Question about terminology

Phoebe Klim

Member
Hi, fellow devs!

Last week I've been working on item sets for my game (item sets like from Diablo/Torchlight) and I came up with two sets: Ultranid's Damnation and Ultranid's Salvation.

Damnation gives player benefits, but player constantly loses a lot of health. Salvation makes it that player cannot die from self-damage, which is what Damnation set does.

The problem? According to the dictionary, damnation and salvation seem to be very biblical terms. And I don't want biblical terms in my sci-fi game that has nothing to do with Earth and its religions.

Because you can't always trust dictionary, my question is, how much "damnation" and "salvation" words associated with religion? Would it be better if it was replaced with "corruption" and "redemption" or other words? Any suggestions?

Just to clarify, English is not my native language.
 
K

Kenjiro

Guest
Yeah, maybe the latter.

The former do automatically switches my mind to bible mode.

"Corruption" and "redemption" sound pretty good to me :)
 

kburkhart84

Firehammer Games
You could go with 'classic' names. The word 'curse' works, so depending on what the buff is, you could say 'cursed protein' or whatever fits the game. You could do similar for the other item. Regen is a good word...'Holy Water' if it fits isn't bad, though it has a bit of religious connection it is not near what damnation and salvation is. In real life what prevents self damage? Maybe the word 'focus' fits somewhere here.
 

Yal

šŸ§ *penguin noises*
GMC Elder
You could use Avarice and Restraint instead (for Damnation and Salvation respectively), the former is a fancy synonym to "greed" and the latter to "self-control", which is just what the sets appeal to :p
 
G

Guest User

Guest
it should be noted that the words are popular in movies, games, etc. that also don't have anything to do with the bible.
while a religious person might have the image evoked in their head, no one is going to see those words and wrongfully assume your game is religious or anything of that nature. so if you really want to use it you can without too much worry.
 

RangerX

Member
And why wouldn't there be religions in your sci-fi world?
If they express in English it wouldn't not be out of place that they use the same words as on Earth afterall.
Besides, "redemption" is just as much religious as "salvation". Its a word used in so many writings, religious or not.
I would simply suggest trying not to use very symbolic words if you want to avoid real life religion. I dunno, stuff like Chalice, Tabernacle, Christ/God, sacrament, etc
 
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