Do "parked" character names on unused toons or abandoned accounts ever expire?

It seems large number of popular names are reserved by lvl 1 characters with zero activity for months. Does Phoenix have in-place any measures to return the names of these "parked" toons to the available pool? Seems kinda off if a person can reserve several good names then leave the server, or just never play any of them. Otherwise, with only a single game server running, those names are gone forever.

Possible solution:

I'd suggest that a <10 level character with no usage after 30 days should have that unused name returned to the pool. In cases where the player returns after the expiration, they'd simply be asked to create a new name for the expired-name character without loosing any of the progress they made.

To deter people getting a few levels just to park the name, the expiration duration could scale up with level such that a lvl 50 character has more buffer time than a lvl 1. I'd suggest ~30 days on sub level 10 toon, then adding an additional 30 days of buffer per 10 levels ( a level 50 character would then have 6 months before the name expires).

I appreciate seeing good names used about the server, and having an expiration in-place would help reduce the immersion-breaking practice of adding unnecessary characters to a name because the main spelling wasn't available, e.g. Gandalfffffff, Gaandalf, Gandolf, etc.

Thanks kindly Phoenix Team, and keep up the amazing work!

Tue 26 Mar 2019 4:59 AM by Magesty

Not going to happen.

I’d assume, at best, the devs could do what League of Legends did and in a couple of years clear out level ones on accounts with long term inactivity.

Any other way of handling it is going to be messy on several levels, and for what? The immersion of some borderline OCD members of the player base?

Tue 26 Mar 2019 2:51 PM by Bobbahunter

I’ve used the same names for 20 years. I might not play a toon for months. I even start a couple toons just to use the storage space and Incase I do play it in a month or so I have my name.

Tue 26 Mar 2019 2:53 PM by Slithic

Bobbahunter wrote: ↑
Tue 26 Mar 2019 2:51 PM
I’ve used the same names for 20 years. I might not play a toon for months. I even start a couple toons just to use the storage space and Incase I do play it in a month or so I have my name.

I do the same. I'm sure most people do.

Tue 26 Mar 2019 3:02 PM by Roto23

@ the original poster... If there was a thumbs down button I would have clicked it

Wed 27 Mar 2019 2:33 PM by Kohi

There was plenty of time during the crash test before release to 'reserve' the names of your future toons. First arrived, first served rule. /shrug
I understand the frustration, had to renounce few names myself even during crash test, but it wouldn't be fair to the owners of these names to take them away.
Even if a toon is lvl 1 and inactive all year long, he's still the first created char with that name, and except if delete, there should be no way to get this name.

Thu 28 Mar 2019 7:52 PM by Stoked

It's fascinating how each response thus far was stated with finality as if they themselves were a Phoenix developer! Understandable, as they vehemently wish to protect the name-hoarding advantage they have over newer players.

While I have also reserved several good names on my account, I prefer to think of the overall community benefit foremost. Having abandoned toon names expire would benefit new players coming to Phoenix. The only ones this change would affect negatively are name squatters holding dozens of good names (many with no intention or time enough to play all of them), or folks who have simply left the server for good.

And to the vitriolic responders above, maybe tone down the ad-hominem attacks and think of the community before yourselves? With my suggestion, all you would have to do is log onto your character once in a while and you'd never lose the name. In any case, the server could even send multiple email warnings before the name expired. That way only abandoned names would expire.

Thu 28 Mar 2019 8:02 PM by chryso

I don't know of any game that has taken names from characters once they were created. How would this even work? Do you have a nameless toon sitting on your account selection screen?
I am not saying it is impossible that the devs will not agree with you, however, from what I have seen of them I find it extremely unlikely. So much so that if I were a gambling man I would put down large amounts on them not going for your idea.

Also, I don't know anyone who has decided against playing a game because the name they wanted was taken.

Thu 28 Mar 2019 9:23 PM by Sepplord

Stoked wrote: ↑
Thu 28 Mar 2019 7:52 PM
It's fascinating how each response thus far was stated with finality as if they themselves were a Phoenix developer!

Each response? A single one...
And then accusing everyone else of having a name-hoarding advantage (a little ironic that you comment on someone doing the same to you but you do it to a whole group of users), followed by a huge load of selfrighteousness and the small whine about a single smartass implication from a single user /facepalm

I am trying not to post anymore if all i want to do is critisize someone elses comment, but i dont regret making an exception for this one

Fri 29 Mar 2019 2:59 AM by SaintRon

Stoked wrote: ↑
Mon 25 Mar 2019 11:39 PM
It seems large number of popular names are reserved by lvl 1 characters with zero activity for months. Does Phoenix have in-place any measures to return the names of these "parked" toons to the available pool? Seems kinda off if a person can reserve several good names then leave the server, or just never play any of them. Otherwise, with only a single game server running, those names are gone forever.

Possible solution:

I'd suggest that a <10 level character with no usage after 30 days should have that unused name returned to the pool. In cases where the player returns after the expiration, they'd simply be asked to create a new name for the expired-name character without loosing any of the progress they made.

To deter people getting a few levels just to park the name, the expiration duration could scale up with level such that a lvl 50 character has more buffer time than a lvl 1. I'd suggest ~30 days on sub level 10 toon, then adding an additional 30 days of buffer per 10 levels ( a level 50 character would then have 6 months before the name expires).

I appreciate seeing good names used about the server, and having an expiration in-place would help reduce the immersion-breaking practice of adding unnecessary characters to a name because the main spelling wasn't available, e.g. Gandalfffffff, Gaandalf, Gandolf, etc.

Thanks kindly Phoenix Team, and keep up the amazing work!

You could just come up with an original name instead of adding another character.

We don't need a Gandalff... or Gandalff. Or Ronn , Ronnn etc.

Pick a different name.

Fri 29 Mar 2019 3:01 AM by Kohi

Stoked wrote: ↑
Thu 28 Mar 2019 7:52 PM
It's fascinating how each response thus far was stated with finality as if they themselves were a Phoenix developer! Understandable, as they vehemently wish to protect the name-hoarding advantage they have over newer players.

While I have also reserved several good names on my account, I prefer to think of the overall community benefit foremost. Having abandoned toon names expire would benefit new players coming to Phoenix. The only ones this change would affect negatively are name squatters holding dozens of good names (many with no intention or time enough to play all of them), or folks who have simply left the server for good.

And to the vitriolic responders above, maybe tone down the ad-hominem attacks and think of the community before yourselves? With my suggestion, all you would have to do is log onto your character once in a while and you'd never lose the name. In any case, the server could even send multiple email warnings before the name expired. That way only abandoned names would expire.

U post something in a section for everybody to read and to answer, got answers which i think were diverse enough, and complain about so-called vitriol answers ? Seriously, man... If you cannot handle that THE COMMUNITY might have different opinions as yours, you should sit for a moment and think more, instead of throwing accusations at the head of everybody not agreeing with your position.