Guild Wars 2

May I ask why?

With 2 exceptions, all my characters are named after GW1 characters including the one you are asking me to change.

If you have a question regarding your issue you need to contact support by following the link at the top of the page and then the submit a request link.

That form keeps deleting my email address and generating an error about my email address not being filled in.

You have to change your name because it broke the TOS according to support and the person (or people) who reported you. And yes, you do have to be reported to be forced to change your name.

There is no statute of limitations as it pertains to name violations. You don’t get a free pass on a name that breaks the rules because you’ve used it for over 2 years.

As for filling out a support ticket, have you tried a different browser?

I don’t see how it violates any of the rules.

I did manage to submit the ticket.

One of the rules on names is you aren’t allowed to use in-game character names. I guess that goes for Guild Wars, as well. /shrug

You can dispute the action taken with CS.

Good luck.

Inculpatus cedo.9234:

One of the rules on names is you aren’t allowed to use in-game character names. I guess that goes for Guild Wars, as well. /shrug

You can dispute the action taken with CS.

Good luck.

That stinks. Thanks for the info. I’ve got lots of GW1 character names… we’ll see how it goes.

Yeah, I just got hit with this, too.

So sad to rename.

Remember to list all your character names in your ticket and ask if any are suspect, else you may find your account suspended, rather than just asked to change the characters’ name(s).

Good luck.

GM Talon.8726:

A bunch of names that are from the original Guild Wars and its lore were censored yesterday. They were names that we had believed were already in the filter, but we discovered that they were not. More of these will be happening in the coming days. Hope that clears it up for you.

May we ask why?

I mean I can understand if you plan on using those characters again for whatever reason. However, if you don’t it just feels like a unnecessary censor. Players probably like to name their names after those characters for memory reasons/nostalgia. Plus they can always give other players a run down of the history of the original character if asked.

It is rather unusual for MMOs to allow player characters named the same as in-universe characters.

But Dunkoro…. http://i.imgur.com/yPDiF3Z.jpg

Well my koss character is in all pink armour, I am here to entertain!

Xandra is no more.

GM Talon.8726:

A bunch of names that are from the original Guild Wars and its lore were censored yesterday. They were names that we had believed were already in the filter, but we discovered that they were not. More of these will be happening in the coming days. Hope that clears it up for you.

Makes sense. It’s also very sad. I had grown quite fond of Vizu. I’ve sent you a PM.

thanks.

Love seeing the other GW1 folks in this thread… :o)

so long Vizu!

Greetings, GM Talon.

I realize this thread is about player characters that are using GW1 NPC names, but PCs using GW2 NPC character names is also an issue that needs attention.

I have seen many player characters in GW2 who are named as prominent GW2 NPCs, though they tend to use the vowels with accent marks to get around the filter or slightly misspell the NPC’s name. I have reported many of these as inappropriate character names in the past, though I still see them running around months later and even see them still impersonating the respective NPC in starter zones to “mess with new players”, requesting donations for the Seraph (as Logan), etc.

It has even gotten to the point that, with the NPE blocking off the personal story until level 10, these NPC impersonators are hanging out in starter areas telling new players that they need to send them coin to begin their personal stories as the new player is low level and does not know that it unlocks at level 10 now instead of continuing right away.

Request:
Can you please add the NPC names using any and all accented vowels to the naming filter and perhaps also add slight misspellings (and perhaps combinations of the accented vowels and slight misspellings) of the NPC names to the filter as well?

Also, please see to it that those responsible for naming violation review are more diligent and timely in forcing renaming of player characters that have been reported for having NPC character names (using accented vowels or slight misspellings). As I mentioned, I know I have personally reported many of these impersonators often for months, yet they are still running around confusing new players and have not had to rename.

Thank you.

I have sort of the opposite problem. My first few characters I grabbed some names from a random name generator, and ended up using Rytlock as part of a few names not knowing who he was. I actually want to change the names.

felessan.9587:

I have sort of the opposite problem. My first few characters I grabbed some names from a random name generator, and ended up using Rytlock as part of a few names not knowing who he was. I actually want to change the names.

You can contact the CS Team and ask for assistance. They may allow you to change your characters’ names.

Good luck

StinVec.3621:

Greetings, GM Talon.

I realize this thread is about player characters that are using GW1 NPC names, but PCs using GW2 NPC character names is also an issue that needs attention.

I have seen many player characters in GW2 who are named as prominent GW2 NPCs, though they tend to use the vowels with accent marks to get around the filter or slightly misspell the NPC’s name. I have reported many of these as inappropriate character names in the past, though I still see them running around months later and even see them still impersonating the respective NPC in starter zones to “mess with new players”, requesting donations for the Seraph (as Logan), etc.

There is no way to create a filter broad enough to catch all possible variations of a word. If you filter out the word “hello” as a character name, someone can bypass the filter by spelling it “helo,” “hel1o,” “hell0,” “#3llo,” or any number of similar names. On the other side, a character named “Othello” could be filtered out, even though it’s not an attempt to bypass the filter.

All you can do is report the name and if necessary the activity. If someone is scamming players, details beyond “bad name” are helpful – what map they are on, when you witnessed this, the player who was scammed, etc. This will help them narrow down the activity so they can confirm that it happened. And remember that while you can report these things, you are not involved in the investigation or punishment. A player can be suspended and resume their activities later, or the activity could border on an offense but result in a warning, it could even be two guildies joking around…

Just report and move on, it’s all you can do.

Blueblob.1726:

But Dunkoro…. http://i.imgur.com/yPDiF3Z.jpg

Thank you for having me remember why I have turned all other players to standard model ;>

What about the tons of names of Guildwars 1 and 2 npcs (characters) that are derived from rl earthly names (now, history and mythology) . For examples Kate, Magnus, Logan, Eve (gw 1), Balthazar, Abbadon etc. These are not gw unique names. This could mean we cannot use many names at all in the end. Look at the Norn, Sylvary and human names, all rl history, mythology, modern derived names.

cephiroth.6182:

Blueblob.1726:

But Dunkoro.... http://i.imgur.com/yPDiF3Z.jpg

Thank you for having me remember why I have turned all other players to standard model ;>

XDDD

Okay; I was like "wtf" too when I saw it, but I guess that’s the intention behind it xD. ^^

Pixels.6532:

Love seeing the other GW1 folks in this thread... :o)

so long Vizu!

Holy... wow! This looks beyond amazing! *-*

--

Sorry for off topic. Couldn’t help it, though.

^^

Bolbo Baggins.8594:

What about the tons of names of Guildwars 1 and 2 npcs (characters) that are derived from rl earthly names (now, history and mythology) . For examples Kate, Magnus, Logan, Eve (gw 1), Balthazar, Abbadon etc. These are not gw unique names. This could mean we cannot use many names at all in the end. Look at the Norn, Sylvary and human names, all rl history, mythology, modern derived names.

There is a rather huge different between calling a character a single name (such as Magnus) and calling it something such as Magnus Bloodhand.

As for Abbadon that would probably not be allowed anyway due to its ties to religion, which is also against the naming policy.

Just logged in to get the prompt…

I feel like our character’s were a rare delight in the world and they are being hunted down and eliminated, this is such a sad day. May generations mourn this day going forward.

GM Talon.8726:

The primary reason behind this is to eliminate the potential for impersonation of these characters and/or an ArenaNet employee.

When running into a nostalgic name I honestly can’t remember thinking ‘that must be a dev or a reincarnated 200 year old npc’.

Please reconsider, we beg or you!

So the main issue is that you don’t want unscrupulous players passing themselves off as official ANet employees?

Simple solution:

Add a new NPC to each major city near the bank. His nametag will display Safe Otto [Safety Commissioner]. It will also display the ANet logo just like an actual employee of ArenaNet.

When you talk to him, his dialogue will point out the logo, and explain that anyone without this logo is not an official representative of the company.

Simple! (And if anyone already has the name “Safe Otto”, they will be okay to keep it since the restriction against using NPC names can now be lifted).

You’re welcome.

EDIT: You could also make ANet employees much more visible. I have never seen anyone flying the logo. REQUIRE your employees to fly the logo while on the clock, and encourage them to do so while playing at home. (Give them an auto-block ability for whispers from anyone not on their friends list, along with a polite message informing the whisperer that his message didn’t go through). If they were commonplace, then the logo tipoff would be obvious, and they’d be harder to impersonate.

…And yes, I had a GW1 Monk named “Safe Otto”

This doesn’t affect me directly because none of my characters are named after GW1 or GW2 characters but I wanted to say I think it’s really unfortunately that these names are being blocked.

I think it’s highly unlikely anyone would mistake them for either NPCs or Anet staff. The few times I’ve heard of staff role-playing or otherwise controlling characters in the game (like early UO and The Matrix Online) it’s been widely advertised as part of the game, and even then it was more likely to go the other way – people would mistake them for NPCs or normal players. As far as I’ve seen all Anet staff use original character names, and when they want to be recognised the guild tag.

And while this does eliminate the rare possibility of someone “falling for” a lore based character name it also eliminates a lot of cool character names that I think many veteran players would enjoy seeing.

Anyone who had to change their character’s name because it was a GW1 asset should get the title “History Buff.”

that’d be awesome.

I have a warrior named Goren Dejarin, but I’ve not gotten any messages. I probably will now though!

I feel for all you that had to rename your character. This should not have happened…

Lunar Sunset.8742:

I feel for all you that had to rename your character. This should not have happened…

This is not the place to debate such things. This is the forum for account support. If a player feels they have had to change their name unjustly they need to contact support and submit a ticket.

/end thread

JustTrogdor.7892:

Lunar Sunset.8742:

I feel for all you that had to rename your character. This should not have happened…

This is not the place to debate such things. This is the forum for account support. If a player feels they have had to change their name unjustly they need to contact support and submit a ticket.

/end thread

I’ve already submitted a ticket. If this isn’t place to talk about such things then please list the correct sub forum.. oh wait, anet moved this thread here.

Lunar Sunset.8742:

I feel for all you that had to rename your character. This should not have happened…

Indeed.
They should have read the naming policy and thus wouldn’t have had this issue.