Dear 4e, Please Stop with the Horrible Portmanteaus!

[Dannyalcatraz]

To paraphrase Richard the Sorcerer...

"For Sparklepony!"

(Now THAT is a battlecry!)

 

[ProfessorCirno]

Honestly, no name - for anything - should sound like a terrible Horde guild from WoW. We used to joke about Honorable Blood Bound Fist of the Bloody Black Blade, but I'm just wondering when that'll actually happen now.

 

[Peraion Graufalke]

It's a good thing there's no longer a German publisher for D&D 4e, though.

IMO that's a bad thing if you want to introduce new players to the hobby. Our Eberron group has 2 players who don't speak English at all, and 1 player with poor English skills. I've translated power cards and such for them as they're playing an artificer, a barbarian and a sorcerer; the German rulebooks only cover PH1, MM1 and DMG1.

Those names are usually atrocious if you translate them into German. It was my main reason for buying Diablo2 in English (well, that, and the English speakers).

I do agree on the lack of quality regarding translations into German in general, although I suspect that's also a problem of perception. If you've been using English names and terms a lot, switching to German feels kinda strange and less mysterious. YMMV.

Does anyone else remember those Diablo2 (random) boss and item names?

Darm-Pein FTW! (Intestinal Pain is an awfully silly name for a boss)

 

[bouncyhead]

Hey, if anyone's got a horrible compound name around here, it's yours truly . Maybe I shall become immortalized in MM5. Though on current form they are more likely to use 'Springskull'.

Right. Off to play Path-Finder...

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Holzkopf Baumfaust (Woodhead Treefist) was an example I remember. Though I don't think I saw it in the game itself, since I only remember playing it in English.

IMO that's a bad thing if you want to introduce new players to the hobby. Our Eberron group has 2 players who don't speak English at all, and 1 player with poor English skills. I've translated power cards and such for them as they're playing an artificer, a barbarian and a sorcerer; the German rulebooks only cover PH1, MM1 and DMG1.

As much as I disliked the translation quality, it certainly hurts when trying to find new players. All the people in my group have little trouble with English, but I am not convinced that can be a norm. And we could certainly use some new blood, with the lack of time plaguing even some of our long-term members...

 

[Cyronax]

See the Penny Arcade strip below:

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/3/20/

Its an oldy but a goody.

See you in Scary Town.

C.I.D.

 

[Mark Chance]

It reminds me of the names I used to see from children on City of Heroes like Darkblood Skulldeath or Stabbity McStabberson or whatever.

How about Stabmaster Arson? I still giggle at that one. In fact, I'm giggling a little right now.

 

[Desdichado]

*Shrug*

Some People hate compound names but I personally DESPISE names I need a pronouniciation guide for.

For example, how do you pronounce Geoff and Furyondy?

Uh... wut?! You need a pronunciation guide for Geoff and Furyondy? Geoff is a common first name (although I admit that the spelling Jeff is more common, I still know several Geoff's today) and Furyondy is pronounced pretty much exactly like it looks.

If you have problems with those names, I don't know what to tell you. I might have some old Hooked on Phonics material down in my basement I can send your way.

 

[Scribble]

(although I admit that the spelling Jeff is more common, I still know several Geoff's today)

Heh... Even though I know it's pronounced Jeff, everytime I see the name Geoff, in my head I think "Hehe Gee Off."

 

[Garthanos]

and Furyondy is pronounced pretty much exactly like it looks.

Would that be .... Fury -ondy OR Fur - yondy.

Y has two very different common pronunciations in this case where you put your emphasis? like whether you put your emphasis on understanding others or implying stupidity makes all the difference.