Guild Wars 2

I’m new to this game. New character creation is fantastic. Amazing. So many options and customization laid out very well.

Except… Choosing your character’s name.

After 15 minutes designing your perfect character you are planning to work very closely with 100+ hours… its brutal. Trying choice after choice after choice… its mind numbing… then finally it accepts a name…. but oops…. you entered something that sucks and there is no going back….

For many players character name is really really really important.

Suggestions:
a) Allow a player to save the game while still trying to select a name.

b) Give a player confirmation that they actually want the name that finally got accepted.

c) Allow a player to change their character’s name (free) under level 5.

(Ya, I know the crumby solution is to create a dummy character to find a good name, then delete it and create your “real” character.)

As much as I haven’t had as much trouble coming up with unique un-taken names.

I still think suggestions A and B are very solid and should be done.

Wait….you only spend 15 minutes in character design?

I get that ‘getting’ the name you desire can be a pain (I know it’s the hardest part for me), but I typically start out with a rough list of names I’d like, and usually one of them works just fine.

There actually is “going back” because name change kits are available. You can research the names you want by friending them in game. If it says no player has that name, bam, grab it.

Just keep an eye on your friends list so you can drop the random friends you gather that way, the UI doesn’t possess many clues as to which is the new one that you only added because you were name checking.

One tip: First create a generic character. Take whatever is offered to you and pick a name. Once you have created that character, you can delete it and recreate one that you want to keep using the same name. The name is yours for 24 hours.

I don’t know of any games that allow making a dummy character without a name.
It tells you at character creation if a name is available. Suggestion is to skip to the end of character creation, see if the name is available, and then go back and create your character’s look and story.

If you are having trouble, giving a character a title or a first and last name is helpful with character creation.
Humans and Norn have both first and surnames.
Asuran characters may lack a surname, boast themselves an accomplished in their field of study. Charr take to names that reflect their warband and/or status.
Sylvari names are harder, as they have no need for surnames. Titles are possible, bit they are more likely to have one name.
Here is a whole article about how one can explore the possibilities:
http://altear-rpg.com/?page_id=189
…and there are generators, like this one:
http://fantasynamegenerators.com/sylvari_names.php#.VS_0QJP-X4U

I don’t understand the problem. Unless you are dead set against a character with title or surname you will almost certainly be able to get the name you want.

“I don’t understand the problem”

Let me spell it out for you.

1) The character creation interface allows you to “go back” and edit every decision… except name selection. You don’t know this until its too late.

2) Almost every single imaginable single English word is already taken including common names, uncommon names, misspelt names, flowers, rocks, spices, gemstones, and almost every crazy name like “crazy”, “goof”, “qwerty”, etc.

3) After trying several dozen possibilities the first-time player starts experimenting with unusual name ideas…. then blamo … one gets accepted and you are sent directly into a cinematic. …. kinda sucks. (yes WoW behaves the same… except lacking all the great character customization)

So as I pointed out… the only solution is to create a dummy “throw-away” character to find a desirable name, which you later delete. Then you create your “real” character.

At one point, CoH added a sort of “check and reserve” for picking names to its character creator. You could type in a name at any point, and it would check to see if the name was open. If it was, it would hold it for you while you made the character, then let you apply it at the end.

It was a great idea, and GW2 could use something like that.

1) This is a common and regular thing in MMOs. It should be expected that when you click next after putting in your name you are committing to that name.

2) Yes, if you insist on having a single word name this will be an issue. This game is over two and a half years old. This is, again, a very common thing in MMOs. You should expect that in that much time someone has taken most of the single words. That is why it is in your best interest to use a two word name. Titles and Surnames are your friend.

3) This is the part that doesn’t make sense, that I don’t understand. Since the first two things are true, and should be expected of a game that’s been around this long, why would you enter in random garbage if you still aren’t willing to live with random garbage? Why would you start throwing in crap names when you could instead be throwing in a two part name which has a significantly greater chance of success?

So… you’re wrong. There is at least one other option, therefore a dummy character is not the “only solution.” Be smart about your name selection and use a two part name. That way your first character can be your first character.

“This is a common and regular thing in MMOs.” [implying that makes it okay]

Sure hope you don’t work for ArenaNet.

gw is a very popular game, lots of cool names are already used.

I have a set of words and names that i combine trough the different professions i have on my chars. And if i for some reason cant create a new char with a name with those words in it i try out different GOOD things that i would want to play as till im able to create the character.

I never create characters with dumb names like xOx metaleet xOx and then smack my head 2 minutes later thinking how dumb the name is…

The name choosing portion of character creation is page 10/10 (indicated at the bottom center of the screen). So yeah, I’d say it’s safe to assume that once you choose Accept/Submit, that’s that. Thus, I don’t really think a confirmation window is necessary.

Even if I didn’t notice that 10/10 thing, I probably wouldn’t type something I didn’t like or didn’t want to use into the name field because of the chance that it would actually be accepted.

Rottenheart.1074:

2) Almost every single imaginable single English word is already taken including common names, uncommon names, misspelt names, flowers, rocks, spices, gemstones, and almost every crazy name like “crazy”, “goof”, “qwerty”, etc.

There is your problem.
You are not giving a real name or a lore friendly name to your character.

800 gems and you can change your name,and you can farm that easy in SW chest farm so there is no excuse it cost to much

Ah… the name game.
In GW1, I got to the point to where I would open a dictionary, close my eyes, put my finger on a word, and walla, the first name.
This is how Mallard Shower and Minds Creation were born.
In GW2, every toon has the same last name and roughly the same first name.
It is becoming a challenge to have female names that start with Jen… with 17 toons with that combination.
I may have to revert back to my GW1 names… Folder of Napkins… a nice Mesmer….

I’ve still never encountered many problems with naming my characters, and I don’t even use very unique names.

I’ve never had a problem getting a name. If my first choice is taken I added a last name or a letter or two letters. One of those always goes through. It’s to be expected that all the easy single name options are taken, as well as the obvious choices.

Rottenheart.1074:

3) After trying several dozen possibilities the first-time player starts experimenting with unusual name ideas…. then blamo … one gets accepted and you are sent directly into a cinematic. …. kinda sucks. (yes WoW behaves the same… except lacking all the great character customization)

So as I pointed out… the only solution is to create a dummy “throw-away” character to find a desirable name, which you later delete. Then you create your “real” character.

I think it is a perfectly viable to want a feature that can check a name’s availability in character creation rather than at the last “Next” button.

Rottenheart.1074:

“This is a common and regular thing in MMOs.” [implying that makes it okay]

They’re not implying that it makes it ok. This is the reality of MMOs whether one likes it or not. It’s has millions of copies sold. Of course many popular, generic names will be taken.

There was a thread just like this a little while back. I don’t get how people can’t understand this.

With that being said, I like the idea of being able to change your name again at a low level, but not under level 5. Someone proposed in another thread about being able to alter one’s appearance before leaving the intro instance. I think adding name-changing in there would be a good idea. Think Fallout 3 just before you escape the vault.

This problem could actually be easily solved by rearranging the character creation process. Instead of leaving it last page to choose a character name, it should be shifted to the second screen after confirming the style/looks. While leaving the last creation page as a final confirmation to name/style/story.

Just because name change tickets and style kits exist in the game is not an excuse that things should remain the way they are. After all the argument is that this game has hundred thousands of players, surely they could afford a UI update.

AION is now free to play, yet still able to come out with neat UI updates, skill balances, new maps, new quest/story at a quarterly basis. And yes, they also allow you to confirm your character name whilst you spend time choosing your looks.

Or just have a “check availabilty” option before having to finalize.

I agree with BrooksP – just having a “check availability” option would be fantastic. Although for me the hard part isn’t getting the name I want – I have never, in the history of playing GW1 and 2, had a name I wanted taken, and I’m a confessed alt-aholic. This issue, in my experience, comes mostly from using silly names like “Moar Cowbell” or “Gods Shadow”, “Tyrion Lannister”, etc. etc.

For me the challenge is coming up with a name that seems like something you might actually see on an NPC in your faction – my Charr “Faznar Painmaker” or my necro “Relic the Unholy”. I dislike having to use titles within a name, but a single first name is almost impossible to get. Sometimes I have to sit and think for days before the right name hits me, so having a save-progress feature would be groovy for that, too. Though I understand why they probably won’t implement it, lol.

its not the first game i see with this poor decision…
The name choice needs to be right after the race/gender choices.

In this order :
Race / gender / Name / availability check for the name / profession / etc ….

Of course if the name check fail you go back at the name screen

so simple …

Farming Flats.5370:

its not the first game i see with this poor decision…
The name choice needs to be right after the race/gender choices.

In this order :
Race / gender / Name / availability check for the name / profession / etc ….

Of course if the name check fail you go back at the name screen

so simple …

So what if you select a name and then just before you are finished creating the character someone else takes that name?

Royal.2693:

Farming Flats.5370:

its not the first game i see with this poor decision…
The name choice needs to be right after the race/gender choices.

In this order :
Race / gender / Name / availability check for the name / profession / etc ….

Of course if the name check fail you go back at the name screen

so simple …

So what if you select a name and then just before you are finished creating the character someone else takes that name?

How about this : after name check , the chosen name is locked for everyone else until you finish the entire character creation and confirmation. Currently the game is already able to tell you if the name is already taken at the end .. so its possible to do it at the very start of the process … if your name pass the availability check then the name is immediately registered on your account before continuing with the character editor.

If that were implemented I’d suggest that the name only be locked while you are working on the character. If you close the game for any reason (including a dc), the name is immediately released. The 24 hour reservation on a name on a character created and placed in game should remain.

My reasoning is that it would be too easy to lock out names that never even get used if you can reserve a name without actually making a character.

For me, I’ve never had problems getting lore appropriate names so long as I was a little bit flexible (like converting my asura necromancer from Blekk — taken — to Froblekk — now mine). Sometimes I want to see the character’s appearance before I pick a name that feels right for someone who looks like that. So the system as it is works for me, especially with the ability to create something totally random, pick a name, then delete once I have time to leisurely work on appearance. That covers the need to secure a name quickly and offers all the functionality people are asking for in this thread, in my opinion.

It’s quite easy to delete a character, especially one you haven’t even done the tutorial on. There’s no need to strip them for items and coin, they haven’t got any.

Now, letting new players know about the current functionality is another matter. Perhaps there could be a brief blurb on first log in to character creation: “If you have a name you would like to secure, select Skip To End and create the character. You may then delete that character at any time and will immediately have the name reserved for 24 hours during which you can carefully design a character to use the name.”