[Account Cold Storage] Should toon names be released too?

Merlin13KAGL · December 2019

The only way I could see this happening is if the new character had the name flagged.

This way, if the original account did opt to come back online, whoever commandeered the name would be the one forced to rename a character, not the original owner. Guessing you'd be irritated at having to log in and change the name you'd worked so hard to snatch, just as much as the original owner would be if your request was implemented.

Like it or not, it's a first come, first served aspect of the game. Find a workaround. There are dozens of slight modifications you can do to end up with a similar name without someone arbitrarily losing theirs.

Gythral · December 2019

Chances are if someone wants a name it is 'probably' a break of the TOS anyway...

MajBludd · December 2019

What is so hard about making a small change to the name if its already taken?
Ex. Name, Ńame, Náme, Namę

Bobby_V_Rockit · December 2019

I never have any trouble naming them, I did delete one character though because I thought I’d get yelled at or something, his name was “Loves-to-spooge”. I’m surprised that name even got through honestly lol. So yeah, not hard to come up with a unique-ish name imo.

Ymmv

AcadianPaladin · December 2019

I say sure. But then I see absolutely no reason why multiple players can't use the character name. We all know lots of people named Bob or Sue or Mary and I see no reason why Nirn needs to be different.

essi2 · December 2019

AcadianPaladin wrote: »

I say sure. But then I see absolutely no reason why multiple players can't use the character name. We all know lots of people named Bob or Sue or Mary and I see no reason why Nirn needs to be different.

Probably requires changes to the character database that would be costly to do or that ZOS would be unwilling to do.

Keep in mind that ZOS has already stated that they won't enable character transfers because it would be 'too hard'.
The move to PS4 was only enabled because the PS4 database was at that point empty.

Zephard · December 2019

Is there a shortage on names? I never heard of this. Why would you need to force a release of names?

I mean I agree with AcadianPaladin about why can't there be the same name, but at the same time, since there can't be, I am sure a surname added, makes it a whole lot easier to have multiple Bobs.

The real wonder to me, is name copying that common? Well I guess lots of people can make names based off the same theme. Like based off plants and fish. But with 2nd name and third names added, kind of makes the choices not quite endless, but close.

Asardes · December 2019

Perma-banned accounts aren't deleted altogether? Why bother placing them in cold storage (whatever that means).

robwolf666 · December 2019

Dusk_Coven wrote: »

When an account is put into Cold Storage (an eventual part of the Performance Improvements Plan), should the character names be released back into availability?

What in the heck is "cold storage"? And don't say a freezer!

Nestor · December 2019

It is already enough of a pain to restart the game after an extended period:

1. It has to be updated to the current client, or even redownloaded.
2. You probably have to deal with the 2 Factor Email Challenge
3. Good chance that the Password has to be changed.
4. Addons, if used, have to be updated.
5. Skills and gear need to be reevaluated. Replacing gear can take hours, even if go all crafted, days if you have to farm it. New rotations take time to set up.
6. You have to try and remember where you left off and what you want to pick up and continue on with.
7. Your old guilds may not be as active so you have to try and find new ones.
8. I am sure I am forgetting other things....

Forcing someone to come up with a new name for an existing character would be the straw that would stop this camel from coming back.

DoonerSeraph · December 2019

robwolf666 wrote: »

Dusk_Coven wrote: »

When an account is put into Cold Storage (an eventual part of the Performance Improvements Plan), should the character names be released back into availability?

What in the heck is "cold storage"? And don't say a freezer!

An igloo.

AlnilamE · December 2019

robwolf666 wrote: »

Dusk_Coven wrote: »

When an account is put into Cold Storage (an eventual part of the Performance Improvements Plan), should the character names be released back into availability?

What in the heck is "cold storage"? And don't say a freezer!

In order to improve server performance, ZOS is going to "archive" accounts that have not logged in after a certain amount of time to a different database.

When/if these accounts come back, their first time logging in will take a bit longer as their information is retrieved from the "cold storage".

Dusk_Coven wrote: »

InaMoonlight wrote: »

Wouldn't be very cool, and most likely scare any retunee's away instantly if they risked that the names they chose and thought up over ages suddenly vanish... Imagine logging in again reading new interesting updates, only to see 6-10 chars named 654235632 if you had names like Cassiopeia, Picasso, Nyx, and so forth. Don't think, and hope that'd never happen, noone would return for longer then it took to see their char-list I fear.

But if you didn't care enough to log in -- for a long enough period that you ended up in Cold Storage -- would you care about your character name?
If they did release your character name they'd probably give you a name change token of course. Then you can use accents or other tricks just like ACTIVE players have to do now.

First of all, I'm trying to find the original post, but my understanding is that accounts will be put in "cold storage" at around the 6-month mark, so it's perfectly possible that people will come back in those cases.

In my guild, we've had people who hadn't played since launch show up this year and try out Elsweyr. As others have mentioned, there is a fair amount of players who come for the content updates, play a month and then leave again.

The other thing you have to consider, and I believe you mentioned it, but it may have been someone else, is that players die.

Sometimes we know about it, sometimes they just stop logging in and you never find out. But in the cases where we know about it, how would you feel if you ran into a character named after the main of a friend or guildie who died?

SpiderKnight · December 2019

Dusk_Coven wrote: »

InaMoonlight wrote: »

Wouldn't be very cool, and most likely scare any retunee's away instantly if they risked that the names they chose and thought up over ages suddenly vanish... Imagine logging in again reading new interesting updates, only to see 6-10 chars named 654235632 if you had names like Cassiopeia, Picasso, Nyx, and so forth. Don't think, and hope that'd never happen, noone would return for longer then it took to see their char-list I fear.

But if you didn't care enough to log in -- for a long enough period that you ended up in Cold Storage -- would you care about your character name?
If they did release your character name they'd probably give you a name change token of course. Then you can use accents or other tricks just like ACTIVE players have to do now.

Or you could do this yourself instead of acting entitled to other's character names.

peacenote · December 2019

I don't think names should be released. It goes against the code of the MMO!

SpacemanSpiff1 · December 2019

Why? Someone have a name you want?

Lumenn · December 2019

I'm in favor of no. I had actually quit for 2 years when they implemented the cash store and only came back when a friend told me it wasn't as bad as we'd feared(he quit too for awhile). If my names/toons had been gone I'd probably not have come back

zyk · December 2019

Dusk_Coven wrote: »

But if you didn't care enough to log in -- for a long enough period that you ended up in Cold Storage -- would you care about your character name?

I want my characters to remain intact for as long as ESO operates, even if I haven't logged in for years. It's not analogous at all to 'account cold storage' because that is to be done to help performance. Removing character names would not.

It would be an affront to existing players, especially those from launch.

Prrasha · December 2019

This was one of the most contentious issues during server merges in Everquest2 (and, presumably, every other MMO that has had to merge servers.) One of the merges, the devs chose "the character with the most /played time gets to keep the name, the other one has to change it". So, I had to leave a newer alt logged in 24/7 to "steal" my name from an account on the other server that hadn't logged in in 5+ years. Another name, I had no chance to win the "/played time" race, and had to change mine.

There is no answer that can leave everyone happy. So, if forced name changes aren't "forced" by a server merge or some other unavoidable circumstance, they're a very bad idea.

I started ESO fairly recently. Some of "my" names from other games were available. Others were already in use. So I invented new ones. It's really not that hard. The "use high-ascii characters and extra spaces" thing is juvenile, in my opinion.

(And I note that many people complaining about "good names" not being available must be looking for really super-original ones, like Daenerys and Hermione, given the number of corruptions of those sorts of names I see in the game.)

Tandor · December 2019

Definitely a "no" from me.

The aim of the exercise is not to free up unused names, but to speed up the login process. If you want a name that's not available just add a second name and the chances are it will be accepted. This means there is absolutely no reason or justification for freeing up unused names.

pod88kk · December 2019

Ooooh yes please, I hate having to be 'Farty Pants the second' I deserve my true title of 'Farty Pants'!!!!!!

WhiteCoatSyndrome · December 2019

Kadoin wrote: »

And when players mistakenly identify new name holders as some one else...?

This very much. And no, the account name is not good enough as an identifier; you can send in-game mail with the character name, leaving a wide avenue for mistaken identity. Also last I checked, you can change your account name.

Dusk_Coven · December 2019

MajBludd wrote: »

What is so hard about making a small change to the name if its already taken?
Ex. Name, Ńame, Náme, Namę

I've seen a crown scammer use an accented name. People can't even type in the accent to report them properly.
Even if it weren't an inconvenience to use an accent, a new player could have a better naming experience and the maybe-never-coming-back player can use the accent.

idk · December 2019

a

Dusk_Coven wrote: »

MajBludd wrote: »

What is so hard about making a small change to the name if its already taken?
Ex. Name, Ńame, Náme, Namę

I've seen a crown scammer use an accented name. People can't even type in the accent to report them properly.

Exactly their point. That character names do not need to be freed up.

Dusk_Coven · December 2019

SpacemanSpiff1 wrote: »

Why? Someone have a name you want?

Newer players encounter this all the time and it's a problem that just gets worse over time.

Dusk_Coven · December 2019

Just the fact that people are so defensive about wanting to keep their names is reason enough to consider releasing names from players who probably won't come back. If you have to keep trying a different name just to make your character, each time you change your character's name to try to get a valid one changes how you conceived of your character.

For newer players entering the system, it's a problem that will just get worse over time.

Prrasha wrote: »

I started ESO fairly recently. Some of "my" names from other games were available. Others were already in use. So I invented new ones. It's really not that hard. The "use high-ascii characters and extra spaces" thing is juvenile, in my opinion.

Then maybe your character's name doesn't matter as much to you during character creation. People use ways to try to retain the initial name they want because it's part of their character concept and toon identity. Players who don't come back don't need their toon names anymore.
Mostly the defense here is people "might" come back after 5+ years. Probably most accounts don't though. That's why they are considering some kind of "Cold Storage" at all.

Dusk_Coven · December 2019

AlnilamE wrote: »

The other thing you have to consider, and I believe you mentioned it, but it may have been someone else, is that players die.

Sometimes we know about it, sometimes they just stop logging in and you never find out. But in the cases where we know about it, how would you feel if you ran into a character named after the main of a friend or guildie who died?

Not much different from seeing the same name with a space or hyphen or slight accent on it, I imagine. You'd still essentially see that name.

Goregrinder · December 2019

First come, first serve.

Dusk_Coven · December 2019

WhiteCoatSyndrome wrote: »

Kadoin wrote: »

And when players mistakenly identify new name holders as some one else...?

This very much. And no, the account name is not good enough as an identifier; you can send in-game mail with the character name, leaving a wide avenue for mistaken identity. Also last I checked, you can change your account name.

If someone changes their account name.
And someone else takes the now freed-up account name.
That's fine? It's possible it's happening right now, so your argument about 'mistaken identity" doesn't really fly.

AlnilamE · December 2019

Dusk_Coven wrote: »

Just the fact that people are so defensive about wanting to keep their names is reason enough to consider releasing names from players who probably won't come back. If you have to keep trying a different name just to make your character, each time you change your character's name to try to get a valid one changes how you conceived of your character.

For newer players entering the system, it's a problem that will just get worse over time.

Prrasha wrote: »

I started ESO fairly recently. Some of "my" names from other games were available. Others were already in use. So I invented new ones. It's really not that hard. The "use high-ascii characters and extra spaces" thing is juvenile, in my opinion.

Then maybe your character's name doesn't matter as much to you during character creation. People use ways to try to retain the initial name they want because it's part of their character concept and toon identity. Players who don't come back don't need their toon names anymore.
Mostly the defense here is people "might" come back after 5+ years. Probably most accounts don't though. That's why they are considering some kind of "Cold Storage" at all.

Yeah, but during character creation is when you have the flexibility to tweak your character's concept if changing the name a tiny bit is such a huge change for you.

Meanwhile, if you created a character, played them for 2-3 years and then left for a bit, only to come back and find out you have to come up with a different name while still having the same character would be quite an upheaval.

In ESO, I've never had much problem with character names, because we can use spaces, but I always try to at least have a few options that will work before I get started.

Sheezabeast · December 2019

In other multi player games I’ve played, it’s a popular troll tactic to make an account on launch day, snipe the best names, and later sell the account with the desirable name. Others simply make the best names on a spare troll account and they rot for eternity to spite others.