Official Feedback Request: Name Change Frequency

[Nihilego]

By the by, a few ideas that are bouncing around in my head right now from the feedback so far:


Regarding the name change frequency, I think I'll make it 6-monthly. I think the arguments for 6 months are stronger than those for 4 months, and the poll indicates that the majority of people would prefer 6 months (51.81% of the vote).

Regarding name hoarding, I don't think it's feasible to stop people from "reserving" names without having a major overhaul of how we handle alt accounts, which isn't something that's on the table right now. However I know that I don't wish to facilitate this, so I'm not going to do account "swaps" any more; peoples' "reservation" accounts will have either the requested username + some random numbers or be deleted altogether, probably the former. I might see if I can also stop recently changed usernames from being taken immediately by their old users, but I don't know how this is possible.

For supporter name change perks, I'm not going to introduce anything for Crystal supporters but I think I'll do something somewhat unanticipated and grant Platinum supporters (almost) unlimited name changes at any time. It's pretty bold, but there are so few of you and you've donated so much that I don't think it'll get out of hand.


I'll think about these some more, though, and would appreciate any further feedback that you guys have.

 

[Daydream]

I know I said in the first post that workload isn't an issue, but if everyone who's ever registered on this forum received an email informing them about name changes (bearing in mind that we have somewhere in the region of 520,000 members now) then the workload would be absolutely massive. All of the admins working together wouldn't even scratch the surface. I'd rather that only the active members who see the name change announcements make requests.

Sometimes I forget how extensive PC is. I didn't actually take that into consideration. Piling work on you all isn't what we want, after all. :P

That could be a possible idea @ the post-change bulletin board thread, but short of me listing every user who had a name change in one single post, I don't know how much utility it'd provide. I guess I could do that if I had a spare hour or two to catalogue them all but... I don't. Haha. I'll think about it anyway though.

Oh I didn't mean you doing it! I meant something more like, people post to say 'I used to be this and now I'm this'. Though that seems largely redundant upon reflection. Would it be possible to move the request thread to Bulletins and change the title/first post to say something like 'Search this thread to see who's usernames have changed!' I'm not sure if the Bulletin forum works like that, though.

 

[Hikamaru]

Regarding name hoarding, I don't think it's feasible to stop people from "reserving" names without having a major overhaul of how we handle alt accounts, which isn't something that's on the table right now. However I know that I don't wish to facilitate this, so I'm not going to do account "swaps" any more; peoples' "reservation" accounts will have either the requested username + some random numbers or be deleted altogether, probably the former. I might see if I can also stop recently changed usernames from being taken immediately by their old users, but I don't know how this is possible.

For supporter name change perks, I'm not going to introduce anything for Crystal supporters but I think I'll do something somewhat unanticipated and grant Platinum supporters (almost) unlimited name changes at any time. It's pretty bold, but there are so few of you and you've donated so much that I don't think it'll get out of hand.

Interesting plans you have regarding Platinum supporters, given them what is essentially a buffed version of the old Crystal supporter extra name change perk. And as we know, ever since Crystals gained access to CSS usertitles after the hacking incident the Platinums haven't had much to differentiate themselves perk-wise, and it would make the effort they put into their donations more worth it.

I can understand why account swaps are on the way out, because you often have to add a random number in and then change the name which can get annoying if the server is slow. Not that I ever plan to leave my current name for the forseeable future, but I'm sure others who may change names more often might be able to learn why you're going down that route.

When I first joined, I had numbers in my username which I ended up being stuck with for two years, and I know deleting accounts altogether can be a bit tough, and I'd rather have an alt stuck with numbers in the username as opposed to being entirely deleted.

 

[moon]

Won't it be even more confusing if somebody completely different could run around as Pikachu after the next name changes are done? :p
/devils advocate, sorry, the changes actually do sound good

 

[Megan]

Won't it be even more confusing if somebody completely different could run around as Pikachu after the next name changes are done? :p
/devils advocate, sorry, the changes actually do sound good

You mean more confusing than name changes already are? You know, you could just keep your name and wouldn't need to worry about other people taking it for themselves. :P

 

[antemortemdave]

I voted for four months and then very quickly regretted it. While it's silly to think that the identity crisis issue is going to be alleviated all that much, I do think that twice is a year at least makes for a more exciting name change period. Expecting something three times (and four times for Supporters? I don't even remember, honestly) a year is a little different and feels less regular/systematic than knowing something is coming, say, at the New Year and then in the summer. Then we can change our names and rave.

 

[Taemin]

I voted for four months and then very quickly regretted it. While it's silly to think that the identity crisis issue is going to be alleviated all that much, I do think that twice is a year at least makes for a more exciting name change period. Expecting something three times (and four times for Supporters? I don't even remember, honestly) a year is a little different and feels less regular/systematic than knowing something is coming, say, at the New Year and then in the summer. Then we can change our names and rave.

Yes it really does make it more exciting, both because it's less common, and because we'd have to put more thought into our names. Maybe we'd like them more if they weren't just thought up as something we know we'd ditch in three months.

 

[antemortemdave]

Yes it really does make it more exciting, both because it's less common, and because we'd have to put more thought into our names. Maybe we'd like them more if they weren't just thought up as something we know we'd ditch in three months.

and this is why you're my favorite.

 

[Hikamaru]

Yes it really does make it more exciting, both because it's less common, and because we'd have to put more thought into our names. Maybe we'd like them more if they weren't just thought up as something we know we'd ditch in three months.

This, I put extra thought into this name thanks to its origination on the server and I figured it eventually came time to adopt it on the forums. I feel like the reduction to two changes a year will make us want to come up with more unique usernames, as well as knowing whether to stick with your name based on how well people know you best with that name.

 

[pastelspectre]

i voted six months ^_^ i feel some people change their name too often and sometimes it makes me confused to everyone is. i have never changed my username (i may eventually) but i feel twice a year is a okay and makes everyone want to choose unique usernames they will want to stick with and not ones they will regret and want to change the next day.

 

[Nihilego]

Not that I'm disagreeing with this in any way whatsoever (It's pretty amazing ngl), but I do want to ask: Exactly (Or roughly) how many Platinum-tier supporters are active enough as to warrant such a privilege when you say "there are so few of you"? I don't mind this (As stemming from the notion to try and differentiate the Crystal and Platinum usergroups some more since they're so similar), but this is quite a large and unprecedented announcement, among other things. And if this is implemented, could there be a day when there's too many Platinum-tier supporters and the privilege has to be revoked (or is there a long-term plan for this)?

Also, re swaps: What about people that have already registered alt accounts that have had any amounts of activity and are not just necessarily name placeholders, such as the two alts that I have (One of which I may drop anyway)? Would there be an exception for those?

I have no idea about the numbers, honestly, but I'd put it at no more than 10-20 or so. I just know that next to the memberbase at large it's a vast minority and that it doesn't seem to me to be too many to handle. Do you agree with that? You're probably much more engaged with the supporter community than I am.

It's certainly possible that there'll be a time at which there'd be too many Platinum supporters. It's worth remembering that any perks offered are just that - perks - and that a donation to PC is not a purchase of those perks. However, $100 is a huge amount to donate and the numbers of Platinum supporters have stayed fairly constant over the past few years, so I don't imagine there being a massive influx of Plat supporters that'd cause me to reconsider this any time soon (unless this perk is enough to make people donate that amount, in which case... Damn Son). The only reason I can think of for retracting this is if Plat supporters were absolutely hammering the name changes, like to a multiple-changes-per-person-per-week sort of level. I'd hope it won't get to that.

Alt accounts are, and will stay, allowed; I'd only consider (and this, right now, is still just a consideration) removing or changing alt accounts that were created specifically to reserve usernames with no other purpose. Of course, if an alt account is active then I won't consider it just a placeholder and it'd be treated as any other user. It's a sort of case-by-case thing I guess - but the point is that I don't approve of placeholder accounts, which are generally fairly easy to spot, and would rather not accommodate them in name changes.

 

[Saintscrew7]

Hmm...
I, uhh..., I know this is serious. I like mine, Funny tho, had a hard time thinking.
But monotony bores, so...
Can't wait to see the new ones.
I'll keep this one, Saintscrew7 ®©. (Just in case).

 

[Katchelina]

6 months though I think the first one of the year should still be at the start of January.

 

[Taemin]

6 months though I think the first one of the year should still be at the start of January.

Soooo one in January, and again in June (or thereabouts), and then one elsewhere during those times for the Tier(s) that do get an extra change.

 

[Hikamaru]

Soooo one in January, and again in June (or thereabouts), and then one elsewhere during those times for the Tier(s) that do get an extra change.

Apparently the proposal is a new extra name change perk for Platinum Tier only, so unlike the old system Crystals won't be getting anything out of this. It's mainly to try and differentiate the tiers more since Platinum lost their exclusive CSS usertitles perk.

 

[Aurora]

I support allowing name changes once every six months. I realise I'm not somebody who changes their name often (or at all!) but, even with the 'Also known as' feature, it's frustrating trying to work out who people are because it takes a while to adjust to the name. Reducing the amount of name changes would mitigate this somewhat.

 

[Kieran_90]

Voted other because there shouldn't be a set time, imo. Have it so you can change whenever you want but make it be every 4 months or 6 months per user. I don't know how the admins are going to handle that but I swear it's possible to automate. After the initial rush it'll be only a few a day, maybe do a weekly change?

I think 6 months is probably better though.

 

[Hikamaru]

I support allowing name changes once every six months. I realise I'm not somebody who changes their name often (or at all!) but, even with the 'Also known as' feature, it's frustrating trying to work out who people are because it takes a while to adjust to the name. Reducing the amount of name changes would mitigate this somewhat.

I'm like you in that I'm unlikely to leave my current name behind, and while I am good at remembering who's who, for others their memory may be not so good. Another benefit with twice-a-year changes is it'll be an incentive for members to want to choose a more unique name that they plan to stick with for a while and likely not regret after a week.

 

[Taemin]

Voted other because there shouldn't be a set time, imo. Have it so you can change whenever you want but make it be every 4 months or 6 months per user. I don't know how the admins are going to handle that but I swear it's possible to automate. After the initial rush it'll be only a few a day, maybe do a weekly change?

I think 6 months is probably better though.

I know vB4 has a setting where where you can let people change their names after a certain amount of time has run out since their last one. owo

If that's what you meant.

Though, I think Audy and others would have to code that by hand for vB3.

 

[Palamon]

I know vB4 has a setting where where you can let people change their names after a certain amount of time has run out since their last one. owo

If that's what you meant.

Though, I think Audy and others would have to code that by hand for vB3.

There is a way for users to change their own username on VB3, if that's what you're referring to. Bulbagarden had it, and made it set to 90 days.

I feel like if members could change their own usernames, it'd still be hell. But is very possible. I remember "edit e-mail, password and username was on BMGF's system back when it was still VB3, too, but we aren't BMGF, so.