Game names and how their impact on you

Technology and Gaming
#1

Hi,

I’m doing a little study on the Video games names, how do you feel about them, etc.

Here are a few questions :

  • On a 0 to 10 squale, rate how much the game name is important
  • How would you describe a “Good” game name
  • Do you believe the game name must be very related to the game or stay pretty vague ?

Also, you are very welcome to bring exemples of games and your feeling about them.

Few exemples of my feelings :

Duke Nukem Forever : Obvious easy name.
Mass Effect : Pretty unrelated, vague.
Half-Life : Very vague, mysterious
Bioshock : Unrelated ?
Portal : Describe game concept, related

There are multiple ways of naming a Game : for example :

Describe the game concept (obvious portal)
Name the main interresting concept (again, portal but others to)
Attract attention (FEAR)
Mystery (Half-Life)
Name the Hero (Pretty much any tomb raider)

Which do you think is the most efficient ?

Thats all, ofc anything on the subject is welcome.
Sorry for my english.

Thanks for your help !

#2

wrong subforum

#3

“Mass Effect” is unrelated to the game? it’s like why the people in that game can do what they do. They explain it in the opening title card.

I like hip cool misnomers myself. No More Heroes, Quake, etc.

#4

Search optimization: Narbacular Drop

#5

the game

#6

Err, you do realize that the Element Zero Mass Effect is the core element of the entire game’s story, right? It powers pretty much every single piece of technology in the game’s universe. And since the game series itself is heavily story-oriented, I fail to see how the name is “Pretty unrelated, vague.”

Anyway, I feel that it doesn’t matter how related the name is to the game as long as it’s memorable and able to make the game or series unique. The name should make the game unique and easy to identify with. Ideally it should be related to the game itself in some way, either in story or game mechanic, but I don’t think it’s totally necessary.

#7

He’s saying that people who haven’t played the game don’t know what it means.

“Mass Effect” doesn’t exactly scream “Story-driven sci-fi shooter”

#8

Personally I would think an effect involving mass does scream “sci-fi”. I dunno, maybe it’s just me. :expressionless:

#9

thought i was buying ass effect. stupid place to put the sticker

#10

I think you got what you paid for

#11

Low poly normal mapped asses with specular highlight?

#12

There’s nothing more beautiful in the world.

#13

Except maybe high-poly or even RL asses? =)

#14

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#15

Its my personnal feeling about them, you can have your own opinion :slight_smile:

#16

Whether a game name is related to the game or not is not opinion though. You are simply wrong about a couple of those titles.

#17

How is your feelings for a game name not an opinion ?

Also, I don’t give a shit if i’m right or wrong, I asked people how THEY felt about them when they first discovered them, If you can’t understand that, I don’t know what u post in here

#18

What about “Metal Gear Solid?”

The actual relation to the game is in the titular Metal Gear, but Solid refers to the polygons used in the game engine to place it above the original MSX2 Metal Gear games. Would anyone really have guessed they were buying a stealth action game from the white cover and red logo text?

Compare to Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell, a game in the same genre-

Tom Clancy- famous author of contemporary techno-thrillers

Splinter Cell relates to the character’s job. He’s a Splinter Cell- a lone operative sent on solo infiltration missions with a support staff working with him from the NSA.

BEFORE ANYONE TROLLS ME- I happen to like both of these games.

#19

If they actually read what it said on the cover they might have guessed.

#20

Right. “Tactical Espionage Action.” derp

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