Unfortunately, we need another round of unit renames. Ideally this would be the last time so there may be a lot of them. In short, it looks bad that we have not put in the basic level of creative effort required to change the names since OTA. People may think that a game that doesn't put in this effort is a copy in many other, more important, ways. Quantum convinced me that this effect should be taken seriously. The cost is 'only' confusion, required wiki updates and some vocal annoyed players. In my experience, renames take, on average, a few months to take hold. A sufficiently good name is taken up near instantly (eg. Dagger) and poor names can take years to fully apply. Ideally we'll be able to make good renames with feedback. However, the only two options are good renames and bad renames.
These are the OTA names:
These are third party units, just for completeness, they don't need changing:
Here are the proposed changes:
Most of the ??? are easy to fill in with something generic so I've left them blank for now. I'm fairly happy with some of the renames. Others need a bit of work, for example we're leaning a bit heavily on the Greek gods. Alongside the required changes we can also make some changes to enhance their suitability.
Animal themed Tanks:
Here are some opportunistic renames that I'm in favour of:
============ Current candidate ============
============ Old suggestion list ============
Suggestions are somewhat sorted with more popular suggestions towards the front of the list. Suggestions in bold seem to be either generally agreed upon or I think they are really good.
Core:
Extras:
Consider whether renaming is a requirement: Chainsaw, Screamer, Banshee, Black Dawn, Tremor, Banisher, Crabe, Krow.
These are the OTA names:
- Roach
- Rocko, Warrior, Zeus, Hammer, Eraser
- Slasher, Leveler
- Hawk, Phoenix, Vulture
- Brawler, Rapier, Valkyrie
- Penetrator
- Flea, Infiltrator
- Pyro, Sumo
- Panther, Reaper, Goliath, Copperhead
- Defender, Annihilator, Doomsday Machine
- Cobra
- Protector, Big Bertha, Silencer
These are third party units, just for completeness, they don't need changing:
- Tick
- Wolverine
- Banshee, Blackdawn, Krow, Vindicator
- Venom, Recluse, Crabe
- Archangel
- Banisher, Tremor
- Catapult, Bantha
- Chainsaw, Screamer
Here are the proposed changes:
- Roach -> Rat
-
Rocko -> Imp (Hoko (or Moko) if we need to bribe
hokomoko for something) - Warrior -> Ares
- Hammer -> Apollo
- Eraser -> Witch (or Dolos?)
- Slasher -> ???
- Leveler -> ???
- Hawk -> Falcon
- Vulture -> ??? (maybe keep)
- Brawler -> ???
- Rapier -> Revenant
- Valkyrie -> Swallow
- Penetrator -> Lance
- Infiltrator -> Widow
- Panther -> Basilisk
- Reaper -> Rhino
- Golliath -> Komodo
- Copperhead -> Taipan
- Defender -> Hammer
- Annihilator -> ???
- Doomsday Machine -> ???
- Cobra -> Python
- Protector -> ???
- Silencer -> ???
Most of the ??? are easy to fill in with something generic so I've left them blank for now. I'm fairly happy with some of the renames. Others need a bit of work, for example we're leaning a bit heavily on the Greek gods. Alongside the required changes we can also make some changes to enhance their suitability.
Animal themed Tanks:
- Kodachi -> Salamander
- Banisher -> Leopard
- Pillager -> Tiger
- Tremor -> Elefant
Here are some opportunistic renames that I'm in favour of:
- Dominatrix -> Dominator (-o(e)r theme)
- Blastwing -> Moth (fits with Gnat, Moths and flames etc...)
- Vindicator -> Albatross (fits with Swallow)
============ Current candidate ============
- Rocko -> Ronin
- Warior -> Brute
- Zeus -> Jolt
- Hammer -> Sling
- Spectre -> Phantom
- Tick -> Imp
- Roach -> Snitch
- Light Vehicle Factory -> Rover Assembly
- Slasher -> Fencer
- Leveler -> Ripper
- Wolverine -> Badger
- Penetrator -> Lance
- Blastwing -> Ember
- Banshee -> Locust
- Rapier -> Harpy
- Blackdawn -> Revenant
- Brawler -> Gargoyle
- Krow -> Nimbus
- Valkyrie -> Charon
- Vindicator -> Argos
- Hawk -> Raptor
- Wyvern -> Likho
- Vulture -> Owl
- Crabe -> Crab
- Jump/Specialist Plant -> Jump Bot Factory
- Archangel -> Bullfrog
- Heavy Tank Factory -> Tank Foundry
- Panther -> Blitz
- Banisher -> Orge
- Reaper -> Beast
- Pillager -> Emissary
- Copperhead -> Sledge
- Goliath -> Cyclops
- Amphibious Bot Plant -> Amphibious Base
- Ronin -> Envoy
- Catapult -> Merlin
- Bantha -> Paladin
- Defender -> Picket
- Cobra -> Mattock
- Screamer -> Artemis
- DDM -> Desolator
- Annihilator -> Sanctuary
- Behemoth -> Tyrant
- Air Repair/Rearm Pad -> Airpad
- Sneaky Pete -> Shroud
- Protector -> Antithesis
- Silencer --> Trinity
- Owl -> Glint
============ Old suggestion list ============
Suggestions are somewhat sorted with more popular suggestions towards the front of the list. Suggestions in bold seem to be either generally agreed upon or I think they are really good.
Core:
- Roach -> Snitch, Rat, Beetle, Termite, Bugmine, Pest, Banger
- Rocko -> Ronin, Slinger, Pilum, Duelist, Winger, Column, Pillar, Grenadier, Imp, Arrowhead, Hoko
- Warrior -> Gladiator, Champion, Centurion, Odin, Ghoul, Ares, Bane, Brute, Beast, Hulk, Bully, Gunner, Maniac, Frenzy, Ogre, Svarog
- Hammer -> Pelter, Pummel, Chisel, Slinger, Stoneman, Cudgel, Sabot, Slingshot, Pebble, Rockwell, Apollo, Dropshot, Brick
- Eraser -> Iris, Mesmerist, Witch, Blindspot, Dolos, Shadowcaster, Blank, Secret, Absence, Concealer, Sneak, Deceiver, Deluder,
- Slasher -> Lasher, Anchor, Whip
- Leveler -> Equalizer, Cracker, Blaster, Lasher, Rumbler
- Hawk -> Falcon, Raptor, Harrier, Peregrine
- Vulture -> Owl, Blackbird, Vigilant, Gull, Seagull
- Brawler -> Gargoyle, Gnawer
- Rapier -> Harpy, Gargoyle, Revenant, Butterfly, Viper, Ladybug
- Valkyrie -> Bee, Ladybug, Aircab, Swallow, Skybus
- Penetrator -> Lance, Lightbringer, Auger, Iluminator, Trephine, Flashray
- Infiltrator -> Widow, Widowmaker, Karakurt
- Panther -> Blitz, Bolt, Basilisk, Sauvage, Stormseeker, Raptor, Cheetah, Thunderbolt, Komodo
- Reaper -> Rhino, Tiger, Bison, Linebreaker, Stegosaurus
- Goliath -> Komodo, Despot, Basilisk, Gorgon, Colossus, Warhorse, Hardhead, Jotun, Juggernaught, Rex, Magog
- Copperhead -> Viper, Taipan, Cottonmouth
- Defender -> Picket, Cerberus, Chisel, Sentry, Spike, Watchdog, Tripod, Hedgehog, Mistletoe, Hammer, Loyalist, Caltrop
- Annihilator -> Paladin, Illuminator, Citadel, Cosmos, Longinus, Ballista, Trephine
- Doomsday Machine -> Thresher, Decreator, Fortress, Citadel, Nemesis, Hellbringer,
- Cobra -> Python
- Protector -> Saviour, Safeguard, Ward, Sunscreen, Shelter
- Silencer -> Purifier, Scourge, Lucifer, Trinity, Minuteman, Disinfectant, Cleanser, Brimstone, Pacifier, Peacemaker, Finalizer, Lightbearer
- Flea -> Flea, Mite
Extras:
- Kodachi -> Blaze, Kodachi, Brand, Salamander, Fireball, Charmant, Skink
- Banisher -> Cougar, Banisher, Leopard, Monitor
- Pillager -> Emissary, Tiger, Paladin, Brontosaurus
- Tremor -> Rainmaker, Tremor, Hailstorm, Stampede, Cloudseeder, Grindstone, Flurry, Oasis, Flatner, Earthshaker, Elefant, Diplodocus
- Blastwing -> Moth, Firefly, Dragonfly
- Vindicator -> Albatross, Hornet
- Black Dawn -> Scarab, Blackwidow, Hellion
Consider whether renaming is a requirement: Chainsaw, Screamer, Banshee, Black Dawn, Tremor, Banisher, Crabe, Krow.