Modify / Run the inactive name script again
By
DocArcus,
Posted on: 2011-02-13 06:44 in Suggestions and Ideas
Hmm, put that way...
Myeah. Can't see it doing any harm, really.
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Originally Posted by Zwillinger
GG, I would tell you that "I am killing you with my mind", but I couldn't find an emoticon to properly express my sentiment.
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Originally Posted by Captain_Photon
NOTE: The Incarnate System is basically farming for IOs on a larger scale, and with more obtrusive lore.
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I would even support a much more drastic purge, free all names not attached to a global. Anyway to open more names is good.
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If they're 35 and under, they've already been freed, btw.
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Originally Posted by Lightslinger
I would even support a much more drastic purge, free all names not attached to a global. Anyway to open more names is good.
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If the names aren't attached to a global they haven't been used in the game yet.
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Originally Posted by Lightslinger
I would even support a much more drastic purge, free all names not attached to a global. Anyway to open more names is good.
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/signed
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Originally Posted by Memphis_Bill
Preface:
This is not "I can't get a name." I can't think of the last name I couldn't get. But I tend to like either "real-ish" or somewhat odd names, apparently. This is m more of a surprise that this hasn't been done somewhat to coincide with GR's release and in how long it's been since that script HAS been run. That said - The script to free up unused/inactive character names has not been run in years. I can say this with 100% assurance. See, a few years back, NCSoft offered a prestige grant for each character in a SG (I believe it was with the merge of COH and COV "officially" into one game.) I, and many others given in game and forum chatter, snapped up some trial accounts - which weren't restricted at the time - and poured in characters with such fascinating names as SGPG-0001 through -0100 (or however many were made.) I made a check character at the time on Pinnacle, one or two with "name" names. Name? "That guy with bots," a level 1 mastermind. Temporary account, never activated after the 14 days, shoved into the SG and forgotten. His "Last logged on" time? As of today, 1170 days. 3.2 years. (Or 3 years, 2 months, 15 days, if you like.) Anyone who'd like can go to Pinnacle and try to make a character with that name to see if the script has been run, by the way - as of today, it has not. So, just as a general cleanup/maintenance suggestion - how about running it again? It's been a while. I would, however, suggest a small modification or two to the name script: - Instead of level 6, up the "this level or lower" limit for inactive names to level 14. This is done specifically to coincide with the upper limit for trials - if someone hasn't converted a trial account in 90 days, they're not likely to, and there's no threat of lost revenue - NC's not making money from them in the first place. - Purge accounts and characters banned for RMT activity. I'm assuming they'd fall under the first point *anyway* except for some of the oldest characters. Of course, plenty of warning should be given - 30 day lead in email with a reminder at 15 days for any non-trial account that would be affected by this. |
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Yes, they have. They're just pre... whatever issue globals showed up in. (4?) |
Originally Posted by Forbin_Project
If the names aren't attached to a global they haven't been used in the game yet.
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I have five names on my oldest Blaster that predate globals. The players are 50, but left before globals were implemented. (Try "Sir Whiteknight" on Pinnacle.)
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First off if those names aren't attached to a global how do you send them stuff?|
Originally Posted by Memphis_Bill
Yes, they have. They're just pre... whatever issue globals showed up in. (4?)
I have five names on my oldest Blaster that predate globals. The players are 50, but left before globals were implemented. (Try "Sir Whiteknight" on Pinnacle.) |
Second I'll concede that some names may not be attached to a global but there are still millions of possible names that have never been used in the game.
When they added in global names, the name of the first toon you logged in to became your global name. Any account that doesn't have a global name is one that hasn't been played since before they added in global names and channels (have not logged in a toon so no name has been given.) If I remember right, it was something that was added around the time CoV came out so people could stay in contact with their friends no matter what side they were on.
�Let there be truth, happiness, and waffles�
-Vagabond, Dark Lord & Avatar of Gnarr
The Justiciars
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So then how does it work? The first character they log in on becomes the account global name?
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Originally Posted by DocArcus
When they added in global names, the name of the first toon you logged in to became your global name. Any account that doesn't have a global name is one that hasn't been played since before they added in global names and channels (have not logged in a toon so no name has been given.) If I remember right, it was something that was added around the time CoV came out so people could stay in contact with their friends no matter what side they were on.
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Yes, that's how it works. Any account that doesn't have a global name has not been used since before they added in global names. After the 6 or so years since they added globals, it's a safe bet that player is not coming back. They really should free up any name that is held by an account without a global. Not just the ones under 35.
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Originally Posted by Forbin_Project
So then how does it work? The first character they log in on becomes the account global name?
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�Let there be truth, happiness, and waffles�
-Vagabond, Dark Lord & Avatar of Gnarr
The Justiciars
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Well the first time they ran the program they told us most of the names that were freed up were under level 6. Of course back then it was a lot harder to get to 50 so it's likely there are a lot more names that could be freed up all the way up to level 50.|
Originally Posted by DocArcus
Yes, that's how it works. Any account that doesn't have a global name has not been used since before they added in global names. After the 6 or so years since they added globals, it's a safe bet that player is not coming back. They really should free up any name that is held by an account without a global. Not just the ones under 35.
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That being said, there will still be people whining that the good names are tied up on inactive accounts because they don't want to believe the names they want are being used on active accounts.
Well, there two names I've been wanting to get for a couple years now that I know are held on accounts without a global. I don't have trouble finding names, but I'd really like to get them to rename toons I have.
It's a shame if good names are on accounts that are dead. A simple /getglobalname can show if there is a chance of it being used still or not.
�Let there be truth, happiness, and waffles�
-Vagabond, Dark Lord & Avatar of Gnarr
The Justiciars
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If they still aren't attached to a global name, the person hasn't been logged in for a *long, long* time. So I don't think they care. |
Originally Posted by Forbin_Project
First off if those names aren't attached to a global how do you send them stuff?
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You could, conceivably, still email the local name - but not send "stuff" that way.I'm half curious to see how much in game spam they have - probably none, as their name would never have shown up in a spammer's list.
Also:
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| So then how does it work? The first character they log in on becomes the account global name? |
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Originally Posted by Memphis_Bill
Have you forgotten (or just missed) the times the global system has gotten hosed? It's actually been - I'd guess at least two years since the last time, but logging in and suddenly seeing "unknown" globals is irritating - but that's exactly how it happens. First character that logs in from the account becomes the global. Fortunately they've been reset (or rather the global name tokens have been) so people could get their old one back if they wanted.
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I've had my global lists vanish a few times but I don't recall seeing a bunch of "unknown" globals.
Preface:
This is not "I can't get a name." I can't think of the last name I couldn't get. But I tend to like either "real-ish" or somewhat odd names, apparently. This is m more of a surprise that this hasn't been done somewhat to coincide with GR's release and in how long it's been since that script HAS been run.
That said -
The script to free up unused/inactive character names has not been run in years. I can say this with 100% assurance. See, a few years back, NCSoft offered a prestige grant for each character in a SG (I believe it was with the merge of COH and COV "officially" into one game.) I, and many others given in game and forum chatter, snapped up some trial accounts - which weren't restricted at the time - and poured in characters with such fascinating names as SGPG-0001 through -0100 (or however many were made.)
I made a check character at the time on Pinnacle, one or two with "name" names. Name? "That guy with bots," a level 1 mastermind. Temporary account, never activated after the 14 days, shoved into the SG and forgotten.
His "Last logged on" time? As of today, 1170 days. 3.2 years. (Or 3 years, 2 months, 15 days, if you like.) Anyone who'd like can go to Pinnacle and try to make a character with that name to see if the script has been run, by the way - as of today, it has not.
So, just as a general cleanup/maintenance suggestion - how about running it again? It's been a while.
I would, however, suggest a small modification or two to the name script:
- Instead of level 6, up the "this level or lower" limit for inactive names to level 14. This is done specifically to coincide with the upper limit for trials - if someone hasn't converted a trial account in 90 days, they're not likely to, and there's no threat of lost revenue - NC's not making money from them in the first place.
- Purge accounts and characters banned for RMT activity. I'm assuming they'd fall under the first point *anyway* except for some of the oldest characters.
Of course, plenty of warning should be given - 30 day lead in email with a reminder at 15 days for any non-trial account that would be affected by this.