Poll to Change the Word "Clan" to...

[WilsonMG]

Personally, I find the use of the word "clan" to describe the permanent player-made organizations within Naval Action a little too... gamey.  I've offered up a number of suggestions of more fitting English words to describe these groups as a poll.

[Galileus]

I really don't mind it being a "clan". In any pursuit of immersion and realism one needs to remember - that this is an MMO, and you will end up seeing frigates parked on top of a nearby church. Not to mention people will talk, laugh, joke and have fun. Not in the immersion-correct manner.

[WilsonMG]

I agree it's not the most import thing, however, if it's the matter of changing a single word that makes something a little more fitting for the game setting, then why not?  Other much more casual games have more immersive labels for their player groups, and a lot of MMOs take choosing a label seriously and make the decision based on their intentions and how they want to shape player perceptions and interactions.  One can only assume that we ended up with something as generic and unfitting as "clan" due to the possibility of some language barrier/translation issues, or as a simple placeholder intended to be changed later.

[Leviathan]

Of the "gamey" names I've always preferred calling them guilds instead of clans. I just picture a bunch of ninjas on teamspeak plotting their next assassination every time I hear clan. I'd be fine with fleet as well.

[Frost]

+1 for Fleet

[WilsonMG]

Of the "gamey" names I've always preferred calling them guilds instead of clans. I just picture a bunch of ninjas on teamspeak plotting their next assassination every time I hear clan. I'd be fine with fleet as well.

 

I agree that Guild would be the most fitting of the generic labels, however, it strikes me as a merchant's term and if given the choice I think the most fitting label would be one centered around the warships/naval terminology since the majority of gameplay is focused on naval combat.

 

+1 for Fleet

 

This one will probably be the most popular, and I would have likely voted for it myself, but I instead I voted Flotilla just for grins as I can't recall ever seeing it used elsewhere.

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

If it is the vocabulary used in the game interface I think Company could be used, being the most common during this time period.

 

Regarding the meta gaming with the groups themselves we already use Armada, Company, Crew, Fleet, etc so everything is fine.

 

I agree that the word clan is very shallow.

[GrapeShot]

Who cares?

[ObiQuiet]

A group should choose from this list:

Fleet

Squadron

Armada

Navy

Flotilla

For trading organizations:

Guild, Leagues (e.g. the Hanseatic League), Company (e.g. The Dutch East India Company)

For Pirates it's a little harder, but maybe we could concede to provide some more appropriate terms like:

Band, Freebooters (from the Dutch term), Clan.

Edited February 3, 2016 by M.Cmdt. ObiQuiet

[WilsonMG]

A group should choose from this list:

Fleet

Squadron

Armada

Navy

Flotilla

For trading organizations:

Guild, Leagues (e.g. the Hanseatic League), Company (e.g. The Dutch East India Company)

For Pirates it's a little harder, but maybe we could concede to provide some more appropriate terms like:

Band, Freebooters (from the Dutch term), Clan.

 

Having a choice based on chosen faction would be cool, but I was aiming more for the quick swap of a generic term that fits the setting to replace a generic term that does not.

 

Also, I'm not sure terms like "navy" would be appropriate because no one group could claim to be the navy of a faction, but rather all of the various fleets, flotillas, squadrons, etc. would collectively comprise the navy.  Armada falls into the same category as it is just the Spanish word for navy.

[jpjchris]

Personally, I find the use of the word "clan" to describe the permanent player-made organizations within Naval Action a little too... gamey.  I've offered up a number of suggestions of more fitting English words to describe these groups as a poll.

 

Preach! Fleet, Flotilla, or Squadron are all much more appropriate names for this game (and imo, fleet is the best as squadron or flotilla imply the group of ships are combat oriented - there's sure to be large and powerful merchanting player groups to pop up, if they haven't already).

[thomas aagaard]

Give the person who makes it the option of what is it called

[hitem]

During this timeperiod the word "guild" was used. So thats my vote!

[WilsonMG]

I think at this point anything mentioned above other than "clan" would suffice just so long as we have something befitting the era.

[Ampen]

I went with squadron, since it seems most appropriate, a guild/clan/whatevva when it starts can all be pretty low level players, so a "fleet" of Cutters might not...well, you get my point. A squadron though goes a long way, since being part of a nation you'd be formed as a squadron, and for larger engagements with other squadrons you all together would form the fleet. Semantics.

Never the less, having faction specific choices as mentioned here would be really nice in my opinion.

[Didacus]

I Voted 'Other' since i think that all are good.

 

Players should be given the possibility to chose between the name. Every name should be connected with a limited amount of player.

 

Ex. Squadron = 10 max.

 

etc

[admin]

We have no preference to this and will change it if the community decides they do not like the word clan

[jpjchris]

We have no preference to this and will change it if the community decides they do not like the word clan

 

This is the mark of a good community - one where the devs keep an open mind and listen to the players

 

Thanks guys! As if I needed any more reason to start buying gift copies for my friends

[tipsypo]

Although I agree with Mr Wilson regarding the reasons in posting this I've voted other as I would rather see something ambiguous such as "unit" so that those that create their group are the ones to determine the organisation type. Else just continue with the status quo. Seems stranger to me to see the various groups named that are on one organisation being shackled to an different organisation type.

 

"West Indies Squadron" Fleet

"The Royal Fleet of the Americas" Flotilla

"Sweedish East India Company" Squadron

[WilsonMG]

Although I agree with Mr Wilson regarding the reasons in posting this I've voted other as I would rather see something ambiguous such as "unit" so that those that create their group are the ones to determine the organisation type. Else just continue with the status quo. Seems stranger to me to see the various groups named that are on one organisation being shackled to an different organisation type.

 

"West Indies Squadron" Fleet

"The Royal Fleet of the Americas" Flotilla

"Sweedish East India Company" Squadron

 

I can understand your point of view, however, the term isn't attached to the name, so it's irrelevant.  You can call your organization whatever you please and that's all anyone will see (actually right now anyone outside the fleet will only see your tags). The word "clan" only applies to menu items and such and in the meta the word is used to describe an organization in general, i.e. here in the forums and the like.  When you say "Naval Action clans", it doesn't really jive.  Saying "Naval Action fleets", on the other hand, makes more sense given the setting and context.

[DantalionNL]

Change it to 'Fleet' its more fitting then 'clan'... makes me feel im in CS/Arma or some other shooter...

[Aubrey]

Who cares?

So far over 150 players...

[SmallKiwi]

Why is company not an option? Aside from national navies, the most obvious non-governmental entities operating in the West Indies during this period were trade companies.

[Leto]

I would vote for 'Form Company' as the most appropriate button to create a group of players. From then on I would leave it to players.

 

Company is generic, it can refer to a military company or a trading company, and is the most lore-friendly for a long-term conjunction of players who trade and fight for the company's interest (I would call short-term groups fleets, flotillas, and Armadas for the different factions). Seeing that most of the macro-game is about securing resources it would make sense.

 

Concerning the British, companies used to have private armies which held much of the empire together and basically fought wars in its name, so it seems very appropriate. 

[Grim DeGrim]

Navy

Though Fleet is a good one too.