I like names in a game to fit in where they are as it helps with immersion and I'm not a serious RP but I don't mind names like bob and john and william and such but don't use them for elves or dwarfs. I've used Kiril Thendor for all my rangers since EQ1 and its from Thomas Covenant series of books but it isn't a name of a character. For other alts I usually decide what kind of sound I want for there name like for an Orc it has to be harsh so I start with "Ghr" then need a vowel and so "u" then to finish off something like "gek" and I get Ghrugek as my orc name. Altho its a pity it doesn't take symbols in for names as all my high/dark/wood elfs usually have a ' in their name but oh well.

I wish you the best with inforcing the naming policy, I have been developing and dungeon mastering RPG Persistent Worlds for NWN for quite sometime and I have to say your going to be spending a lot of time policing it. I can tell you some horror stories about troublesome players.

Something I didn't see in your list is when naughty players use backwards names.
(e.g. Eldnacesra)

cheers

hmm....that should be there, too!!

I've spent quite a few years doing CS, as well, and it does take time and, yes, there are some real...interesting...people out there, but you learn to deal with them. And, the good thing about having a group like the Guides of Knights that assist the GMs is that they have/had (in EQ's case) the ability the ability to actually DO something about it. Many times, we caught the problems as they spawned and not 30 levels later. Much easier, and people knew that the naming policy worked! Hopefully, the Knights will have that ability here. More eyes really help!

Having played EQ for over 6 years, yes there are some inappropriate names, just like the user name I am logged in under in this forum . But I always found the "Phrase" names very creative and for the most part fit for their toon. I had a lvl 55 Shaman named Bearmann Scarmaker, and a cleric named Docjeckel, who would emote during a group battle the target he was healing ending with "Just what the Doctor ordered"!
My point is I am a 40 year old man that plays RPG games with a passion and a respect for the lore, yet still likes a little humor in my fantasy world, after all that is why I play for pleasure!

I don't mind a naming policy, though the word filters seem a bit odd. For example. During beta I created a character and attempted to name him Moxwright Lemonade. Sure lemonade isn't a "fantasy" surname, but why not? I mean in my phone book here I find a Piemaker, a Shoehorn, a Cake, and a Wiener (real surnames). Why is Lemonade so far fetched? Maybe his family history amounts to squeezing lemons for 1 pence a flaggon? Who knows, point is the restriction is ridiculous when pushed to that extreme. I did name a character Adulterous Limeade with out a hitch. While the latter is a gross violation of these rules, the former obviously isn't. Other names I used without filter stoppage: Plump Skillet, Fella Ciao, Corporeal Punishment. I do hope they allow my trademarked name of Rutabega Nyquist .... I've used this name in all fantasy games since my humble beginnings (On MUDs I used Sir Rutabega, or Rutabega Nyquist, back story is, he was conceived in his parents rutabaga plot...hey it COULD happen...right? And it isn't quite spelled the same, but still) Disallowing my name would make me sad inside. So hopefully they won't.

I have to say I agree with most of the naming policy. However, I think that making phrases using the first and last name should have some leeway, I personally like the ideas some people come up with, and it adds a bit of amusement to the game, without really detracting as much as people would have you think.

Dark Stalker
Death Dealer
Bandages
Pointillism

These names (the first two being off my head, the latter two being characters of mine in WoW) are not vulgar, not offensive, but do not fit the criteria for Sigil's Naming Policy. Technically, I could not use any of those names. The first two form phrases and the second two don't exist in the fantasy world.

I understand that people don't want to break their immersion in the game, but that's what RP servers are for. If you want this game to be primarily RP, make most of them RP servers, but leave the people like me who appreciate funny/entertaining/witty names play on a server where we don't use /ooc to say we have to use the restroom and don't care if someone's name is Icrushyou Withmybigmace.

Racist, vulgar, obvious references to pop culture (Britney Spears, Spongebob, etc), and otherwise inappropriate (but not immersion breaking) names should be against the rules on all servers. The ruleset in place should be for RP / RPPvP servers- some of us appreciate good names that don't go with the fantasy theme.

duff

Bandages don't exist in a Fantasy world? Really?

Last time I checked there was RPG in this MMO. In my opinion they are all RP servers.

And yet your opinion does not equal reality. Servers are differentiated for those who want a more OOC feel, and thats what he was getting at.

Bandages as a noun exist; Bandages as a name doesn't. Unless I'm allowed to name myself Tree, Elf, Wheel, etc... But, I see that as breaking immersion for some reason. Guess it's just me.

A) RPG and RP are two different things. Role-playing game vs Role-playing. I understand they share the same name, but they are viewed as two different things. Sure, RPGs and RPing go hand in hand, but one is not exclusive to the other. There are tons of RPGs that don't expect you to RP. Every other MMORPG I can think of comes to mind.

B) If they were all RP servers, they wouldn't designate one as an RP exclusive server.

C) If they were all RP exclusive servers, in that they forced RP rules and banned people who abuse the rules excessively, they would have much fewer customers.

D) I pay my $15 a month, you pay yours. I play the way I want to play and you play the way you want. If they were all RP servers, we might end up on the same one and group together. And guess what, I'm going to break your immersion. I'm not going to talk in character. Ever. If I have to use /ooc constantly, I will. Wouldn't you rather let me play my way and you play your way on different servers where you're expected to play your way and I'm expected to play my way?

Now, before you come back and flame me because I disagree with you, just think about what you're actually saying. You expect every server, even the ones labelled PvE when there are ones labelled RP PvE, to force the users to talk in character? Because if not, why force them to use in character names? Why not let the servers whose players obviously don't want to be in character all (or any) of the time have names that aren't in character? If you're worried about it breaking your immersion, play on an RP server. If you're afraid of people having names like Imagnome, either ignore it, get used to it, or play on an RP server. I know you pay your $15 a month and want immersion, but I pay mine and just want to have fun. My name means a lot to me, and I don't like having names like Jiosep Stellag (which is probably a terrible name, I wouldn't actually know, I'm uncreative and don't get into the game's fantasy world enough to know).

Edit: i r splel gud