2 points

[Nemhain]

Does anyone know if we will be given the option to contact our alteregos directly and see if they would be willing to change their name?

[Grivnar]

I have decided that if I have to change any of my names I am going to drive to spain and blow up a train as a show of hatred for Turbine. Why because it will be as effective as coming on the web forums and telling the company that you will not do anything.

[Cendaer]

not saying i have more rights to my names. (And btw from what i saw, lhazaar is being combined with only Ghallanda(sp?)). neither of us should have to change our names. I dont have the most common names but a few characters r named after Eqyptian gods for example.
please explain the server tag you speak of. my mains name is Shinzon, if some1 has that name on that server illl be forced to have SHinzonlhazaar?
kinda takes away from the feel of my name to me.

The highlighted part, that right there is going to be your problem.

Those names are NOT original, and are typically quite popular and quite common.

The name "Shinzon" is also NOT original, it's taken from a HIGHLY popular television series/film (Star Trek, for crying out loud, is probably VERY HIGHLY popular with the playerbase of this game), and you haven't even bothered to jumble the spelling a bit. That name is also likely to be in jeapordy.

Technically, you have no "rights" to any of the names you've mentioned thus far, because none of them are actually original.

If the names you chose were truly original, and of your own design, then you'd have much less to worry about.

[Frodo_Lives]

Man get a grip. If you have to change your name it's not the end of the world, mix the spelling up a little, change a vowel, live with the - server at the end of your name. Or god forbid come up with something original.

Even if your name is being used on another server it is possible (or even likely?) that it is being used by:

A) An inactive account or expired trial account

B) Someone who created the character after you did

c) An older character that hasn't been logged on to in 60 days.

In that case you still get to keep your name. I am currently playing 7 characters on my home server and have probably 6 or 7 more on other servers and even though I have been playing for well over a year none of them are older than 8 months. If I have to change a few names it's not going to drive me from this game. I can't see how getting a free name change so you can alter an existing name even slightly can cause such a fuss.

[Riorik]

This won't work unless you are homed on Mabar or Argonnessen. Risia is currently duplicating that merge as a test. Other server alts will be merged onto Risia after the "production" server merge is completed.

Actually, it would have - when I made my post, it was before the Mabar/Argonessan merge. At that time, he could have checked - now he'll have to check the other two servers specifically.

[Riddikulus]

Even if your name is being used on another server it is possible (or even likely?) that it is being used by:

A) An inactive account or expired trial account

B) Someone who created the character after you did

c) An older character that hasn't been logged on to in 60 days.

Now would be a great time to attempt to "steal' the name(s) you've always wanted.

If you were unable to create it on your home server, you can try to create it on one of the other two servers merging in, so if the name was reserved by someone at headstart who's no longer playing you may end up with the name.

[Kitamus]

There's a place to talk about the server merges, and it's not here.

There is a place to vent about server mergers, and be ignored by turbine, the merge is a game development and therefore, this is another place to discuss it. Perhaps even adding to overall game play.