How does everyone come up with good names for their game projects? The hardest part about making a game for me is thinking up a name. Even if I know the entire story and everything it''s about, I still can''t come up with anything. It took me 2-3 weeks to come up with a name for my last project, and even then I think it could''ve sounded better. So, could anyone give me advice about how to choose a name? I''ve tried everything with no luck. And also, it''s not always projects, I also have trouble thinking up names for NPCs and towns and such. So, knowing what the game is going to be about, what methods works best in deciding a name?

Just pick a project codename that sounds cool. (A big company would have a bunch of marketing people figuring out what the coolest name that should sell the most titles would be.)

Once you have a codename, maybe the perfect real name will present itself as you work on the project. (In the big company, marketing will replace your codename with whatever real name they decide is cool.)

Beyond that, it just may be that naming things isn''t a skill you are strong at - that''s ok. You need to hire a "name creation" expert. Truthfully, there are people like this - writers for example. They may even make up an entire language for your game just so the names of all the NPC''s end up sounding consistent!

Dash Zero
Credits: Fast Attack - Software Sorcery - Published by Sierra 1996

As for naming projects... I choose to find something has as little to do with the actual project as possible. I just choose whatever happens to pop into my head as I''m looking over the proposal.

Example: My current project is a Tiled RPG (isn''t everybodies? ) and the codename is Asparagus. See, absolutly no connection.

Either that or try to make up something that fits your project. Many people, and big companies, will use things such as greek mythology for ideas.

As for NPC''s.... well... I don''t know, still haven''t figured that one out myself!!


Drakonite

[Insert Witty Signature Here]

If it''s medieval names your looking for then buy the back issues with the random name generators. they''re really good. They sound cool and mystical like.

One good trick to get names for fantasy games and the like (and characters or places in them) is to take the names of your friends or places you''ve been and stuff like that, then spell them backwards. If you can''t pronounce them, keep adding letters and tweaking until you can. Sooner or later, you''ll come up with something funky-sounding.

Why not just use a project name and then get the beta testers to come up with one. Give out a free copy of the game, or something else stupid for naming it. Then you will have hundreds of possibilities to pick from.


Here is a little humor related to project naming conventions.... once you get this big you might have these problems too.


HEADLINE: OK for Apple to Call Sagan ''Butt-Head Astronomer''

Apple Computer Inc. did not defame the prominent scientist Carl Sagan by calling him a "Butt-Head Astronomer," a Central District of California court ruled, because the term did not imply any assertion of an objective fact such as professional incompetence. Carl Sagan v. Apple Computer, Inc., CV94-2180 LGB (C.D. Cal. 1994).

Apple Computer''s project managers routinely assign code-names to products in development. In 1993, one of Apple''s project managers assigned the code name "Carl Sagan" to a personal computer it was developing. After learning that his name was being used, Sagan had his attorneys write a letter to Apple demanding it cease. In response, the project manager changed the computer''s code-name to "Butt-Head Astronomer." Sagan filed suit in federal court for libel, infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy, unfair competition, and violation of the Lanham Act and California law on the use of likenesses.

Apple argued that the term was an opinion, protected under the First Amendment. Judge Lourdes G. Baird agreed. She noted that a statement of opinion can only form the basis of a libel action if a reasonable fact-finder can conclude that the statements imply an assertion of fact. Judge Lourdes [sic] held that "one does not seriously attack the expertise of a scientist using the undefined phrase ''butt-head,''" and that a reader aware of the context would understand the project manager was retaliating in a humorous and satirical way.

Judge Baird also ruled that Sagan could not recover for infliction of emotional distress, noting Sagan is a public figure and that a public figure could only recover for infliction of emotional distress by showing that the publication contains a false statement of fact made with actual malice.

However, Apple lost its motions for a more definite statement of Sagan''s Lanham Act claim. Apple had argued that Sagan''s complaint had admitted that his name was only used internally at Apple, and could not, therefore, have been "in commerce" as required by the Act. Judge Baird noted that Sagan''s complaint only asserted that Apple''s attorneys had stated that the name was only used internally. Finally, Judge Baird denied Apple''s motion to strike Sagan''s invasion of privacy count as redundant in light of the right of publicity claim. She noted that the former asserted an additional request for punitive damages, and that the other redundant elements did not prejudice the defendant in any way.

Scrabble™ Tiles and a Hat.

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-WarMage
...Scrabble™ is a registered trademark of Selchow & Righter, or however it''s spelled. hat is intellectual property of the saxon entrepreneur that made a fortune off something formally known as ''that scrap on me ''ead wot keeps''a rain off!''. no animals were harmed in the making of this post. reader assumes all responsibility for having opposable thumbs and drawing their own conclusions.