Items with TOO generic names

[ticonderoga]

Item names that just describe what an item does are efficient but they strip away potential personality. They turn the game into a list of mechanics whereas the items can be a form of identity. When everything is literal, there’s no curiosity, no interpretation, and nothing that sticks in your mind. A bit of abstraction gives items character and makes them feel like part of the game’s atmosphere rather than just labeled functions. This also affects how players connect with the game over time. When items have no identity beyond their function, they become interchangeable and forgettable. Below are some examples of items that I think have some boring names and ideas that they could be replaced with.

Long Range -> Farshot
Extra Health -> Body Padding?
Extra Regen -> Mending
Extra Stamina -> Light foot
Bullet Lifesteal -> Iron Leech? Iron Reap? Reaping Iron? leech conflicts with the item Leech
Healing Booster -> Vitality?
Spirit Lifesteal -> Essence Siphon? Reaping Essence?
Extra Spirit -> Spiritual Gain
Improved Spirit -> Spiritual Flow, would also be cool if this built into spiritual OVERflow
Boundless Spirit -> Spiritual Amplification?
Knockdown -> Burden? or Iron Burden? knockdown communicates it well but it is semi boring IMO

These are the ones that bug me that I cannot figure cool names out for.

Compress Cooldown ->
Superior Cooldown ->
Transcendent Cooldown ->
Duration Extender ->
Superior Duration ->
Melee Lifesteal ->
Spirit Shielding ->
Weapon Shielding ->

Thank you for coming to my spitball tedtalk and have a great day.

 

[bloodfrost27]

one of the great accessibilty points of this game over other mobas is the simple and understandable naming and icons of items. Id just prefer the game stay that way

 

[DJC00]

Yeah, I agree with bloodfrost27.

That said, I do think Farshot is a pretty cool alternative name for Long Range.

I also think that Burden, as opposed to being an alternative name for Knockdown, is a pretty decent name for Slowing Hex. But its name is already fine tbh, and has more than enough flavor to it already.

 

[Ruggit]

I'm in favor of keeping names as understandable and straightforward as possible. I understand the backstabber --> stalker change as it no longer involved hitting the back, although I still think I enjoy backstabber a *tiny* bit more. One of the names I do think needs to change, is dispel magic. It's name was rightfully changed as it needed to be distanced from 'debuff reducer' as it no longer builds into it, nor does it give debuff resist however 'debuff remover' is a much, much better name than dispel magic imo.

 

[DJC00]

I'm in favor of keeping names as understandable and straightforward as possible. I understand the backstabber --> stalker change as it no longer involved hitting the back, although I still think I enjoy backstabber a *tiny* bit more. One of the names I do think needs to change, is dispel magic. It's name was rightfully changed as it needed to be distanced from 'debuff reducer' as it no longer builds into it, nor does it give debuff resist however 'debuff remover' is a much, much better name than dispel magic imo.

Honestly, I think Dispel is a better name than Dispel Magic. I feel like there shouldn't be anything wrong with Dispel Magic as a name, it just makes sense, but... Something about it just rubs me the wrong way. Dispel overall just sounds better.

 

[Playeroth]

i dont think items needs confusing names. Personality are in the artstyle.

 

[adeptusforgeceo]

Honestly, I think Dispel is a better name than Dispel Magic. I feel like there shouldn't be anything wrong with Dispel Magic as a name, it just makes sense, but... Something about it just rubs me the wrong way. Dispel overall just sounds better.

Its called Dispel Magic as a reference to Dungeons & Dragons. There are some other references in other places if you look a bit. Biggest example being Counterspell.

 

[MilkJugA]

Definitely agree with you they are a bit boring. I might be wrong, do believe that the items aren't really items, but more like purchasable magical boons. When you buy arcane surge, you aren't really buying an unicorn, right? So it makes sense to a degree that the names are a bit boring and overly descriptive. That being said, I think many of them should change a bit, since they are a bit too boring.

I think a big improvement could be lore within the item description to each item, similar to how it is in Dota. I will write my ideas for some of them. I think its a good idea to tie the themes to some sort of consumer culture, as these can be found in seemingly easily accessible shops, and are tied to companies like Fairfax Industries

My ideas:
Toxic Bullets - Serpent Kisses | Instead of biting innocents themselves, the great serpent of a mysterious Pacific island now injects its poison into others by selling it to warzones and conflict areas.
Compress cooldown - Tim's Timepiece | A product designed and marketed for the upper class market, to get their daily tasks done faster.
Extra Spirit - Pixie Gift | Marketed as a gift of a goodhearted pixie that is happy to share its magical powers. A popular christmas gift.
Improved Spirit - Seraphim Gift | (similar to pixie gift)
Boundless Spirit - Esoteric Gift | The purchase of this product requires you sign a contract not to speculate on the origins of its spirit.
Titanic Magazine - Titanic Magazine | A portal that appears within the user's magazine that is directly connected to Fairfax Industries' ammunition warehouses.
Stamina Mastery - Infinite Energy
Slowing Bullets - Sticky Shots | Shots are imbued with a layer of tar. Popular with police officers and bounty hunters alike.
Reactive Barrier - Suckerpunch Shield | This invention has its origins in the British army trying to find solutions for shellshock and nausea from smoke and gas.
Return Fire - Charm of Retribution | There is a growing consensus between historians of the occult that Alexander the Great really died after poisoning adversaries who all wore Charms of Retribution.
Rebuttal - Rebuttal | 30 boxers annually are disqualified from boxing competitions for bringing this item into the ring.
Debuff Reducer - Esocillin (esoteric + penicillin) | A highly premium option for the highly wealthy patients to cure their sickness and heal their broken bones faster.
Knockdown - Pocket Anvil | Famous animator and cartoonist Michelle Brown loved the gag of characters pulling giant anvils out of their small pockets, she funded it into reality.

 

[DJC00]

Definitely agree with you they are a bit boring. I might be wrong, do believe that the items aren't really items, but more like purchasable magical boons. When you buy arcane surge, you aren't really buying an unicorn, right? So it makes sense to a degree that the names are a bit boring and overly descriptive. That being said, I think many of them should change a bit, since they are a bit too boring.

I think a big improvement could be lore within the item description to each item, similar to how it is in Dota. I will write my ideas for some of them. I think its a good idea to tie the themes to some sort of consumer culture, as these can be found in seemingly easily accessible shops, and are tied to companies like Fairfax Industries

My ideas:
Toxic Bullets - Serpent Kisses | Instead of biting innocents themselves, the great serpent of a mysterious Pacific island now injects its poison into others by selling it to warzones and conflict areas.
Compress cooldown - Tim's Timepiece | A product designed and marketed for the upper class market, to get their daily tasks done faster.
Extra Spirit - Pixie Gift | Marketed as a gift of a goodhearted pixie that is happy to share its magical powers. A popular christmas gift.
Improved Spirit - Seraphim Gift | (similar to pixie gift)
Boundless Spirit - Esoteric Gift | The purchase of this product requires you sign a contract not to speculate on the origins of its spirit.
Titanic Magazine - Titanic Magazine | A portal that appears within the user's magazine that is directly connected to Fairfax Industries' ammunition warehouses.
Stamina Mastery - Infinite Energy
Slowing Bullets - Sticky Shots | Shots are imbued with a layer of tar. Popular with police officers and bounty hunters alike.
Reactive Barrier - Suckerpunch Shield | This invention has its origins in the British army trying to find solutions for shellshock and nausea from smoke and gas.
Return Fire - Charm of Retribution | There is a growing consensus between historians of the occult that Alexander the Great really died after poisoning adversaries who all wore Charms of Retribution.
Rebuttal - Rebuttal | 30 boxers annually are disqualified from boxing competitions for bringing this item into the ring.
Debuff Reducer - Esocillin (esoteric + penicillin) | A highly premium option for the highly wealthy patients to cure their sickness and heal their broken bones faster.
Knockdown - Pocket Anvil | Famous animator and cartoonist Michelle Brown loved the gag of characters pulling giant anvils out of their small pockets, she funded it into reality.

I do like the fluff text idea. Maybe it could be something that pops up at the bottom of the stats box if you hover over an item for 5-ish seconds, so they can make them as long as they like without it getting in the way of normal gameplay.