Renaming Great People in Civ5

[NomadicAI7]

Is it possible or not?

I found this thread, but it's in Civ4. http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?p=12187051#post12187051

Why are we allowed to EDIT city names and Faith features, but not rename Great People?

 

[TheMarshmallowBear]

Because City names and Religion remain tot he end of the game. Great People only remain maximum of 3 turns before they're expended?

 

[blackcatatonic]

Not necessarily true; Great Generals and Admirals are notable exceptions.

When you think about it, they don't really need names at all, unlike Cities or Religions which must be named something, even if it's just the default. They don't earn promotions and one Great Person is much the same as any of the others of its type, so you don't really need names to tell them apart (though with GGs/GAds it can help you keep tabs on how many you have running around). The point of Great People having names is to commemorate historical figures generally seen as among the greatest and most influential to have ever worked in their fields (which explains why we don't get names for Great Prophets - people can be particularly touchy where religious matters are concerned).

Personally I'm not sure why you would want to rename them. I guess there's a 'flavour'/role-play argument to it, but while their impact is substantial, (as has been said) they're not really long-lasting enough for it to be worth it...

 

[blackcatatonic]

(also, I think in the Civ5 picture you quoted in the other thread, if you look carefully it's the Frigate that was renamed, not the Admiral...)

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

I don't know for sure, but there is probably a way you can alter a game file in order to add a person you think particularly deserving to the lists.

 

[NomadicAI7]

Thank you for the responses guys!

@TheKingOfBigOz
Yes, most Great Persons, but GGs and GAs (Great Generals and Great Admirals) do tend to stick around in my games, sometimes for the entirety of the game.

@blackcatatonic
Thanks! I noticed that later... it was the upgraded UNIT frigate that was renamed, not the GA. I just immediately thought John Paul Jones the musician, not the actual admiral. Musician: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Paul_Jones_(musician) So I thought, this guy must really like this musician. Yet, here is the actual historical figure: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Paul_Jones Same namesake, I guess.

Yes, just like renaming CITIES, UNITS, and religious FEATURES, renaming Great People would bring much more immersion to RP element of the game.

For example, in the "Into the Renaissance" scenario, I'm playing as the Turks in 1066 AD. In that time frame, I'd name my first Great General Alp Arslan, not Patton from WWII. Also, past appropriate time frame, I'd rename the GG to someone else fitting. So, imho, possibilities for why renaming GREAT PERSONS are just as endless as the possibilities for why would people rename CITIES and UNITS.

For naming units, I like two strategies that most people go about.
1st strategy by FUNCTION: 1st melee div or 3rd ranged div or Barrage Keshik vs. Accuracy Keshik. For pure operatoinal use.
2nd strategy by ORIGIN: 1st Athens, 4th Byzantium. For more sentimental reasons, seeing how far a unit travelled from its "birthplace".

@Eagle Pursuit
Yeah, I figured that mucking with XML files is the way to do it, but not quite. It will add a name to the list, but it will still be randomly generated, not edited ingame by player. So then Alp Arslan could be defending Byzantium and Romanos leading the Turks. I'd just like to avoid that kinda silliness, at least from my player side.

 

[Pollux2099]

I have amended every .xml file I have been able to find that includes a list of great people names by mimicking the previous entries. My goal is to simply add names to the list, is this possible? After changing CIV5Units.xml and a few other .xml files there has been no noticeable change in-game.

What am I not understanding?

Thanks in advance.

 

[DizzKneeLand33]

The point of Great People having names is to commemorate historical figures generally seen as among the greatest and most influential to have ever worked in their fields (which explains why we don't get names for Great Prophets - people can be particularly touchy where religious matters are concerned).

Actually, Great Prophets were named in Civ IV and I don't remember anyone being touchy about it -- besides, some of the names I had not heard of, and actually learned something irl when looking up information about them....