Blog Post: Recycling of the Pixel Kind

[Birdy Penchant]

Morgue

I really don't know if this is a good idea. Names are an identity. How do you deal with the confusion of seeing somebody new using the name of an old friend who was just on two years ago? What about people in the military & are away from their account for an extended period of time? What about users who are deceased that have friends who still drop by to pay their respects?

agreed

[FableCat]

Birdy Penchant

Morgue

I really don't know if this is a good idea. Names are an identity. How do you deal with the confusion of seeing somebody new using the name of an old friend who was just on two years ago? What about people in the military & are away from their account for an extended period of time? What about users who are deceased that have friends who still drop by to pay their respects?

agreed

I don't think the decease would care about that O_O. I doubt their family too. This is a game not a graveyard.

Anyway whats the odd you seeing the new guy of the same name as ur fren? Or you to even remember the person username? Too many Gaia players come and go. Its like searching a needle in a haystack. Unless you actually google their name. Even my friends kept changing their names. I can't even remember what they were known before.

Furthermore, I thought the accounts that was going to be clean up are those that have no activity after the day they have join? (Yeah like those people make mules just so the others won't be able to get those names and then never bother to be active on it).

[Angry Cuteroxy1223]

SimplySimone

From the Gaia Online Blog.

Recycling of the Pixel Kind

With Earth Day coming up, we thought we'd join in and do some recycling of our own. After 7 years, we're finally going to do some username recycling! Don't worry, if you're here to read this post, your username won't be recycled because...(click here for full story)

Want to comment on this blog post? Please post your comments below...

[clipclop]

I myself am token ready to shark on this opportunity.
I reaaaaally want a name. and the noob who has it has 900 posts and hasn't been on for 2 years i believe.. ;o


I see everyone's concerns and they're all good reasons

I think it should be time-based which also depends on activity.
Gaia should take into account how many hours they've logged, gold/items they've accumulated, how many posts they've had and how many friends they gotten.

Obviously someone with 9000 posts, 300 friends, and over 15mil worth of items shouldn't lose their name within a 2 year time period.

but how about... an account that has 4 posts, 1 friend and 2000 gold?
do you think that's enough? I certainly hope so.

The system would work well if Gaia sent a message to the endangered user that their username is about to be up for grabs and that they should log in to grab it. It works that way for Yohoho puzzle pirates. And it works.

as of concerns for a renamed person, all they need is something that distinguishes in a similar way to original account. say, if Rhapsody ltd were to grab rhapsody's name(person earlier in this thread) rhapsody could have herself renamed to something like... *rhapsody, which is an invalid character-as you can't use asterisks-
If the original searcher was looking for rhapsody they'll be able to find her, no problem. And i doubt that if you don't know that you're friend is inactive, they're you're friend (exception being you yourself are inactive)


Also, for users trying to log into their name(that has been renamed), all Gaia has to do is add a notice for an incorrect pass/user saying that usernames become changed to [so and so] [or other likely process] and boom. easy.
especially easy if usernames just get an asterisk added, then when they log in, they get a prompt to change their user.


Overall, i think it's a great idea. but needs a tiny bit of work/planning before implementation.
I'm looking forward to it.

[Morbid Stalker]

even though im not online im just waiting for my tradeiing pass to be back i play my mule surprised

[xKamirei]

I love this idea. I mean, there is a username I have been wanting for a WHILE.
But the only thing was that this person has not logged on since 2003 redface

So I would be happy~ heart

[Piyossu]

I'm agreeing with Maeyru.
The username I really (and have been wanting since I joined Gaia 2 years ago) want belongs to a person who hasn't logged in since 04.. crying

[Reid Linwood]

I'm also hoping to get a name I'm using everywhere else, but is in use here by someone who hasn't logged in since 2004 and hasn't made a single post. xp

So yes, while I understand there are plenty of things they need to take into consideration to implement the change, I think this is a great idea. 4laugh

[mayor bobo]

yes i agry

[glooe1]

idk

[Desalina Raine]

bump 4laugh

[yerlak]

ok, im gonna read all the posts in this thread
but first i would like to ask you....

Did you know there are still hundreds of names even thousands of original names available?
if i could i would take them all but hey! i cant manage so many accounts haha
Seriously if i could i would... or how about once yo have recycled the names
i take them all?
you're stating:

Quote:

The purpose of this is to free up some of the more desirable usernames that are currently bound to inactive accounts,
and allow active and engaged users to enjoy them!

then how do you know for sure those names wont be taken by newbies who will abandon the accounts to be inactive?

The people agreed with this its probably because they dont have an good name
not offense people but like i mentioned before there still are good names available!

yeah you could say yerlak isnt a good name but it is for me it has a history,
a very important name in my life heart though my concern is about my other accounts
some of them are not active yet but im planing to use them eventually

Morgue

I really don't know if this is a good idea. Names are an identity.
How do you deal with the confusion of seeing somebody new using the name of an old friend who was just on two years ago?
What about people in the military & are away from their account for an extended period of time?
What about users who are deceased that have friends who still drop by to pay their respects?

Crevan2008

So I do not thing this is a great idea or anything else. Its a bad idea, and I mean a really bad idea.

Raven dragonfire-Divinity

The recycling new names should only apply to those who are permanently banned with no hope of ever getting their account back

Arreat

Terrible idea. I don't like such a thing to change after so many years. It makes me feel unsafe to take a needed hiatus from the site.

[Your Soulless Solace]

sorrrrry

[ii_rawr_candy_ii5]

Hello! Thanks for coming! :]

[Mythilendiel UnAna]

I love this idea. If people are on hiatus, it takes like two seconds to log in to Gaia every TWO FREAKIN' YEARS... And if they think they are going to quit, but change their mind, then it's like the child that threw away the ice cream it wanted... It can just get different ice cream. The original ice cream it had is forfeit to the trash. I also very much so approve of not taking the items or making them pay for anything. It seems so safe. =] Did this ever actually happen with anyone...? Or is it still just a work in progress?