Guild Wars 2

Hi Phaenon, i’m really sorry to hear your name got banned

Sadly the name violation thing is bit of an issue at the moment in GW2 with a thread like this opening a pretty consistent basis each week. Sadly after a very lengthy process involving much discussion it will likely remain as a blocked name – It seems Gaile is doing her best to swoop in and put many of these wrongs to right though, so there is hope!

Yes, open a support ticket, try and list as much evidence to back you up as possible. Try checking out some of the other name change threads, and googling GW2 name violation, so you have an idea what you are up against.

Some things to help you out:

If your appeal is not accepted you must rename your character, be very careful as they shall be extra critical. In other posts the community manager has admitted they use Urban Dictionary as factor in their decision making process, so be sure to check there. (Yes I know it’s a disgusting site, rather funnily try searching “Urban Dictionary” in Urban Dictionary and “Phronesis” – It’s great to know the site’s creators have a sense of humour about that site, it seems life is not without irony)

Sadly they almost never reinstate names, I think many would agree their name violation reaction is very knee jerk. But remember they are trying to protect the community. Best of luck mate.

Brother Grimm, you confuse me.

Like Astral you are saying I am lying or misleading. You know what I don’t care, I don’t even know i’m supposed to be lying about. My case is over, as the chap above stated, Southpark has hijacked the meaning. I have the email saved to my inbox where the GM actually confirmed that was the reason Snuke as a name was not acceptable. Southpark. Not kidding.

Please comment on the body of my suggestions instead. My case was denied, it’s over and done with. I aint gonna get it back, but what’s in a name anyway?

I find it interesting you have totally ignored every discussion so far to try and discredit me. For the sake of argument let’s just say i’m a raging pervert who sits around wearing tinfoil hats. (i’m considering what I just typed and laughing :P – omg ty)

Argh sorry Vagrant, it’s a darn shame, was hoping you might catch a break

Astral: Piles did breach the medical side of the policy, I did know the reference, you’ve misunderstood me (again) I just did not know that medical things are against the policy, nor at the time did I personally find it offensive, but whatever. The “Snuke” thing, guys, have you read nothing in the above? using Urban dictionary are we? well it does’nt matter, my case is dead and long gone, i’m not seeking review, just upset at how blurred the lines are here. Let’s hope none of his other names get used somewhere offensive and become second meanings for something else…

Anyway I hope others review this thread, i’ve said in the other posts some of my own thoughts, and others have contributed.

I’m just thinking of things we could add to a sticky to help others?
1) Use Urban Dictionary, there is no other guidance other than
-check song lyrics, google cartoons, wikipedia or other dictionaries are pointless.
2) Rude references take precedent
3) There is no appealing, open a support ticket and it might reviewed
4) But is unlikely to get changed
5) Names can be reviewed at any time, a second or third time if they wish

Yes, hah! a new language, I don’t think it would be too long before it would be sullied…

In a global society, especially English, where everything means something else, they gotta start being more plain, I repeat : The Golden rule.

Does it break the rules or not?
The Nipper example, Nipper was close to a body part, and close to a racial slur bit was neither. I think they have to use more recognized texts, dictionaries, wikipedia etc, perhaps with an eye on so called urban slang as lesser backup. So far it seems the other way around, and judgement calls tend to be " It’s easier to block that name and be done with it"

You raise a good point Penguin, each person thinks differently.

-One does not becomes group, let the one argue his own case, and if it’s a group complaining then chances are it could be bad.

-A name is a name, does it breach the policy or not? as I mentioned they actively search for rude references. Two Hand Touch, those words together or seperately are simply not rude, in any way. In the example of the N word, if wikipedia, or a dictionary states that it is a slur, then it’s a slur. I suspect they only look at the Urban Dictionary, a positive cesspit. Did you know your forum name Smooth Penguin means something really quite different? I don’t know if there any player character’s called Gaile, but if there I would change your name : quickly.

-The team has no solid criteria to base their decision. What sites do they look on? if a word has multiple meanings, which definition takes precedent? is there sticky with this information to help new players somewhere? and I don’t mean the naming policy as already discussed that can be used almost on any name. It would be a great idea if a sticky were made with some things they look at, where we could look, and something anything would really help.

Ok Penguin, yes I agree, when we choose to play the game we click a box that accepts they have the power, and the right. Whatever they do, it is within their right. Nothing we do, or say, least not on the forums will change it.

My message is:
However, this does not place them beyond reproach, not in this case, my case or any case. A forum is a perfect place, the only place a concern like this can be raised and discussed as a community. And a friendly healthy discussion could result in positive change.

I have no doubt this thread will be very soon be locked however, as indeed most threads on this site are, where a contrary point is raised.

What I would like to point out is that old saying “Might does not make right” don’t expect presumed guilt, lack of any formal appeals process, and a decision making process unsupported by any transparent guide lines or advice except a document so broad as to simply be a crutch to support their ultimate decision making power over any possible conceivable name.

Does’nt this irk anyone? it should’nt, it being a game and all, but it annoys the heck out of me, and I can’t really place why.

A positive suggestion: If someone feels offended or that a name is in breach, let that person be the one to support that complaint when it is made. Let them trawl the seedy parts of the internet. Not only would it make less work for the GM’s, it would put the responsibility on the reporting player to show why, in their own region something was not right. All the Gm has to do is review the cases, based upon said reason, and either impose a name change or discard the ticket, less people would get upset on both sides I think.

It is your right to be offended. It is your right to make a complaint and be heard, it is NOT your right to impose your thinking patterns on someone else.

Thanks for your reply. Listen, please.

I’m trying to help the OP. If you, or Gaile want’s to try and discredit what I have to say then whisper me directly. I myself did make a mistake, honest I might add, but my innocence meant nothing. Only one name was reported, a team (or Gaile?) looked into it and then charged not one but FOUR characters with name changes (these were by discretion of the GM, they were not reported by anyone)

I tried googling the names myself and if I went deep enough and seedy enough they did have rude references. Is that what the naming policy has come to? see which part of the filthy underbelly of the internet has in common with character names?

If you disagree with what i’ve said that’s perfectly fine. By all means offer alternative advice to the OP. I’m am honestly trying to offer him some helpful guidance here, you are simply trying to discredit what i’m saying by trying to discredit me.

When I encountered my problems I did some research and time again I was honestly shocked by how….how…obtuse their thinking was. No, that’s not fair actually, they were single minded. I just really felt their thinking was skewed and jaded. They are trying to keep a secure enviroment for everyone, and I think they would rather play it safe and ban a name, then enter in discussion about it and risk offending others.

I’ve accepted their decision, I have no choice but to. The OP and me, i’m sure, do not want to upset or offend anyone.

To OP. Sorry your thread got hijacked, I hope my advice has helped and maybe you will get your name back, but I doubt it. Be careful on the renames Like I said, they are going to be extra critical.

Lie? why would I lie? I am replying to someone elses thread with hints and tips that I have since discovered the hard way.

As to what you mention regarding Gaile: The name in question was Snuke (pretty good name for a clone mesmer I thought). It is a suitcase nuke, a term that was around for years, but got used rather rudely in a Southpark episode. Like the OP, any term with multiple meanings, they will search by default for the one with the rudest reference, no matter what else it might mean. The medical condition was another Asura I made called Piles, no excuses, I did miss the medical conditions under the policy, I named him after the pained expression on his face.

But, anyway, thanks for posting about something you know nothing about. And quoting Gaile at me,that’s rich. To those interested in seeing Guild Wars 2 manager at work, search a thread GW2 name violation “Nipper”. A name that got banned without any questions asked, took a lengthy post, even lengthier second consideration by a team of people and THEN only after said protest, to then finally admit it was ok… I think that’s madness, but then it’s my opinion and i’m entitled to it.

If something is in breach of the policy then it’s in breach of the policy. If you have too actually search into so that it is more acceptable somewhere and less acceptable elsewhere then you’re missing the mark. By that criteria almost NO name is Guild Wars 2 is safe. In a global society terms, slang and various things from adult entertainment to violent video games colour everything. I mean for a laugh I googled the last 3 GM’s who spoke with me, including Gaile’s name, and ALL would be in breach if they were a character. (For those interested one was an actor, one had religious reference, and one breached copyright)

Sorry to hear about your name change issue, I too recently have had the same problem.

Precedents have been set, that any name -even if the name itself means something totally harmless- appears in popular culture in a setting that could in any way be considered rude, will be banned.

For instance my own problem was a name got banned because it was a weapon, that was used in a southpark episode. I’m not kidding.

There is no appeals process. You can open a support ticket. They admit that almost NO names are reinstated.

Also- most importantly. When you change your character name, the admins will check your account 24 hrs later. THEY CONSIDER YOU GUILTY UNTILL PROVEN INNOCENT. The level of scrutiny they consider is to the point where they will actually go out of their way to actively SEARCH for a meaning in even the most harmless name.

Sorry mate, best of luck though.

Ok thanks for the response guys
What annoys me though is, if someone somewhere chooses (and I mean goes out of their way to actually decide) that they find one of my characters offensive, even if it’s not, for a second time in less than 48 hours, and Anet ban me, they don’t even consider the background of the case? at all? I should actually request them AHEAD of time to change my characters name against some unknowable criteria that some random person might find offensive? this is political correctness gone mad.

And to actually straight out ban me. I mean, not even a name change, just a blanket ban. I know this is only a game, but it’s a hobby I enjoy and when something is blatantly unfair it stinks, no matter what the reason.

I opened a ticket, any way I can out which character and why got banned?

This is getting absolutely stupid.

Yesterday, after a day in the mists doing spvp I went up against a hardcore guild team. We won. Abuse was heaped on me. It was totally one sided. What do I care?

Untill I got a message saying I had commited a name violation. The forced me to rename my character lol.

THEN

A day later, as of today, 5 minutes ago I logged on my main I was kicked from the game with ANOTHER banned message, stating another name violation, except I cannot even log into my game to see why, or which character has done this offense.

This is just stupid, i’m banned for 72 hours and I don’t even know why, what do I do?

Does empowered Illusions (Illusions inflict 15% more damage) effect our clone shatter?

Also this bug you mention – you refer to simply shattering for might stacks while the other shatter bomb clones are en route? if so that does not really seem like a bug- or am i missing something?

Hi, any idea why the tournament servers seem to suffer with worse lag the normal structured ones?

I play GW2 via a network, could this effect it? it’s not the ISP and its only in tournaments. Massive spikes which usually result in a loss or a d/c

Its killing my team and im losing members from people who are just rage quitting, dont see how seriously people gonna take the competitive side of things if it aint sorted. If it’s not lags its getting stuck on the loading screens lol

Bump

Any ideas? odd eh? please anyone

Ok very very weird problem

Today me and my friends made a mesmer each. Similiar look and name. They cannot join any SPVP or tournament, if they do they get unplayable lag and eventually lose connection.

ONLY with the mesmer characters.

Can play any other characters fine with no problem.

Any ideas? kinda kitten offed with these constant bugs and errors we are getting tbh.
Any help appreciated – guidance on what to do

p.s this is not a fault with FPS or hardware or anything else (we actually have seperate mesmer characters each also – and different rigs all with no problem as a rule – purely and 100% just with these new characters)

Ok so I play guild wars 2 through a network with my housrhold also playing through the same hub / network.

Randomly the hub crashes now and then and so it assigns us all different IP addresses
So when we login to the game we have to do the email authentication which is all fine.

It keeps stating the login location is somewhere else – it shows a town or city a long way away from where I am. So I deny it and login in again to make sure – and same again – so the attempt to login in is me.

What does this mean? GW2 is wrong? my ISP is messing with out signal routing it around the county or i’ve been hacked? (I doubt the last one)

Please help!