Can we get the rules for creating a name list early?

[Ifreann]

What follows is from my experience of scripting, not from insider knowledge, so it may be wrong.

AVI3 is the name of this name list, and must be unique. I'm guessing that it stands for "Avian 3."

"Selectable" means that the player is allowed to pick this option from the drop-down box when setting up the game. If it's set to "no" then I imagine it makes this name list invisible, which might be useful for name lists for NPC factions such as AI rebels or Cthulhu.

I, for one, look forward to renaming the cosmic horrors beyond the comprehension of man to things like "Foofoo Cuddly Poops, Snuggler of Worlds".

 

[TheBeautifulVoid2]

I, for one, look forward to renaming the cosmic horrors beyond the comprehension of man to things like "Foofoo Cuddly Poops, Snuggler of Worlds".

Definitely.

It also occurs to me that the [name] [surname] form could be used effectively to create all sorts of interesting names, for example by having "Of X", "Son of X" and "The Hairy" type soubriquets, or by having a long list of names and then a tiny list of surnames so everybody ends up related to one another, or stuff like that.

 

[Ifreann]

Definitely.

It also occurs to me that the [name] [surname] form could be used effectively to create all sorts of interesting names, for example by having "Of X", "Son of X" and "The Hairy" type soubriquets, or by having a long list of names and then a tiny list of surnames so everybody ends up related to one another, or stuff like that.

first_names={Scallophead}
second_names={"the Great" "Attorney at Law"}

 

[znuzzo]

Yes, doesnt everyone go up at 4.30? I've been reading forums, writing design ideas, analysing stuff while waiting for family to wake up.

In all seriousness, I love how dedicated Paradox and their employees are to community engagement and responding to questions. A breath of fresh air to the industy, and one of the big reasons I became a Paradox fan.

 

[Red_warning]

Here is an example of a namelist I wrote..

Spoiler: Johans Avian Name List

### Avian Predator
### Created by Johan Andersson 2015-07-31

AVI3 = {
   selectable = yes

   ship_names = {
     generic = {
       "Scream" "Screech" "Shriek" "Howl" "Cry"
       "Soar" "Ascend" "Rise" "Escalate" "Fly"
       "Drift" "Float" "Glide" "Swoop" "Pounce"
       "Sweep" "Dive" "Sweep"
     }
   
     corvette = {
       "Sharp" "Quick" "Frenzy" "Bloodstain" "Scar"
       "Gore" "Maim" "Maul" "Wound" "Hurt"
       "Slash" "Scratch" "Cut" "Mutilate" "Injury"
       "Crippler" "Disfigure" "Griever" "Deformer" "Piercer"
     }
   
     constructor = {
       "Nest Maker" "Nest Builder" "Nest Creator" "Nest Producer" "Nest Manufacturer"
       "Roost Maker" "Roost Builder" "Roost Creator" "Roost Producer" "Roost Manufacturer"
     }
   
     colonizer = {
       "Eggcarrier I" "Eggcarrier II" "Eggcarrier III" "Eggcarrier IV" "Eggcarrier V"
       "Eggcarrier VI" "Eggcarrier VII" "Eggcarrier VIII" "Eggcarrier IX" "Eggcarrier X"
       "Eggcarrier XI" "Eggcarrier XII" "Eggcarrier XIII" "Eggcarrier XIV" "Eggcarrier XV"
       "Eggcarrier XVI" "Eggcarrier XVII" "Eggcarrier XVIII" "Eggcarrier XIX" "Eggcarrier XX"
     }
   
     science = {
       "Inner Eye" "Third Eye" "Viewing Eye" "Examining Eye" "Analysing Eye"
       "Contemplating Eye" "Considering Eye" "Evaluating Eye" "Thinking Eye"
       "Appraising Eye" "Assessing Eye"  "Classifying Eye" "Estimating Eye" "Determening Eye"
       "Inspecting Eye" "Studying Eye" "Investigating Eye" "Probing Eye" "Observing Eye"
     }
   
     destroyer = {
       "Sharp Claw" "Quick Claw" "Frenzied Claw" "Bloodstained Claw" "Scarring Claw"
       "Gory Claw" "Grisly Claw" "Maiming Claw" "Mauling Claw" "Wounding Claw"
       "Slashing Claw" "Scratching Claw" "Cutting Claw" "Mutilating Claw" "Injuring Claw"
       "Crippling Claw" "Disfiguring Claw" "Grieving Claw" "Deforming Claw" "Piercing Claw"
     }
   
     cruiser = {
       "Sharp Beak" "Quick Beak" "Frenzied Beak" "Bloodstained Beak" "Scarring Beak"
       "Gory Beak" "Grisly Beak" "Maiming Beak" "Mauling Beak" "Wounding Beak"
       "Slashing Beak" "Scratching Beak" "Cutting Beak" "Mutilating Beak" "Injuring Beak"
       "Crippling Beak" "Disfiguring Beak" "Grieving Beak" "Deforming Beak" "Piercing Beak"
     }
   
     battleship = {
       "Glorious Massacre" "Glorious Bloodbath" "Glorious Carnage" "Glorious Slaughter" "Glorious Bloodshed"
       "Gorgeous Massacre" "Gorgeous Bloodbath" "Gorgeous Carnage" "Gorgeous Slaughter" "Gorgeous Bloodshed"
       "Inspiring Massacre" "Inspiring Bloodbath" "Inspiring Carnage" "Inspiring Slaughter" "Inspiring Bloodshed"
       "Delightful Massacre" "Delightful Bloodbath" "Delightful Carnage" "Delightful Slaughter" "Delightful Bloodshed"
     }
   
     orbital_station = { }
     mining_station = { }
     research_station = { }
     wormhole_station = { }
     terraform_station = {
       "Nest Shaper" "Roost Shaper"
     }
     observation_station = { }
     outpost_station = {
       random_names = {
         "Attentive Eye" "Watchful Eye" "Resting Eye" "Sharp Eye" "Scornful Eye" "Oblivious Eye" "Cunning Eye" "Zealous Eye" "Dauntless Eye" "Stubborn Eye"
       }
       sequential_name = "%O% Frontier Outpost"
     }
   
     transport = {
     }

     military_station_small = {}
     military_station_medium = {}
     military_station_large = {}
   }

   fleet_names = {
     random_names = {
       "Murder of Fidgit" "Murder of Trast" "Murder of Croo" "Murder of Carcan" "Murder of Tripato" "Murder of Foosh" "Murder of Urya" "Murder of Larii" "Murder of Cawica" "Murder of Foroo" "Murder of Try'tara" "Murder of Rickit" "Murder of Barraw" "Murder of Ca'tawa"
     }
     sequential_name = "%O% Murder"
   }

   ### ARMIES
   army_names = {
     defense_army = {
       sequential_name = "%O% Defense Flock"
     }
     
     assault_army = {
       sequential_name = "%O% Assault Flock"
     }
   
     slave_army = {
       sequential_name = "%O% Bonded Army"
     }
   
     clone_army = {
       sequential_name = "Replica Forces %R%"
     }
   
     robotic_army = {
       sequential_name = "Droid Forces %R%"
     }
   
     android_army = {
       sequential_name = "Android Forces %R"
     }
   
     psionic_army = {
       sequential_name = "%O% Soaring Minds"
     }
   
     xenomorph_army = {
       sequential_name = "%O% Xeno Flock"
     }
   
     gene_warrior_army = {
       sequential_name = "%O% Mutation Flock"
     }
   }

   planet_names = {

     # Names that can be assigned to all planet types
     generic = {
       names = {
         "Trast" "Fidgit" "Micaw" "Craw't" "Caw'taan" "Krachaw's Nest" "Frackaw's Eyrie" "Rickichi's Roost" "Lirchi's Nest" "Croo's Cocoon" "Carcana" "Frippit" "Whoo'tar" "Fashaaw" "Chyy'ta" "Fyyrt" "Drakoo" "Foshoo's Rest" "Ury" "Travuu" "Kloo" "Claive" "Biribit" "Rooki" "Tripitit" "Trobbi" "Trittita" "Foosh'ro" "Urytry"
       }
     }
   
     pc_desert = {
       names = {
       }
     }
   
     pc_arid = {
       names = {
       }
     }
   
     pc_tropical = {
       names = {
       }
     }
   
     pc_continental = {
       names = {
       }
     }
   
     pc_ocean = {
       names = {
       }
     }
   
     pc_tundra = {
       names = {
       }
     }
   
     pc_arctic = {
       names = {
       }
     }
   }


   ### CHARACTERS

   character_names = {
     default = {
       # A complete name
       full_names = {
       }
     
       # Always combined with a second name
       first_names = {
        "Claws of"
         "Beak of"
         "Wings of"
         "Feathers of"
         "Plume of"
         "Eyes of"
       }
     
       # Always combined with a first name
       second_names = {
         White Grey Black Burgundy Red Blue Indigo Cyan Yellow Orange Ivory Ebony Purple Brown Teal Green Aquamarine Khaki Magenta Gold Silver
         Bronze Honeydew Lavender Maroon Olive
       }
     
       regnal_first_names = {
         "Black Wing" "White Wing" "Red Wing" "Star Wing" "Sky Wing" "Cloud Wing"
       }
     
       regnal_second_names = {
         Extak
       }
     }
   }
}

You know what would be a fearsome name to Avians? Wing Clip.

 

[Dracogen]

I think it would be neat if some ships/fleets/etc. in individualistic empires would be named after appropriate dead leaders. Science vessels could be named after scientists, builders after governors and warships after admirals.

 

[Mackus]

Interesting, there are no separate list for different genders, but it would make sense that only with humans they bothered with separate masculine and feminine names.

 

[Beer4TheBeerGod]

Thank you!

 

[vyshan]

Is it possible to have it so that the names are chosen by the player only? Ie if you pick the names that they won't be used by another species you encounter?

 

[swiftsvre]

You could probably create your name list, have the switch set to selectable, create your faction, and then edit the switch to not selectable, locking others out. But that's just guessing on my part.

 

[EmperorZelos]

I am curious, what does %0%, %R%, %R and all those stand for exactly?

 

[swiftsvre]

%R is a typo, I suspect. %O% should be "nth" as in "1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th,..." while I assume that %R% is just the letters as in "1, 2, 3,..." though it might be Roman numerals, too.

 

[EmperorZelos]

%R is a typo, I suspect. %O% should be "nth" as in "1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th,..." while I assume that %R% is just the letters as in "1, 2, 3,..." though it might be Roman numerals, too.

I'd have picked %N% for the n'th and such then but the roman one would make sense.

 

[Lowki]

Cool, really glad to see this. Not sure I have the knowledge of how to create my own list beyond just taking the one on there and overwriting his words with my own.

Add me to the list of people waiting for the gender naming rules too I guess!

 

[EmperorZelos]

Cool, really glad to see this. Not sure I have the knowledge of how to create my own list beyond just taking the one on there and overwriting his words with my own.

Add me to the list of people waiting for the gender naming rules too I guess!

why? are you a sexist that needs to seperate your people into classes of gender!?

 

[chaostk]

I'd have picked %N% for the n'th and such then but the roman one would make sense.

It's probably %O% for "ordinal". If %R% is indeed roman, then maybe there is a %N% for just number.

 

[EmperorZelos]

It's probably %O% for "ordinal". If %R% is indeed roman, then maybe there is a %N% for just number.

ah you bring a fair point, being a mathematician I rarely consider ordinal/nummeral distinction but it is very valid.

 

[mbpoblet]

Interesting, there are no separate list for different genders, but it would make sense that only with humans they bothered with separate masculine and feminine names.

Note that character names are under a subsection default... gendered names could possibly be under their own subsections..?

 

[Mackus]

Note that character names are under a subsection default... gendered names could possibly be under their own subsections..?

If that is true, gender is probably not hardcoded mechanic... so you get default subsection for most races, but humans gets separate male and female subsections. Same for portraits, most are under default, but humans have male and female, but nothing in engine would have prevented you from dozen different genders/variants.
If I am correct, you could code dozen of subsections, like russian_male, russian_female, chinese_male, chinese_female, and so on, assign each separate portraits, so you wont get really odd racial/cultural combinations, like black guy with first name in Korean, and second name in Ashkenazi. (which is bond to happen with single human namelist)

 

[TheBeautifulVoid2]

It's probably %O% for "ordinal". If %R% is indeed roman, then maybe there is a %N% for just number.

Surely it would be %C% for cardinal numbers?