Someone on Cormyr has my name... and it kinda sucks

[Bjond]

forced to deal with some theif taking their name and possibly compromising their account

I don't see how a name theft could compromise your account unless a lot of people just walk up and hand you things based on your name alone. Even if you picked your account-name to match your beloved character name, they'd still have to crack your password ... unless you matched that, too (but that would be a separate issue from character name theft).

BTW, I don't have that particular possessive feeling over my character names in DDO, but I have felt that way in other games. So, I can relate to your sentiment. And, yeah, deliberate name-thievery is indeed a thing for well-known names.

People will create name-reserving throw-away accounts to deliberately steal names. Then, post merge, they'll send a tell asking for something in order to release the name back to you.

I had this happen to me on an older MMO that merged servers, but the idiot picked an alt I didn't care about. 'Dunno why. The name wasn't special in any way I could see. Name policy was explicitly FCFS. So, if your beloved name was taken, it was literally hostage.

BTW: Last time I checked, a toons name is unique across ALL DDO servers. Making duplicates a violation.

https://ddowiki.com/page/Character_name

From wiki: Must be unique per game server

And, from creating characters on other servers, you can create characters with identical names to the ones you have on your main server.

IIRC, a name clash post-transfer results in "soandso-1" (or higher numbers) appended and you're "supposed to" get a free rename. I've never received a free rename on clashes from HC, though.

 

[Anurakh]

Toon names are unique, ever across servers. To have multiple servers with the same name creates a whole laundry list of problems. Never mind the fact that there are those that stream on YT or are Guild leaders that use that name outside of DDO for various purposes. You being a kid or a troll (Haven't decided which yet), its understandable that this is beyond your scope of reasoning. Oh yeah... here's an idea, go ask your parents if they'd think it was "ok" that a 3rd partly was abusing their good-name.

I'll repeat: save the insults. You're the one who's not behaving like an adult.

Currently, names aren't unique for the account. They're unique per server, and it's been that way for 19 years of gameplay. I didn't invent the system, and I've never said I'm happy with the current system (I want the last name to count too, as has been said before). But the system is what it is, and you should know that by now. Suggest changing it to SSG if you want, but start planning to work with the system as it currently exists, because the chances of them changing it aren't great.

Throwing tantrums about how the system isn't how you'd like it to be, and insulting other players, aren't going to change this reality.

 

[mikarddo]

No, what is disrespectful is when a long-term player on one of the primary servers is forced to deal with some theif taking their name and possibly compromising their account. Which is why newly created Cormyr accounts would need to have naming restrictions preventing such. Otherwise, every pre-exsisting account may as well just be deleted and walk away from the game.

BTW: Last time I checked, a toons name is unique across ALL DDO servers. Making duplicates a violation.

https://ddowiki.com/page/Character_name

Wrong on all counts imho. I most certainly have the same name on several servers, so your statement is factually wrong. The name is only unique on the specific server.

Also, calling other players a thief for no reasonable reason lowers your credibility in my eyes.

Claiming that pre-existing accounts might as well delete is hyperbole well beyond reason as well as far as I am concerned.

But I certainly respect your right to hold such views - I simply disagree hard.

 

[mikarddo]

I guess it's true.... You can't save a stupid person from themselves. Instead they have to find out the hard way. While making life difficult for everyone else in the process.

Oh, the irony here.

 

[Smokewolf]

Oh, the irony here.

Xfers haven't happened yet... So no son, your a bit too early to claim anything.

 

[Buddha5440]

@Smokewolf

You might need to take a breather for a moment, as a character name is unique on "each" server. It's not one unique name across all servers. Only our account names are unique and spans the game; so there's only one J1NG for example. And every "yijing" on every game server is mine (as I reserved by creating a character there or have an active character on that server), but I did need to go to every server and create it.

J1NG

Thanks, you beat me to it.

Also, to @Smokewolf, calling someone (especially when they are correct) a "kid" or a "troll" and telling them to "go ask your parents" is a #!@# move.

 

[Anurakh]

IIRC, a name clash post-transfer results in "soandso-1" (or higher numbers) appended and you're "supposed to" get a free rename. I've never received a free rename on clashes from HC, though.

All characters with a - after their name are eligible for a rename. Use the command /changename *your new name*.

There's no time limit on using it (I think- I've used it years after a transfer).

 

[Bjond]

All characters with a - after their name are eligible for a rename. Use the command /changename *your new name*.

There's no time limit on using it (I think- I've used it years after a transfer).

AH! I was expecting a name-change scroll in the mail or inventory. Thanks!

 

[mikarddo]

The character I currently play the most is called Mikarto-5.
He still plays the same with that name as he would with another name

 

[Jhml]

As far as we know, that's not going to be the case. Transfers will be free to the server of the player's choice (or servers, if you want to send your toons to multiple servers, which we'll likely do with our toons on secondary servers).

The thing is, they don't have to move to Cormyr...

Yeah I wasn't refering to Cormyr, just to servers that haven't even been opened yet and wouldn't be until the existing toons have been transfered into them.

 

[Vua]

Ahh No!

Identity theft is no trivial matter for those experiencing it.

So can we assume that your using the internet again without your mums permission?

Identity theft? Over a name in DDO? Grow up.

 

[Blunt Hackett]

Calling this theft is tantamount to calling somebody named Steve a thief because that's your IRL name. Unless someone is purposefully pretending to be you, this is not an ethical or legal problem.

That said, I'm not downplaying how frustrating it can be. That's very real and more frustrating to some than to others. But it's not theft to coincidentally pick a name that belongs to someone else before they get to choose it.

 

[Phoenicis]

No, what is disrespectful is when a long-term player on one of the primary servers is forced to deal with some theif taking their name and possibly compromising their account. Which is why newly created Cormyr accounts would need to have naming restrictions preventing such. Otherwise, every pre-exsisting account may as well just be deleted and walk away from the game.

BTW: Last time I checked, a toons name is unique across ALL DDO servers. Making duplicates a violation.

https://ddowiki.com/page/Character_name

• First name character limits:
  • Must be unique per game server
  • Maximum 12 characters
  • Letters only

Nmaes unique per server, not across all servers.

I have characters on multiple servers with the same names...

To the OP: Friend the name, wait for them to be on, or send an ingame mail, asking if it would be feasible for them to get a rename (offer to pay if necessary) If it's that important to you.

 

[Azasmokey]

I'd be a little annoyed but it surly isn't the end of the world. Variations of the name can often be very similar. I have 3 characters I play. OH well if I lose them.

 

[Ying]

I haven't had my name in game for years. Not a big deal. I've got a litany of character names I use.

 

[Smokewolf]

@Smokewolf

You might need to take a breather for a moment, as a character name is unique on "each" server. It's not one unique name across all servers. Only our account names are unique and spans the game; so there's only one J1NG for example. And every "yijing" on every game server is mine (as I reserved by creating a character there or have an active character on that server), but I did need to go to every server and create it.

J1NG

The fact that you registered your name on each server shows that it means something to you. Its a tangible identity and one you should be allowed to keep regardless of the fact DDO is changing. To suggest otherwise is poor form by SSG as this will only lead to a massive number of headaches as the 64-bit server transfer takes place.

 

[Cildar]

Do the Everquest name reservation system and make money off the people that care about their name that much. You take the person with the name that has had it the longest on any server and you let them reserve first for a fee. If they don't then the next person can and so on down to making it a free for all if no one reserves. But then people can't whine as much.

 

[kmoustakas]

My main's name was taken on Cormyr... just posting because, as minor as this is, it is honestly putting a damper in my enthusiasm (on both Cormyr and main server).

Originally, I wasn't too bothered, as I thought this would be VIP-only or a bit more temporary. Now, it seems Cormyr is transitioning to the premier experience, and I'm feeling kind of left out?

Wondering if anyone can relate!

(Also, wondering if anyone can think of a solution besides appending a number to the back of my name? but if it must be, it must be).

I was incredibly surprised that when I logged on cormyr when it was available to non-vips 'Rage' was available.

Heck, I try to join hardcore the MINUTE it's up to grab the name haha

 

[lilgeek]

No, what is disrespectful is when a long-term player on one of the primary servers is forced to deal with some theif taking their name and possibly compromising their account. Which is why newly created Cormyr accounts would need to have naming restrictions preventing such. Otherwise, every pre-exsisting account may as well just be deleted and walk away from the game.

BTW: Last time I checked, a toons name is unique across ALL DDO servers. Making duplicates a violation.

https://ddowiki.com/page/Character_name

I have characters with the same name on multiple servers. Names are unique on a server.

 

[Anurakh]

The fact that you registered your name on each server shows that it means something to you. Its a tangible identity and one you should be allowed to keep regardless of the fact DDO is changing. To suggest otherwise is poor form by SSG as this will only lead to a massive number of headaches as the 64-bit server transfer takes place.

But the naming system has been this way for 19 years of the game, with unique names per server only (not per account). So the damage (if you want to look at it that way) is there from the very beginning of the game. If you haven't reserved your toon names on all servers, the reality is that another player may have legitimately taken one of those names on other servers, perhaps even before you created it on your main server.

And what can the devs do about that? You both have equal rights to the name. With luck, you'll end up on different servers, but you have to assume there will be name conflicts.

Note that I don't like that either. And I think the system of reserving three names before allowing transfers is bad too. But some conflicts are bound to happen.

I don't like it. I also love my names. And the people who play with me identify my characters by the names they currently have. But what do you want us to tell you? It's going to happen, so plan accordingly and try to reserve your names as soon as possible. As for Cormyr, consider it as a current server. If your names have already been taken there, just move to another US server, and that's it.

The only possible way to avoid name conflicts is to clone the servers as they currently exist on the new 64-bit servers, but since the goal is also to consolidate the population onto fewer servers and create alternatives for people in Europe, that can't be done.

Of all the things we can lose in transfers, the name is the least important. And with luck, we might not be affected. If your name isn't common, chances are it won't be duplicated before you can claim it on the new server.

In any case, toon names have nothing to do with account security, so don't overdo it.
If I lose some of my names, I won't like it, but it won't be the end of the world. I'll just pick another one, and that's it. I usually use character or NPC names I've used in PNP, and in 30 years of playing, the list to choose from is long, lol.