Name Swaps for Fantasy Races

[Tangerine]

What're your thoughts on when a fantasy game calls a standard fantasy race by a different name? I don't mean when the race has a separate name for itself, like Dark Elves calling themselves Dunmer, or using a slur like knife ears. I mean when it's the term that everybody uses, such as Two Worlds does with goblins->groms. I don't hate it, but it seems like a waste of effort, since I refer to them by what they're based off of.

[1998]

What're your thoughts on when a fantasy game calls a standard fantasy race by a different name? I don't mean when the race has a separate name for itself, like Dark Elves calling themselves Dunmer, or using a slur like knife ears. I mean when it's the term that everybody uses, such as Two Worlds does with goblins->groms. I don't hate it, but it seems like a waste of effort, since I refer to them by what they're based off of.

Don't like it, unless there is some solid reasoning behind it and not every single thing is slightly renamed. I didn't enjoy those fampyres or whatever at POE.

Even worse however, you are swapping races, giving them new names and pretend you have created something yourself. For examples, the short, strong, hot tempered Fraggots of the Forrest vs. the lengthy, gracefully Gaymes of the Mines.

[Finarfin]

I'd say Dunmer, Altmer, Bosmer is fine since these elven races are unique to the elder scrolls world and lore. But if it's just some generic fantasy story, it's a waste to call goblins - gibbagubbas or call wizards - Gabbagandalfs.

[logincrash]

I'd say Dunmer, Altmer, Bosmer is fine since these elven races are unique to the elder scrolls world and lore.

Are they? They're literally Drow, Moon Elves and Wood Elves from DnD. Even the Orcs being ****** up elves isn't unique to TES.

[Tangerine]

I'd say Dunmer, Altmer, Bosmer is fine since these elven races are unique to the elder scrolls world and lore. But if it's just some generic fantasy story, it's a waste to call goblins - gibbagubbas or call wizards - Gabbagandalfs.

They're still called elves in the tongue of men (American English).

[TKVNC]

I prefer normal names, actually.

I'm not opposed to them having in-lore language names, but when it's something stupid in 'Common' aka English, then it's ******* ********

[Tweed]

Xaurips, Ghuls, Ducs.

[1998]

Xaurips, Ghuls, Ducs.

hated Xaurips

[Roderick]

hate *******

[UltraFan123]

In WH40k the elves are "aeldari" and dwarves are "squat kin" while the orcs are literally just "orks" with a single letter swapped.

For elves and dwarves at least there was some effort to make them sound a bit different but orcs sound exactly the same. lol

[Val the Moofia Boss]

I think it is good for races to have different names, as they help get away from preestablished understandings. When I think of "elf", I think of Tolkien's elves, which were very, very long lived pristine men who are straight up better than regular humans in most respects, not just physically and skill wise but also morally. When I hear "elf" in Dragonlance or whatever, I think "Tolkien's elves, but...". Whereas in FF14, when I hear of Elezen, I am not thinking about Tolkien's elves at all, but of humans (similar strength and also morally corruptible) who simply live about 100 to 200 years and have slightly long necks. Same issue with Orcs, where the image it conjures up is of generic monsters or Warcraft's tribal "honor" obsessed viking-samurai. Whereas hearing "Draesen" makes me think "oh, this is really going for it's own thing".

[WhiteShark]

I think it is good for races to have different names, as they help get away from preestablished understandings. When I think of "elf", I think of Tolkien's elves, which were very, very long lived pristine men who are straight up better than regular humans in most respects, not just physically and skill wise but also morally. When I hear "elf" in Dragonlance or whatever, I think "Tolkien's elves, but...". Whereas in FF14, when I hear of Elezen, I am not thinking about Tolkien's elves at all, but of humans (similar strength and also morally corruptible) who simply live about 100 to 200 years and have slightly long necks. Same issue with Orcs, where the image it conjures up is of generic monsters or Warcraft's tribal "honor" obsessed viking-samurai. Whereas hearing "Draesen" makes me think "oh, this is really going for it's own thing".

I agree with this, but I don't think this is what OP is talking about. These have different names because they are significantly different, as opposed to fiction where they're effectively identical but named differently anyway.

[Tweed]

xaurips.png

[Tweed]

Most name swaps are ********, you need to do something to make it your own. Someone already mentioned the elves from The Elder Scrolls, they have their own specific lore and aren't just pure cookie cutter dnd races anymore. Meanwhile, Pillars of Eternity is a textbook example of how to change the name, but do everything the same. PoE is Not-Baldur's Gate with all of it's Not-Things. The only thing remotely different are the vithraak, their version of the mind flayers. Floaty spider guys with brain powers n stuff.

[Finarfin]

When I wrote Gabbagandalf, this came to mind again.

[Tangerine]

Most name swaps are ********, you need to do something to make it your own. Someone already mentioned the elves from The Elder Scrolls, they have their own specific lore and aren't just pure cookie cutter dnd races anymore. Meanwhile, Pillars of Eternity is a textbook example of how to change the name, but do everything the same. PoE is Not-Baldur's Gate with all of it's Not-Things. The only thing remotely different are the vithraak, their version of the mind flayers. Floaty spider guys with brain powers n stuff.

I'd like to have been a fly on the wall when they were coming up with the names. Did they think they were being clever? Were they proud of themselves? Or were they just phoning it in because somebody up the chain wanted them to have different names for some dumb reason?

[rusty_shackleford]

I'd say Dunmer, Altmer, Bosmer is fine since these elven races are unique to the elder scrolls world and lore.

Are they? They're literally Drow, Moon Elves and Wood Elves from DnD. Even the Orcs being ****** up elves isn't unique to TES.

They're only somewhat like elves in physical appearance, most of them do not have actual elf traits.
Also, the dwarves are elves too

[LemonDemonGirl]

Mostly ok, unless the name sounds ********.

[OnTilt]

I think it's a waste and slightly annoying but it won't break immersion for me.

But if you have "goblins" except they're eight-foot tall, fast, skilled, and intelligent . . . That's going to throw me off the entire time. I'll constantly be imagining what I know of as goblins, and everytime I'm reminded that "these goblins" are radically different it will break my immersion.

[Vergil]

Im not a fan personally.

[ArcaneLurker]

What're your thoughts on when a fantasy game calls a standard fantasy race by a different name? I don't mean when the race has a separate name for itself, like Dark Elves calling themselves Dunmer, or using a slur like knife ears. I mean when it's the term that everybody uses, such as Two Worlds does with goblins->groms. I don't hate it, but it seems like a waste of effort, since I refer to them by what they're based off of.

Would have been a bit strange to see Rieklings be called Smurfs instead.