Dear WotC - You suck at names.

[olshanski]

Alternate names, just for fun:


Feywild
Wiskonson
Kerelina

Shadowfell
Neujersie
DeTroy't

 

[Korgoth]

Shadowfell
Neujersie

You've been there, then?

 

[Blackwind]

As long as we're talking about stupid names (and this one is definitely old news) but I couldn't help but laugh at this ridiculous moniker:

Icingdeath.

It sounds like something that happens when you OD on confectioner's glaze. How did that ever get by an editor?

Also, Gygax's naming disability is the one reason why I've never been able to take Greyhawk seriously.

Feywild is acceptable (B-/C+) and Shadowfell I like (A). Except that now I'm skeptical about Keep on the Shadowfell--it sounds less like KotB and more like... ?

And I'm definitely going to be creating my own wizard traditions if I do run 4E.

 

[crazy_cat]

Typical naming styles for teenagers would be changing 'i' to 'y', or 'c' to 'k'. Like Bill & Ted's band, Wyld Stallyns. 1337speak is a similar idea.

Apostrophes, unpronounceable names (like Drizzt) and compound names where one of the words is 'death', 'blade', 'dark' or 'fire' look rather teenager-y to me. Or maybe they're just crap.

Don't talk rubbish.

Regards, k'rzaiK'aat, Darkfire Deathflame and Blademage T'nyger of the eighth circle.

 

[Mouseferatu]

As long as we're talking about stupid names (and this one is definitely old news) but I couldn't help but laugh at this ridiculous moniker:

Icingdeath.

It sounds like something that happens when you OD on confectioner's glaze. How did that ever get by an editor?

A friend of mine, upon first learning that Driz'zt's weapons were "Twinkle" and "Icingdeath" replied with:

"I'm going to bake a cake. An EVIL cake!"

I think that about sums it up.

 

[Desdichado]

I guess my post hit a nerve with you :shrug: sorry if it bothers you. :\

MAI ANGER 2 U KNWO NO LIMIT!!!!11

 

[Desdichado]

It's not like they name stuff Bob and Steve. MOTG follows a story and thus the places need to be a bit more descriptive. If D and D places weren't generic enough, they wouldn't be useable in a campaign.

I've been part of an interesting discussion this afternoon, mostly taking place in a blog's comments area, and I think I'm in agreement with the statement that the MORE detail smaller, "encounter level" material has, the easier it is to use, not the reverse. Bigger, "campaign level" stuff; yeah, I almost prefer less detail so I can customize to fit into my campaign. But at the encounter level, I want something I can just use with a minimum of fuss.

That said, I hardly think anyone's going to look at a D&D place and say, "nope; I can't use that, the name is wrong." That's gotta be literally the easiest thing possible to change.

 

[Blackwind]

PS: I hear Wizards is doing a sourcebook in 2009 called

FEY GONE WILD!!!1!1

They might even do a new volume every year, if it's successful.

Should have some great art ;-)

 

[Ruin Explorer]

WotC,

You're great guys. I love all the changes I've heard about 4e so far, from encounter design, cosmology, points of light, PC mechanics -- the whole works.

However.

You are TERRIBLE at coming up with names. "Emerald Frost"? "Feywild"? "Shadowfell"? WTF?

Those are horrid, lame, pathetic names. Please find someone who can make non-terrible names. Or, if that's not possible, put up submission contests to come up with better ones.

I've not read the whole thread, but I have a better name for the Feywild, hopefully no-one has mentioned it:

The Emerald Dream

Oh, what do you mean someone already has the exact same concept and name? Shocking!

Emerald Frost is GODAWFUL. Golden Wyvern is TERRIBLE (Golden Phoenix or Gryphon might have been okay).

Shadowfell ISN'T SCARY ENOUGH. It's the bloody underworld! Why not just call it the Underworld if you can't come up with a scarier name, guys? Even like "Deathlands" would be better. It just sounds like a place that's kinda a bit dark.

Feywild... just... it's like the Emerald Dream only lamer and more trademarkable.

I suspect that's what's behind these slightly lame names. You can trademark the HELL out of them!

At least The Astral Sea (which confusingly makes me think of the Aral Sea but anyway) and The Elemental Tempest are cool.

How about Faerie, which is well-known and accessible to newbs? Regardless, it's a fairly minor thing. I don't particularly like these new names, but I cane easily call 'em what I like.

'Cause it sounds a little fruity, Col. that's why not. Well, more than a little fruity, to be honest. Especially to newbs. The Otherworld is probably better known, too, I'd suggest.

 

[blargney the second]

A friend of mine, upon first learning that Driz'zt's weapons were "Twinkle" and "Icingdeath" replied with:

"I'm going to bake a cake. An EVIL cake!"

*chuckle*

Wasn't Icingdeath the dragon they killed, and Frostbrand the name of his scimitar? It's been a long time since I read those though, so I could be totally wrong...
-blarg