Huge Char Deletion bug

[Archived Post]

I want to warn everyone to be very careful when deleting characters.

I went to delete a character that was low level and too expensive to respec. So I click on it, click the delete button, then type "Delete" in the box that came up.

The dialog goes away, and I'm sitting there staring at my same char list, with the character still there. I wait a few seconds, no change.

So now I'm thinking perhaps I didn't type in the word properly. So I click on "Delete" again (with same char selected), type in "Delete", and hit OK.

Now several things happen in quick succession. First, (with the dialog not taken down yet) my character disappears. Then the selection moves to an entirely different character (one I'd been duoing with the wife). Then that character is removed from the list too. Then the dialog goes away.

At this point I'm pretty ticked. However, I suspect I'm not nearly as ticked as someone who has a level 20+ will be when this same thing happens to them after release. For the devs, I highly suggest you clean up the logic here so there is no possibility of deleting a character that was not intended. For users, be very VERY careful when deleting toons. I'd suggest stopping and starting the game rather than retyping if you think you got it wrong.

[Archived Post]

That wasn't a bug, that was a form of lag.

You actually did delete 2 chars, you yourself said 2 dialogs and 2 DELETES.

The evidence is the 'rapid succession' of events, that was your client catching up.

Ive seen the same thing happen in the powerhouse, also I know how online gaming works.

Sorry for your loss.

[Archived Post]

We will look into making this not be tragic and confusing right away.

[Archived Post]

You actually did delete 2 chars, you yourself said 2 dialogs and 2 DELETES.

Well, I think this is a drastic enough action that a little extra action may be warranted here.

No matter what else, the interface should be fixed so that there is no possibility of deleting a character that was not selected when the "Delete" button was pressed.

[Archived Post]

Just put in the dialog. "Are you sure you wish to delete (insert hero name)" and under it that dialog box where you input delete. Bam easy fix.

[Archived Post]

Just put in the dialog. "Are you sure you wish to delete (insert hero name)" and under it that dialog box where you input delete. Bam easy fix.

Well..assuming that doesn't end up with the same bug.

I know one MMO made you type in the name of the char you want to delete, rather than just "Delete". Assuming that info is passed back to the server as a safety check, that would probably do it.

[Archived Post]

Just put in the dialog. "Are you sure you wish to delete (insert hero name)" and under it that dialog box where you input delete. Bam easy fix.

That wouldn't change a thing since the selector would be on the lagged still existing character that the server had not yet gotten around to deleting. The only real way to fix this is to have the character SLOT selection not change unless manually clicked on to change, it should not autodefault to the next character.

[Archived Post]

We will look into making this not be tragic and confusing right away.

I would think that instead of typing 'Delete' in the box you should be having people type the name of the character to be deleted. That way you can not accidentaily delete the wrong character.

[Archived Post]

I prefer it when you have to type the character's name to confirm delete instead of the word delete.

[Archived Post]

I want to warn everyone to be very careful when deleting characters.

I went to delete a character that was low level and too expensive to respec. So I click on it, click the delete button, then type "Delete" in the box that came up.

The dialog goes away, and I'm sitting there staring at my same char list, with the character still there. I wait a few seconds, no change.

So now I'm thinking perhaps I didn't type in the word properly. So I click on "Delete" again (with same char selected), type in "Delete", and hit OK.

Now several things happen in quick succession. First, (with the dialog not taken down yet) my character disappears. Then the selection moves to an entirely different character (one I'd been duoing with the wife). Then that character is removed from the list too. Then the dialog goes away.

At this point I'm pretty ticked. However, I suspect I'm not nearly as ticked as someone who has a level 20+ will be when this same thing happens to them after release. For the devs, I highly suggest you clean up the logic here so there is no possibility of deleting a character that was not intended. For users, be very VERY careful when deleting toons. I'd suggest stopping and starting the game rather than retyping if you think you got it wrong.

EXACTLY the same thing happened to me today. Exactly. Ended up deleting my lvl 1 (intended) and lvl 18 (not intended).

Be careful!!

[Archived Post]

I know one MMO made you type in the name of the char you want to delete, rather than just "Delete". Assuming that info is passed back to the server as a safety check, that would probably do it.
This works quite well as a safety feature in other games.

[Archived Post]

Agreed, was just going to post this as feedback :)
I would think that instead of typing 'Delete' in the box you should be having people type the name of the character to be deleted. That way you can not accidentaily delete the wrong character.

[Archived Post]

Same thing happend to me almost.Luckily, i was too slow:) .
But i was really scared for a sec.Just be careful guys!

[Archived Post]

Since Cryptic had allegedly learned this lesson in CoH, it's odd to me that they kept it out of CO. No biscuit, Poz.

[Archived Post]

FYI, happened to me last night. Lost a level 10ish .. no biggie, but the sooner this is fixed the better.

[Archived Post]

Just echoing what other people have already said. Make it so that you have to type the character name in the box. No accidental deletions that way.

[Archived Post]

Just echoing what other people have already said. Make it so that you have to type the character name in the box. No accidental deletions that way.

QFT +1 Bump all of them.

[Archived Post]

Suggestion

Mave it state the NAME of the character that is being deleted. This way before you type DELETE you will see what you are actually deleting

[Archived Post]

I would think that instead of typing 'Delete' in the box you should be having people type the name of the character to be deleted. That way you can not accidentaily delete the wrong character.

I agree with this 100%

it is the safest way to go.

[Archived Post]

We will look into making this not be tragic and confusing right away.

I have nothing to add to this thread other than the fact that I love how you phrased this Poz -- because char deletion is indeed tragic and confusing.

I do vote for the typing the char's name thing though -- that just makes sense.

[Archived Post]

In AoC, the deleted character stayed on the list for a while (24h?) and could be undeleted during that time.

[Archived Post]

I'll jump in and apologize again. The intent was to have a character name typed there, but it got... uh... Lost in Implementation. In addition to putting in internal safety checks to keep the reported problem from happening anyway, we'll get it changed to use the character name.

We'll be improving our ability to undelete in the future.

[Archived Post]

I lost a Lv14 to this 'lag' bug only yesterday :(

Still waiting for a reply to my ticket...fingers crossed its not gone for ever!

EDIT: No, just checked and characters cannot be un-deleted...

[Archived Post]

I'll jump in and apologize again. The intent was to have a character name typed there, but it got... uh... Lost in Implementation. In addition to putting in internal safety checks to keep the reported problem from happening anyway, we'll get it changed to use the character name.

We'll be improving our ability to undelete in the future.

Thanks for your quick response to this issue. Having to type the character's name in as a double-check for this should be good way to mitigate this problem for most people.

Having an automated "undelete" feature would be cool too, but you know that you'll still have people occasionally wanting manual GM help to retrieve a character regardless of those kinds of safeguards. ;)

[Archived Post]

EVE Online gives you 24 hours before the delete actually happens, just in case you change your mind or selected the wrong character. I think this is the way all games should go. Unless you are at the max character limit, there really isn't any reason to delete the character that second anyway.