Post by FFAxPostal on Mar 22, 2010 23:25:05 GMT -5
What’s in a handle?
In musing around the internet I’ve always wondered what other people think of the handles that are out there. Really what goes into picking the name that other people will call you on the internet. The name that you choose can really effect what people think of you, and can sometimes be what flags you as a newbie. Abe defines this well:
1. What's in a name
TA players have simple names. Names that can be pronounced. Such as:
TAG_ROCK, TEA_TOWEL or swe_abe.
TA newbies have complicated names, with a lot of numbers, dewdspeech and stupid references. Such as:
personguy126 (Apparently 125 guys took this cool name, before this unoriginal newbie)
mikexx2020
H4RDC0R3
(authentic names from the upload folder)
Because of this, it's easy to spot newbies. We all miss Zone because there, you could boot them as well.
Your name also holds your TA reputation. In games with a lot of players this doesn’t really matter as much unless you’re near the top of the ladder. But here in TA land, it matters because if you don’t have a name that means something, you’re going to find it difficult to get into the team games, or any games for that matter. So while it may seem fun to smurf, unless you’ve built up your smurf’s rep, your smurf is going to spend a bit of time playing on the sidelines. It’s why I often ask when a new name shows up in the battle room who they are. If they don’t want to say I ask if they’re a smurf, if they don’t comment about that then they’re watching. Since its tough to get a game going sometimes, its nice to be able to remove some of the obstacles from the beginning.
So instead of going through characteristics of choosing a good name, I’m just going to go through the lists and give a review of some of the handles here in our beloved TA community.
We’ll start with an easy one:
n1_RVD1- Now this name is simple and in fact is easy enough to pronounce. “Ar Vee Dee” Short syllables make it flow off of the tongue easily, and it can be pronounced. However one major flaw in it is the number one at the end. It is entirely unnecessary. Most of the time it doesn’t get pronounced, and is an eyesore to an otherwise completely acceptable name. Clan tags are fine to have a combination of symbols and numbers. Its almost like wearing a patch or uniform, something that only really needs to look sharp. Also the name is unique enough to develop its own meaning. When I think of RVD, I don’t think of Rob Van Dam, the professional wrestler, I think of Irishness and speed clicking. Then again I never watched professional wrestling. Besides, Irish RVD is probably pretty small and gangly next to the juiced up wrestler RVD.
Overall 7/10
KARHU_Tiptushi- What the hell is this supposed to mean? It’s completely unique, thus enabling the bearer to define it. Now its length is a burden. While it has the same three syllable sound as RVD, it lacks the ease of typing that the shorter names provide. Having to type “Tiptushi” is more difficult than saying it. However this effect is almost eliminated by the ease at which it can be shortened. This is another important aspect. If you are going to have a long name, it is important to accept a shortening of it for the sake of the in game chat. “Tip” is simple enough to type, and gets the message across. The name bears a resemblance to sushi, oftentimes conjuring up images of random Japanese foods that one might think is “tiptushi.” Tiptushi, is easy enough to say, but it is a little awkward. Now the KARHU_ is entirely too long for a clan tag. Now I’ve been told this means bear or something somewhere in Scandinavia-land, but this is the internets. Clan tags should be simple enough that they don’t overpower the name
But since I’m rating names and not clan tags, overall this gets a 9/10.
Mean_F1ddl3r- This is one of the worst names in TA history. It’s so bad I’m going to avoid typing it again at all costs. We’ll begin with the pronunciation. Mean fiddler is easy enough to say but it’s still awkward to do so. It’s not something that you’d want to say more than once in a conversation. The combination of the underscore and the numbers makes it a TADRS reviewer’s nightmare to get it correct. Numbers in a name are almost always a bad idea. Also it’s impossible to shorten to anything that doesn’t sound flagrantly gay. (Although the name itself is gay enough) “Hey Fiddles, lets have a game” or “Hey Mean, lets go” and “Fiddley, gogogogo” just don’t really work that well. Also it is good that if your name does have some kind of reference to it that it actually applies to you. This name conjures up images of a man standing around flashing a toothless grin behind a bushy beard sawing on a fiddle. I’m positive that Emac, (even though he’s from England) has teeth, and I also know he can’t play the fiddle. Contrast all of this to Emaciator-Unique, only slightly awkward to say, and incredibly easy to shorten for conversational purposes. I have no idea why you’d want to move from that to Mean_fidwhatever.
Overall 1/10
Rebun- This name marks one of the most successful name changes in TA history. In order to change your name, sometimes your reputation can go with it. Aprox not only managed to change his name, but he managed to keep the reputation that he had built. Rebun is a good name overall. Its easy to say and easy to type. It goes well with a variety of clan tags, and is unique. What is a Rebun? Other than an island off of Japan, he is a Dutch TA player. One of the only downsides to this name is the fact that putting “bun” on the end of anything makes it sound like a sandwich.
Overall 9/10
EXZoJono10- Simple name and easy enough to say, however it isn’t very unique or original. I simply think of other people I know that are named John. Also the addition of the numbers on the end of the name are cumbersome and unnecessary. Currently, to the best of my knowledge, there is only one “Jono” on online TA at this moment. The only other exception would be Emac, who at one time used the handle Jonno for a short while.
Overall 5/10
A21b- You’ve never seen it because it’s obscure, it’s the handle that my little brother used for his brief tenure in competitive TA. The reason why I bring it up is because its one of the few names that has numbers that actually works. While it’s a bit lengthy to say, “A twenty-one B”, it is easy to type, and pretty unique. It is simple enough to shorten for conversation or for in game chat to 21, similar to the Gnug names, which were simply numbers and worked in and of themselves.
Overall 7/10
Fr_Med- Medmo, the French guy. Other than people from his nation asking “how to win Med” and having random folks get it confused with beating the AI on medium, Med is a pretty solid TA name. It can be pronounced, quick to type, and is entirely French. Well the only reason it’s entirely French is because Med has established that reputation. It fits all of the criteria for a good name, save for the fact that it seems to have some tie to medicine and the medical field. Also Nico would say it has something to do with mediocrity, but that’s just cause he just wishes he was the best French TA player.
Overall 8/10
homie12- This name sucks for many reasons, most of which I’ve already discussed (Unoriginal, numbers, no ability to define it. There are no doubt tens of thousands of people who call themselves homie on the internet and their names are not Homer). The main one I want to point it is the complete lack of capitalization. A name is a proper noun, and if you want a handle to be recognized as a name and not a typo, it is good to properly capitalize your name.
Overall 2/10
oRca- Not a bad name. Sure it’s an animal, but its not as newbie sounding as “Killer Whale.” Really animal names are fine so long as you don’t think you’re intimidating anyone. Call yourself Badger, Fox, Raccoon, Squirrel, or anything along that lines and you’ll be fine. Go to Great White Shark, Killer Whale, Lion, Tiger, Bear, and you start to get pretentious. Obnoxious uP aNd DoWn capitalization is not a good idea either. It’s a pain to read, and it’s hard on the eyes. Plus it can make you look shift or caps-lock challenged.
Overall 6/10
CARNE_coucouroucou- How the heck are you supposed to say this? Perhaps we should try fewer repeating syllables? Perhaps some variety in the vowels? Perhaps a clan tag that doesn’t mean Meat, and conjure up images of beef? Or Perhaps we should just try again?
Overall 1/10
Swe_Abe- The only name in TA that meant anything.
Overall 10/10
Anyway I hope this has been enlightening and will encourage you to select a handle that is worthwhile. Since I’m one of those TADRS reviewers be assured I’ll simply just change your name to whatever I think it should be if it’s a pain to type. Like RVD, seriously, there’s no point in typing that extra 1. It’s just too far to reach on my keyboard.
In musing around the internet I’ve always wondered what other people think of the handles that are out there. Really what goes into picking the name that other people will call you on the internet. The name that you choose can really effect what people think of you, and can sometimes be what flags you as a newbie. Abe defines this well:
1. What's in a name
TA players have simple names. Names that can be pronounced. Such as:
TAG_ROCK, TEA_TOWEL or swe_abe.
TA newbies have complicated names, with a lot of numbers, dewdspeech and stupid references. Such as:
personguy126 (Apparently 125 guys took this cool name, before this unoriginal newbie)
mikexx2020
H4RDC0R3
(authentic names from the upload folder)
Because of this, it's easy to spot newbies. We all miss Zone because there, you could boot them as well.
Your name also holds your TA reputation. In games with a lot of players this doesn’t really matter as much unless you’re near the top of the ladder. But here in TA land, it matters because if you don’t have a name that means something, you’re going to find it difficult to get into the team games, or any games for that matter. So while it may seem fun to smurf, unless you’ve built up your smurf’s rep, your smurf is going to spend a bit of time playing on the sidelines. It’s why I often ask when a new name shows up in the battle room who they are. If they don’t want to say I ask if they’re a smurf, if they don’t comment about that then they’re watching. Since its tough to get a game going sometimes, its nice to be able to remove some of the obstacles from the beginning.
So instead of going through characteristics of choosing a good name, I’m just going to go through the lists and give a review of some of the handles here in our beloved TA community.
We’ll start with an easy one:
n1_RVD1- Now this name is simple and in fact is easy enough to pronounce. “Ar Vee Dee” Short syllables make it flow off of the tongue easily, and it can be pronounced. However one major flaw in it is the number one at the end. It is entirely unnecessary. Most of the time it doesn’t get pronounced, and is an eyesore to an otherwise completely acceptable name. Clan tags are fine to have a combination of symbols and numbers. Its almost like wearing a patch or uniform, something that only really needs to look sharp. Also the name is unique enough to develop its own meaning. When I think of RVD, I don’t think of Rob Van Dam, the professional wrestler, I think of Irishness and speed clicking. Then again I never watched professional wrestling. Besides, Irish RVD is probably pretty small and gangly next to the juiced up wrestler RVD.
Overall 7/10
KARHU_Tiptushi- What the hell is this supposed to mean? It’s completely unique, thus enabling the bearer to define it. Now its length is a burden. While it has the same three syllable sound as RVD, it lacks the ease of typing that the shorter names provide. Having to type “Tiptushi” is more difficult than saying it. However this effect is almost eliminated by the ease at which it can be shortened. This is another important aspect. If you are going to have a long name, it is important to accept a shortening of it for the sake of the in game chat. “Tip” is simple enough to type, and gets the message across. The name bears a resemblance to sushi, oftentimes conjuring up images of random Japanese foods that one might think is “tiptushi.” Tiptushi, is easy enough to say, but it is a little awkward. Now the KARHU_ is entirely too long for a clan tag. Now I’ve been told this means bear or something somewhere in Scandinavia-land, but this is the internets. Clan tags should be simple enough that they don’t overpower the name
But since I’m rating names and not clan tags, overall this gets a 9/10.
Mean_F1ddl3r- This is one of the worst names in TA history. It’s so bad I’m going to avoid typing it again at all costs. We’ll begin with the pronunciation. Mean fiddler is easy enough to say but it’s still awkward to do so. It’s not something that you’d want to say more than once in a conversation. The combination of the underscore and the numbers makes it a TADRS reviewer’s nightmare to get it correct. Numbers in a name are almost always a bad idea. Also it’s impossible to shorten to anything that doesn’t sound flagrantly gay. (Although the name itself is gay enough) “Hey Fiddles, lets have a game” or “Hey Mean, lets go” and “Fiddley, gogogogo” just don’t really work that well. Also it is good that if your name does have some kind of reference to it that it actually applies to you. This name conjures up images of a man standing around flashing a toothless grin behind a bushy beard sawing on a fiddle. I’m positive that Emac, (even though he’s from England) has teeth, and I also know he can’t play the fiddle. Contrast all of this to Emaciator-Unique, only slightly awkward to say, and incredibly easy to shorten for conversational purposes. I have no idea why you’d want to move from that to Mean_fidwhatever.
Overall 1/10
Rebun- This name marks one of the most successful name changes in TA history. In order to change your name, sometimes your reputation can go with it. Aprox not only managed to change his name, but he managed to keep the reputation that he had built. Rebun is a good name overall. Its easy to say and easy to type. It goes well with a variety of clan tags, and is unique. What is a Rebun? Other than an island off of Japan, he is a Dutch TA player. One of the only downsides to this name is the fact that putting “bun” on the end of anything makes it sound like a sandwich.
Overall 9/10
EXZoJono10- Simple name and easy enough to say, however it isn’t very unique or original. I simply think of other people I know that are named John. Also the addition of the numbers on the end of the name are cumbersome and unnecessary. Currently, to the best of my knowledge, there is only one “Jono” on online TA at this moment. The only other exception would be Emac, who at one time used the handle Jonno for a short while.
Overall 5/10
A21b- You’ve never seen it because it’s obscure, it’s the handle that my little brother used for his brief tenure in competitive TA. The reason why I bring it up is because its one of the few names that has numbers that actually works. While it’s a bit lengthy to say, “A twenty-one B”, it is easy to type, and pretty unique. It is simple enough to shorten for conversation or for in game chat to 21, similar to the Gnug names, which were simply numbers and worked in and of themselves.
Overall 7/10
Fr_Med- Medmo, the French guy. Other than people from his nation asking “how to win Med” and having random folks get it confused with beating the AI on medium, Med is a pretty solid TA name. It can be pronounced, quick to type, and is entirely French. Well the only reason it’s entirely French is because Med has established that reputation. It fits all of the criteria for a good name, save for the fact that it seems to have some tie to medicine and the medical field. Also Nico would say it has something to do with mediocrity, but that’s just cause he just wishes he was the best French TA player.
Overall 8/10
homie12- This name sucks for many reasons, most of which I’ve already discussed (Unoriginal, numbers, no ability to define it. There are no doubt tens of thousands of people who call themselves homie on the internet and their names are not Homer). The main one I want to point it is the complete lack of capitalization. A name is a proper noun, and if you want a handle to be recognized as a name and not a typo, it is good to properly capitalize your name.
Overall 2/10
oRca- Not a bad name. Sure it’s an animal, but its not as newbie sounding as “Killer Whale.” Really animal names are fine so long as you don’t think you’re intimidating anyone. Call yourself Badger, Fox, Raccoon, Squirrel, or anything along that lines and you’ll be fine. Go to Great White Shark, Killer Whale, Lion, Tiger, Bear, and you start to get pretentious. Obnoxious uP aNd DoWn capitalization is not a good idea either. It’s a pain to read, and it’s hard on the eyes. Plus it can make you look shift or caps-lock challenged.
Overall 6/10
CARNE_coucouroucou- How the heck are you supposed to say this? Perhaps we should try fewer repeating syllables? Perhaps some variety in the vowels? Perhaps a clan tag that doesn’t mean Meat, and conjure up images of beef? Or Perhaps we should just try again?
Overall 1/10
Swe_Abe- The only name in TA that meant anything.
Overall 10/10
Anyway I hope this has been enlightening and will encourage you to select a handle that is worthwhile. Since I’m one of those TADRS reviewers be assured I’ll simply just change your name to whatever I think it should be if it’s a pain to type. Like RVD, seriously, there’s no point in typing that extra 1. It’s just too far to reach on my keyboard.