There is a "family" name that a few close friends have used in Everquest and other games that have last names.
So i would prefer the last name not to be unique.
I made up Ashenor back in 99 when i made my Ranger. I was trying to thing of something woodsy sounding, and have used it in most games since then.
I got names I go to right off the bat - that said, if they're taken, I take a few extra minutes out of the already inordinate amount of time I'll likely take creating a character, and think of a new one. No biggie.
On a 1 to 10 scale of importance when determining an MMO's playability, I give it a 3.
I'm not obsessed with a name. I tend to use the same ones, and they are almost always available because they aren't "clever". Just a name; however, I try to build a good rep with whatever name I use, so that if someone sees that name in another game, it builds a connection of sorts that bridges the gap between games.
I normally will always run across people that know me by my name in other games.
When i returned to Phinny i had people that would message me from selling things asking if i was from Tarew Marr.
I have played almost every MMO under my name, and always run across people from p99 to Rift that i have played with at some point.
The persona I originally created in my first days of EQ has followed me for almost 2 decades. I use it in email, I have the domains, it is my name on countless forums and in numerous other games.
So I guess it's important.
I have two go-to names in games. I prefer Corpselocker as I have used it... well, fifteen years or so. I also have a second name that I keep in case that a game doesn't allow the character length or it considers it out of character.
I do not, though, want to be forced into visible last name. Sometimes, a one word name is powerful enough. First names are easy; last names are tough.
To me the name of your character is very important, almost to the point of being obsessive. I've not played games or given up on characters because I either didn't like it's name or couldn't use the name I wanted. I also think it sort of describes your character to some degree, like my Ogre that i played in EQ. His name was Clunkk and when you hear that name, it makes you think of a big lumbering brute bashing its way through the forest (at least in my eyes!). It doesn't sound like a name you would give to your would elf ;).
Character names are very important to me because as far as I am concerned, that is my and other people's actual name in the game universe. I'm not going to ask someone for their real life name, so that person will always be known as their character name to me, and same with my character name being what every other person in the game knows me by.
Still not 100% percent sure on what name I will be using, it will depend on what rules are set for name making.
I have a couple go-tos that I use, Nikademis being the principal of them. Though I do very much identify with the name at this point and look to use it as often as I can, it's more about continuity between games and among the communities I participate in. I like that you all can see me in game and then read my comments on these forums and make that connection :D
Names are very important to me and my character - I can spend longer looking at a character creation screen empty name box than anything else ;^)
(Which is partly why I find silly and non-RP names so annoying).
I have a few that I often use, but I try to make the name fit the character I've just created.
And sometimes delete the character and re-start if I decide it doesn't fit after all!
Character names is the most important thing to me. I can enjoy a game so much more if I can get the exact name I want. What I would like to see is a system of first and last name combinations, so multiple people could have the same first name, so long as the last name is different. e.g. one person might have the name "john smith", but another person could be "john walker", or add a suffex like "john the brave" or "john of thronefast".
also, when we reserve our names, would we get multiple choices, or back-up choices if our name is already selected?
I love the First name Family name thing especially since the prgeny system is somehow going into play. I hate random names like Lizard15432, I love seeing unquie names and especially the puns. They are always in every game ;)
I have a list of names I kinda made up and usually aren't taken. I put a lot of thought into mine. Mort- is the root word for death and -anos is a suffix which has many meaning but generally means member. So Mortanos in rough translations would mean Member of Death. :P
I'm kind of a nerd :3
Important, yes.
But I create new names for my characters for each sucessive game I've played. Once certain elements become known about a game (lore, design asthetic, etc) I start to create something of a character dossier in my mind. A rough sketch of who they are, what they like, personality and their name is usually decided on based on that. I can spend hours and lists until I finally decide on something.
Will hopefully add to this important thread after the design team has given it serious enough thought such that I can offer sepecifics. Because it's not something to be worked on in the near future only a high level plan exists.
Personally, I'd like to see last names be owned by the patriarch/matriarch of that name. That person can then choose, case by case, if someone else can also use that last name.
How did they become owners of that name? This need some thought before I go any further.... I don't know if I want people reserving names years in advance, but then what is the alternative?
First and last names must be unique. This means that if you are the owner of the last name Smith you can create other characters with the last name Smith and different first names, but not the same first name.
Perhaps name ownership can be traded?
One of the issues is that whether we come up with a well thought out system, possibly with some new features, and that people like, or if we just make a basic vanilla EQ name system...
Regardless of which one we say we're going with, there will be lots of CS issues. People want to own their name. People identify with their name or names. People don't want others to tarnish their name because someelse, probably someone they don't even know, also has their name.
So solving this is the first step IMHO. How do we allow future players to own names and, when it comes to more common names, how do we do this fairly?
After that, I think it's gets kind of fun.
NPCs could notice people by last name and therefore treat more than one character in a different way because both PCs share a last name.
Lots of great lore could be written by players to explain their names.
We could use names occasionally to actually name parts of the game, perhaps in homage to the first person to travel to an area, etc.
The progeny system is obviously related, with the retired chacters attributes, stats, characteristcs, etc. to some degree influencing his offspring.
I could go on and on.... but how to get past the first part.
We could do first and last names are unique, with someone owning their last name, but *only* on that shard. That means if there was a way to move from one shard to another, the process would have to make sure there were not naming conflicts.
Anyway, will certainly continue to give it serious thought.
Oh, we also have the ability to assign titles based on deeds, quests completed, etc.
The question: "How do we allow future players to own names and, when it comes to more common names, how do we do this fairly?"
Thought: Create a means where Last Names have a place to be archieved with a wiki of sorts, where a history of the name can be created by the player and accessed in game? Each name linked to account for all future characters, able to be shared. Maybe accessed by inspecting? Last Name would retain some aspect of being unique, while being able to share last name with others who might share your history, or their history split for yours in some time passed with a story of their own.
Hope that made sense. haf
(I should have finished reading before posting, somewhat suggested already)
How has this part been comming along?
In my Pledge I entered a Name for reservation. That would have been the Last name? Just checking.
Aradune said:
Personally, I'd like to see last names be owned by the patriarch/matriarch of that name. That person can then choose, case by case, if someone else can also use that last name.
From what Aradune said, my Last name, 'Rydan', would then be owned by me. Then at character creation add a first name to that so my name would be Sykian Rydan.
If not I might need to change the Plegde information, lol.
I do like the option of showing first name too. Then how would sending someone a tell work?
Extra typing? "/tell Rydan" spam the family, "/tell Sykian Rydan" the character. Is that too much typing? (popup window select first names from family name? What do you think?)
Aradune said:
NPCs could notice people by last name and therefore treat more than one charcter in a different way because both PCs share a last name.
oh yes, like a family fued? lol. this would bring an extra dimension to faction.
Aradune said:
We could use names occasionally to actually name parts of the game, perhaps in homage to the first person to travel to an area, etc.
I can imagine a nakid halfling GM event race here from the start, no thanks.
Solving quests or discovering crafted items with a ref tag, yes, public places, no. Though a crumbling statue with lore info and a developer (last) name on a certain path to raid sounds cool to me.