Most Trainers only catch a couple dozen Pokémon, tops, as companions; anything else caught is for Pokédex completion purposes. And when you account for the size of the player base, those who give nicknames are actually a minority.
Notice my use of ‘Most’. The intersection of Pokédex completionists and Trainers who nickname every Pokémon they capture is a very narrow field. That being said, if you actually came up with a nickname for all 386 Pokémon in Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn (give or take a few Mythical Pokémon who no one will blame you for missing), and not just the few who didn’t have a different Japanese name that fit the old ten-character limit, you have my significant praise.
I know what you mean, Adam. Final Fantasy I, I just go with the official names from the novel. Thank the gods most RPGs these days give you an auto-name function if the indecision paralyzes you; a good preset list of reasonably normal names saves a lot of trouble.
Yep, an official novelization from 2012 titled “Memory of Heroes”. And yes, I always use the same team setup. Zest the Warrior, Sauber the Thief, Floe the White Mage, Daewoo the Black Mage. I did try a couple runs with a Monk or Red Mage in place of the Thief, but I left the name Sauber.
Assuming that (a) the game allows the choice of your character’s gender [without requiring gameplay choices that are incompatible with his gameplay style] and (b) his daughter’s name fits the character limit, that’s actually a really good idea.
If you have a single playable character, then yeah, that’s not a bad idea. But there’s a few different reasons why you might have more characters available than you have names.
-Standard RPG: A party of multiple characters, all of whom are interacting with each other; if you give them all the same name, menus are gonna give you hell.
-Online RPG: Multiple accounts used for characters with radically different skillsets; even if the game doesn’t straight-up stop you from using the same name all the time, muscle memory is gonna give you hell.
-Non-RPG (fantasy): Most names in the modern day do not mesh well with a high fantasy setting.
You named a character without an apostrophe in the middle? I name thee unnerd and banish thee from geekdom. Ye shall not return under penalty of mockery!
Characters whose names possess an apostrophe in the middle are a minority in all genres. I hereby unmake thy declaration, endest thy unjust banishment of a fellow nerd proven time and again, and condemn thee as pretentious.
I have literally been giving my video game characters only bird names for 10 years. Just started a pokemon fangame with “Lark”. I have so many bird characters. Help.
Ruining the drama indeed. I made the most hideous Dragon Age character I could and toyed with naming her “ugly” just to get dialogue options like “I’m ugly.” and “You can call me ugly.” when introducing herself. Ultimately I decided I’d be laughing too hard at that to really enjoy the game.
That’s officially the best character name I’ve ever heard! I am /so/ naming my next game character Killian Darksteel. I don’t care what genre the game is.
Played a silly visual novel once, that turned out to become quite dramatic and not at all as silly as I thought it was at first. I’m not sure if it was alleviated or not by me having named my character “Ultra Wanker”.
Unless you’re playing a highly lethal Roguelike like ADOM. You have no problem coming up with random names for random adventurers.
Protip: use a real name and change a letter or two. Worked for the Witcher.
So true. Even worse when it comes to Pokemon and you have hundreds of characters to name. And don’t even bother if you’re playing No Man’s Sky.
Most Trainers only catch a couple dozen Pokémon, tops, as companions; anything else caught is for Pokédex completion purposes. And when you account for the size of the player base, those who give nicknames are actually a minority.
My list of names for nearly every pokemon in the first 3 gens says otherwise! Bet you didn’t count on me having nothing to do circa 2006!
Notice my use of ‘Most’. The intersection of Pokédex completionists and Trainers who nickname every Pokémon they capture is a very narrow field. That being said, if you actually came up with a nickname for all 386 Pokémon in Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn (give or take a few Mythical Pokémon who no one will blame you for missing), and not just the few who didn’t have a different Japanese name that fit the old ten-character limit, you have my significant praise.
On No Man’s Sky, I just leave everything as the default name! To many dozens of things to name to change them all!
I know what you mean, Adam. Final Fantasy I, I just go with the official names from the novel. Thank the gods most RPGs these days give you an auto-name function if the indecision paralyzes you; a good preset list of reasonably normal names saves a lot of trouble.
There was a novel? And you always play with the same set of classes?
Yep, an official novelization from 2012 titled “Memory of Heroes”. And yes, I always use the same team setup. Zest the Warrior, Sauber the Thief, Floe the White Mage, Daewoo the Black Mage. I did try a couple runs with a Monk or Red Mage in place of the Thief, but I left the name Sauber.
How do you use six character names with a four-cdaracter limit?
I started playing with the Dawn of Souls release, and I think FFI has had a six-character limit since the Origins release.
Just play as a woman and name the character after your daughter, that way you can claim it’s a homage.^^
Assuming that (a) the game allows the choice of your character’s gender [without requiring gameplay choices that are incompatible with his gameplay style] and (b) his daughter’s name fits the character limit, that’s actually a really good idea.
We can assume his daughter’s name is shorter than “Buttmunchio” in all likelihood.
It’s Leia, so yes, definitely shorter.
you can always go super generic. like TIM the enchanter!
Am i the only one who usually names the character after myself?
If you have a single playable character, then yeah, that’s not a bad idea. But there’s a few different reasons why you might have more characters available than you have names.
-Standard RPG: A party of multiple characters, all of whom are interacting with each other; if you give them all the same name, menus are gonna give you hell.
-Online RPG: Multiple accounts used for characters with radically different skillsets; even if the game doesn’t straight-up stop you from using the same name all the time, muscle memory is gonna give you hell.
-Non-RPG (fantasy): Most names in the modern day do not mesh well with a high fantasy setting.
My latest characters per game are James, because I’m lazy, and Butterscotch for obvious reasons.
You named a character without an apostrophe in the middle? I name thee unnerd and banish thee from geekdom. Ye shall not return under penalty of mockery!
Characters whose names possess an apostrophe in the middle are a minority in all genres. I hereby unmake thy declaration, endest thy unjust banishment of a fellow nerd proven time and again, and condemn thee as pretentious.
I have literally been giving my video game characters only bird names for 10 years. Just started a pokemon fangame with “Lark”. I have so many bird characters. Help.
Sounds like you’d be a hatoful boyfriend
Holy Audobon Society batman. Thats a lot of bird names.
Ruining the drama indeed. I made the most hideous Dragon Age character I could and toyed with naming her “ugly” just to get dialogue options like “I’m ugly.” and “You can call me ugly.” when introducing herself. Ultimately I decided I’d be laughing too hard at that to really enjoy the game.
Reminds me of a Legend of Zelda drinking game, where you change the name of Link to Drink.
That’s officially the best character name I’ve ever heard! I am /so/ naming my next game character Killian Darksteel. I don’t care what genre the game is.
Played a silly visual novel once, that turned out to become quite dramatic and not at all as silly as I thought it was at first. I’m not sure if it was alleviated or not by me having named my character “Ultra Wanker”.
Unless you’re playing a highly lethal Roguelike like ADOM. You have no problem coming up with random names for random adventurers.
Protip: use a real name and change a letter or two. Worked for the Witcher.