Completely Stuuuupid Ban

OK... A couple of days ago, I emailed A-net's support team and asked them if ther was ANYWAY to change an existing character name. I did this for a couple of reasons, but the main one was one of my characters names. It's my elementalist. He is called "Hiroshema Bomb" and whilst i think that it is not that offensive, seeing as elementalists are commonly refered to as "nukers" anyway, I can understand why players may find this offensive, so I wanted to cjhange it.

So I emailed A-net... they replied saying that they cannot do anything to change my name. So ok fair enough, i can understand that.

What I CANNOT understand is the fact that, latter than night, I tried to log onto GW. I got an error message (code=045). I have recieved a 72 hour ban due to a character name... WTF!!!!!!!

I mean, had i not just emailed them concerning this character? And How long has this character been in existence? a fair few months...

I have also not recieved an explanation email from A-net about this ban and I emailed them about 20 hours ago asking about this ban... not recieved a reply yet. So I've emailed them again and, this time, I hope they get the message.

yeah but they could have just banned me for like the minimum ban time which is 24 hrs?

I believe they just granted your request, after the ban is over you are required to change your characters name... I believe that is the only way to change it.

I don't think their ban periods are that rigid. They'll have a list of offences and ban times but they can ban you for 30 seconds if they feel like it.

you would be correct.

Wait, what? You can change your char's name after the ban without actually deleting it? How? And if that's possible, let 'em ban me too, 3 days without GW is a fair price for renaming my ranger >.<

The thing was tho, the email they sent me when i asked them about changing my character names went like this:

"Response (GM Liam) 09/30/2007 04:55 PM
Hello Spencer,

Thank you very much for contacting the Guild Wars Customer Support Team.

Unfortunately we are unable to make any changes to a character's name, haircut, height or any other attribute. We will only ever change a character's name if it violates our rules of conduct ( http://eu.guildwars.com/support/arti...es_of_conduct/ ) .

Thank you very much for your understanding.

Regards
GM Liam"

So ok, i am to understand that they can change my name if it breaks the rules of conduct... but i tihnk its downright rude not to tell me a proper reason for giving me the ban!

Sounds like a pretty douchebag move. It would've been better if you were acknowledged for your concern with something other than a temp-ban, though.

And I'm just gonna get it out of the way so someone else doesn't come in here being annoying and junk: "blah blah you shouldn't have been named that in the first place blah blah". There, out of the way.

...Doesn't your name break the rules of conduct? If it doesn't, why would they NOT grant your request to change it, but they will ban you for the offensive name? Doesn't make sense to me.

From the Rules of Conduct: "... You may not use sexually explicit, harmful, threatening, abusive, defamatory, obscene, hateful, or racially or ethnically offensive language...."

Ok maybe it could be seen as racially/ethnically offensive, but so could the term "nukers" right?

I think they're going into ethics now.

Well... even if i have broken rules of conduct (which i dont think i have) then im still FUXING ANGERY that i didnt get ANY email telling me about my ban!

The difference between your name and the general term nukers is that yours recalls a particular mass killing in human history rather than just the technology that made it possible.

That said, you realized your mistake before being called on it, and you asked for a chance to correct it, so their way of providing that correction seems a little unfair.

I had almost the exact same experience, although apparently someone else needed to report me for Anet to take any action, as I was not banned until 6 months later. I "self-reported" my character for an offensive name (my first GW char, I won't post the name here but suffice to say it was rude, childish, and anything else you'd like to call it-I'll not argue a bit). Anyway, I sent the ticket in around March for fear I would lose the char and all her accomplishments-only to receive the same auto-response as the OP. Then last month someone must have reported me and I got the same 3 day ban, with support telling me I'd need to change the char name before I could log back on once the ban was over. No big deal, it was expected and deserved, the only bummer being anything customized to the deleted name would be unusable by the "new" char. This was not the case however; I changed her name, logged on, and was able and am still able to use all "Offensive's" gear (armor, wepons, etc.) on the "new" char. Sort of odd seeing the arnmor customized for a char with another name, but whatever...I didn't have to shell out gold for new gear. My point here is I don't think this was a stupid ban, although I wish support would have taken this action when I initially reported it but again, no big deal. I, and the OP, earned and deserved the ban and I'm just glad my original char was not deleted completely.

they banned you so you could change your name, that is how they operate, if you give them a good reason to let you change your name the procedure is to ban you then you can change it post ban, just relax, you got your wish. I do agree that it isnt an easy to to get a name changed but if there was an easy way to change your name then ppl would be changing their names left and right.

try getting banned for leeching in AB when you clearly tell the people "hey i slow load so dont do the /report thing" not even 2 hours later BAM banned for 72 hours.

Welcome to Anet support... /copy /paste

It doesn't matter what the rules are, if someone reports you for an offensive name, they will ban you and make you change it.

Nothing we can do for you here.

Closed.