Unit Renames

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:

• 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

Zeus, Pheonix, Flea, Pyro, Sumo and Big Bertha are deemed to be generic/appropriate enough to not require changing.

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
• Eraser -> Iris
• 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
• Infiltrator -> Widow
• 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.

That is worth doing but it is a giant pain, especially with external things such as wiki and missions.

quote: Shouldn't you also replace the models for something somewhat different (that fits each role)?

All of the models (as far as I'm aware, and I've done some checking) are original content produced for ZK, Spring or at least by a TA modder. Almost all of the models have an original design or are generic enough that I don't worry. The old Battle and Strike commander models were removed for being too iconic and close to an old design. Off the top of my head the only highly derivative models are the vehicles and tanks and those models are fairly generic vehicles and tanks. The vehicle, tank and plane factories are also questionable but they are probably going to be remodeled anyway for usability reasons.

All your other questions are answered by reading the OP.

quote: Rapier -> Revenant

Undead/evil/magic is the cloaky theme. Rapier is not cloaky. Neither is it particularly survivable, capable of regeneration, of resurrection. Revenant would be a better name for Warrior.

For Rapier and Brawler, i would propose Locust, Hornet. I'd have preferred a non-agressive insect for the gunship constructor (such as Weevil, Aphid) so that Wasp could be reused for the angry and fast things. But it's too late.

Give all the factories there own theme:
[Spoiler]

My suggestions to stop renames.
[Spoiler]

I propose this so each factory has their own theme which doesn't truly need to be relevant to what they can do,this gives people a link to what the factory is, and it's theme.

quote: Dominatrix -> Dominator

Name feels a bit overused.
I go "Superintendent", then again, I think these need to be creative, and I don't think it is.

quote: Roach -> Rat

Good :)
Zeus:
Clairvoyant.
Oh hi knorke, want conversation today?
I'll be in the free Wiktionary to look at names.

GoogleFrog---> PsychicToad?

Oops just realised.

Sorry Orf, looking at pyro..

Brawler:



Rapier:

Aphid

Valkrie:
Ladybug

To rephrase: I don't have a thing against mythological names in general. I agree that it is probably best to minimise its spread across factories. Since I have personally not liked any of the proposed renames in that direction for Cloaky units I prefer for that theme to be placed in Gunship instead.

I don't feel strongly one way or the other about changing Gremlin. 'Shade' has some basis in Greek myth and fits the unit perhaps better than Gremlin does.

edit: I suppose there's Spectre too. Theme or no theme in the rest of the factory, invisible names like 'spectre' and 'shade' for invisible units feels like it fits too well. Also alliterative bonus when combined with 'scythe'. I would say that Banshee is better known for its voice than for being invisible.

'Gargoyle' is probably a better name for Rapier (although I believe I have seen at least some portrayals of flying 'revenants', 'gargoyle' has more punch as a name imo).

I would suggest Eraser -> Iris. Iris is a Greek deity, but the relationship between the name and the unit (iris -> eyes, related to invisibility) is clear even if the player is unfamiliar with mythology. (I know a non-zero amount about Greek mythology but I didn't get Dolos without looking it up.)

quote: Roach -> Rat

Plz, no. Its pathetic rename for such unit.

I suggest - 'banger'.

Protector - Saviour.
Silencer - Purifier/Disinfectant/Cleanser/Scourge.