Names of Merged Characters "Second Chance"

[Kari]

I have a similar issue with names.
I never lost a name to a merge.
However, when I started the game, I was playing on Remora, where my original character name was already taken, so I took an alternative that is "okay", but not quite what I wanted. [After trying tons of names that you wouldn't even think would be taken.]
Since then, I've transferred to Shiva. Obviously, my current name wasn't taken there...
But, I never got the chance to check if the name I WANTED was available at Shiva.

IMO, renames should be a paid service option. I would gladly fork up $5 to at least attempt changing my name to what I wanted it to be originally.
Just as well, names should become made available after a certain amount of time.
Plenty of games these days automatically delete old characters/guilds/etc to make sure there isn't a clutter of unused names, or at the very least have a system allowing people to use inactive names.
This game, being alive for so long, has a huge list of names per server that are just going to waste.

[Kaida]

Name changed. took 6 days

[Sarick]

Things to note before contacting an in game GM.

Important: This is only for characters of the May 13th 2011 merger at this time and your name must have been forced to change on the merger to be applicable.

#1 Remove the items in your characters auction house.

#2 Clear your mog mail send and receive boxes on your character.

#3 (Optional) Attempt sending one gil using mog mail to names you're interested in. If the name is taken then it will allow the item to be placed in the send box. You don't actually need to hit send because the game will reject non-existent characters. Be careful this isn't 100% verification that the names rejected are open for use. They may still be reserved or could've been banned in the past.

#4 Contact the GM using help desk select "report a violation",then select "yes I have." Using this line "Second chance name change one time opp please." seems to be very effective.

#5 After speaking to a GM and being accepted log off game and return to the character select screen. Your character name should be yellow forcing a name change. Just select it and choose a new name. GOOD LUCK!

[Tsukino_Kaji]

#5 After speaking to a GM and being accepted log off game and return to the character select screen. Your character name should be yellow forcing a name change. Just select it and choose a new name. GOOD LUCK!

And please put some thought into it this time. lol

[Crysten]

And please put some thought into it this time. lol

We've been over this.

[Charismatic]

And please put some thought into it this time. lol

A+ trolling, sir. I applaud your efforts.

[Balz]

I do not think it is right that people in the last merger were excluded from this offer. I was not active at the time of the last server merger and only been back like 2 months. I was forced to change my name on my primary character, but none of my mules. Unfortunately now the name I would have used on my primary after forced to change is the name of a mule. My primary name was from US ps2 launch and I lost that, my first mule was my XBOX live tag. I made my name Xbalz from Balz just to be able to sign in and I definately regret that as people ask X a question when I am in a party and do reply because thats not me.

I would love a chance for a second chance like you are giving other community members.

[Sarick]

And please put some thought into it this time. lol

I Thought this >> #3 (Optional) Attempt sending one gil using mog mail to names you're interested in. << was the putting thought into a new name. Then again people where frustrated so bad they typed things like GVWED etc. It's really is inane The inactive characters get to keep their names. Loyal paying users should get priority over dead beat characters/mules that quit log ago. I'm guessing 80-90% of the inactive non-banned names will never come back anyway so, why keep them?

I never changed my name much, in fact I made a mule on the server with one letter difference right before they blocked new character creation when I tested for Sarick. The post I made here was to help others on this board. I decided to put a copy here from the original post in the interest of making the process smother for this forums readers. I really did put more thought into a new replacement. I can definitely say I spent more time then the quote of yours that started with "and" shown above.

[Rya]

They're preserving names of dead people ...
... whose inactivity en masse caused the merge!

I understand how it could have saved a little bit of time/work/resources to do it this way ("natives > immigrants"), but it still feels like:

Rya: Here SE, I want you to have this Ninurta's Sash.
SE: Sorry, I am already wearing a Druid's Rope.
Rya: I think you can unequi--
SE: CANNOT EQUIP. ALREADY WEARING A BELT.
Rya: ...preeeeetty sure you can just--
SE: Name change, kupopopopopopo!!!! :D
Ryaa: CURSES!!! :(
____________________

The only thing I can come up with is:
Ignoring names, moving (ex) 1000 Giggles records to Carby, necessitated a change to all 1000 Giggles records (to change their "location" pointer, to Carby). Now you just run the "create new char name" routine on them; if it is unavailable, pick a new one.

However, the existing 1000 Carby records did not need to be altered, since they are "native" records (staying put). This cuts the number of evaluations in half (1000/2000). See, if you had to compare them in any way (age?, active?, etc) then you would have to pull up all 2000 records involved!

>.>

I bet it really is something silly like that...