[DanielLeone]

Hello there,

I have made a basic 2D engine from scratch, and think I am ready to create some games with it.

These are going to be simple indie games, probably without a storyline. Somewhere between Fruit Ninja and Angry Birds.

As you wall know, when you make a new project, you give it a name. Generally it's very hard to change the solution name later on, so it's basically permanent.

Therefore it seems that I must create the name of my game before I actually code it. However, does everyone agree with this, and what are your opinions on it.

My general though is to develop the game before the name, but then I'm wondering if people use a name to spark game ideas?

That was the first half of my topic.

The other is how do I create one?

What actual steps do you take to creating a name. I read through countless sites like this : http://wootcomms.com...2/01/good-name/

But they don't 'spark' any ideas, and are more for 'checking' your name once you come up with one.
So I was wondering what the community does to develop these names for their games.

Yes, I have googled a lot and found nothing, and if this already exists on this forum, sorry, but I did search for it.


Thanks in advance,
Daniel,

This post has been edited by DanielLeone: 19 May 2012 - 05:23 AM

[ButchDean]

None of what you've said is true about a game having to have a name before development. A project normally has a working title during the conception stage, then the name is effectively fixed when the game is announced.

Call it anything you like for now then give the project a proper name when you're ready to show it.

[reaper4334]

Like ButchDean said, a game (most other kinds of projects) will usually have a working title and a proper name is usually chosen much later on.

[modi123_1]

Yeah.. you gotta have a secret code name for your projects! Green Platinum Rat

[DanielLeone]

Very good point ButchDean, and probably on the right track,

How though do you actually come up with the name.

I know I'm asking a pretty broad, question that isn't simple to answer, so any advice/replies are greatly appreciated.

Thanks once again,
Daniel,

[ButchDean]

Well, have a little think about it. A game name normally:

1. Makes it uniquely identifiable from other games, especially in its genre.
2. Describes the feel of the game.
3. Should be memorable.
4. Should suit the market.

That's about it really.

[DanielLeone]

Thanks for the other replies, I missed the ones before as they were posted as I was typing mine /

Good idea modi123_1, love the website as well .

So thanks guys, the name is going to come a lot later on, as you've said, and I'll just use a super secret code name .

Thanks once again,
Daniel,

[modi123_1]

Well... what darn name did you pick?!

[Crockeo]

While I'm late to the party, here's my 50 cents.

Before you actually start developing a game, you should 'make' the game. Make it either in documentation or just a general idea.

After you've done that, pick out a main feature, or focus of your game.

A couple of examples:
- Minecraft -- You mine and craft
- Starcraft -- Following after Warcraft, but in the stars, so Starcraft
- Angry Birds -- Birds, who are angry
- Fruit Ninja -- Chopping fruit, and the 'lore' is that you're a ninja


You can see that you can sort of identify the games by their name.



tl;dr version:
Think of the game first,
Choose the name based on a feature,
Actually make the game.

[aaron1178]

modi123_1, on 20 May 2012 - 10:39 AM, said:

Yeah.. you gotta have a secret code name for your projects! Green Platinum Rat

It came up with King Cobra Nickel Crab for me

[BBeck]

I agree that changing your solution/project name is a bit ugly and that seems like a pretty good reason to get a name going from the start.

But, really, what's in a name? I mean, if you had never heard of these games, would you want to play them based on the name?

MS Flight Simulator 10 - Well, at least you got straight to the point.
Angry Birds - What? You built a whole GAME about birds that get angry?
Pac Man - Seriously?!? What's a PAC man?
Halo - It's a game about angels? Right? You're going to walk around doing good deeds or something?
Skyrim - Is that skarimm or Sky Rim? You named a whole game about a place called "Sky Rim"? What. You couldn't think of a name for a country better than putting two English words together?
Quake - Shim, Shim, Shimmy and roll! Everybody do the Quake!

Anyway, a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet. All that matters is whether the game is fun. The name will take on whatever meaning the game gives to it. If it's fun, pretty much no one is going to care how stupid the name was.

That's my 2 cents anyway. :-)

This post has been edited by BBeck: 21 May 2012 - 03:09 PM