When reality beats fantasy Options

[Jens of Zanicuud]

While working at my project, I tried googling some of the weirdest names I put into that game... and I was shocked almost half of them really match some living person. Same thing with the corporation name, Spectra Labs. This company exists and is located in America.

So I wondered... it's better changing every name which matches an existing being/society/place or keep on that way and simply put a black screen at the beginning, with these words written:
"The facts and events in this game are pure fiction and aren't supposed to match any living or dead person, company, brand or place.
Any reference to reality is purely coincidental."

What do you think about that?
Have you ever find yourself in a situation like this? If so, how do you decided to solve that?

I never thought such a thing could happen, but...

Jens

This post has been edited by Jens of Zanicuud: Feb 14 2012, 07:43 AM

[Kaust]

I don't think you have anything to worry about if its not a commercial game. Would anyone from Spectra Labs care if they ever found out?

I wouldn't change such details now anyways. If its something you've been working on a while you'll spend hours simply changing names besides thinking up new ones.
Despite the whole 'whats in a name?' thing, no doubt you named the characters, places, etc. these things because they initially resonated.

[Jens of Zanicuud]

Uhm... you could be right...
Well, BTW, I found this rather... annoying.
And yes, I chose the names by their sound, mostly.

Jens

[bulmabriefs144]

While working at my project, I tried googling some of the weirdest names I put into that game... and I was shocked almost half of them really match some living person. Same thing with the corporation name, Spectra Labs. This company exists and is located in America.

So I wondered... it's better changing every name which matches an existing being/society/place or keep on that way and simply put a black screen at the beginning, with these words written:
"The facts and events in this game are pure fiction and aren't supposed to match any living or dead person, company, brand or place.
Any reference to reality is purely coincidental."

If you put this, knowing of an example, well then you'd be lying. "Based on/inspired by a true story" is better. Unless you're going for a realistic genre rpg (detective, western, historical) it's best not to try to add realistic themes in there.

(Although I should talk, I added What to Expect When You're Expecting to the shelf of some far futuristic hospital, since I figured it would be the one book that would keep getting reprinted when even the Bible was forgotten)

[Jens of Zanicuud]

But in my case that was truly purely coincidental.
I found out this coincidence today, while working at this project for two months...

Jens

[Sparrowsmith]

You would be correct in doing what you did at the top there, though it is mostly unnecessary.
It's kind of a given that it's a work of fiction.

Hell, south park (the TV show) has a disclaimer at the beginning, but they quite clearly ARE making fun of real life situations/people and have been called on it. Disclaimers are more of a formality, that's why horror films constantly get away with saying things are inspired by true events.
It's just part of the show really.

[Myst]

Hey Jens, I know how you feel to a certain degree because I'm incredibly picky when it comes to names. I used to do constant google searches as well for character / game names to make sure it wasn't after anything stupid

I don't think you should worry about it though. If for whatever reason you do make a commercial game, a simple legal disclaimer like the one you have above is perfect. I've noticed that I've been doing more google searching then game making >_>

Hope I somehow helped,
Myst

[Jens of Zanicuud]

You would be correct in doing what you did at the top there, though it is mostly unnecessary.
It's kind of a given that it's a work of fiction.

I don't think you should worry about it though. If for whatever reason you do make a commercial game, a simple legal disclaimer like the one you have above is perfect.

Which is the very first thing I did
Just check my project main page, below the first picture...

Ok, thanks everyone, you helped a lot.
I was too much worried about this...

*phew*


Jens

This post has been edited by Jens of Zanicuud: Feb 14 2012, 11:26 AM

[Green Biker Dude...]

If I recall correctly, the disclaimer about names and stuff is usually in the ending credits, not the introductory credits or before the game even starts.

Just...for your information.

[Jens of Zanicuud]

If you ever played 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors this is the first thing you find while starting a new game...

I don't know if there's a precise regulation about it...

Thanks anyway

Jens

This post has been edited by Jens of Zanicuud: Feb 15 2012, 04:25 AM

[Myst]

Law & Order also has the same disclaimer before and after the show.

[heisenman]

First thing that came to my mind when I read Spectra is James Bond.
I think avoiding similar names of famous fictional works is more important than avoiding identical names of real but obscure entities.

[3rr3]

In my opinion if you wanna to give a name to a charatcer of something else use only a disclaimer... You're safe in this way the only thing that could be a problem is that if THAT person/enterprise/or-something-else with that name see his/her/its name and get mad even if there is the disclaimer... Well... I dunno how you can solve this...

[Jens of Zanicuud]

First thing that came to my mind when I read Spectra is James Bond.
I think avoiding similar names of famous fictional works is more important than avoiding identical names of real but obscure entities.

Wh... What? James Bond? Why?
I haven't heard from Spectra name before, I haven't seen barely any 007 films.
I've chosen Spectra name from physics.

A signal power spectrum is the result of Fourier analisys, and Spectra is the plural form for Spectrum.
That's where it comes from!
Neither James Bond nor other similar things...

Men, this is madness...
Now even Ian Fleming is working against me

Jens

This post has been edited by Jens of Zanicuud: Feb 26 2012, 06:28 AM

[LostSamurai]

Unfortunately, just about every word and name has been used somewhere, by someone (Are you a musician? Try coming up with a band name nobody's used before X_x) Therefore, it's most likely that any name you use would have been used before SOMEWHERE. Since this is an RPG community, what you should worry about most is not using names that are common to RPGs. Naming things after Final Fantasy, Earthbound, Pokemon, etc. would be very obvious. A name that could be found in some obscure place that many people might not even notice, whether it is coincidental or not, is forgivable.

This post has been edited by LostSamurai: Feb 26 2012, 12:59 PM

[Knot]

James Bond actually uses "Spectre" to describe the super bad organization that causes all the trouble (they didn't want to villainize actual countries). That's Spectre (with an 'e') as in the real word meaning ghost, so I think you're in the clear on that one. =P

[Jens of Zanicuud]

Unfortunately, just about every word and name has been used somewhere, by someone (Are you a musician? Try coming up with a band name nobody's used before X_x)

Try "Broken Doors" Is the group I play the keyboard into. I'm almost sure you won't find another group with that name
Anyway, you're right...

Thanks again everyone... and thanks Knot to have saved my game from name-shift:)

Jens

[Adrien.]

When it comes to names I tend to just throw letters together:

Male Mage: Vexious
Female Bartender: Entia

Town: Vale of Keltihious
City: Gathixity

[LostSamurai]

When it comes to names I tend to just throw letters together:

I do the same thing, But then I end up forming them to more normal sounding names eventually because some of my names were like impossible to sound out. But then some of them turned out to be used already. Like Tireon. I came up with that name randomly, but it turns out it's been used in Game of Thrones. (Tyrion- different spelling, same pronunciation) I've seen the name Vexious or a similar variation before as well, though I cannot place where. It's extremely difficult to come up with something nobody else has ever thought of before, because there's only 26 letters in the english alphabet, and only so many of the pronounce well.

Try "Broken Doors" smile.gif Is the group I play the keyboard into. I'm almost sure you won't find another group with that name smile.gif

I found several hits googling "Broken Doors". http://www.facebook.com/pages/Broken-Door/6329067667, http://www.myspace.com/thebrokendoor, or http://www.broken-doors.de/index.php?view=frontpage. There's also an independent short film called Broken Doors.

Are any of the above you? I'd love to listen to your music

This post has been edited by LostSamurai: Feb 28 2012, 04:49 PM

[Jens of Zanicuud]

Try "Broken Doors" smile.gif Is the group I play the keyboard into. I'm almost sure you won't find another group with that name smile.gif

I found several hits googling "Broken Doors". http://www.facebook.com/pages/Broken-Door/6329067667, http://www.myspace.com/thebrokendoor, or http://www.broken-doors.de/index.php?view=frontpage. There's also an independent short film called Broken Doors.

Are any of the above you? I'd love to listen to your music

None of them, sorry.
I've PM you the band site, but we have no up-to-date videos (maybe one alone, in which we play "I don't wanna miss a thing").
Pop-rock, you know... however I'm a great fan of symphonic metal:)

@Adrien.
Ok, then, but I prefer creating that names consciously, without mixing letters.
Each name is tied to my characters appearance and feelings.

Jens