The final game's name

[archibalduk]

Well the name for the game has been decided by OOTP and now all we have to do is to await for the announcement. OOTP recently ran a poll to vote for the game's name which would help inform their decision. They have now decided upon the name but have not yet made this public.

The outcome of their poll was as follows:

• World Hockey Manager - 35.33%
• Behind the Bench Hockey Manager - 32.67%
• Top Shelf Hockey Manager - 21.33%
• International Hockey Manager - 10.67%

Personally, of the four names, I by far prefer World Hockey Manager or International Hockey Manager. Perhaps "International" would be the less ideal of the two because, to an extent, it suggests that the game relates to international teams rather than league teams. I'm quite glad World Hockey Manager won the poll. I hope this is the name the developers go with.

Just for the heck of it, I've started a poll here to vote for your preferred name. Obviously this is just for fun and will have no bearing whatsoever on OOTP Devs' choice! It seems OOTP Devs quite deliberately omitted any name with the initials OOTP (such as Out of the Pond Hockey) - presumably because they want it to have a separate identity to OOTP Baseball. However, for the purpose of this poll, I've added OOTP as an option in addition to the four names that made it to the official poll.

Hopefully soon we will hear news of the confirmed name...

[B. Stinson]

Of those choices, I like "World Hockey Manager". Ultimately, though, I've always liked the very simple and to-the-point "<sport> Manager <year>"; "Hockey Manager 2013" would be nice.

Hopefully they won't get too complicated with it. Maybe it's just me, but I think a game comes off as generic, or amateur, if the name is too flashy, or tries too hard to be creative.

[McQwak]

I totally agree with Brian.
If they want to have some unique name (unlike general Hockey Manager 2012) then I'd suggest OOTP Hockey Manager 2012

[Loosie]

I like World Hockey Manager as well, but "Behind the Bench' is also nice in that it keeps with the 'Out of the Park' theme, with lone exception being that it tends to sound more like a 'coaching' game then a GM game.

[McQwak]

Yeah, a GM game should be 'Behind the Scenes', not 'Bench'.

[Sebastian Palkowski]

In know the name.

It is/was much tougher then we expected. We could not agree on a name in our internal group of 6-7 people. Then you have to watch out if names are already taken so my favorite name (Dynasty Hockey Manager) fell through. We will announce the final name once our new graphics person is done with the OOTP GUI redesign (which will be used for the Hockey Game as well, at least as basis) and has time to work on the logo. We will then present both at the same time.

I guess you will never please anyone but for me the name is not that important as long as the game is fun.

[archibalduk]

Ah I can't wait to see the name, logo and GUI!

I guess you will never please anyone but for me the name is not that important as long as the game is fun.

This is so true; you'll never please everybody. It's almost certain there will be some moaning when the name is unveiled - but eventually everyone will get used to it. As you say, it's the game rather than the name that really matters.

[SensGoon]

What about "Out Of The Rink"?

[krownstone]

Off the Ice 2012
Hockey Office 2012
Gods of Hockey 2012
Virtual Hockey Manager 2012
Home Ice Hockey Manager 2012
Hockey Manager's Suite 2012
Hockey Heaven 2012
Heros & Zeros Hockey Manager 2012

[MGSPORTS]

Hockey Manager 2012?
Front Office Hockey?
Off the Rink?

[philou21]

Well OOTP is for a homerun so Off the Ice or Rink doesn't fit that much to me for an hockey game.

[B. Stinson]

Well OOTP is for a homerun so Off the Ice or Rink doesn't fit that much to me for an hockey game.

Worse yet, it's actually a 2-minute minor for 'delay of game'

[philou21]

It should be instead On The Ice 2012 at least there's no penalty in that.

[jayeburgh]

Center Ice Hockey.
Overtime Hockey.
Back of the Net Hockey/ BOTN Hockey