New character, same name?

[d***@gmail.com]

I deleted a character I really didn't like and I wanted to create a new
character (different race) but with the same name. Note that I did NOT
want to resurrect the character with all her old skills, items, etc. I
wanted to start a brand new character at level 1.

It seems I can't do this as the characters are 'saved' for some time
(forever?) even after deletion. I've seen some posts where it is
claimed that the same character name was used on a different server but
I have been unable to do this as well.

Is there any resolution to this (other than contacting Blizzard)?

[Catriona R]

Post by d***@gmail.com
I deleted a character I really didn't like and I wanted to create a new
character (different race) but with the same name. Note that I did NOT
want to resurrect the character with all her old skills, items, etc. I
wanted to start a brand new character at level 1.
It seems I can't do this as the characters are 'saved' for some time
(forever?) even after deletion. I've seen some posts where it is
claimed that the same character name was used on a different server but
I have been unable to do this as well.

You can do it, I did so myself, so I'm not sure why it isn't working
for you. I originally had a troll priest called Sagart and rerolled
him to an undead one, no problems at all.

I hope this hasn't been changed recently, as I currently have a
placeholder character holding a name for my draenei priest :-/

Have you actually tried making the new character? If it says the
charcter name is in use then there is an existing character with the
name (not a deleted one), so based on that I would expect you to be
able to make the character, unless it is a common name and you left
enough time after deleting your old one for someone else to make a
character with the name.

[PGerringer]

What error messages are you getting if any? I've done this many times.
I tend to reuse character names till I get it on a character I'm
satisfied with. The only settings that seem to remain from char to
char are settings for addons that are character specific.

[d***@gmail.com]

Post by PGerringer
What error messages are you getting if any? I've done this many times.
I tend to reuse character names till I get it on a character I'm
satisfied with. The only settings that seem to remain from char to
char are settings for addons that are character specific.

I won't be able to check specific error messages until later this
evening (Pacific Standard Time) but this does raise a question. How
can characters be 'rezzed' by Blizzard if someone else has 'grabbed'
the name of the previously deleted character?

[Thomas J. Boschloo]

Post by d***@gmail.com

Post by PGerringer
What error messages are you getting if any? I've done this many times.
I tend to reuse character names till I get it on a character I'm
satisfied with. The only settings that seem to remain from char to
char are settings for addons that are character specific.

I won't be able to check specific error messages until later this
evening (Pacific Standard Time) but this does raise a question. How
can characters be 'rezzed' by Blizzard if someone else has 'grabbed'
the name of the previously deleted character?

Simple. Rename them. I know someone RL who named his character Thor. He
was told later on to pick a different name and they suggested one for
him as I understand it.

How do you think realm transfer will work? They must have thought this
through thoroughly and they probably got a good solution for it (by
renaming if a name already exists)

hth,
Thomas

[Eric D. Braden]

Post by Thomas J. Boschloo

Post by d***@gmail.com

Post by PGerringer
What error messages are you getting if any? I've done this many times.
I tend to reuse character names till I get it on a character I'm
satisfied with. The only settings that seem to remain from char to
char are settings for addons that are character specific.

I won't be able to check specific error messages until later this
evening (Pacific Standard Time) but this does raise a question. How
can characters be 'rezzed' by Blizzard if someone else has 'grabbed'
the name of the previously deleted character?

Simple. Rename them. I know someone RL who named his character Thor. He
was told later on to pick a different name and they suggested one for
him as I understand it.
How do you think realm transfer will work? They must have thought this
through thoroughly and they probably got a good solution for it (by
renaming if a name already exists)
hth,
Thomas
--
Someone according to Willem F. de Jonge: "There are depths."

For duplicate names on realm transfers you just get an x on the end of
your name (Thomas becomes Thomasx) and they give you the option of
changing it (I think...not sure about the changing).

[steve.kaye]

Post by Eric D. Braden
For duplicate names on realm transfers you just get an x on the end of
your name (Thomas becomes Thomasx) and they give you the option of
changing it (I think...not sure about the changing).

That's not what happened on my recent realm transfer. They renamed my
priest (somethinf like) ClaraC2DT. When I logged in it told me that I
had an invalid name and made me change it.

steve.kaye

[Eric D. Braden]

Post by steve.kaye

Post by Eric D. Braden
For duplicate names on realm transfers you just get an x on the end of
your name (Thomas becomes Thomasx) and they give you the option of
changing it (I think...not sure about the changing).

That's not what happened on my recent realm transfer. They renamed my
priest (somethinf like) ClaraC2DT. When I logged in it told me that I
had an invalid name and made me change it.
steve.kaye

Oops, that may have been an EQ flashback ..

[w***@tradermedia.co.uk]

I also have re rolled a character with no problems.. My guess is that
the name may have been taken as quick as you dropped it... I know this
sounds harsh but maybe its true..

Post by Thomas J. Boschloo

Post by d***@gmail.com

Post by PGerringer
What error messages are you getting if any? I've done this many times.
I tend to reuse character names till I get it on a character I'm
satisfied with. The only settings that seem to remain from char to
char are settings for addons that are character specific.

I won't be able to check specific error messages until later this
evening (Pacific Standard Time) but this does raise a question. How
can characters be 'rezzed' by Blizzard if someone else has 'grabbed'
the name of the previously deleted character?

Simple. Rename them. I know someone RL who named his character Thor. He
was told later on to pick a different name and they suggested one for
him as I understand it.
How do you think realm transfer will work? They must have thought this
through thoroughly and they probably got a good solution for it (by
renaming if a name already exists)
hth,
Thomas
--
Someone according to Willem F. de Jonge: "There are depths."

[d***@gmail.com]

Post by Catriona R

Post by d***@gmail.com
I deleted a character I really didn't like and I wanted to create a new
character (different race) but with the same name. Note that I did NOT
want to resurrect the character with all her old skills, items, etc. I
wanted to start a brand new character at level 1.
It seems I can't do this as the characters are 'saved' for some time
(forever?) even after deletion. I've seen some posts where it is
claimed that the same character name was used on a different server but
I have been unable to do this as well.

You can do it, I did so myself, so I'm not sure why it isn't working
for you. I originally had a troll priest called Sagart and rerolled
him to an undead one, no problems at all.
I hope this hasn't been changed recently, as I currently have a
placeholder character holding a name for my draenei priest :-/
Have you actually tried making the new character? If it says the
charcter name is in use then there is an existing character with the
name (not a deleted one), so based on that I would expect you to be
able to make the character, unless it is a common name and you left
enough time after deleting your old one for someone else to make a
character with the name.

Perhaps I've been incredibly unlucky but this has happened to me twice
in the last week. I made a character, didn't like it, created a new
one, and was denied the name . This was within MINUTES of deleting the
character. And it's happened to me twice with two different names.
Same server both times.

OK, the names are fairly common, but really...

:(

[Devast8or]

Post by d***@gmail.com
Perhaps I've been incredibly unlucky but this has happened to me twice
in the last week. I made a character, didn't like it, created a new
one, and was denied the name . This was within MINUTES of deleting the
character. And it's happened to me twice with two different names.
Same server both times.
OK, the names are fairly common, but really...
:(

Could it be that you're too fast, and the deletion of the first character
haven't properly propagated to all corners of the database system? (yeah, I
don't much about databases systems so it may sound stupid to someone who
actually does :)

As for having the same name on 2 different servers, that is dedfinitely
possible. I have Hoyvinmayvin on two servers, one alliance and one horde
(both are mages, incidentally).

Devast8or

[Snowblade]

Post by d***@gmail.com
Perhaps I've been incredibly unlucky but this has happened to me twice
in the last week. I made a character, didn't like it, created a new
one, and was denied the name . This was within MINUTES of deleting the
character. And it's happened to me twice with two different names.
Same server both times.
OK, the names are fairly common, but really...
:(

I do this all the time with no problem. Again as someone suggested, post
the specific error message you are getting.