How Long Does the Game Keep Your Name Unavailable After Deleting a Character?

redwoodtreesprite2

I had a character holding a name until I got the Imperial Upgrade. And decided to make my Imperial character tonight. I emptied her inventory, and deleted the character. Immediately made the new character. But the game said the name was in use/unavailable. It is a very unusual name, and only 5 minutes passed in making the character. I can only assume the game still thinks the name is in use.

So how long will the game hang on to that name before I can use it?

adriant1978

I've deleted and re-made a character before and the name was available immediately. Either something has changed or you got very unlucky and someone else snagged it in those 5 minutes.

Deome

I would love to have a better answer to this too--I hate that so many names get tied up by all the inactive accounts out there, and I'm always worrying about someone grabbing a name if I reroll.

redwoodtreesprite2

Deome wrote: »

I would love to have a better answer to this too--I hate that so many names get tied up by all the inactive accounts out there, and I'm always worrying about someone grabbing a name if I reroll.

And if the game keeps names "in use" sometimes now even after a character gets deleted, that is even more names no one can use.

Just thought of something. What if in the time between when I orginally made that character and when I deleted her, an NPC was made with the same name? In other MMOs I play, you can't use a name that is already given to an NPC.

Daemons_Bane

Last time I tried it, the name was available in the time it took me to redesign the character in another faction, which was 2-3 min at the most

redwoodtreesprite2

Daemons_Bane wrote: »

Last time I tried it, the name was available in the time it took me to redesign the character in another faction, which was 2-3 min at the most

Been that way with me too. This is the first time this has happened. The name is very unusual, and this is a quiet time of day as well. Ah well, nothing I can do. But I am beginning to think that it may not always be the best idea to make a name placeholder storage character if you really like the name. As the game might latch onto the name when you delete the character later and not let you use the name....

Daemons_Bane

Did you make the character on the same alliance.? Maybe that's the difference.. maybe the name was available so fast to me, because I changed alliance

Malnutrition

Even within the same alliance a name I was holding has always been available to me immediately after I deleted it to remake the character. That really sucks, I'd say either their system bugged out and didn't release the name or the smallest of chances that someone actually grabbed it within that short timeframe.

NewBlacksmurf

adriant1978 wrote: »

I've deleted and re-made a character before and the name was available immediately. Either something has changed or you got very unlucky and someone else snagged it in those 5 minutes.

Very accurate as this has been my experience as well.

It helps to use a first and last name

Julianos

redwoodtreesprite2 wrote: »

I had a character holding a name until I got the Imperial Upgrade. And decided to make my Imperial character tonight. I emptied her inventory, and deleted the character. Immediately made the new character. But the game said the name was in use/unavailable. It is a very unusual name, and only 5 minutes passed in making the character. I can only assume the game still thinks the name is in use.

So how long will the game hang on to that name before I can use it?

there is no such thing prolly someone taken your name while you were creating new char or its an another bug idk. But i always creating a char then i check in game voice and appearence first if i dont like it im deleting and creating new one with same name cos character creating screen looks and in game looks doesnt match there is a slight diffrence

fluffycannibalb16_ESO

redwoodtreesprite2 wrote: »

Just thought of something. What if in the time between when I orginally made that character and when I deleted her, an NPC was made with the same name? In other MMOs I play, you can't use a name that is already given to an NPC.

You can do that in this one - I know a Razum-dah and a Sir Cadwell

Jitterbug

fluffycannibalb16_ESO wrote: »

redwoodtreesprite2 wrote: »

Just thought of something. What if in the time between when I orginally made that character and when I deleted her, an NPC was made with the same name? In other MMOs I play, you can't use a name that is already given to an NPC.

You can do that in this one - I know a Razum-dah and a Sir Cadwell

That's a pretty funny guild name in your sig

fluffycannibalb16_ESO

Jitterbug wrote: »

[

That's a pretty funny guild name in your sig

Ni! Ni ni ni ni-ni-ni NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!

Ni.

ZOS_GaryA

Hey there @redwoodtreesprite2,

Names become available immediately upon the deletion of a character, so you shouldn't need a to wait to recreate the character. If you wouldn't mind, could you PM me the character name? We'd be happy to confer with some folks and see if it is in use, or if there is some sort of issue with the previous character's deletion.

AlienSlof

Hey, @redwoodtreesprite2 !!

I remember all your wonderful modder resources from the Morrowind days!

redwoodtreesprite2

AlienSlof wrote: »

Hey, @redwoodtreesprite2 !!

I remember all your wonderful modder resources from the Morrowind days!

Hello! I mainly play on the European server, but really slow. Just crafting and such for now, no hurry until they finally fix the justice system and my hubby makes some characters there too.

---

Regarding the name, I made a character with two parts so I could use the original name in it. So it's fine.

Curragraigue

I used my account name in the PC beta for a character name and then tried to use it as my first character name for PC. I couldn't use the name so I assumed that strangely someone else had beaten me to the name. About 9 months after launch I tried again and was able to use the name. So not sure whether it was my beta character holding the name and they deleted it or whether someone else had it and deleted it.

TheTwistedRune

ZOS_GaryA wrote: »

Hey there @redwoodtreesprite2,

Names become available immediately upon the deletion of a character, so you shouldn't need a to wait to recreate the character. If you wouldn't mind, could you PM me the character name? We'd be happy to confer with some folks and see if it is in use, or if there is some sort of issue with the previous character's deletion.

I have a question which is slightly off topic but still has relevance to the subject matter.

What about names of characters that are not deleted but exist on inactive accounts? Could a cut off be introduced to free up character names that exist on accounts that have been inactive for say, 6 months?

You wouldn't even need to delete said characters, just force a rename upon reactivation.

Rosveen

TheTwistedRune wrote: »

ZOS_GaryA wrote: »

Hey there @redwoodtreesprite2,

Names become available immediately upon the deletion of a character, so you shouldn't need a to wait to recreate the character. If you wouldn't mind, could you PM me the character name? We'd be happy to confer with some folks and see if it is in use, or if there is some sort of issue with the previous character's deletion.

I have a question which is slightly off topic but still has relevance to the subject matter.

What about names of characters that are not deleted but exist on inactive accounts? Could a cut off be introduced to free up character names that exist on accounts that have been inactive for say, 6 months?

That would be massively unfair to returning players and I hope will never be done.

TheTwistedRune

Rosveen wrote: »

TheTwistedRune wrote: »

ZOS_GaryA wrote: »

Hey there @redwoodtreesprite2,

Names become available immediately upon the deletion of a character, so you shouldn't need a to wait to recreate the character. If you wouldn't mind, could you PM me the character name? We'd be happy to confer with some folks and see if it is in use, or if there is some sort of issue with the previous character's deletion.

I have a question which is slightly off topic but still has relevance to the subject matter.

What about names of characters that are not deleted but exist on inactive accounts? Could a cut off be introduced to free up character names that exist on accounts that have been inactive for say, 6 months?

That would be massively unfair to returning players and I hope will never be done.

But not unfair to players who are actually playing the game, and want to use a name that somebody who played for a month and then quit and will never return is using?

Rosveen

TheTwistedRune wrote: »

Rosveen wrote: »

TheTwistedRune wrote: »

ZOS_GaryA wrote: »

Hey there @redwoodtreesprite2,

Names become available immediately upon the deletion of a character, so you shouldn't need a to wait to recreate the character. If you wouldn't mind, could you PM me the character name? We'd be happy to confer with some folks and see if it is in use, or if there is some sort of issue with the previous character's deletion.

I have a question which is slightly off topic but still has relevance to the subject matter.

What about names of characters that are not deleted but exist on inactive accounts? Could a cut off be introduced to free up character names that exist on accounts that have been inactive for say, 6 months?

That would be massively unfair to returning players and I hope will never be done.

But not unfair to players who are actually playing the game and want to use a name that somebody who played for a month and then quit and will never return?

You don't know if they will never return. Lots of people returned when ESO went B2P. More will return for a new zone when we finally get one, and keep up this leave-return pattern for major DLC/expansions. Now think about the limit you suggested - 6 months - think about ESO's update schedule and do the math.

TheTwistedRune

Rosveen wrote: »

TheTwistedRune wrote: »

Rosveen wrote: »

TheTwistedRune wrote: »

ZOS_GaryA wrote: »

Hey there @redwoodtreesprite2,

Names become available immediately upon the deletion of a character, so you shouldn't need a to wait to recreate the character. If you wouldn't mind, could you PM me the character name? We'd be happy to confer with some folks and see if it is in use, or if there is some sort of issue with the previous character's deletion.

I have a question which is slightly off topic but still has relevance to the subject matter.

What about names of characters that are not deleted but exist on inactive accounts? Could a cut off be introduced to free up character names that exist on accounts that have been inactive for say, 6 months?

That would be massively unfair to returning players and I hope will never be done.

But not unfair to players who are actually playing the game and want to use a name that somebody who played for a month and then quit and will never return?

You don't know if they will never return. Lots of people returned when ESO went B2P. More will return for a new zone when we finally get one, and keep up this leave-return pattern for major DLC/expansions. Now think about the limit you suggested - 6 months - think about ESO's update schedule and do the math.

Some will not return though. And that's my point. The name would be gone for good, which is unfortunate.

pppontus

TheTwistedRune wrote: »

Rosveen wrote: »

TheTwistedRune wrote: »

Rosveen wrote: »

TheTwistedRune wrote: »

ZOS_GaryA wrote: »

Hey there @redwoodtreesprite2,

Names become available immediately upon the deletion of a character, so you shouldn't need a to wait to recreate the character. If you wouldn't mind, could you PM me the character name? We'd be happy to confer with some folks and see if it is in use, or if there is some sort of issue with the previous character's deletion.

I have a question which is slightly off topic but still has relevance to the subject matter.

What about names of characters that are not deleted but exist on inactive accounts? Could a cut off be introduced to free up character names that exist on accounts that have been inactive for say, 6 months?

That would be massively unfair to returning players and I hope will never be done.

But not unfair to players who are actually playing the game and want to use a name that somebody who played for a month and then quit and will never return?

You don't know if they will never return. Lots of people returned when ESO went B2P. More will return for a new zone when we finally get one, and keep up this leave-return pattern for major DLC/expansions. Now think about the limit you suggested - 6 months - think about ESO's update schedule and do the math.

Some will not return though. And that's my point. The name would be gone for good, which is unfortunate.

Eventually it will happen, almost guaranteed, but I think they will let it be like this for a while. Considering the megaserver architecture where every name that's ever picked would otherwise disappear forever, I mean I notice already how it gets harder and harder when I try to pick names that aren't just randomly generated lol. Most "common" names are already taken, and I imagine a lot of them by the enormous amount of people that bought the game, left the first month with no intention of ever returning.

Really, if you're actually away for 6-12 months - would you be so offended by having to find a new name for your character? Especially when there's also a major chance that your name wasn't picked already so you can get it back. Or if you're that attached to names, just log in every 6 months.. ^^

6 months absence = a long time of not having a commitment to the game at all.

ZOS_GaryA

TheTwistedRune wrote: »

ZOS_GaryA wrote: »

Hey there @redwoodtreesprite2,

Names become available immediately upon the deletion of a character, so you shouldn't need a to wait to recreate the character. If you wouldn't mind, could you PM me the character name? We'd be happy to confer with some folks and see if it is in use, or if there is some sort of issue with the previous character's deletion.

I have a question which is slightly off topic but still has relevance to the subject matter.

What about names of characters that are not deleted but exist on inactive accounts? Could a cut off be introduced to free up character names that exist on accounts that have been inactive for say, 6 months?

You wouldn't even need to delete said characters, just force a rename upon reactivation.

Accounts that are inactive maintain their character names. Currently we do not have plans to change this, but if we do we'll be sure to let everyone know in advance.