While running my game a couple of weeks ago I notice that in midst of it al I was giving people nicknames  - or at least their character. I was also playing 2 or 3 NPCs at the time . Was tryi g to figure out if I was doing this in-character or as a GM.

 Example : The young lady playing Akiri Kazonyi in our game. Her character is the communications and sensors operator onboard the Maggie Thatcher.  I remember referring to her as "Sensors Girl" a couple of times during the game while we were doing combat scenes. For that matter, I referred to Angel ....character who just gave birth to twins (IN THE GAME) and now wants to blow stuff up & kill things..... as "The Happy Shooter"

 Anyone else fall into this thing ? Nicnaming characters by what they are dping in game or want to ?

- Ed C.

I used to, but ultimately I felt like it took away from the mood I was seeking in many of my games.  I don't know, it just seemed like it was another little bit of chaos/silliness in my particular case (not saying it is in your game).

Today I always have the names on a 3x5 index card or something similar right in front of me.

Not as a GM, but as a player in a campaign, we named one character 'Pig lips' and another 'monkey boy'. Don't know why to this day really.

Because they think of themselves as the Fab Seven...or rather the Magnificent Seven, they refer to me as Ringo  

Regards,
David R

yes. One of my players in a marvel game was playing a Predator type alien. With some fucked up name. So he became alien predator monkey. Another player in the same game had a character that was a combination of magneto and banshee. That the other players nicknamed Voice McGee.

Now that I've noticed it - I'm going to try and keep it to a minimum...or claim its one of the NPCs that I'm playing saying these nicknames.

 For example, the ship's Navigator, Ms. BJ Scott might say "Hey Sensors Girl" or refer to Angel as the "Happy Shooter" .

I do try to address my player's characters in different ways when talking to them.

 The ship's resident Zhodani soldier and assistant engineer tends to use titles more often and act deferential to those he peceives as outranking him onboard the ship. SO, Kilroy is always "Fitzpatrick" or "Chief" to him. The ship's commander he addresses as either  Commander or Commander Nesher. He is very hesitant about using first names or personal names.

 As for Kilroy - he has TWO young women who are fond of him and he is engaged to the ship's pilot. She calls him Jason - no other character does that.

- Ed C.

Yes we do. Especially if we've playing a fantasy game and everyone's character has a long name. For example, my buddy Chris plays a character called "Cavatheer" which gets shortened to "Cav" when we're talking about him OOC.

Good nicknames are always accidental -- or, rather, happenstantial.  They have to occur organically.  Purposefully given or contrived nicknames are usually just irritating and humiliating.

!i!