

 

Sorry, it's certainly a bit egoistic. I admit. :3

[Ashen.2907]

> @"Xar.6279" said:

> Yes.

>

sounds like a personal problem.

 

 

[Arkantos.7460]

if ppl think "it only a game and names not so important " lets delete names after 1 year and give them a name ticket

problem solved

[Ralimisu.2946]

The problem with resetting character names is if that player returns. It's impossible to know the reason why they aren't playing currently unless you know the person.

 

Whether they reset names or not there'd be someone complaining in the long run about it. I'd assume they avoid doing it so there isn't drama created over players returning to characters without the names they gave them.

[LilPrincess.3401]

A quick tip that might help -- I use this when I have a name that is already taken.

 

Try (if it doesn't bother you) using the special character letters for replacements. You can look them up on a website.

 

Examples:

ALT+130 = é

ALT+162 = ó

ALT+133 = à

 

When the name Ariel Storm was taken, I just made it Ariél Storm. So I still get the name with minimal change. Also looks fancier with the accent :)

Hope this helps!!

 

[tinymurder.5791]

> @"Xar.6279" said:

> > @"Dante.1763" said:

> > > @"Xar.6279" said:

> > > > @"Just a flesh wound.3589" said:

> > > > How do you know that the names you want are from people who stopped playing in 2012? Unless you’ve been checking since that time they could have stopped recently.

> > >

> > > There's actually no nicknames I want. But meantime IMO they should reset it regularly.

> >

> > Disagree with you. i had to stop playing for three years because of multiple deployments, i would have been pissed off if they reset my names when i came back.

>

> Why? Just rename it. **It's just character name.**

> ID is more important in GW2.

 

You just undercut your own argument. It's just a character name, why take it away from someone else? Also, how are you so sure that there are so many names locked away since 2012? I think you exaggerate the issue, especially considering how you've stated:

 

> @"Xar.6279" said:

> > @"Dante.1763" said:

> > Is it really so hard to come up with names?

>

> Yes.

 

Then you later complain:

 

> @"Xar.6279" said:

> I was creating alt character few days ago and it's really hard to find free name these days. I like to have up to 5 letters in the nickname. I spent around 1-2 hours to find something what's not already used.

 

You have a consistency problem. I suggest you fix your argument. Also, there are already multiple threads on this subject. All of these threads have one person arguing ineffectively against everybody else in the thread. Starting a new thread about this topic appears to be an attempt to avoid people seeing the overwhelming amount of counterarguments to this idea. Please either let this idea go for a year or post in one of the other threads.