What is this "New Name Generator"

[michaelsteele3]

I just read a post by sal_vager, and it mentions something about a new name generator that caused kerbal's professions to switch around.

What is it and how does it work?

[Tex]

*sits in commander's chair* Bring it up on all screens!

(May I have a link?)

[michaelsteele3]

Sure

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/120070-Is-this-a-bug-or-intended

It's the final post. (At the time I posted this)

[Tex]

I'm not necessarily sure that it's a "new" name generation, but Kerbal professions were always apparently based on their names. I assume once 1.0 dropped the algorithm-thingamabob or whatever was changed, so every Kerbal besides the Original Four got new jobs.

[sal_vager]

Well the old name generator only had male(ish) names, now there's two genders so take a guess what changed

Kerbal occupation (Scientist, Engineer, Pilot) are determined from the name, I think Stupidity and Bravery are as well.

As for the details of the generator names or its inner working, I know as much as you do, maybe the community can make a list of all the names they've seen

[michaelsteele3]

Thanks for the quick reply, sal

[Tex]

Hmm, so that means that if two different players hire Kerbals that happen to have the same names, they'll have the exact same stats?

maybe the community can make a list of all the names they've seen

I call making the thread!

Edited May 8, 2015 by Maximus97

[Venusgate]

I think I experienced this in .90 too. even a pilot with two stars experience will randomly switch to an engineer or scientist with nothing.

[Renegrade]

I don't understand why they chose this name-defines-career thing. They really should have just had a career= field in the save file (would protect old kerbals from being re-careered, would let people easily change it around if they want, etc).

If they wanted a given name to result in a given career by default, all they'd have to do is use the PRNG without re-seeding it during the kerbal generation process.

It's not rocket science, people.

[Raptor9]

I don't recall exactly what was said or when, but I believe Maxmaps was saying on a Squadcast months ago that the name generator creates names with syllable-sections of the names. So if you have the name "Loddas Kerman" in your Astronaut Complex (one of my 0.90 Kerbalnauts), that was most likely generated from "lod" and "das". I would speculate that could also have come out as "Daslod" or even with a third syllable if the algorithm spit one out. Assuming I'm correctly remembering what Maxmaps said, I can't fathom how Squad tweaked the system to pair up syllables in such a way that it made a "female" sounding name.

Having said that, when I started a new career in 1.0, the list of available recruits were all female with the exception of two males...really?? Only two? I'm not sexist or anything, but that's a bit of a disparity. Then again it could have been a statistically possible, however completely random generation that one time, which might never happen again.

[magnemoe]

I don't recall exactly what was said or when, but I believe Maxmaps was saying on a Squadcast months ago that the name generator creates names with syllable-sections of the names. So if you have the name "Loddas Kerman" in your Astronaut Complex (one of my 0.90 Kerbalnauts), that was most likely generated from "lod" and "das". I would speculate that could also have come out as "Daslod" or even with a third syllable if the algorithm spit one out. Assuming I'm correctly remembering what Maxmaps said, I can't fathom how Squad tweaked the system to pair up syllables in such a way that it made a "female" sounding name.

Having said that, when I started a new career in 1.0, the list of available recruits were all female with the exception of two males...really?? Only two? I'm not sexist or anything, but that's a bit of a disparity. Then again it could have been a statistically possible, however completely random generation that one time, which might never happen again.

Random names out of parts is common, Skyrim also uses it.

About the sexes, its random and weird stuff always happens with randomness.

[Renegrade]

Having said that, when I started a new career in 1.0, the list of available recruits were all female with the exception of two males...really?? Only two? I'm not sexist or anything, but that's a bit of a disparity. Then again it could have been a statistically possible, however completely random generation that one time, which might never happen again.

50/50 chance doesn't mean they'll be half male, half female - it's entirely likely to get runs of males or females and various ratios. Not to say that it couldn't be bugged of course~

Random names out of parts is common, Skyrim also uses it.

Random name generation goes way back. I remember old-school 16-bit era RPGs havin' 'em and stuff.

[MalfunctionM1Ke]

Well the old name generator only had male(ish) names, now there's two genders so take a guess what changed

Kerbal occupation (Scientist, Engineer, Pilot) are determined from the name, I think Stupidity and Bravery are as well.

As for the details of the generator names or its inner working, I know as much as you do, maybe the community can make a list of all the names they've seen

That means, that BadA55 Kerbals will always be Pilots as Stupidity and Courage has to be 50/50 to get that trait?

Or does the Name-Pre-/Suffix have the last word on it?

[bakanando]

I'd love to know how is a kerbal's career chosen, as it is a problem when you want custom names with precise careers.

[katateochi]

I don't understand why they chose this name-defines-career thing. They really should have just had a career= field in the save file (would protect old kerbals from being re-careered, would let people easily change it around if they want, etc).

If they wanted a given name to result in a given career by default, all they'd have to do is use the PRNG without re-seeding it during the kerbal generation process.

It's not rocket science, people.

I agree, it does seem like an unnecessarily complicated way to define career. What does it actually gain anyway apart from making it so all players have Kerbals with the same career-to-name pairing? And in a single player game what is the advantage in that anyway?

I'd love to know how is a kerbal's career chosen, as it is a problem when you want custom names with precise careers.

exactly.

[Raptor9]

That means, that BadA55 Kerbals will always be Pilots as Stupidity and Courage has to be 50/50 to get that trait?

Or does the Name-Pre-/Suffix have the last word on it?

There is actually a separate line that pre-designates a Kerbal as BadS=True or BadS=False when generated. Jeb and Val however, by default, are BadS; Bill and Bob are not. I believe it primarily governs their facial expressions, independent of the Courage & Stupidity factors.