Remembering Names

[quinnr]

How in the world am I supposed to remember all these people's names? Does one get used to all the introductions and such or is there some in-way game of storing the names of all these people I'm supposed to be getting familiar with?

[Cutthroat]

Welcome to Armageddon!

There's no way to store names in-game. Players tend to get used to this by either memorizing names and short descriptions, or keeping notes on paper or in Notepad. What I typically do is one line in a text file for each PC (or important NPC) my character meets, for example:

Clint - the long-haired, middle-aged bartender

That way, it's easy to search the file by a piece of the short description and get a name back.

Hope that helps, and have fun.

[RogueGunslinger]

It's hard at first. I suggest using notepad and just copy-pasting important stuff. I personally rarely do this, and if I forget someone, then my character forgot them too.

[Drayab]

You could presumably use the in-game biography functionality to do this, but my personal preference is to simply keep notepad open while I play and make notes of things my character should remember, including people's names.

[Bushranger]

There isn't an in-game introduction system which remembers names for you. You need to remember names based upon someone's description (usually their short description) and if you forget it's like you forgot someones name irl. Personally I have notepad++ open in the background and for people who are close to my character (friends, colleagues, bosses and important figures like nobles and templars I've met) I write down their short-description, name and a little note.

Code Select Expand


The ugly, broken-nosed man - Amos - Friend from the T'zai Byn
The short, brown-haired woman - Emi - Works with me in House Voryek
The blue-eye, grey-haired man - Malik Voryek - My boss
The dashing, moustached templar - Lord Fancypants Borsail - Want some art from Malik Voryek


When I bump into people I glance at the list I have if I can't remember their name. Depending upon how bright and/or attentive my character is I don't record names of random people I meet in a bar or overhear their name in the street.

[Adhira]

When I first started playing I kept notepad up alongside my mud window where I'd record all the sdescs alongside their names and nicknames.  I came here from an LP mud where I could remember everyone by a name I chose.

Eventually I did decide that I didn't care to do that anymore and that if I as a person couldn't remember the name that went with the sdesc then my character didn't either. But that's an entirely personal choice.   You may want to follow the idea of keeping notes as it really can help when learning the ropes.

[Maso]

When I first started playing I kept notepad up alongside my mud window where I'd record all the sdescs alongside their names and nicknames.  I came here from an LP mud where I could remember everyone by a name I chose.

Eventually I did decide that I didn't care to do that anymore and that if I as a person couldn't remember the name that went with the sdesc then my character didn't either. But that's an entirely personal choice.   You may want to follow the idea of keeping notes as it really can help when learning the ropes.

This is pretty much how I roll. Characters that make an impression on my character - I will tend to remember anyway. But I will make notes sometimes, usually more with a new character when I'm keener to try and remember important folk. I also keep notes on people that I need to remember (and will likely need to contact again) for whatever reason but think I'm going to forget.

Outside of remembering names - I keep notes about a lot of other things too! Things my character learns about the world, plantlife, animals, spells,whatever, things my character needs to get done, conversations that I might need to recall etc etc - because I just don't have the space in my brain for everything.

I use Evernote and the in-app note thingy in mudlet.

It does get easier though!

[Morrolan]

Massive spreadsheets of information.

• Sheet 1: Information about armageddon time, RL - Zalanthan time translation, and my clan schedule
• Sheet 2: A list of people I've decided to remember with pertinent details
• Sheet 3: A running list of events that happen and are worth remembering, 'cause my character cares.
• Sheet 4: Magick stuff as necessary
• ...
• Sheet 15: Shopping List
• Sheet 16: People who owe my character favors
• Etc.

Edit: Sheet 3 is spectacularly helpful when it comes time to write character reports for staff.

[Refugee]

I use Excel and keep  all sorts of notes.
When I play someone in their mid 50s I'll depend on my own memory.   

[ShaLeah]

I use Excel and keep  all sorts of notes.
When I play someone in their mid 50s I'll depend on my own memory.   

You may wanna lower that to your 40's.

I keep notes too... then I forget what I named it or where I put it anyway... cause I'm in my 40's.

Welcome to Armageddon!

[Malken]

I use Excel and keep  all sorts of notes.
When I play someone in their mid 50s I'll depend on my own memory.   

Cheat!

I'm half that age and I have the memory of a 75 year old.

My rule is.. If I can't remember your name, then neither does my character.

[Bellator]

If you have a paid for copy of Cmud you can open up the package library, filter by category RPI Muds and there is a package you can install there that will help you with that. Basically you highlight the character's short description, right click, click add character, then type in the name, title whatever you want to associate with that short description. From there on out when that sdesc shows up it will be like a clickable link, hover your cursor over it and you see the text you associated it with. Click it and it prints that text.

[Refugee]

I use Excel and keep  all sorts of notes.
When I play someone in their mid 50s I'll depend on my own memory.   

You may wanna lower that to your 40's.

I keep notes too... then I forget what I named it or where I put it anyway... cause I'm in my 40's.

Welcome to Armageddon!

It gets worse, believe me...

[manipura]

For general game-related info that isn't character specific, I tend to keep notes and whatnot on the computer.  Either whatever Word-type program I happen to open or just Notepad or whatever.  I'm really more of a pen-and-paper girl though.  I would prefer to have all my game notes in a notebook but it would be such a time-consuming event to move it from the computer to paper and I just haven't gotten around to it yet.

For notes specific to a character though, I tend to write it down.  When it comes to keeping track of other characters, I'll usually write their name and short description and maybe a little blurb about who they are or how I know them.  I don't do it for every single person I come across, just people that I've interacted with or will have a reason to interact with in the future.  If it's someone that I wouldn't particularly remember, or I wouldn't have a reason to remember, then I'm not so diligent about it.  I also find it especially helpful to make a note of someone's name when I interact with a character with a particularly...unique spelling.

My character related notes and contacts go in this book:

[ShaLeah]

For general game-related info that isn't character specific, I tend to keep notes and whatnot on the computer.  Either whatever Word-type program I happen to open or just Notepad or whatever.  I'm really more of a pen-and-paper girl though.  I would prefer to have all my game notes in a notebook but it would be such a time-consuming event to move it from the computer to paper and I just haven't gotten around to it yet.

For notes specific to a character though, I tend to write it down.  When it comes to keeping track of other characters, I'll usually write their name and short description and maybe a little blurb about who they are or how I know them.  I don't do it for every single person I come across, just people that I've interacted with or will have a reason to interact with in the future.  If it's someone that I wouldn't particularly remember, or I wouldn't have a reason to remember, then I'm not so diligent about it.  I also find it especially helpful to make a note of someone's name when I interact with a character with a particularly...unique spelling.

My character related notes and contacts go in this book:

That totally cracked me up.

[Maso]

That's just...so incredibly appropriate. 

[Fathi]

If I can't remember someone's name I tend to just say my character forgot it. But it's totally okay to take notes if you don't want to play a forgetful, cranky bastard all the time.

Welcome to Armageddon!

[Scarecrow]

I never forget a name.

If you have trouble, use notepad to write them down.

[JustAnotherGuy]

I utilize Google Docs extensively.  I hvae a Arm folder setup and I create a doc to keep all my character notes on when I create a new character which I name the character.  When the character dies or whatever, I toss it into my Character Archive folder.

[Anael]

I used to use substitutes in my mud client - basically, it'd turn "the tall muscular man" into "the tall muscular man (Amos)"
Now I don't
Too lazy to set it up again, but it was a nice system. You have to remember that your character might not be perfect, though. So sometimes, I'd just RP not remembering a name (or nor remembering it correctly, ie mangling the name in some phonetically appropriate way) even though I had it written down.

[Fredd]

How in the world am I supposed to remember all these people's names? Does one get used to all the introductions and such or is there some in-way game of storing the names of all these people I'm supposed to be getting familiar with?

I use a ms word file set up like thus

Arm of the dragon:

Amos - The brown-eyed man

Jackjack - The green-eyed man

Allanak:

perry - The green-skinned platypus


Edit how you ike, but it helps memorize names too.

[i can haz mantis]

I utilize Google Docs extensively.  I hvae a Arm folder setup and I create a doc to keep all my character notes on when I create a new character which I name the character.  When the character dies or whatever, I toss it into my Character Archive folder.

+1

[Recharge]

My characters remember names as I remember names, if I forgot your name I either didn't care enough to remember it or was too distracted to. Nothings wrong with forgetting someones name, instead call them guy, girl, lad, kid,  chummer, beetle brains, make something up.

[musashi]

I suppose the standard counter argument to that is that your character lives in the world all the time. You occupy it for a sliver of that and have tons of RL stuff to remember on top. So for some, they feel like not writing things down makes their characters unrealistically forgetful.

[Cutthroat]

It's possible to write names down and still roleplay forgetting names when it's appropriate. That leaves your roleplay to your discretion rather than your own memory.

[Lizzie]

I keep a spiral-bound notebook next to my keyboard. When I get a new character, I start a new page, and keep a running list of characters she's met. When she learns IC about the death of any of them, I run a straight line through that person's name, but make the name still legible in case my character has to refer to it ICly at some point.

I would -never- rely on my own memory for this. It takes me RL weeks to remember some peoples' names. That would be RL months, in Arm. And none of my characters are more absent-minded than I am.

[roughneck]

I just remember them in my huge brain.

I have a mind like a steel trap. No big deal.

[Fredd]

It's possible to write names down and still roleplay forgetting names when it's appropriate. That leaves your roleplay to your discretion rather than your own memory.

I do this ALL the time actually.

[Rhyden]

I purposefully forget people's names to see how grumpy they get. Especially when their name is like Vlorvaldorax or something.

[Sephiroto]

When I first started playing I kept notepad up alongside my mud window where I'd record all the sdescs alongside their names and nicknames.  I came here from an LP mud where I could remember everyone by a name I chose.

Eventually I did decide that I didn't care to do that anymore and that if I as a person couldn't remember the name that went with the sdesc then my character didn't either. But that's an entirely personal choice.   You may want to follow the idea of keeping notes as it really can help when learning the ropes.

I did the same thing because I got tired of playing characters with flawless memories due to the OOC note taking.

[Erythil]

Simple: Play someone too important to remember the names of the riff-raff.

[Fredd]

Simple: Play someone too important to remember the names of the riff-raff.

Did it!

That was alot of fun.

"Yeah, who were you again?"
"I'm your corporal"
"Oh, you must not being doing so well, i can't remember your name"

[quinnr]

Sweet, thanks for all of the tips, I'm sure they'll help a bunch. I didn't expect to get so much of a response!

[BleakOne]

Sweet, thanks for all of the tips, I'm sure they'll help a bunch. I didn't expect to get so much of a response!

Welcome to Armageddon.

[Incognito]

When I started playing Arm - I used to have a book where I wrote down the sdesc / name / clan affiliation / detail - for every PC I met in the game. Those were fun times - I still have the books from back then.

However, if you're using a mud client, and feel like you really need to tag and identify names, here's a quick way:

I use ZMud - so here's the example for a PC named Amos with the sdesc "the old hairy man"

#substitute {old hairy man} {old hairy man [Amos]}

Be sure not to include "the" in the substitution - coz sometimes its capitalized and sometimes it isnt.

So, what you'll see whenever you meet him again is : The old hairy man [Amos] has arrived from the east.

The ONLY problem with this substitution is - it triggers whenever you see/talk to the person....

So be ready to see the name pop up every time you are speaking to him in a conversation.

I basically use this feature to name NPCs - so I dont forget their names, but it works flawlessly with PCs as well.

[Jenred]

When I started playing Arm - I used to have a book where I wrote down the sdesc / name / clan affiliation / detail - for every PC I met in the game. Those were fun times - I still have the books from back then.

However, if you're using a mud client, and feel like you really need to tag and identify names, here's a quick way:

I use ZMud - so here's the example for a PC named Amos with the sdesc "the old hairy man"

#substitute {old hairy man} {old hairy man [Amos]}

Be sure not to include "the" in the substitution - coz sometimes its capitalized and sometimes it isnt.

So, what you'll see whenever you meet him again is : The old hairy man [Amos] has arrived from the east.

The ONLY problem with this substitution is - it triggers whenever you see/talk to the person....

So be ready to see the name pop up every time you are speaking to him in a conversation.

I basically use this feature to name NPCs - so I dont forget their names, but it works flawlessly with PCs as well.

This can also be done in MUSHCLIENT

[Kassindra]

As a newbie, I kept a notepad of names and I would list down every single person I met. I still do use notepad or keynote but only for people important like templars, nobles, etc who my character needs to know. I tend to remember people's names IG after a few interactions, kinda like IRL. If I or my character forgot you well.. I just put that down to not spending enough time interacting with you and sometimes, it could just be difficulty of names. 'Hi my name is Sistuendueo.' <- Yeah my character and myself will likely forgot your name if no nickname is associated.  

[Jenred]

For a good period of time I actually made it a point of NOT using a wodpad to rememeber people's names... it was like... I saw your character twice in 2 years of IG time... WHY /would/ I remember your name?
I've had people "remember" my name after one encounter, once, somewhere that I dont even remember... and its always jarring.
I like being able to remember people's names because I actually know them.

[CravenMadness]

Yep... Going to throw my towel in with the whole 'I remember you if -I- remember you.' crew.

There's a few people who work at the same place I do, but I don't know their names because I never work with them.

I love being able to read 'blah blah x y desc'd person' walks in and instantly going 'Oh hey it's Z' or alternatively asking ic, "I know I know you... Who are you?"

[hyzhenhok]

I am definitely in the "remember them only if you yourself can remember them" camp.

That said, I would suggest that as soon as you learn a PCs name, use that keyword exclusively when you interact with them. You'll naturally remember the names of people who you interact with, and naturally forget the names of those you don't. It's the same as anything else: you aren't going to learn anybody's names (even if you have them on a list) if you don't use them.

[Sav]

One time a friend of mine, a guy I'd known for a few years and saw most days at work, invited me to a house party. When I got there one of my friend's roommates opened the door, and I started to introduce myself, saying, "Hi, I'm a friend of..."

And then I stopped. Because I couldn't remember my friend's name.

The roommate looked at me, and I looked back at him, and he looked at me, and I looked back, and I couldn't remember my friend's name.

Eventually the roommate shrugged and let me in. I saw my friend, and said hi, and he got me a drink and introduced me around, and I still couldn't remember what his name was. If I hadn't overheard someone else saying it I would have had to look it up on my phone.

So hell yes I'm keeping a list. If my PC forgets your name it's going to be for their own reasons, not because I'm OOCly shit with names.

[i can haz mantis]

I am definitely in the "remember them only if you yourself can remember them" camp.

That said, I would suggest that as soon as you learn a PCs name, use that keyword exclusively when you interact with them. You'll naturally remember the names of people who you interact with, and naturally forget the names of those you don't. It's the same as anything else: you aren't going to learn anybody's names (even if you have them on a list) if you don't use them.

I generally follow this line of thinking. Though I do keep names and other little notes in a Google doc file for each PC I play, I don't really use it for IC purposes, but I do have RL memory issues that I feel shouldn't affect my PC so occasionally I will forget someone's name that my PC should know and have to refer to it. It is helpful to have for writing up bios, reports, and even kudos as well, so while I may not interact with someone on the daily to remember their name I have it when I need to do those particular things. Especially when I'm not at home and have access to my logs, so that I still can do those things, heck, even when at home I use it for reports and such because it helps me remember to go back through my logs to look for something that I need to write about. Also, I write up reports and bios while at work... a lot.

[Zoan]

Mudlet:

Code Select Expand

trigger: the tall, muscular man (substring)

action: selectString(matches[1], 1)
replace( "Amos" )

Tick 'match all'.

[ascdren]

Glad I came across this, I find it useful