We play the game build our characters up and die. Some people come back and use the same name maybe because people know them by that name or they probably got attached to their character. I've done it a couple of times. For me my excuse is that my character got arrested and just got out of prison or was a survivor of an explosion and has amnesia and doesn't remember any previous events. Sometimes I just decide to retcon RP wise what happened to the previous character with the same name and start new kinda like a reboot or something.

I suppose it depends on how old the character was.  If it died before made man, you might reroll and pretend like you got shot but survived despite your crew dying or something?  

I know some folks play the same name again and again and act like they survived the deaths of their previous crews and ran home to the old country only to come back when they heard that things were safe.

I suppose you could play the namesake of an old character OR just have the same name (do you KNOW how many people in the world might share your name?)

Being that the story is sorta frozen in time and people tend to reference their old characters as if they were ancestors, I think there is room for creative license and just like ages aren't looked at very closely (because time isn't moving us out of the 1930s) I think names are similarly treated for the most part.

For me, I probably won't revisit names because I like playing as a new person (although I have done the "my cousin" or "my mother" reference with my past characters to my current one)  But HEY!  Great question, I look forward to seeing some of the other people's input.  

I had this thought yesterday. Good to see it in a thread.

Did this once when I was RPing as Constantine. I retired the char, and came back a few weeks later I believe. Made it as though he went on a journey to the underworld and was back at it again.

I think, if your character dies, there kind of is no coming back from that. Someone else pulled a trigger on them, which resulted in both sides getting the message of that character dieing.

I think if you retire a character, it's role-played sometimes as returning to the old country, so you ultimately have the decision to make yourself on if you return again or not with that same char. You made it to a point you could retire the character, and you weren't killed by someone else, so it makes sense in a way here.

If your character is simply an online OOC avatar for your actual self, reusing names doesn't seem to matter. As an RPer/storyteller, it obviously seems ridiculous. One of my favorite characters ever had an amazing run, and after she was killed I tried to revive her a couple times years down the road. Honestly, it was difficult. Ultimately, I think that each character should be unique, with their own story, or you're doing yourself  disservice- albeit some could be linked through family, of course. 

I tend to agree. It's sometimes difficult to come up with a brand new character and backstory when you are playing, but therein lies the challenge. I've brought back a character name a few times but usually not as the same character. I try to think up a new backstory for them as well as reasoning for why they would be drawn into the world. I have, as GavinAndTaraByrnes mentioned, tied characters to a family lineage before but I really do enjoy the thought that has to go into creating a new character even if I am using the same name. 

I just mailed a name saying they got more lives then a cat. It is redundant for them yet I applauded their efforts and told them where they always went wrong.  They fail each and very time because they are self serving a only a small handful matter in their world. All esle are nobody on their crew. A happening scene elsewhere as well.

Have a great summer cause I sure will.

Where have had a limited number of characters i have never followed this route quite simply due to how some people will look at it overly complex plus to build under an unconnected id felt better for me.  I doubt would use the same name unless claiming to be son, cousin etc but not the same person who was shot 20 minutes earlier.

Keep to the same style of RP you had for your last character. I stopped using names like Severe because I just couldn't get into it, I loved my RP style for Eredin and Billy and then Typhon, I guess it just depends on how much care you have for the character name, in my opinion it means a lot.

This is why I never go incog, I just can't care about the character if I have no fun with it, I feel like when you get a character name you like, then a character story you like, it pushes you more to get things like a crew so you can RP it out as a Leader and do more street stuff that is not there when you do not.

So I guess the answer is stick with the reason you used that name to begin with and you should have no problem replicating it.

I've brought back a character name a few times but usually not as the same character. I try to think up a new backstory for them as well as reasoning for why they would be drawn into the world

I do similar to Star. I've reused the same names and usually, each name comes associated with a certain image and personality in my mind. For example, I've used Madeline before. She was the daughter of my Godmother account and she was a prissy spoiled brat. I've used the same basis for her personality this time around, but her backstory will be completely different. 

When I have a new idea, I use a new name. I prefer to have a backstory thought out before I even start RPing, because their life experiences play into their personalities and how they would react to things.

I dislike the concept of using the exact same character name, especially if you're an avid RPer. The whole "I was shot but survived" thing just doesn't work in MR. When you're wacked, you literally see the screen that says "You are dead." There's no surviving that. I can understand it sucks when you don't get to finish your story but if you're dead, you're dead. 

i'm just unoriginal when it comes to naming characters, so i reuse and think it's like their offspring or something

My character returns from a long prison sentence. It's back to business as usual 

i prefer using different names but if someone asks i will let them know who i was previously

I personally really hate reusing names, each of mine is completely different every time. 

I've played a few games like this and was a dominant player using KillerBob, it has served me well

They cross universes and enter a new universe. Much like how comic books/TV shows/Movies/Video games, etc. Keep on rebooting stuff. Might be the same character but some differences with them.

Ive kept BD alive for years now. reserved the name and tweaked him just a bit but he's a clone :P 

I think it depends on your commitment to that character. If you're not ready to end their story or have something your reputation is attached to, then the old 'took a bullet in the ass' routine works well. Especially if everyone you work with is still kicking. 

Time is also a funny thing to track in this game, we have great great great great grandfather's of characters which puts the 1920s as lasting some 300 years. 

My advice? Just do you, we're all here to enjoy various elements of this game that appeal to us specifically. If you want to revive a kick ass character, then you can!

Mercy_Fiorentino

absolutely spot on.  However I'd also add that you shouldn't overuse a character as you'll get bored of it yourself. 

My advice has always been to choose characters that are easy to RP and rather than repeat them (in short order) make a 'relative' of similar characteristics.