View Issue Details

IDProjectCategoryLast Update
0006626Valley 1Suggestion - UI IdeasMar 13, 2012 8:47 pm
Reportertbogue Assigned ToChris_McElligottPark  
Status closedResolutionwon't fix 
Product Version0.905 
Summary0006626: better name for upgrade stones
DescriptionI don't like the name upgrade stone. How about vital essence?
TagsNo tags attached.
Internal WeightNew

Activities

Chris_McElligottPark

Mar 13, 2012 7:07 pm

administrator   ~0020837

No. Sorry you don't like it, but it's clear and descriptive, which is absolutely what is needed here. New player confusion trumps a desire for thematic fluff in this case.

Bluddy

Mar 13, 2012 7:49 pm

reporter   ~0020840

Maybe Ilari Upgrade Stones? Pieces of destroyed Ilari?

Chris_McElligottPark

Mar 13, 2012 8:09 pm

administrator   ~0020841

Now we're just adding wordiness. I'm quite fond of "upgrade stones." I don't think it's any worse than "EXP capsule" or "heart piece" or "heart container" or "powerup" or "1up" or a host of other names I could probably think up for various accepted game terms in other games. ;)

Terraziel

Mar 13, 2012 8:23 pm

reporter   ~0020842

How about "Upgrade Shards"? that sort of presents them as a form of consciousness shards without adding words or losing clarity.

Chris_McElligottPark

Mar 13, 2012 8:28 pm

administrator   ~0020843

Right, now we're over-using the word shard, and people can't use the word "shard" as shorthand anymore. You run into problems with people saying "shard" and meaning one thing or the other, and getting confused talking to one another.

You have to remember I used to design business software (including a lot of GUI design) before doing games for a living, so I think through the names of common GUI elements pretty carefully. They have to be distinct but memorable, and things that are synonyms have to be very carefully distinct or else you run into confusion, etc.

I had to let go a support person once because she couldn't stop mixing up terminology and confusing the hell out of our customers. When she couldn't remember the right word, she'd just make up whatever synonym, and often it would clash with something else, and the client would wind up really confused. (Of course, there were some simplifications that wound up having to be made to the software anyhow, and that was just indicative of other problems with her in general, but still -- distinct terminology is something really dear to my heart).

Terraziel

Mar 13, 2012 8:41 pm

reporter   ~0020844

Fair enough.

My only problem with the "stones" part was\is a lack of (visible) lore justification for why exactly they do what they do...

It's the "So...how does this rock increase my health? wait, what is my character even doing to "use" these things" train of thought.

Chris_McElligottPark

Mar 13, 2012 8:47 pm

administrator   ~0020845

Sure, and now we can get into inventing whatever that fits. We already have guardian stones that you talk to the Ilari through, though, so I figured that there's some good coupling there as it is.

Issue History

Date Modified Username Field Change
Mar 13, 2012 6:52 pm tbogue New Issue
Mar 13, 2012 7:07 pm Chris_McElligottPark Internal Weight => New
Mar 13, 2012 7:07 pm Chris_McElligottPark Note Added: 0020837
Mar 13, 2012 7:07 pm Chris_McElligottPark Status new => closed
Mar 13, 2012 7:07 pm Chris_McElligottPark Assigned To => Chris_McElligottPark
Mar 13, 2012 7:07 pm Chris_McElligottPark Resolution open => won't fix
Mar 13, 2012 7:49 pm Bluddy Note Added: 0020840
Mar 13, 2012 8:09 pm Chris_McElligottPark Note Added: 0020841
Mar 13, 2012 8:23 pm Terraziel Note Added: 0020842
Mar 13, 2012 8:28 pm Chris_McElligottPark Note Added: 0020843
Mar 13, 2012 8:41 pm Terraziel Note Added: 0020844
Mar 13, 2012 8:47 pm Chris_McElligottPark Note Added: 0020845