Name Purge

@Wyrom

Is there any chance of a name purge happening soon?

It's been a long time since the last.

We've talked about ways to do one without deleting old characters, but it will take a bunch of retooling our character database. The biggest issue is I've been pushing hard on getting our older players back. We don't want to wipe those characters. The other issue is F2P gobbling up all the names.

Selfishly, I sold an old account with the name Peam as a deleted character and want it back. I dig though

@wyrom said in Name Purge:

We've talked about ways to do one without deleting old characters, but it will take a bunch of retooling our character database. The biggest issue is I've been pushing hard on getting our older players back. We don't want to wipe those characters. The other issue is F2P gobbling up all the names.

Interesting! Have you guys ever thought about polling the character databases and putting them up somewhere? Could be CRAZY nostalgia.

I'm imagining a searchable database for all characters > X years. For example... I remember having a goat pin and a really silly invasion hat from like 2000 and my first ever mithril shield. If I could actually search characters for those items and actually stumble upon him... Damn. That would be cool.

It would also make for a pretty cool email blast!

You'd be surprised to know how many closed accounts we have.

@wyrom said in Name Purge:

We've talked about ways to do one without deleting old characters, but it will take a bunch of retooling our character database. The biggest issue is I've been pushing hard on getting our older players back. We don't want to wipe those characters. The other issue is F2P gobbling up all the names.

A feature to include in Gemstone V!

Can you find the account with the gleaming krodera long knife?

Asking for a friend.

@mogonis said in Name Purge:

Can you find the account with the gleaming krodera long knife?

Asking for a friend.

Ha! You still have to prove your identify. You are better off just requesting the item at Duskruin. Of course, no one would buy them, and then Wyrom would delete your character. Buyer beware!

What?

@mogonis said in Name Purge:

What?

@Wyrom is better at telling this story than me. I can feel his rage!

@wyrom said in Name Purge:

We've talked about ways to do one without deleting old characters, but it will take a bunch of retooling our character database. The biggest issue is I've been pushing hard on getting our older players back. We don't want to wipe those characters. The other issue is F2P gobbling up all the names.

Semi-related, but how about a name change service?

I've tried to get back a character or two that I started out with years ago. But whomever has the account now isn't responsive. Is there any way before a purge to let people know what names are being purged so maybe we can snatch up old characters.

@taernath I really don't want to see Name Changes happening as it would make character selling the standard and not just an aberration. If it did happen, due to our immense selection of sold characters across the level spectrum, it would be the same as selling character levels.

@Wyrom I would be very much interested in character name selling. I.E. I pick a name and it's not available and I could put a query in if this name could be bought, as in, very old level 1 character or some other standard you guys use. I guess it could be the same process as getting alterations done with a $150~$200 fee for the service?

@god said in Name Purge:

@taernath I really don't want to see Name Changes happening as it would make character selling the standard and not just an aberration. If it did happen, due to our immense selection of sold characters across the level spectrum, it would be the same as selling character levels.

I'm really not seeing the connection between name changes and encouraging character sales, unless you mean people will use the service to either misrepresent themselves or hide from their 'sold' reputation.

I just think that some of us would like the opportunity to take back poorly-chosen names that we thought up when we were kids. Ex: one of my character's names is a semi-obscure villain from a '90s video game, but he's protected from badname because he's been around for so long.

Selling names isn't something we would do. Name changes have been discussed.

@taernath Say I wanted to play a Sorcerer and I got a great name. But I wanted to start at 50th level instead of 1st, I could go into the character market and purchase a 50th level character and then get a name change service, effectively letting me skip those 50 levels. Coupled with fixstats and fixskills, it would be exactly the same as if I level'd that brand new character from scratch. This is the problem.

@wyrom What was the conclusion to your discussions on name changes?

@god said in Name Purge:

@taernath Say I wanted to play a Sorcerer and I got a great name. But I wanted to start at 50th level instead of 1st, I could go into the character market and purchase a 50th level character and then get a name change service, effectively letting me skip those 50 levels. Coupled with fixstats and fixskills, it would be exactly the same as if I level'd that brand new character from scratch. This is the problem.

You're not buying levels. You're buying a character (which is allowed on these boards), then buying a name change on top of that. You're not creating a character out of nothing, the character is already there and for sale, and in any case, Simu would ostensibly be getting a 'cut' via the name change service.

@taernath It depends on who you are and why you play. I've already level'd a character from scratch to mid 80's and I really don't want to experience that again, but after stumbling upon a great name and inspiration for RP around that name I started from scratch.

Therefore on a personal level, name changes would be advantageous for me since as soon as this service is provided I would purchase a capped or near capped character then delete my current main who's in his mid twenties and give the capped character my new name. I would be bypassing 5 to 6 years of play by doing this.

Again, personally name changes works for me and for you as well apparently. But thinking about the health of the game I just can't shake the fact that this would be like or similar to selling levels in a roundabout way. I'm just not sure. But, I'm certain Wyrom and Staff would have already figured this out.

By the way, anyone know what Wyrom's stance is officially on name changes?

If I could change my name...I might add the "i" into it. Unless that name was already taken for some reason.

@khariz Your name is "Kharz" currently I take it?

Like I said, after talking with Taernath I'm actually warming up to the idea. But, this is all up to @Wyrom so we'll see what he has to say.

No...I'm Madmountan. Most people know that. My apologies for not being clear.

@khariz Oh, I do know that name! Apologies, I'm kinda new to the whole Gemstone forums scene.

@khariz said in Name Purge:

No...I'm Madmountan. Most people know that. My apologies for not being clear.

Not that it matters, but I actually like it without the "i". I don't love it when people use IRL items in their names, so the missing "i" makes it feel more like a name vs. a thing, even though it's clear where you were going with it.

@viekn said in Name Purge:

@khariz said in Name Purge:

No...I'm Madmountan. Most people know that. My apologies for not being clear.

Not that it matters, but I actually like it without the "i". I don't love it when people use IRL items in their names, so the missing "i" makes it feel more like a name vs. a thing, even though it's clear where you were going with it.

We know he wasn't going to a mountain.

@khariz said in Name Purge:

If I could change my name...I might add the "i" into it. Unless that name was already taken for some reason.

"Pat, I'd like to buy an i"

@khariz said in Name Purge:

If I could change my name...I might add the "i" into it. Unless that name was already taken for some reason.

You want to be "Maidmountan", right? I like it.

@maylan Ah, that must be it!! I was struggling with trying to envision the character as Maidmountan.

Maybe I should just call him "Mad IN mountains man" instead of "Mad AT mountains man"

@maylan said in Name Purge:

@khariz said in Name Purge:

If I could change my name...I might add the "i" into it. Unless that name was already taken for some reason.

You want to be "Maidmountan", right? I like it.

Sometimes I just...really hate everything about you.

@maylan I don't think we should judge or criticize someone just based on the name, we all know how impossible it is to get a decent name that's not gibberish this day and age.

Madmountain is a fine name. Very warrior-esque!

@god oh hon, I was just making a lighthearted joke. Edit: are you sure you're replying to the right comment? I'm not sure how that could come off as a criticism or judgement.

@god said in Name Purge:

@maylan I don't think we should judge or criticize someone just based on the name, we all know how impossible it is to get a decent name that's not gibberish this day and age.

Madmountain is a fine name. Very warrior-esque!

It's an amazing name! Mainly because it's illegal in the Nations. #lifegoals.

@maylan Oh my bad, how the conversation was heading it seemed like it was teasing him because his name had common nouns in it. Carry on! :)