Posted by Kim on February 11, 2012, 3:16pm
Tired of your old identity? You can now get yourself a name change token that will let you change to someone new.Visit Dashboard > Your Profile and click on the pencil next to your username.
For little changes, like fixing the capitalization of your username, you can go wild. For more serious changes, you will need to get ahold of a name change token.
When you change your username, a notification will be sent to your friends and placed on your profile. The old username will be held in reserve for six months to prevent cases of mistaken identity. Your friends need a chance to get used to you with your new name, before someone else signs up with that name and starts confusing them! After that six month period, your old username will be up for grabs.
You've been asking for this feature for ages, and I understand that sometimes, you just outgrow an old name that a younger version of yourself thought was cool.
But name changes can be a bit tricky, so to try and mitigate the confusion, there's a small charge associated with them:
- To discourage frequent name changes. Changing your name should be something you think carefully about. Online, you don't have a face for people to recognize, you just have a name. It can be very confusing and disruptive for digital social circles to have people changing their names frequently.
- A name change effectively means you are tying up two names at once for at least six months.
- The confusion and occasional complexity of name swaps can mean more work for admins and mods.
That said, there ARE some occasions when you can change your name for free. If you recently signed up and accidentally mistyped your name, or you didn't understand that the username represented you and not your characters, submit a help request.
Similarly, if you signed up with a username that violates our terms of service, submit a help request to get it switched to something more appropriate.
This will be the last thing I add to the store for awhile. I'm about to embark on a journey into the deep dark cave where the code for Groups is stored. They're bug infested, but the glitter of treasure at the bottom beckons me onward!
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Comments
I had no idea Furcadia had the namecase feature, Heimdall! Thanks SO much for posting that link.
Celes--on Furc, you can. 
http://www.furcadia.com/services/namecase/namecase.php4 I'll message this to you so you get it.
http://www.furcadia.com/services/namecase/namecase.php4 I'll message this to you so you get it.
That's an awesome feature--yes, late to comment. I know.
I think this is a really amazing feature!
But I would never consider changing my name. x3
(I wish I could do this for Furcadia characters. I have one that's reeally old and doesn't have proper capitalization in the name >.<)
But I would never consider changing my name. x3
(I wish I could do this for Furcadia characters. I have one that's reeally old and doesn't have proper capitalization in the name >.<)
Mermaid
February 12, 2012
10:49pm
This makes me happy. 8D If I wasn't already quite happy with my name already.
this is handy 
I had a friend from furcadia sign up and he spelled his user name WRONG (tha goof 
) so I'll have to pass this on.
I had a friend from furcadia sign up and he spelled his user name WRONG (tha goof ) so I'll have to pass this on.
Kim, continue your awesomeness, and I will continue my journey to the center of the internets... or at least acquiring them.
That is all. Bones out.
That is all. Bones out.
One small update: Your old user link will continue to function for 3 months after the switch, to further ease the transition and help demonstrate you are who you say you are. 
Thanks for the feedback, guys! I was really nervous about adding this feature because I know how many problems it can cause to have, but also how many problems it can cause not to have. I'm glad this seems like a reasonable balance to you, too.
Oh, and Ethelle -- The "headlines" was added only a few hours before you posted asking about it. You are quite observant. I was worried that news posts were getting lost in busy notifications. Some of 'em are important! Or so I like think.
Thanks for the feedback, guys! I was really nervous about adding this feature because I know how many problems it can cause to have, but also how many problems it can cause not to have. I'm glad this seems like a reasonable balance to you, too.
Oh, and Ethelle -- The "headlines" was added only a few hours before you posted asking about it. You are quite observant.
I was worried that news posts were getting lost in busy notifications. Some of 'em are important! Or so I like think.
I think this is a grand idea! An excellent solution. I'm thinking of changing my username to match my new dA identity, to avoid confusion. I remember last time I changed my online name to my current one, I got people warning me that someone with another name was stealing my character art and my writing. It was lovely to see people cared, but it's better to avoid confusion. For now I'm content with keeping the avatars the same on dA and RPR, though. I'm not tired of my username per se.
Also, I don't know how long it's been there, but I like the little thing with "Headlines" I see now next to my list of characters on my Dashboard. Excellent! It increases the ease with which the site can be navigated ever more.
Good luck with your mining for group code! Safe travels!
It was lovely to see people cared, but it's better to avoid confusion. For now I'm content with keeping the avatars the same on dA and RPR, though. I'm not tired of my username per se.Also, I don't know how long it's been there, but I like the little thing with "Headlines" I see now next to my list of characters on my Dashboard. Excellent!
It increases the ease with which the site can be navigated ever more.Good luck with your mining for group code! Safe travels!
I've been tempted to change my name once or twice...
But that aside, huzzah for name changing tokens, and may we find lots of treasure and loot within the dungeon of the Groupoenes!
But that aside, huzzah for name changing tokens, and may we find lots of treasure and loot within the dungeon of the Groupoenes!
Whooo! Although I'm not likely to change my name or capitilization on here, this is definitely an awesome feature! I love how you implemented the 6 month waiting feature too; namechange has been troublesome on many other sites for the issues you mentioned. It's a splendid idea.
Neat feature! I adore my username and was super excited to see that it hadn't been taken yet on here. I can see where this feature would be helpful to some people though
Now if only you could make a magic 'Finish creating group' token. I'd be all over that one. *ish pounding away at Avalon*
Phew, that sounds like a lot of work, Lance! I hope this helps.
You know. I thought I felt someone probing my mind as soon I was gonna completely restart my online persona from creating new email addresses, a new Facebook all the way to possibly changing my name on here. Heh.
Pineapple
February 15, 2012
11:56am