Author Topic: Game Naming  (Read 1824 times)

JenaRey

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Game Naming
« on: November 07, 2006, 02:24:37 PM »
For a game about hatching and raising your own fantasy pets, yes it's a casual audience in mind, which name has the most staying power?

Petopia
Grimm's Hatchery
Pet Kingdom
Magical Hatchery

Trying to help out an Indie Developer I know that's looking for input from people that know games.

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Shrain

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Re: Game Naming
« Reply #1 on: November 07, 2006, 02:39:31 PM »
As you know, I rarely play games. Though I recently forayed into Star Wars Lego territory only to have the disc fail for no apparent reason. >:(

I kinda like Grimm's Hatchery or Petopia. Oh, what about Crittertopia. That's fun too. Is this for kids?
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Re: Game Naming
« Reply #2 on: November 07, 2006, 02:46:40 PM »
no topias. Ick

HOw about Neopets!
wait..

how about Pokemon!
er...

are these going to be little dragons and unicorns and stuff? and do you just raise? Or also collect?

Spriggan

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Re: Game Naming
« Reply #3 on: November 07, 2006, 02:54:34 PM »
I like pettopia mostly because it's a simple name that's easy to remember and would be something a girl would like.

No me personally, Grimm's Hatchery, but the problem your friend first needs to decide is who his target audience is because everyone one of those names you listed appeals to a different group of people.

But for the target audience knowing more then just their age and gender is important, likes and dislikes are very important as well as time spent playing games money and the like.  
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Linternet

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Re: Game Naming
« Reply #4 on: November 07, 2006, 03:37:53 PM »
What groups of people do you think each name appeals to Sprig?

The only one that stands out to me as "different" is Grimm's Hatchery which has a darker edge to it.

Shrain

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Re: Game Naming
« Reply #5 on: November 07, 2006, 04:29:05 PM »
Yeah, that's what drew me to Grimm's Hatchery. But then I wondered if the target age were a bit younger, it which case Crittertopia or something would be better.
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Spriggan

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Re: Game Naming
« Reply #6 on: November 07, 2006, 05:57:13 PM »
Quote
What groups of people do you think each name appeals to Sprig?

The only one that stands out to me as "different" is Grimm's Hatchery which has a darker edge to it.


Sure, let me go over each name here for you.

Petopia - Easiest to remember and has an low comprehension level, plus has a catchy ring to it.  I'd say lowest age would be girls 8-10 on up.
Grimm's Hatchery - Grimm's Hatchery is a name tarted at older teen agers and adults, most kids don't know what a Hatchery or what Grimm (assuming here it's Grimm Bros) might mean.  The two words here don't flow together well without understanding English as a language and literature better.  Age would be 14-15+
Pet Kingdom - This is much like the first but without a catchy name, both words are easy to understand and are something anyone can grasp.  Age: Girls 8-10+
Magical Hatchery - Again, Hatchery isn't something a younger audience would know, not that catchy of a name either.  Doesn't spark much interest when hearing it (though adding something silly in front like YA books do would make it work).  Age probably 12+.

Now, of course, I could be off on some of these since I haven't really conducted much research on naming for that age (we've covered it in school for an older audience) but you need to be aware of words that an age group might not understand the context of without some explanation.  Plus the more "tweeny" the group the more catchy the name needs to be since that's what's popular right now.  Abbreviations are also very popular with that age group.
Screw it, I'm buying crayons and paper. I can imagineer my own adventures! Wheeee!

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