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Naming and renaming characters has become an impossible task.


DeVanagloris

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Every time i make a new character (yes, im a bit of an altaholic) i just fear the moment i have to name it. I admit it, im somewhat special and hard to please when it comes to names, i suppose it's the same for most ppl here, but anyway i'm sure there are plenty of names which are currently locked simply because the game need to have a name purge.

 

I think this is long overdue. Just when you find a perfect name for that toon, then it's taken, and plenty of those nams you never ever see them in game. So please, perform a name purge, something like those toons which havent been logged in for more than 2 years lose their name, imo it's a bout time.

 

And let's not get started on how scarce are rename sales...

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There are a few things you can do:

1. Stop trying to use common names that everyone else has already thought of, like Fred or Bob. (Actually, simple names like Bob or Fred are more apt to be available, but, anyway..)

2. Use characters like " ' " or spaces, or similar to make the name similar but different - such as Quaker becomes Qua'ker or Quak'er. (But don't use ALT characters because it makes some things trickier.)

3. There are still lots of names available, especially if you think outside the "star warsy" box. For example, I recently made a new (female) Guardian alt for grins. One of my favourite tennis players is Hsieh Su-wei, so I named the Guardian Hseih (accidentally got the e and i backwards) Shu (Su - no h - was too short and I think the dash can't be used for -wei), so "Hseih Shu"** she is. :)

 

On an unrelated note, I wanted the character to look Chinese, but there seems to be very few Asian-y faces.

 

** I am aware that Hsieh is the tennis player's surname and Su-wei is actually her first name.

Edited by JediQuaker
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Every time i make a new character (yes, im a bit of an altaholic) i just fear the moment i have to name it. I admit it, im somewhat special and hard to please when it comes to names, i suppose it's the same for most ppl here, but anyway i'm sure there are plenty of names which are currently locked simply because the game need to have a name purge.

 

I think this is long overdue. Just when you find a perfect name for that toon, then it's taken, and plenty of those nams you never ever see them in game. So please, perform a name purge, something like those toons which havent been logged in for more than 2 years lose their name, imo it's a bout time.

 

And let's not get started on how scarce are rename sales...

 

157 characters across 4 accounts.

Most have first and last names as part of their first name.

Only had a name collision once.

Edited by xordevoreaux
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** I am aware that Hsieh is the tennis player's surname and Su-wei is actually her first name.

Hsieh is the tennis player's *family* name, and Su-wei is her *given* name, but yes. Not to mention that her name is, in any event, 謝淑薇.

 

Getting back on topic... OP says that a name purge is needed. OP is wrong. OP's problem arises about 10904%(1) from that claim of being "special" and in general picky about names, while not also being original.

 

Exploit the features of the name system:

  • You can compose names as elements separated by one or more apostrophes and/or one or more hyphens. Example: Yen'reerr'traa or Be'bop'alula or Xalari'pelarth
  • You can compose names as two sub-names separated by a space. Example: Kylara Nightsong or Kylarina Lyuze
  • The sub-names can also be composed of elements separated by apostrophes and/or hyphens.
  • You can mash the random button a few times to generate an interesting-sounding name and then use the sound. Example: Flopialis from the generator sounds like Floppy Alice which is invalid but Floppy Alyce is allowed.
  • You can push buttons on random name generators on the Internet, and get inspiration from arbitrary sources elsewhere. Example: my misadventures with a grotesquely P2W mobile game combined with a cyberpunk-inspired name generator somewhere and gave me Theodosa Astarte.

 

(1) I might be wrong here. It could be anywhere from 10903% to 10905%.

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Every time i make a new character (yes, im a bit of an altaholic) i just fear the moment i have to name it. I admit it, im somewhat special and hard to please when it comes to names, i suppose it's the same for most ppl here, but anyway i'm sure there are plenty of names which are currently locked simply because the game need to have a name purge.

 

I think this is long overdue. Just when you find a perfect name for that toon, then it's taken, and plenty of those nams you never ever see them in game. So please, perform a name purge, something like those toons which havent been logged in for more than 2 years lose their name, imo it's a bout time.

 

And let's not get started on how scarce are rename sales...

 

Not opposed somewhat to a name purge, nor a name sale but lets make sure you understand (and all those that support this) that it will NOT free up what you think it might.

 

First, they just did a name purge like 2yrs ago, I think it was. Correct me if I'm wrong someone, though. *I have slept quite a bit since then. lol :D*

Second, when they do a name purge it works like this (at least in the past):

  • No sub loses a name, no matter when they last logged on. (Ergo, all these players coming back that never cancelled their sub, or still are away from game, will not be touched. That's a LOT of names you can't have.)
  • No active preferred accounts lose their names. (Which is fair. Doesn't matter if sub or not.)
  • No active Free to Play accounts lose their names. (Same point as above.)
  • Also in the past few months, quite a LOT of players who played at like launch, or quit a couple years ago, have come back to game. Whether preferred or sub. That is also quite a few names that are now back on the reserved list, if they were free to play, and didn't lose their names in the last purge.

 

In a large MMO, like this, you're always going to have names that are not available. Especially the longer the game goes on.

Also just a side note, sometimes the names you are wanting may not be taken by other players, but just the "naming filter" blocking them. (Names like popular SW names, real life figures, people from history past, etc...are NOT allowed either. Nor is names that are like xxDarkbanditxx, etc...All those are stated as against the ToS/RoC.)

 

As the above poster stated, use ', or add a letter. I honestly use alt+codes and rarely have problems with it. I usually stick with the certain type alt codes & go from there.

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...

[*]You can compose names as elements separated by one or more apostrophes and/or one or more hyphens. Example: Yen'reerr'traa or Be'bop'alula or Xalari'pelarth

...

 

Those aren't English names, they are meaningless streams of letters. They do not meet the definition of a name: "a word or phrase that constitutes the distinctive designation of a person or thing".

 

The reason they don't work as names is the random sequence of letters and symbols doesn't connect within anyone's mind to enable them to recognize that combination of letters as representing a specific player. All these do is convey the impression that character is either not an English speaker or a gold farmer or both. Hardly the OP's intent when choosing a character name.

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While a name purge would be nice, it's not likely to net you the names you desire. There are a lot of active players with a lot of characters out there.

 

I have found great success using random name generators for specific Star Wars species. So, for instance, when I make my new Nautolans I will use a random Nautolan name generator. That said, I would really like to have either a rename sale or a server transfer sale. I used alt code letters for awhile and I would prefer to replace those with a first name last name combination so people can actually type my characters' names out.

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Those aren't English names, they are meaningless streams of letters. They do not meet the definition of a name: "a word or phrase that constitutes the distinctive designation of a person or thing".

 

The reason they don't work as names is the random sequence of letters and symbols doesn't connect within anyone's mind to enable them to recognize that combination of letters as representing a specific player. All these do is convey the impression that character is either not an English speaker or a gold farmer or both. Hardly the OP's intent when choosing a character name.

 

Um....LOL

 

Okay you are using the real world's definition of a name, in a pixel created universe, based on a Sci-Fi universe. Those name rules do not apply. Look at all the weird names Star Wars characters have had. So yes, those he gave could very well be Star Wars names. Especially if they're an alien/non-humanoid race.

 

Nor do they convey the player is non English speaking, or that they are a gold farmer. In fact the gold farmer example is actually the name you gave above the post I quoted...Which was just a ridiculous, inaccurate post about names. There are plenty of names that I can go right now & create that are, as you want to define, real names. Just a ' or - or alt code & voila. Or I might not even have to do that depending on the name created.

 

So no your points are not even valid for this topic. Other than you support a name purge. Which is perfectly fine.

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Those aren't English names, they are meaningless streams of letters. They do not meet the definition of a name: "a word or phrase that constitutes the distinctive designation of a person or thing".

 

The reason they don't work as names is the random sequence of letters and symbols doesn't connect within anyone's mind to enable them to recognize that combination of letters as representing a specific player. All these do is convey the impression that character is either not an English speaker or a gold farmer or both. Hardly the OP's intent when choosing a character name.

 

What? So English is the only language that has names? When did that happen? I'm going to go out on a limb here, and suggest that, if it weren't for the fact that the devs speak English, the game should actually be in Basic, which in that galaxy far far away is most assuredly not English.

 

On a more related note, what happens when the names that the OP, and everyone else clamoring for a purge, aren't freed up? The last time I saw this happen, people were pushing to change the rules so that they could lay claim to the names that the purge didn't free up. Or, and this is funnier, complaining that someone else beat them to it, and it's "not fair".

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Since they allowed spaces, I've never had issues with names.

 

I just use the random name generator until I find something i like. If it's taken, I try adding a "'" somewhere if it makes sense. if not, or it's still taken, i just add my legacy name to it separated by a space. My legacy name is only 3 characters long and even then, never had a collision at this point.

 

Personally, I could do without the complaining that comes with name purges. Not worth it.

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You are 100% accurate. They need to name purge on a regular basis. It's not cool to ask random strangers to know you as akdjfiogniounreuiobvw because that was the only name you could find.

 

And surprisingly or maybe not, names like “akdjfiogniounreuiobvw” are against the naming rules of swtor.

Edited by TrixxieTriss
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Those aren't English names, they are meaningless streams of letters. They do not meet the definition of a name: "a word or phrase that constitutes the distinctive designation of a person or thing".

 

Have you ever heard of Mitth’raw’nuruodo? Or in short, Grand Admiral Thrawn? Steve's examples are perfectly valid for Star Wars, especially if the character is Chiss. :p

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I've rarely had a problem with naming, if it's a name that might be popular, and alt letter nearly always works. Another thing i do is use the random name generator, when I find a name I like, I copy it, then use the name generator to find another, then depending on the names, I put the copied one in front or back, which ever sounds better. This way I've a unique name, and it never takes more than a couple of mins.
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First, they just did a name purge like 2yrs ago, I think it was. Correct me if I'm wrong someone, though.

 

About that Name purge, it wasnt really a name purge it was the issue with the server merges. What they did was merge servers and with that you would have multiple toons with the same name. So they actually didnt do a name purge but forced many people to rename and made it difficult for them since there were suddenly many players on the same server with same name. The good thing was that, sure, if there was a toon with same name as your toon and that toon wasnt played at all you got to keep your toons name cause of that.

 

A name purge would actually be nice since it would really free up a lot of names as many players left the game (mainly from start of the game) and the older players have the original forms of name names (without comas or whatever).

 

On the otherhand, people here are right that you do have many choices now. You have the possibility to use a space between the names, comas and much more. If you have a name like John then you can make Jo'hn but still if that original John doesnt play for years, people will only see your toon, so its still unique.

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One approach I've used a couple times is start with a name I want that can't work as a real name and then put it through an anagram generator, shift around the letters, and come up with something that sounds like something of a name.

 

One of them is a bit absurd in this way. I took Cipher Forty Two for an Imp Agent (42 being a reference to Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) and came up with "Proofer Twitchy" from an anagram generator. Just looks like a silly name on the surface, but underneath it has a special meaning for me.

 

You could probably do this with real people names too. Like if you really want to be Matthew Stone for some reason, or something like that. You put Matthew Stone in an anagram generator (this is the one I've typically used: https://new.wordsmith.org/anagram/anagram.cgi?anagram=Matthew+Stone&t=500&a=n) and then you might come up with something like Tweet Monthsa or Sneath Wottem.

 

The other approach I will sometimes use is just stringing stuff together until it sounds vaguely like a name. Whether it's just words, or different parts of a name. Like say you want something of the feel of a Hannah, but Hannah is taken, so you could get creative with it and do something like... Hannarah. Or maybe you mix in the elements of some other aspect of the character. Maybe it's a Hannah who is a serene Jedi Consular, so you do something like Hannah + Light. Hannight. Or Halah. Hannalah (now it's sounding sort of musical with the "la").

 

I realize this is extra effort, but just thought I'd share some methods I use that could help people who have name issues.

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This is a non-issue. Stop trying to name all your characters some variant of Anakin Skywalker. Things will be fine.

 

Engage your brain to create a name instead of finding a name.

 

I never tried to name any of my characters even remotely similar to characters in the Star Wars universe. I always try to be original and name them something quite different, but even that is becoming harder and harder.

 

I was gonna say some names i used but i dont even know if it's against the rules. Anyway, the space between names is not something i use because i wanna display the legacy name too as a "surname" when it seems appropriate, and if i use a name with a space in it, it looks as if the toon has actually two surnames, and i dont quite like that.

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When I create a new char, I often visit baby-name sites for inspiration (and get diaper ads in the following weeks :p)

 

I'm quite picky (no more than 3 syllables, no funny chars, and not too weird looking to modern eyes, so no good old anglo-saxon names like Cyneþryþ.) and still find names, although, admittedly, it does takes longer these days.

 

Careful when you demand a name-purge, it might happen in a few months, right when you take a break...

Edited by Mubrak
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About that Name purge, it wasnt really a name purge it was the issue with the server merges. What they did was merge servers and with that you would have multiple toons with the same name. So they actually didnt do a name purge but forced many people to rename and made it difficult for them since there were suddenly many players on the same server with same name. The good thing was that, sure, if there was a toon with same name as your toon and that toon wasnt played at all you got to keep your toons name cause of that.

 

There was a small name purge during the merge. Quoted in color below

 

It is our intent that this process will have very little impact on you or your account. Since Character names must be unique on a server, it is possible that when we create the new United Forces servers, you may need to rename your character. As part of the process of uniting the galaxy, we will communicate a specific set of rules to govern the prospective scenario where two names collide:

 

Premium players (Subscribers) will have priority over Free-to-Play and Preferred Status players.

Highly played characters will have priority over characters with less play time.

To limit the challenge of duplicated names we will proactively remove names from characters that have not been played within the past 90-days or more and which are below Level 10. We know your character’s name is very important to you and so we are taking steps to ensure that you can hang on to the names you love to the greatest extent possible!

 

If there is going to be another one I feel like they would need to be even stricter than the last time

Edited by CrazyScruffy
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There was a small name purge during the merge.

 

 

There was a name purge before the merger, not sure how long ago, but they cleared out thousands of names. I'm sure if someone has the time or the energy they could find the posts about it here somewhere :)

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I have never had naming problems (never use weird characters either), even before we were able to use spaces. Many people who can't come up with names need to get more creative.

 

There is no guarantee a name purge would free up the names the OP wants whatsoever. There is also no guarantee that during such a purge, other active players would claim those names first. It's a question of first come, first serve. Those who came first were served first.

 

Also, I might add that had I come back after a few years and discovered all of my toons' names were changed (a few of mine were following the server merge, but thanks to the new spaces they were easy to rename identically with an additional name), I would be likely to simply forget about playing... so there's that negative aspect as well.

 

If you want to be Duck, you're probably out of luck. If you want to be Cold Duck, you may have a shot. Red, black, blue, green and other basic color names are hard to score, but I did get a few smart ones lately. It's part of the fun of making alts.

 

P.S. - One thing I do wish we had was some kind of name directory tool. It would be nice to know before starting character creation if the desired name is available or not.

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