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Author Topic: How are dwarf names generated?  (Read 852 times)

Callista

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How are dwarf names generated?
« on: September 22, 2012, 04:40:35 pm »

I've been trying to figure out how the game names dwarves.

I see the language_DWARF.txt file in the raws. The names evidently come from that. There's also a "symbol" file which categorizes the words' English translations somehow, and in the entity_default file, there's some kind of reference to this symbol file. That's all I know. I can't quite put it together though. So which words are eligible for names, and how does the game pick them?
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GreatWyrmGold

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Re: How are dwarf names generated?
« Reply #1 on: September 22, 2012, 05:49:06 pm »

The game picks a random word for the first name and mashes two civ-appropriate words together for the last. That's how I understand it.
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Callista

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Re: How are dwarf names generated?
« Reply #2 on: September 22, 2012, 07:25:13 pm »

So any word out of the dictionary, or from a specific symbol group?
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GreatWyrmGold

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Re: How are dwarf names generated?
« Reply #3 on: September 22, 2012, 08:16:56 pm »

I think first names are random and last names vary by civ...Quiestus?
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Callista

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Re: How are dwarf names generated?
« Reply #4 on: September 22, 2012, 10:08:01 pm »

I think first names are random and last names vary by civ...Quiestus?
Well, I just thought that since there were so few possible first names in comparison to the words available, dwarves might limit their first names to some sub-group of the language. For example, my current fort, with seventy dwarves, has two or three of at least half the names there (but only one "Urist").

And it seems unlikely that dwarves would name their children the dwarven equivalent of "Glitter" or "Butterfly".
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Trif

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Re: How are dwarf names generated?
« Reply #5 on: September 23, 2012, 06:46:30 am »

"Glitter" and "Butterfly" don't show up because they are part of culled symbols. You can find them in entity_default.txt , dwarfs cull everything related to domestic, subordinate, evil, flowery, negative, ugly and negator.

Still, there has to be more limitation. No dwarf will be named "Father" or "Soul", even though they are part of permitted symbols.
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GreatWyrmGold

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Re: How are dwarf names generated?
« Reply #6 on: September 23, 2012, 06:52:02 am »

Quiestus, Quiestus, Quiestus...
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Haspen

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Re: How are dwarf names generated?
« Reply #7 on: September 23, 2012, 06:58:06 am »

The names are generated using this conditions, AFAIK:

1. One part must be from 'preffered' civ symbol list (for example 'earth' for dwarves)
2. The other part might be then from 'preferred' list, or from any other list that's not 'culled'.

Just take note that if something shares both culled and no-pref list, the game won't pick it.
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Callista

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Re: How are dwarf names generated?
« Reply #8 on: September 23, 2012, 02:26:46 pm »

Quiestus, Quiestus, Quiestus...
I am officially confused.

BTW--yes, I'm trying to mod how the game picks dwarven names, if you're wondering. I want a larger variety of first names.
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Haspen

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Re: How are dwarf names generated?
« Reply #9 on: September 23, 2012, 02:30:31 pm »

First names are always from the 'preferred' lists.

Just add [SELECT_SYMBOL:REMAINING:SOMETHING] in proper place at entity_default, where SOMETHING is one of the [SYMBOL:SOMETHING] from language_SYM file.

Then, the game will use proper word from the lists and use the dwarven equivalent of those in naming the dwarves. Voila - more names for dwarves :)
« Last Edit: September 23, 2012, 02:32:21 pm by Haspen »
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GreatWyrmGold

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Re: How are dwarf names generated?
« Reply #10 on: September 23, 2012, 02:33:13 pm »

Quiestus, Quiestus, Quiestus...
I am officially confused.

BTW--yes, I'm trying to mod how the game picks dwarven names, if you're wondering. I want a larger variety of first names.
Quiestus knows  a lot about the game. I was seeing if saying his name three times would summon him like Hastur.
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Haspen

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Re: How are dwarf names generated?
« Reply #11 on: September 23, 2012, 02:34:26 pm »

Spelling his name correctly would help, I think :P
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Callista

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Re: How are dwarf names generated?
« Reply #12 on: September 23, 2012, 02:35:33 pm »

First names are always from the 'preferred' lists.

Just add [SELECT_SYMBOL:REMAINING:SOMETHING] in proper place at entity_default, where SOMETHING is one of the [SYMBOL:SOMETHING] from language_SYM file.

Then, the game will use proper word from the lists and use the dwarven equivalent of those in naming the dwarves. Voila - more names for dwarves :)
Hmm, pretty cool... I'm going to go play around with that now.
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GreatWyrmGold

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Re: How are dwarf names generated?
« Reply #13 on: September 23, 2012, 02:35:59 pm »

Spelling his name correctly would help, I think :P
Alright, let's see you summon him!
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