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Angelklaine

Name change?

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On 3/15/2020 at 8:37 AM, Wargasm said:
On 3/15/2020 at 8:32 AM, Jore said:

Simple solution is for it to be possible to view past names.

 

But this would defeat the purpose of someone wanting a "new" identity.  

 

No, it really wouldn't.  At least not for me, and I am presuming others, for whom their Wurm name is not what they would have preferred to be stuck with long term.  You seem to be focused on the purpose of wanting a new name to be about getting away from actions made under the existing name.  I am sure that for some that would be the main purpose (and an ability to view past names would indeed defeat that purpose, and rightly so) but it is far from the only reason people would have to want a different character name.

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5 hours ago, TheTrickster said:

If name change is implemented, I would really like to see the first one free.

This I would be completely against, simply because 95% of the population that wants to change their name wants to do it only once. Name change is not like appearance: You don't change it every six months when you get bored. If they allow the first one free, then everyone would get their first one done and that would be it. This is also not the industry standard. Most MMOs do not give you a chance to change your name past character creation/tutorial.

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24 minutes ago, Angelklaine said:

This I would be completely against, simply because 95% of the population that wants to change their name wants to do it only once. Name change is not like appearance: You don't change it every six months when you get bored. If they allow the first one free, then everyone would get their first one done and that would be it. This is also not the industry standard. Most MMOs do not give you a chance to change your name past character creation/tutorial.

 

So I should pay extra to get the name I wanted from the getgo but couldn't get past the "name not available" even though I can't find any sign of anyone having used it before?  A shortcoming in the program should generate extra income?  No thanks.

 

Most only wanting to do it once is exactly why anything more than once should be charged. This would not be implemented by manual dev or gm manipulation, but pretty much automated.  Once set up, it would cost nothing per action. 

 

I have played plenty of MMOGs that don't bother even bother with a proper player name until you make that first, free, change.  The process sometimes starts upon the first sign in so I guess for many it does not even register as a change.  Many start you off unbound and prompt you to bind the account very early - with a rename folded in.  I am not speaking specifically of MMORPGs but games in general.  I generally, for RPGs, have seen 1 rename/name, 1 appearance/avatar set and 1 teleport (to the first alliance/group/etc).  Even in games that I found to be pure P2W I still got that first triple free.

 

So maybe, in the future, the "getting started" tutorial should end with a review/edit of name/appearance, but in order to not disadvantage existing customers, let them do that bit of the tutorial as well.  Or, as I said, combine it with going premium.  When you commit to your character sticking around indefinitely, get the chance to make sure it has a name you would be happy with indefinitely.

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3 minutes ago, TheTrickster said:

 

So I should pay extra to get the name I wanted from the getgo but couldn't get past the "name not available" even though I can't find any sign of anyone having used it before?  A shortcoming in the program should generate extra income?  No thanks.

 

Most only wanting to do it once is exactly why anything more than once should be charged. This would not be implemented by manual dev or gm manipulation, but pretty much automated.  Once set up, it would cost nothing per action. 

 

I have played plenty of MMOGs that don't bother even bother with a proper player name until you make that first, free, change.  The process sometimes starts upon the first sign in so I guess for many it does not even register as a change.  Many start you off unbound and prompt you to bind the account very early - with a rename folded in.  I am not speaking specifically of MMORPGs but games in general.  I generally, for RPGs, have seen 1 rename/name, 1 appearance/avatar set and 1 teleport (to the first alliance/group/etc).  Even in games that I found to be pure P2W I still got that first triple free.

 

So maybe, in the future, the "getting started" tutorial should end with a review/edit of name/appearance, but in order to not disadvantage existing customers, let them do that bit of the tutorial as well.  Or, as I said, combine it with going premium.  When you commit to your character sticking around indefinitely, get the chance to make sure it has a name you would be happy with indefinitely.

So your position is to only allow name change but it must be free.

 

I am pretty sure that won't be a thing.

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5 hours ago, Angelklaine said:

So your position is to only allow name change but it must be free.

 

I am pretty sure that won't be a thing.

 

No, I was pretty specific about only the first being free and subsequent changes paid, with a cooldown period. 

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3 hours ago, TheTrickster said:

 

No, I was pretty specific about only the first being free and subsequent changes paid, with a cooldown period. 

Yes, but thats all people need. The first one. How many times you plan to change your name?

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6 hours ago, Angelklaine said:

Yes, but thats all people need. The first one. How many times you plan to change your name?

 

Plan, me?  As you say, just the one. But my reason for wanting it is a shortcoming in the program.  I have checked again and although my FIRST preference was taken, 3rd 4th and 5th don't seem to be unavailable at all.  I would object to a system that upfront says "You can't have that" but then later says "Well, you can, but since you didn't start with it, give us more money to change over."  I know it isn't the intent, but the undoubted feel of that is a swindle.  We aren't asked to pay extra for patches and hotfixes.

 

I (online) know people who would change every couple of months if permitted - I assume they are much younger than me and haven't settled into one consistent preference.

 

If this is to be paid from change 1 then I think that at the time of creation there should be a warning that the name is permanent and will not be changed free-of-charge.  I would go so far as to say players should be asked to input the name twice to avoid typos becoming locked in (we don't want a repeat of the whole "Moles" fiasco).  Many freemium games do allow that one change early on - albeit sometimes from "Player83675" to a chosen name - so "fair warning" would be useful.  I really don't think an upfront statement about that is unreasonable.  From memory, I think there was a warning about appearance selection.

 

Perhaps name selection should not be done at all until completing the initial tutorial - making the last bit the character creation bit.  Put a time limit on it, even.  Log in using either email address or display name.

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28 minutes ago, TheTrickster said:

Plan, me?  As you say, just the one. But my reason for wanting it is a shortcoming in the program.  I

Don't see your problem. If the system refused a name choice, there has been a reason for. Either someone was about to choose the same name simultaneously or short before and abandoned registering later (unlikely but possible), in which case the chosen name was unavailable at the time, but became available later. I do not know whether such is possible in Wurm, but know similar occurrences (races) in databases (ok not games). Well, you chose a different name, so here we are. Where is the program shortcoming?

 

Or the name was and is unavailable because there exists an account with that name already. In that case you are completely out of luck because even for money, that name will not be given.

 

And even if the name you wanted was unavailable due to technical problems I do not see now, I fail to see that this entitles to a free change. And I do not know the plenty of MMOs where one may easily change the name for the same account. Maybe there are some.

 

Quote

If this is to be paid from change 1 then I think that at the time of creation there should be a warning that the name is permanent and will not be changed free-of-charge.

Default in most games I know is that ingame player name is permanent and will not be changed on will.

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2 minutes ago, Ekcin said:

Don't see your problem. If the system refused a name choice, there has been a reason for. Either someone was about to choose the same name simultaneously or short before and abandoned registering later (unlikely but possible), in which case the chosen name was unavailable at the time, but became available later. I do not know whether such is possible in Wurm, but know similar occurrences (races) in databases (ok not games). Well, you chose a different name, so here we are. Where is the program shortcoming?

 

Or the name was and is unavailable because there exists an account with that name already. In that case you are completely out of luck because even for money, that name will not be given.

 

And even if the name you wanted was unavailable due to technical problems I do not see now, I fail to see that this entitles to a free change. And I do not know the plenty of MMOs where one may easily change the name for the same account. Maybe there are some.

 

Default in most games I know is that ingame player name is permanent and will not be changed on will.

It might have been a free to play account that was deleted after 3 months of inactivity. Even that is not a fault of the system. 

 

If you choose your name, you cement it as your own when you create your character and commit to it. It takes near no time to finish the tutorial and you could have recreated the account then if your chosen name bothered you.

 

And like Ekcin said, I can't think of a single game that lets you change your name for free after selected.

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2 hours ago, Ekcin said:

Default in most games I know is that ingame player name is permanent and will not be changed on will.

 

2 hours ago, Angelklaine said:

And like Ekcin said, I can't think of a single game that lets you change your name for free after selected.

 

I am not about to go dig out old games for this, but just because you don't know them doesn't mean they don't exist.  Like I said, for many it wouldn't even mentally register as a change because it is a first user selection and is merely a change from a default.

 

I do find it hard to believe that my 3rd, 4th and 5th very specific preferences were genuinely unavailable.  Pref 1 was and is and that's just how it goes.  The others were not real words (or at least real spellings of words), or real names, and were combinations of more than one. None of them has ever rejected on any other game, except for Pref 1 (and what I will call Pref 0 which is the real spelling of Pref 1 and I abandoned 20 odd years ago as too commonly unavailable).

 

Maybe it is my age showing, and the standard has moved.  Maybe I have been more in non-RPG MMOGs where character is less of a feature.  I don't know, but my mileage varies from yours.  Runescape, various versions, allows almost ad-hoc display name changes (which is not what I am advocating).  It is only available to paying players, and changes only the displayed name, with the username remaining unchanged.  I think it was changeable every month for free (not what I am advocating) and only charged for more frequent changes.  Definitely my age is showing.

 

There was a warning about appearance.  A warning about name would be good.  If a warning existed - all of this discussion would be moot.

 

p.s. I don't realistically expect it to happen.  I just shared my opinion that I would like it.  I am not about to leave the game over it - it's just not that big of a deal. I was prolly just triggered because of my hassle getting a name through in the first place.

 

Edited by TheTrickster
postscript

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Between all the "but the reputation attached" discussion, I on the other hand would welcome name changes precisely so that I can start on Steam as "Flubb" again if the new account holder is willing to change the name, which I'm sure they would anyway. Just my personal take on this, perhaps a bit niche, but something to consider regardless.

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I do really hate the idea.

BUT if its going to happen anyway.. at least make it one time thing! with the account trading gone I could understand it.

More than once its just gonna create confusion and make people not trust each other.

Wurm has always been unique to me by not allowing name change and being  a part from the rest of the every day mmo who allow it just for the money grab.

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personally i was a supporter of name changes when character sales were a thing.
(mentally, not emotionally.. i never cared about account sales)
Buy a 2nd hand car, give it a paint job, make it your own.
Course that's naive because people who haven't bought an account would use the facility unless account sales were tied.
But now there's less need.
Maybe enforce a rule where a forum account must be created to enact a name change (forum name = new name)
if it's already taken u can't change it.
the previous name, being listed on the users profile. (with a little field next to it that allows the account holder to add a little note).
This would be compatible with `make it a one time thing`
Course some forum accounts are practically heritage, rationality dictates that a better idea would be to force your existing forum name to be changed with it, instead of creating a new forum account.
Unfortunately this isn't possible because i already asked if i could remove the `b` from my forum name.
Whichever creative compromise is met, it's alot of bother to setup when CC have so much else on their plate.
Sorry i couldn't deliver a tidy idea. Shame we have to protect ourselves from exploitations but such is the nature of order within entropy.

This would, be simple, if every in-game account name was the same as that accounts forum name.
then all you'd have to do is list the char name changes on their profile page and make the search user function search those fields as well.
If you have alts, have them securely registered on the profile page.
Even if you gave one of your in game accounts to a family member, there'd be a data trail that users could find.

Spoiler

Course binding different email addresses to a single user would make google analytics very happy and might not be the best idea if you want to control your digital footprint.

The problem with name changes is that we don't really have the infrastructure to support it fairly. But one could be built.

Edited by Steveleeb

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Some times you have no choice but get a name change because of there account setup .

....

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10 minutes ago, Damascus said:

Some times you have no choice but get a name change because of there account setup .

....

what 'setup'?

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When you go to use paypal it uses the characters name as ID .

So paypal sees Damascus thinking you are trying to send money to Damascus  , it is on a no money black listed place for Paypal to deal with .

Even talking to them was a waist of time after 2 years trying i had to change ingame name ...

Thanks to Enki and gang , but i miss my name .  😭

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@DamascusI've actually never used paypal.. so far had other options,

but there must be a description/reason field.. and you should be able to add that it's paying subscription for CCAB/wurmonline.com etc..

maybe I'm wrong. (sry if so)

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4 hours ago, Finnn said:

@DamascusI've actually never used paypal.. so far had other options,

but there must be a description/reason field.. and you should be able to add that it's paying subscription for CCAB/wurmonline.com etc..

maybe I'm wrong. (sry if so)

It just takes you to the pay area, where you select your bank account or payment details from paypal and you pay. Thats it. 

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