From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action


Say, these Completely Random And Pointless polls are fun. Let's do
another one!

*

So, I've done polls before about character creation, like how much
time do you spend on customizing your appearance, or if you try to
make your avatar look like anyone in particular, or what class you
play. Following up on that theme, here's another question:

What do you typically NAME your character?

a) I don't care; whatever the game defaults to
is good enough for me

b) I use one of the generic names the game has in
its database (or I click "random", or whatever
requires least effort).

c) I just use my real-life name!

d) I use my internet handle or my Steam nickname
or whatever people know me as online

e) Something unique, but probably a bit silly or raunchy,
like 'Sir WiggleBottoms the Leaky'

f) Something unique, created specifically for that
character and fitting to the setting

g) I always use the same name for my video-game
characters, but it's not my real name or nick; it's
just something for games

h) The games I play don't let me name the character
(or don't have characters at all)

i) Don't be silly. Game characters name themselves
after ME!

j) I will not be bound by these silly options! I use
(fill in option here)


*

Myself, I _used_ to be option G. From the earliest days, my video-game
persona was the same person, jumping from game-reality to
game-reality, always generally with the same name. It wasn't that I
really believed it was all the same person, it was just a bit of fun
fantasy (and convenience in not having to create new names all the
time). But after around 2000, that character got retired and with
later games, I used method F; each new character got its own unique,
but appropriate to the setting, name.

(Fare thee well, Persard. You took me through Bards Tale and Ultima
and Might and Magic and Diablo and System Shock. But nowadays I play
with a larger troupe.)

*

So, inquiring pollsters want to know: What Names Have You Been Playing
With... in 2025 (and years before)




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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

Ant or related to it. ;P


Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

Say, these Completely Random And Pointless polls are fun. Let's do
another one!

*

So, I've done polls before about character creation, like how much
time do you spend on customizing your appearance, or if you try to
make your avatar look like anyone in particular, or what class you
play. Following up on that theme, here's another question:

What do you typically NAME your character?

a) I don't care; whatever the game defaults to
is good enough for me

b) I use one of the generic names the game has in
its database (or I click "random", or whatever
requires least effort).

c) I just use my real-life name!

d) I use my internet handle or my Steam nickname
or whatever people know me as online

e) Something unique, but probably a bit silly or raunchy,
like 'Sir WiggleBottoms the Leaky'

f) Something unique, created specifically for that
character and fitting to the setting

g) I always use the same name for my video-game
characters, but it's not my real name or nick; it's
just something for games

h) The games I play don't let me name the character
(or don't have characters at all)

i) Don't be silly. Game characters name themselves
after ME!

j) I will not be bound by these silly options! I use
(fill in option here)

*

Myself, I _used_ to be option G. From the earliest days, my video-game persona was the same person, jumping from game-reality to
game-reality, always generally with the same name. It wasn't that I
really believed it was all the same person, it was just a bit of fun
fantasy (and convenience in not having to create new names all the
time). But after around 2000, that character got retired and with
later games, I used method F; each new character got its own unique,
but appropriate to the setting, name.

(Fare thee well, Persard. You took me through Bards Tale and Ultima
and Might and Magic and Diablo and System Shock. But nowadays I play
with a larger troupe.)

*

So, inquiring pollsters want to know: What Names Have You Been Playing With... in 2025 (and years before)

--
"For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace." --Romans 6:14. Leave us and me alone, sins!
Note: A fixed width font (Courier, Monospace, etc.) is required to see this signature correctly.
/\___/\ Ant(Dude) @ http://aqfl.net & http://antfarm.home.dhs.org.
/ /\ /\ \ Please nuke ANT if replying by e-mail.
| |o o| |
\ _ /
( )
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> writes:

What do you typically NAME your character?

a) I don't care; whatever the game defaults to
is good enough for me

Often, especially if it's some free or cheap game that I'm checking out
to see if there's anything intesting. I seem to recall some favorite
games don't have that option. So you're 'V' or 'Commander Shepard' or 'that mute unnamed guy'. So a bit of h).

b) I use one of the generic names the game has in
its database (or I click "random", or whatever
requires least effort).

Maybe.

c) I just use my real-life name!

Sometimes? Not sure.

d) I use my internet handle or my Steam nickname
or whatever people know me as online

Maybe.

e) Something unique, but probably a bit silly or raunchy,
like 'Sir WiggleBottoms the Leaky'

I remember I got a kick out of General Shit with that old weird space
combat game that I can't remember the name of right now. But old enough
it was available for the PC and the Amiga. In my defense, I was young.

f) Something unique, created specifically for that
character and fitting to the setting

Rarely.

g) I always use the same name for my video-game
characters, but it's not my real name or nick; it's
just something for games

No.

h) The games I play don't let me name the character
(or don't have characters at all)

As above.

i) Don't be silly. Game characters name themselves
after ME!

I did like the idea of putting that dead fan in Borderlands 2, as an
NPC. I believe he died before the game was released but lived long
enough to see a preview. I've seen him once or twice on Sanctuary, he
gave blue loot rifles. Nothing super fancy although that's apparently
possible too.

Not really wanting that for myself, posthumously or otherwise. Not very
common anyway. I guess I could've had a corpse named after me in the
System Shock Remake but didn't seem like it was worth it.

j) I will not be bound by these silly options! I use
(fill in option here)

Sometimes it's whatever comes to mind at the time. So kinda like f) but
not really.
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> looked up from reading the entrails of the porn spammer to utter "The Augury is good, the signs
say:

Say, these Completely Random And Pointless polls are fun. Let's do
another one!

*

So, I've done polls before about character creation, like how much
time do you spend on customizing your appearance, or if you try to
make your avatar look like anyone in particular, or what class you
play. Following up on that theme, here's another question:

What do you typically NAME your character?

All depends on the game.
If it's a single player game there are a few names I routinely use.

They also get used in MMOs but in various of them you make so many
characters that cannot possibly cover them all (hell City of Heroes
alone counts hundreds of characters, each of which gets a name that
suits their powersets or the costume idea I came up with.

Most recently Miss Singularity, a 1930s Science Fiction inspired costume Grav/Rad controller.)

Xocyll
--
I don't particularly want you to FOAD, myself. You'll be more of
a cautionary example if you'll FO And Get Chronically, Incurably,
Painfully, Progressively, Expensively, Debilitatingly Ill. So
FOAGCIPPEDI. -- Mike Andrews responding to an idiot in asr
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Sun, 14 Sep 2025 17:49:58 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

f) Something unique, created specifically for that
character and fitting to the setting

g) I always use the same name for my video-game
characters, but it's not my real name or nick; it's
just something for games

h) The games I play don't let me name the character
(or don't have characters at all)

i) Don't be silly. Game characters name themselves
after ME!

j) I will not be bound by these silly options! I use
(fill in option here)

*

Myself, I _used_ to be option G. From the earliest days, my video-game >persona was the same person, jumping from game-reality to
game-reality, always generally with the same name. It wasn't that I
really believed it was all the same person, it was just a bit of fun
fantasy (and convenience in not having to create new names all the
time). But after around 2000, that character got retired and with
later games, I used method F; each new character got its own unique,
but appropriate to the setting, name.

I still use G but I also use F.

If it is a hack n slasher like Diablo, then F. I just name the
character after what he is. As an example, if I am playing a Paladin
and he is a smite build then I just name him 'Smite'. The name tells
me instantly what build he is as I am going to have other Paladin
builds. I can tell which Paladin is which from the name alone. That is
why I do that.

But I don't like doing that for other kinds of RPGs where I want to
give them an actual name. So G for those games. The names I use are
from the Commodore 64 version of the Pool of Radiance. So yes, I have
been using the same names since 1988 or so.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Mon, 15 Sep 2025 09:01:34 -0400, Xocyll <Xocyll@gmx.com> wrote:

All depends on the game.

I agree, as your City of Heroes example reminded me of something.

If it's a single player game there are a few names I routinely use.

Same here.

They also get used in MMOs but in various of them you make so many
characters that cannot possibly cover them all (hell City of Heroes
alone counts hundreds of characters, each of which gets a name that
suits their powersets or the costume idea I came up with.

City of Heroes may be the only game I ever played where I spent a long
time coming up with a completely unique name. I spent so much time
making his costume, I figured I should put some effort into naming him
rather then just use my default names I normally would use.
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Mon, 15 Sep 2025 09:56:22 -0400, Mike S. <Mike_S@nowhere.com>
wrote:

On Sun, 14 Sep 2025 17:49:58 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson ><spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

f) Something unique, created specifically for that
character and fitting to the setting

g) I always use the same name for my video-game
characters, but it's not my real name or nick; it's
just something for games

h) The games I play don't let me name the character
(or don't have characters at all)

i) Don't be silly. Game characters name themselves
after ME!

j) I will not be bound by these silly options! I use
(fill in option here)


*

Myself, I _used_ to be option G. From the earliest days, my video-game >>persona was the same person, jumping from game-reality to
game-reality, always generally with the same name. It wasn't that I
really believed it was all the same person, it was just a bit of fun >>fantasy (and convenience in not having to create new names all the
time). But after around 2000, that character got retired and with
later games, I used method F; each new character got its own unique,
but appropriate to the setting, name.

I still use G but I also use F.

If it is a hack n slasher like Diablo, then F. I just name the
character after what he is. As an example, if I am playing a Paladin
and he is a smite build then I just name him 'Smite'. The name tells
me instantly what build he is as I am going to have other Paladin
builds. I can tell which Paladin is which from the name alone. That is
why I do that.

Heh. I do that nowadays for party-based CRPGs that I don't really
intend to play to the end. So I end up with names like "Whacker", and
"Whizzy" and "Sneaks" (for fighter, wizard and thief, respectively).
Especially if it's a game where the characters aren't easily
differentiated otherwise (e.g., the Wizardry games and their ilk)

But similarly, if, these days, it's a game that I intend to commit to,
I usually give the characters their own unique names... even if
sometimes they aren't that imaginative. I think when I played
"Oblivion Remastered" recently, I played a Nord named "Robert" (No
reason; he just looked like a Robert ;-). The next time I play, it'll
probably be some other name.

But back in the day, I had a stable of characters who got used and
re-used in almost every CRPG (and many other games too). Most of them eventually found their way into my tabletop RPG campaign where --by
virtue of being DM PCs-- they all lived illustrious lives of fame and
fortune ;-)



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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On 9/14/2025 2:49 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

Say, these Completely Random And Pointless polls are fun. Let's do
another one!

*

So, I've done polls before about character creation, like how much
time do you spend on customizing your appearance, or if you try to
make your avatar look like anyone in particular, or what class you
play. Following up on that theme, here's another question:

What do you typically NAME your character?

j) I will not be bound by these silly options! I use
(fill in option here)

I have a number of names I use regularly, but am not limited to that.
Also I make too many characters to be limited to one name, and of course
that didn't work on old multi-character RPG parties either. Sometimes I
use my handle or something related to it. Sometimes I use one of a
cadre of names Sorsha is my female magic users, Sondra and or Skythia is
my female fighter type (Yes I know Sorsha is a fighter, but it sounds
more like a magic user to me.) Malkazar is my male magic user (was my
first ever D&D character.) Red Death is my typical sci-fi character.
Etc. Etc. Then sometimes I'll just make up something. In Souls I
started just naming them what they were so I could see by their save
file - like Newbelper is the one I use at low levels to be summoned by
people early. I have ones names something like Dexy for a dexterity
build etc.
--
-Justisaur

ø-ø
(\_/)\
`-'\ `--.___,
¶¬'\( ,_.-'
\\
^'
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Mon, 15 Sep 2025 11:33:37 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

Heh. I do that nowadays for party-based CRPGs that I don't really
intend to play to the end. So I end up with names like "Whacker", and >"Whizzy" and "Sneaks" (for fighter, wizard and thief, respectively). >Especially if it's a game where the characters aren't easily
differentiated otherwise (e.g., the Wizardry games and their ilk)

Yes, exactly. It just makes it easy to identify your characters right
away if you need that kind of help. Which I do in certain games
because I create so many different characters.

I should have made this more clear in my last post, but when I first
played The Pool of Radiance on my C-64 way back in the late 80s, I
used the default party rather then make my own. Those names from that
party became my character names ever since.
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On 9/14/2025 2:49 PM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

Say, these Completely Random And Pointless polls are fun. Let's do
another one!

*

So, I've done polls before about character creation, like how much
time do you spend on customizing your appearance, or if you try to
make your avatar look like anyone in particular, or what class you
play. Following up on that theme, here's another question:

What do you typically NAME your character?

a) I don't care; whatever the game defaults to
is good enough for me

b) I use one of the generic names the game has in
its database (or I click "random", or whatever
requires least effort).

c) I just use my real-life name!

d) I use my internet handle or my Steam nickname
or whatever people know me as online

e) Something unique, but probably a bit silly or raunchy,
like 'Sir WiggleBottoms the Leaky'

f) Something unique, created specifically for that
character and fitting to the setting

g) I always use the same name for my video-game
characters, but it's not my real name or nick; it's
just something for games

h) The games I play don't let me name the character
(or don't have characters at all)

i) Don't be silly. Game characters name themselves
after ME!

j) I will not be bound by these silly options! I use
(fill in option here)

All of the above, depending on my mood.
--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On 9/15/2025 7:03 AM, Mike S. wrote:

On Mon, 15 Sep 2025 09:01:34 -0400, Xocyll <Xocyll@gmx.com> wrote:

All depends on the game.

I agree, as your City of Heroes example reminded me of something.

If it's a single player game there are a few names I routinely use.

Same here.

They also get used in MMOs but in various of them you make so many
characters that cannot possibly cover them all (hell City of Heroes
alone counts hundreds of characters, each of which gets a name that
suits their powersets or the costume idea I came up with.

City of Heroes may be the only game I ever played where I spent a long
time coming up with a completely unique name. I spent so much time
making his costume, I figured I should put some effort into naming him
rather then just use my default names I normally would use.

I made so many characters. I filled up all the servers slots making characters. I couldn't begin to tell you half their names. You'd think
I'd remember at least the names of the ones I played the most. I'd have
to look up posts and pics and see if I even them. Well time for a trip
down nostalgia lane.

Cheeze Wiz - Apperantly my first character, don't remember what she was,
but she had a rad symbol, I'm assuming a rad controller of some sort.

Succubino - This is the only one I remember from my first batch, a
mind/rad controller. Got banned for "Appearing nude, inappropriate for
a 'teen' rated game." We weren't able to change appearances at that
time, and I'd only played 3 days, maybe 6 hours. I deleted all my
characters in a fit of pique. Then came back the next day :)
Eventually recreated her as a fire/mind dom.

Clockwork Queen - My first character that I played a lot was an
Illusion/Rad controller I got to 39 back when I think 40 was max.
Played quite a bit with real-life friends. Loved the costume I made,
got better eventually as they added more clockwork like bits.

Lifeclay - Stone/Stone tanker, played her a bit. Loved the costume I
made, it was visually confusing. It was usually covered by the stone
armor though.

Volcano Girl - Stone/Fire tanker, my favorite tanker

Samantha Ash - Fire/Devices blaster, fun. Great costume, based on
Lifeclay's but a bit more fire based and a little more detail.

Justisaur - Claw/Regen scrapper (unfortunately I never enjoyed scrappers)

WIB - (Woman in Black) Assault/Dev dressed like an MIB.

Fi - might be fire/ice blaster?, loved the costume.


Then came CoV

Mauldin - Stone/Willpower Brute. My most played. Looks like a very
angry Scottish dwarf.

Robovane - Bots/Storm Mastermind. Looks kind of like a rooster,
unfortunately I don't have any images for any of the rest, and since the original servers are gone, I don't believe I can get them. My favorite MM.

Fstr - Sonic/Kin Corruptor. Really fun with the kin.

Juffo-Wup - Plant/Energy Dom. Energy bad for teams, but fun none-the-less.

Squiboon - Umbral Warshade. Warshades never did anything for me, but
the idea of a monkey turning into an alien squid thing was funny.

Merisa Blains - Night Widow. This was my most favorite after my Brute.


Homecoming
I can't believe it's been 6 years since I played these on homecoming.

I recreated Mauldin, but only got to 23 with him, too much been there
did that. Also recreated Robo Vane, and got to 50, which I don't think
I did in the original game.

Mauldelicious - Bane. This is what I mostly ended up playing after I
went through more than 20 characters. I got her pretty decked out,
soloed the mission series where you have to fight all the ultimate super-heroes and did the hardest task forces in groups, and felt like
I'd done it all then. She's wearing golden bane armor, almost forgot all
the costume slots, I've got 6 filled out with some sort of golden armor
for most of them, I think I recognize one as full Vanguard, and another
as full Roman. Sheesh, I've got 8 bars of powers, some are macros. Aw
man, I accidentally clicked quit on my supergroup, though I only saw a
half dozen that have been on in the last year, and the most recent was
two months ago.

Covfefe M - Plant/Kin controller. Was pretty fun, got to 50.

Laser Cooled M - Bots/Cold MM. 41. Was good for an MM, just found it
boring. Looks like a scientist.

Kitsune - 40 Psi/Ninja stalker. This was pretty fun, but damn psi sucks against carnival, and I had to get help on my villain arc. Worst costume
I've ever made, black dog head on orange skin, and purple rotted kimono.

Ghost Fish - Psi/Ice stalker. I found this one better than Ninja, got
to 30 pretty much solo. My Bane was a better stalker than the stalkers though. He looks like insane chaos with metalic rainbow scale colors, a
fish head, dragonfly wings, and a purple plasma bird tail.

Don't remember much about these:
Saturn M - Demon/Time MM looks like a spaceman taken over by demon
stuff. got to 49.

Mahes M - Titan/Rad Brute. lion headed ancient Greece look. got to 48
Sphere of M - 33 Rad/Sonic Defender. Looks like a black sphere hovering
over a shadow body. I'm particularly proud of the costume.

Lactomantress - 29 Water/Kin Corruptor. *Ahem* water powers look white,
and I always found the D&D lactomancer skit funny (which of course I
can't find now grrr.) She's dressed in a buttery yellow witches robe
and hat.

Another 36 characters, which I haven't played much, many of them remade
from the original. There's 1000 character slots per sever now instead
of 10, gotta work on filling that up :)
--
-Justisaur

ø-ø
(\_/)\
`-'\ `--.___,
¶¬'\( ,_.-'
\\
^'
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Mon, 15 Sep 2025 15:02:39 -0400, Mike S. <Mike_S@nowhere.com>
wrote:

I should have made this more clear in my last post, but when I first
played The Pool of Radiance on my C-64 way back in the late 80s, I
used the default party rather then make my own. Those names from that
party became my character names ever since.

So of course I had to fire up "Pool of Radiance" to see what the
default names were.

[These are from the GOG release of the PC version, so
they may not be the same as the original release on C64]

Still, for anyone suffering from the same curiousity about trivial
details like me:

Thrender Grone (Dwarf Male, Fighter, LG)
Bakshi (Half-Elf Male, Cleric/Fighter/Magic-User, CG)
Rhiannon (Elf Female, Fighter/Magic-User, N)
Brother Sean (Human Make, Cleric, LG)
Darkstar (Human Female, Magic User, NG)
Phineas (Halfling Male, Thief, LN)

There. Now you know.


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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Mon, 15 Sep 2025 17:48:38 -0700, Justisaur <justisaur@yahoo.com>
wrote:

Another 36 characters, which I haven't played much, many of them remade
from the original. There's 1000 character slots per sever now instead
of 10, gotta work on filling that up :)

LOL Justisaur, that is a lot of characters you have. I have never been
much of an altaholic in any MMO, including this one. I have a grand
total of TWO characters in City of Heroes. But one of them has over
700 badges so I spent a lot of time with that second character. I will
never need 1000 slots. I will never need 100. I will likely never need
10. :-P
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Tue, 16 Sep 2025 08:50:40 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

[These are from the GOG release of the PC version, so
they may not be the same as the original release on C64]

Still, for anyone suffering from the same curiousity about trivial
details like me:

Thrender Grone (Dwarf Male, Fighter, LG)
Bakshi (Half-Elf Male, Cleric/Fighter/Magic-User, CG)
Rhiannon (Elf Female, Fighter/Magic-User, N)
Brother Sean (Human Make, Cleric, LG)
Darkstar (Human Female, Magic User, NG)
Phineas (Halfling Male, Thief, LN)

There. Now you know.

Yeah, every version is different I think. Here is a copy\paste from
the C-64 version I found from a web forum. These are the names I use
but with some spelling changes that I never noticed until just now.


Arax the Bold - Male Human Fighter - NG - Str18(47) - INT15 - WIS14 -
DEX17 - CON16 - CHR16 - HP 11
Lara Spellsword - Female Elf Fighter/MU - NG - STR16 - INT17 - WIS13 -
DEX18 - CON17 - CHR 15 - HP 9
Tanarakis - Male Half Elf Cleric/MU - LG - STR17 - INT16 - WIS17 -
DEX16 - CON17 - CHR13 - HP 8
Hogarth - Male Dwarf Fighter/Thief - LN - STR18(91) - INT13 - WIS12 -
DEX17 - CON17 - CHR10 - HP 10
Shara the Gray - Male Elf Fighter/MU - LN - STR17 - INT 17 - WIS10 -
DEX18 - CON17 - CHR15 - HP 9
Zarada - Female Human Cleric - LG - STR17 - INT14 - WIS18 - DEX14 -
CON18 - CHR15 - HP 9
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Tue, 16 Sep 2025 11:46:43 -0400, Mike S. <Mike_S@nowhere.com>
wrote:

On Tue, 16 Sep 2025 08:50:40 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson ><spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

[These are from the GOG release of the PC version, so
they may not be the same as the original release on C64]

Still, for anyone suffering from the same curiousity about trivial
details like me:

Thrender Grone (Dwarf Male, Fighter, LG)
Bakshi (Half-Elf Male, Cleric/Fighter/Magic-User, CG)
Rhiannon (Elf Female, Fighter/Magic-User, N)
Brother Sean (Human Make, Cleric, LG)
Darkstar (Human Female, Magic User, NG)
Phineas (Halfling Male, Thief, LN)

There. Now you know.

Yeah, every version is different I think. Here is a copy\paste from
the C-64 version I found from a web forum. These are the names I use
but with some spelling changes that I never noticed until just now.

Arax the Bold - Male Human Fighter - NG - Str18(47) - INT15 - WIS14 -
DEX17 - CON16 - CHR16 - HP 11
Lara Spellsword - Female Elf Fighter/MU - NG - STR16 - INT17 - WIS13 -
DEX18 - CON17 - CHR 15 - HP 9
Tanarakis - Male Half Elf Cleric/MU - LG - STR17 - INT16 - WIS17 -
DEX16 - CON17 - CHR13 - HP 8
Hogarth - Male Dwarf Fighter/Thief - LN - STR18(91) - INT13 - WIS12 -
DEX17 - CON17 - CHR10 - HP 10
Shara the Gray - Male Elf Fighter/MU - LN - STR17 - INT 17 - WIS10 -
DEX18 - CON17 - CHR15 - HP 9
Zarada - Female Human Cleric - LG - STR17 - INT14 - WIS18 - DEX14 -
CON18 - CHR15 - HP 9

Well, now you've gone and done it. Now we need to figure out the names
of all the default characters from all the versions of the game.

On Apple II:
Borric (Male Dwarf, Fighter)
Silveron (Male Elf, Fighter/Magic User)
Lorin (Male Half-Elf, Cleric/Fighter/Magic User)
Melcar the Wise (Male Human, Magic User)
Airlana (Female Human, Cleric)
Swifty (Male Halfling, Thief)

On NES:
Gwydion (Male Human, Fighter)
Felgar (Male Human, Cleric)
Goldleaf (Male Human, Magic User)

On Macintosh:
Arax the Bold (Male Human Fighter, NG)
Lara Spellsword (Female Elf, Fighter Magic User, CG)
Tanarakis (Male Half Elf, Cleric/Magic User, LG)
Hogarth (Make Dwarf, Fighter Thief, LN)
Shara the Grey (Female Elf, Fighter Magic User, LG)
Zarram (Male Human, Cleric, LN)

On Amiga:
Garwan (Male Human, Fighter, CG)
Stonebeard (Male Dwarf, Fighter, CG)
GoldLeaf (Male Elf, Fighter/Magic User/Thief, CN)
Laurann (Female Human, Cleric, LG)
Oonly (Male Half Elf, Cleric / Magic User, LG)
Melcar (Male Human, Magic User, CG)

Missing: PC-88, PC-98, Sharp-X1


Filling up usenet with useless information for 30 years, that's me!
;-)


--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Tue, 16 Sep 2025 14:22:19 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

On Macintosh:
Arax the Bold (Male Human Fighter, NG)
Lara Spellsword (Female Elf, Fighter Magic User, CG)
Tanarakis (Male Half Elf, Cleric/Magic User, LG)
Hogarth (Make Dwarf, Fighter Thief, LN)
Shara the Grey (Female Elf, Fighter Magic User, LG)
Zarram (Male Human, Cleric, LN)

I found it interesting that the Macintosh names are almost the same as
the C-64 version, but not quite.

Filling up usenet with useless information for 30 years, that's me!

It is definitely useless but I found it interesting. I am attached to
these names after having used them for so long. Thanks for posting the
various versions.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Tue, 16 Sep 2025 14:51:23 -0400, Mike S. <Mike_S@nowhere.com>
wrote:

On Tue, 16 Sep 2025 14:22:19 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson ><spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

On Macintosh:
Arax the Bold (Male Human Fighter, NG)
Lara Spellsword (Female Elf, Fighter Magic User, CG)
Tanarakis (Male Half Elf, Cleric/Magic User, LG)
Hogarth (Make Dwarf, Fighter Thief, LN)
Shara the Grey (Female Elf, Fighter Magic User, LG)
Zarram (Male Human, Cleric, LN)

I found it interesting that the Macintosh names are almost the same as
the C-64 version, but not quite.

Filling up usenet with useless information for 30 years, that's me!

It is definitely useless but I found it interesting. I am attached to
these names after having used them for so long. Thanks for posting the >various versions.

I like to imagine that in twenty years some hapless gamer is going to
want to know this information and will stumble across this thread in
his search.

Hello, future person! I hope this list was helpful. I'm sorry I
couldn't complete the list with the names from the PC-88/-98 or Sharp
X1, but since the former are probably formatted in Kanji, and the
latter is extremely rare, I just couldn't find the info.

Honestly, just getting the names from the Amiga and Macintosh versions
was a big enough pain. There are pitifully few 'play online' emulators
that run in browsers for those two platforms that finding one that
hosts a specific game took a lot of searching. ;-)


--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On 9/17/2025 7:21 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

On Tue, 16 Sep 2025 14:51:23 -0400, Mike S. <Mike_S@nowhere.com>
wrote:

On Tue, 16 Sep 2025 14:22:19 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson
<spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

On Macintosh:
Arax the Bold (Male Human Fighter, NG)
Lara Spellsword (Female Elf, Fighter Magic User, CG)
Tanarakis (Male Half Elf, Cleric/Magic User, LG)
Hogarth (Make Dwarf, Fighter Thief, LN)
Shara the Grey (Female Elf, Fighter Magic User, LG)
Zarram (Male Human, Cleric, LN)

I found it interesting that the Macintosh names are almost the same as
the C-64 version, but not quite.

Filling up usenet with useless information for 30 years, that's me!

It is definitely useless but I found it interesting. I am attached to
these names after having used them for so long. Thanks for posting the
various versions.

I like to imagine that in twenty years some hapless gamer is going to
want to know this information and will stumble across this thread in
his search.

Hello, future person! I hope this list was helpful. I'm sorry I
couldn't complete the list with the names from the PC-88/-98 or Sharp
X1, but since the former are probably formatted in Kanji, and the
latter is extremely rare, I just couldn't find the info.

Honestly, just getting the names from the Amiga and Macintosh versions
was a big enough pain. There are pitifully few 'play online' emulators
that run in browsers for those two platforms that finding one that
hosts a specific game took a lot of searching. ;-)

Hello future person! Be assured that Spalls actually greatly loved the searching and the many side trips he made while searching.
--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote at 21:49 this Sunday (GMT):

Say, these Completely Random And Pointless polls are fun. Let's do
another one!

*

So, I've done polls before about character creation, like how much
time do you spend on customizing your appearance, or if you try to
make your avatar look like anyone in particular, or what class you
play. Following up on that theme, here's another question:

What do you typically NAME your character?

a) I don't care; whatever the game defaults to
is good enough for me

b) I use one of the generic names the game has in
its database (or I click "random", or whatever
requires least effort).

c) I just use my real-life name!

d) I use my internet handle or my Steam nickname
or whatever people know me as online

e) Something unique, but probably a bit silly or raunchy,
like 'Sir WiggleBottoms the Leaky'

f) Something unique, created specifically for that
character and fitting to the setting

g) I always use the same name for my video-game
characters, but it's not my real name or nick; it's
just something for games

h) The games I play don't let me name the character
(or don't have characters at all)

i) Don't be silly. Game characters name themselves
after ME!

j) I will not be bound by these silly options! I use
(fill in option here)

*

Myself, I _used_ to be option G. From the earliest days, my video-game persona was the same person, jumping from game-reality to
game-reality, always generally with the same name. It wasn't that I
really believed it was all the same person, it was just a bit of fun
fantasy (and convenience in not having to create new names all the
time). But after around 2000, that character got retired and with
later games, I used method F; each new character got its own unique,
but appropriate to the setting, name.

(Fare thee well, Persard. You took me through Bards Tale and Ultima
and Might and Magic and Diablo and System Shock. But nowadays I play
with a larger troupe.)

*

So, inquiring pollsters want to know: What Names Have You Been Playing With... in 2025 (and years before)

D, almost every game where I name a character I just put in "candy" and
call it a day...... if you only give one name :)

Games where you name multiple characters (like say pokemon) i try to
come up with the stupidest pun names i can think of for every one.
My personal highlight is naming every bulbasaur i come across
"Bloomiere" as a reference to Super Paper Mario.
--
user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

Mike S. <Mike_S@nowhere.com> looked up from reading the entrails of the
porn spammer to utter "The Augury is good, the signs say:

On Mon, 15 Sep 2025 09:01:34 -0400, Xocyll <Xocyll@gmx.com> wrote:

All depends on the game.

I agree, as your City of Heroes example reminded me of something.

If it's a single player game there are a few names I routinely use.

Same here.

They also get used in MMOs but in various of them you make so many >>characters that cannot possibly cover them all (hell City of Heroes
alone counts hundreds of characters, each of which gets a name that
suits their powersets or the costume idea I came up with.

City of Heroes may be the only game I ever played where I spent a long
time coming up with a completely unique name. I spent so much time
making his costume, I figured I should put some effort into naming him
rather then just use my default names I normally would use.

Sometime the costume begets the name, sometimes you think of a perfect
name and make the character specifically to use the name.

I have another STO character, KDF side, that I made specifically to use
the name K'Vetch (one of those rare examples of a real world word that
also lines up with Klingon naming tradition - it's all K'this and
G'that.)

Xocyll
--
I don't particularly want you to FOAD, myself. You'll be more of
a cautionary example if you'll FO And Get Chronically, Incurably,
Painfully, Progressively, Expensively, Debilitatingly Ill. So
FOAGCIPPEDI. -- Mike Andrews responding to an idiot in asr
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Wed, 17 Sep 2025 09:47:11 -0700, Dimensional Traveler
<dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

Hello future person! Be assured that Spalls actually greatly loved the >searching and the many side trips he made while searching.

Meh... I wouldn't say greatly loved... especially with the Amiga bit.
It wasn't just the endless search, but when I finally found what I was
looking for, I had to figure out/remember how to use an Amiga.

I had more slightly fun with the Macintosh port. InfintieMac.org was a
life saver. I mean, I still had to use a Mac, but just getting things
running wasn't half as annoying as with the Amiga.

But I liked writing the list of names. I'm a sucker for a good list.
It's right up there with making a complicated spreadsheet, for me. ;-)






--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On 9/18/2025 7:28 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

On Wed, 17 Sep 2025 09:47:11 -0700, Dimensional Traveler
<dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

Hello future person! Be assured that Spalls actually greatly loved the
searching and the many side trips he made while searching.

Meh... I wouldn't say greatly loved... especially with the Amiga bit.
It wasn't just the endless search, but when I finally found what I was looking for, I had to figure out/remember how to use an Amiga.

I had more slightly fun with the Macintosh port. InfintieMac.org was a
life saver. I mean, I still had to use a Mac, but just getting things
running wasn't half as annoying as with the Amiga.

But I liked writing the list of names. I'm a sucker for a good list.
It's right up there with making a complicated spreadsheet, for me. ;-)

I've made a few of those myself.
--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Thu, 18 Sep 2025 09:31:40 -0700, Dimensional Traveler
<dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

On 9/18/2025 7:28 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

But I liked writing the list of names. I'm a sucker for a good list.
It's right up there with making a complicated spreadsheet, for me. ;-)

I've made a few of those myself.

Remember: you only need to start worrying when you start making
spreadsheets to keep track of all the spreadsheets!






No, I'm not at the point yet... although, you know, that does sound
like a good idea... ;-)


--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On 9/19/2025 7:46 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

On Thu, 18 Sep 2025 09:31:40 -0700, Dimensional Traveler
<dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

On 9/18/2025 7:28 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

But I liked writing the list of names. I'm a sucker for a good list.
It's right up there with making a complicated spreadsheet, for me. ;-)

I've made a few of those myself.

Remember: you only need to start worrying when you start making
spreadsheets to keep track of all the spreadsheets!

No, I'm not at the point yet... although, you know, that does sound
like a good idea... ;-)

No no no. When you start approaching the "spreadsheet to track
spreadsheets" point you combine all of them into ONE spreadsheet.

"One Spreadsheet to rule them all, One Spreadsheet to find them, One Spreadsheet to bring them all and in the CPU bind them."
--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Fri, 19 Sep 2025 09:58:31 -0700, Dimensional Traveler
<dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

"One Spreadsheet to rule them all, One Spreadsheet to find them, One >Spreadsheet to bring them all and in the CPU bind them."

'In the land outside Spalls' open window, where the MicroSD cards lie"
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Fri, 19 Sep 2025 09:58:31 -0700, Dimensional Traveler
<dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

No no no. When you start approaching the "spreadsheet to track >spreadsheets" point you combine all of them into ONE spreadsheet.

No, I think that's usually the point the Dark Thoughts start to enter
your brain, and you begin thinking things like, "You know, Microsoft
Access might be _perfect_ for this project!" ;-)



(usually followed up by, "I should make a power point presentation to
explain this to the boss!" ;-)

The slide to the dark side is slow at first, but before you know it,
you're recommending Teams to everyone!


--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

Dimensional Traveler <dtravel@sonic.net> wrote at 16:58 this Friday (GMT):

On 9/19/2025 7:46 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

On Thu, 18 Sep 2025 09:31:40 -0700, Dimensional Traveler
<dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

On 9/18/2025 7:28 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

But I liked writing the list of names. I'm a sucker for a good list.
It's right up there with making a complicated spreadsheet, for me. ;-)

I've made a few of those myself.

Remember: you only need to start worrying when you start making
spreadsheets to keep track of all the spreadsheets!






No, I'm not at the point yet... although, you know, that does sound
like a good idea... ;-)

No no no. When you start approaching the "spreadsheet to track spreadsheets" point you combine all of them into ONE spreadsheet.

"One Spreadsheet to rule them all, One Spreadsheet to find them, One Spreadsheet to bring them all and in the CPU bind them."

At that point, just make a sqlite database.
--
user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Sat, 20 Sep 2025 10:12:41 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

On Fri, 19 Sep 2025 09:58:31 -0700, Dimensional Traveler
<dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

No no no. When you start approaching the "spreadsheet to track >>spreadsheets" point you combine all of them into ONE spreadsheet.

No, I think that's usually the point the Dark Thoughts start to enter
your brain, and you begin thinking things like, "You know, Microsoft
Access might be _perfect_ for this project!" ;-)

(Sigh.) Yep, I'd have my folks running on Linux by now, if
they didn't have their life in Access databases.

(usually followed up by, "I should make a power point presentation to
explain this to the boss!" ;-)

The slide to the dark side is slow at first, but before you know it,
you're recommending Teams to everyone!

That's okay -- I use Teams on Linux w/out problems. :)
--
-Scott System76 Thelio Mega v1.1 x86_64 NVIDIA RTX 3090Ti 24G
OS: Linux 6.16.8 D: Mint 22.2 DE: Xfce 4.18
NVIDIA: 580.82.09 Mem: 258G
"Help! I'm lost somewhere in the Generation Gap."
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Sat, 20 Sep 2025 20:50:05 -0000 (UTC), candycanearter07 wrote:

Dimensional Traveler <dtravel@sonic.net> wrote at 16:58 this Friday
(GMT):

On 9/19/2025 7:46 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

On Thu, 18 Sep 2025 09:31:40 -0700, Dimensional Traveler
<dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

On 9/18/2025 7:28 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

But I liked writing the list of names. I'm a sucker for a good list. >>>>> It's right up there with making a complicated spreadsheet, for me.
;-)

I've made a few of those myself.

Remember: you only need to start worrying when you start making
spreadsheets to keep track of all the spreadsheets!






No, I'm not at the point yet... although, you know, that does sound
like a good idea... ;-)

No no no. When you start approaching the "spreadsheet to track
spreadsheets" point you combine all of them into ONE spreadsheet.

"One Spreadsheet to rule them all, One Spreadsheet to find them, One
Spreadsheet to bring them all and in the CPU bind them."

At that point, just make a sqlite database.

@Spalls: Can you SQL?
--
-Scott System76 Thelio Mega v1.1 x86_64 NVIDIA RTX 3090Ti 24G
OS: Linux 6.16.8 D: Mint 22.2 DE: Xfce 4.18
NVIDIA: 580.82.09 Mem: 258G
"Don't play stupid with me! I'm better at it."
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

What do you typically NAME your character?

I tend to alternate between playing male and female characters when the
game gives a choice and I usually name them Ross or Jane accordingly.
If I'm naming a party of characters they tend to have boring names like
Jane or Bob. I the only time I spend any effort coming up with character
names is for alts in MMORPGs. In that case I'm trying come up with a name that's appropriate for the game's setting while being unique enough to
not have already been taken.

For Japanese RPGs that give you the option of renaming your character
despite the fact character's behavior and personality being rigidly
defined by the the story, I just leave it at the default. I made the
mistake of naming the main character in Final Fantasy VII and spent the
entire game thinking "I would never do that!"
--
l/ // Ross Ridge -- The Great HTMU
[oo][oo] rridge@csclub.uwaterloo.ca
-()-/()/ http://www.csclub.uwaterloo.ca:11068/
db //
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

vallor <vallor@cultnix.org> wrote:

On Sat, 20 Sep 2025 10:12:41 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

On Fri, 19 Sep 2025 09:58:31 -0700, Dimensional Traveler <dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

No no no. When you start approaching the "spreadsheet to track >>spreadsheets" point you combine all of them into ONE spreadsheet.

No, I think that's usually the point the Dark Thoughts start to enter
your brain, and you begin thinking things like, "You know, Microsoft
Access might be _perfect_ for this project!" ;-)

(Sigh.) Yep, I'd have my folks running on Linux by now, if
they didn't have their life in Access databases.

Run Windows & Access DBs in a VM in Linux host?
--
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." --Romans 12:1-2. Hobbit day after slammy Sun.
Note: A fixed width font (Courier, Monospace, etc.) is required to see this signature correctly.
/\___/\ Ant(Dude) @ http://aqfl.net & http://antfarm.home.dhs.org.
/ /\ /\ \ Please nuke ANT if replying by e-mail.
| |o o| |
\ _ /
( )
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

vallor <vallor@cultnix.org> wrote at 04:57 this Sunday (GMT):

On Sat, 20 Sep 2025 10:12:41 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

On Fri, 19 Sep 2025 09:58:31 -0700, Dimensional Traveler
<dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

No no no. When you start approaching the "spreadsheet to track >>>spreadsheets" point you combine all of them into ONE spreadsheet.

No, I think that's usually the point the Dark Thoughts start to enter
your brain, and you begin thinking things like, "You know, Microsoft
Access might be _perfect_ for this project!" ;-)

(Sigh.) Yep, I'd have my folks running on Linux by now, if
they didn't have their life in Access databases.

(usually followed up by, "I should make a power point presentation to
explain this to the boss!" ;-)

The slide to the dark side is slow at first, but before you know it,
you're recommending Teams to everyone!

That's okay -- I use Teams on Linux w/out problems. :)

Dear god!!
--
user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2