Dusker 318

So our second prototype has a 'working title' of 'Scavenger'. I have a tendency to have working titles that are pretty straight to the point since it saves time, and in Scavenger you board derelict space ships, temples and the like to basically tomb raid them, like a scavenger.

The problem is that we're going to give our current prototypes to our community to try out, and as such I want names that I can at least put a google alert on. So when musing on a name less generic than Scavenger, Holly came up with the word 'Dusker'. She thought it was the slang name that Dwarves in Dragon Age called surface people. Turns out that was a mis-memory. But we both liked the word as an invented slang term for people that may be doing less than legal activities after dusk. Dusk-er.

I didn't want to name the game Duskers since that felt like it'd be a story about a group. Then we thought that perhaps we could tack on a number to it. After all that only makes it sound more sci-fi, like the name of a ship (Holly chose 318 scientifically: it's our address). Then I thought that maybe these 'Duskers' have a code or guild. They'd have a ship name, but if they recognized you as another Dusker they'd use that as code. Kindof and honor amongst thieves deal where, if two of them came upon the same derelict ship, the more senior would get "dibs". Hence the number. If your number is lower, you're more senior. I thought it'd be cool if you were scouring a ship and another vessel approached claiming the call sign "Dusker 200" and told you to get the hell out, leaving you with a decision to make. I've heard decisions are good things to have in games.

It's only an idea of a name, and possibly only for the prototype at that. Some have mentioned it may be too similar to Dust 514. Maybe we could go with Duskers. Feel free to comment or tweet at me with any thoughts.