143996-ugh-last-names-really

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I see from a little bit of searching that this has been kicked around to death already, so I don't imagine I'm bringing anything new to the table, but just to add another useless complaining voice to the internet...
 
I reinstalled the game after many many months off, to check out the new stuff.  I went to log in my level 50 character...  and was asked to rename her.  And after mulling that for about 30 seconds, I logged back off because I'm fond of my character and want to get that right.
 
That was yesterday.  Today I logged in, was asked to rename, and tried on different things for several minutes.  And ya know what?  Still can't come up with anything that's not stupid and annoying.  So I logged out again.
 
So I may try this one more time, but probably I'm just gonna uninstall.  I realize that sounds all petty and weird, but I put a big bunch of time into my characters back when I was paying for the privilege of doing so, named them just right, invested in them.  I'm just not feeling like trying to retcon last names onto them -- it'll always seem wrong and I'll start every play session pre-annoyed at the game.  And life's too short for gaming annoyed.
 
Kind of a bummer, though.	
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Heh i can sit on a name for my character for hours as well as other character creation tools.. well, not for hours but right till WS decide to kick me for "inactivity" which is super annoying by the way. I even got huge stash of nick and guild names i keep around to give me ideas when i need em.  :P
At any rate, pretty normal to me to sit around thinking on your characters name for long periods of time, after all wouldn't want to end up with some stupid name like "bob jerkinson" right?
Last names is really smart and fairly recent addition to mmos, i love it.
Just take your time it's not like anybody gonna steal your adventure away from you, trust me, there is absolutely no need to rush to end-game.  ^_^	
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I was a little stumped too back when it happened for me, but then decided to add my forum handle as a last name, since I have no problem having the two connected.
 
This would not work in the nature of role playing though, so I sympathize with the people, who suddenly have to work out a family name connection they maybe had not thought into the character bio yet.	
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It seems remarkably strange to me that a mild naming convention will prevent you from enjoying a name.
 
I mean I can completely understand being attached to a character name. I had (still have, really) a character in WoW that I made back in the vanilla days.  Cut to five expansions later and, amazingly, I've managed to accidentally give my character the same name as an NPC who suddenly became a really important raid boss.
 
Whoops, I don't get to keep my name anymore.
 
I spent a few days trying to haggle with support about it but in the end I really just had to cave in and rename my character despite having the name first.  Not exactly a shining moment but hey, I value enjoyable gameplay more than the minor hassle of keeping an old name.
 
Wildstar's change to naming conventions really shouldn't prevent you from keeping the name you have.  You could even play it clever and use the same name you have now but with a title appropriated as a first name.  I saw a lot of people get clever with this in FFXIV using names like "Disco Stu" and "Doctor Derriere".  That second one is still one of my favorites.
 
TL;DR: If you let something like this stop you then I'm sad you're letting yourself miss out on the rest of the game over it.	
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I'm confused.
 
You can still keep their first name, but put on a fun sounding last name.
 
I was pretty attached to my draken's name, and now I was able to make it sounds just a little more bad-ass with the second name.
 
*shrug* think of it in.. rp-y terms maybe?  Where's your toon from, what do they do etc etc.
 
I totally feel you on loving your character's name (I actually get a little irritated once in awhile knowing I'm not using "xiun" in-game lol) but I think it's something that you can probably get around and still enjoy if you gave it a little time.	
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			You could give them a title for a first name, like Doctor, or Matria or something.
			
				
	Edited October 18, 2015 by Lori	
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			Hope you won't give the same feedback when naming your child.	
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			Uninstalling because of that? Ummm okay, bye. Lmao.	
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I didn't plan for any of my original 6 characters to have last names, but I came up with last names for all of them, and the 6 new characters I created since then I created with last names in mind. Granted, not all name concepts go well with a first and last name, but it's really not as big of a deal as it feel like it's going to be when you first find out you have to do it. 
 
That being said, I imagine that the character name is treated as a single name (as opposed to two separate names) by the system, but it just feels awkward when NPCs constantly refer to my character as "Firstname Lastname".	
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I didn't plan for any of my original 6 characters to have last names, but I came up with last names for all of them, and the 6 new characters I created since then I created with last names in mind. Granted, not all name concepts go well with a first and last name, but it's really not as big of a deal as it feel like it's going to be when you first find out you have to do it. 
 
That being said, I imagine that the character name is treated as a single name (as opposed to two separate names) by the system, but it just feels awkward when NPCs constantly refer to my character as "Firstname Lastname".
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			Last names are there so we can have more names available for people, it is neccesary in mmorpgs trust me. Anyways just pick a title for example if your a stalker make the last name shadowstrike or something like that. I almost named my spellslinger last name cosmicrider as another example.
			
				
	Edited October 18, 2015 by Xorian	
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			Yeah, I don't really like idea that you have to have 2 words as your name. Why didn't they let us just  have one space in name, I don't know. Now we see separated words as names, or some total BS as second name, yeah, I guess this is much better idea.	
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Yeah, I don't really like idea that you have to have 2 words as your name. Why didn't they let us just  have one space in name, I don't know. Now we see separated words as names, or some total BS as second name, yeah, I guess this is much better idea.
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Interestingly it's not an actual last name it's just the old single names with a space in them.
 
If you look at quests this is shown. A quest that would show your name now shows the full name, even if it doesn't make sense. We could have kept our single names and only if that was taken we could have added a surname.
 
Games like FF14 that have proper first and surnames adress you as forst name or they adress you as mr/miss surname.	
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			Rename your character to "Annoying LastName" :p	
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Yeah, I don't really like idea that you have to have 2 words as your name. Why didn't they let us just  have one space in name, I don't know. Now we see separated words as names, or some total BS as second name, yeah, I guess this is much better idea.
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			Shhhhh. It'll be OK. 	
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Spaces and other signs are forbidden to prevent malicious code being injected into the server.
In other words, to prevent hacking.
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Ugh, don't get me started on the naming system. Oh and people who argue with things like "malicious code being injected" or "technical reasons", please get your facts straight.
Look at GW2 and Neverwinter for example. In NW it's even possible to have the same name multiple times.	
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 While it maybe a bit of an inconvenience and makes the important part of you characters name less meaningful.. it's a necessary evil.. especially with f2p now.
Try making a name in a few years of f2p when its only one name plate.. sure you can have a system like in nvw as smiley pointed out but its not a perfect system either.	
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despite having the name first. 
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I have to doubt that.
 
A lot of WoW's raid bosses were covered in Warcraft long before they appeared in WoW.
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I had a Warlock named Nazgrim back in vanilla.  Nazgrim didn't begin to have relevance until the Burning Crusade and wasn't a considerably important figure until the Siege of Orgrimmar in Mists of Pandaria.
 
I'm pretty sure I had the name first.
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I'm pretty sure nobody would give a damn as long as you didn't register for rights ownership. xD
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I don't think I have one character with a proper family name. 
 
Unfortunate Steve is a gunslinger but not as well as lucky luke.
Lady Saluna is a stalker so noone ever gets to know her real name.
Sergeant Dtrtus salutes late Pratchett.
 
And some more. None of 'm have proper first and last names. Isn't that the fun of having two words to come up with? I hate it to only have to come up with one name without being able to write 'mr' or 'sir'. Names are the best thing about a character.	
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I see from a little bit of searching that this has been kicked around to death already, so I don't imagine I'm bringing anything new to the table, but just to add another useless complaining voice to the internet...
 
I reinstalled the game after many many months off, to check out the new stuff.  I went to log in my level 50 character...  and was asked to rename her.  And after mulling that for about 30 seconds, I logged back off because I'm fond of my character and want to get that right.
 
That was yesterday.  Today I logged in, was asked to rename, and tried on different things for several minutes.  And ya know what?  Still can't come up with anything that's not stupid and annoying.  So I logged out again.
 
So I may try this one more time, but probably I'm just gonna uninstall.  I realize that sounds all petty and weird, but I put a big bunch of time into my characters back when I was paying for the privilege of doing so, named them just right, invested in them.  I'm just not feeling like trying to retcon last names onto them -- it'll always seem wrong and I'll start every play session pre-annoyed at the game.  And life's too short for gaming annoyed.
 
Kind of a bummer, though.
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 While it maybe a bit of an inconvenience and makes the important part of you characters name less meaningful.. it's a necessary evil.. especially with f2p now.
Try making a name in a few years of f2p when its only one name plate.. sure you can have a system like in nvw as smiley pointed out but its not a perfect system either.
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Id much rather have first and last names then people running around with uberleet123.
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I see from a little bit of searching that this has been kicked around to death already, so I don't imagine I'm bringing anything new to the table, but just to add another useless complaining voice to the internet...
 
I reinstalled the game after many many months off, to check out the new stuff.  I went to log in my level 50 character...  and was asked to rename her.  And after mulling that for about 30 seconds, I logged back off because I'm fond of my character and want to get that right.
 
That was yesterday.  Today I logged in, was asked to rename, and tried on different things for several minutes.  And ya know what?  Still can't come up with anything that's not stupid and annoying.  So I logged out again.
 
So I may try this one more time, but probably I'm just gonna uninstall.  I realize that sounds all petty and weird, but I put a big bunch of time into my characters back when I was paying for the privilege of doing so, named them just right, invested in them.  I'm just not feeling like trying to retcon last names onto them -- it'll always seem wrong and I'll start every play session pre-annoyed at the game.  And life's too short for gaming annoyed.
 
Kind of a bummer, though.
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I see from a little bit of searching that this has been kicked around to death already, so I don't imagine I'm bringing anything new to the table, but just to add another useless complaining voice to the internet...
 
I reinstalled the game after many many months off, to check out the new stuff.  I went to log in my level 50 character...  and was asked to rename her.  And after mulling that for about 30 seconds, I logged back off because I'm fond of my character and want to get that right.
 
That was yesterday.  Today I logged in, was asked to rename, and tried on different things for several minutes.  And ya know what?  Still can't come up with anything that's not stupid and annoying.  So I logged out again.
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Never ever used numbers in my name in all my 20 years of mmo gaming, not once.
Even if i had to spend hours finding one name that ain't taken (did happen, honest).
"feels so proud, ready to explode violently"  :P	
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Sure, but then again they have to attach a @accountname#### or something like that, otherwise you'd never be able to whisper the contact/intended person. I haven't played GW2 in over a year so I hardly remember what it was exactly. Either way, it's basically the same thing.
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I've played a lot of games that merged servers, or changed naming schemes, and the solution Wildstar came up with has been the best I've seen. 
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			I've played a lot of games that merged servers, or changed naming schemes, and the solution Wildstar came up with has been the best I've seen. One reason I stopped playing SWTOR was I lost half my character names in the first round of server merges, and the other half in the second round. Forcing a change sucked. In Wildstar I get to keep the same first or last name I came up with and got attached too, and I get to add a name that fits. It even lets me create links between alts I want to link, and not link those I don't. My girlfriend and I get to make matched pairs to play together that fit both in looks and names.Can't muster much sympathy for someone bummed out that they get additional flexibility and choice.	
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Only WS didn't really came up with the idea first, just fyi.  :P
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			Jesus. Just, I can't even.	
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If they didn't add last names your character's name would almost certainly have already been taken and you'd be left either spelling it really weirdly or putting little symbols over the letters. Adding last names is -far- better than any possible alternative.
 
You can still have the same name as you had before anyway, just look up a naming conventions guide and come up with a simple, generic surname for them and you're golden. That or spend hours thinking of the perfect one like I do ^^;
 
Seriously, if the alternative is just to uninstall the game and never play your character again at all, just put anything in there.
			
				
	Edited October 18, 2015 by Minsc9	
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Be a lil more creative.. for example i had a nick "Creator Galacta"
So see no real need to abide by the rules if you get my meaning.  :P
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			Last names are bad, you say?	
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Jesus. Just, I can't even.
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			I'm pretty uncreative when it comes to making up names so I usually stick with Dedlaw & think more of the surname as a nickname for my char based on how I play them. My SS is Dedlaw TriggerHappy, Stalker is Dedlaw Shocktrooper, Warrior is Dedlaw Vanguard, etc.	
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			For single names i have a set list of my prefered and all my alts, for multi name systems i reach out to the books i read ...	
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The only thing I don't like about last names is that everyone in the game calls you by your full name, and it gets annoying. I wish you could set some option so that NPCs use your first name only, your last name (maybe some people would like to name their characters surname first, name second?), or both. That way you could make certain characters use your full name as a personality quirk.
 
I mean, a commander could use my last name, a regular guy could use my first name, and the Entity could use my full name, because it's weird.	
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I like the first and last name change. I think it adds more depth to my characters. 
 
This and other posts that have the 'uninstalled' theme are just silly. I suppose I'm just having a hard time imaging how these folks make it through work or going out of the house without imploding over some imagined slight.	
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Hope you won't give the same feedback when naming your child.
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I'm pretty uncreative when it comes to making up names so I usually stick with Dedlaw & think more of the surname as a nickname for my char based on how I play them. My SS is Dedlaw TriggerHappy, Stalker is Dedlaw Shocktrooper, Warrior is Dedlaw Vanguard, etc.
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Hope you won't give the same feedback when naming your child.
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Wildstar's change to naming conventions really shouldn't prevent you from keeping the name you have.  You could even play it clever and use the same name you have now but with a title appropriated as a first name.
 
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I have to doubt that.
 
A lot of WoW's raid bosses were covered in Warcraft long before they appeared in WoW.
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The complaining makes me laugh.
 
Every variation of my forum handle and in-game name was taken BEFORE I GOT LOGGED IN.
 
Seriously. Some troll stayed up late, squatted on every single variation of "Tex Arcana" and has never, to my knowledge, ever played them. Simply stole them while I slept for no other apparent reason than to make sure I didn't get them.
 
Now, go cry me a river.	
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Last names are there so we can have more names available for people, it is neccesary in mmorpgs trust me. Anyways just pick a title for example if your a stalker make the last name shadowstrike or something like that. I almost named my spellslinger last name cosmicrider as another example.
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Having people with the same names just different last names doesn't make it all that unique anymore.
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It actually isn't neccesary at all.  Not sure why you think it is.  People like their character to be unique.  Having people with the same names just different last names doesn't make it all that unique anymore.  Most of the main mmos don't use last names either.  In fact, very few do.
 
I personally don't like having to put a last name either. 
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Well, yeah. I don't dare to argue with real-life-proven facts here... :D
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I wish more games did this.
I've never been fond of the optional two-spaced name, and I'm tired of the one name thing. As a game progresses, names get taken and are often never used again...like in WoW. It is nigh impossible to get a decent name there now without spelling it in an annoying way or adding alt symbols that you don't want. I was absolutely ecstatic when I got the name Mischief! ...granted that was toned down when my husband couldn't get Mayhem without spelling it like Mmmaaaaayhém (he tried for like 3 hours to get a decent looking version of it and eventually gave up).
 
I do think last names make it more unique, even if everyone just calls you by your first name. Granted...I went with Lucy Fur, which is definitely not unique or special and have even run into drama with other players who thought I was someone else from other places...but for my other characters? It's kinda nice to a full name. I can do whatever I want! From Merryl Everfrost to Hug Jobs! It's fun.	
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			Anyhow - you dislike being forced to have a family name, and others [like me] posting our preferences are unlikely to change your mind.  But as pointed out above, officially and explicitly, you are not obliged to use GivenName FamilyName construction.  Title GivenName is expressly condoned by the game's producers.  In fact, several cultures in the game do not use GivenName FamilyName construction at all, so roleplayers will want to avoid it entirely.  An easy option for you.  As is NickName GivenName.	
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The complaining makes me laugh.
 
Every variation of my forum handle and in-game name was taken BEFORE I GOT LOGGED IN.
 
Seriously. Some troll stayed up late, squatted on every single variation of "Tex Arcana" and has never, to my knowledge, ever played them. Simply stole them while I slept for no other apparent reason than to make sure I didn't get them.
 
Now, go cry me a river.
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			I wasn't a big fan of the change at first, but it grew on me.  The saving grace for me was that the ToU don't have any provision against awarding yourself titles.  You can be Emperor Whatever, or Judge Thingy, or Soandso Esquire or Somethingus Maximus.	
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			...I wanna see someone named Somethingus Maximus.	
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While I think that's probably what happened (considering that someone did it to Fran as well), "Tex Arcana" was the name of a comic strip that ran in Heavy Metal (albeit back in the 80's, but I remember reading it back in high school, so others might be familiar with it, as well), and with the whole "Wild West and magic" vibe that WildStar has, and the fact that it's a clever wordplay on "Texarkana," it's not unfeasible that people who weren't familiar with you could have come up with it independently. Which doesn't make it suck any less, but at least it may just be due to other people with similar ideas, rather than someone being spiteful.
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...I wanna see someone named Somethingus Maximus.
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Or perhaps Biggus Dickus? ;)
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			to OP im normally more annoyed when i cant have a last name here, so i welcomed the name change with open arms :P 	
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No, I am 100% certain it was spiteful "revenge" against a regular "white knight fanboy" ... Probably the same special little nugget that trolled Fran.
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I'm actually surprised no one went after me. 
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I like the guild named: Big Black Clocks
 
really?	
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But yeah, it's "feasible" that someone else might have thought of it, totally independently of me and just *happened* to name themselves EVERY POSSIBLE VARIATION on the name in the couple of hours I was sleeping during the merge. It's POSSIBLE ... but that's not what happened.
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			Uninstalling over a surname is pretty f'ing stupid and childish, but then again nothing on the internet surprises me these days.	
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What to you mean by "every possible variation"?  If you mean by substituting accented characters that won't work.  To make player to player messaging and group invites easier, accented characters are treated as unaccented ones: Jones, Jònes, Jônes, and Jönes are treated as the same name.
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			my main is "Totes Mehgoats". I have had fun with the naming in this game, doesn't seem like it has to be as serious as other mmos	
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Last names are there so we can have more names available for people, it is neccesary in mmorpgs trust me.
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			The optional second name wouldn't have been a bad idea, honestly...if we werent already months and months into the game on various servers where the same name was without a doubt taken many times over. The second name was probably the easiest way to deal with it while causing the least amount of anger.	
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Just a quick note, you don't HAVE to have "two names" in the traditional sense.
 
I've seen Mechari named things like "Brobot XXIII".
I've seen "Brother Bob" and "Sister Tracy" and "Agent Zero" and "Doc Samson" and tons and tons of other titles, descriptors, Roman numerals and the like.
 
You don't have to come up with a surname or a first name. Just be creative and think outside the box.	
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No, I am 100% certain it was spiteful "revenge" against a regular "white knight fanboy" ... Probably the same special little nugget that trolled Fran.
 
I remember the comic very well, and it was my naming inspiration.
 
But yeah, it's "feasible" that someone else might have thought of it, totally independently of me and just *happened* to name themselves EVERY POSSIBLE VARIATION on the name in the couple of hours I was sleeping during the merge. It's POSSIBLE ... but that's not what happened.
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The thing is that this wouldn't be a problem if they gave us the option of 1 name or 2 names like GW2.
It would bring way more names into the game than the 2nd choice alone.
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