Best practice unique player names

Questions
1

Hello all,

I want to get some advice on how to checkup names against an online database.
I would like to create a own one to be sure to have unique names.
But i also would like to know if you are known with a general database of “banned”/”bad” names.

So in my game you create an hacker profile (with own made name)
When your done leveling up you can retire your hacker profile, this is a prestige system.
When retireing your profile i wanted to make a leaderboard that included your name and the amount of data you gatherd.

This leaderboard will be visbile ingame (online) so you compete against others (not only youself)

What is your best practice?

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2

If you have an online leaderboard, you probably have some kind of server or account anyway. Could you use a database on that server?

Or if you just want them to be differentiable, you could save a random number on the local PC, and put it behind the name. Like “Alice (#7219)”.

But would it be a problem if somebody uses a name that is already taken? Say somebody really wants to be known as “John”, and reaches number 5. Would it be a problem if another John reaches number 2? Or if another John reaches number 20? That has been the norm for arcade game leaderboards. That is still normal for many modern games. It would matter if your game becomes a popular eSport, but at that point you will surely have implemented full user accounts anyway.

If a player wants a unique name, it’s on them to pick one. What could happen, another person steals the name to improve their score?

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3

Thanks halfstar.

Dint even think about the old-school arcade leaderboard. That is indeed a great way to approach it.

Only thing meaby would then be a way to rapport offending names.

I dont have a database yet. Was thinking of Google firebase. To keep the scoreboard.

4

I think that as soon as you will store user data online, even just a name (sensistive data), you should be aware of RGPD/privacy laws…so you must explitly tell the user that it will be online, give them a way to delete information if wanted, filter offending names etc…
So you end up needing a true account solution to handle that, and a true server solution to persist game data …

I think it is not worth to bother all of that just for a leaderboard, unless you use integrated existing solutions like poki, itch etc. (dont know if you can persist game data?)

What you can do is give your user just an ID (generated and anonym) and use that in the leaderboard. So no sensitive data

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5

Hm.
I never had the idea that self generated names are confidential. But on the moment someone’s use its own name it is.

Thanks @Mathias

I am going to rethink this one. Because yeh it’s to mutch of an hassle if I am nog going to use a service for this.

Thanks.

6

Mmmh no I was thinking if the user choose a name, you must be carrefull.
But if your game generate names, then it is ok because you cant identify personal data of your user. BUT this generated name should then not be linked to actual personal data, like a profile page…here you go back to true account stuff.

So generate an artificial nick name → store it ok

Ask for a name / account for user that is reused from session to sessions → be carefull.

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7

Thanks.

It’s enough to let me tinker some more on the “ Is this really needed” part.

8

Specially because its in a genere where the target group don’t even play this kind of games for a leaderboard.

I had it in mind as an incentive to keep grinding endgame for higher leaderboard position.

But thinking about the old arcade style. Meaby just a local leaderboard. Where you contest yourself then I dont have any other obligations.

Thank you all. It’s very inspiring to share this knowledge!

1 Like