|
Alien Names (v. 1.2)
Разработано ArrSoft
|
WHAT IT IS: ALIEN NAMES generates fanciful but usually pronounceable or at least readable names of aliens, planets, worlds, places, galaxies ... whatever YOUR imagination conceives of and needs to label.
WHAT IT DOES: This app is really a creativity generator and enhancer for science fiction writers, game developers, comic book authors, role playing gamers, et al. The trillions of possible names you can generate with this app are yours free to use.
HOW IT WORKS: ALIEN NAMES uses patterns of consonants (C) and vowels (V) in creating names. The patterns in this app produce a wide range of amazing alien words. More patterns are being developed and tested for forthcoming upgrades.
BUT SOME START DIFFERENTLY THAN THE PATTERN? To makes names even more ‘alien’ I have a variable I call PREPEND that randomly adds something to the front of the pattern, but the basic patterns match what’s on the pattern button, such as CVCVC.
30 YEARS IN THE MAKING: I first published versions of this technique in RECREATIONAL COMPUTING in 1980 and in onCOMPUTING magazine later that same year. The program was also mentioned in the February 1980 ISAAC ASIMOV’S SF Magazine.
BASIC NAMES: In 1985 I released a compiled BASIC program also called ALIEN NAMES as shareware. For a decade and more, I got the occasional check, some from places like South Africa, Germany, and other countries.
REBOL with a cause: In 1999, I wrote ALIEN NAMES yet again using the powerful REBOL scripting language. (rebol.com, "It's Perl without the complication.") I also wrote a book about REBOL entitled REBOL FOR DUMMIES.
NEW WORLDS: Time marches on. As I discover new scripting languages, ALIEN NAMES often gets coded first just to see the language's flexibility. I learn by playing ;-).
Some implementations require effort, others do not. REBOL was easy. Doing it in HTML/OS was incredibly fast and simple. I’ve also done PHP and Python versions.
Now, here it is for Android devices, created with App Inventor. And please watch for my forthcoming book, GOOGLE APP INVENTOR BY EXAMPLE.
Enjoy. Create!
--Ralph Roberts
