Name "Reclaiming"

[Amarie Ancalimon]

One of the issues with having a game that has been out as long as Istaria has is that new players start to feel that all the "good names" are taken, often by players who are no longer actively playing the game. This has come to our attention as something that is happening with Istaria in part because of the many characters that transferred from Unity to either Chaos or Order. Players from Unity often found that the name they wanted to have was "in use" by someone else, but really had no way to know if that someone was active or not.

We'd like to discuss with the community what they see as pros and cons to a proposed solution to this problem. Please note we are not saying that we are implementing this right now, nor are we saying that we will be in the future. What we are saying is that we'd like to think it through and try to come up with a solution that is as fair to everyone as possible. With that said, here is the initial proposal:

1) Create a web interface that allows name lists to be browsed and see what names are available for a Name Acquisition request (any name on an account that has been inactive for x months - we're thinking 3 months - will be available).

2) A player wishing to use a name that is "already in use" may send in a support ticket requesting that the Name Acquisition process for a specific name be started. This process will require a special fee to be paid (as yet to be determined).

3) A Customer Service Representative will then research that name, and attempt to contact the account holder associated with that character. The account holder will have Name Acquisition Rebuttal Time (NART) to respond and reactivate their account. We're suggesting 2 weeks.

3.1) After NART has expired, the name will be suffixed with a "_server" tag on the original character, and the name will be released to the player who made the Name Acquisition request.

3.2) If the original owner responds sometime during the NART period, it is expected that they will open a subscription to Istaria in order to hold the name, and the person who made the Name Acquisition request will be notified and refunded the Name Acquisition fee.

Only accounts that have been inactive will be subject to Name Acquisition. Likewise only after a two week waiting period to give the original owner of the name will the name have a chance of being released.

Thank you for your feedback,
Amarie

PS: Please don't muddy this thread with questions about plot reclamation.

[Takora Drakan]

Oh my god I WOULD SO MUCH LOVE THIS! (Since my name is taken on order by a player that is more than 18 month inactive....)

<3 Love you VI for considering this!

Oh Question, have Unity players also to pay this fee then? Besides I think 3 months is a bit short, more about 6 or even 12 months would be ok.

[Arietna]

Sounds great to me

Ariadne_unity (who wants to be Ariadne, but can't).. (and is happy to pay a fee to do it)

[C`gan]

The issue I see is this: player recognition.

Some of us know our guildmates and colleagues and friends who play on here. We know their characters' names. Now, with this name repo, those names are up for grabs by others. So, how does the server understand that a certain person is who they are or that the name has been changed?

Case in point. Shadowalker. She's a dragon of Imayo's in Obsidian Order on Order shard. We also have a Shadowwalker (two ws) on Order shard. Imayo's been inactive for some time for issues I won't divulge, but her account has expired. Now, say someone new comes in with this in place, runs through the process of getting Shadowalker and then gets the name. How will the servers understand that the original is still in OO guild and not the same as the new player? By the same token, for those of us who have Shadowalker on our player lists, how do we distinguish that this new Shadowalker is not the one we know?

On top of that, say 6-10 months down the road, Imayo reactivates all her accounts and Shadowalker is back to active? Now whose name is it and how is this wrinkle ironed out?

[Takora Drakan]

The name in your friends list will be "refreshed" Like there will be then in your friendslist Shadowalker_Order and in your guild roster also the same. Every char has a unique ID and this doesnt change, only the display name.

[Tcei]

I can understand this being useful for Unitarians such as Takora, and I think the sugestion is reasonable, but I can also see a large issue cropping up with confusion for long time players who knew the first owner. And what about soldiers who may be deployed for more than 3 months and have no access to the game or funds to continue paying for it while they're away?

[Zexoin]

The issue I see is this: player recognition.

Some of us know our guildmates and colleagues and friends who play on here. We know their characters' names. Now, with this name repo, those names are up for grabs by others. So, how does the server understand that a certain person is who they are or that the name has been changed?

Case in point. Shadowalker. She's a dragon of Imayo's in Obsidian Order on Order shard. We also have a Shadowwalker (two ws) on Order shard. Imayo's been inactive for some time for issues I won't divulge, but her account has expired. Now, say someone new comes in with this in place, runs through the process of getting Shadowalker and then gets the name. How will the servers understand that the original is still in OO guild and not the same as the new player? By the same token, for those of us who have Shadowalker on our player lists, how do we distinguish that this new Shadowalker is not the one we know?

On top of that, say 6-10 months down the road, Imayo reactivates all her accounts and Shadowalker is back to active? Now whose name is it and how is this wrinkle ironed out?

I think that the friend list/ guild list and everything that involves a character name handles the character using their biote, not their name. That's why if a player chenges his/her name, it doesn't disapear from the list, but is replaced by the new one associated to the biote.

[Amarie Ancalimon]

Few things to note:

1) We will make every effort to contact the original owner. So in a case such as a soldier deployed for longer than 3 months (or 6 months, or whatever length of time we determine to be fair), so long as he/she has email access and kept the email address associated with the account up to date, they would be given an opportunity to respond. To every rule there are exceptions, and a soldier deployed overseas is high up on that list of exceptions.

2) This applies only to inactive accounts, not inactive characters on that account. For example, someone made an alt that they rarely log in because they are playing a different main character for months. So long as the account remains active, the character's name is secure.

3) What Takora said regarding the character having a unique ID is correct. Your friends lists and guild lists would automatically update when the person who had their name changed logs in.

Please note that what we are trying to make here is a set of guidelines for those who really are inactive, have no intention of returning, and have a name someone else wishes they could have. We don't want to take a name away from someone who may one day be a paying customer again, in other words, which is why we'll make every effort to contact the person before appending their name.

[Silverblaze]

took a while to think about this one.

It doesnt so much affect me much, personally. I have most of the names I want. Can only think of one dragon name I had to pass on and a bunch for naming my lvl 1 fiend alt I made. (all the good demon and angel names have been taken ...for the most part)

But C'gan got me thinking. I'd hate to see peopel I know lose a name over something like that. It would really be uncool for them.

I really don't know what my stance is on this. One one hand, new players will want more (for lack of a term "better")? selection of names. This may go a long way in keeping new players and current players happy.

On the other hand, players coming back will look at <56472392_change name> and maybe log out and not play anymore. So it has the potential for isolating returning veterans.

I'm sure every action is being taken to prevent this, but I just wanted to see it in type and make sure people took it into account. Players and devs alike.

[Takora Drakan]

On the other hand, players coming back will look at <56472392_change name> and maybe log out and not play anymore. So it has the potential for isolating returning veterans.

Their name wont look like that, their name will look like Name_Server, so eg: Silverblaze_Chaos.

[Deth]

I have seen this done in games like City of Heroes. It is something that does not need to be done often but people that maybe tried the game for their free month and never played more might have a name someone else wants. I am of the mind that when plot repo letter goes out that also should be added that a one Time Name repo is also happening. That if you sign up even for a month or even just reply to the email that your interested in keeping your name. Then add the server tag to all accounts that the person does not at least reply to the email. But that is just my thoughts.

[C`gan]

Oh, and please don't take it that I was speaking against this. I also agree that to some extent, a cleaning house of long-inactive names does need to be done.

Something else to modify on the suggestion. On the plot repo last time, players were given (supposedly) a month from the time the notice went out to the time the repo actually happened. Why not give the same sort of timer for this procedure?

[Kulamata]

It seems to be a good idea; the only change I'd suggest is making the lapsed period longer; perhaps longer than Vi's time, so seven (?) months or more.

I don't remember seeing anything about the status of names chosen by trialers, who never converted. I'd certainly agree with three months or less for that case.

And here we have another example of a real problem, analyzed well, and then thoughtfully presented for player review...

[Justa Mirage]

I think it's a great idea!

(right Xanthia?)

[Xanthia]

*Grins* I LOVE the idea (and say "it is about time we talk about it!) It's already too late for my Unity characters since I just renamed both as of yesterday (typical.... tell me after it is too late lol ^^). However I would really be willing( or deffinitely atleast consider it) to just rename my current main in Chaos, Xanthia, back to the original name I gave my main in Unity, Xanthe. ( yea.... big deal two different letters I know.... but Xanthe was my first... my first dragon, my first and pretty much only used character in Unity and even after a year with a name just slightly different on chaos.... I still miss the first one.)

[AmonGwareth]

Piers Anthony fan, Xanthia?

[Xanthia]

Piers Anthony fan, Xanthia?

*google searches Piers Anthony*

Ahhh.. lol nope not a fan.
Nah this was how I found my name. I went to a site known as "Behind the Name...etc" which yea you guess it, is one of the crazy sites that lists a bunch of names general used by parents interested in naming their babies with names that have "meaning". (........my pixalated draggie is my baby in my book!......... lol shuuush I already know I am insane ). Anyways every single name I could come up with was of course used so instead of looking for something particular(ie. name that means "fire..etc") I just scrolled through every feminine name they had there listed.

Yup... I went from 'A' all the way down to 'X' before I found one I both liked and WASN'T taken. So let me tell you from experience when it comes to naming characters, we been needing this name "recaliming" for a good long time. ^^ (that or I just have to learn to be less picky.......nah.)

[velveeta]

I have seen this done in games like City of Heroes. It is something that does not need to be done often but people that maybe tried the game for their free month and never played more might have a name someone else wants. I am of the mind that when plot repo letter goes out that also should be added that a one Time Name repo is also happening. That if you sign up even for a month or even just reply to the email that your interested in keeping your name. Then add the server tag to all accounts that the person does not at least reply to the email. But that is just my thoughts.

right, deth, i am with you. plot reclaims, once they are on a regular basis, would be a perfect time to also reclaim inactive alt names.

[Deth]

OH I did not mean every time. I just meant once with this first one. Name reclaims something that should only be done once in a great while. I have never heard of more then one being done in a game.

[Guaran]

I don't know about this. My first impression is that I do not like the idea.

Adding the _server to the original name holder seems a fair balance tho.

The time is way too short. People would be stealing identities imho. 1 to 2 years seems better. Time for someone to reply back should be longer as well, 30 to 60 days.

In the case of someone making a trial account, choosing a name, and never playing again. I agree these could be reclaimed. If a toon's life in game was longer than say 6 months tho, I dont see that the name should ever be reclaimed, just because someone else wants it. This point its identity theft.

For users like Takora who someone basically hijacked their name on another shard possibly, then it was reverse identity theft, and something should be done to accomodate those situations.