The OP has a point and it isn't restricted to RP servers. I never play on an RP server, but I'll generally avoid grouping with characters that have offensive names. Offensive in this case means personally offensive to me - it may not be offensive to you

 

Another thing that drives me nuts is when people have very long names or use two 'v's in a row. How the heck am I supposed to send you a whisper or invite you if I can't spell your darn name?

 

I wonder how many people that have offensive names end up complaining because they can't get any groups or aren't taken seriously?

Shush, Paige! How will we now identify the jackwagons if you warn them?

 

Indeed! The numbnut names some people choose make it easy for me to know who to avoid, same as the kiddie 'bouncers' who can't walk or run but must instead 'sproing sproing' everywhere they go like a kangaroo...

 

:p

This is the TOS regarding the naming policy. Any names that is against this policy then that is where it becomes offensive and against the rules.

 

Naming Policy

 

When creating a character or guild name for Star Wars: The Old Republic, it is encouraged that you select a name that reflects the theme of the game. The guidelines listed below outline the types of names that you can NOT use, and apply to both player or character names, as well as guild names.

1.

You may not use any names that violate the General Rules. This includes the use of names that are hateful, defamatory, racist, ethnically offensive, obscene, vulgar, sexually explicit, or any other language that is offensive in nature.

 

2.

You may not use names that are harassing or defamatory to other players or employees of EA, BioWare or LucasArts, e.g. EASUX, Timsretarded, and Biowaresux.

 

3.

You may not use names of any EA, BioWare, or LucasArts employee or service related to Star Wars: The Old Republic.

 

4.

You may not use names of copyrighted or trademarked characters, materials or products, e.g. Coca-Cola or Dr. Pepper.

 

5.

You may not use names from popular culture or media, e.g. Lady Gaga or George Lucas.

 

6.

You may not use names that are religiously or historically significant, e.g. Jesus, Winston Churchill.

 

7.

You may not use proper names of areas within Star Wars for character names. Guild names, however, MAY use the proper names of specific areas to help promote role-playing and realm pride, e.g. Defenders of Tython or Protectors of Hutta.

 

8.

You may not use proper names of non-player characters within Star Wars: The Old Republic, e.g. Darth Malgus, Satele Shan, Yoda, Darth Vader or Luke Skywalker.

 

9.

You may not use names containing titles or ranks within them, e.g. General Supertrooper, Captain Tim, Darth Timmy, Knight Wakey.

 

10.

You may not use names that refer to drugs or that are drug related.

 

11.

You may not use names that contain an inappropriate phrase, sentence or any fragment of a sentence or Leet speak, e.g. uberhaxer, xxspeederxx, lolface, rofl, Noobwhacker, TimmyF**k, kock, fuk.

 

12.

You may not use misspellings or alternative spellings of names that violate any of the above rules, e.g. Hamsolo, Yooda, DorthVader.

 

13.

You may not use gibberish names when creating character, e.g. ajsdu, rifndsw, qweszs.

 

 

If you violate any part of the above Naming Policy you will either be assigned a new name, or given the option of changing the name. In addition to this, your account could incur a penalty up to and including account closure.

The numbnut names some people choose make it easy for me to know who to avoid, same as the kiddie 'bouncers' who can't walk or run but must instead 'sproing sproing' everywhere they go like a kangaroo...

 

Heh! A lot of my little tribe of MMO players refer to that behavior as "ninnyjumping" because it's a red flag that you're being a ninny. I've actually asked people to please quit doing that during "flashpoints" in "that other mmo" and also in flashpoints in this mmo. I heal. It's distracting. The response to "your jumping is kinda distracting to me. Would you please stop?" is also very informative about the player.

 

Paige

Hehe, this reminds me of someone called 'Inass' for her legacy name. Nothing wrong with that as I initially pronouned it like "Ee-nas". The thing that made me report her was her first name "Fist" and me suddenly seeing the connection.

 

I felt so silly for not seeing that sooner. xD

Ew.

 

 

p

Heh! A lot of my little tribe of MMO players refer to that behavior as "ninnyjumping" because it's a red flag that you're being a ninny. I've actually asked people to please quit doing that during "flashpoints" in "that other mmo" and also in flashpoints in this mmo. I heal. It's distracting. The response to "your jumping is kinda distracting to me. Would you please stop?" is also very informative about the player.

 

Paige

 

I was just in a group where someone got kicked from it because they kept bouncing around and "crying" and what not.

 

Thought it was pretty funny

Original post massively edited, updated, and hopefully improved in advance of a potential rename-a-palooza that might maybe possibly be associated with server transfers this summer.

 

 

Paige

[nothing here] Edited July 25, 2012 by Scorpienne

OP is updated and revised.

 

Paige

I mostly agree with the majority of this thread. You will be judged by your name, maturity level of the name tends to reflect the player's maturity, and ripoff names are annoying.

 

Although I personally prefer names that seem like names, sometimes I have to appreciate the cleverness and sometimes dedication some players have to a joke or pun. For example, I saw "Brita Water the Pure." Although not a name and possibly a violation of the ToS, I had to appreciate the dedication to hit Light 5 and get the legacy Water just to complete a pun.

And on a PvE or PvP server, I'd grudgingly respect that. It's silly, and it sends a message, but I do appreciate the cleverness and dedication.

 

Having said that, I'm an RPer, and I far prefer RP names and being on RP servers, but that's just me. :-)

 

 

paige

There doesn't seem to be much of a name filter in place. Maybe I notice more because I learned to read phonetically.

 

You can report a name, and CS will apologize if you're distressed, but I see people at level 40-50 with offensive names, and it's hard to believe that no one has complained about it before.

 

I really think a name filter ought to catch the substitution of "Ph" for "F" in a certain word.

To be honest, before i read this thread, I was completely unaware that peoples names controlled their ability to play this game and/or find groups or guilds. I just never looked upon peoples names like that before, nor have i ever seen or heard of that. It seems completely unfair to judge the other players who's name is in question as being too "un-original" or explicit or silly. Maybe they are not trying to be stereotypical in their naming process, maybe it was accidental. My in game name is ChiefHuskey. This may seem un-original because chiefs have been around for thousands of years. But lets say I am that player who is accidentally un-original in his naming, I chose chief because I am in fact Native American, and I take pride in that. I chose Huskey because it is my last name. Add all this together and the name "ChiefHuskey" suddenly evolves from an bland, stereotypical and un-original name to a name of great meaning and personal enjoyment to myself within the game. I am not saying that all the "saladtossers" or "chubhunters" out there are victim to this treatment, I am simply saying that one should consider all players as equal regardless of name until proven otherwise.

I use this to create new names for characters on all my games.

 

http://www.namegenerator.biz/star-wars-name-generator.php

To be honest, before i read this thread, I was completely unaware that peoples names controlled their ability to play this game and/or find groups or guilds. [snip]

 

I just never looked upon peoples names like that before, nor have i ever seen or heard of that. It seems completely unfair to judge the other players who's name is in question as being too "un-original" or explicit or silly. [snip]

 

I am simply saying that one should consider all players as equal regardless of name until proven otherwise.

 

You should respond to people's names in whatever way you feel is best, of course. I am in no way telling you what to do. You do things however it works for you.

 

It's my personal opinion that a person's name, particularly online, can be a way to get a sense of the person. There are lot of other people who feel that way, and I want to make sure folks are aware of this.

 

Have you ever seen this Far Side cartoon... "How nature says 'do not touch'"?

 

http://runningteamflash.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Do-Not-Touch.jpg

 

Many people make judgements based on appearance (and name) in real life and online. We've learned to associate certain appearances, behaviors, and name types with certain sorts of experiences. We use our past experiences to try to make sense of what we see around us. Sometimes, this means that we get a wrong first impression, so the person has to win us over.

 

Is that unfair? Sure.

 

Is that going to stop me from forming first impressions? Not a bit.

 

In my personal opinion, it's just the way I see human society working, so I choose to adapt to it.

 

People choose their names online - so they should know that choice has consequences.

 

 

Paige

Interesting view on such a subject. The logic is sound, perhaps for real life. This is a video game, as I am certain you understand, and video games are meant to stretch the boundaries of real life beyond that of the meaningless gripes and toils and narrow views that make up our world and it's people. In our world, if someone named their kid "pancake", they would certainly not be well received by the others, and in theory they would certainly not prosper. But in a video game, one can become whatever they desire. there is no boundary between the people that separates them one from the other. Everyone paid 60 dollars, and everyone pays 15 a month, therefor the only boundaries that do exist are fictional ones that are crafted by ourselves with the intention of creating differences where they do not exist. (Note this does not include the obvious boundaries between levels and gear, this is strictly social)

 

Just my humble opinion

I think the whole of this isn't targeting names like "Pancake" or "Clownpants" or "Brita Water the Pure" because those are original names, kinda interesting and a little funny.

 

On a PvE/PvP server I would absolutely have no problem with those names... the most common tactic for naming on those servers is single words or short phrases.

 

I do however have a problem with people that attempt a name, don't get it and just put accented characters or x's in their name or whatever. I think it's lazy, unoriginal and reflects really poorly on the person playing.

 

Remember: In an online environment, your wit and ability to enter text is solely how you are being judged. We can't see you, hear you, and we know nothing about you. What you enter into that name box and into the chat is what we are using to judge you. If you aren't capable of originality and you type poorly, what makes us think you will do any better pressing the buttons necessary to be good at the game?

Edited July 27, 2012 by DotFreelance

I think the whole of this isn't targeting names like "Pancake" or "Clownpants" or "Brita Water the Pure" because those are original names, kinda interesting and a little funny.

 

Remember: In an online environment, your wit and ability to enter text is solely how you are being judged. We can't see you, hear you, and we know nothing about you. What you enter into that name box and into the chat is what we are using to judge you. If you aren't capable of originality and you type poorly, what makes us think you will do any better pressing the buttons necessary to be good at the game?

 

You raise a good point. It is solely on how you type and communicate, not you're name! Also, despite the fact that "pancake" is interesting, it is most definitely not original.

You raise a good point. It is solely on how you type and communicate, not you're name! Also, despite the fact that "pancake" is interesting, it is most definitely not original.

 

Original in that it's the original pancake. It's not pancäkê. If someone tries a name and finds it's taken, how does it make sense to change the name to a variant? That just makes you look unoriginal and lame. Pick a new name that you can hold claim to.

Original in that it's the original pancake. It's not pancäkê.

 

Another thing altogether, but names like pancäkê can be a problem in that they may limit the ways you may get invited to groups.

 

Raid group is being formed. Raid leader asks the other group members if they have friends/guildies who could join. One of them has one and he asks the raid leader to invite pancäkê.

Raid leader starts to type:

/invite [character name]

Oh, but the raid leader does not know how to type ä or ê on his keyboard.

So you don't get an invite.

 

Even if they did find a way around it, that is still extra unnecessary inconvenience for them all.

 

Don't use umlauts in your name.

Edited July 28, 2012 by Eternalnight

Another thing altogether, but names like pancäkê can be a problem in that they may limit the ways you may get invited to groups.

 

Raid group is being formed. Raid leader asks the other group members if they have friends/guildies who could join. One of them has one and he asks the raid leader to invite pancäkê.

Raid leader starts to type:

/invite [character name]

Oh, but the raid leader does not know how to type ä or ê on his keyboard.

So you don't get an invite.

 

Even if they did find a way around it, that is still extra unnecessary inconvenience for them all.

 

Don't use umlauts in your name.

 

Beautiful reasoning, of course. Most people get around this by having the person with the modified characters whisper the leader... however it's an inconvenience in general and really only makes the person using the characters look like a newbie.

My main character's name is Uggen, so i named my smuggler Ugg'solo. I never thought this could offend anyone until i read this post. This is however at a pvp server.

There doesn't seem to be much of a name filter in place. Maybe I notice more because I learned to read phonetically.

 

You can report a name, and CS will apologize if you're distressed, but I see people at level 40-50 with offensive names, and it's hard to believe that no one has complained about it before.

 

I really think a name filter ought to catch the substitution of "Ph" for "F" in a certain word.

 

Are lots of people opting for "dephenestrator"?

My main character's name is Uggen, so i named my smuggler Ugg'solo. I never thought this could offend anyone until i read this post. This is however at a pvp server.

 

I don't think it would, really. It's pretty clever.