Guild Wars 2

I had a weird encounter today when I logged on. I got to my character select screen, and it said I had to re-name a character before I played… it was Rytlock Icestone… but I placed that name in, and it said it was inappropriate or using characters I couldn’t use… So I changed it to Froststone and it let me play…. Any ideas what the hell is so inappropriate about ICE… It’s the name of my Guild for Christ sakes.

More likely it was the Rytlock component. According to the naming policy, you can’t use copyrighted names.

But he changed it to Rytlock Froststone if I understood correctly. It isn’t the Rytlock component then.

He could be reported for the Rytlock and forced to change while Rytlock isn`t in the filter so this worked … until he will be reported again

Is the name Rytlock copyright? If it is then I have no idea why.. I’m using the same name, on the game which created it, and not claiming to be some kind of NPC. I don’t see why it would be such a big deal.

If this is the case then I will be very confused.

I have used that name for well over a year now, and never had an issue with it, but after the patch….. in fact, not even last night, but today, it says it’s inappropriate or using characters which you aren’t allowed to use.

I changed the name to Rytlock Froststone, and it let me in right away, no questions asked… So the ONLY word to change, is Ice.

I would like a a member of Anet staff to address this, because if I am being forced to change my name, without knowing why, and it’s a mistake… Then I request a re-name scroll so I can change my name back to it’s former one.

I see nothing offensive or wrong with the name I chose in the first hand.

I will go and try to log into all my characters which have ice in their name, somewhere, and see if it requires a name change before letting me in.

It’s the Rytlock. Gaile has said before that they don’t allow players to name characters with their NPC’s names or variations on it. If someone makes such a name and it’s reported, they will force a name change.

Gaile Gray Source
ArenaNet Forum Communications Team Lead
(Snip)
“Disallowed names are disallowed names. Using an NPC name has been related to various issues within the game. Believe me, I’ve reviewed some of them. Whether the use of the name would result in evil doing, it would result in confusion, and for that reason, if no other, the name is disallowed.” (Snip)

In addition to Gaile’s comment there is this:
Reference names of copyrighted or trademarked characters, materials, or products
Use misspellings or alternative spellings of names that violate any of the above rules
Impersonating an ArenaNet, LLC., NC Interactive, Inc. or NCSOFT employee or customer support representative is against the Guild Wars 2 User Agreement, so we do not allow characters to take the real name or handles of employees or variations of their names or handles that may cause confusion."

It’s very likely that the names of their major NPCs in the game are copywrited and that it’s therefore disallowed for a player to use them.

Except names are not copyrightable materials… So using a name inside a game, but not linking it to a NPC in any other way except maybe some form of appearance similarity and name alteration… is not part of copyright… After all, Rytlock is “just” a name.

https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2010/01/08/5-things-that-cant-be-copyrighted/

Sickle.6502:

Except names are not copyrightable materials… So using a name inside a game, but not linking it to a NPC in any other way except maybe some form of appearance similarity and name alteration… is not part of copyright… After all, Rytlock is “just” a name.

https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2010/01/08/5-things-that-cant-be-copyrighted/

As Gaile said, "Disallowed names are disallowed names. Using an NPC name has been related to various issues within the game. Believe me, I’ve reviewed some of them. Whether the use of the name would result in evil doing, it would result in confusion, and for that reason, if no other, the name is disallowed.”

And that’s your answer about whether or not it was Rytlock.

So basically, what they are saying is… You can’t have it, because we don’t want you to have it…. It’s got NOTHING to do with intellectual property issues.

This is just low, really low… They already have specific NPC looks in regards to Weapons/Armour/Faces/Hair Styles/Voices and even their own classes….. and that isn’t enough?
- Now they want to strip the names away for being Similar to an NPC’s?… What a joke!

Where does it end?
Are they going to tell me I cant use my FDS as a Charr male, or wear silver T3 Charr armour, because it mimics an NPC almost to the point of mirror image… Seriously.. WTF?

Similar?
How is Rytlock similar? It is identical. It is also a name that I, personally, have never heard outside of Guild Wars lore.

It is one thing to have a name like Logan or Pete because both of those names are used quite often around the world (both in stories and in real life), but a name like Rytlock is quite clearly a reference to the character in question. Which is owned by NCSoft.

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/legal/guild-wars-2-naming-policy/

There you have the full policy.

So you are saying that you agree that nobody in the world can have the same name as you at the same time as you having it?

There are names in real life that people will not hear before, think is a nice name, and use it for whatever reason they want it for…. Names cannot be Copyrighted, the ONLY way I could have been in breach of the policy.. is If I CLAIMED in game, that I was the REAL Rytlock, and went around telling people this.

Having two players names similar, to having two NPC names, or a player and an NPC name, is the same thing.
People DO have shared names across the real world… as unique as you may find them to be… it happens.

Their policy is that characters can not have the same or recognizably similar names as their major NPCs. Whether you agree with this policy or not is unimportant. It’s their game and their policy. Therefore they will not allow you to keep that name.

Did you even read my post?

The name Rytlock is very closely tied to Guild Wars 2 (a google search more or less only returns GW2-related hits) and as such it would make sense for them to not want people to use them.

There is also this part on the naming policy:

This policy may not cover all inappropriate or disallowed names. ArenaNet reserves the right to reject any name it concludes, in its sole and absolute discretion, is indecent, obscene, offensive, or that otherwise violates our naming policy or the Guild Wars 2 User Agreement. ArenaNet reserves the right to examine names on a case-by-case basis and take whatever action we deem necessary in our sole and absolute discretion. We reserve the right, in our sole and absolute discretion, to change, modify, add, or remove portions of this Guild Wars 2 Naming Policy at any time.

I suppose they might add the “do not use names of characters in the game”, seeing as it seems to be a rather common reason for naming changes.

Also, if this is the case, and they do NOT want us to RP as a NPC… Then WHY give us the tools to do so.. IE.. The sword and armor… Both EXACTLY the same as Rytlock the NPC.

Does this make sense to anyone else?

They don’t want you to RP as an NPC by using that NPC’s name.

Again “Using an NPC name has been related to various issues within the game. Believe me, I’ve reviewed some of them. Whether the use of the name would result in evil doing, it would result in confusion”

People RP as NPCs with the NPC name (pretending to be the NPC and causing confusion and issues within the game) is one of the reasons they don’t allow characters to keep these names.

You are allowed to look like the NPC but they draw the line at naming your character after the NPC. Its unimportant whether or not you agree, It’s their game and their rules.

“Issues with the game” can mean technical issues as well as issues of confusion.

Regardless, they can ban any name they like. It’s their game. WoW wouldn’t let me name my Hunter’s pet “Merlin” because it was a “well-known character”. If they want to ban the use of the word “banana” or “sesquipedalian” they can. So yes, to answer your question, it makes perfect sense to me.

Let’s not forget the recent phishing attempts there have been in-game as well. If someone receives a mail from ‘Rytlock Brimstone’ or ‘Evon Gnashblade’ etc saying “Congratulations Traveller! You have won 500 Gems” then it is likely to be more believable than if it came from someone called ‘Afghghrs’ or ‘Grghksl’ .

You would be best served to contact the CS Team and ask them to rename your character something other than Rytlock before you are reported or noticed that you have, yet again, broken the Naming Policy.

That way, hopefully, you can avoid a brief ‘vacation’ from the game.

Good luck.

Anyone who gets Rytlock Icestone and Rytlock Brimstone confused as to which one is the NPC … is totally stupid… the difference is clear as day.. whether they are new players or not.

A-net are just being selfish, and want things their way, regardless of how much total BS it is….without even an explanation, until you go searching for yourself why you cant use something.

Just as Bluestocking.6148 said… “they can ban any name they like. It’s their game”

Sickle.6502:

Anyone who gets Rytlock Icestone and Rytlock Brimstone confused as to which one is the NPC … is totally stupid… the difference is clear as day.. whether they are new players or not.

A-net are just being selfish, and want things their way, regardless of how much total BS it is….without even an explanation, until you go searching for yourself why you cant use something.

Just as Bluestocking.6148 said… “they can ban any name they like. It’s their game”

Whether you think it’s selfish or not, it’s ArenaNet policy. Policy which we all signed up to before creating any of our characters.

It does reference a trademarked or copyrighted name. I doubt ANet would let WoW have an NPC named Rytlock Brimstone. Reference doesn’t mean exact. Copyright/trademark law does to an extent work on an enforce it or lose it.

If you know they ignored someone using it before you did it, and you got sued for it, you could argue that they are enforcing it with bias as they didn’t sue the other person.

And most people refer to Rytlock Brimstone as just Rytlock and a new player may not realize that Rytlock Icestone isn’t the ANet character.

It’s their game and they make the rules (that YOU agree to when you accept the ToS to create an account). If they don’t want players using names used in the story lore, don’t use them. If you feel this is too harsh, go play another game.

Sickle.6502:

Anyone who gets Rytlock Icestone and Rytlock Brimstone confused as to which one is the NPC … is totally stupid… the difference is clear as day.. whether they are new players or not.

A-net are just being selfish, and want things their way, regardless of how much total BS it is….without even an explanation, until you go searching for yourself why you cant use something.

Just as Bluestocking.6148 said… “they can ban any name they like. It’s their game”

You could always play another game if you’re unhappy with abiding by Anet’s rules.