68 replies to this topic

[Sarcastic Tasha]

Kasumi calls Shepard Shep, I thought that was pretty cute. Wasn't a fan of Vega calling Shepard Lola though so she nipped that in the bud straight away.

 

It is a little strange that even LIs don't call Shepard by her first name but I dunno I quite liked it. I found it particularly amusing in ME1 after the romance scene if Shepard picks one response Liara exclaims "Commander!"

 

With Shepard being in the military it makes sense that people would call her by her last name. I know that Shep frequently calls Kaidan and Ashley by their first names but she's their commanding officer so its different. Granted this wouldn't apply to civilians who realistically could call Shepard by her first name.

 

I figure Shepard is just one of those people who always goes by her last name, we all know people like that. There are some people who I've been friends with who I always referred to by their last name, some of whom I don't even know their first name.

 

If it really bugs you though why not role play a reason that Shepard (or whoever the protagonist is) doesn't use her first name. For example Lila Shepard doesn't like being called by her first name, Lila was a frightened girl who was helpless when slavers attacked her home and killed her family whereas Shepard is a strong alliance soldier. Hearing her first name makes her feel weak and brings back too many painful memories.

[HTTP 404]

I am all for bioware giving the main character a first and last name for the sake of immersion with voice over work.  I could easily RP that as believing that my main character didn't name himself when he was born like a normal person.

[President of Boom]

I would prefer a default first name--hopefully something more inventive than John/Jane (no offense to Johns and Janes out there)-- but I'm not a fan of the idea of getting additional perks for using the default character(s). For the maximum time and labor savings, they can make it a unisex name so that the alternate dialogue (at least in English) only has to be recorded when personal pronouns come into play. It felt incredibly unnatural when my in-game friends like Garrus and Tali would refer to  me by my last name. I like the fact that the weirdness of the "last name only" situation has at least been acknowledged, winked, and nudged at by the developers in our drunken conversation with Chakwas.

[x Raizer x]

Well, Commander Shepard was named after the first Astronaut.  Its likely the new protagonist will have a name based off a similar space hero.  Maybe Armstrong?

[SwobyJ]

Well, Commander Shepard was named after the first Astronaut.  Its likely the new protagonist will have a name based off a similar space hero.  Maybe Armstrong?

 

[Undead Han]

Well, Commander Shepard was named after the first Astronaut.  Its likely the new protagonist will have a name based off a similar space hero.  Maybe Armstrong?

 

Considering Armstrong just passed away recently, I hope so. It would be a cool tribute both to him and to space exploration in general. Also, Armstrong is a nice ring to it.  

[HTTP 404]

Considering Armstrong just passed away recently, I hope so. It would be a cool tribute both to him and to space exploration in general. Also, Armstrong is a nice ring to it.  

 

how about Aldrin?  He is now an honorary member of the guardians of the galaxy

[Beerfish]

Simply too difficult to do the way convo editors are set up and with voiced characters through the game.  In the old days such as NWN since it was all text for modules you could use tokens to say a persons name but it's not feasible these days.

[Ahriman]

Bioware pushes mandatory companions, adds autodialogs and autorelationships, merges endings into one, but if they take away name which is never mentioned through entire trilogy, people gonna complain because it limits their roleplay. 

Just make name it nation-neutral and the hell with it.

[MegaIllusiveMan]

It will be Bob.

 

Or Otto.

 

You know that Bob spelled backwards is Bob too?

 

The same for Otto, but it forms Otto instead of Bob.

[x Raizer x]

It would be an amazing tribute to Armstrong.

[Malanek]

Well, Commander Shepard was named after the first Astronaut.  Its likely the new protagonist will have a name based off a similar space hero.  Maybe Armstrong?

He was the first American in space (astronaut), not the first person. That honour goes to Yuri Gagarin

[Terca]

Well if they continue with allowing people to select first names... They could do what Persona games have done. Have informal ways of referring to the MC so that things don't seem too stiff while still avoiding the name of the character. I found it worked well in P4.

[Allison_Lightning]

Any game can dodge using a first name with enough skill. I don't think it's a good idea to railroad people because someone wants to be referred to as John/Jane. People like choosing their own name and I think the whole Shepard and so on plays a nice compromise on a title and letting people have their names. Names help a lot of gamers with their immersion and just because you don't want it does not entitle you to want it taken away from those who do. 

 

The last name should be as neutral as they can make it.

[KaiserShep]

Well, Commander Shepard was named after the first Astronaut.  Its likely the new protagonist will have a name based off a similar space hero.  Maybe Armstrong?

 

I dunno. Armstrong just doesn't have that right ring to it when used in a regular conversation. Shepard works, as does Hawke, but there's something about the name Armstrong that seems like it can get awkward fast in casual dialogue between the PC and another character, particularly if the character is a companion.

 

LI: You'll always have me by your side, Armstrong. What's bothering you?

 

PC: I don't know. There's just something wrong with the way people call out my name. It just doesn't sound right.

[JoltDealer]

I would prefer that we get to input whatever we choose as our first name, but have a list of nicknames that we can choose from.  Leave the last name as is.  So if it were Shepard, I'd be called Jonathan Shepard, but other characters would refer to me as Shepard or a chosen nickname like "Jon" or such.

[Catastrophy]

He was the first American in space (astronaut), not the first person. That honour goes to Yuri Gagarin

Laika Shepard?

[MegaIllusiveMan]

Laika Shepard?

 

Person!

[Geoff Pinkerton]

I like to customise the character so I would hate to be forced into having a default name.

 

I think ME achieved a good compromise by using a set surname for NPCs to use but allowing the player character to choose a first name.

 

That all the NPCs refer to the player character as Shepard or Commander has never bothered me at all even though I always think of her on first name terms.

I refer to some of my closest friends in the same way (by surname that is not rank) and my friends fiancé uses his surname as much as his first name so even a love interest addressing Shepard in this way isn't odd to me.

  

As I said it's a compromise between customisation and what is technically feasible.

      

I think the suggestion that default John or Jane should get name checked is fine though.

 

It's a shame  Shepard's first name didn't actually appear in game written down in e-mails and on the memorial wall at the end. Cant think why that couldn't have been done. 

[Seishoujyo]

Person!

 

And if the main character of ME4 is a dog ? Huh ? Why not, that would be original !!!

[Saberchic]

It never bothered me that everyone always called me Shepard. I think trying to get a first name in would be too difficult and not worth the amount of work it would take to make it a reality. Also, I'm not fond of having a mandated first name, and the thought of having default names used seems pretty pointless.

 

A huge part of the reason I love Bioware games is that they allow me to role play my character. If you have a set name, it's basically like a set protagonist, such as Geralt from the Witcher or Desmond and Ezio from the AC series. And while I do enjoy those games, I don't really get to role play in those games. Its more like the players are just along for the ride.

[Catastrophy]

Person!

Boo, dogs have feelings, too. Alan Shepard, then.

[Ahriman]

I like to customise the character so I would hate to be forced into having a default name.

Jeez, but if you never see the name you selected, you are customizing nothing. It's imagination, like you can imagine Shepard's native language and be okay with that because noone ever mentions it. Selection of Shepard's first name just gives you a space for fantasy.

A huge part of the reason I love Bioware games is that they allow me to role play my character. If you have a set name, it's basically like a set protagonist, such as Geralt from the Witcher or Desmond and Ezio from the AC series. And while I do enjoy those games, I don't really get to role play in those games. Its more like the players are just along for the ride.

It's hard to roleplay in these games because Geralt has a set personality as well, even if you have a choice it's done with Geralt's 'style' and second, well, is Assasins Creed. Planescape had a set protagonist. Still an RPG, I suppose.

[Drone223]

Although naming the MC is a nice feature, I'd be okay with a predefined name instead since it can be kind of awkward to use someone's last name in a romantic relationship. The name would have to be a unisex to help save time and resources as having two separate names (one for each gender) would be difficult to manage.

[von uber]

He was the first American in space (astronaut), not the first person. That honour goes to Yuri Gagarin

Pff, take your 'facts' elsewhere!

Having a name reflecting the two largest countries (China/India) would be a nice change.