I was considering rolling up a Runekeeper alt in LOTRO, and I even have an alt name reserved on Allarond's server. The only issue is that the name in question is Lyriana. I've since gone on and used that name elsewhere, for my EQ2 Dirge.
I've reused names from time to time. Lyriana has also been a Blood Elf mage, and a minstrel in the LOTRO beta. Cheerydeth has been a Death Knight, a Witch Hunter, and a Rogue, though I came up with an explanation for that. Then again, I knew that Cheerydeth the first was not going to be with me forever, and Cheerydeth the second's career got cut short along with my Warhammer subscription. By contrast, Lyriana (the third?) has had a successful and ongoing career, and I think I would associate the name more closely with the dirge than any other character I put the name on.
How about it, readers? Do you reuse names between characters, or is it important to you that your characters have unique names? Voting's open in the sidebar for the next two weeks or so.
I reuse them all the time. I actually ran across a IRL friend in Vanguard and he shot me a tell asking if I was me due to the reused character name. Kinda fun, I thought.
ReplyDeleteI like the names well enough and it saves me from having to think of new ones every time.
Never.
ReplyDeleteI reuse names all the time. I think of my characters as Eternal Champions, all reflections of the same person across many worlds.
ReplyDeleteAlways, typical carrying the personal through.
ReplyDeleteLoredena is a barbarian warrior in EQ, who married a human monk. She is a human guardian in EQ2 (I look upon her as a descendent of Lore1 and Sisca). She's a human warrior in LotRO as well and was a fighter in DaoC. In each game she's typically my main, a fighter who emphasizes the tanking role.
Lemilynia began life as an elven druid in D&D 20 years ago. In EQ1 she was a fletcher, wood elf, ranger. In EQ2 she's a high helf, woodworker, ranger. In LotRO she's again a woodworking elven ranger.
Serr has the most variation: Serenia was a human cleric in D&D; Serenya, dwarven cleric in EQ1; Serrennial, dwarven skald in DaoC; Serennial, dwarven hunter in WoW; Serrenial, dwarven paladin in EQ2; Serrenial, halfling minstrel in LoTRo. In all games where it is an option she is baker/provisioner/cook
Other names and personas echo as well when they make sense.
Yes, I have altitis ;)
Oh yes.
ReplyDeleteI occasionally think up new ones. Toodles LaBamBam for a new SWG Ithorian entertainer and FryingPan McFlip for a SWG Cook are recent examples.
I occasionally reuse names, but if a game has a setting and background that has really grabbed me (ie. not the standard fantasy fare) then I'll try to think of something that fits.
ReplyDeleteI reuse a certain particular name alot.... but alts on the same server will always have different names and not just variations.
ReplyDeleteEspecially if I'm doing something specific for a character I'll want the name to have more meaning, but then all the alt names get added to my available lexicon of who I am.
Slowly but surely one of their voices will drown out Pangoria, and my whole personality will shift again.....
Now to think of names for Champions Online....
Despite coming from a pen&paper background I'm gladly reusing my names. First because I can't get to see myself as a roleplayer in MMOs and second because I like them. I wouldn't have chosen if I wouldn't.
ReplyDeleteAlways. Blume is my mage/ranged magic user, Staala my archer/non-magical ranged DPS, Brunik is my warrior/paladin/tank, and Anaxare is my "evil" character (warlock/shadowknight/rogue).
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely I reuse them! If "Malfi" is available I use it in any new game I try out. Otherwise, I have a stable of names I can draw from.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely!
ReplyDeleteFerrel is a legacy name with a lot of history behind it. I feel naked without the name over my toons. It is also just easier for my friends and guild mates.
Even if I'm on an alt I'm addressed as Ferrel. That tends to confuse the new people of course but in time they get it.
I often reuse "Longasc". The name is never taken. But I also play female characters very often, where I pick the name fitting to the char and game lore at hand, most of the time.
ReplyDeleteI not only re-use character names in different games, I have the same names on different servers. . .
ReplyDeleteI haven't reused any names yet, but I might in the future. Especially if I'm essentially making the same character again (i.e. I have a D&D4e wizard with a suicidal belief he can stand in the front lines, if I played a MMORPG where that wouldn't result in instant death I might reuse the name).
ReplyDeleteI _do_ use related names. I have a ginncrotz, and decided "crotz" is the dwarven last name, so I have some other mumbletycrotz characters.