Names
So, you want to create a Finnish league, but don't want players named "Zack Maloney"? Names are one of the most frequently customized aspects of OOTP, and it's a pretty easy process, too. OOTP comes with an extensive database of first and last names of many different ethnicities, with over 18,000 first names, and over 80,000 last names. There are also over 1,000 player nicknames.
OOTP's name database consists of three text files: first_names.txt, names.txt and nick_names.txt. These are located in the datadatabase directory in your OOTP installation directory. These name files are used to generate all player and personnel names in the game.
All three names files are comma-separated text files. If you're not familiar with those, see thisscreenabout comma-separated files. In particular, if you're looking to edit the names.txt file with Microsoft Excel, see this section of the page.
The names database is used for all leagues in a given saved game. There is no way, for example, to use one set of names for "League A" in your saved game, and a different set for "League B" in your saved game.
By default, the name files are used only upon the creation of a new saved game. At that time, all the names in the name files are converted into a file called "names.dat" that is stored in the saved game directory. OOTP uses names.dat to generate names any time new players or personnel are created. However, if you wish to change the names database for an existing saved game, you can modify the names files, and then re-import them into your saved game using the Re-Import Name and Ethnicity Database option on the Global Setup page.
New players are created at the start of a game, and during any subsequent first-year player drafts. In leagues that do not have first-year player drafts, some free agents are created annually. New personnel are created at the start of the game, and occasionally thereafter to replace those who have retired.
Read the following sections for more information:
- The Names Files
- Putting Names and Nations Together
- Hands-on: Names