Alright, so we've all seen this newfangled feature where apparently, over 1000 last names have been recorded by Bethesda so that characters in the game world will actually refer to our character by their surname.

While this feature seems, honestly, quite cool, it has got me wondering about its limitations. For instance, my girlfriend is of Japanese descent and her last name is Kimura. She always models her characters on herself and gives them her name.

This got me wondering, would her last name be supported by this feature? Or any foreign last name for that matter? I'm assuming there are lots of people who give their characters uncommon/foreign last names. Do you think Bethesda took this into consideration? Will such surnames be supported? Thoughts?

I think Howard was the demo players first name.

Yes, Mr. Shiny addressed him as Mr. Howard but in the name entry of the character creation segment "Howard" was the only name entered, no last name.

It's likely that they looked at their expected sales nationality demographic and then picked the most common names from those cultures based on the expected portion of players from each culture.

i.e 10% of players expected to be asian, therefore fill database by 10% of most common asian names etc.

Seems to me the most logical method.

Ya I doubt we can have a PC named Nguyen, Nakashima or Abramov.

It's most likely popular names in the US. IF a certain foreign name is popular in the US, it might be in the game. Ramirez, for example.

OR the names are based on regional dubs? Like in Germany you get the common German names, Russia gets Russian names, etc etc.

I would imagine that if a player picked a name not implemented, they just wouldn't get the voicing for it.

I agree with Gcubed, i believe Howard was the first name. So if your girlfriend has a fairly common first name i doubt she has anything to worry about

As non American, you just have to deal with it, the game is set in the USA after all, so it makes sense that you will have an American name...

They can't put like 15k names...

I'm pretty sure he just said names and didn't specify whether it was first or last.

That's just weird, the game is set in the US.

Popular foreign names in the US might be in, but that's it.

I think you missed the part where I said 'regional dubs', you know, as in, 'common names within the dubbed region's sales market'?

Names are not translatable.

Fallout is still set in the USA... Why should I give my chars German names?

Actually... they are. We do it a lot with foreign monarchs.

I just rewatched the demo. Todd doesn't seem to specify whether they're first or last names, but it does appear they're first names. Phew. Lauren will be relieved

Probably, would be replaced by some generic reference. For instance, if "Howard" was not one of the names, Codsworth may have used "Sir". A raider, on the other hand, probably has a more colorful way of addressing the protagonist and probably wouldn't use either "Sir" or "Howard".

"Fallout is still set in the USA... Why should I give my chars German names?"

Because, as we all know, no one of German descent has ever lived in America.

Anyway, my point stands, the game is set in the US, popular American names will be what they'll include.

And some among them might be of foreign origin.

http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/5382/pipboyfacepalm.jpg

Let me see if I can't simplify this to THE very most basic of word choices. If the game is dubbed in German for people in, and this part is important, GERMANY they will give a voice for the dubber a list of the most common GERMAN names for the people in GERMANY who are playing the game in a GERMAN dubbed version.

I literally cannot break this down any simpler to you than I've just put it.

If your parents were born in Germany and emigrated here, you are just going to accept your given name is Heinrich until you reach the age of majority and you can legally have it changed. Yeah, I know, the other kids are going to make your life a nightmare while you are growing up. svcks to be you, doesn't it.

I thought the Robot went with first names.

And they can't make all the names, so using the most common american names is completely reasonable.

Yeah, if you have a name that's completely bonkers then the robot won't be able to pronounce it and probably just call you mister or master or something, I'm pretty sure they have something for the robot to say in such instances. But having it say every name under the heavens would be asking a bit too much from them.

This

It wouldn't make much sense for a game set in the USA to have a bunch of names from around the world.

No clue a large part of Americans having german ancestors and at least still slighlty german sounding names?Notable chracters in Falllout 3 Zimmer and Braun having them?

But people living in USA do....

I want to know what happens when you enter a name not recognized.

They probably have some prerecorded backup line, maybe he will just call you sir or madam. Or something. I got the impression that they had a backup thing.

Considering the fact that my brother named all of his main Fallout characters "Player Name" (no idea why, but hey) that's probably something that will come in handy.

Probably an open named dialogue.

Phoenix is a recognised name: "Good morning, Mr./Mrs. Phoenix!"
Phoenix is not a recognised name: "Good morning, Master/Madam!"