[PC] |337-speakers beware: the WoW Naming Policy

[Knightshade Dragon]

Holy smokes!  Looks like it won't look like a zoo of UpP3r @nD lO\/\/3r case characters in WoW!

___________

 Below is what we are looking to implement for our naming policy. Please pay close attention to the new Immersion-Breaking section. Feedback always appreciated.

“What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
-- William Shakespeare

This may hold true for roses, but there’s nothing you can do to make an Orc smell good, so you might as well give yours a good name. One of the first adventures you will embark upon within World of Warcraft will be that of choosing a character name. While your subsequent exploits should prove infinitely more exhilarating, great care should be given to name selection. The first impression other players have of you will be based on your name, so it’s best to start off on the right foot. While choosing the perfect name for your character is left to your discretion, we have determined that some types of names are not allowed in this game.
Below are guidelines to help you determine whether or not the name you have chosen is appropriate for your character, guild, or pet. Hopefully, we encompass all manner of offensive names; however there may be inappropriate names which do not fit into any of these categories. In addition, the GM staff will only change a character’s name if it is indeed found inappropriate, we will not change character names for any other reason. We reserve the right to evaluate each incident on a case by case basis and in extreme cases, take action not detailed here.
Racial/Ethnic
This category includes both clear and masked names which:
• Promote racial/ethnic hatred
• Are recognized as racial/ethnic slurs
• Allude to symbols of racial/ethnic hatred
• Have any racial/ethnic connotations

If a player is found to have such a name, he/she will:
• Be prompted to select a new name
• Be temporarily suspended from the game
• Likely be given a final warning if any negative sentiment/language is present, any further TOU violations will result in permanent suspension

While these repercussions may seem harsh, we feel very strongly that these names have no place within the world of Azeroth due to their extremely offensive nature.
Extreme Sexuality/Violence
This category includes both clear and masked names which:
• Refer to extreme and/or violent sexual acts
• Refer to extremely violent real life actions

If a player is found to have such a name, he/she will:
• Be prompted to select a new name
• Be temporarily suspended from the game
• Likely be given a final warning, any further TOU violations will result in permanent suspension

While these repercussions may seem harsh, we feel very strongly that these names have no place within the world of Azeroth due to their extremely offensive nature.
Sexual Orientation
This category includes both clear and masked names which:
• Insultingly refer to any aspect of sexual orientation pertaining to themselves or other players

If a player is found to have such a name, he/she may:
• Be prompted to select a new name
• Be temporarily suspended from the game
Obscene/Vulgar
This category includes both clear and masked names which:
• Refer to human anatomy
• Refer to sexual acts
• Are scatological or pornographic in nature

If a player is found to have such a name, he/she will:
• Be prompted to select a new name
• Be temporarily suspended from the game
Inappropriate language
This category includes both clear and masked names which:
• Are mildly inappropriate references to human anatomy or bodily functions
• Are otherwise considered objectionable

If a player is found to have such a name, he/she will:
• Be prompted to select a new name
• Be given a warning
Harassing or Defamatory
This category includes both clear and masked names which:
• Insultingly refers to other characters, players, Blizzard employees, or groups of people, be they in the game or external

If a player is found to have such a name, he/she will:
• Be prompted to select a new name
• Be given a warning
Major Religions or Religious Figureheads
This category includes both clear and masked names which:
• Mimic major religions or religious figureheads (i.e. Jesus, Christianity, Buddha)

If a player is found to have such a name, he/she will:
• Informed that the name is improper and be prompted to select a new name
• Be given a warning
Blizzard Employees
This category includes both clear and masked names which are:
• The names of any World of Warcraft customer support representative or employee of Blizzard Entertainment (Both real names and aliases).

If a player is found to have such a name, he/she will:
• Be prompted to select a new name
• Be given a warning
National
This category includes both clear and masked names which:
• Promote national hatred
• Are recognized as national slurs
• Allude to symbols of national hatred

If a player is found to have such a name, he/she will:
• Be prompted to select a new name
• Be given a warning
Illegal Drugs or Activities
This category includes both clear and masked names which:
• Refer to illegal drugs
• Refer to illegal activities

If a player is found to have such a name, he/she will:
• Be prompted to select a new name
• Be given a warning
Advertising
This category includes names which advertise:
• Any non-beneficial, non-WoW related businesses, organizations, or websites

If a player is found to have such a name, he/she will:
• Be prompted to select a new name
• Be given a warning
Trademarks
This category includes names which are:
• Trademarked/licensed by a company or individual

If a player is found to have such a name and the trademark owner protests its use, he/she will be:
• Informed that the name is improper and be prompted to select a new name

Immersion-Breaking
We have gone to great lengths to ensure that your experience in the world of Azeroth is as enjoyable and immersive as possible. However, this immersion can be quickly broken when you see the stately Tauren Hunter named “IOwnsU” or the imposing Night Elf Druid “ErnestBorgnine.” In an attempt to maintain the suspension of disbelief, we will be disallowing the following types of names from World of Warcraft.
The following five categories are all considered “Immersion-Breaking”:
Partial or Complete Sentences

This category includes names which:
• Are not fantasy-based and consist of multiple words strung together
• Examples: “Inyourface”, “Welovebeef”, “Howareyou”

If a player is found to have such a name, he/she will:
• Be prompted to select a new name
• Be given a warning
Pure Gibberish
This category includes names which:
• Consist of a string of letters which do not produce a pronounceable name
• Examples: “Asdfasdf”, “Jjxccm”, “Hvlldrm”

If a player is found to have such a name, he/she will:
• Be prompted to select a new name
• Be given a warning
References to Pop Culture Icons or Personas
This category includes names which:
• Are references, both clear and masked, to well known people or characters
• Examples: “Britneyspears”, “Austinpowers”, “Batman”

If a player is found to have such a name, he/she will:
• Be prompted to select a new name
• Be given a warning
Contain “Leet” or “Dudespeak”
This category includes names which:
• Consist of language existent only in online communication
• Examples: “Roflcopter”, “xxnewbxx”, “Roxxoryou”

If a player is found to have such a name, he/she will:
• Be prompted to select a new name
• Be given a warning
Titles
Fantasy titles should be earned trough the mechanics of the game, and should not be recreated through character naming. This category includes names which:
• Consist of any title prefix or suffix attached to a characters name be it fantasy-based or not
• Examples: “KingMike”, “ErictheBrave”, “PresidentSanchez”

If a player is found to have such a name, he/she will:
• Be prompted to select a new name
• Be given a warning

IMPORTANT
• Repeatedly violating any area of the TOU, including the areas detailed above, will often result in temporary suspension from the game.
• This policy is not language-restrictive. Names that fall under this policy will always be subject to the repercussions listed, whether they are inappropriate in English or any other language.

The bottom line is that we want World of Warcraft to be a fun and safe environment for all players. World of Warcraft is an MMORPG, and the key words are “Massively Multiplayer.” In playing this game, you will encounter thousands of other players who share different experiences and come from vastly different backgrounds. While a certain name may not be offensive to you, consider the fact that that same name may have a completely different effect on someone else. We’ve done everything we can to make this a great game but now it’s up to you, the players, to breath life into the world. Choose wisely my friends.

[Fellow]

Heh, we'll see. That is quite a nice list. Still, in the stress test, there were names that fell into more than one of those brackets. But, then again, it was a stress test and not the real thing.

[whiteboyskim]

So I guess Resp3ktMahAuth0riti is out for a Tauren Shaman?

[Dimmona]

So basically we can be called either John or Bob.  Excellent.

[Knightshade Dragon]

Unless John or Bob is in some way trademarked.

What about Bob?
Being John Malkovitch?

Guess those are out.  I like Zazen...my character.

[Purge]

Unless John or Bob is in some way trademarked.
What about Bob?
Being John Malkovitch?
Guess those are out.  I like Zazen...my character.

Now, what I don't understand is this... how many effen names can people come up with? People tend not to be creative, and taking away their ability to select a name their comfortable with is really extreme.

I understand some of the points they make, but not everyone wants a Z, three H's and at least one goddamned apostrophe in their name.

I mean, FFXI got stupid with how many Sefearoth, Sepharoth, Dr4g0nzB4LL4U!!!11!oneone!!2, etc, but mandating that your name can't contain violence in a game who's premise is medevil violence is kind of stupid, don't ya think? Everyone ingame caries a cutting, stabbing, piercing or bludgeoning tool on them. But no names based on violence. Right.

I guess OgreCleaver or Brainbasher aren't what my first picks will be, however I have no interest in being in the following party either:

Zan'du
Zan'deedee
DuZan42
Zanduncan
Philip002112

"Hey Zan, how's it going?"
80% of the party replies "STFU, noobzzz"

You can offer guidelines, or you can drive people off. I understand they don't want their game to be tarnished by the unwashed masses, however they WANT the unwashed masses money.

They better have one hell of a name generator; I have no intention of selecting my own name to get kicked out. Seriously,  I was known as Stabbetty in FFXI on the Phoenix server; I'd like to be able to keep that name.

I guess I'll see all of you online in WoW. I'll be John102Zan334. See you then.
 :roll:  :twisted:

[Knightshade Dragon]

http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?cookie%5Ftest=1&product%5Fid=645985

Pure speculation?  you betcha....but don't let that stop ya!  $15.00 a month for pricing?  Mid November release date?  Ahhh...its all crazy.

[Fellow]

I wonder how much longer it'll take for the fee to hit $20/month? Any bets?

[Gedd]

It all sounds good in theory to me, but we'll see how it ends up working out.  The only way it'll truly work is if someone is sitting with a list of all the names created that day and plucking out the bad names for changing.  If they're relying on GMs to see folks with non-compliant names in the gameworld, then it'll never stick.

Zan'du
Zan'deedee
DuZan42
Zanduncan
Philip002112

At this point, the only name that would go through is Zanduncan.  You can't use numbers in names (I believe this is coded into the character generator), you'll only be able to use one capital letter, and punctuation currently isn't allowed either.  I hear they're going to try to make a single apostophe allowed though if they can code it in.

I think there's a name generator currently in the character creation screen, but I'll have to look to confirm.