Is This True - You Can't Make New Avatars???

I was looking for info on how to close an account I don't use in order to make a new RP-character ("avatar".

I stumbled on some threads that seem to indicate that even if you disband an account (and the avatar along with), you can't make a new one, even if you now would have one to spare according to the 2 account maximum limit!

In short, you're not able to make new players. EVER!

Please verify this, because I can't believe what I'm reading...

(a) The general usage of the word "avatar" means the body shape, attached prims and so on that go to make up your avatar in-world, not the account, so I think it might be worthwhile trying to get the title changed, otherwise you'll give a lot of avatar-makers heart attacks. PM a Linden or AR your own post or something.

(b) Which threads do you mean?

This is true.

I have a cancelled account, and was told it still took up one of the '2 accounts per creditcard and 5 accounts per household' allotment. IMO its the stupidest thing in the world. I was offered no information as to WHY this cancelled accounts still count, but I was told the limit on total number of accounts is because people game the system for the stipend, and the limits supposedly prevent this.

-Ghoti

I agree it's stupid, Ghoti. How many people do you know (other than me, by my own choice) only have 1 credit card?

Every member of my family could have a credit card with their own name on it, which would allow us to have 8 accounts. I'm not sure why we'd want to do that, but if people want to game the system they're going to do it no matter what.

Stupidest, most counterintuitive thing I ever heard!

Besides, if preventing stipend exploitation is the reason, the regulation will be of zero use in any case. You'd still be limited to 2 accounts (closing one, opening another), so how on earth could that serve the reason given???

Jesus Christ!

I wanted to delete an alt and make a new one because I didn't like the first name I picked.

I don't even mind losing the stuff in inventory.

But, no, you can't do that unless you want to give up a slot. It's not worth losing the reserve.

As for the stipend... I suspect they're talking about people gaming the signup bonus.

I'd happily give up the initial stipend to do this, but noooo...

Okay, so how much can you change on a given avatar besides buying skins, hair bodyshapes and stuff?

Name?
Sex? Maybe I want to create a boy?

I've never seen you can do that ingame.



Sorry, but I made a Search. I'll look it up again if you demand it.

Monique you are allowed up to 5 accounts per credit card, but if you were to have all 5 and cancel one, you can not make another one.

Just to chime in on how stupid this is.

I made a post ranting about this months and months ago and lots of people agreed, but LL never even so much as commented on it (beyond the standard response.)

I have two alt avatars I made almost as a joke, (one of them has a real silly name) but no matter what, I cant delete them and can't make new ones, (even though the average griefer can make as many as they want.)

To make matters worse, several players who started before the limits on avatars were lowered have many more avatars than we are currently allowed, so its not even fair that way either.

Scuttlebutt has it that the *REAL* reason they don't let you do it, is that they have no way of deleting the stuff out of the database! So they have to limit new avatars since they have no regime for cleansing the database of old entries. They don't like to say this out loud though as it kind of makes the whole system look dumb.

You can't change the name, or the birthdate. You can certainly change sex. Right click on the av, select Appearance, then Shape, Body (it pops up first actually) and change the radio button from Female to Male or vice versa.

That wasn't the point. The point was, you can make new avatars, but it's hard to make new accounts.

I own 1 single credit card! I live in Sweden. Not at all uncommon over here. I sure like to be able to use the two character slots I'm given to the fullest extent!

Come to think of it, how many people mustn't have gone along with SL like nothing's awkward and then to their horror discovering this mindless rule, after having deleted their both accounts? They'd never be able to play again. Linden Labs is losing customers this way...

Note: As for the rest and real meaning of your post, I'm all with it.

What use is a burly plumber called "Monique"?



So it's all useless...

I wouldn't discriminate against a burly plumber called Monique as long as he or she could fix my taps!

Thanks, appreciated. We need to start a revolution!



I feel your pain. I'ts precisely my situation. SL, where everything's possible. Yeah, sure.



Exactly. What's up with that!



Then maybe Linden Labs should try and hire some programmers...

The horror... the horror...

I would. I play games because it lets me imagine I'm someone or somewhere particular. Aesthetics are damn important to me (and for a lot of people for that matter). Would be kind of hard making it fit otherwise. See, I have taste.

we can have 2 free accounts per credit card? it doesn't work for me

For the record, I can think of four female avatars I've met who clearly have masculine first names, but are accepted as women in the circles they move in. (Ooh and then there's this one really interesting boy who is gradually being feminized...)

Regardless, I do agree that it would be nice to be able to start with a fresh avatar if you wanted. I haven't played any other games that held your deleted avatars against you in this manner.

Nope. 5 accounts per household, 2 accounts per credit card, unless Lindens don't know their own rules:



So there ya go.

-Ghoti

That was lowered to 2 per credit card a while back. Its now limited to 5 per household, 2 per card.

Edit: Oops, Jinx Ghoti

I do all my own plumbing in SL anyway.

I have an idea.

Why don't they let you pay for a new alt, and change the name of the one you already have?

There wouldn't be any stipend bonus issues there...

eww that sux... when did they change that?

Maybe I should keep my trap shut on this but I have about 3 accounts. Two of which I use alot more then the third. Now to my knowledge I used my same credit card for all of them. Maybe I was grandfathered in since they only started doing this?

If that's the case then just prevent people from getting sign-up bonus on ALT accounts. Right? And yea, people will find a way to take advantage of things one way or another but this is a bit silly for preventing such an attempt.

Anyways, when the ability for people to create their OWN Second Life names (that is a custom first and last name) comes along all we would need to do is request a change and not have to worry about dropping and recreating accounts. That is if it works out they way I think it will work out. Unless then, if you would prefer a completely new UUID.

Except for some residents, right? AFAIK we don't ALL know how to get our own Surname and unlimited accounts, do we? Just that it's possible depending on who you are. I'm sure it's simple and just involves vast wads of cash, but still...

And it does seem silly the lifetime 5 accounts rule. And even sillier the two per credit card rule. Especially when failed signups count and the names are gone forever. Have a bad ISP day, bad browser day or bad Secondlife.com day and you may be barred from SL forever. I've had failed signups myself just because this site can be flaky.