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Freeing up old character names
Adernath
✭✭✭✭✭
Since the launch of ESO in 2014, there are many good names laying in long inactive accounts which will likely never be used anymore. I have in mind in particular those 'one-hit-wonder' accounts in the first few months after launch.
My suggestion is that all holders of accounts which are inactive since longer than 2 - 3 years will first get informed that if they are not logged in before a given deadline, they will receive a free character name change for all of their existing characters in order to free up these old character names.
So let us see your opinion!
Edited by Adernath on December 3, 2017 5:56PM My suggestion is that all holders of accounts which are inactive since longer than 2 - 3 years will first get informed that if they are not logged in before a given deadline, they will receive a free character name change for all of their existing characters in order to free up these old character names.
So let us see your opinion!
Freeing up old character names 250 votes
Yes, please go ahead with that
39%
98 votes
No
58%
146 votes
Other
2%
6 votes
0
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Taleof2Cities✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭NoLook! Another player that can’t use special characters, spaces, or caps!8 -
EvilCroc✭✭✭✭✭
✭NoWho will decide whether the account is "dead" or not?
Every player can come back in any time and such players have same rights as we are.31 -
menedhyn✭✭✭✭✭
✭OtherBy choosing other, it means I have no strong feelings. This is because there have been a few occasions when a name I wanted to use has been taken, but I just go back to my character sheet and think up an alternative. That has worked well enough for me so far.1 -
tizodd✭✭✭NoI played beta and quit shortly after launch (the game was bad at launch imo). I came back shortly after Morrowind's release and have been thoroughly enjoying the game.
Long story short: those people might be back.16 -
Jarryzzt✭✭✭✭Taleof2Cities wrote: »Look! Another player that can’t use special characters, spaces, or caps!
Look! Another poster who doesn't understand "RP" or "immersion"!
On topic. I actually disagree with the OP from the perspective of my experience in other MMOs (e.g. EVE, WoT). There, your accounts, characters, etc. are kept...well, I can't say forever because "in the long run, we're all dead"(TM), but certainly for a decade or more. Because players do step away, for whatever reason, for months, years or a full decade at a time, whether due to real-life reasons (e.g. birth of a child) or whatever else, and it is nice to come back and start not from zero but from your old character. I've done it, others have done it, and multiple MMO providers have this as a policy clearly for a reason - because keeping the option and thus improving the quality of life for returning players is probably more of a benefit to them in the long run than freeing up even a few million unique character names, which isn't a lot in the grand scheme of things*.
It is true that this policy means I have zero chance of ever creating a half-naked elvish female character with a truly gigantic bust named "Princess Sparklebottom". Because I will be shocked to my core if that character name is free in any popular MMO in existence. However, I highly doubt that there are very many people who must, must, absolutely must have that one special character name (e.g. "Princess Sparklebottom") and cannot possibly abide even the tiniest variation ("Princesse de la Sparklee-bottomme" or some such).
* - if one assumes - and we do not actually know the number - ~250k active subs and some sub turnover rate, let's say there have been 1 million ESO players over the past three years, let's say each on average makes 10 characters, that's 10 million unique character names. Make it 15 million. Against the total number of possible name combinations from, say, 6-20 character spaces and 26 different letters plus spaces (surnames), and connectors such as apostrophes, hyphens and aristocratic monikers (real or fantasy)? I am too asleep to even begin to calculate all the possible variations, but I have to believe it's orders (plural) of magnitude greater. Plus, one does not even have to think of anything original any more, just run the Fantasy Name Generator a few times and combine two or three of the results from the list or just change a couple of letters in one to get something truly unique.5 -
idk✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭NoFor games that were purchased they should never be released. For characters started on free accounts during free weekends they should be released at some point.12 -
IcyDeadPeople✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭Yes, please go ahead with thatYes, same has occurred with other MMOs. For example I believe Blizzard started releasing character names from WoW accounts that had not logged on for five years. If anyone who hadn't played for five years wanted to retain their names, all they had to do was log in at least once before the patch.
Edited by IcyDeadPeople on December 3, 2017 7:06PM3 -
runagate✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭Taleof2Cities wrote: »Look! Another player that can’t use special characters, spaces, or caps!
Look! Another poster who doesn't understand "RP" or "immersion"!
On topic. I actually disagree with the OP from the perspective of my experience in other MMOs (e.g. EVE, WoT). There, your accounts, characters, etc. are kept...well, I can't say forever because "in the long run, we're all dead"(TM), but certainly for a decade or more. Because players do step away, for whatever reason, for months, years or a full decade at a time, whether due to real-life reasons (e.g. birth of a child) or whatever else, and it is nice to come back and start not from zero but from your old character. I've done it, others have done it, and multiple MMO providers have this as a policy clearly for a reason - because keeping the option and thus improving the quality of life for returning players is probably more of a benefit to them in the long run than freeing up even a few million unique character names, which isn't a lot in the grand scheme of things*.
It is true that this policy means I have zero chance of ever creating a half-naked elvish female character with a truly gigantic bust named "Princess Sparklebottom". Because I will be shocked to my core if that character name is free in any popular MMO in existence. However, I highly doubt that there are very many people who must, must, absolutely must have that one special character name (e.g. "Princess Sparklebottom") and cannot possibly abide even the tiniest variation ("Princesse de la Sparklee-bottomme" or some such).
* - if one assumes - and we do not actually know the number - ~250k active subs and some sub turnover rate, let's say there have been 1 million ESO players over the past three years, let's say each on average makes 10 characters, that's 10 million unique character names. Make it 15 million. Against the total number of possible name combinations from, say, 6-20 character spaces and 26 different letters plus spaces (surnames), and connectors such as apostrophes, hyphens and aristocratic monikers (real or fantasy)? I am too asleep to even begin to calculate all the possible variations, but I have to believe it's orders (plural) of magnitude greater. Plus, one does not even have to think of anything original any more, just run the Fantasy Name Generator a few times and combine two or three of the results from the list or just change a couple of letters in one to get something truly unique.
I have PvPed with Princess Sparklebotton. My best in-game friend. Always changing her @name though. Too many hate /w which is just sad.
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corrosivechains✭✭✭✭✭Nogoing no. ESO is a game that is geared toward playing in bursts. You're expected to take breaks from the game and come back later, and as such even if this were implemented, those asking for it wont be happy. It's very likely the name you want wont be free'd up, and then you'll be back demanding the time limit on names be shorter."Could you post me a link to the official MMO rule book please." - clayandaudrey_ESO5
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timb16_ESO85✭✭✭✭Yes, please go ahead with thatSince the launch of ESO in 2014, there are many good names laying in long inactive accounts which will likely never be used anymore. I have in mind in particular those 'one-hit-wonder' accounts in the first few months after launch.
My suggestion is that all holders of accounts which are inactive since longer than 2 - 3 years will first get informed that if they are not logged in before a given deadline, they will receive a free character name change for all of their existing characters in order to free up these old character names.
Agree that names should be freed from people who played for a few weeks when the game first released, and never came back. However, reuiring people to install the complete game when they are told their character names are going to be changed might be a big hurdle for some, considering the size of the download and people having limited bandwidth. In my oppinion, a better approach would be to include a link and just require them to log into their account on the eso website and clicking on the character names they have that they want to keep reserved.2 -
teiselaise✭✭✭Yes, please go ahead with thatWell, i believe that the original player should have 100% rights to the name, if we where to crate a character named the same as his, we would get a warning saying: This name was chosen by a player wich is inactive now, if that player returns you will recieve a free, but obligatory, name change.Argonian masterrace2 -
Alchemical✭✭✭✭✭NoAll a man has in this world is his name.
No seriously, I sit and agonize over my names for hours to get them right. I take a vacation and any ol tosser can scoop them right out from under me? Nah.8 -
emilyhyoyeon✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭Yes, please go ahead with thatIIRC in Runescape an account's name is released after x years of inactivity if the account has no skill levels above some low amount. In this case, I think it's fairIGN @ emilypumpkin, imperial pumpkin seller
Tullanisse Starborne, altmer battlemage & scholar of the ayleids0 -
Adernath✭✭✭✭✭Yes, please go ahead with thatInteresting results. I can understand the obligations some of you have. However, if there would never be a name freeing, these names are literally been taken out of the game. I think this is in no ones interest. And there are definitively an increasing number of inactive accounts laying around, so a cleaning of very old inactive accounts at some point is IMO a natural thing to do.
To clarify one point: I would not bother if a name which I'd like to have is still taken after such a name freeing. In this case I would have clarity instead.1 -
SisterGoat✭✭✭✭✭NoThere is always the chance of somebody returning. It wouldn't be fair. Permabanned accounts should have names freed up, but a lot of them are gibberish anyway.Jumps-In-Water - Magicka Templar
Dar'akar - Stamina Nightblade
Jumps-In-Lava - Magicka Dragon Knight
PC/NA7 -
Tasear✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭Yes, please go ahead with thatI want to...but is it a good idea probably not. I personally would liked moonlight goddess back deleted the character and then was no longer available. Do deleted names still get reserved?0 -
MythicEmperor✭✭✭✭✭
✭NoAbsolutely not. Some people take extended breaks and return, and this would make logging in a chore because one doesn't want their characters deleted before they have time to play again. If logging in becomes a habitual obligation, then it will make the game a lot less fun to play when one actually has time.With cold regards,
Mythic
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Søren Icehelm, N'wah Warden
Fargoth of Morrowind, Bosmer commoner5 -
ThePrinceOfBargains✭✭✭✭✭
✭Yes, please go ahead with thatIf they haven’t played since launch, they don’t need it and won’t care in the 1/1000 chance they come back to the game.0 -
ToRelax✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭NoI don't want returning friends have their names taken away. I don't want my own name gone or seeing others run around with it after not playing a long time. And I also wouldn't like seeing other people run around with the names of players I knew.DAGON - ALTADOON - CHIM - GHARTOK
The Covenant is broken. The Enemy has won...
Elo'dryel - Sorc - AR 50 - Hopesfire - EP EU6 -
Samadhi✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭NoVoted no, butYes, just offer them a free name change if they ever return.
If the free name change was given to the second person to claim the name more recently
and the original name were returned to the original individual who selected it earlier
would be pretty okay with it
seems like more headache than it is worth tho
Almost went with 'Other'
on the basis that displaying Account name alongside Character name everywhere in game
means they could tweak the mail system to be account-name only
and let multiple people use the same name
but as a default, do not support the removal of content from legitimate individuals, even if they have been absent for a prolonged period
all names on permabanned accounts should become available again if they are not tho"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." -- the 14th Dalai Lama
Wisdom is doing Now that which benefits you later.
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Samadhi✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭NoInteresting results. I can understand the obligations some of you have. However, if there would never be a name freeing, these names are literally been taken out of the game. I think this is in no ones interest. And there are definitively an increasing number of inactive accounts laying around, so a cleaning of very old inactive accounts at some point is IMO a natural thing to do.
...
it is a natural thing to do in f2p games
or in games where servers merge and players have to select new names anyway
but ESO has been single-server since launch
and people paid for their accounts
"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." -- the 14th Dalai Lama
Wisdom is doing Now that which benefits you later.
1 -
emilyhyoyeon✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭Yes, please go ahead with thathow is it a chore to log in once every three years?IGN @ emilypumpkin, imperial pumpkin seller
Tullanisse Starborne, altmer battlemage & scholar of the ayleids2 -
Adernath✭✭✭✭✭Yes, please go ahead with thatand people paid for their accounts
... yes they payed, but why should that justify to have a name reservation for all eternity? All they have to do is log into the game once (or maybe click on a link, as suggested above) to confirm that they still care about their names. And if they do not provide this sort of feedback, then one has to assume they don't care anymore. Remember we are talking only about the oldest inactive accounts. Some sort of life sign after years of absence is IMO not much to demand for the sake of the active playerbase.0 -
ADarklore✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭Yes, please go ahead with thatI was glad when DCUO finally did this... they renamed all the inactive player character names with special symbols and freed up the regular name version. However, because ESO is B2P there could be a problem considering players PAID for the game and should be entitled to keep the names they chose regardless of timeframe... DCUO was F2P so there could be something said for the fact that the player didn't actually PAY for the account so therefore they're not entitled to keep character names.CP: 2078 ** ESO+ 2025 Content Pass ** ~~ ***** Strictly a solo PvE quester *****
~~Started Playing: May 2015 | Stopped Playing: July 2025~~0 -
code65536✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭NoI want to...but is it a good idea probably not. I personally would liked moonlight goddess back deleted the character and then was no longer available. Do deleted names still get reserved?
@Tasear A name is released immediately upon the deletion of that character.
I had a bank mule character on an alt account that was reserving a name that I wanted to use in the future. When I wanted to finally use that name on my main account, I deleted the mule character and was able to immediately create a new character with that name. The deletion happened on my laptop, and as soon as I confirmed the deletion, I pressed the button to confirm the creation on my desktop, and it went through--the couple of seconds it took for me to turn to my desktop and hit the button was all the time there was between the deletion and reuse.Edited by code65536 on December 4, 2017 1:52AMNightfighters ― PC/NA and PC/EU
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Samadhi✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭No
Why would a justification be needed with regards to the validity of names on valid, unbanned, accounts?
On what basis is their use of the name being called into question?...All they have to do is log into the game once (or maybe click on a link, as suggested above) to confirm that they still care about their names. And if they do not provide this sort of feedback, then one has to assume they don't care anymore. ...
One may desire for them to not care anymore,
and try to introduce specific measures that he or she feels 'proves' that his or her desire for the name is stronger, thus more valid
but one must assume that new players are creative and capable enough individuals to comprise new names if the specific one they desire is taken
ESO has a lot of flexibility in terms of character creation
personally not even particularly creative, and did fine
when Sirona was taken, went with Sirona Stillwater
because people do have first and last names...Remember we are talking only about the oldest inactive accounts. Some sort of life sign after years of absence is IMO not much to demand for the sake of the active playerbase.
Mhm, the people we are talking about includes some of my friends and guildmates going back to beta and early access
fond memories
"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." -- the 14th Dalai Lama
Wisdom is doing Now that which benefits you later.
2 -
Adernath✭✭✭✭✭Yes, please go ahead with that
Why would a justification be needed with regards to the validity of names on valid, unbanned, accounts?
On what basis is their use of the name being called into question?
You have to ask the original person who argued that paying the game once justifies a name reserve for eternity, not my response I was asking this by myself: he argued that because of this fact we can not simply reuse inactive names.
We are talking about those cases in which they are not using the name anymore. These players are simply not playing the game anymore. At some point you have to declare someone's dead if you never ever get a life sign again. Doesn't matter if you never found the body...
Certainly, we can all be creative, but this not really touching the heart of the topic: To have some sort of name recycling. Memories live on in your heart... Life and death. ;-)...All they have to do is log into the game once (or maybe click on a link, as suggested above) to confirm that they still care about their names. And if they do not provide this sort of feedback, then one has to assume they don't care anymore. ...
One may desire for them to not care anymore,
and try to introduce specific measures that he or she feels 'proves' that his or her desire for the name is stronger, thus more valid
but one must assume that new players are creative and capable enough individuals to comprise new names if the specific one they desire is taken
ESO has a lot of flexibility in terms of character creation
personally not even particularly creative, and did fine
when Sirona was taken, went with Sirona Stillwater
because people do have first and last names
(...)
Mhm, the people we are talking about includes some of my friends and guildmates going back to beta and early access
fond memories
Edited by Adernath on December 5, 2017 3:36PM2 -
Inarre✭✭✭✭✭
✭NoIf i took a break from game and one day decided "you know, I'd really love to come back and play my old orc Hamster-Dance Pants around wrothgar like the old days" and logged in to find all my characters without their names id log right back out.Edited by Inarre on December 5, 2017 3:39PM7
