(strage poll): similar product names

[Mouseferatu]

Okay, got an odd one for you. As a consumer, you're faced with a huge and still growing selection of D20 materials. Quite often, we'll see two or three books with similar themes or content. What I want to know is, do you have a problem with books coming out that share similar names?

For instance, we've got "Sands of Blood" from Mongoose (I believe). Would it bother you another D20 book called, say, "Blood and Sand" came out? Or is it a problem that "Shadow Force: Archer" and "Shadow Chasers" (and I'm sure several other future books) are similar?

I know this sounds like a minor deal, but to an industry writer who's not great at naming his products, it's an important question.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

I keep it straight, but most of the people I know don't follow d20 products as closely as I do.

I think Green Ronin's "Freeport: The City of Adventure" is going to have a lot of people complaining when WW releases its EQ-based "City of Freeport". It doesn't matter that GR came out with their book a long time ago, people will pick it up and complain that they were "swindled".

Product identity is very important.

 

[Breakstone]

It's a tad bit annoying, but only in that "if I was having a really bad day and wanted to yell about something this is what I'd yell about" way.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Bump. C'mon folks, I know it sounds like a minor issue, but I really do need some feedback here...

 

[Holy Bovine]

Never thought about it before and now that I have is still doesn't bother me. I have enough edukashun to tell one o' dem book thingys from another.

 

[nopantsyet]

it bothers me...seems like theres some kind of unspoken right of first-come-first-serve. it's like there's Killian's beer and Budweiser comes out with Killarney's. it's not exactly the same, but close enough to make me wonder why they couldn't come up with a unique name. or are they trying to take advantage of potential confusion.

anyway, that's my curmudeonly opinion.

 

[Mouseferatu]

it bothers me...seems like theres some kind of unspoken right of first-come-first-serve. it's like there's Killian's beer and Budweiser comes out with Killarney's. it's not exactly the same, but close enough to make me wonder why they couldn't come up with a unique name. or are they trying to take advantage of potential confusion.

anyway, that's my curmudeonly opinion.

Well, there are times--I know, because I'm involved in such a situation as we speak--where you have a project name already planned, and it fits perfectly... and only then, in the midst of writing it, do you learn of another project with a similar name that's going to hit market before yours is.

I'm not trying to change your vote here; this bothers you, and that's fine, that's what I wanted to know. But I just wanted to point out that it's not always an inability to come up with an original name, or an attempt to take advantage. Sometimes it's just a case of parallel evolution, so to speak.

 

[Matafuego]

"Book of Evil darkness"
"Comb of Horrors"
Well, I could go on for hours and I guess it's only funny to me
I don't care too much, it woulb bother me at first but I don't think it's such a big deal. Of course you can always add a distinct mark to the title. Such as "Star Wars: A New Hope", some kind of "title"

 

[Mouseferatu]

Just a bump for the weekday crowd...