Unit Nomenclature

Discussion in 'Planetary Annihilation General Discussion' started by nanolathe, May 1, 2013.

?

Units are named thusly...

  1. [size=2]Commanders are Prone to Eccentricity; They named their own units[/size]

    19 vote(s)
    22.9%
  2. [size=2]Commanders are Sentimental of Old Times; They kept the names given by their creators[/size]

    45 vote(s)
    54.2%
  3. [size=2]Commanders are Cold and Unfeeling; Everything is named in Binary or Code[/size]

    13 vote(s)
    15.7%
  4. [size=2]Commanders are Unimaginative when it comes to Names; I'll name my own units[/size]

    6 vote(s)
    7.2%
  1. nanolathe

    nanolathe Post Master General

    Messages:
    3,839
    Likes Received:
    1,887
    Unit Nomenclature...

    So I had a thought about PA and some of the units we're likely going to be seeing, drawing a quick'n'dirty list from Total Annihilation and the unit roles we saw there.

    We all know the Samson, Peewee, AK, Vamp, Brawler, Big Bertha, Buzzsaw, Immolator, Gaat Gun, Sumo, Bulldog, Annihilator, Jethro... the list just trails on and on...

    But the factions of TA were Human (ARM) and TransHuman (CORE)... and the Factions of SupCom were all human too (except 'phim... and they were humanoid aliens)... They named everything. Sure the Peewee was a T1 ARM K-Bot, the Fatboy a T4 Mobile Factory, the Ilshavoh a Seraphim T2 Assault Bot and the Silencer was CORE's Nuke launcher...

    But we knew them by their names just as much as by their function (or at least I did)

    So what is the nomenclature of Planetary Annihilation's units likely to be like?
    Do Commanders have a sentimental enough personality algorithm to attach "nick-names" to their K-Bots and Tanks?

    Do Robots dream of electric sheep?

    ---

    Edit: the Poll is for my own personal amusement. Uber, please don't take anything presented here as anything more than a fun way to pass the time
    Last edited: May 2, 2013
  2. KNight

    KNight Post Master General

    Messages:
    7,681
    Likes Received:
    3,268
    As long as it's not like the Aeon names from SupCom2........
  3. igncom1

    igncom1 Post Master General

    Messages:
    7,961
    Likes Received:
    3,132
    Agreed.

    (At first I didn't try to pronounce them because I thought they looked prosperously un- sayable but then I looked online to my horror.)
  4. vilheim

    vilheim New Member

    Messages:
    15
    Likes Received:
    1
    GAAAAHHHH WHY DID YOU REMIND ME, WHY????

    I avoided Aeon simply because of the horrid names in that game. Like "Soopriser". GAH

    I liked my TA names better. Slashers and Flashers (AKA Slashkers and Flashkers by CORE players) and Peewees and Defenders and.. yeah.

    If I were a sentient robot, I would definitely name my little bot minions.
  5. nlspeed911

    nlspeed911 Member

    Messages:
    482
    Likes Received:
    18
    Yeah, names are awesome. :)
  6. nanolathe

    nanolathe Post Master General

    Messages:
    3,839
    Likes Received:
    1,887
    What would you name them? What code or theme would guide you if you were a Sentient Robot?

    What would a Robot value? From what would the names be derived?

    ---

    Also I'm surprised by the Aeon hate... I found the 'Phim names much more of a problem.
  7. vilheim

    vilheim New Member

    Messages:
    15
    Likes Received:
    1
    Man, that's hard to say, because we can only speculate what the personality of a sentient robot is like.

    My best guess is that a sentient robot would be sarcastic and cynical. I would suspect the peewee equivalent in TA would be named Fodder or something like that :p

    EDIT: Oh, and the Aeon names in supcom 1 weren't bad, I was specifically talkin about the supcom 2 names.
  8. nlspeed911

    nlspeed911 Member

    Messages:
    482
    Likes Received:
    18
    Stop using logic and reason. :p
  9. KNight

    KNight Post Master General

    Messages:
    7,681
    Likes Received:
    3,268
    We're talking about SupCom2, Aeon naming in SupCom/FA was fine, great even. The Seraphim names in SupCom/FA while not ideal, due to the context and the way unit roles/tiers were structured, it wasn't crippling because it was easy(and many did so even for other factions) to thier Tier and unit type; T3 Siege Tank, T3 AAB ect ect.

    Mike
  10. nanolathe

    nanolathe Post Master General

    Messages:
    3,839
    Likes Received:
    1,887
    The 'Airnomo' actually makes me smile as a unit name though. Nothing "wrong" with cheesy names... if you don't want to be taken seriously :p
  11. vilheim

    vilheim New Member

    Messages:
    15
    Likes Received:
    1
    I didn't take Aeon players seriously... I killed them. :twisted:
  12. nanolathe

    nanolathe Post Master General

    Messages:
    3,839
    Likes Received:
    1,887
    Periodic Table of Elements?

    Units with names like "Phosphorous Air Scout", "Lead-Foot Assault Bot" or "Helium Aircraft Carrier"?

    Stellar-Phenomena?

    The "Supernova Anti-Matter Missile Silo", "Black Hole Radar Jammer" or "Ellerman Bombers"?
    (I like that last one... it's a silly play on words)

    Y'know, just spitballing here. Any other thoughts?

    ---

    Edit: I think I might be a bit too nerdy for my own good. :?
  13. Zoughtbaj

    Zoughtbaj Member

    Messages:
    297
    Likes Received:
    0
    http://supcom.wikia.com/wiki/Seraphim_Language
    I found the naming to be very interesting. I used to think it was pure gibberish, but then I really took a look at it and realized that it had structure.

    Off-Topic: The name for the tech two bot was the coolest name of them all. Anyway.

    Naming will be Very interesting. Heck, I wonder if we could name our own units how we like them, although that wouldn't be as universally personal.

    Oooh! Maybe factions could be defined in this sense! We could have multiple naming sets, based on the different factions that are created. For example, a religious faction could name it's t1 bot 'messenger,' while the war-driven faction that happened to be programmed based on orc culture would name it's bot 'fodder.' or something. Thus, the factions are defined, but only on a superficial side of things.

    This could be worked into clans: each clan choses a 'faction' to follow, and all clan members inherit that nomenclature.



    But...that's farfetched. Eh. Sometimes I rant on about my ideas a bit too much :oops:

    As a standard nomenclature, I'd imagine that something scientific and logical would be used.
  14. nlspeed911

    nlspeed911 Member

    Messages:
    482
    Likes Received:
    18
    zoughtbaj! That's an amazing idea!

    Perhaps Uber could add this as some kind of donation perk? Although, if so, I also want the ability to customise my unit names in game, for others to see. Oh yes, that would be absolutely awesome!
  15. vilheim

    vilheim New Member

    Messages:
    15
    Likes Received:
    1
    Helium-3 Fusion Generator.

    Carbon Tube Missile Launcher

    Thevenin Radar Jammer

    Norton Antivirus Virus Bot

    Dioxygen Diflouride Chemical Bot
  16. exavier724

    exavier724 Member

    Messages:
    50
    Likes Received:
    0
    0011000000110001 Missile Silo... Sorry couldn't resist :p

    Would be kinda curious to know how they decide to name things.
  17. comham

    comham Active Member

    Messages:
    651
    Likes Received:
    123
    I'd be happy with the way TA units were named, ie how the Royal navy names things. Words of power and strength and gravity.
  18. xcupx

    xcupx Member

    Messages:
    113
    Likes Received:
    0
    I would imagine the naming would be a result of whatever the creators of this robotic army used. So however that fluff developes will define the naming structure.

    I hated the aeon naming in supcomm 2 as well I hope they stick with names like in TA or supcommFA. It has to be relevant to the players too, not just the fluff. If it isn't something we can relate with I don't think people will like it as much.
  19. Xagar

    Xagar Active Member

    Messages:
    321
    Likes Received:
    117
    Yeah, whoever built them in times long past would have named them.

    Hopefully like TA.
  20. KNight

    KNight Post Master General

    Messages:
    7,681
    Likes Received:
    3,268
    If some form of Missile Launcher(Nuck, Tac or whatever) isn't called 'Billy' I will be extremely upset and make it the first mod I make your or Hawk code.

    Mike

Share This Page