Discussion and Clarification about MRP Naming rules

A few weeks ago in MRP, I got bwoinked over the name “Cap’n Jack Morgan”. Specifically the “Cap’n” part.

I did change it following a 1 day ban, and a forum post where the name “Adolf Driggers” was defended, but apparently Cap’n was banned. Nevertheless, I did change “Cap’n” to something else.

Forum post here if you want to see someone rant about 2d Spessmen names.

During that whole back and forth, At one point I had asked about another character name:
“Alexei Chernobyl Rasputin”.

This is specifically because there was another person with “Rasputin” in their name during the round in which “Cap’n” was brought up as an issue.

To my recollection, I was told by multiple admins (no screenshots that I know of), that this wasn’t an issue.

Fast Forward two weeks, I am now getting admin messages over the character of Alexei Chernobyl Rasputin.

So here’s the problem:
It seems that character names are almost entirely at admin discretion.

To clarify, I’m changing “Alexei Chernobyl Rasputin” to something else. I’m not disputing that particular point, just using it as an example.

I think it is a good time to clear up the Character names rules a bit. Because it seems admins are being put in a situation in which they’re being asked to basically censor names, but the guidance is not entirely clear, and what is fine for one admin, is not for another.

Case in Point: Some would defend ‘Adolf Driggers’, but bwoink “Rasputin”.

I think this gives admins a ton of discretion with what is and isn’t acceptable.

I get that this puts admins in an awkward position, I get that the first person to get a bwoink over this is no doubt going to scream that there’s 50 other people with joke / offensive / borderline offensive names. And admins have better things to do in a round than be name police.

And I get that this seems to be a new effort to clean up the names on MRP to separate it more from the LRP server. I think the goal of that is a good one, but I question the implementation.

That said, this no doubt annoys the playerbase because people who have been playing with a character one day, have no problem, play 20 rounds, no issue, then get a different admin, and suddenly that character is NOT OK. I also realize that there’s no possible way that you can cover “every situation” but a bit more clarity is needed.

I’d also note that seems to have started being enforced only in the last month or so. Perhaps I missed a memo or announcement? If so, please link that, or make one, so that the playerbase is more aware of the changes.

Without more specific guidelines with some examples, I either see this as going really strict, or having to be scrapped. I think putting these thoughts here on the fourms might go some way towards untangling that.

This basically is for some guidance in regards to the following rules and subsections:

Rule 3, Paragraph 5:
Racial and homophobic slurs are not permitted.

What about borderline names cases? Example: Adolf Driggers.

Rule 4, Paragraph 4: "Use a lore-friendly name, and follow the naming conventions for your species. Do not use the names of famous real/fictional people/characters. Naming yourself after pop-culture items, icons, or references is also prohibited. Only clowns can use meme names.

So how is “Adolf” followed by anything not an issue? I can only presume that George Floyd is probably right out.

Define “Naming conventions for your species”.
If someone could link that, it would be appreciated.

What about “Jack Morgan” ? Those are both extremely common names.
But individually each is also a part of an alcoholic beverage? “Jack Daniels”, “Captain Morgan”
Does this mean we ban the use of the name “Jack”?

It seems this is a pretty big “catch all”:

“Do not use the names of famous real/fictional people/characters. Naming yourself after pop-culture items, icons, or references is also prohibited. Only clowns can use meme names.”

I mean pretty much any name, will have been used by someone relatively famous at some point? How might you define this? This seems to cover literally any name under the sun.

Case in point:
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.

Probably the four most common names on the planet. But when you put them together like that, they’re referencing 4 famous individuals.

Or: Matthew Perry
-Common name, but also name of not 1, but two famous people in two different centuries.

One: Was an actor.
The Other: Opened up Japan to International trade.

I think it would be good to get some sort clarity on some of this…or in the very least set out some precedents that can be adopted. Particularly if there’s a push for tighter enforcement. Tighter enforcement and looser rules seems to be a good way to get very arbitrary and wildly varying results.

I also think (If we don’t have one already) a splash screen when someone logs in that says “This is MRP, This is a different server with different rules and bigger restrictions” please go read the rules on our forum here: " may be a good idea.

Leave your thoughts in the comments.

I’d also note that seems to have started being enforced only in the last month or so. Perhaps I missed a memo or announcement? If so, please link that, or make one, so that the playerbase is more aware of the changes.

This specific rule enforcement started with release of Ruko’s guide. And you are not alone in this, I bwoinked many people in the last week due to invalid naming.

“Do not use the names of famous real/fictional people/characters. Naming yourself after pop-culture items, icons, or references is also prohibited. Only clowns can use meme names.”
I mean pretty much any name, will have been used by someone relatively famous at some point? How might you define this? This seems to cover literally any name under the sun.

Some surnames even if used in past are not recognizable enough to bwoink for. But problem starts when you use surname of someone famous or famous character such as already told Rasputin, Trump, Stalin etc.

There is not a lot to discuss about, just use common sense, create normal common name not based on famous character, without nicknames in it and qualifications.

Define “Naming conventions for your species”.
If someone could link that, it would be appreciated.

For additional information check the guide Guide to naming your character appropriately for MRP - #13 by anonduble
and rules Rules - BeeStation Wiki

I also think (If we don’t have one already) a splash screen when someone logs in that says “This is MRP, This is a different server with different rules and bigger restrictions” please go read the rules on our forum here: " may be a good idea.

we have one already
sage

The rule enforcement has existed a lot longer than my guide, but it was inconsistently enforced since more than one species didn’t actually have a defined naming scheme.

Regarding the splash screen, it could certainly use being more noticeable.

Adolf is an actual name and I know somebody with that name. Why the hell you would you ban irl names?

2 Likes

Regarding the Splash Screen:

Agreed. I looked at that splash screen and my eyes automatically skimmed over that specific line.
Even though I was specifically looking for it.

It needs to be like 4 font sizes bigger, and a different color from all of the other text. Seriously.

Welcome, Big Font
see our website, Medium Font
see our discord, Medium Font
give us money, Medium Font

tiny print at the bottom by the way …follow our rules or be banned.

Hows about:
WELCOME TO MRP
WE ARE NOT LRP, WE HAVE DIFFERENT RULES
SEE HERE

Check us out on:
Discord – blah blah
Twitter – blah blah
Give us monies

Other potential issue:

Also. I’ve noted that sometimes I go on to MRP and it’s full so I get swtiched automatically over to LRP. Does this happen in reverse? Because someone could presumably have a name that’s appropriate for LRP, get auto switched to MRP unintentionally.
You might wind up with a situation in which you get bwoinked because you got lobbed into the MRP server. So a bigger splash screen / notification. One that doesn’t look nearly identical to the LRP one would be helpful.

Regarding Adolf:

To Demdisco:
You must be European, Very Very few Americans would ever consider naming their kid Adolf unless they’re Far Right or a parent is European (I guess?)
I get that this game is played all over the world, and it may be different in different places, but recognize that in the US specifically, there’s only ONE person who comes to mind whenever the name “Adolf” is mentioned,

And before you say it…it ain’t Dolf Lundgren (and Even Dolf Lundgren, isn’t an Adolf. His first name is actually Hans). Just stating that for the record.
—Yes I just googled that and that actually surprised me.

To Naevi:
To an American this falls under “common sense” to not name a character Adolf.
And “common sense” that anyone with that name is most likely referring to “THAT Adolf”.
If nothing else, anyone named that should instantly get extra scrutiny over more common names.

You already brought up Rasputin, Trump, Stalin, etc.
I’d put forward a motion for “Extra Screening” of anyone named Adolf.

To quote Ruko’s Guide: “Human - Normal human names, the kind that won’t raise an eyebrow if you chose to name your child.”

Adolf is an eyebrow raiser in the US for sure. That said, we’re not Team America World Police, and your local country may vary.

For the record Adolf is INCREDIBLY rare in the US.

Copypasted Quote from the first thing that came up when I googled it:

"The number of babies named Adolf for the most part remained in the single digits over the next three decades, but the number of baby Adolfs climbed up into the 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s in the 1910s. The name hovered around that level of popularity until the 1930s, when the number of baby boys named Adolf in a given year dropped into the teens.

Nearing the end of World War II in 1944, only five U.S. newborns were named Adolf. The name did not appear in the data (meaning it was chosen for fewer than five baby boys or girls) in the years 1946, 1953, 1967, 1974, 1977 or 1978. It did appear in all the years in between, but never for more than 12 newborns.

From 1984 to 1989, Adolf did not appear in the data. Somewhat surprisingly, however, the name didn’t truly fall off the list for good until after 1990, when five newborn boys were named Adolf."

–End Quote–

Relevant Article: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/unpopular-baby-names_n_5a77ded7e4b01ce33eb452c6

Nope, lrp doesn’t have a pop cap

Someone mentioned below Americans seeing it as common sense not to name your kid Adolf, I don’t see it honestly. (I’m American myself) A name is just a name, honestly. I probably shouldn’t be one to talk seeing as at least two characters are straight up inserts from an anime that apparently nobody seems to realize, come on the fandom can’t be THAT dead. Anyways, looking at another name: Joseph. You can’t assume everyone with that name is a reference to THAT Joseph or a reference to Jojo, go ahead and call me weeb cringe now, and I don’t think Adolf should be assumed to be associated with that either. No, it isn’t a very common name, but to be entirely fair there’s a number of names like that not every name is gonna be popular. Not that many people name their kids Tempest or Cloud I’m pretty sure they’re just names from the hippy gen having kids lol. Adolf as a name comes from Germanic meaning ‘noble’ and ‘wolf’. Not every usage of a name is a reference to Hitler, though I would keep an eye out. For example Adidas is named after the founder, Adolf ‘Adi’ Dassler, and there’s an Austrian footballer (soccer player but for your sake I am outnumbered so let’s just say footballer) whose first name is Adolf, he goes by Adi though.

1 Like