What's Your Favorite Name for a TTRPG and Why?

[payn]

Vagabonds and Varlets...

Interestingly enough, I was just talking with a friend about a local music supper club called Crooners. The place was opened by a former cruise ship pianist to feature live music. The name is obvious in its tie to music. Crooners is not a rock club, but it isnt a rat pack rendition joint either. It prominently features women and folks from the LGBTQ+ community. So, the name is a little off the mark, not exactly pleasant sounding to say, but fits enough the theme I suppose.

Thats what I'm picking up with this name above. Fits the long running derivative theme of D&D cloning, has a typical meaning in definition, but not entirely appealing either.

But this got me thinking: What's in a name? Some Hasbro executives seem to think the words "dungeons", "dragons", and an ampersand logo are the be-all-end-all of what makes a marketable RPG, but I think their market research is lacking on that.

D&D is a brand recognized name and messing with the formula is a sure way to disaster. Its the indie up and comers that need to put more thought into this.

What is a game whose name you have liked, and what did that name evoke for you?

Traveller. I think its evocative of the type of play it supports. Right off the bat the double "L" in the title lets you know this is a non-standard American game. You may be saying right now, "shut up yankee the world doesnt revolve around the U.S." but im saying, "no please go on!"

I'm not actually trying to crowdsource naming my project here, I'm just curious about how people relate to the names of the games they play, which are appealing, which are unappealing, and why. What impressions did the names initially give you of the games?

I like bespoke games more and more. However, I do think they need to properly suit their core tenets of IP. For example, if Blade Runner had rules for massive attack ships, battle armor, and plasma rifles Id likely check out. Those things might exist in the BR universe, but they are not appropriate to the theme. Bespokes' should not try and generalize, IMO, they should cleave close to the source material.

That said, if you have a general system like D&D, Savage Worlds, GURPS, etc... Then, I think having a name that really evokes what the system is about is very important. Dungeons and Dragons tells me the system is about fantasy emulation. Traveller tells me its about exploration. I start to struggle with names like Savage Worlds and GURPS. When a system is set up to do anything, it doesnt feel like it does anything particularly good. Like a restaurant that has a ten page menu, there is no way they are making each dish to a high standard. That is, of course, all to taste. There is an advantage to having a general rule system that can slot in any skin. You can be up and running and keep rules arguments to a min. The down side is coming up with a good name for a swiss army knife for TTRPG. Nothing is entirely evocative of the play expectations, but the rules system itself, which I believe is always best kept under the hood. YMMV.

 

[Tonguez]

how about just Vagabonds? That name and some inspiring art would pique my interest. Echoes of Traveller too

Blades in the Dark is an evocative name
FATE Accelerated works too, although FATE itself tells me nothing
Princess World Frontier Kingdoms is also pretty spectacular

 

[Corinnguard]

Arcana Evolved by Malhavoc Press.

1. A different starting line-up of PC races. Each race had the option of picking up three racial levels (much like the option in 3e's Unearthed Arcana book) and three 'Evolved' levels. To 'evolve' required a PC to find a rare material.
2. Renamed character classes such as the Champion (Paladin), the Oathsworn (Monk), etc.
3. Separating the four elements (air, earth, fire and water) from the four damage types of lightning, acid, fire and cold.
4. Spell Templates- these were sort of like the 5e Sorcerer's Metamagic features, but were usable by all of the spellcasters in Arcana Evolved
5. One spell list. Arcana Evolved didn't make individual lists for each spellcasting class. And there was no Arcane this or Divine that.

 

[Grendel_Khan]

Spire: The City Must Fall
Doesn't tell you want the game is about, necessarily, but you get that it's in a spire-shaped city, and you want to know more. That spire is the name of a type of structure and also the actual setting is a real bonus.

 

[Haiku Elvis]

Princess World Frontier Kingdoms is also pretty spectacular

Ok a few points
1) Princess World Frontier Kingdoms is frankly just four words in an order and yet, and yet, it makes me want to know more.
2) Having found out more it's actually Princess World: Frontier Kingdoms. Which makes more sense but possibly would have made me less interested in checking it out.
3) The name however obviously worked as I just bought it.
4) Damn you.

 

[Sacrosanct]

I feel your pain. I've written a lot of stuff over the decades, and coming up with a name has been by far the hardest part lol. The working title of my current project is Geas, but I'm not completely sold on it.

 

[Cordwainer Fish]

Kung Fu CB Mamas on Wheels vs the Motorcycle Aztec Wrestling Nuns.

Do I really need to explain?

 

[Hand of Evil]

Call of Cthulhu, it does what it says, it calls you to the game and it rolls off the tongue.

 

[Aldarc]

Paleomythic - what if I told you that it's a paleolithic game of stone and sorcery?

Blades in the Dark - okay, so sometimes it's Blades in Broad Daylight, but otherwise you get strong hints of the genre

Ironsworn - you make oaths on iron

I do think that some other games have some nice sounding names include Runequest, Numenera, and Savage Worlds.

 

[Aberzanzorax]

With respect "Vagabonds and Varlets" sounds less like a game and more like an NPC supplement.

Is your game tied to a setting? "Vagabonds of the Scorched Forest"
Or a time/mythos like "Vagabonds of the Ancient Caves" "Vagabonds of the Ankh".

If not tied to anything, and it is more of a system you're offering than a setting, what is special about the system? What niche in the market does it fill that required you to make it in the first place? You could name it something that would allow the reader to know why this product would be good for them.

e.g. "Evening Vagabonds = OD&D rules for fast play in one sitting"