I rarely use my own name, If the setting is historical (i.e chinese etc) i’m pretty much have to use a name that suitable for that setting–which means another researching for a good name with google. A rather fun activity to me.
Imo, having to put my prefered names for the PCs makes me connected with them more. Bonus point if you could choose the PC’s personality.
You don’t know how many times i quit an IF game because the MC’s name or personality just ain’t to my liking. Which is why CoG/HG was such a blessing to me.
I really like when the name options are meaningful or share a common theme. One part of Samurai of Hyuga that stood out to me was how the MC had their own thoughts on each preset name. Or how in Chronicon Apocalyptica, you could make your own name using existing Anglo-Saxon morphemes. I’d love to see more stories with that kind of neat little detail.
Another cool thing: when there is an easter egg component to it, like trying to name yourself after an existing character and the text commenting on that. Idk any examples in CoG/HG but Undertale does this.
I’ve only encouraged that once. In Archangels, there’s a character named Anna. The game wouldn’t let me use the name, and it was actually really annoying. Like, I’ll deal with the confused, thanks.
In Way Walkers: University, choosing one of the preset names will result in a discussion with the Tar’citadel admissions team about what it means, and a relevant boost to one of your stats.
I do something slightly…uncommon. While I do appreciate lists of given names to give me a feel for what the MC’s name should sound like, I always, always choose the exact same custom name every time. It probably sounds weird, but in my head, the enunciation is always slightly different and I’ve always managed to keep track of my different MCs even though they share the same name.
Whenever my brain says “Hey this sounds cool, choose it”.
Naming is a tiring job for me 'cause if I don’t like the options I have to look for names & meaning that my brain will say “Yes”, which usually wastes more time than needed when I still have a lot of things to name in my story.
A list of name options sometimes can tell how interesting (and funny) an author is (like Breach), especially in a fantasy setting with their own worldbuilding (do they like me waste a whole day making a proper name with a meaning or just type something random or just give us a list of a real-life name…). If the author really does create a new name with meaning I would gladly choose it because maybe I will have a bonus with that (unless my brain tells me it doesn’t like the name),
Er, no. Both are the same for me because whether a custom name or a name option in the end it’s still me choosing the MC’s name. Kinda enough connection already.
I tend to prefer games with a option to name the PC whatever I want! If the game has names that actually mean something relevant to the game, then yes, I would have fun looking through and choosing a name! However, many games are not like this so I would prefer using something I like instead.
I usually use my own name for only my first play through. I like to see what I would do in the various situations. It makes the tough decisions tougher. Plus, I’d like to think it makes me better at thinking.
For subsequent playthroughs, I do role play more. Then I use the pre-made names normally, unless one or both of these is true.
A. I have someone specific in mind like Marcus when I played through of the Sword Of Rhivena as a stoic deadened by the lack of father. Granted, I was a lot more evil than his name sake.
B. The names are real names, like in Zombie Exodus or The Parenting Simulator.
Speaking of those two, are your answers the same for naming characters like your child? or is this nephew? For these I almost always make something up. Same with animals. Though this isn’t true for RO’s, I wouldn’t get to name those IRL so I don’t in the stories. So I either pick from the list or use a random name generator.
Either way I didn’t realize how many used the pre made names. Intresting.
Same here! I was expecting this to go the total opposite way.
I’m working on a CS game currently and I was planning on completely bypassing the list of names and just giving players the option to type one in; now I know not to do that since so many people seem to rely on the given names.
It’s not just there for worldbuilding, it tends to make it easier for a lot of people to pick a name. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been stuck on the character creation screen of a video game, trying to come up with a name…
I actually love picking out names loll
Usually I pick out a meaning I like then look thru some baby name lists.
Though if its a modern-ish setting (19th century - 21st century) I’d use a variation of my name.
But it also depends on the setting. There was a WIP thats based in a fantasy Middle-East (Lion among the Cypress), the only fantastical point of reference in that general location that I know are Mesopotamian gods, and I liked the name Ishtar, but changed a letter getting: Ishtaa
i always come up with a name what’s super fun about interactive fiction to me is coming up with a character that feels like they are apart of the author’s world. giving them my name would almost take me out of it but i completely understand everyone who puts their own name theres no right way to enjoy!
