Name check feature at build time?

Tavore1138 · July 2014

I know people have many different takes on character creation, my own is to some extent take a name that has some resonance with me whether it be something appropriated from fiction or something that draws from something else.

I then build a character based on that in teems of appearance and class.

In the offline world that is fine but I have found a number of occasions where I have chosen a name and that name and all close versions are taken.

Obviously that is bound to happen but... because name selection is the final step you can spend time getting the look just right and then have no name.

For some I suppose you just chose another name as the appearance is all, but I try to build characters as a complete thing including name.

Skip to this bit if you don't like reading...

I think it would be good if there was some way to check name availability before spending too much time on designing the looks?

AlexDougherty · July 2014

No.

The problem with name check features is that they don't help, you type in a name and it comes back with nothing you would use.

Sorry but the only way to get a name you like is to keep trying. It helps if you read a lot, and have a plethora of book series to google for names. Or TV series, or films.

PBpsy · July 2014

Yes.

There is no reason for that not to be a feature.
It is however possible to do this in game right now. Create new character write the name and press create.If it is not used you get the play/skip option. When the skip or play option appears press escape and you can continue to customize the character.You can also delete the character and do it again if you really need to.

Tavore1138 · July 2014

Yes.

PBpsy wrote: »

There is no reason for that not to be a feature.
It is however possible to do this in game right now. Create new character write the name and press create. When the skip or play option appears press escape and you can continue to customize the character.You can also delete the character and do it again if you really need to.

Really, I did not know you could do that... Genius!

Sharee · July 2014

Yes.

AlexDougherty wrote: »

The problem with name check features is that they don't help, you type in a name and it comes back with nothing you would use.

Sorry but the only way to get a name you like is to keep trying. It helps if you read a lot, and have a plethora of book series to google for names. Or TV series, or films.

I think you misunderstood? The OP's idea is to be able to check whether a name is available before spending 2 hours on designing your character's looks. Not for the game to suggest a name for him.

AlexDougherty · July 2014

No.

Sharee wrote: »

AlexDougherty wrote: »

The problem with name check features is that they don't help, you type in a name and it comes back with nothing you would use.

Sorry but the only way to get a name you like is to keep trying. It helps if you read a lot, and have a plethora of book series to google for names. Or TV series, or films.

I think you misunderstood? The OP's idea is to be able to check whether a name is available before spending 2 hours on designing your character's looks. Not for the game to suggest a name for him.

Oh, ok I misunderstood.

KariTR · July 2014

Massively indifferent.

Thankfully, names appropriated from fiction are quickly deleted and changed by the mods, if reported. Not only is copyrighted material disallowed, it is a massive immersion killer to the rest of the community.

With the option to add a surname, the only names I could see being taken are ones that aren't allowed anyway (so it saves you the grief of having it changed later on) and at this point have more likely been barred by an automated filter, as opposed to someone else running around with the name you want.

Tavore1138 · July 2014

Yes.

KariTR wrote: »

Thankfully, names appropriated from fiction are quickly deleted and changed by the mods, if reported. Not only is copyrighted material disallowed, it is a massive immersion killer to the rest of the community.

With the option to add a surname, the only names I could see being taken are ones that aren't allowed anyway (so it saves you the grief of having it changed later on) and at this point have more likely been barred by an automated filter, as opposed to someone else running around with the name you want.

I think we must be on different servers, there are many many players with names of fictional characters or similar ones - I would expect nothing else given the likely player base.

ZOS are also very specific in what they disallow and are quite careful in saying it is copyrighted names they bar NOT any name that may have appeared in a copyrighted work. If it were the latter many people would not be able to use their own legal names because they had coincidentally been used by an author.

My friend Gandalf Legolas al'Thor would be in big trouble!

dogandlion_ESO · July 2014

No.

I name my characters 100% in the other order. First I build the character the way I want it to look, THEN I determine the name to fit the character. If I had to come up with a name first, it just wouldn't work at all for me.

Particularly in Elder Scrolls games, it's really important to me that the name fits the character, not that the character fits the name.

Thoughts?

Kinsaven · July 2014

Yes.

PBpsy wrote: »

There is no reason for that not to be a feature.
It is however possible to do this in game right now. Create new character write the name and press create.If it is not used you get the play/skip option. When the skip or play option appears press escape and you can continue to customize the character.You can also delete the character and do it again if you really need to.

This isn't true in all cases, or perhaps they just changed it. Earlier I was trying to create a character and it gave me the option to skip, I chose and only after that did it tell me that the name I wanted wasn't available.

I wouldn't mind an option though, and I don't see why anyone would be against this seeing as it wouldn't affect them in a negative way at all.

Tabbycat · July 2014

Massively indifferent.

Unless you are going for a one word name or something extremely common, you shouldn't have any issues with naming. You can also add titles and descriptions, etc.

Beth

Lady Beth

Beth of Auridon

Priestess Beth

Shifty-Eyed Beth

etc.

Moonscythe · July 2014

No.

I clicked no but my cat did it.

I agree with Tabbycat. With the ability to have spaces in a name then titles, honorifics, attributes and punctuation should enable a preferred name to be usable in some form. Personally, I care more about my appearance and only choose a name once I am happy with how I look. Then the name is based on race and what they look like. I keep a name book with names I like and for ESO added a set of surnames as well. I hate being stuck trying to think of a name when I have my character ready to go.

Nox_Aeterna · July 2014

Yes.

To me it makes no difference , i was here on the first second (yeap , even with the whole one hour mess :P) and got myself 8 names reserved , even if because of how this game was made i will probably only ever have my main and others will remain mules , so i dont really need to worry about this.

But i dont see why they could not add this for those that want it , doesnt seem like hard thing to do at all.

Auralia · July 2014

Massively indifferent.

Don't mind as I have a look I want for a character and then think of 10 names for each. I've made 7 characters and have had no trouble getting names, none of my first choice for the names I chose were ever taken.

Bookwyrm · July 2014

Yes.

As I don't see how this would cause any problems, I don't see a reason for it not to be implemented. Doesn't hinder anyone's gameplay as far as I can see it.

I don't personally have a need for it at the moment because I have all 8 of my character slots filled, all with names/characters I don't want to delete (well, one I would like to revisit her appearance but her alchemy is nearly maxed out so I'll just have to hope that they add an appearance-change option in the future, because I don't want to do that all over again). But I can see how this would help others, plus it might even help me if they add more character slots in the future.

nvsg · July 2014

Yes.

everyone who picked no is just stupid why would you say no ?

lecarcajou_ESO · July 2014

Other.

I am for this in principle, but only if it doesn't introduce some new and unexpected stress to the system that further degrades ESO's already often shaky performance... I've no idea what the implementation of a name-check feature would entail, but clearly it would require some degree of communication between the client and the server, and consequently take up bandwidth, so... who knows. I sure don't.

BBSooner · July 2014

Other.

Good/ great feature to have - but hopefully way down on the to-do list (imo).

cracker81 · July 2014

Well got my name from eso.
Drog in dragon language is lord
Zii = spirit
Last name a imperial last name

Vunter · July 2014

Yes.

Why not?

Tavore1138 · July 2014

Yes.

BBSooner wrote: »

Good/ great feature to have - but hopefully way down on the to-do list (imo).

Very yes, expressing a mild desire here not a must have... I am almost certain the lack of this feature will not cause me to rage quit

MikeMoss · July 2014

Yes.

Hi

I think this is a really good idea.

When I created my main character I did a lot of research, printed out pictures of the character for reference, and sat waiting to be the first person to log in and get my name.

I logged in and created my character comparing my reference photos with my construction, eye size and spacing, etc, until I thought that my character really looked like the original.

Sure enough the name was already taken, and this was 20 minutes after the servers when online.

Fortunately I was able to add an S to the last name and it made sense.

I'd bet that the other person who is using the name didn't go the the pains I did to make the character look like the person, who plays the character.

I created another character just to save the name with an S added to the first name as well, but it would have been nice if I could have reserved the name at the start of the process.

Perhaps you could start by typing in the name, submitting it, and then saying yes I want to reserve this name for 1 hour.

If you don't create a character with that name in an hour then the name becomes available again.

Mike

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