New game - Looking for a name

Discussion in 'Upcoming iOS Games' started by 6ap, Apr 2, 2013.

  1. 6ap

    6ap Member

    Apr 2, 2013
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    Indie
    Toronto
    Hey guys,

    I have a game in development and I want to give it a name. I've been working on it for a couple of months and unfortunately I am unable to come up with any name for it. I'm sick of referring to it as "my game" or "the game."

    I found out about this website last week at the Game Developer Conference (sorry, I know I should have known about it sooner). I was down in San Francisco and I saw Eli Hodapp' session on how to put your game on the map. The talk had great info, and it painted an accurate picture (if a little grim) on how to improve the chances of success for your game. Apparently, according to the stats it's more likely that I'll be struck by lighting than it is for my game to be successful in the mobile market. :(

    But that's OK with me. I was more or less aware of the facts before I took on this project. The game is more a product of my passion than it is a product of careful planning on how to be a millionaire. :p

    So on that note, I thought I'd reach out here and ask for help. Maybe someone out there has a spark of creativity and can help me find a satisfying name for this game. The fundamental idea behind it, is to allow players to interact with the terrain on a map in the same way players interact with jewels in Bejeweled. All sorts of activities take place on the map... although most of them revolve around the Main Character running away from danger. The player does not control the main character directly, but it controls the terrain. Think of the main character being Aladdin and the player being the Genie. Something along those lines... although maybe the theme will be different... Can't decide yet. :confused:

    Let me know if you guys have any ideas.

    Andrei
     
  2. A screenshot would significantly help us choose a name for your game. It sounds interesting.
     
  3. 6ap

    6ap Member

    Apr 2, 2013
    16
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    Indie
    Toronto
    Thanks for the quick reply dariusjr98. Yeah I thought about posting a screenshot, but the prototype I have is using placeholder graphics (taken from google). So I don't feel it's representative of the game, and it may turn people off - especially people that are not familiar with the development process. Generally people want to see cool stuff, and when they see work in progress, if it's not cool enough they lose interest. However, I'll try to see what I can do and get you some art soon.

    I also have trouble with the theme. Part of me wants to place the game in an Arabian Nights setting (sort of like Prince of Persia/Aladdin/Sinbad). I envisioned the levels to take the player across many settings from desert cities to ice castles, jungles, ocean, and aboveground. The hero would be a person, and use multiple transportation methods such as ships, magic carpets, elephants etc.

    On the other hand, the artist who is helping me with the game feels pretty strongly that the theme should be more on the "cute" side of things like other popular mobile games. In this theme, the hero would be a cute pigeon, with other cute frogs, cats etc as supporting cast. I can't help but feel that he is right in the sense that we are more likely to be noticed if we stick to a more cute casual setting.

    The setting will most likely influence the title as well. Any input on this?

    Andrei
     
  4. Com2us|TaoFTW

    Com2us|TaoFTW Active Member

    Mar 5, 2013
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    Game Community Manager
    Menlo Park
    I think you're onto a good title when you said, 'Prince.' Start there and see where your imagination takes you.
     
  5. KennyK

    KennyK Well-Known Member

    Judging by what you have said:

    _____ Hero

    _____ Traveller

    Jumper?

    I don't know lol :p
     
  6. I'd Luke to help you 6ap, really I would, but I honestly can't think of any good names right now.
     
  7. m44

    m44 Well-Known Member

    Feb 16, 2013
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    #7 m44, Apr 3, 2013
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2013
    "Shifting Sands" or "Shifting Sand" maybe? "Blank and the Shiftings Sands" (where blank would be the main characters name) might work.

    *edit* the word "shifting" looks ugly. (It sounded good in my head ;) ) "Dune Shaper" or "Sand Shaper" or even "Sandscaper" could work.
     
  8. Exact-Psience

    Exact-Psience Well-Known Member

    Jan 12, 2012
    22,664
    2
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    The Work-At-Home Guy
    Philippines
    Somehow the description kinda reminds me of Le Vamp's gameplay.
     
  9. ThisIsAUsername

    ThisIsAUsername Well-Known Member

    Dec 26, 2012
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    I like your un-cute idea, maybe 8-bit or retro?

    Retro Prince?

    8-Bit Prince?
     
  10. 6ap

    6ap Member

    Apr 2, 2013
    16
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    Indie
    Toronto
    #10 6ap, Apr 3, 2013
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2013
    @KennyK. "___ Hero". It could work with both themes. However, it's a bit generic I think.

    @m44 I like how "Shifting Sands" sounds. I get what you are saying about the look of the word. I haven't considered that before, but you are right that it's not a very good looking word. "Dune Shaper" doesn't really have the same ring to it. However, the game will take place over more than 1 location (not just dunes).

    @Exact-Psience I looked "Le Vamp" up. Looks like a cool game. And I can see why you'd associate the two games. Thanks for pointing that out. The game I'm working on, is top down. Picture the hero walking on a Bejeweled board, while you are playing bejeweled. However, instead of gems, you are shifting tectonic plates.

    @ThisIsAUsername: I like the "uncute" idea as well. I'll talk to the artist to see what we can come up with. Just like all WIP, it may evolve to have components from both, and become something else in the process. The gameplay is solid though. I can see that expanding, but not changing radically. However, the theme is a different question.

    I'm going to share with you guys some art in the coming days... to collect some feedback.
     
  11. ThisIsAUsername

    ThisIsAUsername Well-Known Member

    Dec 26, 2012
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    I can totally see some nice looking pixelated character running around on snowy mountains and sand dunes and stuff. It might be a way to make the game look good, but not have a pigeon as a protagonist.
     
  12. 6ap

    6ap Member

    Apr 2, 2013
    16
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    Indie
    Toronto
    I think based on everyone's feedback, we are going to drop the pigeon idea.
     
  13. 6ap

    6ap Member

    Apr 2, 2013
    16
    0
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    Indie
    Toronto
    So we dropped the pigeon idea. We played around with the prince theme, but for some reason we are not getting it quite right (the art doesn't seem to fit well yet). While working on that, Gavin (my artist friend) played around with a "firefly" idea:

    [​IMG]

    This is not final. We still have a lot of work to do. But personally I kind of like it and I was wondering what you guys are thinking about it. We switched the perspective to landscape. The main character is the little orange bug with big eyes. The enemies are the frogs on the left which eat the tiles (they still need some work). The Hourglass, and lighting bolt are just powerups. What do you guys think of this theme? Any ideas for a name?
     

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