Poll

What's your favorite name here?  Feel free to comment with other names, or change your vote later.

This World Is Mine
3 (15.8%)
From a Dying Sun
6 (31.6%)
Stars Beyond Reach
7 (36.8%)
Stars Beyond Reach: This World Is Mine
3 (15.8%)

Total Members Voted: 0

Author Topic: Name our upcoming 4x (best - Stars Beyond Reach) POLL 10/27  (Read 77243 times)

Offline x4000

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Backstory: you're an alien race escaping the ruins of your civilization and crashing into an already-populated alien world with many different existing alien races already living on it.  There is political intrigue and strife between the other races, ala medieval Europe, and you're a small newcomer against large established races.  It's a 4X game taking place with high technology.

The colony is growing from the collapse of something else. (which I think's what happened?)

You're correct with your understanding of what's happened.  This is a colony ship that has escaped from a calamity, and so far as they know they MIGHT be the last of their kind, but they have no way to be sure.  They arrive at a planet that they call something different depending on which race it is, and they discover that they are "late to the party," so to speak.  The other races there are already built up and powerful, but the planet itself (which is sentient) helps to keep the peace somewhat.

My only gripe with This World Is Mine is that it's a (potentially) very humorous title (I kinda see an exclamation mark in there that's not there - like in "Orcs Must Die!"). Is this the tone you are going for? Or is this game supposed to be a darker affair?

This World Is Mine is a bit ambiguous.  For some of the races who arrive (Burlusts!), they absolutely will be very aggressive.  If you aren't, the morale of them will go down and you'll have problems.  So if you choose Burlusts, you had either better be renting them a lot of violent movies or else sending them to war, heh. ;)

If you're playing as someone like the Peltians, of course you can still be warlike, but they aren't very good at it.  Still, there is a matter of acceptance that you can have "this is our town" sort of a vibe, if you see what I mean.  Rather than being aggressively claimant, it's more a matter of a statement of belonging to a new place.  Frankly, depending on how someone says it, it can be a little wistful/sad, even ("I can't believe THIS world is mine...").  I see that as kind of the Evucks, heh.

And then, as Draco18s points out, it's also something The Entity very aggressively would say.  Well, welcoming at first, actually.  But aggressively later, depending on how you play.  One of the victory conditions is actually escaping from the clutches of the world, getting back to space.  Another is blowing up the planet to save the galaxy from the entity, even at the expense of your own life (and everyone else on the planet).  Others revolve around doing what the entity wants, or meeting your own goals despite the entity not approving.  So in some respects I see this as a very ominous sort of statement, kind of like "There was a hole here.  It's gone now." (10 points for anyone who gets that reference without looking it up).

In terms of it being kind of whimsical/humorous, that is true, and that is somewhat unfortunate.  It doesn't really match the tone of the game per se... but then again, there tends to be some darkly humorous aspects to all our games, and I expect this will be no exception.  I'm also hoping that title says "this is a fun game" rather than "this is a spreadsheet where your eyes glaze over," which is an important message for this kind of game, heh.  So I think it can fit, particularly if the scary entity voice says the title in the trailer in a scary way, and if the logo itself looks dangerous/scary rather than whimsical.  Just seeing the name by itself defaults to seeming a bit funny, but no exclamation point will be forthcoming. ;)


Overall I'm looking for something that:
1. Implies SimCity meets Civilization in some way.
2. Doesn't sound generic.
3. Is ideally positive-sounding.
4. Ideally makes you think Sci-fi automatically.
5. Is ideally 2-3 words, but could go longer if it's really awesome.
6. Ideally uses the word Colony or similar.  But NOT the word Empire or similar.  I'm not a fan of Colonial, either.  You have a more intimate relationship with your little fledgeling... city, really.

Our of frustration with this process, and an attempt to try to come up with a better name for the game based on the concept of "two words put together" as doctorfrog suggested, I created this:

Free tool for game developers: Random Game Title Generator (with source code)



If you're curious and/or want to make suggestions, here's the various things we've been tossing around from start to finish so far:

Strange Sky
Distant Sky
Ascendant Exile
Imperial Exile
Eternal Exile (already a game, though)
Distant Valor
Mount Valor
Distant Mount
Imperial Overlook
Distant Citizen
Strange Citizen
Dauntless Exile
Dauntless Remnant
Fearless Remnant
Distant Refuge
Last Refuge
Vicious Refuge
Exiled Emperor
Exiled Imperium
Exiled Aspirant
Exiled Visionary
Arising Remnant
Desperate Ascent
Exiled Ascendants
Exiled Ascent
Second Ascent (this is a really strong contender for us)
Echo Ascent
Ascending Echo
Ascending Struggle
War of Ascent
Ascending Conflict
Trial of Ascent
Crucible Ascent
Ascent by Fire
Searing Ascent
Soaring Ascent
Dire Ascent
Heroic Ascent
Calamitous Ascent
Distant Ascent
Far Ascent
Xeno Ascent
Ascending Solace
Recolonization (which I absolutely love, but it is probably too similar to Colonization to be legally okay)
Fortitude
Age of Ascent (unfortunately already taken)
Ascendant Outcasts
Outcasts Ascendant
Ashes To Ascent
Ruins of Ascent
Relic of Ascent
Vestige (unfortunately already taken)
Acclivity of Ruin
Prominence (unfortunately already taken)
Ascent From Ruin
Xeno Ruin
Xeno Relic
Techno Ruin
Ruins of Valor (I'm very tempted by this)
Antiquity of Ascension
World of Ruin (I'm very tempted by this)
Creation of Ruin
Province of Decimation
Age of Ashes (whoa, this might be it)
Empire Of Ash
Exiled Empire
Empire Of Ruin
Ashen Empire
The End Of All Empires
Ruined Empire
Age of Ruin
Empires In Exile
Diaspora Empire
Autumn Empire
Proto Empire
Chrono Empire
Empire Dawn
Space Age (taken, but just a minor flash game from the look of it?)
Lost Empire
Forgotten Empire
Advanced Empires
Among Empires
Imperial Ashes
Computer Empire
Pioneer Empire
Colony Empire
Aero Empire
Aerospace Empire
Gene Empire
Mechanical Empire
Modern Empire
Electronic Empire
Silicon Empire
Technic Empire
Engineering Empire
Stealth Empire
Nuclear Empire
Cosmic Empire
Endless Empire
Deep Empire
Artifact Empire
Entropy Empire
Cypher Empire
Mecha Empire
Machine Empire
Sentient Empire
Forward Empire
Extreme Empire
Cultural Empire
Frontier Empire
Wild Empire
Deserted Empire
Colonial Ascent
Hive Empire
Colonial Empire
Outpost Empire
Viceroy
Age of Colonists
Imperial Territory
Far Colony
Exiled Colony
Chrono Colony
Gene Colony
Technic Colony
Nuclear Colony
Cypher Colony
Colonial Intrigue
Missing Empire
Doomed Empire
Extant Empire
Cold Empire
Imperial Outage
The Imperial Wastes
Fallen Colony
Broken Empire (already take by a book series, sadly)
Desperate Empire
Eternal Empire
Eternal Emperor
Empire From Ashes (awesome, but unfortunately already a sci fi book series)
Ashen Empire
Empire of Ash And Flame
Starlight Imperium (sadly had to be stricken, as it's way too similar to Twilight Imperium, which is too similar of a game for that to be cool)
Shattered Empyre
Empyrean
Empyrial
Pax Diaspora
Twilight Empires (already taken, oh well)
Emperor of Ash.
Vanquished Empires
Eve of an Empire
Shadowfall Empire
Dominion of Ash
Prime Dominion
Empyrean Ascent
Pax Irith
Age Of Starlight
Irith Colony
Masters Of Irith
Imperial Exploration
Imperial Expansion
Colonial Expansion
The Tree Of Irith
Divergent Empires
Mosaic Of Empires
Colonial Mosaic
Entangled Empires
Elaborate Empires
Imperial Entanglement
The Lord Of The Land
Forgotten Lords
Empire Born
Imperial Anomaly
Antipire
Rival Empires
Empires Evolved
Warpire
Warpire Prime
Distant Civilizations (removed for being too similar to Civilization, Civilization: Beyond Earth, Distant Worlds, and Galactic Civilizations)
Ashes Of Civilization
Fallen Civilization
Empire Under A Strange Sun
Ashes Of An Empire (unfortunately taken by a band)
Exodus of Empires
Odyssey of Empires
Imperial Exodus
Specter of an Empire
Vision of Empires (very old book from 1923, presumably out of copyright and actually called "A Vision Of Empires")
Ghost In The Empire
Flight Of Empires
Imperial Departure
Colonial Migration
Abandoned Empires
Dispersed Empires
Disbanded Empires
Departed Empire
Advent Empire (taken, sadly)
Imperial Arrival
Imperial Landing
Empire's Arrival
Abaddon Rising
Risen Empire (taken, sadly)
Empires Rising (also taken, sadly)
Entropic Sun
Black Sun
Imperial Thunderhead
The Colonization Of Emerald Sector
Emerald Sector Settlers
Amber Sector
Gold Sector
Onyx Sector
Independence Sector
Omicron Ceti
Eta Draconis
Ashes of Omicron Ceti
Empires Of Omicron Ceti
Lost Sun
The _________ Plan
Seeds of Eternity
Seeds of Omicron Ceti
Seeds of Worlds
Ashen Worlds
Imperial Worlds
Abandoned Worlds
Master Of Worlds
Colonial Worlds
Omicron Ceti Independence
Omicron Sector
Chrysalis Colony
Empire from Orbit
Orbit to Empire
Ascendant Colony
Chrono Colony
Colony 88
Fallen Colony
Colony EX
CryoColony
Mechopolis (not really taken)
Machinopolis (taken pretty well)
Astropolis (taken major time)
Terranopolis (small flash game, mostly not taken)
Colonopolis (somewhat taken, and sounds oodd anyway)
Xenopolis (taken a little bit, but not much)
Xeno Colony (not taken at all)
Technopolis (majorly taken)
Technicopolis (somewhat taken, but also kind of odd)
Ashenopolis (not taken at all, but kind of odd)
Aeropolis (taken pretty well)
Extopolis (not really taken)
Colony Sector (taken pretty well)
Chronopolis (taken)
Cryopolis (kind of taken)
Geopolis
Metronautics
Starchitect (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starchitect)
Chief Engineer
Aftercity
Protocity
Forechitect
Galactic Architect
Astroneer (taken)
City Marrow
Master Colony
Colony Master
Far Frontier
Mechanical Frontier
Alien Frontier (taken)
Dire Frontier
AShen Frontier
Sentient Frontier
Sentient Wastes
Sentient Planet
Sentient Domain
Planetary Construction
Born of Fusion
Planetary Executor
Planetary Alliance
Planetary Legacy
Fallen Colony
One Billion Ways To Die
Questionable Advice

Guardian Planet
Operation: Terraform
Terrafomer
Our Planet Is Dead
Our Planet Has Died
Star Settlers -- great suggestion!
Lost Contact -- already a game, unfortunately
Mechanical Foundation
Orbital Contact
Orbital Wreckage
City Contact
Protocontact

Echo Proto
Fallen Contact
Starlight Fall
Seeds Fallen
Frontier Sector
Ashen Cities
Cities of Ash
City Shadow
Age Imperial
City Age (taken)
Digital Legend
First Stars
Planet Loyalty
Proto Era
Galactica Centauri
Dawn of Science
Shadow Station
Total Lord
First Fallen
Galactic Arrival
Exiled Emperor
Proto Cities
Settler Empire
City Command
Frontier Cities
City Legend
City Prime
Fallen Cities
Dawn Contact
Distant Settlers
Battle Cities (hah)
Eminent Empire
Alpha Nano
Cities Lost
Space Epitaph
Fragile Loyalty
Solar Revolution
Peak Galactic
Aero Fusion
Vision Command
Landing Centauri
Master Imperium
Energy Dawn
Intergalactic Arrival
Total Starlight
Planetary Alpha
Awe Lords
Planetary Awe
Dream Ash
Dawn Cities
Centauri Revolution
Arrival Leader
Colonizing Centauri
Planetary Wrath
Alien Alone
Alien Prime
Total Imperialism
Civilizations High
Battle Ash
Lord of Centauri
Cities Distant
City Worlds
Shadow Cities
Science Lord
Sentient Fallen
Strategic Orbit
Legend Imminent
City Sector
Alpha Proto
Alien Imperialism
Corrupted Future
Sentient Ultra
Prime Colony
Arrival Eve
Seventh Science
Legend Worlds
Endless Starlight
Prime Exiled
Galactic Lord
High Colonizing
Stars Civilization
Starlight Cities
Strange Space
Centauri First
Endless City
Solar Void
Proto Rebellion
Ashen Domain
Corrupted Starlight
Starlight Landing

Fragile Sun
Strategic Wreckage
World Science
Station Dawn
Energy Civilizations
Landing Imminent
Starlight Frontier
Space First
Fragile Twilight
Civilizations Worth Saving
Stars Dream
Loyalty Void
Impossible Orbit
Nations Corrupted
Ashes Of An Empire
Breaking Sky
Shadow Landing
The Last Empire
Ultimate Empire
Final Empire
Overarching Empire
Hidden Empire
Secret Empire
Empire of Ash and Steel
Fate of the Empire
Empire's Fate
Eater of Empires
Bane of Empires

Final Colonization
Stars Beyond Reach
Star's End
Star Ember

Alien Imperialism
Space Imperialism
7 Planets of Gold
From a Dying Sun
This World Is Mine
« Last Edit: October 28, 2014, 09:34:56 am by x4000 »
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Offline Histidine

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Re: Naming our upcoming terrestrial 4x.
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2014, 09:39:09 am »
You know, I think a lot of the "Ascent" names there are awfully pretentious sounding (not Second Ascent though, I think that one's great.) I'd strongly recommend simple, understated names like Shattered Haven or A Valley Without Wind . Random examples from other people's games that come to mind: Saints Row; Papers, Please; Transistor; maybe things like Bastion or Gunpoint count as well - hell, even "Call of Duty" is fairly understated. In that posted list, the "Distant" names are pretty good.

Anyway, my own ideas:
- The Phoenix Protocol
- Second Dawn
- Resolution (refers to the conflicts and other problems plaguing the planet)
- Return to (insert name of star around which the setting's planet orbits here)
- Annoyingly, Paradise Lost and Broken Sky are both already taken

Offline x4000

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Re: Naming our upcoming terrestrial 4x.
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2014, 09:53:01 am »
Bear in mind that a lot of the ones that are pretentious-sounding are just the result of brainstorming.  :)

Something with Dawn is good.  Return to Irith wouldn't be a bad name, either, although it doesn't really have the sort of timeless feel as some of the ones that are less specific.

Right now, Age of Ashes is still what I'm leaning to.  Or even just Age of Ash.
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Offline Shrugging Khan

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Re: Naming our upcoming terrestrial 4x.
« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2014, 10:05:52 am »
What's the win condition(s), if I may ask?
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Offline x4000

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Re: Naming our upcoming terrestrial 4x.
« Reply #4 on: May 27, 2014, 10:10:05 am »
What's the win condition(s), if I may ask?

I haven't decided on all of them yet, but in general for naming purposes let's assume that's not important.  Which is a funny thing to say, in a lot of respects, but the main reason I say that is because I see this as having many varied win conditions and I don't yet know which ones will actually be fun to play (prototypes have to be done first).  But in any case, "just murder everyone and take the planet" would not be a common way to win.

"Not dying" and "forging a sustainable colony from next to nothing" are definitely part of any win condition, but beyond that there would be multiple paths to different kinds of victories.
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Offline nas1m

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Re: Naming our upcoming terrestrial 4x.
« Reply #5 on: May 27, 2014, 10:22:43 am »
How about "Phoenix Rising"?
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Offline x4000

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Re: Naming our upcoming terrestrial 4x.
« Reply #6 on: May 27, 2014, 10:31:31 am »
It's a bit commonplace.
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Offline Draco18s

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Re: Naming our upcoming terrestrial 4x.
« Reply #7 on: May 27, 2014, 10:45:01 am »
Last Exile.  Whoops.
(The sequel--Last Exile: Fam, the Silver Wing--had basically that plot: inhabitants of a dying world "crash"land on another world and everyone already living there hates them for it, cue giant war).

Offline topper

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Re: Naming our upcoming terrestrial 4x.
« Reply #8 on: May 27, 2014, 10:46:12 am »
What is Irith? The name of the planet?

If so, Irith Ascension

Offline Mick

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Re: Naming our upcoming terrestrial 4x.
« Reply #9 on: May 27, 2014, 11:23:02 am »
A game named Irith Ascension on Steam is probably not getting a click-thru from me if I have no idea what it is.

Offline x4000

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Re: Naming our upcoming terrestrial 4x (current best: Age of Ashes)
« Reply #10 on: May 27, 2014, 11:23:52 am »
As noted, currently our best is Age of Ashes.
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Offline Castruccio

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Re: Naming our upcoming terrestrial 4x (current best: Age of Ashes)
« Reply #11 on: May 27, 2014, 03:23:29 pm »
"Age of Ashes" sounds like a heavy metal band name.  A.I. War was a good name because it described the game.

Offline Shrugging Khan

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Re: Naming our upcoming terrestrial 4x (current best: Age of Ashes)
« Reply #12 on: May 27, 2014, 03:57:47 pm »
"For the Ashes of our fathers and the Children of our Sons"
The beatings shall continue
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Offline topper

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Re: Naming our upcoming terrestrial 4x (current best: Age of Ashes)
« Reply #13 on: May 27, 2014, 04:02:42 pm »
"Age of Ashes" sounds like a heavy metal band name.  A.I. War was a good name because it described the game.

Thinking about 4x games, if you want to describe it in a word, it involves empire, imperial, imperium, or likewise. Twilight Imperium is an epic hex based 4x board game, but you may or may not want such a direct association. How about "Age of Empires"?  ::)

On a more serious note, what about something like "Ashen Empire"

Offline Teal_Blue

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Re: Naming our upcoming terrestrial 4x (current best: Age of Ashes)
« Reply #14 on: May 27, 2014, 04:11:56 pm »
I would like to throw my two cents in for 'Strange Sky'

I really like that one and it just sort of gives me this starting over in a new place vibe.   :)

-T


 

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