[LoL] New name round 2

[dindenver]

Hi!
  I guess since there is a Legends of Alyria game, here's a new round of naming suggestions, please tell me which you think is cooler:
Legends of Lore
Lands of Lanasia
Legacy Luvaun
Legacy of Light
Luminous of Lokag
Lands of Legacy

[Ben Lehman]

Serious advice:

Don't even *think* about the name of your game until you're done playtesting and seriously revising.

There's a lot of resources in these forums.  Why don't you post about what you're trying to do with your game, and what problems you're having with that (if any) according to the stickies on top of the forum?  Then, we'd actually be able to help you.

yrs--
--Ben

[Malcolm Craig]

Serious advice:

Don't even *think* about the name of your game until you're done playtesting and seriously revising.

There's a lot of resources in these forums.  Why don't you post about what you're trying to do with your game, and what problems you're having with that (if any) according to the stickies on top of the forum?  Then, we'd actually be able to help you.

yrs--
--Ben

I think Ben is on the money there.

As an example, a|state went through many working titles during writing and the name did not come about until the game had reached a stage where it could be considered 'complete' (in a sense). It went through a variety of names, all of which were convenient working titles. Having a name for the game isn't important at this stage. What is important is: What is the game about? How does it work? What do the characters do? Admittedly, these points are a gross simplification. One of the mistakes I made with a|state was not giving due consideration to what it is that a character group does in the game. In retrospect, I should have given more thought to this matter.

But I digress from the original point of the post.

So don't worry about a name just now, think of what you want the game to be and do.

Cheers
Malcolm

[dindenver]

Hi!
  Well, I know I am new to this forum, but I am not new to game design.  In fact, the game is done, I have done some playtesting and am trying to get a good proofread for editing and then I need to do art.
  I never did any research into publishing, marketing or distributing because when I started this endeavor (making a game for publishing instead of just for fun). But a friend of mine said he could get me published, and after I finished thre game he changed his story. So, I am stumbling around trying to learn that stuff. I do feel like I have a handle on designing and writing the kinds of games I like to play.
  Anyways, if you think any of these names are OK or if you have seen it, or slomething like it, or a name rubs you the wrong way, speak up please.

[Ben Lehman]

Frankly, I cannot help you with your name.  No one on this forum can help you with your name.  A product name should be based on one of two things:

1) What the artist thinks sounds cool.
2) Serious market research.

We, in this forum, can offer neither.  You, yourself, can do #1.  You, a bunch of pollsters, and a ton of money can offer #2.

Since your game design is done, I suggest you stop posting in Indie Game Design (which is, after all, for the design of games) and head over into the Publishing forum and read some of the old threads there to get some ideas about publishing and marketing.

yrs--
--Ben

P.S.  Further, if you haven't already, you should read the Fantasy Heartbreakers article in the Articles section.  It'll provide some important financial context to your publishing decisions.

[Troy_Costisick]

Heya,

The main reason you're having some trouble getting a real choice outta people here is that what you're asking for is a preference.  Preferences are as variable as the people who might have them.  As a rule, here at the Forge, preferences samples (also known as polls) aren't encouraged.  There's no real useful data that can come from them.  Thus you have people not really making a selection from your list.  They're not trying to be jerks about it.  They are just expressing their honest feelings and offer some good advice to ya at the same time :)

So let me turn this on its head for a moment.  Which name do you like best?  Why?

Peace,

-Troy

[dindenver]

Hi!
  Thanks
  When the subject of name came up in another forum, they sent me to the design forum. I thought I could ask a relatively simple question get an idea what the community was like and what kind of experiences I could benefit from.
  Anyways, if anyone on these forums wants to let me know what names they think are more catchy or what their experiences as a game designer point them towards in regards to names, pipe up! I've posted a lot of details about the game and game world on my blog and free demo which are linked in my sig, So, if you feel those details are vital to answer that question, check them out!

[GreatWolf]

Hi!
 Thanks
 When the subject of name came up in another forum, they sent me to the design forum. I thought I could ask a relatively simple question get an idea what the community was like and what kind of experiences I could benefit from.
 Anyways, if anyone on these forums wants to let me know what names they think are more catchy or what their experiences as a game designer point them towards in regards to names, pipe up! I've posted a lot of details about the game and game world on my blog and free demo which are linked in my sig, So, if you feel those details are vital to answer that question, check them out!

Hi!

At the risk of sounding snarky, you're finding what you wanted.  It just doesn't look like it.  You say that you are looking for experiences as game designers in regards to names.  Well, several designers have posted here regarding names, and they are right.  Since I'm the one who named Legends of Alyria, I'll tell you the procedure that I followed.  I looked for a name for my world and settled on Alyria.  I picked this because it sounded sparkly.  Then, I decided that the focus of the game was on the stories that were created in the world.  Thus, the gaming group is creating legends.  Thus, I changed the name to Legends of Alyria.

In other words, I followed Ben Lehman's Method #1 For Naming A Game:  I picked what I thought was cool.

The general reaction to the title was "Meh".  John Harper's reply in the other thread is telling:

Then again, a good name is only important in special cases. If your game is awesome, people will forgive an awkward name. For instance, I think "Legends of Alyria" is a terrible name for a game, but the game itself is so good, I hardly think about the name quality anymore.

See?  He thinks that the name of my game sucks.  But, you know what?  He doesn't care.  Because, in the final analysis, he likes what is inside the game, and that's what counts.

(It could be worse.  The first game that I published was named Junk.  How's that for clever marketing?)

But I wonder if your concern here isn't really, "What do I name my game?" but "How do I title my game so that people will buy it?"

To that I say, "Don't even bother."  Seriously.  Think about this.  What is the name of the granddaddy of RPGs?  D&D, right?  But what does that stand for?

Dungeons and Dragons.

Yawn.

I'm here to tell you that this name does not rock my world.  But, thousands of people don't really seem to care.

So, settle into Option #1.  Pick a name that you like.  And if the world doesn't like it, who cares?  The game will stand or fall on its content, not its branding.