Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Brainstorming Names (ND#28)

We had a hurricane in the office yesterday. In the main conference room, several team members (mostly the design team and leads) and I got to sit in on a brainstorm session for the title of our next game that we are just starting to work on: ND#28. We need to begin the process of selecting a game title so that the artist(s) can begin work on the preview at the end of The Deadly Device.

Since our discussion is still top secret, I can share with you a little of the name game process from our last title: Tomb of the Lost Queen.

In the middle of making a game (oh perhaps 3/4 of the way in the game building process), we get the leads and design team together in the main conference room. Our designer briefs on the next story synopsis and together with the writer points out what the mystery emphasis is. (For TMB it was the curse and trying to find the lost queen.

We begin with significant key words (not all are shown):
  • Tomb 
  • Forgotten 
  • Queen 
  • Desert 
  • Wrath 
  • Amulet 
  • Search 
  • Desert
And then play with different titles using those words (not all are shown):
  • Hunt for the Lost Tomb
  • Wrath of the Ancient Amulet
  • Tomb of the Lost Queen
  • The Search for the Lost Tomb
And then for a week or so, we think a little longer and offer any new ideas, next we send out an office-wide email with our top ten titles, and everyone votes. The marketing team then looks at the most popular choices and makes the final call. Once the title is selected, our production team decides the three-letter acronym (TMB). Voila! Team collaboration! So far for ND#28, all we have is the brainstorm notes from the meeting. 

There aren't any photos to help the topic of this post out, but I will include one for good measure:

(Me in color).

Ahh! Twitter Quote contest today! And it's easy! Head over and participate for a chance to win a digital download of Message in a Haunted Mansion!
~Little Jackalope~

11 comments:

Future Animator said...

How cool! :D Thanks for sharing, I think I may be a tiny bit more excited about ND28 since it's a secrect. I like secrects, which I guess is good because y'all seem to have a lot of them :)

Anonymous said...

I had a surgery the other day so I have spent a lot of time playing trail of the twister!

Anonymous said...

I'm so excited for DED! and I'm glad you chose the name Tomb of the Lost Queen insted of those other ones. You guys always do such a grate job!

Anonymous said...

Hi Little Jackalope,
I'm looking for a game to play have a idea?
ND BIGGEST fan,
Sidney White

Anonymous said...

That's kind of how I pick my book/story titles, too. I make a list of words or key factors about the story, and then go from there.

If I ever get a book published (they're mysteries) I'll be sure to send a copy to HeR Interactive, who inspire me with their awesome mystery games!

A big HeR fan,

C.

btw, I love your art skills! I wish I could draw. My art is not very good! But yours is.

krazy rabbit 23 said...

I have a question: In twitter quote contests, should I reply to the quote or send a direct message to you???

Little Jackalope said...

@Future HeR Animator -- I love secrets, too. Life would not be mysterious without secrets to uncover! :D

@Anonymous -- Surgery? Did it go ok? :)

@Sidney White -- Hmm, it's summer time...How about The Secret of Shadow Ranch? Or Tomb of the Lost Queen?

@C. -- Oooo! Good luck on your book! And thanks! I've spent several years working on my art, and whatever you choose to do (like writing) keep practicing and you'll get better and better! (I bet you are a better writer than me since you've practiced it longer.) XD

@ krazy rabbit 23 -- In Twitter Quote Contests, hit the "Reply" button in our tweet and type your answer. :)

Anonymous said...

Hey little jackalope,
I got a email to day saying I could download a beta version of DED. But it wasn't from HeR. I haven't opened the link because I'm afraid it's a hoax. Is it?
Sydney

Hannah said...

Thanks for sharing that list and explaining your strategy when it comes to creating the game title. I found an old post on the Dare to Play blog that listed all the titles you thought up for DAN I loved reading it... I wish you shared your ideas like that for every game title. ;)

P.S. Is the intern's REAL name Phoenix? Or is that just her vblog identity? Ooh I just realized I've been asking you a lot about names lately, the previous bloggers, YOU and now Phoenix too... sorry!

Sidney White said...

Thanks

Anonymous said...

Yes it did