Character Name Purge with Folks not Playing Anymore

Unfortunately, yes they are, in my opinion. That is the name they chose and were permitted to keep. If that character was not deleted and still exists, even if not played, then the name belongs to that character. It stinks for those that want that name, though, I agree.

I have characters that I would like to rename back to their original names, but cannot because the name is unavailable, as well. That does not give me the right to ask that another player be forced to change the names of any of their characters, even if that character is only a banker or mule, or has not been played in 9 months.

I wouldn't complain if I didn't log in for months and then had to rename my characters because someone wanted their names. I don't think it should be an automatic purge, but you should be able to request a name, in my opinion. (This is all purely theoretical for me - I wasn't around for the server merges and am perfectly happy with the names I have.)

I came up with the names myself and I'm quite fond of some of them, but I don't think I should be allowed to keep them indefinitely if someone else wants them enough to request them and I haven't shown interest in the game in months. (I wouldn't want to lose the names to someone just randomly throwing letters together to get on with it, hence why I'd suggest a request system and not an automatic purge.)

How long do you let that go, though?

I have characters still on Asheron's Call and Lord of the Rings Online and I'll never play those games again. If someone wants the names from those characters, why shouldn't they get them? It certainly does no harm to me. And it might make them happier.

I agree, I lost my main character name of October when they merged my servers, but the October on this one isn't even active.

Until you delete the character. It's not up to Bioware to decide when you've "not played enough" to meet their standards. If someone took the name you want then either you should have picked it earlier or you can damn well make up a new one.

It still boggles my mind why they would have made Legacy names not unique, but made character names unique.. Each person is only allowed to have 1 legacy per server, thus keeping the "naming pool" rather wide. As opposed to where everyone can tie up 12 or more names.. frankly, you're going to run out of names faster that way.

I personally hate putting special characters into names.. they aren't easily available via my keyboard. I have to memorize random alt+ codes that I never use elsewhere. Why? I have to take roundabout ways of inviting people who put special characters in their names.. especially if the right click option isn't working for some reason.

Interesting.

In a multiplayer game with a unique commodity (e.g. a name) I think that the player that throws the name in the garbage should allow it to be recycled. And remember, I'm not complaining about a personal name change -- I still have all my toon's original names through two server merges.

If a name can only ever be used once, and I'm not going to use it anymore, it would seem fair for that name to be available to another.

When the first Guild Wars came out ages ago, I bought it and tried it for about half a day before I got bored and never played it again. If I logged back into GW and found that name taken, it wouldn't bother me. It's been EIGHT YEARS since I made that toon and abandoned it. I think it's silly to expect that name to stay reserved after all that time.

I can't be troubled to go back and delete those characters. I simply don't care enough to download the games, install them, figure out what my old authentication information was for them, and then delete the toons.

But it sure would be nice if Turbine freed up those names in case anyone wants them.

I'd go further than that. If someone is preferred they get 6 months to log on a toon and F2P get 3 months. That way if someone is gone for 4 months and has spent less than $5 on SWTOR, then the name they took is available for those of us who have been playing for over a year and a half and lost a name.

Example:
Player buys Character Slot unlocks. Makes 20 toons per every server. Leaves and never comes back.

So those 240 names should never be used by any other player, ever?

Seems a bit unfair if that guy never comes back.

Again, we're not suggesting that if someone unsubbs for a month their names becomes useable. We're suggesting that if someone is unsubbed for 6-12 months we can take their name. If someone is gone for a year they're probably not coming back.