AG3 will probably let you change your username to something which another player hasn't already chosen (for those that ask, there *is* a player named '1337' on the system already).
The old AG2 system ties more information to your username than a unique identifier for your account, so changing your name on AG2 became a nearly impossible feat. On AG3, we're making sure to do everything with the unique identifier (which is common practice, and just plain good design, in my opinion), so a name change will be much easier.
The only thing is whether or how we notify other users that you've changed your name. Maybe we'll overlay your armatar with a small icon for a few weeks that indicates you've changed your name or something.
Haha, obviously I would like to change my username, considering that it's terrible. But everyone knows me by it. So could there maybe some way that you could have a username in bold, and then a smaller, maybe even italic one, like a nickname or something? I think that would be pretty cool.
I'm fine with my name too, but here's another suggestion...
Why not have you name stay the same and add a box underneath your armatar (as it is now with XboX, PS3, Wii, etc.) which shows your real name next to the username you have? Of course the user would have the personal option to have this shown to other users or not...
Reason why I have this thought is simply because I've been thinking of reveiling my actual name, so the friends I talk to regularly can call me by my actual name... I'm STILL thinking about it, so... it's just the idea floating to the surface here!
When you go to find someone's profile, you would use the account name. The nicknames will be shown when that person comments or posts on the forums. The account name is just a username registered into the database; it really shouldn't be that said person, should it?
Nicknames aren't "name changes" per the topic, and it would cause confusion if we have to make the nicknames unique like their full account name. It would mean that users now hold two unique names.
We're asking for suggestions about how (or whether) we would allow users to change their username, and what that might look like.
The obvious part is logging in, going to your profile page, maybe clicking on a "user details" link, and in there have the option to change your username.
Should it be an application process where we have to grant your request based on a reason you provide?
Should it be automatic without intervention as long as the name meets our terms of use and passes through the profanity filter?
How often should we allow users to use it?
Should we only allow it for users with a "karma" score over a certain level, so spammers can't change their name to hide their old behavior? (changing your name wouldn't reset anything about your profile, like your "karma" points, of course)
Should we let other users see what your username *used* to be? Should we keep a history of your old names available always where you cannot hide it as part of your profile page?
These are the kinds of questions we need to take into consideration when building this tool for users.
Should we let other users see what your username *used* to be? Should we keep a history of your old names available always where you cannot hide it as part of your profile page?
I personally don't see why not. Is there anything to hide?
Should it be automatic without intervention as long as the name meets our terms of use and passes through the profanity filter?
The profanity filter has been known to act up.. Scunthorpe problem again.. Censoring some innocent words which are coincidentally racial slurs in some contexts. Though generally, usernames shouldn't be problematic.
How often should we allow users to use it?
3 months, 6 months sounds good to me.
Should we only allow it for users with a "karma" score over a certain level, so spammers can't change their name to hide their old behavior? (changing your name wouldn't reset anything about your profile, like your "karma" points, of course)
That was another thing I was thinking of, requiring certain rep levels.. I also support that.
@Freakenstein
I believe you are coming on to what is called the separation of account and display names. I believe the unique identifier Cormyn was talking about is the account username, whilst you can change the display name to whatever suits you.
@Knight/@Freak ... it's unlikely that we'll have "display names".
Honestly, I think our profanity filter needs an overhaul as well, but should still filter on usernames or even portions of usernames. It should also be aware enough to filter out S P A C E D words that some of the mods have had to deal with.
i'm with black vortex it took me like 10 mins to come up with this name now your telling me i'm gonna have to pick another name i'm sorry admin i cant pick another name out of the back of my head you know
The more I'm reading about this name change the less I'm liking the idea. I see no necessary reason to change your username at all.
i'm with black vortex it took me like 10 mins to come up with this name now your telling me i'm gonna have to pick another name i'm sorry admin i cant pick another name out of the back of my head you know
First of all, not all people are as awesome at picking names as we are. Second, you don't -have- to change your name.
I for one would rather that we could assign a nickname to the username somehow.
Why don't you two stop being greedy? If you're satisfied with your name you would of course see no point in changing it.
Er, no, It's just stupid to do so. I would like to change it, but I'm not going to, it would be too confusing if people keep changing their names.. names not being 'awesome' isn't really a reason to change it.
As previously mentioned, the idea of nicknames probably won't be introduced, at least not for launch.
Whether we let users nickname themselves, or let users nickname each other, it could get confusing if I were to suddenly nickname myself Cenere.
And, as others have mentioned, we are not telling users *to* change their names; we've just seen dozens of requests for a feature where users *could* change their username.
We'd still have to deal with availability issues, etc.
Whether we let users nickname themselves, or let users nickname each other, it could get confusing if I were to suddenly nickname myself Cenere.
That wouldn't make it any more confusing than it already is with people either misspelling my name or thinking I am Strop. Yeah. Or perhaps we... uhm, you should just add a free span of time where people could go correct their names if they have made spelling mistakes or something, and then lock it after the change. I don't really like the ide of changing the usernames at all, however useful or necessary it would be. Perhaps I'm just old fashioned.
