character name

[Mcflury]

I opened this new thread 'cause I don't think this has been answered in any other thread, so here it comes:

I was reading the rules of conduct a minute ago and I noticed these lines about how you are allowed to name your character:

- No brand names, product names, character names or any other elements subject to copyright.

This of course makes sense, and doesn't form too much a problem to me personally. A bit further down the list I read this though:

- All these bans also apply to combinations, homonyms and alternative spellings of such names as are disallowed by this Charter.

And it's this line that's got me worried.
Basically, my question is this: would I be allowed to call a character of mine McFlury ingame? I realise it sort of goes against these rules of conduct (it's an alternative spelling of a brandname that has a trademark on it, not sure if that means it's copyrighted too though) but I've used it in other MMORPG (daoc included) that no doubt had the same kind of rule in their rule of conduct, and nobody made a deal about it in those games.
So anyways, am I allowed to use McFlury as a name in the game, or will that get me banned (in worst case scenario) or will I be forced to change my name?

 

[Lexa]

Always a hard one, COC's generally have to have things like that in them to protect the company. I'm sure that as long as your name doesn't offend you will be fine.

Besides I'm sure McDonalds will be happy with the free publicity, however if they sue the finger will be pointed at you.

I imagine it's more to protect against company branding that would be horrified to be associated with a game like WAR, not that I can think of many.

 

[Mcflury]

But if McDonalds sues the finger will be pointed at you.

that's another thing I never understood: why would any company sue anyone for such a thing? If I'm doing anything it's just making their product better known... not that such a thing is my intention of course, I basically don't even like that icecream too much (I mean, I'll eat it if I get it, but I would never buy it myself )

Anyways, could be I won't even name my character McFlury... it's not as if there are scotsmen in WAR (not on the order side at least)... Would be a shame though, since then everybody remembers the McFlury tactic, but they don't know it's me who invented it

 

[Lexa]

Well I guess it is in case you do something to bring down the company name, or somehow bring it to disrepute. Then they could sue for damages.

Not sure how you could manage that but it's more a just in case. Most contracts are for just in case purposes and are only drawn upon where common sense fails or someone does something illegal.

 

[Ogrelin Blodig]

Is it allowed to name your character Gandalf?

 

[Mcflury]

Is it allowed to name your character Gandalf?

yeah, since it's not copyrighted and it's not a warhammer lore name (afaik).
EDIT: but it's frowned upon though, nobody likes people who steal names from big stories and than behave in a way that character from the story would never behave

 

[Popov]

Technically every MMO in existance has the exact same rule yet still you see millions of Legolas, Gandalf rip offs running around so in short you will probably get away with it unless someone complains about your character directly or it is explicitly coded into the banned names list in the character creation process.

 

[adoNix]

Is it allowed to name your character Gandalf?

As long as i can have Aragorn!

 

[Mcflury]

As long as i can have Aragorn!

funny how nobody ever wants to be Frodo... him being the main character and all
(yes, I also think Frodo is a giant wimp, but still, someone should like him)

 

[adoNix]

funny how nobody ever wants to be Frodo... him being the main character and all
(yes, I also think Frodo is a giant wimp, but still, someone should like him)

Well when you create a might virtual warrior you don't actually want to name him after something thats 1 meter tall and has giant hairy feet!

 

[Nate]

If you somehow managed to make real money from the name, you could get in to a bit of trouble. What makes me wonder is how/if it stands with general words we use every day. Orange for instance, some weird people like the colour and might use it in a name William of Orange for instance. Would he get his name changed as it's copyrighted by the phone company? I really wish they'd make it so it isn't possible to copyright one word names as it gets a bit silly, someone could copyright Dave and then where would we be?!?!

 

[Mcflury]

If you somehow managed to make real money from the name, you could get in to a bit of trouble. What makes me wonder is how/if it stands with general words we use every day. Orange for instance, some weird people like the colour and might use it in a name William of Orange for instance. Would he get his name changed as it's copyrighted by the phone company? I really wish they'd make it so it isn't possible to copyright one word names as it gets a bit silly, someone could copyright Dave and then where would we be?!?!

good point. But it's probably more like Lexa says.. all those little rules are just there in case of... Nothing more, nothing less. Meaning when nothing's said about it: no problemo; when stuff is said about: you're in... brown-not-so-jummy-stuff

 

[Bahumat]

I think as long as you're not using the name in a bad way it will be ok with Goa/Mythic

SO if you had the name McDonaldsRtehShitz0r it'd be bad publicity thus the name would be changed. Or Gbushsuxzballs etc

 

[Binky the Bomb]

I would not worry about it too much, as you will be contancted about it. If you say "Check ferddyshouse, i'm registered there using this name" then I doubt they will have real problem with it. You'd be considered a 'known player' rather than some advertising bot. They may ask you to make a subtle change (Mr Mcflury?) or something if they think there is a legal problem.

Course, be careful not to take the piss and say "Hey, you now what would go great with that purchade, a BIG MAC", as they will spank your account.

 

[Maasu]

yeah, since it's not copyrighted and it's not a warhammer lore name (afaik).
EDIT: but it's frowned upon though, nobody likes people who steal names from big stories and than behave in a way that character from the story would never behave

Personally wouldn't want to be associated with someone who would frown upon the name of someones character in a game.

 

[Mcflury]

Personally wouldn't want to be associated with someone who would frown upon the name of someones character in a game.

first off, I was kidding (hence the )
second: well, some games imo do should be frowned upon. Basically those are offensive names though, and thus are illegal anyways, but you know... I would frown upon those

Course, be careful not to take the piss and say "Hey, you now what would go great with that purchade, a BIG MAC", as they will spank your account.

I don't really get what you're trying to say with this :s Are you saying that I would be fine using the name McFlury as long as I don't make any silly joke about it? Because that would stink, since anyone who knows me knows I constantly make silly jokes about anything (okay, I admit, my nickname isn't a thing I usually do joke about, but it happens others make a joke about it and I laugh with it... Quite normal I think).
Anyways, could be I got that sentence completely wrong though, so don't hit me with a stick if this doesn't make sense.

 

[Nate]

He's trying to say you'd look very much like an Employee of McDonald's if you did something like that

 

[Mcflury]

He's trying to say you'd look very much like an Employee of McDonald's if you did something like that

ah, k, now I get it Thx for explaining
Myes, I always do my best not to look like something I am not. So basically I try to be a mad(as in crazy), funny but friendly soul who studies chemistry at the university and loves to read/write and play MMORPGs... because that's basically who I am

 

[Binky the Bomb]

I don't really get what you're trying to say with this :s Are you saying that I would be fine using the name McFlury as long as I don't make any silly joke about it?

As long as you make sure everyone KNOWS its a joke (j/k) then you'll be ok. WoW had a classic one, just an orc that was created just so someone could stand in the Barrens Chat and spam advertisements... everything from beer to increasing the size of you pen-IS.

Thats the type of thing there looking at for the most part.

 

[Mcflury]

ah, k
Well, that's not me at all, making silly advertisements for anything... I just play the game the way it was meant to be, and use a name that's become my nickname in the last 1.5 year for that (I even have a sweater with my name on it, and right under my name it says 'mcflury'... So no commercial, just a nickname)

 

[svartalf]

I were right upset when I read this:

You cannot and must not on pain of pain use any letters in your character's name

I don't blame you. That's harsh!

 

[crispy]

Im gonna be Goa Tse or Tubboy :>

 

[Dervish]

Course, be careful not to take the piss and say "Hey, you now what would go great with that purchade, a BIG MAC", as they will spank your account.

Now that is funny, rep for j00.

 

[Blackjack]

Personally i fucking hate when people use alternate spellings of a name they couldn't get. (If they have other, personal reasons to misspell that is ok.)
That should be punishable with lashes.

If you didn't manage to get; Jack Sparrow.
DON'T name your character;
Jaack Sparrow
Jak Sparrow
Jac Sparrow
Jakk Sparrow
Jacksparrow
J4ck Sparrow

You get the idea.

Face it, someone beat you to it. Find another name.

 

[Faeldawn]

I always wanted to see a game which generates the name for you or only lets you choose from random generated names.

Get sick of seeing so many Legolas, Arogorn, Drizzt, Gandalf, Grendel etc variants or names which are 1337 speak or just plain daft. I love humerous names, don't get me wrong, but some are just silly.

 

[Himse]

haha,

im going for a name

but i dont want to say :< incase some bint steals it!

 

[jorky]

tell me your name himse

 

[svartalf]

haha,

im going for a name

but i dont want to say :< incase some bint steals it!

Legolas or Gandalf?

 

[Bahumat]

I deliberately misspelled mine so i'd have a greater chance to get it. but alot of dyslexic's seem to misspell it by accident

 

[BloodOmen]

Personally i fucking hate when people use alternate spellings of a name they couldn't get. (If they have other, personal reasons to misspell that is ok.)
That should be punishable with lashes.

If you didn't manage to get; Jack Sparrow.
DON'T name your character;
Jaack Sparrow
Jak Sparrow
Jac Sparrow
Jakk Sparrow
Jacksparrow
J4ck Sparrow

You get the idea.

Face it, someone beat you to it. Find another name.

Totally agree, remember when The Burning Crusade first came out on WoW and a zerg of bloodelves appeared all called stuff like


Separoth
Seperoth
Zephiroth
Zefhiroth

etc


Correct Spelling "Sephiroth" it drives me fucking mad when people try to re-invent a name because they're to childish to find another.