Open Letter to Blizzard

[Thortok2000]

The following is a copy of a letter sent to wowgm@blizzard.com. I am also posting it here as an open letter, although I figure it might probably get deleted by the admins here. If so, oh well, I've done all I can do. -.-

~

I have just discovered the new Armory Beta. I did a search for myself, expecting to find only my characters:

http://armory.worldofwarcraft.com/#search.xml?searchQuery=Thortok&searchType=all

I did not. There are 8 results, 3 of which are my characters. The BE Warlock of Jaedenar, the Orc Warlock of Bonechewer, and the Gnome Mage of Tortheldrin, are mine.

The others are impersonating me.

Let me explain. I have been 'Thortok' since 1994. In 2000, I changed to 'Thortok2000' but still retained 'Thortok' for use where numbers were not allowed, such as WoW character names. My WoW account is Thortok2000, if you look, my e-mail is Thortok2000, etc. If you google 'Thortok' or 'Thortok2000', you will find only me, and all the places I've been over the internet over the last decade or so. You will also not find any evidence of the use of 'Thortok' before I started using it.

I do this to establish an 'internet identity'. When I apply for a job at a gaming company someday, since I wish to be a game programmer, I can put on my resume that I am 'the' Thortok2000. I also chose this name because my real name (James Beatty) is unliked and very common...were you to google that name, you'd find hundreds, if not thousands, of people who are not me.

I consider this name to be semi-copyrighted. I also plan on trademarking it as soon as I can afford to, I just haven't been able to, since I don't make that kind of money.

Here's a list of the naming policies that those other player(s) are at least partially breaking, if not completely, by having characters named 'Thortok'.

------
Harassing or Defamatory
This category includes both clear and masked names which:
Insultingly refer to other characters, players, Blizzard employees, or groups of people, be they in the game or external
------

By simply having my name, they are insulting my ownership and being the creator of that name. I realize it's a stretch, but that's how I see it.

----
Trademarks
This category includes both clear and masked names which:
Are trademarked/licensed by a company or an individual
----

As I said, the only reason I do not have my name 'Thortok' as trademarked is simply because I do not have that kind of money. In the spirit and purposes of copyright, I could prove ownership and being the creator of this name.

The purposes of trademark are for trading. While I do somewhat 'trade' on my name, and reputation assigned with that name, the point is that certain trademarks (such as 'Apple' Computers) apply mainly because they take a word and apply it to a certain trade. Apple, a widely used word, is trademarked to that corporation for the purposes of computers.

As the 'owner' and definitive creator of the name Thortok, but not quite the legal registered licensed trademark owner of the name, I still protest its use by anyone other than myself, and hope that you can be persuaded to see it as I do. I am open to proving my claim of creator, if not owner, in any way you wish.

The last category that it almost breaks is this:

----
Real World References
This category includes both clear and masked names which:
Are references to very well known people, characters, places, or icons.
----

While I am not a 'very well known person', I am trying very hard to be. As I said earlier, I am trying to 'make a name for myself' and gather an 'internet presence', if you will. By having the same name everywhere I go, and using no other name, ever. And I have done so for over a decade. In certain Guild Wars, Warcraft, Diablo, and Counterstrike communities, and other communities as well (such as IGN), the name Thortok, or Thortok2000 is known, if not well known.

I have no idea of the intentions of those other 5 characters (if there are not more that are under level 10), but I find it straining credence that they would both choose that name, in this game, AND have not heard of me. Either one or the other I can see occurring, but not both. It is clear, to me at least, that the chances of those characters being named Thortok by accident or creativity on their own part is very unlikely, since before my popularity and renown had grown (in certain circles at least), the name 'Thortok' was never seen before.

~

In summary, I feel that those other 5 characters, and any future characters, and any current characters under level 10, utilizing the name Thortok (both clear and masked) are in violation of my ownership and position as creator of this name. If you would associate the name 'Thortok' to the WoW account 'Thortok2000' (my account) so that only that account may create characters named 'Thortok', I would be greatly appreciative. The current characters that are mine and tied to the 'Thortok2000' account and should retain the name Thortok are: Blood Elf Warlock of Jaedenar, Gnome Mage of Tortheldrin, and Orc Warlock of Bonechewer.

If it helps, I would be willing to pay for this service. I can't afford a licensed trademark, but I may be able to afford a 'localized' trademark that Blizzard could acknowledge.

Again, if you do not agree with me, please respond and say why, and what measures I can take to address the situation and become the full and sole owner of the name 'Thortok'.

--Thortok2000 (The one and only.)

[halabar]

umm.... so before this when you didn't know about the others, it was OK?... lol

and do you think Peter Jackson cares about 10,000 toons named Legolas?...

just go grab that name in yahoo mail and gmail and the others if it's important to you... register the domain name as well.

[Thortok2000]

I just assumed there were no others. To say it's an uncommon name would be an understatement. Before me, it was a nonexistent name. After me, it was a unique one. Now, it is not so unique, apparently.

Also, it's Tolkein who has rights to the name Legolas, but he's dead.

[Beruen]

Agreed. No matter how unique you think a name is, when you're looking at millions of other users (especially since many players have multiple characters, and some of us have dozens), someone's almost bound to use the same name. I've got names I've used for years in pen and paper RPGs and other MMORPGs, and never had naming conflicts until I started playing WoW. The naming conflicts started the day I started playing WoW, so I doubt that this is people trying to copy me. Not to mention the fact that there's no point to copying me.

[Thortok2000]

Again, before me, you could google Thortok and receive absolutely zero responses.

JK Rowling did the same thing with Horcruxes. She made up the word. Before she put it into her book, she did a quick check on google. Zero sites found. Now, of course, there's hundreds of thousands of sites on it because of the popularity of that book.

The same can be said of me. Thortok is a word/name that did not exist before I created it. I'm not being facetious when I say I do intend to trademark it someday when I can afford to.

I suppose I should take it as a form of flattery. If Blizzard doesn't see things my way, I'll just deal and get over it. But I thought I should make the effort.

[Xlorep DarkHelm]

I'm sorry.... this is just too silly to really comment on. Good luck with your claim. Unless you have tangible evidence to show that these people are somehow using the name with the explicit purpose to impersonate you, you won't get very far. You aren't a popular icon, no matter what your ego may claim, and therefore your claim will come into question because of that.

Take the word "Xlorep" -- it did not exist before I created it. Later, the Human Genome Project labeled a section of the human genome as XLOREP as well, so when you google on "Xlorep", there are two kinds of results -- me, or discussions/information about that particular gene sequence. If someone else started using the name Xlorep for things, I wouldn't mind. Why? Partially because I'd consider it flattering that someone else has to emulate me. Partially because... it's just a name, no big deal. People have the same (or similar) names all the time, I'm not about to expect everyone to absolutely need to leave my particular mangled word that I use as an identifier online alone.

[pincopiones]

lol, you need a life man, leave your computer to rest a few hours/days, go out, take the sun, then you will laugh about you just wrote.

At the beginin of your text i believe you were sad/furious about Blizzard owns your "alias" since is in their game and they says belong to Blizzard, lol, but thats not the point, your point is that some one else use you alias. roflmao

C'mon, what about if i am picopiones2000 and piss you coz u use 2000 at the end of the nick lol

[IronShield]

Sorry mate, this is pretty absurd. :shocked: I've actually seen the name before. In my teenage days playing the original pen/paper D&D games, my DM had an Orc NPC with that name. I'm pretty sure he even got it from one of the game modules at the time, and this was the early 80's.

[SwervinCL]

Who are you again?

Besides, your name is not as of yet copywritten so until then, you can not complain about people taking "your" name! Have a nice day.

[Shansa]

You, ahem, plan on trademarking Thortok as a name?

Even while such a patent could possibly go through, it is one that will never be upheld. You say you cannot afford to copyright it at the moment, so are you going to be able to afford the lawsuits you'll want to bring against those using the name?

JK Rowling did the same thing with Horcruxes. She made up the word. Before she put it into her book, she did a quick check on google. Zero sites found. Now, of course, there's hundreds of thousands of sites on it because of the popularity of that book.

And besides the title character and the intellectual property of Harry Potter, has JK Rowling trademarked the name Horcruxes? No, she hasn't. Will she trademark it? Probably never, as it's a waste of time and money. That, and she also has a basic idea of how the trademark/patent/copyrighting system works.

In the spirit and purposes of copyright, I could prove ownership and being the creator of this name.

How can you prove ownership? Do you have a piece of paper, dated from whenever, proving you "created" this name? Do you have rough drafts as evidence, something that JK Rowling would have when she thought up the Harry Potter idea? Any such "evidence" that you "created" and have "ownership" of this name is probably going to be summon you type, print up, and pour tea on so it appears dated when, in fact, it isn't.

Whoever owns the rights to Legolas, have you seen or heard of them submitting a legal letter to Blizzard, requesting all characters with that name be removed? No, you haven't.

I advise you to look at copyright law, patent law, before you proceed and make a further idiot of yourself.

[Stigg]

Funny post...its sad that you actually believe that this will have any effect.

And, how do you propose that you can prove you are the only one with that name....ever...?

I think I had a great uncle named thortok. He never touched a computer and his parents were killed in 1928. He died without ever making a website so google can catch it.

If anything, you should be paying royalties to me....as I am his next of kin.

I expect $20 per day on my desk until you delete and rename every one of your characters.

here are some quotes from some players on one of the other forums I frequent:

lol aww there's a TTB copycat now. =(

Woot, I am the only Nystricks besides my army of Nystricks alts.

Haha, there were like 20 guys with the same name as my main

I can honestly say I have never heard of you before you came here. I had never heard of any of your posts, I had never heard of your level 3 ranger that you play D&D with. Nor had I known about your "43 reason Thortok wants love" Here, on the other hand, is one of the most famous twinks out there. His name is Fony, and here is his response to this.

yeah. theres like 30 lvl 19 rogue fony's between US and EU lol. its worse than I thought :)

[PlayThemAll]

You're mad because someone else thought up the same name as you?

Thats like me getting mad at my neighbor for eating the same breakfast cereal as I because I liked it first.

Sorry, but this is one of the most inane arguments I've ever heard.

[Stigg]

Sorry, but this is one of the most inane arguments I've ever heard.

I'm still waiting for him to say, "haha guys, it was a joke, Im not that egotistical."

[Xlorep DarkHelm]

His argument falls even farther apart if anyone else who has "Thortok" as a name in WoW, simply claim "independent invention" (or whatever it is called) -- the idea that two different people can come up with the exact same thing, without having any connection/relation to one another. This kind of thing happens all the time -- and with something like a name for a character, it happens more frequently than in other areas.

[Foonyak]

I used 'Cyric' as a name for one of my thieves way back in D&D 2nd ed, before the Forgotten Realms Avatar trilogy came out, but WotC isn't paying me, nor are they changing the name of their thief simply because I used the name first. When I mentioned that to my wife, she told me the same thing everyone has told you so far: "Wah." :cry:

[Thortok2000]

I already mentioned the concept of 'independent invention', which I don't think is the case here. Either that could happen OR they could have not heard of me, I personally don't think it's likely that 'Thortok's should start cropping up, only in WoW and nowhere else. I'm attempting to contact a couple of them just to see if it /was/ independent invention or what.

If it turns out that it was independent invention, I'll just find another name to be unique with.

I'm not trying to be egotistical. I'm trying to be unique.

[Stigg]

There are a ton of names used soley in warcraft. It is a FANTASY game, I highly doubt a majority of the extremely popular names used in warcraft have been used anywhere else....let alone obscure names such as Thortok.

And as I already pointed out on another one of your posts....(and I also point out on emo kids posts...)

You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake. You are the same decaying organic matter as everyone else, and we are all part of the same compost pile.

[Thortok2000]

Physically, that quote is correct. Emotionally, spiritually, intellectually, and psychologically, it is not.

Don't be offended if I simply disregard it.

I want to have a name that nobody else uses. I want a name that means me, and not me and everyone else with that name. From having a real-life name of "James" where I must walk past 50-100 people with the same name every day, it's important to me to have a name that is different to the point of being unique. It's a simple thing to want (but hard to accomplish) and I don't think myself vain or egotistical for wanting it.

And as I said, I had accomplished it. And now I find it stretching credence that people are individually inventing the name, after I've been using it for over a decade and have seen no evidence of others doing such.

[Stigg]

if you take it literally, then yes it is only physically.

But what goes on in your brain, what goes on in your hormones, etc. is the same pointless crap as your body is going through. In X years, when you die, is Thortok going to matter? Are any of Thortok's thoughts or ideas going to matter? Nope, his "body" is going to decay just as will his mind, his posts, his "feelings"

[Thortok2000]

if you take it literally, then yes it is only physically.

But what goes on in your brain, what goes on in your hormones, etc. is the same pointless crap as your body is going through. In X years, when you die, is Thortok going to matter? Are any of Thortok's thoughts or ideas going to matter? Nope, his "body" is going to decay just as will his mind, his posts, his "feelings"

And you have the audacity to call me emo?

If you are simply going to argue that 'nothing matters anyway, you're just a sack of flesh like everyone else', whenever anyone attempts creative expression, I pity you.

[Foonyak]

People are always asking me if I know...Aaron Stout.

Just because it's the truth doesn't mean that he, or most people for that matter, is willing to accept it.

[Blueblud]

I think Im going to create Thortok's on every server I can.


"Your are unique, just like everyone else"

[bxlane]

A) Blizzard isnt going to anything.
B) We dont live in the Matrix. No one is gonna be "Woh. you're THE Thortok." Your resume will speak more highly then an "online" presence.
B) Im starting a character named 2001Thortok. Made it up a few years ago. I was initially called 2001, but that was taken. Go figure.

[cyradis2003]

I would guess some of those were randomised

Thor
tok

maltok
baltok
zultok

thorzan
thorvan
thorden
thortok

[Sarcastrom]

<snip> Either that could happen OR they could have not heard of me <snip>

Hey bro. GET OVER YERSELF.

Here's a less than subtle hint: NO ONE has heard of you.

Seriously, ego much?

If you actually expect Blizzard to lend any credibility to your request, you'd need to come up with something that was legally plausible to begin with... which you haven't.

One more note... dontcha think it's kind of a tarded thing to do to post your account name on a message forum? I wouldn't be surprised if the next letter you're sending out is saying you're gonna sue WoW.net because you got OMGWTFBBQHAXOR'd.

Delusions ftl.

[Thortok2000]

I don't see why people are being so antagonistic.

With the exception of individual invention, is it wrong of me to want a universally unique name? Isn't that what anyone would want? I don't see where the hate is coming from.

If it turns out that individual invention is the case here, then I will struggle hard to come up with another name that is universally unique, and I'll use that instead.

Thing is, I just don't see how individual invention is really the case. I accept it as a possibility, but it just doesn't make sense that after over a decade of using the name, it's just now being individually invented by others.

[PlayThemAll]

If it turns out that it was independent invention, I'll just find another name to be unique with.

Odds are pretty good that this name is/will be used as well.

I'm not trying to be egotistical. I'm trying to be unique.

Get realistic here. With 8+ million people playing and only a limited number of characters to define a character name. Its going to be pretty hard to be unique. Even harder to stay unique for any length of time. I dare say impossible.

I can't tell you haw many times I though I had a unique name only to find it is already in use, sometimes on more than one server. Were they reading my mind? Yes, people are just as inventive as you and it is not a streatch for someone else to come up with the same name.

I can pretty much assure you that by posting this letter here that even more people will use the name either because they think its cool or to spite you.

Heck, I can search for my RL name and find many "posers". I feel for your need to be unique but I think you are unrealistic in thinking that any name you used in a public forum/game/etc. will remain unique for any length of time, if it even was unique to start with.

And BTW, not cool to post your account name in a public forum. You just gave away half of your security in WoW.

Edit:
Thing is, I just don't see how individual invention is really the case. I accept it as a possibility, but it just doesn't make sense that after over a decade of using the name, it's just now being individually invented by others.

You just found it. My guess is that its been used for a long long time.

I'm not trying to be antagonistic, just realistic.

Good luck

[sohcan]

This is, quite simply, the best trolling thread I have seen in ages. To the OP I say kudos, you have mastered the art of the troll. Post this on the wow boards if you haven't already because it is so downright masterful.

If it isn't a troll thread then someone needs to whip out a /facepalm ascii. :P

[Thortok2000]

Hey bro. GET OVER YERSELF.

Here's a less than subtle hint: NO ONE has heard of you.

Correction, Most people have not. 99.999999% of the population have not. I'm sure. If not more.

What I find straining credence is that someone individually invents the name *and* has not heard of me. It would make much more sense for them to have seen my name, thought it was a cool one or something, and used it too.

One more note... dontcha think it's kind of a tarded thing to do to post your account name on a message forum? I wouldn't be surprised if the next letter you're sending out is saying you're gonna sue WoW.net because you got OMGWTFBBQHAXOR'd.

Nowhere have I mentioned my password at all. What's the difference between a WoW account and the forum account? I have the same account name on the forums (but different password). So you know my account name, so what? Without that password, the best you could do is spam password-guesses until you got it. And I think Blizzard would detect something like that.

[caldepen]

Nope I named my D&D dwarf ranger Thortok back in the eighties! Sorry bud...

C

[Thortok2000]

Odds are pretty good that this name is/will be used as well.

That's why it was so hard to come up with a unique one in the first place and why I'm so upset that a name that's been unique for years is no longer so.

[Gaelan]

Everyone make a Thortok character now! Weee!

:shocked:

[Thortok2000]

Everyone make a Thortok character now! Weee!

:shocked:

Again, I'm not seeing the reason for antagonism here.

[Gaelan]

Again, I'm not seeing the reason for antagonism here.

I am.

Your whole letter is a waste of time, of both you and the people reading it. The Customer Service department has better things to do. You need to accept the fact that you aren't the only one to have created that name up. There is no conspiracy.


Thortok has gained [Tin Foil Hat].

[PlayThemAll]

That's why it was so hard to come up with a unique one in the first place and why I'm so upset that a name that's been unique for years is no longer so.

This whole thread is just to surreal to be true.

Whether trolling or real, I thank the OP. This thread has truely lightened my day. :wave:

[caldepen]

We are not being antagonistic, perhaps we are trying to point out that you are being silly...

When you go for your job I am sure they are not going to say "Wait just a sec'. Were you the Thortok I ran across in Desolace? Well congratz yer hired!"

And if they do, don't accept the job offer.

BTW my character name is still unique in the Armory! %^P

[Fursphere]

To the OP -

I read the email / 1st post here and started laughing, assuming the letter was a joke, and meant to be funny. Well thought out sillyness. Good job!

Then I realized that you were serious... wow. Get outside and get some more sunshine. You seem to need it.

[Foonyak]

I don't see where the hate is coming from.

Honestly, neither do I. It's not hate, it's a reality check. You're blowing a very trivial matter way out of proportion. So what, someone either took your name or they came up with the same name you did via independent intervention. Either way you look at it, your efforts to be unique have been chopped off at the knees. Now it's time to choose a different unique name, and get the identity trademarked before you start to use it.

[Stigg]

If you want a unique name, try

hssdgnwt

I doubt anybody will challenge you for uniqueness!

Secondly, as somebody brilliantly pointed out....your name has two parts.

Thor (god)

and

Tok (TOK = Theory of Knowledge)

So your name means the theory of knowledge behind thor. I know some scholar's that should be named Thortok..

[Kodonn]

Everyone make a Thortok character now! Weee!

:shocked:

Actually, what would be hilarious, is if Blizzard reads his letter and decides to put a Thortok NPC in the game somewhere with next patch. Then they send him a letter saying "Sorry dude, you've got to change your characters name because it violates the naming policy" (i.e. using the name of NPC) :shocked:


Seriously, do the math.

8 million players + random name generator - (all the regular / famous/ copyrighted names that can't be used) = "a good possibility of several Thortoks"

[Thortok2000]

It's not trivial to me. This name has been my identity on the internet for over a decade. I'm not one of those people who has a different account name or character name for every site. I'm Thortok everywhere. Period.

Something that's been a part of you for over a decade, suddenly getting 'chopped off at the knees', of course you're going to be upset.

It would be a simple thing for Blizzard to acknowledge my request and act as if I am the trademarked owner of the name Thortok, mostly because even if there was independent invention, I was the first and most active user of the name. It would be simple for them to tie the name to my account so other people can only use masks like xThortokx or something. Which would be fine with me.

I'm even willing to pay Blizzard for it. I can't afford the 300-some-odd dollars I think it is to get a trademark, but I can afford a 50 directly to Blizzard.

I thought I would express my request and the reasonings for it, in the belief that it couldn't hurt to ask.

Sure, I'll get over it. But it just happened today, and like I said, my screen name has meant a lot to me over 13 years of using it. It's not trivial to me. It really does feel to me like I imagine a copyright infringement would feel to someone else.

[MellanCholera]

As you say, you did not trademark the name. So..

And I think it would be a trademark, not copyright, that you would need. Copyright is for an article you wrote, or for code you wrote, a name of a product is not copyrighted, it is trademarked. For instance, I used to own my own business, and our lawyer had us trademark the names, but we copyrighted all our code. You could also get a patent on processes but that is a different discussion.

Therefore, if the above is true, "prior art" does you no good, since a copyright is not what you are after.

Finally, Blizzard could do nothing about these people without a court order enforcing your trademark. You'd have to go to court, get it, sue them all, then maybe get Blizzard to make them change the name.

This is in part why Blizzard already does force name changes of people who have trademarked names, like I couldn't make a character Metallica, they'd probably make me change it. But Metallica is protected by (either trademark or copyright or whatever), I can't go using their name. Now maybe they don't care, and Blizz wouldn't care, but if Metallica's lawyers told Blizz to make me change the name they would, not because some other person or group was using the name Metallica, but because they have already gotten the legal protections for that name.

I could make a name GeorgeBush and the President could not do anything about it (but Blizzard might since it's their property). And this is analogous to your quandry because there is no trademark for George Bush as a name.

I really don't know, you'd have to ask a lawyer, and that would be $500 just walking in the door. Then even more if you want that lawyer to send letters telling them it's a trademarked name and they need to change it. But . if you really want to pursue it, Blizzard won't do anything without a letter on some attorney's letterhead. Even then.. who knows.

[Thortok2000]

Actually, what would be hilarious, is if Blizzard reads his letter and decides to put a Thortok NPC in the game somewhere with next patch. Then they send him a letter saying "Sorry dude, you've got to change your characters name because it violates the naming policy" (i.e. using the name of NPC) :shocked:

I would be both honored at the creation of an NPC and annoyed at the requirement to change my name. =/

8 million players + random name generator - (all the regular / famous/ copyrighted names that can't be used) = "a good possibility of several Thortoks"

It still hasn't been confirmed that Thortok is even possible from the random generator. I wouldn't think it would be, since I haven't seen it before now.

[caldepen]

Yer not listening! I had a dwarf named Thortok when I was a kid! Please change your name because it offends me! I used it before you! Now change it!

C

PS Do it now!

[Thortok2000]

Finally, Blizzard could do nothing about these people without a court order enforcing your trademark. You'd have to go to court, get it, sue them all, then maybe get Blizzard to make them change the name.

No. Let me correct that. "Blizzard is not forced to do anything about these people without a court order enforcing your trademark."

They COULD help me out. If they choose to. It's their game and they have rights over the names of the characters in it. Until such time as someone else does legally trademark 'Thortok', they have every ability of acting like I own the trademark instead. I've presented my case and that's really all I can do, without taking the steps you mentioned to force the issue.

It would be easier to instead come up with a new name and trademark it before I begin using it, as another person suggested. Which I don't want to have to do, but seems to be my only realistic option, if Blizzard doesn't want throw me a bone here.

[Stigg]

It's not trivial to me. This name has been my identity on the internet for over a decade. I'm not one of those people who has a different account name or character name for every site. I'm Thortok everywhere. Period.

Something that's been a part of you for over a decade, suddenly getting 'chopped off at the knees', of course you're going to be upset.

It would be a simple thing for Blizzard to acknowledge my request and act as if I am the trademarked owner of the name Thortok, mostly because even if there was independent invention, I was the first and most active user of the name. It would be simple for them to tie the name to my account so other people can only use masks like xThortokx or something. Which would be fine with me.

I'm even willing to pay Blizzard for it. I can't afford the 300-some-odd dollars I think it is to get a trademark, but I can afford a 50 directly to Blizzard.

I thought I would express my request and the reasonings for it, in the belief that it couldn't hurt to ask.

Sure, I'll get over it. But it just happened today, and like I said, my screen name has meant a lot to me over 13 years of using it. It's not trivial to me. It really does feel to me like I imagine a copyright infringement would feel to someone else.

Are you really being serious with this? $50 so nobody can use your name? Please! I want all the other 50 Gwydions across the WoW to need to change their name to xGwydionx. Hell, i'd pay $50 to grief that many people!

The best part of this is "Identity over the internet" Hysterical. You don't have an identity over the internet. Nobody does.

yes, I am sure it would be simple for Blizard to implement. Are they going to? Should they? Hell no.

Ego is increasing.

EDIT: You can expect atleast 4 more Thortok's showing up tonight.

[Kodonn]

It still hasn't been confirmed that Thortok is even possible from the random generator. I wouldn't think it would be, since I haven't seen it before now.

You seem to think that just because YOU haven't seen it before, therefore it isn't possible. Myabe there are 10 other Thortoks out there who have been using it for 15 or 18 years. Just because it wasn't compiled into a database somewhere, doesn't mean they didn't exist. You claim to have been using it for 13 years, yet so far, no one here has owned up to having heard of you before. By your own logic...you don't really exist. :ponder: LOL j/k

As to the possibility of the random namer.
Go to the toon creation screen....and click that name generator about 7 or 8 million times. Then get back to us with how many times it spit out Thortok.

By the way..I am now THE Kodonn :wave:

[caldepen]

He was called "Thortok1980" boy he was cool! All the modules we would play, he ruled "Baba Yaga's Hut"!

[Thortok2000]

The best part of this is "Identity over the internet" Hysterical. You don't have an identity over the internet. Nobody does.

I disagree. Your identity, both in real life and on the internet, is the means and manner you present yourself, and the maturity with which you do such.

I have to go to work. I half-expect this thread to be deleted by the time I get back. But oh well. Short of getting the trademark I can't afford at the moment, there's nothing further I can do.

Apologies if I annoyed anyone. I'm simply presenting my views on the subject at hand, and attempting to be calm, open, and honest about it.

[Foonyak]

Something that's been a part of you for over a decade, suddenly getting 'chopped off at the knees', of course you're going to be upset.

An arm or a leg, sure. A '68 Chevelle SS, absolutely. An internet handle, yea...wait, no. It's a pseudonym granting you anonymity over the internet. It wasn't even legally protected. If you were so determined on using it for an exclusive, you-only, one-of-a-kind unique web ID, you should've trademarked it before you exposed it to millions of people.

There is nothing you can do about it now but :cry: more. I apologize if this seems a bit harsh, but it's real reality, not Thortok2000 reality.

[halabar]

you better get busy and create a toon with that name or each server tonight, or we'll be doing it for you... :P

and your whole argument fails for one certain reason. there is no monetary value associated with your name.

if you were able to do this, then gmail, yahoo mail, etc. would all be in big trouble, because everyone would want to protect their name.

[Stigg]

I disagree. Your identity, both in real life and on the internet, is the means and manner you present yourself, and the maturity with which you do such.

I have to go to work. I half-expect this thread to be deleted by the time I get back. But oh well. Short of getting the trademark I can't afford at the moment, there's nothing further I can do.

Apologies if I annoyed anyone. I'm simply presenting my views on the subject at hand, and attempting to be calm, open, and honest about it.


I guess the maturity thing has just been flung out the window.

Less QQ more copyrtightthenamebeforeyoupresentittothousandsofusersonthissitesowecancreatemillionsofcharactersname dthortokandstalkyouthroughtheinternetz -pewpew

[bxlane]

I'm even willing to pay Blizzard for it. I can't afford the 300-some-odd dollars I think it is to get a trademark, but I can afford a 50 directly to Blizzard.

yet you can afford 15/month to play?

take your 50, save it, wait 6 months, then you'll have your 300 to get your name trademarked. they will laugh but take your money.

Remember folks, every time you use the phrase "youre fired", you owe Donald Trump money, since he trademarked it.

Seriously folks, he WILL come after you. Like Blizzard is gonna come after all these "Thortok imposters"

[Thortok2000]

If you were so determined on using it for an exclusive, you-only, one-of-a-kind unique web ID, you should've trademarked it before you exposed it to millions of people.

There is nothing you can do about it now but :crying: more. I apologize if this seems a bit harsh, but it's real reality, not Thortok2000 reality.

I just took it on faith that people would respect my desire to be unique and refrain from using the name. And/or that people in authority (such as Blizzard) would, and enforce it upon those that do not.

I was apparently wrong. My faith in the general goodness of people went down another notch today.

I have to go to work. Any replies after this won't be read until tonight, if this thread still exists.

[Stigg]

respect? On the internetz? In warcraft?

O i remember what that is....like that time that guy stpped ganking me after 3 hours becuase of respect.

Respect on a non-personal basis is pointless.

[caldepen]

I think "Thortok1980" sounds way better...

Its kinda arrogant to think those other guys are copying you. There are much better odds that they just have the same lame name (it rhymes).

C

[Thortok]

You must be mistaken... I'm the REAL Thortok

U my friend, are an imposter

[halabar]

is this you?...

http://www.43things.com/things/view/838330

or this?...

http://dnd.meetup.com/29/boards/view/viewthread?thread=1660080

or...

http://www.hl-improvement.com/forums/index.php?topic=6606.msg%25msg_id%25

you do seem to be out there a lot, but trademarking a name is still a bit much.

and, as far as copyright goes, since you have failed in the past to attempt to enforce it, you loose rights to it anyway.

[Xlorep DarkHelm]

What I find straining credence is that someone individually invents the name *and* has not heard of me. It would make much more sense for them to have seen my name, thought it was a cool one or something, and used it too.

What I find straining credence is that you actually think that you, and only you, have ever used that name. And that your proof is a Google search you can't verify any more (by your own admission).

What if.... multiple people have independently come up with Thortok. Now, if you were, I dunno, the only one to do anything with it online, and then WoW comes around. Let's say a couple of the others who had come up with that name use it as character names in WoW. Others saw people who had that name (could be you, or anyone), liked it, and "borrowed" the name. Yet others used a name randomizer (there's more than a couple out on the 'net any more) to create it from scratch. We are talking about 8,000,000 people play WoW, over 2,500,000 in the US alone, and 2,000,000 in the EU (if memory serves).

So, let's take the whole 4.5 million from US & EU. Exactly what percentage is 10 people of 4.5 million? What do you honestly think the probability of a name being created, with 2 syllables, containing five unique "common" letters (t, h, o, r, k) for a fantasy game like WoW? I mean, seriously. Let's take the idea of a name randomizer. The most common ones compound syllables, frequently from existing names or words for a particular "race" or "type" of creature, or a culture. How common are the syllables "Thor" and "tok" in fantasy, sci-fi, or even simply names from various Earth languages? What do you think the odds would be for a name randomizer to come up with that particular combination? All you would need is one person to be able to get it from a randomizer.

There are so many different possible scenarios as to how different people could have ended up with the name, that even remotely suggesting to prosecute them, or rather force Blizzard to do something about it, isn't worth the effort. It isn't like your name is protected like several names from TV, literary, or film characters is. Heck, even within a particular literary work, only particular names are usually protected.... if I remember correctly, "Gandalf" is a name protected by Tolkien Enterprises, while "Legolas" isn't as much. Tolkien Enterprises could push, with good measure, for Blizzard to enforce that nobody uses those names, but there is a huge difference from a major, well-known character in a book series like the Lord of the Rings (or the derivative works thereafter to include the insanely popular films), to you -- a relative nobody that most people wouldn't even know who you are, much less run around trying to emulate you in-game.

[Stigg]

I really hope you get hired for a job from that first one.

commit to a serious relationship with thortok

[Foonyak]

I just took it on faith that people would respect my desire to be unique...<snip>

I do respect your desire to be unique. However, in the copy and paste world that is the !nt@rwebz, uniqueness is as fleeting as ice cubes are the the gates of hell.

I can't count the variations of 'blackbic' I've had to create because someone else got it first. I was the first blackbic at a few sites, but I was blackbic 16-24 at countless others. I never once petitioned the webmasters of the sites I wasn't blackbic first at. It would've been far too much trouble, as it is apparently with you and your Thortok ID.

And now, once again, I have a new and unique web ID of Foonyak, until some unimaginative bong ripper grabs that one too.

Again, I'm sorry people have jacked your web ID, but since there is nothing to be done about it now, and you've had the past 13 years to get it legally protected and didn't, it's time for a new one. And as I said before, get the new ID trademarked before you start to use it.

[Thortok2000]

is this you?...

http://www.43things.com/things/view/838330

That one wasn't me. Sounds like someone else mentioning me.

http://dnd.meetup.com/29/boards/view/viewthread?thread=1660080

That's a meetup I was in to play DND awhile back.

http://www.hl-improvement.com/forums/index.php?topic=6606.msg%25msg_id%25

The link's not working, but if I remember correctly, that's a Half-Life Source mod pack to improve the quality of the models in HL:S. That's me too.

you do seem to be out there a lot, but trademarking a name is still a bit much.

and, as far as copyright goes, since you have failed in the past to attempt to enforce it, you loose rights to it anyway.

Apparently.

And now I really have to get to work, I'm already late.

[halabar]

and the flip side, if you are really interesting in protecting your name, you should go out today and register that as a domain name. I just checked, and it is available. So run, do not walk, and get that name.

[Xlorep DarkHelm]

Another good example of a way someone could have come up with the name. One of my friends, when he needs to make a character name for RPGs he runs/plays, he grabs a book, flips to a random place on a random page, and he usually takes the last syllable of one word, and combines it with the first syllable of the next word. However, sometimes he gets a bit more creative. So, all you would need, in this example, is some phrase where the word sequence was "...th or to k...", combine it, and bam -- Thortok is born. It could even be something in horrifically bad "Old English-ized" phrases... so "To giveth or to keepeth" would end up being all that is needed. Now, in a RPG environment, and an online RPG game like WoW, what's the odds that someone would stumble into horrifically bad "Old English-ized" phrases?

Or it could be a Stargate fan.... "Thor", and "Tok'ra" are both Stargate names... Combine them together, and you would end up with "Thortok'ra" -- not a stretch to go from that to "Thortok".

[Stigg]

and the flip side, if you are really interesting in protecting your name, you should go out today and register that as a domain name. I just checked, and it is available. So run, do not walk, and get that name.

But that costs money... :)

on a side note:
Thor tok is a path in Thailand. Way to be original.

This is a fun topic. How many of yall know somebody named Wendy?

Know who they are named after?

[Sarcastrom]

<snip> and act as if I am the trademarked owner of the name Thortok, <snip>

I friggin LOL'd! Newsflash, spanky... you're NOT the trademarked owner.

Game over.

This thread delivers! :hanky:

[det]

This is a fun topic. How many of yall know somebody named Wendy?

Know who they are named after?

Peter Pan would be too obvious, I guess?

There are about 15 characters called Nerghul..fair enough..but I found 10 PAGES with characters in variations of the name "Nerzul". To think I got reported for being called Nezul and had to change the name...now that annoys me to no end...well..not really..I like Nerghul more :)

[PlayThemAll]

Thor tok is a path in Thailand. Way to be original.

Yes, but did it exist prior to 1994? :wink:

[Xlorep DarkHelm]

This is a fun topic. How many of yall know somebody named Wendy?

Know who they are named after?

I can think of a few ideas. (http://www.wendy.com/wendyweb/history.html)

[Kodonn]

How many of yall know somebody named Wendy?

Know who they are named after?

That girl in Peter Pan ?

[IronShield]

my screen name has meant a lot to me over 13 years of using it

That means 1994ish...

...you could google Thortok and receive absolutely zero responses

However....

Google began as a research project in January 1996 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin

and

The domain google.com was registered on September 14, 1997

:rolleyes:

[Stigg]

Word. Peter Pan's author J.M. Barrie was the first person to pen Wendy. Since then it took off.

[Xlorep DarkHelm]

Word. Peter Pan's author J.M. Barrie was the first person to pen Wendy. Since then it took off.

Not quite. Check the link I provided at wendyweb. While Peter Pan's character popularized it, there have been signs of the name existing prior to that, including a couple Chinese emperors (Wendi), and as a boy's name. Barrie's version did not derive from that, but rather was based on the nickname that a sick little girl had called him.

[Stigg]

Not quite. Check the link I provided at wendyweb. While Peter Pan's character popularized it, there have been signs of the name existing prior to that, including a couple Chinese emperors (Wendi), and as a boy's name. Barrie's version did not derive from that, but rather was based on the nickname that a sick little girl had called him.

Ahh, my fault. For some reason I can get to foreign websites but I can't look at a site describing the name wendy. Work filter ftl.

[det]

Well...if you look at the long list of toons in my sig, I am happy to say that only one names is being used quiet often (Det) and that was expected. The other names I share with very few people and one of them is even truly unique.

Go me :grin:

[Penny]

I disagree. Your identity, both in real life and on the internet, is the means and manner you present yourself, and the maturity with which you do such.

I have to go to work. I half-expect this thread to be deleted by the time I get back. But oh well. Short of getting the trademark I can't afford at the moment, there's nothing further I can do.

Apologies if I annoyed anyone. I'm simply presenting my views on the subject at hand, and attempting to be calm, open, and honest about it.

You might think you are being calm, open and honest, but I believe that your detractors are also being calm, open and honest.

What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet

[Tanitha]

What I find straining credence is that someone individually invents the name *and* has not heard of me. It would make much more sense for them to have seen my name, thought it was a cool one or something, and used it too.

We searched known baby name websites, looked in books and eventually made up a name for our daughter. It was based on three Mandarin words, Englishified and concatenated. When I did a Armory search for that name it resulted in 43 hits.

One of my friends had her name made up of the first two letters of her mothers name and the first three letters of her great-grandmothers' maiden name. In the 15 years I've known her I've not yet met anyone with that name. And yet - Google it and you'll find about two pages of results.

With the billions of people living on this planet it is rather unlikely that you will come up with an entirely unique name that is still pronouncable and has some meaning.

My personal reaction to this thread was to laugh. Thanks, I needed that this morning :grin:

[Genseric]

Are you going to go after this guy too?

thortok@gmail.com

You need a new hobby. I highly doubt these people are impersonating you, they arent out to make money either. How is this really hurting you? I bet there were other "thortoks" for the ten or more years youve been using this name and you never knew it. Why start complaining now?

[halabar]

and finally....

I would not be suprised that somewhere buried in the terms of use and ULA for WoW is a claim by Blizz to own your characters, names, and anything associated with it.

enforceable?.. perhaps not, but I bet they are making that claim someplace...

[Xlorep DarkHelm]

Ok, I'll try my character names and compare against the Armory:


Oguler -- hits: 1 (US), 0 (EU)
This name is the first name of my last Everquest character, which was "Oguler Denju" -- a very, very mangled version of "Uglier than you", fitting, I felt, for an Ogre Beastlord (EQ) and an Orc Hunter (WoW).
Xlorep -- hits: 1 (US), 0 (EU)
This was a name I came up by transliterating (letter-for-letter) the name of my first RPG character, a shapeshifting superhero from "Marvel Superheroes" that in a burst of creativity I named "Shifter" into greek letters, resulting in "Χιφτερ", which when I wrote it, I thought it looked a lot like the Latin letters "Xlorep" -- and thus the name was created.
Kankali -- hits: 1 (US), 0 (EU)
A character name for an NPC I made back in one of my old RPG games.
Daskinor -- hits: 4 (US), 1 (EU)
The name of a lesser-known "sorcerer-king" NPC from the Dark Sun campaign setting for D&D. As I am part of the team working on the official conversion of the Dark Sun rules to the latest D&D version, I thought it would be fun to use the name. It is not as common a name references in Dark Sun as others... but as I found out, unsurprisingly, there's a few others out there.
Elrena -- hits: 8 (US), 7 (EU)
This was the name of the character for a guildmate I used to regularly group with in EverQuest. Oguler the Ogre Beastlord, and Elrena the High Elf Paladin. I brought Oguler over to WoW, and since that particular guildmate lives in the EU, the odds are he'd never be able to get on the US servers, so as an homage to him and the amount of time the two of us would usually group up to duo through EQ, I recreated Elrena as a Blood Elf Paladin -- with very similar appearance; convenient for me, as it ties Elrena and Oguler to the same faction in WoW too.
Sorlina -- hits: 15 (US), 7 (EU)
Considering this was pulled right out of the WoW name randomizer, I'm actually not surprised at this.
Uyness -- hits: 4 (US), 0 (EU)
This is the "real" name for the Dark Sun sorcerer-queen named "Abalach-Re", as described in the book "Rise and Fall of a Sorcerer-King" by Lynn Abbey. Very, very obscure name from Dark Sun, but even then, there are more than just me who use it.
Rolthen -- hits: 4 (US), 0 (EU)
I actually got this name from the name randomizer for EverQuest. I guess a few others might have migrated from EverQuest with the same character name.
Sielba -- hits: 4 (US), 3 (EU)
Another Dark Sun sorcerer-queen name, the name of one of the ones that has been dead for quite some time (killed by another sorcerer-king named Hamanu). Somewhat obscure, not as much as Uyness, but more rare than Daskinor.
Zhokq -- hits: 1 (US), 0 (EU)
This was another name mangling attempt on my part. I took the French name "Jacques" (as in "Jacques Cousteau"), and had some fun. I still more or less pronounce it just like the original French name. Basically, it is how I got a name like "Jack" into "Zhokq".


so, I have some uniques, and not-so-uniques. In the end, I have to wonder -- who cares?

[mesonm]

What I find straining credence is that someone individually invents the name *and* has not heard of me. It would make much more sense for them to have seen my name, thought it was a cool one or something, and used it too.


true enough...since there can't possibly be two people as smart as you......

:thumbsup:

[WatcherZero]

This thread inspired me to google my Avatar, WatcherZero, common words expecting loads of people.

To my surprise I find 10 pages of google results, all from me over the last 10 years. Im more unique than i expected :)

[roncli]

Thortok,

I hope I do not come across as antagonistic, or mean-spirited, or whatnot, but if you are stuck on being upset because someone has taken your name, I would plan on figuring out how to deal with it and be yourself, rather than to force your will on others just because you think that you thought of something first.

You may be setting yourself up for disappointment. What if you really aren't the first to come up with your name? Google, and the Internet at large for that matter, is not complete proof, nor is it close.

But that's not the point... without knowing much of who you are, I can pretty much say that James "Thortok2000" Beatty is a unique person, and definitely has a unique personality on the Internet. You don't need to copyright, trademark, or patent for that.

[cyradis2003]

So, all you would need, in this example, is some phrase where the word sequence was "...th or to k...", combine it, and bam -- Thortok is born.


We were trying to decide if we should head to PlymouTH OR TO Kingston last weekend.

Doesn't have to be old english :-)

[Xlorep DarkHelm]

True enough.

[Beruen]

I've been playing around with searching for my various character names. Every one of the names I use came from when I used to role play decades ago, or random name generators since then. Not one name has been a variation on something that I saw/read and then adapted. No variations on Legolas or anything remotely like that.

So far, out of about 20 names, two are unique. Most of the names are used on at least 10 different servers, and some are in use on over 50 servers. One of the unique names came from random name generators, the other was one of my oldest P&P RPG names.

Mind you, the names that I brought over from previous MMORPGs never had a problem with this in said previous MMORPGs. Then again, I've never played an MMORPG with millions of other players, either.

As a lark, I decided to search for character names I haven't used since the 80s. Sure enough, even those turned up, even those based on random name generators. Obviously, I need a thicker tin foil hat if people are able to read my mind and come up with names from that far back.

[Runt]

No. Let me correct that. "Blizzard is not forced to do anything about these people without a court order enforcing your trademark."

They COULD help me out. If they choose to. It's their game and they have rights over the names of the characters in it. Until such time as someone else does legally trademark 'Thortok', they have every ability of acting like I own the trademark instead. I've presented my case and that's really all I can do, without taking the steps you mentioned to force the issue.

It would be easier to instead come up with a new name and trademark it before I begin using it, as another person suggested. Which I don't want to have to do, but seems to be my only realistic option, if Blizzard doesn't want throw me a bone here.

So by your own understanding of Blizzard's "rights" you admit to not having a claim to the name. :ponder: As such, why would they even bother. It would just set a silly precedent. :smiley:

[Muitnep]

Just throught I'd let everyone know, I just emailed the U.S. Census Bureau, President Bush, the FBI and my local senator letting them know that I am "The Nick" and that they should make everyone else change their first name so I too can be a unique snowflake. I told my senator I would accept people changing to xNickx or Nix orNick11011

FYI, if your name happens to be Nick......

Change it!

PS. My buddie just did the same thing for Sam, so if your not The Sam then you need to start thinking of a new one.

[Thortok2000]

I had some time to think about this while I was at work. But first, a few replies.

That means 1994ish...

However....

Google began as a research project in January 1996 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin

I googled it in like 97. While the site itself was new, it would also reference pages older than itself. There were no hits except for places I'd been on the internet.

The most recent time I googled myself and found only myself was in 2005. Lot more hits, but they were still all me.

You might think you are being calm, open and honest, but I believe that your detractors are also being calm, open and honest.

Not the ones clamoring to go screw me over some more by making more Thortoks.

Thortok,

I hope I do not come across as antagonistic, or mean-spirited, or whatnot, but if you are stuck on being upset because someone has taken your name, I would plan on figuring out how to deal with it and be yourself, rather than to force your will on others just because you think that you thought of something first.

You may be setting yourself up for disappointment. What if you really aren't the first to come up with your name? Google, and the Internet at large for that matter, is not complete proof, nor is it close.

But that's not the point... without knowing much of who you are, I can pretty much say that James "Thortok2000" Beatty is a unique person, and definitely has a unique personality on the Internet. You don't need to copyright, trademark, or patent for that.

This is, essentially, what I settled on while I was at work. Grow and adapt, adapt and grow. You put it more eloquently.

I wish I could go back and reword my request to sound kinder and not so egotistical. I still think I hold some amount of claim to the name, and would still make the request again, but I no longer mind sharing it quite so much. After all, some people name their kids after celebrities, etc. I can at least content myself with being the first Thortok ever. I should in fact consider it a complement and if, years from now when I'm dead and gone, some people are still using the name Thortok, perhaps that would be good. If not, oh well.

Grow and adapt, adapt and grow.

It's not a big deal to me anymore. It was very upsetting when I first learned of it, hence my reaction, but I'm mostly over it now. It's still slightly depressing, but there's other things in life than a screen name, even if that name has been a part of you for over half your life.

Who knows? Sometime I might meet a Thortok in the future and become good friends with him.

Sorry for the distraction this caused. I didn't mean to cause a scene.

[Genseric]

Just throught I'd let everyone know, I just emailed the U.S. Census Bureau, President Bush, the FBI and my local senator letting them know that I am "The Nick" and that they should make everyone else change their first name so I too can be a unique snowflake. I told my senator I would accept people changing to xNickx or Nix orNick11011

FYI, if your name happens to be Nick......

Change it!

PS. My buddie just did the same thing for Sam, so if your not The Sam then you need to start thinking of a new one.

Cool, Im going to do the same with Eric. The only thing different, is that Im going to trademark everyword that contains the letters eric, in that order.

ATM im also saving to do the same thing for ing and ed.

[Muitnep]

Oh and for the record, while not as origional as Thortok2000, my alt "Helwrought" is a one and only name on the WoW database :-P

[SadaraK]

Meh, dont get so upset, it happens and people like to have 'unique names. They see it somewhere and decide its nice to use, no matter what u do theres nothing to stop that.

I have been Sadarak since the start of the first Unreal Tournament, and i know the only other reference to it is some town in asia that i didn't know about. Nevertheless u should have seen how many Sadarak's poped up on UT after a few years, not least of which were some who did it to try and get at me, which i was arther flattered at :).

[det]

and do you think Peter Jackson cares about 10,000 toons named Legolas?...

j.

664 toons with variation or not on "Legolas". Blizzard is doing a great job on enforcing that some names cannot be used ^^

Names like "Legolaself" take the cookie ^^

[kcma]

it never cease to amazing me how many 'kcma' are out there... quite a common name i suppose...

[Idol]

My new Warriors pretty unique. I'm the only Rheinhart in WoW EU.

[det]

Friend of mine called his toon Schinderhans....wasn't so unique to my surprise.

[piscene]

Well, I'm convinced that's a great name. I will now include thortok in every new toon I make...or should it be kcma...damn, maybe legolas...so much to plagiarize, so little time.

[dspencer]

Wow, you are so freaking vain to think that Thortok is such a great name and that your are the only one who can put together a brutish sounding word. 4 years ago, I had an NPC in a dnd game named Thortock, he was a dwarf ranger. 4 years ago, I didnt play MMORPGs. Get over yourself. Dont be a douche bag.

[Foonyak]

Dont be a ****** bag.

That was completely uncalled for. >>>Here's a link<<< (http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com) to the official forums, where that's far more common.

[Muitnep]

Well, I'm convinced that's a great name. I will now include thortok in every new toon I make...or should it be kcma...damn, maybe legolas...so much to plagiarize, so little time.

Thorkcmaolas?

[Ithilkir]

Only just read this thread, and not a lot to offer to it, however back in the mid to late 80's one of my best friends had a Dungeons and Dragons (and then onto AD&D) Dwarf called Thortok (Thor from the Nordic god, and tok from.. errr.. made it up ). Ah the juvenile humour of referring to him as Thorcock back in the day.. *goes all misty eyed*.

And as another side note, quick google search on Ithilkir, came back with 138 hits, 135 of which are me it seems :D

[Xlorep DarkHelm]

664 toons with variation or not on "Legolas". Blizzard is doing a great job on enforcing that some names cannot be used ^^

Names like "Legolaself" take the cookie ^^

Blizz would enforce it if Tolkien Enterprises pushed, trust me. Tolkien Enterprises probably has better things to do than to pick on character names in an MMO. besides, it is publicity.

[ChristofWiggums]

YOURE THE THORTOK IMPOERSONATOR THAT'S BEEN DEGRADING MY INTERNET IDENTITY??????? I CANNOT, CANNOT! COMPREHEND WHY YOU ARE TRYING TO STEAL MY IDENTITY! HOW AM I GOING TO GET A JOB WITH ANYONE NOW THAT MY INTERNET IDENTITY IS RUINED? Sir. I will copyright this name before you as I am the real thortok.
I beleive in 1995 I did the internet equivilant of mass media advertisement. I posted my new identity on a nonsecure unheard of website. I know of course this will be, most certainly, the reason I get a job out of my pathetic life. I have smoked entirely to much crack to have even close to the I.Q. of a videogame designer. So my Identity is all i could use on my application. But because of my INTERNET IDENTITY BEING STOLEN BY YOU, I will be forced to settle as a mere corner prostitue. I am utterly ASHAMED and INFURIATED at your ignorance regarding me THORTOK!!! Know that I will RUIN you for using my screenname. Just as soon as my mom give me enough money to buy a patent and a lawyer to carry out my lawsuit. Just wait, "THORTOK". You knieving, stealing nub.


Exaggeration to drive the point home. FTW!

[Cthonctic]

True little anecdote here:
When I created my first pen&paper roleplay character back in the 80s (a wood elf ranger, and I hadn't even heard of Lord of the Rings at the time, heh) I was looking for a simple and aesthetic, yet unique sounding name for him.

I basically chose the name letter by letter for it's sound and overall look.
The end result was "Talon"; I was quite pleased with it and continued to use it as my main fictional handle (other RPG characters and in short stories etc.).
Now, English is not my native language and once I started prowling the vastness of the intarwebz I was sort of suprised and irritated that on almost all game-related sites this name was already taken.

So finally I looked it up and had quite the revelation about how common a word that name I had used "exclusively" so far was.
I guess the moment when illusions are shattered are quite priceless, if not very enjoyable to the person involved... I must say, I kinda got over it by now though. :wink:

BTW, a vanity search for "Cthonctic" yielded no hits on the Armory except for my puny nublet warrior that I sort of abandoned a while ago. Google lists 7 hits, all me. Now I guess I should be real quick to trademark it before it's too late. :smiley:

Cheers.

[Thumbtack]

Blizz would enforce it if Tolkien Enterprises pushed, trust me. Tolkien Enterprises probably has better things to do than to pick on character names in an MMO. besides, it is publicity.

Blizzard has no brain, I seen simple names get violations where they have to change their name, but a name like Massdebation or other terms, many other terms similiar to that and others are allowed to stay.

[acevarrock]

Actually, what would be hilarious, is if Blizzard reads his letter and decides to put a Thortok NPC in the game somewhere with next patch. Then they send him a letter saying "Sorry dude, you've got to change your characters name because it violates the naming policy" (i.e. using the name of NPC) :shocked:

Rofl. :rolleyes:

This is really ridiculous. Get over yourself, there are millions of people out there and there's a chance that 2 might have the same name. Sorry, its the way it is.
Seriously get a life if you think you can make up some unique name and no one else will have it. And if you say "individual invention" one more time..:hang:

[Proverbs]

the guy had to be kidding. he had to be.


interviewer:OMG you're the famous one, the ThorTok! HIRED! This man is hired!


Face it Leroy Jenkins is the most famous player of all time and until you starr in a youtube epic, nooone will care about you, and really noone will after either, these people trying to get recognized for games, do something constructive then maybe, but for a game? it's ridiculous.

That name isn't even cool.

[SLUGFly]

you mean like Serenity Now? :)

Yes... people can say what they like about them being azzholes, low, etc. but in a pvp environment and a pvp zone (a high level pvp zone) they did the right thing... so Godfather... so awesome!!

For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, a girl died some time ago in real life and her guild held a memorial service (a funeral) for her in WoW... and they got wasted! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHJVolaC8pw)

[laffncry]

just read this thread. i can say that it doesn't matter how unique your char has..sooner or later another player would be naming his/her the same..and it's really upsetting sometimes to bump into that person in the game..and i don't think that tolkien's company would do some move to it, it's free publicity. by the way, Legolas' is a pretty popular name(after the movie came out):grin:

[snowieken]

I'd like to remind a few of you (especially later posts) that we are not the official forums and that we do not tolerate flaming in any way. On that note, Thortok posted a final reply and that should have been the end of this thread already. More of this will only lead to more flames.

So, *clank*.