Visual Entertainment and Technologies Forum

Now that I'm playing with modded-in real company names, one of the things that would be nice to have is the option to customize vehicle names per-company (and, perhaps, per type of vehicle).  Thus making it possible or even likely to have an REO Speedwagon, a Ford Model T, or a Chevrolet Bel Air.

I know there is at least one mod out there that adds real model names (to the NounList.txt, I believe), but with the disclaimer that you'll wind up with vehicles such as the Suzuki Mazdaspeed3 because there's no way to make it specific to a company.

Another related option that this would make cooler, but might be nice by itself, is the ability for AI marques to carry forward names across generations (particularly if the new model targets the same market, and if the previous model did well).  This would both make it easier to see the progression of AI vehicles, but also make successful AI models eventually stand out to the player.

Right now, for example, I'm facing a stiff challenge from the 1940 Chalmers Burglar, which is burglarizing my previously-dominant van market share, and which has a much better image rating than most burglars, of 86, second-best of any vehicle ever after my own van model.  If Chalmers were a real company, while they might have thought twice about naming their panel van the Burglar in the first place, they would very likely carry the name forward after such a success.

I could work most of this into the AI.xml files, so I will add it to a bounty next time I get around to making bounties.

Here is the bounty: https://www.ventdev.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=4561

I opted to have all AI names in a single XML file. You'll add AI companies. Then and for each name entry, limit the vehicle types and years they can be used on. This will require additional mod tools.

Quote:Another related option that this would make cooler, but might be nice by itself, is the ability for AI marques to carry forward names across generations (particularly if the new model targets the same market, and if the previous model did well). This would both make it easier to see the progression of AI vehicles, but also make successful AI models eventually stand out to the player.

The AI does not make new generations or new trims. So this will be one problem with such system. It's likely to run out of names. So you'll probably also need a generic pool of names that the companies can also use. But reusing the names might be something I could investigate.