First of all i want to start by saying i play the cahracter Hugh "The Hand" and yes i did jack it from a book that i guarentee only a handful of people on this server have heard about. I just want to clarify the rules to some people who were to busy to look before they opened their mouth.
"For the love of all that's Roleplay... please make a sensible name for your character. The First Name + Last name genre will do perfectly well. Don't use names that are well-known (Gandalf) or just nouns (Death). Just use what the random name generator creates and change a few syllables if you're unsure what to do."
There it is straight out of the mans mouth and i have broke none of these rules. Also i want to add that its not names like these that are ruining your "Role Play", its that you want it to be complety on your terms so you sit around cordor whining about petty things not enjoying the game. And yes it is just a game. Im pretty positvie that Margeret WEis and TRacy Hickman arent gonna come down from their house in the Hamptons to sue little old me who makes 60k a year for playing one of their characters on NWN. They'll be rich huh? And just for the record to some of the top people complaining...
Shawar- Ruler of Egypt during the crusades.
Hector- Only the most powerful worrior in Troy and not to mention theres no last name. Im sure we all want to party with him also.
Risenlord- Just simply as uncreative as Gandalf
My thoughts are if you dont like someones RP then dont RP with them. This is a game meant to have fun on. And lastly next time you have a problem with my characters tell me instead of throwing my name out there on the forums and talking crap.
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Naming your character -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amia is a roleplay server, and roleplay depends on a good atmosphere. For this reason, we present a few rules and guidelines for making a good/proper character name.
As a rule of the thumb a name should be a name: not a title, a description, a random noun etc. The text hovering above your character's head is an OOC thing anyway, and your character may call him- or herself anything he/she likes. The actual name of your character should fulfill the following criteria, however:
Proper names only, using proper capitalisation and minimal punctuation limited to apostrophes and dashes.
No famous names from literature, movies, PC games or any other source. If a DM spots the name as being a copyright infringment, as in being exactly like a name such as "Gollum", "Pippi Longstocking", or "Darth Maul", it will be changed.
No names of famous people in the real world, living or dead. No George Bushes, Clint Eastwoods, Margaret Thatchers, Conan O'Briens, Adolf Hitlers, or any other famous figure from wherever you may be from. This includes questionable variations of famous names, like "Hesus Christus" or "Haddam Sussein".
No titles, such as "King Philip" or "Son of Ilmater". Pretty much anything that describes things you cannot know about a person by just looking at them (job, education, demeanor, status) is unnecessary and may result in metagaming, and is thus not allowed. The suffixes given to faction members (for example the Cordor Guards) are an exception to this rule, but the title will not describe a rank, however, just the faction you are part of. Names should mislead people OOC on purpose.
Adjectives and nouns are to be used with extreme moderation, preferably only when suitable for the race in question. Names like "Lovely Honeypie" are not good names. Name can not be made of only adjectives either.
Names are not meant to shock or irritate people. You will be asked to change your name if anybody takes offense of it.
No character should have the same name as another character in Amia, or almost the same name. Lookalikes will be asked to change their name. People have the right to be unique. Generated names are exceptions.
The DMs can force you to change your name if they feel your name is not a valid one. Any player who has their name changed and feels their name does not violate any of these conditions is welcome to submit a complaint to the staff and a request to have the name reinstated. A staff vote will then determine if the name is in accordance with the guidelines. Remember that you may always ask the DMs if in doubt.
NOTE! Quote marks (IE "Name" ) bug tell-sending from the player list and look funky in the database, which isn't nice. If you use a nickname, please use aphostopes instead of quotes. IE, 'Name'.
You're absolutely right i apologize. I read all the rules and modifications on the sidebar prior to making my character. Just let me know in game and i'll change my name.
Most often it's enough just to change one or two characters, or move around some stuff. I'd change Hugh "The Hand" into Hugh Hamptons, as a little wink to your own thread.
He did bring up one point that I totally agree with however. Do not worry about how the other players RP their characters, concentrate on your own instead and let them RP how they feel is most fun for them. If you do this and just look at your own you will have more fun as well as they will have more fun.
Joined: 10 Aug 2005 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Godo wrote:
He did bring up one point that I totally agree with however. Do not worry about how the other players RP their characters, concentrate on your own instead and let them RP how they feel is most fun for them. If you do this and just look at your own you will have more fun as well as they will have more fun.
A nice concept, except that it *completely* negates the point of a multiplayer RP server like Amia. That point being, INTERACTION.
We are all here to enjoy ourselves, but the point in being on a multiplayer server like Amia instead of a single player mod or campaign, is that we interact with others. And that being the case, what others do, SHOULD and DOES have an impact on our own enjoyability.
And many people, myself included, have more difficulty enjoying ourselves in a fantasy realm full of names we recognize from popular culture. Some names are so common, like "John", that obviously it's no big deal that we recognize such a name. But when I see an Elvis, or a boss name from World of Warcraft, or even something slightly more obscure, but still recognizable, yeah, I DO have trouble staying immersed in THIS game, and whether it's something I specifically focus on or not, it hurts my ability to enjoy myself.
And that should be a concern to any player. We have to consider the enjoyment of others in a game like this, because if other people aren't enjoying themselves, it's a safe bet THAT will hurt our own enjoyability, because they won't be as "in to it" perhaps, or might just outright not want to RP/otherwise play with the person who is hurting their enjoyability.
_________________ Role with the Punches...
Elan: A 10% chance is pretty unlikely, but everyone knows that a one-in-a-million chance is a sure thing!
When you start critiquing others RP, unauthorized names aside, the emersion lost is on your side. It really matters little if the other player doesn’t RP to suit your own perceptions of how they should RP, as long as you stay IC yourself and act how your character would react you will find allot less frustration in others RP.
I have also found that when you stick with your own character no matter what and role with the circumstances presented to you it will, more times then not, rub off onto the other players, even those that you do not like how they RP. One of the biggest things that start animosity is saying to yourself, I would play his character differently. Focus on ones own characters reactions and development and how they would react even to some way out concept of another and you shall find not only your own enjoyment rise but all those others around you as well.
Do not allow others to ruin your own fun, instead have fun despite what you may think about them.
I'm against it for another reason: We are here to populate a world with creations of our own imagination, and filling it with fan fiction derivatives of characters already made ruins that notion. Make your own mark and tread not the paths already walked.
_________________ Davion Telemos - Monk of the Four Winds Korthan Isharnos - Dragon Shaman of Thunder Spirit Zamasham
Ignoring some peoples characters for little thigns that you do not like make the game cliquish, and boring.
_________________
The Peacock wrote:
[GreatPigeon] is better than me.
Uncle-Opustus wrote:
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Joined: 17 Feb 2007 Location: Patrollink ze borderz! Wo ist das Hahn!?
It's infringement. Full stop.
A theatre Company can't put on a play open to the public without ensuring they aren't infringing on the original materials copyright laws. Heck, some theatres are told outright, "No. You will not put on my play." And that's that.
It doesn't matter about your little fantasy world that you love. This is a game OPEN to the PUBLIC. If the author of Hugh the hand comes out from his NWN closet and decides to bite the bullet on Amia and sees that you are making a douche out of his famous novel works.
Your arse could get in a lot of trouble, and moreso, the owners of this server.
Hence, the rules.
_________________ 'Ze Cock! Ze Cock ist shtill aut der!! Kapitulation feiern - NEIN DANKE!'
Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Location: Goldcoast, Australia
However if Dave Greenwood wants to come online and can prove to me its him (by poping in for tea and scoons*thats code for lots of beer*) he is more than welcome to play Elminster anytime.
If its not your character, dont steal its name simple as that.
I think, in jonathanj84 case, the misunderstanding boiled down to two things. One, the rules are scattered throughout the boards and in the PC journal. I can see how one could read the Rules and F.A.Q area and assume they should have a reasonable understanding of the rules. Perhaps it may be a decent idea to compile the two rule locations into one; just a thought. Second, I think he made an inaccurate assumption when he assumed others do not know about Hugh the Hand. This is similar to someone making the assumption that people do not know about Shawar, the Egyption ruler. All in all, I do think this is a necessary thread because communication is required to get problems fixed and I applaud the DMs on how they handled this specific situation. Thanks for reading my input.
Im not a lawyer, obviously, and not that it really matters but wouldn't you have to prove damages done to you to win a case. IE loss of money such as in a theater charging people to watch a show based on one of your character. I understand people can sue you for anything but it doesnt exactly mean that their gonna win.
CMSGT is right in that i did assume peolpe did not know that name. Apparently that character is more popular then Jack Sparrow on this server. And yes assuming does make an arse out of me and you. I guess i should of figured that being this id a DnD server and the type of people that play on it. Anyways, i had the DM change my name so it shouldn't ruin anybodies hardcore RP anymore. Thanks for the input though guys.
Seriously, I don't see why people make such a fuss about this. The rules are sensible, everybody can make a mistake, problem is solved in an amiable way. What's the issue?
Joined: 06 Jan 2008 Location: ANU, behind the coffee mug (+10 GMT)
jonathanJ84 wrote:
I understand people can sue you for anything but it doesnt exactly mean that their gonna win.
That doesn't mean that the lawsuit itself is cheap (not that I think it would come to that, mind).
Dev Disco wrote:
Seriously, I don't see why people make such a fuss about this. The rules are sensible, everybody can make a mistake, problem is solved in an amiable way. What's the issue?
I believe it started with:
Godo wrote:
He did bring up one point that I totally agree with however. Do not worry about how the other players RP their characters, concentrate on your own instead and let them RP how they feel is most fun for them. If you do this and just look at your own you will have more fun as well as they will have more fun.
_________________ 2009's Second Most Overall Contributing Player
I was not making a comment about famous names but rather about the critiquing of the RP on another. It is up to the DMs to take care of unacceptable names, it is up to us to RP and be IC regardless. If you RP with the person based on the name you recognize from a book, movie, or any other media then aren’t you using OOC information on that name?
Joined: 20 Apr 2008 Location: The downeaster "Alexa"
Godo wrote:
If you RP with the person based on the name you recognize from a book, movie, or any other media then aren’t you using OOC information on that name?
If you create a character with a parodied name, be prepared for that character to be treated as a parody themself. Yes, it's probably wrong if someone OoCly assumes things about your character off of their name, but when you named them that, were you not going for some resemblance of them in the first place? It's not pretty either way and best to avoid making names exactly like (insert famous char) anyway. Simple as that.
Joined: 06 Jan 2008 Location: ANU, behind the coffee mug (+10 GMT)
Godo wrote:
If you RP with the person based on the name you recognize from a book, movie, or any other media then aren’t you using OOC information on that name?
If my character starts talking about cars, aeroplanes and computers, aren't you using OOC information? The answer is yes, but it is hardly your fault if the other person is preventing immersion by brining OOC references into the game.
_________________ 2009's Second Most Overall Contributing Player
If you RP with the person based on the name you recognize from a book, movie, or any other media then aren’t you using OOC information on that name?
If my character starts talking about cars, aeroplanes and computers, aren't you using OOC information? The answer is yes, but it is hardly your fault if the other person is preventing immersion by brining OOC references into the game.
There is a huge difference in someone’s choice of names and that of bring up OOC conversations that do not fin in the setting. I am not advocating the use of famous names and do believe they should not be used, however, when someone uses such a name you recognize then do not allow it to ruin your RP and immersion because of it.
Send a DM a tell or even PM one about the players name and let them talk with the person and get his name changed while you continue to RP your character without regards to it. There really is no need to say anything to the player yourself about it yourself, that would only further the breakdown of any RP and immersion for them as well as others around him.
When one player critique another about their choices it tends to end up in some OOC argument, allow the DMs to handle it to prevent any misunderstandings. Let yourself as well as the others enjoy the RP of your characters by concentrating on the IC situations at hand.
i just dislike using char names that are stolen from books...*shrugs* noone can play those chars but thier creaters and dms, thats just my oppion.
ps...hugh the hand isnt a unknown char..its a magrate wies bestselller...a book series that sold almost as much as cronicals
_________________ -Ja'acira Arrows'R'Us -Balorin Wolfhammer- A dwarf so old he remember when the Beer stein was invented Saisha Jai'diem Knight of bahamut, and abit of a looker
Well, I am sure there are better things to do with your time than debating stuff that doesn't need a debate? Doing the dishes comes to mind, for instance.
The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!
I understand people can sue you for anything but it doesnt exactly mean that their gonna win.
That doesn't mean that the lawsuit itself is cheap (not that I think it would come to that, mind).
You would be /astonished/ at what people can and will sue for.
That being said, there are a couple of fantasy writers (I'm lookin' at YOU, McCaffery and Rawn) who /will/ sue if they see you using their chars in an RPG and you don't stop. They've said they will.
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Ley lines, y'all. Just let me go wrangle up my cowboy boots and lasso us up some magic.
Yee-haw!
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Just so you know, you can not be sued for using a name from a book, movie or anything else, names, like titles can not be copywrited. It is still bad form however, and can be distracting to use such in a RP game such as Amia as well as it is also against Amias rules.
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Proper names only, using proper capitalisation and minimal punctuation limited to apostrophes and dashes. 
