How to name a game

[WHAM]

How would you go about naming your new game?

Where do your ideas come from? What criteria does a potential name have? What makes a name "good"?

Personally: I've been having a bit of a writers block about the matter of naming my next game, so I've been putting a lot of thought into this matter of late. As my brains is slowly melting, I thoguht I'd ask for your opinions, dear forumites. Well now, speak up!


My observations and thoughts so far:
- The name, or at least the core of it, should be short and easy to pronounce (a subtitle is a wholly different matter)
- The name must connect to an event, character, location or concept within the game, in order to make sense

[Babar]

Unless you have a name that immediately springs to mind, or has an intrinsic connection with the game or something, I don't think it really matters.

I just randomly chose "Alien Time Zone" by trying to think up some original combination of stock terms that related to time or time travelling.

[monkey0506]

I have apparently made it a goal to produce the games with the longest titles in the history of the universe, so it's probably not a good idea listening to me.

However, I do have on up-coming project (unannounced and currently on indefinite hold), that is titled rather simply, and hopefully, ironically. It also matches both of your current observations, so I'd say if you stick with those you should be alright. But don't hold yourself too tightly to them if you feel that something else that falls outside those observations may be a better fit.

[Anian]

http://www.seventhsanctum.com  go nuts

[Mouth for war]

In my case it was pretty easy. Character name's Jimmy who has a bad attittude and keeps poking his nose where it doesn't belong so the sequel I'm working on will simply be called "Jimmy the troublemaker 2 - A little older, a little...wiser?"

[Ghost]

http://www.seventhsanctum.com  go nuts

First I got was "Kitten Vortex"... I'd totally play that!

[WHAM]

Random generators can be fun and useful if you are starting a new project, but sometimes, as is my case, you already have a project and are just looking for a final name.

I'm thinking of having a small poll or something, to ask people what they think would be the best name from my list of potentials, in the GIP thread.

[Tuomas]

It's basically the same thing with books and movies, art pieces and songs, everything. You want to make sure, that everyone will be able to figure out what your game is like. For example, a game about Stargate SG-1 should not be named "space-game" because it'd lose the fanbase. There's much to gain with a name like the one mentioned first. Also, if you're planning to make sequels, you should have a common name for all of them. In this case something like *insert name here* -quest I-IV would work just fine, and you could make sure, that people who loved the first one would also try out the next one.

If not here are some suggestions. Pick a place, a character or a specific time that is a theme in the game. Use it to give a hint of what's going to come. You might even want to emphasize the motives of the story rather than the protagonist, as in "The hound of the Baskervilles, where Sherlock Holmes isn't even mentioned. The name isn't obvious, but it gives you a clue, that there's a dog in it, which will be pretty much clear from the beginning too, so it's not too revealing. A name like Medieval: total war let's you know, the time period, so you'll find ti easy to picture the scenery without playing, and of course, the Total War is to show you that it's not just a feudal regime simulator. Monkey Island refers directly to a motive in the story and the ending scene that the player is expecting throughout the game.

If you have the opportunity, you could pick up a known phrase or even an idiom and alter it a bit to sound appropriate or even funny, and most importantly, like something that applies to your game. Ben There & Dan That is a great example of this. You immediately realize that these sound like the names of the characters, and the name of the game sticks to you because it's easy and often used. The Tale of Two Kingdoms is great because most, well, some will immediately notice, that it suggests to Charles Dickens's novel A Tale of Two Cities (at least that's what I get). If you have a political theme, you could try a political book/film, if a fantasy theme, why not try using some fantasy novel name.

In the end, what you want from your name is for it to be remembered and easily linked to its context. If it's a game about a man trying to get out of a room, don't name it "James the Clowns happy hamburger surprise".

[OneDollar]

Use numbers and symbols at the start of the name so that it gets shown first in the games database. That's what Yahtzee did anyway

[ddq]

Call it Dread Constable Helios' Whispered Ghost Experiments.
Or perhaps The Fury of a Million Things Gone Wrong.
Alternatively, Moons Dream the Underground: Orange Decay 2: What Night-mare! Director's Cut.

Or name it something relevant. Just as long as you don't use the word "Quest" in the title, which is the most popular, and over-used, word in the database. No, I don't care about Reggie's Quest, nor Rosalinda's Quest, nor the Quest for Alimony, nor the Quest of BURNING AMERICAN FREEDOM. Just as long as it's not like that.

[WHAM]

I already decided on one: a classic way to name a book, movie or game = use the name of the prime location the story takes place in as the name of the game.

But keep the great ideas coming! I was also thinking something on the lines of "0001*// Galactic Quest" might look cool in the database!

[Wyz]

Usually when I start working on a new game project I pick a codename first. That way I can work on the story and the game itself without being bothered by picking a name. When the game nears completing or somewhere in the middle of development when I test play it I try to get the feel of the game and usually a few names pop in my head and I write them down. When the game is almost finished I pick one of the names or a combination of them. I like to use a name that has some ambiguity like it could be a saying but also point to a certain plot element. When that doesn't work it will refer to the plot in a vague way that will only become clear at a certain point in the game.
If you're making a series you could name it after the main character(s), that happens all the time.

[Dualnames]

I had Babar name "Disquiet", without knowing anything about the game. AT ALL.
Or playing it.

I also named my last project as Troica, whereas something like "The last days of May" would work, but then again it's really about the game.

So what is the game about?

Also, great advice by Tuomas!

[Stupot]

I've yet to finish a game so I'm not overly qualified in this area, but here are my thoughts.

Of my many doomed-to-fail projects, I think 'The Window-cleaner's Apprentice' was the best title.  It's a neat take on title's such as The Sorcerer's Apprentice and the like, only with a more contemporary twist.

Other canned (for now) projects include 'Bastard!' which was meant to be a reimagining of Virgin's 'How to be a Complete Bastard' which if you haven't played yet, you must, and 'Ouija', which isn't an overly original title, but leave you in know doubt as to what kind of game it's going to be.

One of the worst titles for a project I have ever come up with was 'The Magic Cupboard', which I later changed to 'Escape from the Magic Cupboard'... which was still crap.

If you're making a series, I much prefer the Blackwell/Bourne school of naming (looking forward to The Blackwell Ultimatum  ) as opposed to just 1, 2, 3.

[Ali]

I'd suggest something google-able. I know some of Ben304's games don't fall into that category (!), but it's difficult to search for a game without a unique combinations of words or an unusual word.

[Dave Gilbert]

If you're making a series, I much prefer the Blackwell/Bourne school of naming (looking forward to The Blackwell Ultimatum  ) as opposed to just 1, 2, 3.

The problem with this is that it screws up the games' order when they are listed anywhere.    "Convergence" comes before "Legacy", which comes before "Unbound."  The upcoming "Deception" will only add to the muddle.

[ThreeOhFour]

Use numbers and symbols at the start of the name so that it gets shown first in the games database. That's what Yahtzee did anyway

This is just silly. Who would do anything like that?

....

[Stupot]

Haha, Ben, you even have the bottom end of the list covered in case someone chooses to browse the game catalogue backwards

[Baron]

Usually when I start working on a new game project I pick a codename first.

This is usually how I work, too.  The actual name will probably occur to you somewhere in the middle of the process: like women, you'll know the right one when she comes along.  My pet process entails a "Project" name, giving the whole enterprise a spy-thriller kind of glamour.  Then, when the right name comes along, the project name gets ditched.  So Project Albion (named after a bar I used to frequent) eventually became Snakes of Avalon, and Project Hengest (named after an obscure historical figure) has morphed into Curses & Castles.  I agree something distinct will help your game stand out, but since any examples I can give have already been done that's a task best left to your own creativity.

[Phemar]

like women, you'll know the right one when she comes along.

And then she screws you over and runs away with your car and your retirement fund