Very Important! I dont have just one name. I have 5 very important names. And 2 of them were retired (from FFXI) and will probably never be used again. Obviously I use Amsai M. Sutavarg quite a bit in games and in forums. I have 2 others I use from time to time as well. All that being said, all but Amsai are for a specific purpose (Lore/race/class appropriate). Its been a while since I was able/interested in a support class. So I might need to come up with a new name for my eventual Bard. Or maybe something Gnome appropriate? This is hard Kilsin!!!!!
@ Brad
I like the idea of first and last names. And I mentioned this elsewhere, but will toss it in the ring here as well. Could we have unique first and last name combinations (Amsai Smith, Goblinx Smith, etc). That way both the first and last name dont have to be unique, only the combination of the 2. Good fun for family, spouses, alts, or progeny. (Though it could be progeny carry on the original name and just have a title added like Amsai Smith II?) Just a suggestion.
names started as not as so important. i remember spending some time trying to get a name that sounds fitting, often hitting the random name generator (or am internet based one) to find something that resonates for the toon i am naming.(i dont really rp, but in my head each of my toons has a back story.) once i find somthing, however, i get attached to the name - alephen is the toon i unlocked jedi pre-9, the toon that schemed in every new targoner noble house.
i think in the same way i bonded with my guildmates in the waves of deaths as we ventured ever deeper into the port warehouse, i bonded with my toon. noone (even the RL friend called me al') called me 'mike,' i doubt they know that name. they call me al (or sometimes hemmi) so these ultimately are not my toons name, but have become my name.
Kilsin said:How important is your characters name to you, do you put time into creating it or is it just random and meaningless to you?
The name is the foundation of your entire presence in game. While thinking on a name you're thinking about character personality, attitude, back story and even how well it fits with the race and class you're playing. It has to be the right name.
What this implies, at least to me, is having names approved by GM staff. This is a fantasy world yes, but still there is the backdrop of real life in it. Who's parents would name their child xXGandolfXx or Jeremy2915, Stabby McStabbers or Legolass Myeggolass?
A while back, my younger brother and our uncle were playing an mmo and we decided to all do snake names. I ended up with cobra and we had viper and mamba. To make them more unique we changed some of the letters and added another part to the names. ( at that time I played a rogue, so shade seemed to fit)
While I think a cobra looks really cool, I would be terrified by them in person lol. I am not a fan of real snakes :P
A name for me is very important and something which I will spend a lot of time on. I would say it is probably as important for me as character creation is, as it reflects the story and attitude that I will carry in the game, as some have said previously. I also have a list of names that I am considering, depending on the race/class etc. :)
Cromulent said:Vandraad said:Who's parents would name their child xXGandolfXx or Jeremy2915, Stabby McStabbers or Legolass Myeggolass?
I read an article about an American Dad who called his son Adolf Hitler. You'd be surprised what some parents name their children.
one day i will be suprised at how much some parents hate their children.
remember a couple cases in europe where courts said no to parents name choice. french judge ordered little nutella renamed ella. english judge barred a kid being named after some disease, maybe it was cancer, don't remember off the top of my head.
alephen said:Cromulent said:Vandraad said:Who's parents would name their child xXGandolfXx or Jeremy2915, Stabby McStabbers or Legolass Myeggolass?
I read an article about an American Dad who called his son Adolf Hitler. You'd be surprised what some parents name their children.
one day i will be suprised at how much some parents hate their children.
remember a couple cases in europe where courts said no to parents name choice. french judge ordered little nutella renamed ella. english judge barred a kid being named after some disease, maybe it was cancer, don't remember off the top of my head.
Some countries have a list of authorised names and you are legally not allowed to call your child something which isn't on the list. I'm not entirely convinced whether that is a good idea or not. I've always wanted to name my child after an old English name from about 800AD but trying to explain to people how to spell it would be a nightmare.
Aradune said:Also thinking about making First and Last name have to be unique ala Vanguard. Last names would also play a part of the Progeny system.
I was hoping for more of the first name to be unique while the last names if I choose I can allow others to use it (sort of like an extended family tree)... But a unique first name is more important to me than a unique last name.
i do think those types of names (like deathjoker) are more fitting in the high fantasy environment. maybe this is just because i am more used to it in this environment where everyone must have a different name.
but, assuming 'michael' was taken, it would be reasonable for michael jordan to go by the moniker 'air jordan'. my rogues, for example would never use their given name for fear of reprisals against his family, so naming him deathjoker, for example, could well fit in roleplaywise. also, i did name my goblin necro krutch with the backstory of him being a cripled child whose constant torture, and then abandonment, and then thirst for revenge, led him to his profession, even named his pet father (and the wisil pet mother) to demonstrate that revenge.
This name was a random name from EQ back in 2000 or 2001, been using it for all kinds of stuff ever since then. So I guess it became important even though at the time I wasn't too worried about the character's name beyond hitting random a few times.
Super important to me... On Fallout and skyrim i spent 7 hours deciding on it, as well as the way he looks haha. and if he doesnt look like he matches the name then i have to restart.
Question, When can we have a list of NPC names by race. I wanna get a feel for the race im gonna be so i can get a name together that fits. I dont wanna be a dark myr or skar and have my character named jack smith or something normal haha
This name was a random name from EQ back in 2000 or 2001, been using it for all kinds of stuff ever since then. So I guess it became important even though at the time I wasn't too worried about the character's name beyond hitting random a few times.
That's awesome man :)
Some things just turn out that way and it's glorious. I think a lot of people can credit the random name generator to giving players a name which carries them on in the future. Good stuff.
-Todd
Very important! I use to spend hours trying to think up something that felt right. Have also been known to level a charatcer to around level 10-15 only to delete it and start again because the name didnt feel right.... These days I try to use the same name in all the games I play. But will revert to my backup list if my main is taken.
names are very important to me also. back in eq... names like Icastalot Atchohead and the barbarian Minutz Raswingin stick with me. in vanguard i have a whole account full, which im bringing along to pantheon. Reserving them would be nice!. Deathrow may stay retired..lol dam inky!!...
I personally find my characters name to be THE most important. i have deleted max level toons or even did not create one on account of i wanted a specific name, i have had the same 3 names since i can remember (RIFT mud) and eq1. without those names i would be very less happy playing any game. i still carry these names to eq2/FPS games etc
My character name is very important to me. I have a couple that I've used since EQ1 and one in particular I got from the name generator in EQ1 that i just loved and have used ever since. I liked that name even more than the ones I came up with myself. Since then, because I tend to be an alt-a-holic and like to have all types of crafters along with various classes, I've come up with different ways to spell it. As far as my surname, I use the same one across all my characters so they are all 'related.' I use my surname to warn group members ahead of time that I have a tendency to get lost. I figure it's my way of giving them a head's up that if I fall too far behind there's a corpse recovery in the very near future. It's just another way I try to be polite to my groups/raids/friends/future friends.
I chose my name because it was unique and roleplay-ish so it would fit into any kind of game (especially this one). Names are important.. if you see someone with a name like "LOLOL79".. it can break the feel of the game.. so choosing the right sort of name the matches the game type, server type (RP) can be important.. but every chooses their own name so what they deem important and what I deem important for a name is completely different.