Names/Language: Naming Guidelines

[Osvir]

Pillars of Eternity Language (Off. Wiki) combined with this in the PoE Character Creation:

On the left hand side you can see 1. "Select Origin", and below it 2. "The Lonely", further down in the description (in yellow) "Naming Guidelines". This is something I would like to see in the description box when naming the character.

Furthermore, what do you, members of the community, name your characters?

Some names on characters I've tried more serious/roleplay games with:
- Kragus (Aumaua, Coastal) 
- Rose (Human, Meadow Folk)
- Aengwhyn (Nature Godlike Aumaua)
- Kahlinvjû (Dwarf, Old Valia)

Then I have a lot of characters I have named "Tester" and "Swatter of Bugs" etc. etc. xD

Edited August 23, 2014 by Osvir

[Shadenuat]

Random name generator that conciders race/culture would be good for PoE, at least as a guideline.

[Osvir]

A random name generator based on Race/Sub-Race/Culture would be pretty cool. I just think it would be easier to simply add in a text description a la the "Language" link, rather than a Random Generator Code.

[PrimeJunta]

It'd be quite easy to make a Markov chain name generator once some lexicons for the languages are made available. If it's not in the game I might give it a shot myself, as an online tool if it turns out not to be easy to mod in directly.

[Osvir]

EDIT: Cool, I didn't know I would still think that a simple LoTR:O text description is simpler. Text description is a Forum Post (everyone knows how to do it), Random Generator Code is making a Forum Post with lots of formats, BBCode and a nice professional presentation (not everyone knows or spends energy to do it). <- metaphor /EDIT

Naming in Pillars of Eternity, sorted out a bit, I might not be putting it completely right by the way so do a double-check if you wanna use this for your own character creation:

 

Aedyran Culture

In-game: Who? Aedyr, Dyrwood, Readceras. Meadow Folk. Ocean Folk. Pale Elf, Wood Elf.

- Male names: Aldwyn, Beacwof, Ethelmoer, Furly, Hafmacg, Unfric.

- Female names: Battixa, Bricanta, Esmy, Grimda, Iselmyr, Yngfrith

 

Vailian Culture

In-game: Who? Old Valia, Valian. Ocean Folk. Meadow Folk. Mountain Dwarf. Boreal Dwarf.
- Male names:  Cendo, Giandele, Liano, Randatu, Verzano.
- Female names: Ancelle, Laudira, Malita, Pallegina, Salgiatte
 

Engwithan and Glanfathan Culture

In-game: Who? Pale Elf, Wood Elf. Hearth Orlan, Wild Orlan.

- Male names: Arthwn, Brân, Enfws, Simoc, Thristwn.

- Female names: Bledha, Iswld, Onŵen, Sîdha, Tamra

And Godlike finally depending on which Race they are (I suppose). They fit everywhere.

Cultures/Sub-Race I don't know where to put in the above list:
- Deadfire Archipelago

- Ixamitl Plains+Savannah Folk

- Rauatai
- The Living Lands
- The White that Wends

Edited August 23, 2014 by Osvir

[Marceror]

This is a very good idea, but I wouldn't hold your breath. OE has far, far bigger fish to fry right now if they think they're going to release in 2014.

[Osvir]

Off-topic: Yes I know Marceror. If they notice this they can take notes and save it for later when we get to that stage.

Did you read this on Kotaku? I think the title is a bit misleading and is a poor choice of a "Headline" by Mr Sawyer. He talks about balance, sure, but to me he's more or less telling us how they are working/QA Insights. It gives valuable insight into which stage the beta/game project is in, and what we can expect at a later stage.

EDIT: Let's take this discussion in PM or in another (relevant) thread though, Marceror, if you want to continue

Edited August 23, 2014 by Osvir

[Osvir]

One wish I have with this thread is to give some inspiration for Obsidian as well, if they haven't nailed all naming conventions.

What kind of feeling do you get when you see an Aumaua? A Human? What do you name them? If you were to base your own naming inspiration from the Official Language, how would you name your characters? Etc. etc.

Maybe we can even come up with some names that fits this universe

[Cabamacadaf]

Hafmacg, Enfws, are these seriously names in this? They're just random letters.

[Wintersong]

A random name generator based on Race/Sub-Race/Culture would be pretty cool. I just think it would be easier to simply add in a text description a la the "Language" link, rather than a Random Generator Code.

Random name generators can be hell. Offering suggestions and examples would be easier for sure.

[Osvir]

Hafmacg, Enfws, are these seriously names in this? They're just random letters.

I like the language

 

One could debate that Tolkiens elfish is just random letters too. It grows on ya I s'pose if you know/understand the phonetics.

 

Hm, now that I think about it: There should be an entire separate Wiki page on Eora Language phonetics. That'd help.

 

Eld Aedyran

 

Aedyrans, Readcerans, and Dyrwoodans used to speak a language called Eld Aedyran that is an analogue for Old English/Anglo-Saxon, Old Frisian, bits of Icelandic, and Scots (for Hylspeak, a more contemporary version). j, q, v, and z do not appear in their words and names, though the /v/ sound is found in medial and terminal f. E.g. "Wyflan" is pronounced "WEE-vlan". Male names: Aldwyn, Beacwof, Ethelmoer, Furly, Hafmacg, Unfric. Female names: Battixa, Bricanta, Esmy, Grimda, Iselmyr, Yngfrith"

Edited August 23, 2014 by Osvir

[Marceror]

Off-topic: Yes I know Marceror. If they notice this they can take notes and save it for later when we get to that stage.

 

Did you read this on Kotaku? I think the title is a bit misleading and is a poor choice of a "Headline" by Mr Sawyer. He talks about balance, sure, but to me he's more or less telling us how they are working/QA Insights. It gives valuable insight into which stage the beta/game project is in, and what we can expect at a later stage.

 

EDIT: Let's take this discussion in PM or in another (relevant) thread though, Marceror, if you want to continue

Also off-topic: I did indeed read the article. Very interesting.

 

I didn't intend my comment to derail or lessen the momentum of your idea. Please keep discussing and fleshing it out. There's always patches and at least 1 expansion on the horizon, where stuff like this has a chance to see the light of day.

 

A name generator would seem a worthy addition, to help new players create characters that are "lore appropriate".

[Cabamacadaf]

 

Hafmacg, Enfws, are these seriously names in this? They're just random letters.

I like the language

 

One could debate that Tolkiens elfish is just random letters too. It grows on ya I s'pose if you know the phonetics.

 

Hm, now that I think about it: There should be an entire Wiki page on Eora Language phonetics.

 

Yeah but having a name be one vowel followed by four consonants is pretty stupid, and I don't think it's possible to pronounce a g right after a c.

[Osvir]

http://pillarsofeternity.gamepedia.com/Language it's in the first post. It explains phonetics, glossary etc. etc.

[Cabamacadaf]

I should've figured it was based on Welsh.

 

It still doesn't explain how to pronounce 'cg' though.

Edited August 23, 2014 by Cabamacadaf

[Osvir]

Yep. Hopefully it'll be expanded on, or give us some pointers and we could make stuff up to inspire~