I'm not necessarily disagreeing, but in games like Neverwinter and FFXIV that allow identical first names people understand that there will be duplicates - perhaps MANY duplicates - and pay attention to last names if they care that much. And in games without identical first names that same douche can have Beefcakes, Beefcak, Beefmake and the like and people may assume these are your "alts" since many people try to give "alts" similar names. So while you have a definite point I don't know that things are quite that clearcut.
Poor Frodo with the One Ring. First he was engaged to Gollum - well taking his ring was close enough. Then, standing on Mount Doom, he gave Gollum the finger. Then had to watch Gollum take a lover's leap. Quite a confused relationship.
As someone who only plays with one name, I want unique first names. I just can't imagine same first names running around the world... And as some have pointed out, it would be way to easy for someone else to be a troll and develop a bad reputation and all people remember is that first name. I really doubt all people will distinguish between characters by just looking at last names.
Keep it unique first names (as that is going to be my only name). Also, isn't having the ability to reserve a unique name a pledge privilege?
Amris said:CanadinaXegony said:Just make it so you can right click someone's name in chat to send a tell or a group invite..right click brings a small dropdown menu with choices, invite, tell, block, ignore or whatever as examples. That way if someone's name is spelled " &$#^%&))(&%" you can still get hold of them. :P
I don't like this unless it's in-zone only (and even then only for concession's sake).
While there are many illegitimate reasons to not want people to be able to contact you despite your best attempts to stave it off... there are legitimate reasons to not want people to be able to pester you nonstop. Worse still from 5 zones away because they want a free Rez that will cost you port costs.
If this HAS to be done, then in zone only, please and thank you.
Have a block tells button like block trade and duel
Easy
Idrial said:Riahuf22 said:Yeah I'd like first names to be unique, last thing I'd want it is someone to act like they are me with there name, than start trolling others or aomething like that, granted after time they might know that it isn't me or someone in my guild to mention it not and eveything, but before that the damage is done and people might of alrdy ignored me, passively just ignore my lfg messages or anything like that just because of some confusion of someone else's doing.
I don't get the unique first name requirement here. FFXIV in chat and messaging you are identified as both first and second name so even if someone else has your first name then they can't troll as you.
unique first / second name combo; identified as both; alias system as described above; right click context menus to assist quick messaging; perhaps also an Outlook style auto-complete. Everyone can be happy - new joiners to the game a year after launch won't have to have stupid names because all the 'good' ones are taken; job done.
Yes but if you start seeing a ton of Let's say Mindwipe as a first name after a while you start to forget which one might of been giving you trouble was it Mindwipe Inabottle or was it Mindwipe FotheInsane
You might not know and start just ignoring both just so you know you have the right one but punishing the other for no reason at all, but if you only do this once than it has very little problems but if you've done it to lets say 15 names and caused 50 people to get ignored than it could start causing you not making friends due to not seeing many seeing LFG messages and getting into there grp that could actually be awesome people, but you missed it cuase of all the different people with same names, plus there are like million good names to choose from, so I'm sure if you just ponder on it hard enough than you will find one, and no it shouldn't take a day unless your thinking in a very small box. Most people try to name there character on what they do like an Enchanter being names Mezmerizing or something like that, when you could simply name him like Rolovko just saying.
Issue that occur to me...
1. Character chooses firstname (and optional surname)
/tell firstname lastname some message here
could produce a problem if no quotations/syntax is enforced.
Imagine 3 characters:
Beefcake
Beefcake Paladin
Beefcake Why
and i send a tell:
/tell Beefcake Paladin needed for PoFear, come quick!
/tell Beefcake Why Are you not answering me?
Who gets these?
Do you really want to type
/tell "Beefcake" Paladin needed for PoFear, come quick!
/tell "Beefcake Paladin" needed for PoFear, come quick!
2. Characters have 'account' handle for all characters.
This creates Privacy & Harrassment issues. It needs extra developement to sort out.
A. /busy message -> (on/off toggle like AFK)
B. /DenyGroupInvite -> (on/off toggle)
C. /Anon [name | class | race] -> (no arguements = all 3. '/anon class' would just hide class)
D. /ShowAccount [on | off]
E. /import OtherCharName [Friends | Ignore] -> (import lists from char on account if not global)
3. Characters have unique Firstname ('Family' Surname earned/chosen at Lev 20)
This does create problems (especially as the server matures) with scarcity of names. It can also be a problem further down the line if servers merge or players need to move to another server (assuming such a thing is allowed at all).
A. There must be a random name generator.
B. Some form of 'expiry' timer for dormant/dead 'Free accounts' would be helpful.
Eg: Character Level 20+ [safe for 2 years], Level 11+ [Safe for 1 year],
Level 5+ [Safe for 6 months], Level 1+ [safe for 1 month]
C. Progeny should require a 'family name' in order to be used.
D. Some titles are 'Family' linked (i.e. pass to alts)
E. Block numbers, trade names and the name of any Kardassian from Character Firstnames
Do we really want:
Renault Clio
Adidas Trainers
F. Don't get me started on
'Show Gnomercy'
'MyLittle Pwny'
Evoras, wonders just how many 'Gandalf's we will get!
Evoras said:1. Character chooses firstname (and optional surname)
/tell firstname lastname some message here
could produce a problem if no quotations/syntax is enforced.
Imagine 3 characters:
Beefcake
Beefcake Paladin
Beefcake Why
and i send a tell:
/tell Beefcake Paladin needed for PoFear, come quick!
/tell Beefcake Why Are you not answering me?
Who gets these?
Do you really want to type
/tell "Beefcake" Paladin needed for PoFear, come quick!
/tell "Beefcake Paladin" needed for PoFear, come quick!
This can be handled using tab completion and an ordered search list. So you type "/tell Beef[tab]" and the following lists are searched in order: friends, guild, zone, world. The first match for "Beef" is returned as "Beefcake Paladin" because "Beefcake Paladin" is in your guild. If that's not the Beefcake you're looking for a second [tab] will search to the next match and autofill "Beekcake" since there is a "Beefcake" in zone. Depending on implementation the search could stop at zone or continue on to a server wide search.
I'd find "Firstname Lastname" with tab completion a far better solution than a horde of people running around with non-ASCII characters in their name like Lëgöläs or, even worse, Áshkelon (that guy is a complete jerk).
Idrial said:Contrast that with my FFXIV experience - got the pre-release character editor, spent ages getting *exactly* the look I wanted, and got *exactly* the name I wanted. AND not have to bother with the same process for 'alts' because you just change jobs on ONE character. Truly excellent. All of the characters I've had in any MMO, I want to go back to that one the most.(as an aside, also with the one character thing you don't have to maintain a mental database of all the mains and alts in the guild to figure out who's actually online; and Rep doesn't have to follow you anywhere.)
In FFXIV you don't have to type in titles to /w (or /t) anyone, you do have to type in first name and second name - but I think the Alias system that someone posted earlier in the thread takes care of that - - also an MS Outlook like autocomplete to make it quicker - also being able to right click on a name in chat or friends list to call up a 'send tell' context menu. I think this is a small enough price to pay to let people have the names that they want.
I hate, hate, hate the idea of only being allowed one character and changing "jobs". Heck to the nos. I LIKE having alts, and I LIKE people not finding me sometimes.
My alts even make fun of each other. Each has her own personality. You can't do that with just ONE character. Not to mention you can't hide from those people who think they should be entitled to know any time that you're on and get offended to learn that you're on and NOT with them (the horror!). And no, I'm not getting new friends just because of one eccentricity.
Amris said:Idrial said:Contrast that with my FFXIV experience - got the pre-release character editor, spent ages getting *exactly* the look I wanted, and got *exactly* the name I wanted. AND not have to bother with the same process for 'alts' because you just change jobs on ONE character. Truly excellent. All of the characters I've had in any MMO, I want to go back to that one the most.(as an aside, also with the one character thing you don't have to maintain a mental database of all the mains and alts in the guild to figure out who's actually online; and Rep doesn't have to follow you anywhere.)
In FFXIV you don't have to type in titles to /w (or /t) anyone, you do have to type in first name and second name - but I think the Alias system that someone posted earlier in the thread takes care of that - - also an MS Outlook like autocomplete to make it quicker - also being able to right click on a name in chat or friends list to call up a 'send tell' context menu. I think this is a small enough price to pay to let people have the names that they want.
I hate, hate, hate the idea of only being allowed one character and changing "jobs". Heck to the nos. I LIKE having alts, and I LIKE people not finding me sometimes.
My alts even make fun of each other. Each has her own personality. You can't do that with just ONE character. Not to mention you can't hide from those people who think they should be entitled to know any time that you're on and get offended to learn that you're on and NOT with them (the horror!). And no, I'm not getting new friends just because of one eccentricity.
Doesn't stop you having alts, each with their own character etc. You can still do that, you're not limited to one character slot. I had an alt there too, for precisely the reason you suggest. What the 'job change' ability does do is mean that you don't have to grind rep on every alt, you don't have to post stuff bewteen alts for bank management; your guild and your friends know you're on and they don't have 50 page long friends lists having to remember which 5 names are actually you; if group composition changes you can change roles on the spot rather than 'hang on wait 10 mins while I go get my wizard - invite L3g0lass'; if you have to change roles in a raid you can still get loot for your main (bind on pickup type items); you don't have to spend a day trying to fix on a name for each of your 5 alts because it's now 6 months post release and all the ones you could have ever wanted are taken; many others.
Re. the potential problems posted above - seriously go play FFXIV for a bit and see for yourself (it's actually really fun with the most epic enjoyable storyline I've seen in any MMO), honestly I never experienced or heard of any of those problems. I never found that I got confused remembering peoples' names; there were no chat confusions or bugs or annoyances; indeed with the firstname secondname combination there were so many possible permuations that there actually werent many names that were near similar enough to confuse with someone else. Also I never saw 15 different phonetic versions of the same name, or God forbid alphanumeric equivalents of people obviously trying to get the same name (Legloas, Legolassss, Legggollllassssss, Legolas69, l3golas) - which I have seen all the time in pretty much every other MMO (and I personally find immersion hampering). Unique firstnames are great if you're one of those early accessers who get first pick, but it sucks a lot for people coming in months or years post release. Out in the broader community it's clear from peoples' behaviour that there is a lot of demand for flexiblity with names.- and VR aren't making this game exclusively for us early birds.
I just vote for unique first names. Not getting the name I want has happened, many times in the past. I cried a little and moved on.
I just don't want to see 7 kilsin rogues on the same server.
and I don't want to try and remember everyones last names either. If i get trained by Kilsin, I want to know there is only ONE kilsin.
I don't want to hate all 7 kilsin's because of one jerk.
Love the idea of shared first names. It's just so much more realistic. To solve a /tell syntax issue, just add a comma after the character's last name - and allow us to set our own /tell nicknames for anyone.
Tire Planomas can become just /tell Tire for you.
Tire Flanomart can become /tell Tiref or /tell flano or /tell Flanomart or /tell poop if you wish.
Berzerklin Flanomart can't become /tell Flanomart if Tire Flanomart has already been designated that way, of course.
How about the command: /set tell "Tire Planomas" Tire
I guess we wouldn't want to have to /set tell nicknames for every PC we want to talk to, and it might turn into that. But it actually wouldn't, because the system should allow us to /tell Vorazul with no surname if there are no other Vorazuls logged in. If there are, a simple, gentle system message alerting us to the presence of multiple Vorazuls would lead us to /set tell nickname for the one we want to speak with (or, of course, to just /tell Vorazul Darkflame,). That would not happen all the time, and when it did, it would not be a big deal. We're semi-adults and some of us are full-fledged adults, we can handle /set tell nickname.
Naim said:I just vote for unique first names. Not getting the name I want has happened, many times in the past. I cried a little and moved on.
I just don't want to see 7 kilsin rogues on the same server.
Speaking of names. In pledge packages, 5 name changes are included. I feel like this is a license to be a Tool, ninja loot, be an ass etc and then just change names.
I can ninja another guild and change it again. rinse and repeat. And since the cash shop won't be to buy gold, I can see name changes being sold at $10-$25
You guys aren't worried that this will happen since anyone can do anything they want, and simply change their name if they get a bad reputation?
Seems like you are putting a Lot of faith in the "good communtiy" basket... I could be wrong. just sayin
Those are Item Renaming Vouchers. I'm not sure exactly how they will work, but I'm pretty sure they won't let you change your character's name.
Brad posted about character names a couple months ago in this thread. Page 2, ten posts down.
Here's the first one:
Aradune said:Zaedria said:
Do we know if we will be able to add our surnames once we've reached a certain level, like when we dinged 20 in original EQ? Just curious if that will still be "a thing" :P
The current thinking is that you choose a first and last name at character create. There are many names out there that many people feel very attached to. I don't really want it to be a mad race to get your name in first, thus denying somone else the abiliity to have a character with the same first name.
The logic follows what has happened in the real world. When communities were small and people spread out without fast transportation, a single name worked. But as people came together, as populations grew, the need for a first and last name became apparent. In the USA anyway, most people have a first, middle, and last name.
That said, rewarding players for reaching certain levels is absolutely cool. Instead of a last name at, say, level 20, we will likely be using a system of various titles your character can earn and that would show in your nameplate along with your first and last name.
And here's the second one:
Aradune said:Shucklighter said:
How do tells work with such a system?
/tell nils.shucklighter Yo.
Like that?
And this means there can be many different characters named Nils on each server, provided they all have different last names?
If there is only one person on the shard and online, a simple /tell *firstname*. If there is more than one person you'll likely have to /tell *firstname* *lastname*. But I think we can do some helpful UI work as well -- for example, you put in the first name and a box pops up showing you the, say, 3 people online with the same name and allows you to easily select the one you want.
An alias system will also exist where you can assign a nickname to someone (perhaps only those on your friends list, but not positive yet). So you could do /tell *nickname* if you happen to have a friend who shares their first name with others.
I'm sure other things can be done to reduce any hassle as well.
As for sending a message to a person on a different shard, we want to accomodate this as well, but you'll likely have to be specific. There's also our desire to be able to send messages to offline people (a mail system of sorts).
I still prefer unique first names, but I'm fine with this system. I plan to choose different first names and have all of my characters have Shucklighter as a surname. If someone else wants to make a character with Shucklighter as a surname, then so be it. I'll miss the excitement of unlocking a surname at a certain level, though. I guess they plan to have us unlock titles at various levels instead, but I'm not a fan of titles in these games. They just get to be too common much too quickly, and then it's just spam.
Shucklighter said:Naim said:I just vote for unique first names. Not getting the name I want has happened, many times in the past. I cried a little and moved on.
I just don't want to see 7 kilsin rogues on the same server.
Speaking of names. In pledge packages, 5 name changes are included. I feel like this is a license to be a Tool, ninja loot, be an ass etc and then just change names.
I can ninja another guild and change it again. rinse and repeat. And since the cash shop won't be to buy gold, I can see name changes being sold at $10-$25
You guys aren't worried that this will happen since anyone can do anything they want, and simply change their name if they get a bad reputation?
Seems like you are putting a Lot of faith in the "good communtiy" basket... I could be wrong. just sayin
Those are Item Renaming Vouchers. I'm not sure exactly how they will work, but I'm pretty sure they won't let you change your character's name.
Correct, they will allow you to change the name of items in your inventory. VR has no yet decided whether or not that change will be visible to other people. But there's no way in hell it'll allow you to change your character name. Reading is important lol
In regards to the OP, I prefer unique first names. I don't like last names or number as differentiators. I like my name to be short, sweet, and memorable. Especially as someone who anticipates streaming the game, my name is my brand and I want to be easily identifiable and I don't want to risk other people impersonating me or damaging my reputation. That even applies for people that don't stream. I definitely see arguements for the contrary, but my philosophy is usually first come, first serve... you snooze, you lose... early bird gets the worm - whatever your favorite expression may be lol. It's just simpler that way.
@Amris @Beefcake Maybe they can set it up so that no surname counts as a surname? That way the first person to create an Amris with no surname or a Beefcake with no surname gets it. It's still a unique combination because no one else can have it without the surname. I'm sure there are other issues that would come along with that, but I guess it could be a solution for some people.
Shucklighter said:@Amris @Beefcake Maybe they can set it up so that no surname counts as a surname? That way the first person to create an Amris with no surname or a Beefcake with no surname gets it. It's still a unique combination because no one else can have it without the surname. I'm sure there are other issues that would come along with that, but I guess it could be a solution for some people.
That would be my best choice, given their current direction with uniqueness based on two names.
Shucklighter said:@Amris @Beefcake Maybe they can set it up so that no surname counts as a surname? That way the first person to create an Amris with no surname or a Beefcake with no surname gets it. It's still a unique combination because no one else can have it without the surname. I'm sure there are other issues that would come along with that, but I guess it could be a solution for some people.
I like it in theory, but not sure if it would work in practice, like with sending tells and stuff. If it did though, that would probably be my preference. I like to go all Madonna and have no last name haha. I'd shoot to be the ORIGINAL Bazgrim. All others are just posers lol :P
Ashkelon said:Evoras said:1. Character chooses firstname (and optional surname)
/tell firstname lastname some message here
could produce a problem if no quotations/syntax is enforced.
Imagine 3 characters:
Beefcake
Beefcake Paladin
Beefcake Why
and i send a tell:
/tell Beefcake Paladin needed for PoFear, come quick!
/tell Beefcake Why Are you not answering me?
Who gets these?
Do you really want to type
/tell "Beefcake" Paladin needed for PoFear, come quick!
/tell "Beefcake Paladin" needed for PoFear, come quick!This can be handled using tab completion and an ordered search list. So you type "/tell Beef[tab]" and the following lists are searched in order: friends, guild, zone, world. The first match for "Beef" is returned as "Beefcake Paladin" because "Beefcake Paladin" is in your guild. If that's not the Beefcake you're looking for a second [tab] will search to the next match and autofill "Beekcake" since there is a "Beefcake" in zone. Depending on implementation the search could stop at zone or continue on to a server wide search.
I'd find "Firstname Lastname" with tab completion a far better solution than a horde of people running around with non-ASCII characters in their name like Lëgöläs or, even worse, Áshkelon (that guy is a complete jerk).
Unique first names i think is important due to you claim that reputation, wheter it be good or bad, I don't want to see 15 different Drizzt's, or Wulfgar's, and Gandalf's or Legolas's and the list goes on, and if we get it to where we can get same first name and everything there will be so many of them believe me I've seen it done or Neverwinter, and the same will happen on any game that allows it as well. So Unique First name all the way.
Shucklighter said:@Amris @Beefcake Maybe they can set it up so that no surname counts as a surname? That way the first person to create an Amris with no surname or a Beefcake with no surname gets it. It's still a unique combination because no one else can have it without the surname. I'm sure there are other issues that would come along with that, but I guess it could be a solution for some people.
This would get my vote.
Aradune said:I like the way we did it in Vanguard. You choose your first and last name. The combination of the two have to be unique. Then you can earn Titles and such. Thoughts?
I agree because first names are going to fill in fast and people will get upset that are at work or can't play right away and when they get home and log in to make a character and their first five names get rejected because they are already taken.
But if we do like in Vanguard and make the acceptance and rejection on the combination. Their first or second attempt might still get rejected but maybe number three is the one.
This is how I came up with Abacda. My first 10 tries in Everquest were rejected so I just started typing letters randomly and it was accepted. I suppose you can say it worked out in my favor but really it's not the name I wanted it's the name I settled for. When paying to play a game it would be nice to have name you want or your second or third choice, not something completely different.
Just my thought's I truly hope with VR's and Brad's experience they do it like Vanguard. I enjoyed getting to 20 in Everquest and then being allowed a second name but I think a first and second from the begging is better. They can always make other things not available until 20 or later, such as getting a Mount or being able to wear a Cloak or something.
Shucklighter said:@Amris @Beefcake Maybe they can set it up so that no surname counts as a surname? That way the first person to create an Amris with no surname or a Beefcake with no surname gets it. It's still a unique combination because no one else can have it without the surname. I'm sure there are other issues that would come along with that, but I guess it could be a solution for some people.
I by FAR prefer unique first name without last name required. "Hi, I'm Amris". Amris who? "Just Amris." meh
But I would be okay with that, if I had no choice on having unique first name.
Correct, they will allow you to change the name of items in your inventory. VR has no yet decided whether or not that change will be visible to other people. But there's no way in hell it'll allow you to change your character name. Reading is important lol
In regards to the OP, I prefer unique first names. I don't like last names or number as differentiators. I like my name to be short, sweet, and memorable. Especially as someone who anticipates streaming the game, my name is my brand and I want to be easily identifiable and I don't want to risk other people impersonating me or damaging my reputation. That even applies for people that don't stream. I definitely see arguements for the contrary, but my philosophy is usually first come, first serve... you snooze, you lose... early bird gets the worm - whatever your favorite expression may be lol. It's just simpler that way.
I missed the word ITEM, no need to act like someone cant read because I misread something. I am sure you have NEVER misread anything. ever.
SO I can change the Name of my Cloak of Flame to Dress of Fire.... ? I don't get it, what's the point of renaming items...