Generated nicknames

frangipard · 03-26-2015, 11:41 PM

Nicknames should be an easy way to create immersion. They don't, because they're just randomly given to all players and often make no sense. Here's my solution: nicknames should be generated based on specific, evolving conditions in the game.

e.g.

"Thunderstick" is only given to players with big power ratings .
"Bender" can only be given to players a good curveball

"Big Mike" = players with the first name Michael AND >250 lbs;
"Professor" = college draftee and high intelligence

Only a few players should get nicknames on generation; the rest should be awarded after significant milestones: e.g. first 100 games, first all-star selection, etc.

Some can be unlocked based on specific events: a 4.0 WAR season when under age 24, yields "Boy Wonder." If he's also from California, maybe it's "Kid Cali" instead. He might make it all the way to 35 without a nickname, and then suddenly start getting called "Grandpa"

How cool would it be to get an email saying "your rookie shortstop is turning heads, and the fans are now calling him 'Little Gun'" ... and then you look and see that he's 5'9" and has a huge throwing arm and know where it comes from?

That's pretty freaking immersive, IMO.

This could also serve a game function: nicknames would correlate to popularity, so it's easy to sense which guys are fan favorites (with all that that entails).

David Watts · 03-27-2015, 07:54 AM

I really like this idea. One concern though, wouldn't something like this run the risk of being repetitive?

Bluenoser · 03-27-2015, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Watts

I really like this idea. One concern though, wouldn't something like this run the risk of being repetitive?

Not if you code it with occurrence control. Not every college grad from California will get the nickname, just set the % of occurrence to a reasonable rate. That could even be adjustable in the app.cfg or somewhere user selectable.

Excellent idea.

frangipard · 03-27-2015, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Watts

I really like this idea. One concern though, wouldn't something like this run the risk of being repetitive?

No; as bluenoser says, it's not like every guy from Texas gets called "Tex" ... just instead of that name being given randomly to one in 5,000 players (or whatever the number currently is), it's given to one in 100 from Texas (or whatever the equivalent number is based on the % of generated players from Texas.); the percentage getting called "Big Tex" is based on how often the criteria "from Texas" and "over 6'3"' are met, etc.

Another thing:

This is absolutely an idea that could be crowdsourced by the community. Just create a googledoc spreadsheet and put a link here in the forums, and let anyone go in and create nicknames and the criteria for them. I guarantee the users here could create some immensely creative nicknames. After that, all the OOTP team would have to do is plug the data into the game (with some editorial discretion...).

How super-duper awesomely cool would it be for the users here to come up with a fun nickname for an imaginary player ("suppose there was a short, fast guy from Mexico nicknamed "Speedy Gonzalez") ... and then see that guy spontaneously appear in the game?

David Watts · 03-27-2015, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frangipard

No; as bluenoser says, it's not like every guy from Texas gets called "Tex" ... just instead of that name being given randomly to one in 5,000 players (or whatever the number currently is), it's given to one in 100 from Texas (or whatever the equivalent number is based on the % of generated players from Texas.); the percentage getting called "Big Tex" is based on how often the criteria "from Texas" and "over 6'3"' are met, etc.

Another thing:

This is absolutely an idea that could be crowdsourced by the community. Just create a googledoc spreadsheet and put a link here in the forums, and let anyone go in and create nicknames and the criteria for them. I guarantee the users here could create some immensely creative nicknames. After that, all the OOTP team would have to do is plug the data into the game (with some editorial discretion...).

How super-duper awesomely cool would it be for the users here to come up with a fun nickname for an imaginary player ("suppose there was a short, fast guy from Mexico nicknamed "Speedy Gonzalez") ... and then see that guy spontaneously appear in the game?

Cool. I really hope Markus see this suggestion.

Fyrestorm3 · 03-30-2015, 03:36 PM

This is a brilliant idea that could fix almost all of the issues with nicknames as they stand now. I'm all for it.

MBarrett · 04-16-2015, 10:45 AM

Implement this idea and I won't have to delete the nicknames file for the first time.

Gold star for you sir.

thehatfield · 04-16-2015, 01:51 PM

As long as it was an option or possibility and not always set. I'd miss ironic or random nicknames. Catfish Hunter wasn't a catfish, nor did he have a huge inclination towards catfish or fishing or creating fake internet girlfriends, but he was from North Carolina and Charlie Finley made it up to market him. I like when a guy is a right-handed pitcher and his nickname is lefty or he's 6'8" and he's called tiny. That actually helps me with immersion - he's been the brunt of ribbing for a long time and now he carries that moniker.

frangipard · 04-17-2015, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purple Cowboy

As long as it was an option or possibility and not always set. I'd miss ironic or random nicknames. Catfish Hunter wasn't a catfish, nor did he have a huge inclination towards catfish or fishing or creating fake internet girlfriends, but he was from North Carolina and Charlie Finley made it up to market him. I like when a guy is a right-handed pitcher and his nickname is lefty or he's 6'8" and he's called tiny. That actually helps me with immersion - he's been the brunt of ribbing for a long time and now he carries that moniker.

Sure, there's no reason you can't have some random names in there, but Catfish Hunter is neither random or ironic: as you say, he got it because he was from the rural south. Charlie Finley wouldn't have given him that name if he was from Newark.

Ironic nicknames aren't random either: it'd be easy to program "nickname = Tiny IF under 5'7' OR over 6'5." IRL guy of average height is very unlikely to get that nickname.

ra7c7er · 04-17-2015, 10:32 AM

It's a neat idea but would take a TON of coding for a small payoff in the end.

It's not as easy as "nickname = Tiny IF under 5'7' OR over 6'5." Their is a lot more to it.

Personally I like nicknames how they are. Some are funny some are ironic and some don't really make any sense. Just like in real life.

03-26-2015, 11:41 PM	#1
frangipard OOTP Roster Team Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 748	Generated nicknames Nicknames should be an easy way to create immersion. They don't, because they're just randomly given to all players and often make no sense. Here's my solution: nicknames should be generated based on specific, evolving conditions in the game. e.g. "Thunderstick" is only given to players with big power ratings . "Bender" can only be given to players a good curveball "Big Mike" = players with the first name Michael AND >250 lbs; "Professor" = college draftee and high intelligence Only a few players should get nicknames on generation; the rest should be awarded after significant milestones: e.g. first 100 games, first all-star selection, etc. Some can be unlocked based on specific events: a 4.0 WAR season when under age 24, yields "Boy Wonder." If he's also from California, maybe it's "Kid Cali" instead. He might make it all the way to 35 without a nickname, and then suddenly start getting called "Grandpa" How cool would it be to get an email saying "your rookie shortstop is turning heads, and the fans are now calling him 'Little Gun'" ... and then you look and see that he's 5'9" and has a huge throwing arm and know where it comes from? That's pretty freaking immersive, IMO. This could also serve a game function: nicknames would correlate to popularity, so it's easy to sense which guys are fan favorites (with all that that entails). Last edited by frangipard; 03-28-2015 at 12:35 AM.

04-16-2015, 01:51 PM	#8
thehatfield All Star Starter Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: dirty jerz Posts: 1,339	As long as it was an option or possibility and not always set. I'd miss ironic or random nicknames. Catfish Hunter wasn't a catfish, nor did he have a huge inclination towards catfish or fishing or creating fake internet girlfriends, but he was from North Carolina and Charlie Finley made it up to market him. I like when a guy is a right-handed pitcher and his nickname is lefty or he's 6'8" and he's called tiny. That actually helps me with immersion - he's been the brunt of ribbing for a long time and now he carries that moniker. __________________ AFBL - Maryland Bridegrooms SBC - Western Suburbs Magpies no pressure no problem Last edited by thehatfield; 04-16-2015 at 01:53 PM.

03-27-2015, 07:54 AM	#2
David Watts Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Looking for a place called Leehofooks Posts: 8,880	I really like this idea. One concern though, wouldn't something like this run the risk of being repetitive?

03-30-2015, 03:36 PM	#6
Fyrestorm3 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Tampa Bay, Massachusetts Posts: 2,928	This is a brilliant idea that could fix almost all of the issues with nicknames as they stand now. I'm all for it.

04-16-2015, 10:45 AM	#7
MBarrett All Star Reserve Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Canada Posts: 623	Implement this idea and I won't have to delete the nicknames file for the first time. Gold star for you sir.

04-17-2015, 10:32 AM	#10
ra7c7er All Star Starter Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 1,098	It's a neat idea but would take a TON of coding for a small payoff in the end. It's not as easy as "nickname = Tiny IF under 5'7' OR over 6'5." Their is a lot more to it. Personally I like nicknames how they are. Some are funny some are ironic and some don't really make any sense. Just like in real life.