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Idea: Community generated List of Node Names through controlled forum Polling
Warth
Member
Node Naming in general:
We all know, that the node name can be chosen from a list of pre-chosen names.
What I'd like to suggest and have suggested in another thread is, that this list is created entirely through the suggestions of the community. There has been overwhelmingly positive feedback with follow up suggestions based on that, so i figured that it would be worth a thread to solidify and talk about the idea in general.
My idea behind it was as follows:
This way, we'd have (estimating an Q1 2023 release) a list of 100 (when 1 per week is selected) to 300 (when 3 per week are selected) List of names by the time the game releases.
I think this Idea would have a lot of interesting merits:
The only valid argument against this idea which i have found would be that the node names are based on lore-based towns and cities from the game itself. Other than that, i think that its a great opportunity to do exactly what Intrepid justified their kickstarter with: Involve the community.
We all know, that the node name can be chosen from a list of pre-chosen names.
What I'd like to suggest and have suggested in another thread is, that this list is created entirely through the suggestions of the community. There has been overwhelmingly positive feedback with follow up suggestions based on that, so i figured that it would be worth a thread to solidify and talk about the idea in general.
My idea behind it was as follows:
- Intrepid opens a Thread with suggestions, within which every member of the Forum can bring suggestions.
- Either a Mod or CM goes through that list, strikes out the ones they deem unfit and adds the rest to a database/excel sheet.
- Every Week, 20-50 suggestions out of the database will be chosen at random and compiled into a poll.
- The Top 1-3 voted upon named will make the ingame List of selectable Node Names. The others move bank into the database/excel sheet so they might be drawn again.
This way, we'd have (estimating an Q1 2023 release) a list of 100 (when 1 per week is selected) to 300 (when 3 per week are selected) List of names by the time the game releases.
I think this Idea would have a lot of interesting merits:
- It involves the community into the game development (which is, by the claims of Intrepid itself) the whole goal they wanted to pursue through kickstarting. Time to make that happen.
- Voting on 20-50 suggestions at once will ensure, that the votes aren't split to thin and we get significant results.
- We get a wide variety of community suggested names by release.
- The names come from the community, but will have been controlled by Intrepid to avoid "Dickville", "3rd Raich" as well as political and religious names.
- The community will appreciate the feeling of contribution towards the project, even if its just the selection of node names.
- More parts of the community will looks into the forum periodically to vote, which will also encourage further discourse in other topics.
- It's not much work at all, compared to creating a studio-internal list. Compiling them into a list doesn't take long, and creating a poll from 20-50 randomly selected ones doesn't take a lot of manpower either.
The only valid argument against this idea which i have found would be that the node names are based on lore-based towns and cities from the game itself. Other than that, i think that its a great opportunity to do exactly what Intrepid justified their kickstarter with: Involve the community.
- How would you improve upon the idea?
- What's your general opinion on it and what would be counter arguments apart from the one stated?
- and finally:
- Which suggestion(s) would you make, if you had the chance to suggest names for the Nodes.
7
Comments
Personally, i'd make it cross-plattform and not care too much about multi votes. In the end its quite the trivial matter compared to what we polled in the past (Multiboxing issue for example). If someone feels like he should create 20 accounts to vote on a single town name, then let him imo.
People would only ever do that with their own suggested names i guess. WIth 100s of suggestions and just 20-50 being voted on, the shouldn't be as big an issue.
I don't see the names being lore based as a "valid argument against", but rather a pretty neutral issue. I don't think a reasonable person can get upset that an MMORPG is naming towns based on lore. So the one example of an argument against I don't even see as a true argument against.
A few things to consider; Just like any list, there will be more popular choices than others, and there will be names that are unpopular and thus rarely used. There's also going to be the need in this system for someone to weed out the "Nodey McNodeFace" suggestions, because trolls ganna troll. I would therefore be in favor of a much longer list to chose from than shorter. 20 names is far to short in my humble opinion. I'd even be somewhat skeptical of 50 names.
Why do we need to vote on the post popular? What is wrong with the community submitting suggestions and having Intrepid picking the ones they like out and including them to a list? 20-50 seems far to little in my opinion, given we are selecting from a pre-made list. So other than including the obvious best node name possible, Karthosville, the only suggestion for improving this idea is expanding the list in size rather than weeding them out based on some popularity contest.
I merely stated 20-50 as an initial idea as i wouldn't know how many people will vote. Make it too high and the votes will be spread to thin which might not give significant results. 20-50 might very well be too small though. Obviously Intrepid could simply gauge that following the first poll, when they see how many people actually voted and how many suggestions are within the database.
I do think, that the ultimate decision lying in the hands of the Community would give it a whole different level of community involvement compared to a simple: Bring suggestion - we pick.
It would also provide something else to look forward to each week.
Step 2 would be the step to weed out troll suggestions.
I do think that much less people will feel the need to troll, when they know that their trolling attempts will simply be stricken out.
Sure, I understand. And I agree, the community should be the main driving force behind the naming. But this is a slippery slope.
I just think the ultimate choice should be Intrepid though. Setting up a 100% community based vote often leads to results that is pretty counter to what the original idea is for having a pre-set list of names to begin with.
It's possible the top vote is "Steven's Hairy Feet City" or "Turdville".
Intrepid should hold ultimate veto power is all I'm saying.
Those are the ones that would be weeded out in Step 2 and not even make the poll/database in the first place. Thats why it felt important to include that step.
That way Toastville will have a place to siege.(While pantless of course)
I'm all for it!
I wouldn't mind even if it was even longer, like monthly so it could match their streams/announcements, and the community names made up only a portion of the overall options, as I'm sure they have a lot of names already pre-planned.
But I think it'd be a fun little way for people to stay engaged throughout!
Yes, I like to watch the world burn from time to time. Also, tax free for all citizens so they can understand why we pay them in the first place >:•)
Also yeah the pre approved list sound best to me. We get a bit of a glimpse a lore details from the naming conventions and locales. And we avoid having Nody McNodyface as a result lol
*Scratches out Marmaland*
*Scratches out Jam Nation*
sigh
*Scratches out Peanut Butter Jam Time*
Side note: If IS doesn't go this route and prefers to use their in-house generator, I would like the list long enough to not only have unique names for each potential node but also limited. On a server, there would only ever be one node named Alegron and if it is destroyed the name will pass into the server's history or forgotten altogether if the server doesn't have dedicated loremasters. I think it would be a great deal of fun when servers talk to each other and find out about "The Fall of Alegron" on Steven's Sandal server while the Lt. Toast's Legion server has a node named Alegron on the other side of the map.
From my perspective, the more activity that occurs within the game the more immersive.
As for inappropriate naming:
a) this should be part vetted by the community when put forward in the first place
b) a degree of trust should be put in the community, not reverting back to systems and 3rd party decisions on so many different things.. "He who governs the least, governs the best".
c) just like inappropriate player names, poor naming choices should be reportable, should anything get through the system
d) if really concerned, then ensure the Devs either have a controlling power to veto or change the name as part of the ToA without explanation to make it less contestable.
But since they're the names of the node cities, they need to be done before the game goes live. There's no point in setting up the discussion once the first village spawns, cos it's too late, by then.
Otherwise it's:
"Thankyou everyone for supporting me with your votes this month! The change of government in this node heralds a new era for our metropolis - a significant moment in Verran history. As the new Mayor of our metropolis I will strive to manage our taxes to the benefit of all our citizens. So to mark the occasion, it is fitting that my first act is to rename Brookshire, our wonderful metropolis, to Atelia. Please update your maps and signage accordingly. Keep in mind you only have to do this once if you commit your votes to me again next month!"
Green Ox Outpost
Green Ox Village
Green Ox Town
Green Ox City
Green Ox Metropolis
This might have been a poor example but hopefully you understand what I mean.
Alajama,
Jambodia,
If I had more time, I would write a shorter post.
This one needs to be hardcoded in the list.
Vietjam?
Jamacre