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[ColossusEntertainment]

Yes, the name is from the unfortunate Trojan princess, but the similarities end with the name. The Kassandra in my game haven't been given any abilities by Apollo, so "Curse of Apollo" isn't a great choice :D Also, it does sound a bit... generic to me.

But hey, what if I put the "amazing adventures" part in much smaller letters, like so:

would that be better? Or should I try and get a colon or semi-colon in there somewhere...

[Zaphos]

"The Amazing Adventures of" isn't something you could disregard as 'not doing any work' for a name in general; for example it is used in Chabon's "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay" to evoke a cheesy, Golden Age comic book feel.
It also makes it clear the topic will be adventuring, which a shorter name such as just "Kassandra" would not do.

And since your title is 5 words long, it's down to a quarter of its potential power. You'd have a result four times as good if you simply called it 'Kassandra'.

By the fundamental theorem of name calculus!  :D

[Keops]

Yes, the name is from the unfortunate Trojan princess, but the similarities end with the name. The Kassandra in my game haven't been given any abilities by Apollo, so "Curse of Apollo" isn't a great choice :D Also, it does sound a bit... generic to me.

But hey, what if I put the "amazing adventures" part in much smaller letters, like so:

would that be better? Or should I try and get a colon or semi-colon in there somewhere...

Wordy post ahead. *Rant alert*

Hmm... I really like The Amazing Adventures of Kassandra a lot more than Curse of Apollo even though both of them sound generic... But man, that is one ugly logo. I suppose that is not final art, right? I can help you with designing a better looking one in the case that one is final, because it's a really cheap looking, WordArt piece of "please, don't use me in your game" art.

As for the name, I think just Kassandra could work. If you don't want to ditch the wordy name but want to stick with some of it for flavor why not use only "The Adventures of Kassandra" or something like "Kassandra's Journey".

Also, it might be just me, but I'm still not too sure that names are THAT important at all. Super Mario Bros. is not really awesome, the games rule... Same can be said of Pokémon or Pocket Monsters (japanese contractions are almost always weird stuff) and it sells trillions. If a game is good, it's good, name has probably little or naught to do with it :3 I can understand that a "catchy" (which is relative, is there an absolute definition of what makes a catchy name? Like rhythmic syllables or sounds or maybe being short?) might stick to people's minds and sell a bit more, but I guess marketing wizards can sell a game even if it's called "Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure" so I guess it's more a matter of swamping people with adverts than great tastes in naming. My two cents (hope I'm not harsh, once again, I just need to keep that clear since a lot of people misread my comments or just end up thinking I'm trolling).

There's a quote from Katsuhiro Otomo, of Akira fame, where he said something along the lines "I don't give characters and stories names a lot of thought, I just name them whatever I come up with. In the end, people will remember those names if the characters or stories are memorable, not because the names are cool or catchy." I'll try to find source for this quote, but might be hard, it was an interview in some anime magazine I read a long time ago...

Anyways, good tips for coming up with names and the humor sense in this forum always delivers. I'd love to play those Osama Bin Laden games :D

Keops

[ColossusEntertainment]

But man, that is one ugly logo. I suppose that is not final art, right? I can help you with designing a better looking one in the case that one is final, because it's a really cheap looking, WordArt piece of "please, don't use me in your game" art.

Thanks for the offer, but let's not bother :-) The whole thing was done in a weekend for rpgdx.net's 48 hour rpg contest just for the fun of it. And yeah, you got me on WordArt, but what can you do when time is short 

[Bennett]

"The Amazing Adventures of" is used in Chabon's "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay" to evoke a cheesy, Golden Age comic book feel.

Sure, I'm not trying to rule it out in every case like I am with the colon. In the case of 'Kavalier and Clay' it's quite evocative. I don't think he's using it in that way here, though.

It also makes it clear the topic will be adventuring, which a shorter name such as just "Kassandra" would not do.

Well, I have to disagree here. I think we can take it as a given that a videogame called 'Kassandra' is about adventuring. When someone draws attention to something we normally take for granted, it can make the product seem shoddy. Observe:

Osama Bin Laden Presents: Fun Game(tm), featuring INTERACTIVITY!
Features:
*Control an on-screen marionette using a multiple-button interface!!!
*Feel the experience as SOUNDS synchronized to on-screen action!!!
*The game follows a Story(tm), which runs from beginning to end!
*Next-gen technology lights up not only the red and blue phosphors in your monitor, but also the GREEN!
*Game runs in REAL-TIME. No need to get a cup of coffee while you wait for your turn!
*User manual written in LEGIBLE English text!
*You will be able to ASK YOUR FRIENDS for advice on how to COMPLETE THE GAME!!!
*The extreme experience is DIVIDED into multiple "Levels"!!!

[Zaphos]

Well, I have to disagree here. I think we can take it as a given that a videogame called 'Kassandra' is about adventuring. When someone draws attention to something we normally take for granted, it can make the product seem shoddy. Observe:

Osama Bin Laden Presents: Fun Game(tm), featuring INTERACTIVITY!
Features:
*Control an on-screen marionette using a multiple-button interface!!!
*Feel the experience as SOUNDS synchronized to on-screen action!!!
*The game follows a Story(tm), which runs from beginning to end!
*Next-gen technology lights up not only the red and blue phosphors in your monitor, but also the GREEN!
*Game runs in REAL-TIME. No need to get a cup of coffee while you wait for your turn!
*User manual written in LEGIBLE English text!
*You will be able to ASK YOUR FRIENDS for advice on how to COMPLETE THE GAME!!!
*The extreme experience is DIVIDED into multiple "Levels"!!!

:D Fair enough!

[Stij]

Hmm, using your rules, I have found the perfect title for a game...

Game.

Don't believe me? It fufills almost all of your rules!

1) Under no circumstances use a colon. Check!

2) Under no circumstances use a spelling that nobody will be able to reproduce (no mixing numbers and punctuation, unless it's simple e.g. Q*Bert) Check!

3) If you are going to misspell a word, do it for a reason - either to evoke a different word, or a theme. Check!

4) Remember your audience. Check!

5) Keep it short if you can. Ever word over three cuts the power of your game by half.    Check!

6) Unless the main character is a famous, instantly recognizable one (like Mario or Santa), don't use their name in the title. .  Check!

7) If your game has a unique hook or mechanic, let prospective players know in the title. If it doesn't, then try to evoke some kind of scene which will provoke an emotional response in the player.  Er, not really check.

8 ) Above all, naming is a gestalt, whole-brain activity. Same here.

9) Try to avoid being associated with bad things. Check!

10) If you have a great idea for a name, you can break these rules, of course.

:D

[Seth]

this is a tentative title for a tentative game:

Barely Familiar

An survival/horror/action/adventure game that takes place in the 30's at a small university.  Something something happens and then there is a dimensional rift where these beings from another dimension start wrecking havoc on the university.   As the rift gets stronger, the university slowly morphs, first slowly, and almost unnoticeably, and then taking on more and more properties from the alternate dimension, until the campus is almost unrecognizable.

[Bennett]

Game.

Sure, it's a fantastic name. It would really draw attention. Now just come up with a game concept which takes advantage of it!

[Zaphos]

Hmm, using your rules, I have found the perfect title for a game...

Game.

There's a book titled "Book: A Novel" -- admittedly, this is less optimized for Benzido's tastes, but at least with the subtitle it actually shows up if you Google it ...

I think Game would be a action/horror title in which a group of hunters become the hunted ... in it, nature's most fearsome predator aliens psychotic environmentalists use role reversal to forcefully demonstrate their negative views on sport hunting.

[Stij]

Also, there's a band called The Band.

You may be on to something, Benzido...

[Menace]

First of, I agree that a good name is not to be underestimated. Some great examples are Crazy Taxi, and Power Stone, and I think in general as few syllables as possible is also good, like in 'Contra' or 'Commando'. Anyway, I'd like your opinion on our game called:

'World of Football'



- Its a football game, and you can play as almost any country in the world.

There are many football games, and there's also the well-known Sensible World of Soccer. I prefer football to soccer because its called football in most parts of the world except for the US and Australia and a few others. We don't have any licenses, and there's already the 'official' FIFA series by EA.

The abbreviation is WOF, which I've built into the logo:

[Bennett]

'World of Football'

This game effectively evokes Sensible World of Soccer, and if that's what you want it to do, then good. It looks from the screenshot as though that's the direction you are wanting to go in, and thanks to Sensible Software's failure to execute on the sequel, there is certainly a niche.

Having said that, this title isn't going to attract anybody except SWOS fans, because there are approximately a trillion games beginning with 'World of'. If that's a problem, you'd better rename it. Something like

"It's A Small World After Ball"

Nah, that was a joke. How about this one, which strangely enough, is not taken:

"The World Game"

BTW, my favourite name for a football game was certainly "Goal!" You could combine it with the idea from "Gobliiiiiins!" and call your game:

"Goooooooooooal!"

[Menace]

It's more like a mix of KickOff and PES than Sensible actually (not apparent from the screenshot).

The World Game, doesn't have football in the title, which is a must for me. Goal is already taken as you mentioned, and Gooaaal is too close..

As for the market, its definately a niche game for a niche market, but that's part of the attraction - its a game I want to play myself more than anything else.. There's still lots of people playing Kick Off and Sensi so there's lot of potential 'customers' if we get it right.

So - unless you have more/better suggestions I'm gonna stick to 'WOF'.. - but thx! =)

[bigbossSNK]

Sensible world of Warball. I'd hit that.

[Seth]

I guess my game's name is so good it doesn't need a response! 

[Bennett]

Oops, my bad!

Barely Familiar

Ooh, I like the sound of this one (because I work at a university. I work at a university which is somewhat like the one Indiana Jones worked in.)

Listen, I like the title Barely Familiar... if there is some resonance to it other than the fact that the university becomes barely familiar. For example, if there's an antagonist who is somewhat like the protagonist, or if the protagonist's wife becomes possessed by evil forces. But if it's only a monodimensional title, it's a little flat.

I'll suggest a title which would only work if there was some comic relief in the game's dark theme:

"Parallel University"

[team_q]

I like this topic, but some thoughts

Standard bits is a'ight, I would've called it "Fiddly Bits" though, I think its kinda funny.

Your suggestions for the new Legend of Zelda are kinda off the mark, Link and the Phantom Hourglass, they kinda burnt out using Link's name in the title with the 2,3,4th games in the series all having his name in one form or the other. Also his name isn't even Link necessarily, you can name him whatever you want. Zelda DS smacks of lack of effort and naming conventions like that should've died with N64. If anything they should've named it "Phantom Hourglass" like just straight up.
Barely Familiar vs. Parallel University,
I would go with the original name, its more catchy and fun, for a real groaner call it "Deja U".

On to my name, I had just finished making a board game about being a deity and trying to get the most followers in opposition to your co-players we were going to call it "Spite" but we settled on "Smite". Your thoughts?

[Bennett]

Standard bits is a'ight, I would've called it "Fiddly Bits" though

Agreed. "Fiddly bits" works (probably not for an American audience, though)

"Phantom Hourglass" like just straight up.

Sure, although there is still a problem in that "Phantom hourglasses" just aren't that cool, and the hourglass motif is a little played out. For example, "The Sands of Time" would have been a good name, but it's taken. Perhaps they should have focused their game around a different emblem so it could have a cooler name.

"Smite".

"Smite" is an excellent name for your game. You obviously are putting some serious thought into naming. If I were to really nitpick, I'd worry that "Smite" is one of those words which starts to look a bit weird when you really look at it, and it might be more natural in a short sentence. Like, "Smite The Unbelievers!"

There's no need to change it though.

[teknogames]

I'd have to disagree with your suggestion to rename Zelda: the Phantom Hourglass, to Zelda DS (this was a while ago, yes), but there is nothing I hate more than game titles that recognize themselves as games. It makes them seem like casual games that you shouldn't bother spending any time on, as opposed to something that is supposed to be immersive.


On another note, I'm making a game and I have given it the title of "Robot". It features an abundant amount of weapons and equipments in which you can combine, and will feature four player combatibility. It is meant to be a party game, and I haven't decided on a single player mode yet. Robot implies a repetitive task, but the game is far from repetitive. I had chosen it because it was easy to remember.