Invented, because they're no real dinosaurs. I liked most of the GW names. If they are not copyright protected I'd be happy to keep them. Or some similar ones.
That's a point to consider... For invented names you will have to look that they are not too similar to already existing invented names. Real names (in any language) don't have that problem... Just use them. So make up new names for dinosaurs ( and other units) turns out more difficult than one might think... Especially if they are intended to make some sense and not only sound good... Maybe I can find my old Latin dictionary then I would try to come up with some suggestions... For names the warmbloods would use...
Thanks for all answers guys! I have passed on the results as well as the core of your statements YOU HAVE HEREBY PUT YOUR FINGER ON 9th AGE!
I voted invented. If creating a fantasy army in some place other than Earth (which 9th Age is) I think it's important to establish it's own ecosystem, especially for key creatures. Sure, general categorical terms (e.g., dragons, dinosaurs, birds, etc.) or names for mundane and common-place creatures (e.g., crow, toad, etc.) are fine but I think you need to establish original fantasy animals for your original fantasy world. However the names should be something the player can identify with, Triceratops? Too ordinary. Stegadon? Too IP'd. How about Montiradon (latin mix of: mountain + angry + tooth) or Tepetltops (Nahuatl + Latin mix: volcano + face). I tried to include the -tops and -don in both for a dinosaur-y 'feel' and help keep a conceptual relationship to the Stegadon/Triceratops aesthetic. EDIT: Just saw the above post by @Mr Phat >.< a few hours late on my half!
Well, for those of you who would like to continue the conversation about how we come up with names and the general feel of the book, I have indeed started a conversation in the 9th Age forum here.
So what does people think of the new names, that has come out of this? Carnoosaur -->Tyrannosaurus/T-Rex -->Carnosaur /Alpha Carnosaur Cold One --> Raptor --> Raptor Kroxigor--> Corxisaur--> Caiman Bastilodon --> Maceosaur-->Tyroscutus Razordon-->Spearback Ripperdactyls --> Pterodactyls --> Ramphodon Salamander --> Salamander Stegadon-->Triceratops -->Taurosaur Terradon--> Pteranodon -->Pteradon Troglodon--> Spinosaur--> Stygiosaur Anyone that was better in previos editions or do you think that these works better?
As I said in 9th age forum these are the ones I like. Especially I hate the troglodon and the stegadon ones.
I agree with your list. Personally I can't stand the new name "Caiman", that was definitely a change for the worse.
The idea is to make them a synergism to the skinks, whom are also named after a real lizards For the other names, people wanted to have scientific names for the most part, so that's what the background team aimed for. With that in mind I feel like they did a good job, granted some are a little unfamiliar to us, but I reckon that's a question of getting to know those names.
For the most part (with one or two exceptions) I much prefer the previous names they had come up with. It's no big deal either way, I'll probably just refer to them by their old GW names anyways... force of habit can be difficult to break.
I'll reckon that's a great deal of it Some of the mid term names, I have to say, was never really to my liking. T-rex and Spinosaurus just felt like the wrong direction of naming those creatures, neither the models nor the rules suggest that they were anything like, those creatures, so I'm glad we got rid of that.
I don't think that Spinosaurus is that far off, but Tyrannosaurus is, I think the Carnosaur is more like an Allosaurus.
Yes, that's probably very equal in appearance. Or another carnosauridea like Gigantosaurus However I will say that the spinosaurus, of what we know, could not spite venom, nor was it blind. It was also at least partly aquatic, where the creature we are dealing with doesn't when have the rule.
I really like it, especially Caiman and Spearback. But I don't like the name for Slann. As I reckon I hadn't liked slann at the beginning so maybe I just have to get used to it