VVIP Feature ~ Name Reservations.

[GommeInc]

@Tawm, that's not the point There could still be plenty of usernames.

But very little original names, which is what people want. I can see Tawm's point, if you change your name, you dump the old one for others to use. The only people who could reserve names would be staff who hold another name for special events or their name before they became staff, but then that could be seen as a bit unfair too.

[MissAlice]

And so then your using double the usernames you need to be using which means less choice for new members...

imo, if you've changed names, you leave the old one behind for the takings.

But very little original names, which is what people want. I can see Tawm's point, if you change your name, you dump the old one for others to use. The only people who could reserve names would be staff who hold another name for special events or their name before they became staff, but then that could be seen as a bit unfair too.

I agree with you both.

I know this idea would be beneficial for a minority of members, but I do feel it could also cause a few problems, at some point. If a new member joined the forum and wanted to use their Habbo name, and it was in use on the forum, they would be forced to create something different, if the name then became available, I do feel that person who owns the Habbo name should be allowed to have it.

Therefore if you ask for a name change you really should lose the right to any previous name. I know name changing is a feature of VIP but storing names I don't think should be. Many members do want to be associated with their own Habbo name, and you could well be depriving them of it.

Nice idea, but there are possible problems.

[nvrspk4]

I agree with you both.

I know this idea would be beneficial for a minority of members, but I do feel it could also cause a few problems, at some point. If a new member joined the forum and wanted to use their Habbo name, and it was in use on the forum, they would be forced to create something different, if the name then became available, I do feel that person who owns the Habbo name should be allowed to have it.

Therefore if you ask for a name change you really should lose the right to any previous name. I know name changing is a feature of VIP but storing names I don't think should be. Many members do want to be associated with their own Habbo name, and you could well be depriving them of it.

Nice idea, but there are possible problems.

While I'm not necessarily disagreeing with the general idea that this shouldn't be implemented, I disagree with it based on this reasoning simply because the member's right to their Habbo name is paramount. VIPs will - and have - been forced to change their names if they use that of a person on Habbo. When inactive accounts occupy the names, we will even change that name and email them because we have decided that members have a right to use their Habbo name (within reasonable limits, we had to set a one-change per month policy for non-VIPs due to some people abusing it and requesting a name change like every week.)

I would like to hear the other side of the argument against this more before we implemented it because there are always two sides.

@Gomme > If it was a VIP+ feature it wouldn't be that many names. Also, its not like they can hang on forever, they have it for a month or two so it would be a one-off type of thing. Might fifty or maybe sixty (I'm predicting worst, or rather best case, the current number is closer to 20) names be reserved? Well yeah, but not all at the same time.

[Recursion]

a month would be reasonable I guess, but still, it is quite hard to find a decent name at the moment, let alone with a load of reservations to make it even harder.

[today]

i dont see the point its too much hassle.

[Nick-]

And so then your using double the usernames you need to be using which means less choice for new members...

imo, if you've changed names, you leave the old one behind for the takings.

Hit the nail on the head ^^

Also, whats stopping a completely new member registering a name that's under reservation? Presumably the system will be based around a thread in the VIP Lounge rather than actually written into the Forum's coding which will be checked and updated as name changes are requested. The new member wouldn't be aware of the reservation system and we (and when I say we I mean I because it'll probably end up being my responsibility) would have to PM the new user forcing them to change their name to something that's available and not under reservation. That doesn't really give the best first impression of Forum Staff if we have to be stern from the moment a new user registers. What if the new user doesn't comply and doesn't offer a new name? Obviously it'll need to be changed but to what? NewUser001? Not exactly personal...

There's also a little room for abuse too, there's nothing stopping an already registered member registering another account to be deliberately vindictive to someone who's reserved that name. If this is the case they aren't likely to be fine with us changing the accounts name to something that's available. If this continues, eventually we'll have built up quite a list of 'NewUser001'

Name changes already involve several steps too, it isn't just a case of changing the name and replying to the thread stating what's been changed or whether the name is unavailable. There's quite a lengthy thread hidden from view which I have to update detailing each change I make for reference purposes. Which is why I get a bit peeved when VIPs request name changes that are unavailable because I have to go back and remove what I've just attempted to change assuming that the VIP knows that the name is available. Adding another step, to this process makes the whole thing a lot more time consuming for all VIPs and a lot more hassle for me to do, especially if a VIP requests a name that's under reservation or unavailable.

Although it's a nice idea and, in theory, quite an appealing perk of VIP+, in practise, it's a bit more complicated.

[GommeInc]

@Gomme > If it was a VIP+ feature it wouldn't be that many names. Also, its not like they can hang on forever, they have it for a month or two so it would be a one-off type of thing. Might fifty or maybe sixty (I'm predicting worst, or rather best case, the current number is closer to 20) names be reserved? Well yeah, but not all at the same time.

Defeats the norm for most forums. You either stay with your name or you get rid of it for a new one. It seems a bit of pointless feature to hold onto, especially if members reserve a name for a month. It depends if you finally fix the VIP issues by having a team of VIP leaders. I would feel sorry for the poor VIP editor who will have to deal with more added to his work load...It'll be easier just to lower the price of VIP+ really :/ The name does suggest it's adding to VIP, not making it completely different so maybe a small added price between the two seems reasonable. Looking between the two it should be no-more than £2.50p

I never realised this, the VIP - VIP+ - Normal Member table isn't a proper table, it's all mis-aligned

[MissAlice]

While I'm not necessarily disagreeing with the general idea that this shouldn't be implemented, I disagree with it based on this reasoning simply because the member's right to their Habbo name is paramount. VIPs will - and have - been forced to change their names if they use that of a person on Habbo. When inactive accounts occupy the names, we will even change that name and email them because we have decided that members have a right to use their Habbo name (within reasonable limits, we had to set a one-change per month policy for non-VIPs due to some people abusing it and requesting a name change like every week.)

I would like to hear the other side of the argument against this more before we implemented it because there are always two sides.

I would of said more, but it was late and I needed my sleep. I'm glad to read that there is care taken with regards to Habbo names, because after all we all know this is a Habbo fansite forum, and although it may not be of paramount importance, it is still important.

I also, like Nick- do have my concerns about members being vindictive and using names just for the fun of it. It would actually be quite confusing if two VIP+'s during let's say a 6 month period both used the same name, it might not be account sharing but it's certainly name sharing Has this actually ever happened?

I know that the thread creator has a unique name, even though it's not his Habbo name, as I do know Josh the Habbo So I can also understand why this idea has been put forward, and I sympathise with him, because of the risk of losing his unique account here. Maybe a better idea would be to allow VIP+, to reserve one name and one name only, and not be allowed to change the reserved name while they are paying for the service, although they could change to any other name that's available in the meantime, and should they stop paying for the service their name reverts to the reserved one. Wouldn't this be a lot simpler?