Need more monster names

[RogueMaster]

And WoW is one of the most popular games evar.

It's a social media game so it doesn't matter how good the game design is.

It's not a social game because it's purpose is not to socialize as many other "social" games.
It's a game that entertains million players. As Jo wrote, there are basically three or four types of monsters but still it's not boring at all and not a bad game. And million players can't be wrong ;-)


But now, on-topic, the game i'm designing generates random monsters with random stats and random skills: there will not be two Orcs with same stats and/or skills. You can find a skeleton throwing fireballs and the next skeleton you find casts healing instead.
Of course I will set some monsters that will be always the same, something like bosses or epic monster, whatever you want to call them, but for normal monster, everything will be random, the same as weapons, armors and items.

I know it's not like a classical RL game where kobolds are stupid mobs wielding primitive weapons. But I never told this is a classical RL game ;-) Even I call this "roguelike" because it has various aspects in common with a RL.

[AgingMinotaur]

Among monstrous lists on the net, I think this is my favourite so far:
http://forums.syfy.com/index.php?s=0e07357e40b0104a98501ba27190385f&showtopic=2302044&pid=4943518&st=0&

It contains many names from a wide variety of cultures. One can always look up those one doesn't know.

As always,
Minotauros

[Hamish]

I have to say having classically named monsters with completely random stats and abilities sounds pretty horrible. What would be the point labeling them if it has no correspondence to anything.

If your set on having random monsters why don't you make them mutants or something, you could compile a list of mutations and base there skills and descriptions on those.

Atmosphere is really important in games, but its better to base your theme on your gameplay mechanic.

[Krice]

It's not a social game because it's purpose is not to socialize as many other "social" games.

It's a multiplayer game. Well I guess it's kind of "nerd" version of social media games. But the idea is to be a part of community. SM games (heh..) appeal more to "ordinary" people than traditional games (like roguelikes).

[RogueMaster]

Among monstrous lists on the net, I think this is my favourite so far:
http://forums.syfy.com/index.php?s=0e07357e40b0104a98501ba27190385f&showtopic=2302044&pid=4943518&st=0&

It contains many names from a wide variety of cultures. One can always look up those one doesn't know.

As always,
Minotauros

That's a small list ;-)
Thanks, I will take some monster from them.

I have to say having classically named monsters with completely random stats and abilities sounds pretty horrible. What would be the point labeling them if it has no correspondence to anything.

If your set on having random monsters why don't you make them mutants or something, you could compile a list of mutations and base there skills and descriptions on those.

Atmosphere is really important in games, but its better to base your theme on your gameplay mechanic.

The randomization is accordingly to the player overall power. The monster skills power too. You will not find overpowered kobolds in comparison with your power. The point is that the monsters stats are generated randomly having into account not only your character level, but also your health, damage, mana, defense, etc... Once gathered all this data, the monster will be either easy to beat, or a bit hard. And trust it or not, thisis the most realistic way, since a kobold could be using a epic weapon he found abandoned in a cave, or a troll casting a fireball because someone teach him how to do so, and this variation is expected in the real life.


About the mutations, I though about that. I have compiled a large list of adjectives or mutations, as you call them, but for now they are just adjectives. Of course, there are some of them that will grant the monster extra powers, for example, "Giant kobold" could be a kobold with 50% more health, and "Red Skeleton" could drain health from you back to him. As I wrote, some adjectives grants certain powers also random in a defined range: +50% ~ +60% health. About this aspect, it's something that I didn't defined much, but it's not much important now, at least not much as the inventory and equipment system and the items' powers system, which i'm doing now.

[guest509]

  I think if the name of a monster is not consistent with the abilities there can be an issue. Over several game plays of a roguelike a player learns how to beat each type of monster and/or obstacle so that they can progress further as they learn the tricks.
 
If a monster is completely different in each game you'll need a way for the player to discover what the monster is about prior fighting him or it'll just be a frustrating bit of trial and error. A sort of ID minigame but for monsters. Some people like the ID aspect of roguelikes.

If each instance of a monster is radically different even within the same game then there is no reason to give the monsters recognizable names at all. Just give them random jumbles of syllables. The names have no real meaning.

There was a roguelike that did something like this, but I forget the name. Prior to each level a screen would pop up telling you about the monster you would likely face in this dungeon. Each game that level's new monster would be different. Level 1 would have an 'A' monster, level 2 a 'B' all the way through Z. And all the monsters you had faced in prior levels would show up on the later levels as well. The monster had a different name each time, like Aquator, Assleedox, Afidius, etc...and a different special ability each time as well.

It worked great IMHO. Does anyone know what that game was? I haven't been able to find it again after the great hard drive crash of Aug 2011. :-(

[RogueMaster]

That's a point.

I will have to think about it.
But the problem is to have many, many, many different monsters could be way long to write specs for each of them.