In short (tldr), I would like to know why the character name rules have been thrown to the wayside?
I’m a 50+ yr old who has played since release in every expansion. Needless to say it’s pretty hard to offend me, regardless of the fact that I’ll queue over a dozen characters each week in LFR and happily blend in with 24 other players; striving to teach anyone that needs help on mechanics and pull my weight regardless of the fact that someone is named something blatantly inappropriate or racist.
To my point, I clearly recall the time I would devote to creating a new character only to be met with undefined regulations that it may not contain proper words, references to well known people/places, etc. In point of fact this particular character was originally named Notagnome. As an elf it was meant to by funny & in turn I created a gnome named Notanelf. Without any explanation what-so-ever (granted a few years back), I log in to find a notice that I must choose another name - hence the current Dellelf. Notanelf was never flagged and exists happily to this day.
As I ran across a player named Notagnome recently I ran a quick search in the armory and find more than 40 matches! So, again… Have your regulations regarding this simply fallen to “If it offends someone I’m sure they’ll report them”? Must we do your job?
~Best regards,
Notagnome aka Dellelf
PS: Anyone with a similar story? Please chime in, my therapist asked.
They haven’t been. They are enforced based on reports from players.
Names that are strings of words used to be specifically against the rules but are moreso now just a violation on RP realms.
Understand that names do not need to “offend” anyone in order to be a violation of the rules. If you feel a name violates the rules, right-click and report it.
Maybe more then a few years? A time frame might be useful, but not necessary.
Sentences were not originally allowed, but the rule was slightly pulled back once names became a commodity. Now it likely would only be enforced if reported on a RP realm
Names have never been policed by the GM team, they have always been reactive to player reports.
I wonder if you took a long break from the game. Your character achievements show a few year period between 16-19.
(final edit, going through achievements takes time as a fellow player. A mod might be able to clarify if able, but I still wonder if name release, not report caused you to lose your original name)
I simply wonder if your name was not just released due to the inactivity and not due to a player report. You could ticket for a name originally, but that policy was made a system by the developers to allow easier access to names from players who may have quit.
This post may reference the original GM ticket policy. From the wayback machine.
I have to admit, I agree a little with the OP. I’ve reported what feels like an awful lots of names lately. I’m pre-coffee and couldn’t list examples even if I could remember them, but it feels like more bodily fluids than there used to be. I report and hope I’m not spamming some GM. I know if the same person reports it doesn’t count, so I’m hoping those drop into a black hole never to be seen and aren’t spamming someone. Same if a GM approves the name as ok.
However, a guild member had a poorly-chosen hunter pet name and got nailed, so I know they’re out there!
It’s an unfortunate side affect of today’s online/gaming culture. Everyone is trying to be edgy and cool or, in some cases, just downright mean.
As far as I know, Blizzard has never gone looking specifically for names to sanction. They’ve always relied on user reports. Just keep doing what you’re doing. I know ice reported my fair share of cringly questionable names.
Addon has nothing to do with the throttling of “excessive” player reports and the eventual disconnects it causes. They even upped the threshold when they redid the report system.
