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1 hour ago, AyelaNewLife said:

If it's not the "begone noobling" response, it's the "you have an IQ above your SL age in days and therefore must be an alt of an experienced player" line.

I don't like to judge other people, if it took them six months to work out how to right click -> add a mesh body, or how to google "second life blog" (second option is Strawberry Singh), then good for them. But I do appreciate it if people don't project their own inadequacies onto me.

I wish I could say it is just a small vocal minority, but in my experience I can roughly divide the SL playerbase into those who think that I'm am alt and think it's an issue, and those who think that I'm an alt but don't care. Highly frustrating.

Mostly with my friends it seems to be based on how filled out your profile is. Personally I don't care much if someones an alt or not. I have several alts myself. But what I see most people looking for is how filled out your profile is, if you turn up with no picture or an empty info box or a scantily filled out profile and you haven't created your account in the last few days then people will take you as a alt and for some reason make it into a super big issue. It does seem to be aimed more at resident accounts but I think that has to do with the griefer and troll culture in SL, its too easy to make a throw away account and grief a sim. I know several sims that have been the victim of repeated grief attacks from some a-hole creating new accounts over and over. 

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33 minutes ago, Dakota Linden said:

Greetings again!

Please do not argue.  There are some REALLY good points raised after my initial post. 

1. Phil, you are very correct.  This needs clarification from Linden Lab. When a user creates an account, is it ONLY the last name they can pick, or does the feature allow them to pick a new first name as well?  I do not, and have not, heard anything about that.  I would recommend people attend the meetings where Last Names are discussed and ask :)

2.  Please remember that Linden Lab is not Blizzard, Club Penguin, IMVU, or any other system out there.  How they do things has absolutely no bearing on how Linden Lab does things.  The entire system set up is different.  I have played games where even after paying for an account, I had to pay extra for a character name change (WoW) ($10us), and I have played games where if I want a new/different name, I have had to kill/delete my character and start all over again (Ark Survival Evolved).  Linden Lab is very unique in that each avatar is its own account.  In order to change a name, the entire account name must be changed, not just a character name like in WoW.  Once you create an account name in WoW, it cannot be changed. In this respect, LL is currently more like Gmail, where if you want a different email address, you have to create a brand new account. 

3. Your Second Life account name is directly tied to everything in Second Life.  Changes to the name mean that there is a LOT of work that has to be done behind the scenes, including main database updates, Marketplace database updates, etc.  It may seem an "easy" process for users, but it is not. There are a lot of different people involved in getting everything updated.  

 

So bring back the old sign up method of choosing a first AND last name when you create an account is the thing to do. As I said in an earlier post, if you are going to do it then do it properly. Properly is not trying to milk every last penny out of a community who's pennies have already been milked several times over. You should charge for those that want to change their current name and allow new users to sign up with the choice of a first and last name. #BringItBackProperly #LabLogic #GetItTogetherAlready #YourUsersAreTalkingPleaseListen #DiscussItHereAsNotEveryoneCanMakeInWorldMeetings #RestoreOurFaithInTheLab

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One person griefing on a new account does not make all new accounts bad.

But that's exactly why places eject users under a certain age, why firestorm shows age and payment information in it's radar !!

A new account in SL is a lying-alt first, griefer second and stupid third. New? No one is new .. 

--

On the subject of name changes, it needs to be easy and painless for all parties, or it's going to be expensive and laborious.

I can understand the thinking behind making a better name a perk, but keep in mind .. almost everyone who has a last name chose it because it was the least worst option and grew to associate with it. Those who didn't, rolled a new one .. and then there are those who like making an endless line of accounts with punny names.

 

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2 minutes ago, CoffeeDujour said:

New? No one is new .. 

"Who has been is who will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is no avatar new under the windlight"

Kohelet (famous first-waver)

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I understand LL wanting to get money for name changes - it will help offset the costs of their development time for changing things to allow the whole thing.

However, it has already pretty much been established - at least in most Residents' eyes - that doing away with last names was a major error on LL's part.  Thus, I still firmly believe that everyone signing up for a new account should be allowed a last name for free.  And everyone without a last name should be allowed to get one for free.  After that, all changes can cost money - and if they want to restrict it to Premiums, then that is fine too.

Since I'm seldom available to attend any inworld meetings, I can only voice my opinion in the Forums and hope that these opinions get back to LL.

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  1. The set of users who bother with forums - be they the official forum or some third party forum - is little more than a small sampling/subset. If you're serious about hearing as many opinions as possible then you'd be better off advocating that discussion take place across multiple venues.
  2. The likelihood you'll run into someone who assumes a new account is an Alt - no matter what their reasoning is - depends rather heavily on community/general areas. Some places attract the more paranoid/suspicious types in greater numbers than elsewhere.
  3. Even back before Resident became the only Last Name, there were users who were suspicious of newer accounts. That is simply not going to go away.
  4. Dakota is quite right to remind those here that Second Life is not easily compared with other online communities/systems/games/etc. One thing to note however? Even some of the more popular games out there that allow for a name change ... charge for it.  Even Blizzard does this - you're given one free tag change, then you have to pay for it - and that's one of the more generous examples.

There's a lot to consider and frankly a lot of misinformation/stubbed toes/chips on shoulders ... 

Personally?  I have little preference as to which way I'd like to see this go outside of the following: The name change should only be initiated in the system - as well as the subsequent charge - after the user finalizes their choice and pays (if they indeed go with it being paid) for the simple reason that it makes no sense whatsoever to take any payment prior to finalization and it makes no sense to begin the system side process until the name has been picked.

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39 minutes ago, CoffeeDujour said:

One person griefing on a new account does not make all new accounts bad.

But that's exactly why places eject users under a certain age, why firestorm shows age and payment information in it's radar !!

A new account in SL is a lying-alt first, griefer second and stupid third. New? No one is new .. 

--

On the subject of name changes, it needs to be easy and painless for all parties, or it's going to be expensive and laborious.

I can understand the thinking behind making a better name a perk, but keep in mind .. almost everyone who has a last name chose it because it was the least worst option and grew to associate with it. Those who didn't, rolled a new one .. and then there are those who like making an endless line of accounts with punny names.

 

You just reminded me of a Jira I submitted once on a alt. I asked LL to consider adding age restriction to the region control panel, aka letting us custom set the minimum amount of days old an avatar had to be to enter a region but their excuse was "beyond the scope of our current capability at this moment" xD

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3 hours ago, CoffeeDujour said:

But that's exactly why places eject users under a certain age, why firestorm shows age and payment information in it's radar !!

The only possible reason I can think of for ejecting users under a certain age, is if the region is actually being attacked by griefers at that moment.   Even then, I think making access group member only and making group membership application only, for the duration of the attack, would be a better way to do it.

That, though, involves having people you trust helping you with region or parcel security.

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3 hours ago, Solar Legion said:
  1. The set of users who bother with forums - be they the official forum or some third party forum - is little more than a small sampling/subset. If you're serious about hearing as many opinions as possible then you'd be better off advocating that discussion take place across multiple venues.

Does reddit count as a venue ? probably not ... anyway, more thoughts here..

https://www.reddit.com/r/secondlife/comments/8owkku/dakota_linden_clarifying_how_last_names_will_work/

 

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4 hours ago, Fionalein said:

I doubt we can persuade the Lab to sway from it's chosen course...

It's always worth trying. We might get lucky occasionally. If we get what we want it's kind of like winning in Lottery. xD;)

Edited by Coby Foden
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I wouldn't trust reddit if it said water was wet but I guess its another source. Anything to help a new user make a decision that makes them likely to stay in the first place seems a bit more useful but if thats been tried and failed then yes, make a call and let people change afterwards. It might even work. Just implement *something*

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I guess my biggest problem with the forced premium requirement is the double dipping nature of it.

People will of course look at the thing as a bundle to start, US$X for the change and the double dipping US$9.99 for a month premium, which they then drop to stop the recurring charge.

But this is my irk, but being forced to take the premium they forgo the L$1000 bonus later in life if they take it up. It's not much money, but it is a lot of resentment... "Oh you didnt get the 1000? well, thats because you must sub to premium for 90 days, not 30"

The lab are foolish requiring premium. If they are that desperate for the $9.99 then bump the charge up.

 

10 hours ago, chibiusa Ling said:

#BringItBackProperly #LabLogic #GetItTogetherAlready #YourUsersAreTalkingPleaseListen #DiscussItHereAsNotEveryoneCanMakeInWorldMeetings #RestoreOurFaithInTheLab

#meaninglesshashtagsmakeyoulookstupid

Edited by Callum Meriman
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13 hours ago, Callum Meriman said:

I guess my biggest problem with the forced premium requirement is the double dipping nature of it.

My inner pessimist is almost certain that there will also be extra VAT fees for non-US-users, on top of the name change fee. Triple charging, yay!

It was a feature I was looking forward to for two alt accounts. At the current stage, the excitement has pretty much died and sticking to display names will do.

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To the best of my knowledge, LL no longer has any physical presence in the EU, so there is no requirement for them to collect VAT. But they do collect it (because they can't be bothered to stop collecting it since it's no skin off their noses), and they will undoubtedly collect it on name-changes.

Edited by Phil Deakins
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32 minutes ago, Phil Deakins said:

To the best of my knowledge, LL no longer has any physical presence in the EU, so there is no requirement for them to collect VAT. But they do collect it (because they can't be bothered to stop collecting it since it's no skin off their noses), and they will undoubtedly collect it on name-changes.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/janetnovack/2014/05/15/european-vat-10-things-online-sellers-need-to-know-about-taxes-on-digital-goods-and-services/#2653899fa474

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That's what the EU says in their laws, Theresa. But, and we've been through this before, quite recently, nobody is bound by the laws of another country, unless they are actually in that country. The EU can make all the laws it wants, but it has no jurisdiction over the people of another country. As long as LL is not actually working in the EU any more, then it doesn't have to collect taxes for the EU.

Edited by Phil Deakins
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On 6/3/2018 at 2:55 PM, Coby Foden said:

I regularly go to popular dancing place where there are from 50 to 70 avatars at peak time. Every single time I see lots very weird "not proper" single usernames on the avatars. And most often that is accompanied with almost unreadable "decorated" display name.

I’d be happy if the avatar name hover-text was limited to decipherable text-only :-) I do club work and having to greet people by keeping “nearby avatars” pulled up instead of just greeting who I see walk in is kind of a PITA.

Edited by AmandaKeen
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20 minutes ago, AmandaKeen said:

I’d be happy if the avatar name hover-text was limited to decipherable text-only :-) I do club work and having to greet people by keeping “nearby avatars” pulled up instead of just greeting who I see walk in is kind of a PITA.

Sadly this rules out names like 匠 (Takumi) or キラ (Kira) which are quite valid names. It's also going to rule out Günther.

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24 minutes ago, Callum Meriman said:

Sadly this rules out names like 匠 (Takumi) or キラ (Kira) which are quite valid names. It's also going to rule out Günther.

Actually, those names are quite legible in their parent language :-)

Wiingding Font or emoji  for a name is kind of where I was headed :-)

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On 5.6.2018 at 5:56 PM, Dakota Linden said:

1. ALL new accounts will be created with the Resident last name. Whether your personal choice in viewers allows that name to be hidden or not, ALL new accounts will have the last name of Resident. 

2. IF a user chooses to become a Premium Member, they will have an option to purchase a different last name. The available last names will be from a Pre-Approved, rotating, list. If you do not want to purchase the option for a different last name, then don't. No one is being FORCED to choose a last name other than Resident.

1. ALL new accounts will be created with a preset but well shaped mesh avatar. Whether your personal choice in viewers allows you to lower the avatar LOD to zero, all new accounts will be bound (no mod) to the chosen look you have made at signup.

2. IF a user chooses to become a Premium Member, they will have the option to detach prims and to attach alphas, making them finally able to become customers at maitreya and blueberry.

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23 minutes ago, Resi Pfeffer said:

1. ALL new accounts will be created with a preset but well shaped mesh avatar. Whether your personal choice in viewers allows you to lower the avatar LOD to zero, all new accounts will be bound (no mod) to the chosen look you have made at signup.

2. IF a user chooses to become a Premium Member, they will have the option to detach prims and to attach alphas, making them finally able to become customers at maitreya and blueberry.

Only with last names it will be the exact opposite - a free account can pick any last name they want if they understand how the shift key works, but they'll pay to be "bound to the chosen names."

(Incidentally, what you're describing as an "outrageous" scenario is very close to how many other services work - it's almost exactly the same as Entropia Online's model, for instance.)

Edited by Theresa Tennyson
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