Long Names & Short Names

[Osvir]

Replaying some Shadowrun: Returns with a character named Shoddy Short Arm. I like it. But it doesn't work well in the dialogue, where maybe "Shoddy" or "Shorty" would work better. It's often like this in other games too, few games have "Nickname" or "Short Name".

Full name goes to Records/Biography page, maybe even some bosses or plots could say the full name too (a boss or maybe a baron etc.). Plot name.

To take it one step further would be to introduce a "First Name" & "Last Name" at character creation.

It could be solved quite easily by a "Show/Hide" varibale as well, "Show/Hide Last Name". Which accomplishes the same thing.

Thoughts?

[IndiraLightfoot]

Good point! I've been playing Wizardry 8 a bit, and I noticed that you got to give your character a full name (surname and all), and then a nickname. It works like a charm!

[Labadal]

I want the people to show me the respect I deserve! When the Benevolent Holy Monk of Justice Fistus in Faceus is a peasants mere presence, they should look at him in awe and be inspired to become better people.

[Jarrakul]

I'll throw my support behind this. Neverwinter Nights did something similar, with its first name/last name thing. Obviously this wouldn't be identical, but a full name/nickname would probably work just as well, if not better. Maybe even auto-suggest the first word of the full name as a nickname, so people can be lazy if they want to.

[Bos_hybrid]

I suspect given that we are getting a stronghold and land, we'll be getting a title to go with it. Sort of like Knight Captain from NWN2, and that NPCs will be referring to us by that, rather than Bob.

[JFSOCC]

[first name]

[last name/clan name, family name/ place of origin name, name of parent]

[nickname] only used by your companions and presumptuous ****

[title] (needs to be unlocked, can unlock more than one, you'll be addressed by your most important title, or the title that is relevant for whomever addresses you, provided they're aware of your title)

[alias](unlocked only for those who have had cause to hide their identities)

[Reever]

The option to have a first, last and nickname sounds good. Title may be cool too, like FSOCC suggested.

[teknoman2]

it doesnt even need to be set by a option. people will use one according to their relation to you and it can simply be put in the dialog the same way a single name would

 

instead of having one variable that will be picked by the program and will be added to the dialog text at the apropriate position, they can have 3 and decide which sould be set for each dialog

an example

Your Neighbour: Hey (insert first name) you overslept again?

Your Landlord: Mr (insert last name) you still owe me 2 gold pieces for the rent!

Your Friend: Sup (insert nickname)?

Your Teacher: (inset first name, insert last name) you are late for class again!

[Lephys]

It'd be great if that was sort of a whole branch of dialogue options, akin to other themes for... response-sets, for lack of a better word.

 

Kinda like Sawyer in Lost... just, that kind of person, who's always giving nicknames to everyone, whether they want them or not.

 

Sorry, I know that's mildly separate from simply being able to assign nicknames, as the player, to your peoples, but it was a thought I had. Supplemental, haha.

[Boox]

I think it'd be interesting if the game determined your nickname. For example, choices in certain encounters or behavioral patterns might bestow a nickname upon your character. Stats could also affect the nickname, e.g. having low intelligence and therefore doing stupid things would result in the PC being called the Dunce of Dyrwood.  Maybe the whole adventuring band could be given a nickname based on choices, e.g. being called the Yellowbellies if you are always running away from fights, etc.

[IndiraLightfoot]

Boox: What a brilliant suggestion! Me like!!

[Osvir]

I like teknoman2's approach the most, and I'm even tempted (and giving in to temptation as well mind you) to go even further at Character Creation and giving you the Player to write out like a big name-form of some kind. Letting the Player decide what name to be called in situations that might happen or might not happen.

Like...

First Name:
Last Name:
Nickname:
Evil Name:
Good Name:
Faction 1 Name:
Faction 2 Name:

etc.etc.

Could be fun to do Inserting some psuedo/placebo-"Player controlled" narrative. Not very appealing perhaps (I admit), but couldn't let this idea slip (explorative idea).

[AGX-17]

To take it one step further would be to introduce a "First Name" & "Last Name" at character creation.

That's not exactly a great technical hurdle. It's frequently done in JRPGs like Persona 3 & 4, in which different characters will, at least in the Japanese version, use the player character's surname or given name depending on the level of familiarity or formality in their relationship.

 

 

I like teknoman2's approach the most, and I'm even tempted (and giving in to temptation as well mind you) to go even further at Character Creation and giving you the Player to write out like a big name-form of some kind. Letting the Player decide what name to be called in situations that might happen or might not happen.

 

Like...

 

First Name:

Last Name:

Nickname:

Evil Name:

Good Name:

Faction 1 Name:

Faction 2 Name:

 

etc.etc.

 

Could be fun to do Inserting some psuedo/placebo-"Player controlled" narrative. Not very appealing perhaps (I admit), but couldn't let this idea slip (explorative idea).

That's just... why? Why would someone's name arbitrarily and suddenly change based on a sliding scale of morality which does not exist in the game?

 

The idea of there being title associated with a given faction or actions makes sense and has been done in games.

Edited January 14, 2014 by AGX-17

[Lephys]

I dunno about getting to choose what everyone'll call you.

 

In my Drawing 101 class, freshman year of college, a guy who was trying to be friendly and remember everyone's names from Monday (this was a Wednesday that this occurred), he greeted me as "Brian" when I walked into class. I laughed and said "My name's actually Andrew, but no worries."

 

The entire class (and even some people outside the class who got wind of this) called me "Brian" for the entire semester, at the very least.

 

People decide what they're going to call you, and why. The player controls his character/party, not everyone else in the world. Maybe you could decide what name to GIVE people when they ask your name, but I don't know that you should decide what people in the world will decide to call you, especially when reputation and the like enter the mix.

 

A very common example in many a fantasy game/book is the application of the title of "lord" to leaders and such. Characters often say "Don't call me 'lord'; I'm not nobility." Yet, people keep on calling them that, for their own reasons.