[DENIED] Regarding Usernames - Name Change Suggestion

Hi. I have been a member of multiple forums, and one thing is similar if not the exact same in all of them - name changes.

While I see why username changes work the way they do on Sythe itself, it's kind of a janky system. Rather than rewarding activity, you get the 'richer' members to just throw money at you (200$ donors+ I believe get the ability to name change? Not sure on the specifics).

My main idea was to, similar to many other forums out there - have name changes be for active, well-contributing people. Say they have to be consistently active for 6 months and a regular in x sections, or have to post x amount of times and be consistently active for 6 months. Some sort of incentive like that would make it still difficult to get (assuming this does not count the spam forum lmfao), but it would still be a reward - and it would be a fair way to achieve a username change for those who don't have the capability to donate 200$ just like that.

Just my opinion - but 200$ just to have the ability to change your name is kinda ridic lol. Again I see why it was done, but I'll never be able to change my name because of this despite really wanting to, no matter how active I get and how much I attempt to contribute to the site - I can't throw money away like that lol.

Hopefully this gains some traction because I want to see less of a money gate being kept and it moreso being an activity gate. Users will still have the option to get name changes without the activity restrictions assuming they're a 200$+ donor, but for those of us who can't or won't donate that much, we can simply contribute a lot of postive activity to the forum and be rewarded for our time by getting rid of less favorable usernames.

Thanks for reading. <3

 

What activity requirements do you specifically propose? I would much prefer to see the current system change into a some-what micro-transaction that most other forums have.

Big support from me even though I've already taken the bait.

 

♥

I propose a minimum of 6 months and perhaps a post minimum of like. 3-4 hundred posts in that timeframe. Nothing too crazy and fully achievable, maybe it can be tuned up or down in the post way so it doesn't get spammy. The minimum activity could also be 12 months instead of 6 (so a year).

I think it should at least be like an option, but I do also think that the ability to just straight up buy a name change for like 10$ could be a nice feature too, rather than donating a big amount solely to get the name change you want.

 

I disagree for multiple reasons.

If you only make it a time or post requirement, someone will just start posting and replying nonsense 24/7 to get the post. Count required. #2 if you don't join with the name you want to use, then why did you join with it? I understand people start their shops or business or whatever, but with all business you have to spend money to make money. So changing your name is one of those expenses.

Also I'm pretty sure at $5 donor status you can change minor things. Such as capitalization and under scores and minor spelling issues.

So unless your wanting to change your entire name it's only
Have donated a minimum of $5.
Have a join date which dates to at least a year prior to their name change request.
Have 2FA enabled at the time of their request and pass an IP check (To enable 2FA visit https://www.sythe.org/account/two-step and for a guide see: here).
Have not previously changed their name via the minor name change system.

So I do not support this.

 

That's why I said the post requirement may not be a necessity, but instead more time/positive contribution. Even if the post requirement was a thing, I'd imagine they wouldn't count spam forum posts.

Minor change isn't a full name change. Full name changes iirc require 200$ donor status.

This is a site that isn't fully market, some people do not trade often and some people are also not very profitable with their trades or at least cannot donate 200$ to get a whole new name. You don't have to like the same name forever, lmfao.

I also cannot get 2FA as I do not own a phone and cannot afford one atm, so that also would bone me anyways - but I plan to get a phone asap. Again, wouldn't donate 200$ that I could use to get a phone to change my name lol, but that doesn't stop me from contributing to the forum.

 

You don't need a phone for 2FA btw

go on the google chrome store and type in authenticator

 

Major name change requests already require 1 YEAR on sythe.


Name change is a big benefit of $200 Donator. In order for me to support this, something would have to be added in its place.


I don’t think name changes should be easily accessible. If it’s based on posts / activity / join date then it needs to be like 2K / 3K + posts and 2+ / 3+ years minimum.

Honestly, too many name changes already and too many people would have to be grandfathered in who have donated and name changed already.

No support from me.

 

Ah, wasn't aware of the name change requirements atm, thanks!

Yeah idk. 200$ for a simple name change is just too steep that's the issue, I think just by default it should be replaced with something better. I don't have a current proposal for that, but I'll rack my brain and maybe suggest something extra.

Most if not basically all forums have some sort of name change which is an incentive of sorts, another thing I saw is that there's a 2-week window that happens once a year where people can change their names, but that was on one forum and I'm not sure how good it honestly works.

I would put it personally at 2 years and 1-2k posts, so the member actually contributes for sure - but it does seem a little long LOL

 

Yeah, I can support seeing removal of the Donator perk for minor name changes and making that based on activity.. but I like major name changes how it is. Its a mixture of longevity (1+ year) and support of sythe’s continuation (donation).

In my opinion, name changes are already too easy at $200+ and 1 year.

 

No support since it’s been like this for a long time and alot of people have probably donated just to change their name.

 

A full name change is a perk. It’s completely understandable that the threshold for a full name change is $200. You also need to understand that the site doesn’t run on our activity and contributions solely – donations, banner spots, etc, all play a large role in ensuring the upkeep and longevity of the site.

If anything, allowing minor changes for as little as $5 is already quite generous.

How would this metric be defined? What defines consistent activity? Will it be evaluated from a qualitative or quantitative approach? Seems to me like a massive waste of staff time in terms of both, deciding how this would be defined/calculated, and also reviewing said name-change applicants’ history if they don’t meet the $200 threshold.

What you’ve proposed is far too subjective, alongside being far too difficult to evaluate, and ultimately simply not-needed.

I see no major issue with the system at current (there are a few small QoL changes that could be implemented), and definitely do not agree with making a full name-change available to all.

That's unfortunate, but life isn't fair.

See my response to point 2.

No. It’s a perk for a reason. Sythe.org is unequivocally a market-place and business platform first and foremost, rather than a community. Yes, we have an active community, but without the former, there would be no community.

Thus, the $200 threshold is fine.

See my response to point 2.

See my response to point 5.

 

I think the main reason I made this thread is that 200$ just for a name change is purely outlandish and I guess I can't ever see it as NOT that, I just feel like a different perk would be much better on replacing it. Legit every other site I can think of runs perfectly fine on having small donations for name changes (or none at all, people who want to donate still donate and get perks still) and Sythe has a shit ton of 200$+ and 500$+ donors, I don't think the site is going to lose a lot from one perk being replaced with a higher quality one lol. I've heard some people talk about donating thousands.

If it gets no support it gets no support, I just don't see why it's a thing in the first place. Def will keep supporting it either way, and I agree that at least a minor name change should be free after 1 year of activity or a 5$ incentive is fine to keep it at. But from 5$ for minor name change to.... 200$ for a major name change? lol it just doesn't make sense to me.

5 to 200 is a massive jump e_e.

If donor perks end up being changed or just more are added, I do still think the 200$ name change one should be replaced, and the name change thing can be bumped down to the 50$ donor perk or somethin. 5 to 50 isn't as big a jump no? Makes sense I'd think.

[edit] Forgot to reply to specific points as well but my main thing to really say is ye SellerMan it'd just be like, almost a given reward. If someone is recognized for good contribution in quality and they meet the other requirements they can just ask and receive. Like an approval thing, that was one of my ideas. Not sure how well it'd work but it's just in theory.

 

This makes no sense. Donor thresholds aren't limited by having a max amount of perks. The $200 donor threshold could have 1 million perks for arguments sake -
so replacing the full name-change one for another is redundant. It is not a one in, one out system.

If you're going to state other sites as a reference point to supplement your argument, then at least list them and provide examples. Claiming something doesn't make it true (not saying it isn't).

Also, these other sites - I hope their infrastructure and the inherent way they operate is similar to Sythe org, otherwise not really relevant.

Certain individuals have already donated $10,000, but I fail to see how this is relevant.

How do you not see the extremely transparent and obvious reasoning that, this is a PERK. It incentivises users to donate to acquire a perk that is not available to the masses. It's super simple.

See point 1.

 

The name change perk being exclusive to $200 donors is a huge contributor to Sythe revenue.

Although I did donate for the name change, I wouldn't mind the name change being a reward for activity. Although, it should be something like 1k likes / 5k posts / very high trophy points etc.

 

I have been a member since 2013, yet only have 2k post.

Many of my post have been in the spam forum, which doesn't count towards post count. Not to mention, post count means almost nothing really, as someone could be paid to bump threads, or simply have a bunch of pointless threads, or even just threads across multiple sections. Likes and sythe gold also wouldn't work, because you can farm those with friends too.

1k likes? Anyone with friends in sythe discord can make that happen in a few days / weeks if they wanted. 5k post? I don't have near 5k post, yet I have been trying to support sythe for years now, and like I mentioned above, a lot of my post have been in spam forum which doesn't count towards my post count.

Also, doesn't post count and likes also benefit the people who have threads across multiple sections ( which usually means they are operating a gold/skilling/question/etc business). That would mean they get 5+ post every 8 hours, and more if they are both selling and buying gold.

IDK I think this suggestion overall just wouldn't work and would be unfair for people like me, who don't meet all these requirements , yet IMHO, I have been a good role model on sythe overall.

I can't afford to donate another $150 for a major name change at the moment, but that's okay. Maybe If provide good services, which thankfully sythe allows me to do, I can pay sythe back with a donation .

 

@Eazy E
My point is there should be a second option, but have it be hard to obtain as to not lower sythe's donation revenue drastically. Yes you could farm it, but a higher count makes it harder to farm.

As for people working over multiple threads in buy/sell markets, who do get dozens of postcount per day just bumping, i'd presume they'd already be $200+ donor anyways.

 

No Support,

I believe that name change should be a perk for donors and not accessible for everyone. Many people already have $200 donor status to change their name and it would be unfair to them if the rules were to be changed now. Plus I am sure it takes a lot of time and effort for mods or admins to go through each request so it should be limited.

 

Well, the reason I chose this name was that the original name I wanted, Bizarro is held by an account which hasn't been used in years. It's not as simple as "Oh you should have just registered with the name you want.

I can't afford to change my name and it would be nice to change it, but I can't justify $200 (apparently $300 when I asked about changing my name when first registering) to change a name on a forum. I've got way too many expenses as it is.

I think that usernames should also become public domain after 5 years (and 3 years after an account's name is banned), so the name Bizarro, for example, hasn't been active since 2011 and would fall into this category

I support the idea of perhaps a year of activity and roughly ~500 post count?

 

As Wortel said, life isn't fair. It's your choice on how you spend your money. If you want to spend somewhere other than Sythe, that's your discretion. Name changes are a privilege and a perk. Spend the money to get the perk, simple as that.
If you wanted the name Bizzaro, you should have joined Sythe earlier.

 

There's no incentive for the staff to reduce the cost of changing a name when many people are already willing to pay that much.