Controversial WoW names...

[AlteredOne]

A guildmate was recently forced to change his name from "CerealKilla."  While I do admit that "killa" is fairly d3wdlike, it seemed like a harmless enough name.  

But then it occurred to me... Isn't it really rather silly to order that name changed, when 90% of the gameplay involves the ritual slaughter of large numbers of humanoids and/or beasts?  Whether we want to see it that way or not, do these games not force every player into the role of psychopathic serial killer at worst, ruthless vigilante at best?  Just because an NPC is labelled a "marauder" with a red name, who am I to be the judge and jury?

Cerealkilla may have been a silly name, even stupid, but can we all real look ourselves in the mirror and deny that our "grind" is nothing but mass murder?  Meanwhile, any other name changes you've witnessed?  Discuss.

[schild]

His name was a silly mispelling of Matthew Lillard's character in Hackers. So he was violating more than one rule. Douchlike name AND named after a real character.

What's worse is that I didn't have to look up Hackers to know that.

Edit: BBCode is hard.

[Pineapple]

Cerealkilla may have been a silly name, even stupid, but can we all real look ourselves in the mirror and deny that our "grind" is nothing but mass murder?  Meanwhile, any other name changes you've witnessed?  Discuss.

Dewdsp33k not allowed in names in WoW.

[AlteredOne]

Ah, good to know about the character from "Hackers," afraid I missed that one.  As for "killa" being dewdsp33k, I think it might be borderline, but I'll trust your wisdom.  Does any intentional misspelling count?  I don't really care personally, but I am curious.

[schild]

"Killa" is more ghetto-speak than d3wdsp3@k. Either way, bad taste should die.

[Calantus]

The naming policy is utterly rediculous. I can't go anywhere without seeing an inappropriate name. Normally I wouldn't even notice beyond "don't wanna group with him" but every time I see one I wonder how many people have copped name changes with names not even half as bad. I think you really have to thoroughly police things like this, or you have to decide to let anything but the absolute worst slid in non-rp servers. Someone came up to me and said that he was some guy that I had met before, then when I didn't remember him (we spent a long time together doing some deadmines runs) he said that his name was changed recently because it was apparently a swear word in some obscure language. Then I see someone like cooldude and just have to wonder.

[Pineapple]

Then I see someone like cooldude and just have to wonder.

The problem is a filter cannot catch all the ways a person can spell a name.

Lets see:
kewldood
kouldoowd
cooolduud
kuuldoodd

There arent enough GMs to actively patrol 600k+ people. So they rely on GM calls to take care of the situation. If someone files a complaint, then the GM's attention is drawn to that bad name.

Unfortunately there isnt really a way to report a bad name other than the "verbal harassment" ticket. So if I see a bad name I use that. The open ticket will eventually just disappear after a couple of days, and I stop seeing that name online. Not the best way, but it works.

I would not bother taking the time on a name like Cooldude personally. But I have reported really bad names.

[Calantus]

I know why it is the way it is. I could have told you 6+ years ago that this is how it was going to work... badly. That's why I have a problem with the name changes the way they are now. If you are going to change borderline/debatable names then you need to police it HARD. If you only want to get rid of the worst names then it is fine enough to do it via petition. The way they have it now mixes the worst of both worlds.

[HaemishM]

The irony of changing a character name that sounds likd d3wdspeak in a game with NPC's named PIXEL for fuck's sake is beautiful.

Of course, one also has to realize that the only way to successfully police stupidiot names is to have someone approve every single name. For $15 a month, that won't happen, and even if it did, that person wouldn't know every single name that is a reference to something else.

[Jayce]

For $15 a month, that won't happen, and even if it did, that person wouldn't know every single name that is a reference to something else.

I have often thought that it should be a human monitored process.  All it would take is a tool with lists of names of recently created characters and a GM to spend half a day each day clicking yes yes yes, no no no, needs review, needs review.

I bet there are a few GMs with downtime in offpeak hours or something.  There are thousands of names but at a name a second or so, it would be manageable.  There's 14,000 seconds in a four-hour stretch.  It would eliminate the very worst at least.  And the player would know within a few days if his name was (relatively) safe.

[pants]

At least for a while there, new names were human monitored in EQ.  Mate of mine was a guide for a while, and I was over his place one day.  He was wondering along, and a popup would appear 'New character name : Bob' or something like that, with an approve/decline button.  Apparently that got sent to all online GMs/Guides for that server.

Of course, all it took was 1 Guide not really paying attention to click Approve to 'MastakillA' and he'd be in, but at least for EQ they had human eyes looking at the names.

What does this have to do with WoW?  Not an awful lot I guess, but for $9.89 a month Verant managed it.  Course that was with crazy volunteer labour.

[HaemishM]

Exactly. Volunteer labor, which the UO lawsuit has appaerntly queered up for all time. But as a company if you REALLY want to make sure it's done right, you pay for it. Which means the consumer pays for it, and the consumer hasn't proven they'll pay for it. Yet.

If you think a $20/month MMOG subscription isn't coming down the pipe, you haven't been paying attention.

[Paelos]

Yes, considering AlteredOne and I are in the same guild, I happened to notice the name change as well. Of course, Cerealkilla, or CK as he's known to everybody had a name that did in fact violate the policy on two counts. His main point was he's had the name for a long time, just like I've had the name Paelos in every game for almost three years now. Still, longevity doesn't mean its not against the rules. "You're messing with my identity" doesn't fly.

I think the name is inoffensive and is probably at the bottom of my list of concerning names. Hell, there was a guy in the guild named Spunkmonkey at one point. That was very short-lived considering WE made him petition for a change, not Blizzard. Still, the fact that it even made it into the game is dumb.

[Pineapple]

If you think a $20/month MMOG subscription isn't coming down the pipe, you haven't been paying attention.

Or we simply do with less service overall.

In the old UO days, GMs showed up to calls in person usually. I remember they didnt take all that long either really. Hell, some of the urgent calls had them there within a few minutes or even seconds.

Then we started getting canned responses. Then after that, we started getting tells from them directing us to web sites. Then after that, the help button itself started directing us to the web site first.

In WoW, almost everything listed in the help button will direct you to the web site. Only sexual/verbal harassment doesnt.

I bet someday most GMs will be doing their job from India. So while we may have to pay $20 a month someday, we are also going to get less personal service and more canned service. Players know how to find loopholes and love to grief. How do you think a MMOG playerbase will function in a canned overseas service environment?

[sidereal]

I think you really have to thoroughly police things like this, or you have to decide to let anything but the absolute worst slid in non-rp servers.

Why?
Every fixed name makes it incrementally better.  You don't have to get to them all to derive any benefit.  I'm happy they fix maybe 10% of them.  I wish they'd get to the other 90%, but that's no reason to give up on the ones they do fix.

I guess people can bitch that it's not 'fair' because they were one of the 10%.  That's like bitching that you got caught speeding when most people get away with it.  It makes you sound stupid.

[Toast]

I offer no sympathy. In fact, your guildmate should thank Blizzard for removing the childish dewdspeak from his name.

Strict enforcement of naming policies is one of the most popular GM actions available. Ironically, those who get their inane names changed generate a huge amount of whining and angst. There's always a disingenuous attempt to rationalize everything away.

Suck it up. Admit you suck at names and spare us all the sob story about how Blizzard kicked your dog and changed your name from Pwnzorcow.

[AlteredOne]

I offer no sympathy. In fact, your guildmate should thank Blizzard for removing the childish dewdspeak from his name.

Strict enforcement of naming policies is one of the most popular GM actions available.

Actually I'm not really complaining.  I just found the irony of our everyday MMO serial-killing an odd juxtaposition with the name change.  And it sparked a decent discussion of name enforcement policies, which is what I was aiming at :-P

[sinij]

I offer no sympathy. In fact, your guildmate should thank Blizzard for removing the childish dewdspeak from his name.

Name nazi never lead to anything good. Just in this thread every posting name could be changed for one or another reason if it was WoW character name. Yours for example can be changed for being drug refference.

[Sky]

I think stupid names are stupid. Anything 'killa' is a stupid name. My nick Sky is stupid, but it's what people know me as.

I'm not sure what's worse, though, stupid names or intolerant douchebags hot to report them, because most name reporting I hear about is in retaliation to some supposed wrong. My warlock, Yuggoth, was reported by an entire guild because they got themselves killed by 'helping' him run from a train. Rather than let me die where I could grab my body and just let the mobs 'walk home', they jumped in and got wiped out. I told them to think twice before offering unasked-for assistance, and then I got several tells from their guild about my name. Ignored them all and haven't heard squat since.

Now, Captain A-Hole, I can understand :p

The downside is pretty big, too. Removal of the giant "I'm a retard, don't group with me" placard.

I wish there were a client-side naming device, so you could nickname people with names only you see. Like "Slowpoke" the healer or "Pincushion" the mage or "Moron" the....moron.

[chinslim]

I've always hated name nazis and I thought they invented 'RP' servers to corral those uptight tightwads.

Games are about fun, and I bet 99% of 'inappropriate' names are personally funny for some reason to the creator.  People need to grow both a funny bone and some skin.

[Jayce]

I've always hated name nazis and I thought they invented 'RP' servers to corral those uptight tightwads.

Games are about fun, and I bet 99% of 'inappropriate' names are personally funny for some reason to the creator.  People need to grow both a funny bone and some skin.

The problem with this theory is that it breaks what little immersion there is to read some 12 year old's idea of a funny name, like Toiletmastah.

[ahoythematey]

Nevermind the fact that the name policy in WoW is so vague that it is easily the most accessible tool for griefing another player, let's take into account that World of Warcraft is a game played on a moving picture box, a game that happens to have hundreds upon hundreds of well-documented references to pop culture and even other Intellectual Properties.

Your theory that somebody can be immersed in the gamelore of this particular MMO is shaky at best.

[Mi_Tes]

I've always hated name nazis and I thought they invented 'RP' servers to corral those uptight tightwads.

Games are about fun, and I bet 99% of 'inappropriate' names are personally funny for some reason to the creator.  People need to grow both a funny bone and some skin.

The problem with this theory is that it breaks what little immersion there is to read some 12 year old's idea of a funny name, like Toiletmastah.

As long as they stay away from any type of discrimination (racial/sexual) when naming and I could really care less.  Easy enough to ignore a name.  Besides, I got a giggle out of it, most likely because I have a 10 year old son and it sounds like something he would do.  ;)

Edit: Perhaps made funnier to me because he just overflowed the toilet yesterday morning and got shown how to use a plunger.  Going to suggest that or Plungermastah to him as a reroll tonight (all in good spirits of course).

[Sky]

Bwhaha!

[HaemishM]

Bwhaha!

Yes, I must agree wholeheartedly. A++ on the avatar choice there. Cute as the dickens!

RP Servers weren't invented for name nazis. They were invented so people who like low population servers could go and have silly retard slap-fights in general zone-wide chat with people who think that any mention of game mechanics in public chat is somehow breaking the very principle of role-playing.

[Mesozoic]

But then it occurred to me... Isn't it really rather silly to order that name changed, when 90% of the gameplay involves the ritual slaughter of large numbers of humanoids and/or beasts?  Whether we want to see it that way or not, do these games not force every player into the role of psychopathic serial killer at worst, ruthless vigilante at best?  Just because an NPC is labelled a "marauder" with a red name, who am I to be the judge and jury?

The moral implications are even sweeter in CoH.  Some times "bad guys" are just standing on a street corner minding their own business when some asshole in tights lays into them with an assault rifle, leaving a pile of bodies in his wake before zipping off at superspeed.

Random Great Justice!

[Rasix]

I've always hated name nazis and I thought they invented 'RP' servers to corral those uptight tightwads.

Games are about fun, and I bet 99% of 'inappropriate' names are personally funny for some reason to the creator.  People need to grow both a funny bone and some skin.

Here's the names I've reported:

BlackieMonkey
Orgasmdonor
Cameltoeman

I've let a lot of shit slide, but if I come across something racially offensive or sexually obscene; it's getting reported.  I'm not going to come down on people for generally crappy names on a non RP server.  I pondered petitioning "Fitshaced" yesterday but didn't.  If I likely have to explain the name to the CSR in detail, it's not worth doing.

Notably, to report these names, you go under the "Physical harassment" (or is it verbal, I can't remember off hand).  This is quite appropriate because the names I just mentioned ARE harassment.  If their existence bothers you in a way that breaks the rules, they are open for change.  You can't petition the name "Rasix" because you don't like names that end in "x" because it's not breaking any rules.  Now if the name was "Diehonkeyx", you've got an open and shut case.

I don't petition all of the dumb names because I realize a few of things.  

People are stupid.  
People aren't creative.  
Blizzard games draw people that are both stupid and uncreative in staggering amounts.

I saw someone named "Undeadmage" the other day.  He was, now don't be shocked, an undead mage.  I think I said something to the effect of "Creativity takes another one in the ass" while on the boat with him.  I got an LOL or two and half of the boat (dumb names too) gave me the finger. He knew his name was dumb, I knew it broke the rules, but I just didn't care.  The guy seemed to be absolutely enveloped and enamored with his own hubris.  So, I just let it slide.

His name will be changed some day, when the CSRs aren't so busy with actual game breaking issues.  Hell, it took 2 expansions (about midway through velious) before SoE came down hard on EQ names.  All of the drug, compound words, obscenities and likewise starting disappearing like crazy and the boards exploded into an orgy of stupid.  I'm not going to feel a shred of pity when level 60 goofs get their names ninja'd right from them. They're breaking the rules, they know they're breaking the rules, yet they choose to do so anyhow. Fuck'em.

[Jayce]

Notably, to report these names, you go under the "Physical harassment" (or is it verbal, I can't remember off hand).  

I would think it's verbal.  If someone can physically harass me from WoW, I think it'd be prudent to quit.  That's a bit too much immersion ;)

[Rasix]

Notably, to report these names, you go under the "Physical harassment" (or is it verbal, I can't remember off hand).  

I would think it's verbal.  If someone can physically harass me from WoW, I think it'd be prudent to quit.  That's a bit too much immersion ;)

Well, they actually have a section for each.  Physical I believe is training and stuff like following someone around and emoting crap at them.  Being an asshat through actions, not words.

Now that I think of it, offensive names are actually in verbal.

Ack, a serious answer to a funny.  I'm slipping.

[AlteredOne]

I would think it's verbal.  If someone can physically harass me from WoW, I think it'd be prudent to quit.  That's a bit too much immersion ;)

I saw two people in Beta somehow using emotes to simulate humping while standing.  They kept doing it for hours in a newbie area.  I recall thinking that the emotes did not seem to auto-repeat like the dance does, hence somebody must be fantastically bored to be repeating the same emote chain endlessly.  

So, if somebody followed you around trying to simulate humping, that might count as "physical" harassment.

[WayAbvPar]

If their name is so stupid it makes me pound my head on my desk in frustration, I consider that physical harrassment. I haven't petitioned any names in WoW yet, but I was a name nazi in DAOC. I generally play on RP servers for the express purpose of (hopefully) insulating myself from this kind of shit. If you are doing it just to piss me off, congrats. It took me 5 seconds to petition your dumb ass. The warm feeling I get when someone's idea of a clever name gets changed to Dxhrerehgin is worth my time.

Until I can actually stab someone in the face over the 'Net, petitioning their unacceptable names and refusing to group, assist, or in any other way interact with the fucktard names that don't actually violate the naming conventions are my only recourse.

[Calantus]

I haven't petitioned any names in WoW yet, but I was a name nazi in DAOC. I generally play on RP servers for the express purpose of (hopefully) insulating myself from this kind of shit.

See that? That's called moving to an environment that suits you and not forcing your naming ideas on the masses. That's why I don't understand people who do this sort of shit on normal/pvp servers for borderline names. Get thee to a arrpee server, dickhead. It's even funnier when you get the quick "You name has been reported" from some name nazi from an entirely different goddamn server, like it breaks their immersion to see the name in the forums.

Rasix's name calls are the kind of thing that should be changed anywhere, but if mr Undeadmage wants to be unimaginative, why should I care? If I cared enough about that shit I'd go to an RP server. We saw a someone called Gandolf in /who one day and tracked him down to see if he was indeed a male, human mage. Which he was of course. He even had white hair. That's something I'd report on an RP server, but on a PVP server it's just not worth it.

[AlteredOne]

Come to think of it, players with stupid but inoffensive names should be allowed to keep them.  Why?  Names like "Undeadmage" make it dramatically easier for me to recognize and avoid idiots, without even needing to speak to them.  Same with all the LOTR variant names.  It must have been fun for Alb/Mid stealthers in DAOC, ganking and taunting the numerous Hib elf rangers named "Legolaas."

[Bunk]

I look at it the same way.  A stupid name to me is just a simple way to filter out the people I have no interest in playing with.

I just started my first character on WoW last night, played a couple hours. Didn't really see any bad names, so that was a good thing. Was greeted at the newbie drop by a girl in her underwear who was energetically emoting at everyone. "She" was easy enough to ignore. As was the 6th level ass who asked me to duel him five times in 10 seconds.

I am annoyed that I can't use any of my standard names though. Just too many damn people playing. At least its a fantasy game so Bunk becomes my fantasy alter ego Bunktavious (no one has ever stolen that name).

[sinij]

I strongly belive that if person want to name character kewld00d and run in search of 'fethers' they should be able to. Reporting and changing names should be saved only for extreme cases that show racial hate or sexual discrimination.