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Apple's Suggestions: Profession Titles

Apple

Apple

Provider
Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Posts
103
Society
Children of Silver
Avatar Name
Fiona Apple Fleming
I don't display my profession underneath my name in Entropia.

The reason I don't do so is because, at least with the skills I use the most, the profession titles offered to me don't make sense. In the real world a person's profession is "doctor" or "lawyer", "engineer" or "bus driver". In Entropia, the titles offered to me include things like "Ranged Laser" and "Electro Kinetic". These don't make sense. By displaying the Ranged Laser title, I am letting other players know that I am a ranged laser. This doesn't make any sense. not to mention that most combat titles are followed by a (dmg) or (hit) suffix, making them even less appropriate to be called profession titles.

I don't want to be "Fiona Fleming, Unskilled Ranged Laser (Dmg)". If I want people to know what I'm good at, I'd like a title such as "Fiona Fleming, Unskilled Laser Marksman".

My main point is that professions should be renamed so that they are actual profession titles. "Ranged Laser" is the type of weapon being used, not the person using it.

Here are the profession titles that I see as problematic, and some suggestions as to what might work better:

Laser Pistoleer (Hit) ---> Laser Pistoleer
Laser Sniper (Hit)--->Laser Sniper
Ranged Laser (Dmg) ---> Laser Marksman
(repeat the above three for BLP, Plasma, Gauss, etc.)
Brawler (Dmg) ---> Brawler (this title emphasizes the damage aspect of fighting)
Brawler (Hit) ---> Boxer (this title emphasizes precision fighting)
Whipper (Hit) ---> Whipper
Whipper (Dmg) ---> Subduer (or Overseer, or Dominator)

Of course I'm not going to go through the list and come up with alternates for every profession (though someday I might). The only categories that feature this problem are the combat and mindforce sections. The others are all fine, and have profession titles that make sense. As you can see with the "Brawler" professions above, I have split it into two separate titles but preserved the essential meaning of each. not only does this eliminate the problem of awkward profession titles, it would also give Entropia players a wider variety of titles to select from, allowing for more character customization.

In summary, there are two issues:

1. Many combat and mindforce profession titles are awkwardly worded and don't make sense, such as "Mounted Laser (Dmg)", "Ranged BLP (Dmg)" and "Biotropic". These titles should be changed.
2. Many titles also feature an awkward (Dmg) or (Hit) suffix, which is confusing. Removing this suffix and having more creative names for the professions would be an easy fix.

Solving both wouldn't be too difficult. Heck, I'd come up with a definitive list for all the professions if I was asked. Until then, I'm going to keep my professional standing hidden.
 
Apple said:
I don't display my profession underneath my name in Entropia.

The reason I don't do so is because, at least with the skills I use the most, the profession titles offered to me don't make sense. In the real world a person's profession is "doctor" or "lawyer", "engineer" or "bus driver". In Entropia, the titles offered to me include things like "Ranged Laser" and "Electro Kinetic". These don't make sense. By displaying the Ranged Laser title, I am letting other players know that I am a ranged laser. This doesn't make any sense. not to mention that most combat titles are followed by a (dmg) or (hit) suffix, making them even less appropriate to be called profession titles.

I don't want to be "Fiona Fleming, Unskilled Ranged Laser (Dmg)". If I want people to know what I'm good at, I'd like a title such as "Fiona Fleming, Unskilled Laser Marksman".

My main point is that professions should be renamed so that they are actual profession titles. "Ranged Laser" is the type of weapon being used, not the person using it.

Here are the profession titles that I see as problematic, and some suggestions as to what might work better:

Laser Pistoleer (Hit) ---> Laser Pistoleer
Laser Sniper (Hit)--->Laser Sniper
Ranged Laser (Dmg) ---> Laser Marksman
(repeat the above three for BLP, Plasma, Gauss, etc.)
Brawler (Dmg) ---> Brawler (this title emphasizes the damage aspect of fighting)
Brawler (Hit) ---> Boxer (this title emphasizes precision fighting)
Whipper (Hit) ---> Whipper
Whipper (Dmg) ---> Subduer (or Overseer, or Dominator)

Of course I'm not going to go through the list and come up with alternates for every profession (though someday I might). The only categories that feature this problem are the combat and mindforce sections. The others are all fine, and have profession titles that make sense. As you can see with the "Brawler" professions above, I have split it into two separate titles but preserved the essential meaning of each. not only does this eliminate the problem of awkward profession titles, it would also give Entropia players a wider variety of titles to select from, allowing for more character customization.

In summary, there are two issues:

1. Many combat and mindforce profession titles are awkwardly worded and don't make sense, such as "Mounted Laser (Dmg)", "Ranged BLP (Dmg)" and "Biotropic". These titles should be changed.
2. Many titles also feature an awkward (Dmg) or (Hit) suffix, which is confusing. Removing this suffix and having more creative names for the professions would be an easy fix.

Solving both wouldn't be too difficult. Heck, I'd come up with a definitive list for all the professions if I was asked. Until then, I'm going to keep my professional standing hidden.
Click to expand...

I agree, think there should be an option for avatars to write there own titles. Would even pay for this option.
 
Apple said:
1. Many combat and mindforce profession titles are awkwardly worded and don't make sense, such as "Mounted Laser (Dmg)", "Ranged BLP (Dmg)" and "Biotropic". These titles should be changed.
2. Many titles also feature an awkward (Dmg) or (Hit) suffix, which is confusing. Removing this suffix and having more creative names for the professions would be an easy fix.
Click to expand...

what is so awkward about "Biotropic"? :confused:
 
Nighthawk said:
what is so awkward about "Biotropic"? :confused:
Click to expand...

It's an adjective, not a noun. You can't be "a biotropic". Just like you can't be a mathematic or a medical or a red. The profession titles should be things, not descriptions.
 
Wait, I am a red!!!

But seriously, I agree that better fitting titles would be nice.
 
Apple said:
It's an adjective, not a noun. You can't be "a biotropic".
Click to expand...

But you can be psychic and you can be a psychic - who except MA can say what a word that they invented means or doesn't mean?

Also, the primary purpose of the professions is to show how apt we are at doing something specific, such as inflicting ranged laser damage. Showing a profession under your name is optional and secondary. Changing Ranged Laser (Dmg) to Laser Marksman would defeat that profession's primary purpose which is to say how well we inflict ranged damage. "Ranged Laser (Dmg)" tells us perfectly well what that profession affects, whereas in the case of "Laser Marksman" I would assume it has to do with aiming rather than damaging (and remember, aim and damage are separate in EU).

As for the professions like Brawler (Hit) and Brawler (Dmg), the profession names again reflect what the professions affect, whereas the distinction between Brawler for the damage profession and Boxer for hit is not as apparent. Form should follow function.

On the other hand, the profession names do look a tad unsightly as titles. If the professions were to be renamed, the names should retain the information about the profession itself, e.g Ranged Laser Damager (not the best example). One solution would be to enable us to type in a custom title, though this is subject to abuse (advertisement, foul language etc).
 
it used to be that way....not sure when or why they changed it...
 
Good topic, valid points. I highly appreicate and support your suggestion.

I personally would love to see anyway a main title as a combination of the main skills. E.g. It is not important if you are pistol laser (hit) 40 and pistol laser (dmg) 41... in the end you are a laser pistolero (or however you would make that a creative naming).

So I would like to see a title that is really related to your avatar, not one specific skill (which means Auktuma and some others would be "Wise creative matehmatics with impressive engeneering skills" or something similar :D).
 
IceCold3000 said:
But you can be psychic and you can be a psychic - who except MA can say what a word that they invented means or doesn't mean?

Also, the primary purpose of the professions is to show how apt we are at doing something specific, such as inflicting ranged laser damage. Showing a profession under your name is optional and secondary. Changing Ranged Laser (Dmg) to Laser Marksman would defeat that profession's primary purpose which is to say how well we inflict ranged damage. "Ranged Laser (Dmg)" tells us perfectly well what that profession affects, whereas in the case of "Laser Marksman" I would assume it has to do with aiming rather than damaging (and remember, aim and damage are separate in EU).

As for the professions like Brawler (Hit) and Brawler (Dmg), the profession names again reflect what the professions affect, whereas the distinction between Brawler for the damage profession and Boxer for hit is not as apparent. Form should follow function.

On the other hand, the profession names do look a tad unsightly as titles. If the professions were to be renamed, the names should retain the information about the profession itself, e.g Ranged Laser Damager (not the best example). One solution would be to enable us to type in a custom title, though this is subject to abuse (advertisement, foul language etc).
Click to expand...

You make some good points, and I generally agree with you. My examples were fairly hastily composed, but I think that given enough time, realistic titles could be thought up that both serve a proper purpose and look nice.

And you're right on the "Biotropic" thing -- though I think the use of the word "psychic" as a noun is sort of a casual shortening of the phrase "psychic medium". I could certainly be wrong though.

+rep. Thanks for contributing. :)
 
Apple said:
And you're right on the "Biotropic" thing -- though I think the use of the word "psychic" as a noun is sort of a casual shortening of the phrase "psychic medium". I could certainly be wrong though.
Click to expand...

For reference, I used dictionary.com to check and Merriam-Webster confirms it. The origin of the noun could indeed be, as you say, casual shortening: M-W claims the adjective's first known use was over 200 years before the noun's :wise:
 
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