Player Names

[PiemasterUK]

How are player names in FOF generated? Obviously I mean the new players enterring in the draft, not the existing ones at the start. I assume there is a pool of first names and a pool of last names and the game picks one from each pool in some random way, but I have a few musings.


1. Are these pools generated from the list of players at the start of the game or is there a big database of potential names somewhere. For example, let's say there was no NFL player in 2006 called Percy (I have no idea whether this is true or not). Could a player be generated with the name Percy? Does it know from an extensive database that Percy is a name or is it limited to the examples it has been given?

2. Are more common names programmed to be generated more often? There seem to be more Johns and Steves around than Muhsins and Quentins, but how does the game know what names to dish out more often. Does each name have a 'frequency rating' in the database?

3. Is there any ethnicity control on names? In other words are names generated so that names specific to one ethnic group don't go with last names from another. For example, could there theoretcally be a Muhammad Bolingbroke or an Igor Gbaja-Biamila?

4. Is this database of names editable? It would be funny to crate a dynasty where, for example, 90% of the players were called Barry.

[MrDNA]

I know some of the names are from people who bought the game, as I have a Stelmack on my team. I also notice a lot of Greek-sounding last names...? I must say, however it's done, I like it better than Madden where after three years I end up two or three guys with the same last name on my team.

[henry296]

There are files lnames.dll and fnames.dll with contain all of the potential names. i don't know if they are editable.

[Vinatieri for Prez]

Player names are editable in-game. Go at it.

[perez24]

I have noticed an inordinate occurences of the players with first names of Irving, Harvey, and Wally, and the last name Schwartz. I've also noticed an influx of Hispanic names, but I figure that's just "changing demographics."

I go through the draft list and change many names to Jones, Smith, and ex-Presidents (though not Roosevelt, Eisenhower, or van Buren) and make up first names.

It's a little tedious, but with some of the names in the NFL, e.g. D'Brickashaw (sp?), I'm not sure how any database could dream it up.

[Raiders Army]

I've also noticed an influx of Hispanic names, but I figure that's just "changing demographics."

Heh. Posted by a guy named Perez.

[nilodor]

I have noticed an inordinate occurences of the players with first names of Irving, Harvey, and Wally, and the last name Schwartz. I've also noticed an influx of Hispanic names, but I figure that's just "changing demographics."

I go through the draft list and change many names to Jones, Smith, and ex-Presidents (though not Roosevelt, Eisenhower, or van Buren) and make up first names.

It's a little tedious, but with some of the names in the NFL, e.g. D'Brickashaw (sp?), I'm not sure how any database could dream it up.

Instead of having to edit everytime you can use a utility like reshacker to edit the names in fnames and lnames.dll, just make sure to make a backup.

[perez24]

Heh. Posted by a guy named Perez.

The name is a tribute to Tony Perez of Major League Baseball fame.

I'm pretty vanilla.

[AlexB]

Every now and again we get a classic FOF name - played against a receiver in my SP with the name 'Teflon Tim Wallenbrock' :D

An undrafted rookie, Teflon caught 3 passes for 46 yards against me, and only has 3 drops from 62 targets on the year :)

[PiemasterUK]

Well, I downloaded ResHacker and used it to analyse the names files. Very interesting indeed. There are thousands and thousands of possible names. Over 10,000 surnames if I recall correctly and loads of first names too.

The most interesting thing was the first name file. Obviously it has loads of regular names, but after that there are two interesting sections. The first seems to be a long list of possible nicknames. I have no idea what the game uses these for, maybe for stuff like that 'Teflon Tim' guy above. But then, even stranger, is a big list of womens names! Now I have no clue what these are used for. Maybe if you play beyond 2100 or something, women can be genetically engineered to play in the league or something. Or maybe there is like a one in a million chance of the game throwing up a female coach or scout. Weird stuff.

[Raiders Army]

The name is a tribute to Tony Perez of Major League Baseball fame.

I'm pretty vanilla.

Ah...just for the record, my last name is neither Raiders nor Army as well. ;)

[adubroff]

Maybe if you play beyond 2100 or something, women can be genetically engineered to play in the league or something. Or maybe there is like a one in a million chance of the game throwing up a female coach or scout. Weird stuff.

There female agents from day 1...I don't have any idea whether they ever play...I've never seen that.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

There female agents from day 1...I don't have any idea whether they ever play...I've never seen that.

There was that code from 2k4 where you could change the player names to female.

(but the idea of a 6'5, 310 lb woman is a bit frightening...)