Perhaps this is off topic, but I noticed this while looking at this forum. I haven't logged in since TBC; why are my character names so weird? This character was just named Dil, but it shows up as Dil3A57F6.
Also curious, figuring a low chance for this, but if we haven't logged a character on in anything but Vanilla, will we be able to transfer it to a classic server?
Your character got a forced rename.11/05/2018 02:22 PMPosted by Dil3A57F6Perhaps this is off topic, but I noticed this while looking at this forum. I haven't logged in since TBC; why are my character names so weird? This character was just named Dil, but it shows up as Dil3A57F6.
Also curious, figuring a low chance for this, but if we haven't logged a character on in anything but Vanilla, will we be able to transfer it to a classic server?
This character is also a live WoW character not a Classic character. Don't expect it to be able to play Classic.
Well this particular character is over 60, so obviously I logged in after Vanilla. But I have a lot of others, and I doubt I logged in to TBC with them all. But I figured they weren't going to allow anything like that.
Forced Renames were caused by servers being merged a lot of the time, it's possible you had your characters on a server that ceased to exist so they needed to ensure that you didn't have a duplicate name.
11/05/2018 02:28 PMPosted by Dil3A57F6Well this particular character is over 60, so obviously I logged in after Vanilla. But I have a lot of others, and I doubt I logged in to TBC with them all. But I figured they weren't going to allow anything like that.
Your original server was merged with another. someone else probably had the same name. They logged in so they got to keep the name. If you had logged in you would have to change your name.
11/05/2018 02:25 PMPosted by RistraYour character got a forced rename.
To add to this, Blizzard added a mostly automated thing somewhere around MoP or WoD which frees up names from accounts that have been inactive for at least two full expansions. It happens at some point after a new expansion has been out for a while. I don't think (could be wrong), they've done the release for BfA yet. They did the Legion one, which would have been anyone who didn't log in since Cataclysm.
When the name is freed up, the character is flagged for a rename - and given the kind of name you're seeing with the first few characters followed by a random string of letters and numbers.
The next time you log in (if you ever did), it would prompt you to name the character. As long as no one else wanted the name, you could conceivably get it back at that point. If someone else picked it up, and still has that character name on the realm, you've lost it.
11/05/2018 02:22 PMPosted by Dil3A57F6Perhaps this is off topic, but I noticed this while looking at this forum. I haven't logged in since TBC; why are my character names so weird? This character was just named Dil, but it shows up as Dil3A57F6.
Also curious, figuring a low chance for this, but if we haven't logged a character on in anything but Vanilla, will we be able to transfer it to a classic server?
I don’t have the exact answer but there is another character with this name with a bunch of numbers as well. I can only assume this is because when I first started playing with this character in the original game, I played the free trial with him.
11/05/2018 02:31 PMPosted by NametakenYour original server was merged with another. someone else probably had the same name. They logged in so they got to keep the name. If you had logged in you would have to change your name.
False. When servers were merged, people with the same name all got to keep their names. Mine (Sentinels) was merged with Steamwheedle Cartel and Kirin Tor. If an Eilethalua existed on Kirin Tor, they'd have their name still, but if we whispered each other or mailed something to each other we'd be Eilethalua-Sentinels and Eilethalua-KirinTor.
Two separate games so you'll need to start again. Fresh servers, fresh start.
Blizzard pushed all the inactive character's names back into the available pool. If someone uses that name for a new character your inactive character gets a forced name change.11/05/2018 02:30 PMPosted by IgForced Renames were caused by servers being merged a lot of the time, it's possible you had your characters on a server that ceased to exist so they needed to ensure that you didn't have a duplicate name.
A lot of people forget to mention or forgot overall but. For a long time you could ticket to release a name you wanted and if the account was inactice for a long time they would allow it.