I think this would be a great idea. However, it may be a complex change that the developers might not be willing to undertake due to ROI and it would require a significant change in the database data model for starters. Still, it would be ideal prior to F2P.

 

I agree, that is why I feel it is important that this be addressed before F2P or not at all.

What if I wanted to mail something to bob and there are dozens of bobs out there?

How about whisper?

Remote invite?

 

Don't tell me we're putting zomgnumbercodeswhatever instead of names.

worst idea for this game

I'm all for this. I've always viewed the one name requirement as a weakness of MMO design that's long over due to be addressed.

 

A unique account name would easily address in game mail issues.

I personally didn't understand why they didn't make only the Legacy name unique. Each account can only tie up one Legacy name on a server. If that account happens to go inactive, its unlikely that someone else's game experience will be "ruined" by being unable to get that name. On the flip side, with unique toon names.. one account can possibly tie up as many as 16 names on one server ((this is assuming that you've had the max names through the server merges.))

 

Which method will cause you to run out of legible names faster?

 

"What if I wanted to mail Bob and there's 50 zillion Bobs?"

 

Easy, you mail it to the linked player and legacy name.. so you mail it to Bob YourFriend and not Bob Stranger1 or Bob Stanger2.

worst idea for this game

 

Care to explain why?

 

I personally didn't understand why they didn't make only the Legacy name unique. Each account can only tie up one Legacy name on a server. If that account happens to go inactive, its unlikely that someone else's game experience will be "ruined" by being unable to get that name. On the flip side, with unique toon names.. one account can possibly tie up as many as 16 names on one server ((this is assuming that you've had the max names through the server merges.))

 

Which method will cause you to run out of legible names faster?

 

"What if I wanted to mail Bob and there's 50 zillion Bobs?"

 

Easy, you mail it to the linked player and legacy name.. so you mail it to Bob YourFriend and not Bob Stranger1 or Bob Stanger2.

 

Thank you for explaining that, I think the mail system would be fine without exclusive names.

Really I think Legacy is a great idea in concept with one big issue, a Legacy is made up of several generations or adopted children etc. Not all children/cultures take each others last names and that is just on earth, I highly doubt they would do for all the star wars species either.

 

So I think a Legacy should be more of a thing NO ONE sees but you, just named Legacy and that all names SHOULD BE A UNIQUE COMBINATION of a First and Last Name.

 

So if 25 people want to be Fred, then let them but force them to choose different last names, then when you view the character you can see "Fred Flintstone, Fred Jones, Fred Moonwalker, Fred Bangpuff" etc.

 

So my idea from a programming stand point is:

1. Legacy becomes something we just see on our side and is not a surname or shown to others
   
2. Every player when they log in is prompted to rename, this name MUST be unique but can contain spaces, apostrophes etc. ( I realize this makes preventing IP names harder to stop but people using special characters really got around that already didn't they)
   
3. Random name generator does not show names already used
   
4. Anyone already on someone's ignore list/friends list stays but old name is placed in the comment
   
5. Anyone already in a guild when they change their name, their old name is added to guild notes
   
6. Allow us to create a unique nickname for emailing/friends/tell purposes
   
7. When mailing if the name is part of our legacy show the name in a different color so we know we have the right one
   

Edited November 8, 2012 by JediPup

Really I think Legacy is a great idea in concept with one big issue, a Legacy is made up of several generations or adopted children etc. Not all children/cultures take each others last names and that is just on earth, I highly doubt they would do for all the star wars species either.

 

So I think a Legacy should be more of a thing NO ONE sees but you, just named Legacy and that all names SHOULD BE A UNIQUE COMBINATION of a First and Last Name.

 

So if 25 people want to be Fred, then let them but force them to choose different last names, then when you view the character you can see "Fred Flintstone, Fred Jones, Fred Moonwalker, Fred Bangpuff" etc.

 

So my idea from a programming stand point is:

1. Legacy becomes something we just see on our side and is not a surname or shown to others
   
2. Every player when they log in is prompted to rename, this name MUST be unique but can contain spaces, apostrophes etc. ( I realize this makes preventing IP names harder to stop but people using special characters really got around that already didn't they)
   
3. Random name generator does not show names already used
   
4. Anyone already on someone's ignore list/friends list stays but old name is placed in the comment
   
5. Anyone already in a guild when they change their name, their old name is added to guild notes
   
6. Allow us to create a unique nickname for emailing/friends/tell purposes
   
7. When mailing if the name is part of our legacy show the name in a different color so we know we have the right one
   

 

I like your ideas.

I really want to know who is going to actually receive the mail I send, sorry, no.

I really want to know who is going to actually receive the mail I send, sorry, no.

 

Could you please explain why you think this would break the mail system?

I truly hope that the developers will notice this in some way before it is too late.

I truly hope that the developers will notice this in some way before it is too late.

 

Nope. Next to no chance of that happening. Boy will they be surprised when new players start dropping the game like flies when they can't find names that aren't already taken for over half an hour.

 

Not like they could do something to pre-emptively fix the problem like using a handle system, no...

 

Pardon if I sound bitter, but I've been trying to get it through to them since before the game even came out that they should be using an @handle system instead of the antiquated "first name unique" system that they have now.

Edited November 14, 2012 by Nichos_Ketra

I would have loved to keep legacynames unique. If you had to pick your legacyname at character creation you could have made a link with first and last names, but as it stands you cant. New people only have a first name so it has to be unique. However, i dont see why we shouldn´t be able to pick our legacyname at character creation. Ofc the legacy features would still be locked untill you unlock them, and you wont earn legacy xp, but why not let people have a legacyname fram the start.

I feel the same way. I log on and find that a character that I played in the beta, who I remade at release, needs to change. I lost the name that I used for this character. I lost all reason to play him. I don't care about his story or what happens to him anymore, he isn't the same. It's no longer about me following his life, it's me playing a game. I don't feel connected to this character anymore. Oh, Sargeras, you died in my heart....

I feel the same way. I log on and find that a character that I played in the beta, who I remade at release, needs to change. I lost the name that I used for this character. I lost all reason to play him. I don't care about his story or what happens to him anymore, he isn't the same. It's no longer about me following his life, it's me playing a game. I don't feel connected to this character anymore. Oh, Sargeras, you died in my heart....

 

I can relate.

 

This just makes characters seem more like avatars and tools, not people who we spend time developing and growing. It creates some sort of disconnect.

I can relate.

 

This just makes characters seem more like avatars and tools, not people who we spend time developing and growing. It creates some sort of disconnect.

 

I can't bring myself to delete the character but i don't think I will ever play him again. It just feels... wrong. He use to be something great, but now he is a fake, a lie.

I can't bring myself to delete the character but i don't think I will ever play him again. It just feels... wrong. He use to be something great, but now he is a fake, a lie.

 

I'll never delete my characters, but this will always haunt me, no matter what happens. I still feel it is such a simple request.

 

Who knows, maybe they're being sneaky and will wipe the names of inactive accounts after 1.5, to avoid name hoarding during the moments after.

I'll never delete my characters, but this will always haunt me, no matter what happens. I still feel it is such a simple request.

 

Who knows, maybe they're being sneaky and will wipe the names of inactive accounts after 1.5, to avoid name hoarding during the moments after.

 

Well, It would be too late for me. I already changed Sargeras' name. There is nothing left of him. Just a skeleton and a shadow.

I can say that while I have a bit of a different opinion than the OP, I can certainly relate to their frustration. Three of my toon names had to be changed during the server merger, one of which was my former main. It was somewhat paining to have to change her name. Admittedly that was my own fault for naming her after a character from the Dragonlance Chronicles.

 

I've been reading the thread. Some of the ideas like the @ tag are decent, but I'd rather not look at a bunch of players with the same name with the @ tag. Same with the numbers idea that I think would be a nightmare to type. Adding friends, putting people on ignore and sending mail would be a complete cluster in my humble opinion.

 

However, I do really like the idea of their being several guys named Fred (in this case) with the last name to tell them apart. Being able to be, say, "Johnny Cash" (yep, seen one on my server, Imp side) and while allowing another player to be able to be "Johnny Smith." That would make it a good way to add in some realism too. My actual first name for insistence isn't very common, but there was four other girls in my graduating class with the same name (out of a class of 510 students.) One of them shared the same spelling with me. I wouldn't find it a big deal to have to use a toon's first name and Legacy last name to send off mail to my alts/guildies, add friends, use /tell or ignore jerks. It would be a little more typing, but I'd have no problem doing it that way.

Edited November 15, 2012 by natashina

I can say that while I have a bit of a different opinion than the OP, I can certainly relate to their frustration. Three of my toon names had to be changed during the server merger, one of which was my former main. It was somewhat paining to have to change her name. Admittedly that was my own fault for naming her after a character from the Dragonlance Chronicles.

 

I've been reading the thread. Some of the ideas like the @ tag are decent, but I'd rather not look at a bunch of players with the same name with the @ tag. Same with the numbers idea that I think would be a nightmare to type. Adding friends, putting people on ignore and sending mail would be a complete cluster in my humble opinion.

 

However, I do really like the idea of their being several guys named Fred (in this case) with the last name to tell them apart. Being able to be, say, "Johnny Cash" (yep, seen one on my server, Imp side) and while allowing another player to be able to be "Johnny Smith." That would make it a good way to add in some realism too. My actual first name for insistence isn't very common, but there was four other girls in my graduating class with the same name (out of a class of 510 students.) One of them shared the same spelling with me. I wouldn't find it a big deal to have to use a toon's first name and Legacy last name to send off mail to my alts/guildies, add friends, use /tell or ignore jerks. It would be a little more typing, but I'd have no problem doing it that way.

 

I guess you're right, the legacy combination thing is probably the best idea out there when it comes to this. I can see how any sort of @handle would become rather cumbersome.

I absolutely think that Characters' first names should become non exlusive. As long as there is a last name or legacy name or some other kind of handle, it shouldn't be a problem with identification or mailing and no one will be forced to try to add a ridiculous number of extra letters to their chars' name. I can completely relate to the frustration associated with losing a character that you've spent countless hours working on, and I really hope Bioware takes this seriously. I honestly don't see myself picking this game back up again until this situation is remedied.