43 replies to this topic

[SwordofLight]

Kyone Akashi, on 03 November 2012 - 07:37 PM, said:

Surely "tapping" this reputation must be intentional by the player, why else would he do it?

Which is why I did mine. I was trying to get a name that wasnt taken when I registered on Steam, and since I was about to LAN with a buddy of mine who was also a huge Battletech fan, I tried Sword of Light. He cracked up - "Really, Don?" It is, on the one hand, somewhat arrogant to name yourself after the elite of the DCMS, but on the other hand, its make-believe. Thats my point - folks may have knowlege and background on Natasha Kerensky, but you're not actually fighting with or against that fictional character. On a lot of websites, I use as an avatar Sir Harry Flashman - I am no more a 19th century cad, letcher and coward than I am a 31st century mechwarrior.

dal10, on 05 November 2012 - 12:25 PM, said:

there is plenty of roleplaying here, it is just not game mechanics.

And thats also the reason for these names. I've actually been TKed and griefed for talking smack in character - because this is to me more Mechwarrior, the pnp RPG, than it is Mechwarrior the computer game. Hopefully, in the future, restrictions will be in place so that no one else will grief me for saying 'clan clone scum' or insulting House Steiner (on the one hand, you shot me for insulting a made up House? on the other hand, you shot my made up digital mech which looses me nothing real). The stand out for this game is the faction aspect - the ability to play an FPS that has nuance beyond Red v. Blue.

-Don

[Kyone Akashi]

That being said, the ability for talking in-character has little to do with claiming canon names. I have been spouting Combine propaganda myself (and even adjusted my writing style, both by including the occasional Japanese term as well as by avoiding contractions in the hopes of artificially creating a more "foreign" appearance).

Please, do not take this the wrong way - it does feel somewhat awkward to discuss the "issue", but now that the debate is underway I have to point out that in terms of appearances, the arrogance you pointed out yourself may outweigh the make-believe to many. Of course, everyone here knows that we would not be fighting the "true" character behind a popular name, but in a way this is even more harmful to the immersion, as we are once more reminded of not fighting a unique MechWarrior character, but "just" some player hogging a famous name. If this is "make-believe", what exactly are we supposed to believe when faced with such a name?

Ironically, a nick like "Flashman" would perhaps come across as perfectly acceptable, simply because it could be the MechWarrior paying homage to that character because he thinks it would be a funny callsign. I myself have named my BattleMech "Azumi" in reference to the eponymous movie (laced with the in-joke of the pilot actually believing that its story is a classical Japanese legend rather than just an entertainment flick, thanks to the many centuries of lost knowledge having blurred the lines between what's what).
But which pilot would give themselves the name of a famous mercenary or noble? Whilst in some cases this could actually make for an interesting story about mistaken/stolen identities, I would say it is ill-placed in the day-to-day warfare MWO aims to depict.

Or, if it is supposed to be a "legitimate claim" (meaning, the pilot actually being suppose to be that character), there is also the problem of why someone is convinced they are actually "good enough" for that particular role, and secondly, why no-one else is. Though the exclusivity of a name is somewhat of a meta-problem.

Let me finish by softening this post with the remark that I really do like your signature, though.

Edited by Kyone Akashi, 06 November 2012 - 11:50 AM.

[Rayspace]

Paladin Brewer, on 31 October 2012 - 01:25 PM, said:

I also think Canon names should be off limits. I don't want to see Theodore Kurita flaming people on the forums, ever.

But, everyone knows that Teddy is such a troll!

[Dirk Le Daring]

You should find answers using this...http://mwomercs.com/...-least-for-now/

[dal10]

still doesn't mention canon Player Names.

[Tarl Cabot]

True, it doesn't but canon names of game/novel characters are also copyrighted names within that gaming world, thus could technically fall under the same umbrella. That thread's main concern were canon unit names.

It is sorta funny though seeing all of the names starting with inappropriatename###

[Lord Ikka]

You'd think people would actually take a little time and use some creativity to make something uniquely their own, rather than sponge off something that someone else created. Making a canon pilot name is really disappointing. Sigh.

Edited by Lord Ikka, 14 November 2012 - 09:29 PM.

[Tarl Cabot]

Hai, luckily my name is tied to another sci-fi/erotica series and have been using it for BT/MW/MPBT since 1991.

Ok, I was in 9th grade when I picked up the Tarnsmen of Gor at a 7-11 store heading home one day. I really liked the adventure/action/storyline.

[dal10]

Me and the rest of house Liao make people using canon names, clan names, or house names (steiner davion etc.) our number one targets.

[Kdogg788]

Lord Ikka, on 14 November 2012 - 09:29 PM, said:

You'd think people would actually take a little time and use some creativity to make something uniquely their own, rather than sponge off something that someone else created. Making a canon pilot name is really disappointing. Sigh.

If only I had a dollar for every Kerensky I've seen in game and on the forums...

Being in a band in my later high school years, I joined up with Damage Inc. in MPBT Solaris AOL, mainly because their name was a Metallica song. My own name in game "Harvester" was taken from the Metallica song "Harvester of Sorrow."

-k

[Social Justice Mechwarrior]

dal10, on 31 October 2012 - 01:28 PM, said:

I could compromise if the name amaris is 100% permabanned. that name is a death sentence in lore.

What, no respect for the last first lord of the Star League, despicable.

[dal10]

amarisdidnothingwrong, on 15 November 2012 - 07:47 AM, said:

What, no respect for the last first lord of the Star League, despicable.

http://www.sarna.net...tian_Mansdottir was the last first lord, have fun.

[Lord Ikka]

I'm fine with units that have similar names to canon, especially those that have members of previous games that allowed canon units. I have issues with pilots that blatantly hijack canon names, or even other universe names- how many Han Solos and such will we see?

[Tarl Cabot]

They could all be wannabe rangers Legolas!!!

[Kdogg788]

Han Solos? I would hope not. There was one guy in a match a while back called Level 20 Wizard. I didn't really get that one.

-k

[Lord Ikka]

D&D Lvl 20 Wizard, at least in 3.5 edition, was the most powerful character you could be.

[SmithMPBT]

Tarl Cabot, on 14 November 2012 - 09:57 PM, said:

Hai, luckily my name is tied to another sci-fi/erotica

ROFLMAO I never knew. Was it more erotica or more sci-fi?

[Paladin Brewer]

dal10, on 15 November 2012 - 07:52 AM, said:

http://www.sarna.net...tian_Mansdottir was the last first lord, have fun.

In MWO it is 3049, the Star League has not yet been reformed, and this guy has not been a First Lord.

[HlynkaCG]

There is a player wondering around with the user name "TheDraconisCombine" and all I can say is that it must be awfully crowded in that cockpit.

[Tarl Cabot]

SmithMPBT, on 15 November 2012 - 10:11 AM, said:

ROFLMAO I never knew. Was it more erotica or more sci-fi?

(chuckles) bad, bad boy.
The battles, the landscape and theme I enjoyed lots. The OTHER parts were entrancing while specific parts I could not scan read through fast enough (to make sure I wasnt really missing anything. And it was like a sermon of the other sort at times )

Even being black listed for some time, many of the books have been reprinted at least 22 times.

I still like the all of the action whereas the philosophical aspects in the later books are a tad much, even for my tastes

But then, I was simply looking for a game name at the time, looked at my bookcase and saw the Gor series, remembering that I liked the name Tarl (my first name is Carl ) and presto.

I was also known as MPBT Half'Ear during the Solaris bit on AOL and Gamestorm as community support.

Enjoy!!