Tina or Terra?

[Wolf Kanno]

What about Locke and Lock ? And Sabin and Mash ? And Cain and Kain ?
.

An added "e' doesn't matter,and looks more like a name ...someone must've named him after eating mashed potatoes...odd..... and should have been Cane (kain was probably changed due to biblical reference or something like that).

Sabin's Japanese name is a bit odd, but from what I've read, it's kind of a poor translation of the Katakana which was poorly utilized on the Japanese part. I've read his name is suppose to be Matthew and "Mash" is suppose to be the shorten "Matt" but it's really hard to say Matthew in Japanese without changing some words around and when it was translated it comes up as Mash. My question is where does Sabin come from? I mean Locke and Kefka's names were slightly altered, Terra's was changed to fit the intention, and Cyan's name was changed to fit the limited character restrictions, but where do we go from Mash to Sabin? I mean at least Terra and Tina are not a huge leap from each other compared to Mash and Sabin.

For the subject at hand, Terra is her official name in English, Tina in Japanese, unlike say the Aeris/Aerith debate, Terra's name has been consistent with new media whereas Aeris only appears in the blind idiot translation that is the original FFVII, so Terra is official outside of Japan.

Bartz is official for FFV, even the translation of "Butz" was debatable from the beginning in the fan-translation community.

[J.D]

I just think that if the original author's vision name for the character is Tina, then that is her real name. Terra seems to be used because of marketing reasons.

[Yar]

Well luckily you can input your own =choices for names for each of the characters, so there shouldn't be a problem.

[The Man]

I'm sure it wasn't because of marketing reasons. I already explained why the name was changed - the creators wanted an exotic-sounding name for the character, and Tina is not an exotic-sounding name in the West.

[Jiro]

I just think that if the original author's vision name for the character is Tina, then that is her real name. Terra seems to be used because of marketing reasons.

It's not a matter of them saying "I want her to be named x" it's a matter of them saying "I want her name to invoke x references and feelings." Her name is whatever it needs to be in order to achieve that.

[Zen Beoulve]

I just think that if the original author's vision name for the character is Tina, then that is her real name. Terra seems to be used because of marketing reasons.

It's not a matter of them saying "I want her to be named x" it's a matter of them saying "I want her name to invoke x references and feelings." Her name is whatever it needs to be in order to achieve that.

I Remember a Pach Attack episode when he says: every corporate or marketing related move in the game industry is made possible because is actually profitable for them, everything is profit oriented. So I don't think they were thinking on children like you and me at that time and thought: "The Tina name doesn't seem to be evoking the message we need to express" like if they actually care about a perfect translation or our way of understanding things.

I really wonder what real message they tried to express by putting her the name of Terra in NA, because if you ask me, the first thing that comes in mind is the earth, and I think Terra was a pretty cold hearted General and that name does not give me the shivers. Now if they wanted to keep her pure and virgin, why not changin her god dam clothes?

Also I think Tina is an African-American oriented name, and I bet regardless of what they said was true or not, some racist discussion was involved too, from what I know companies don't change in-game content unless they really need to do it.

[The Man]

Woolsey must have been thinking in terms of how much it would add to sales every time he localised a name rather than whether doing so would hew closer to the game designers' intent than a straight romanisation. Because people buy so many more games when characters have weird names, don'tcha know.

Wait, there isn't even the slightest bit of evidence for that hypothesis.

[Greatermaximus]

I hate conversations like these for the most part. If my ideas had to be perfect each time I'd never show anything.

[NeoCracker]

Also, just like to point out, Tina was likely picked in Japan for her name in part because exotic names draw more attention. So Tina may well have been a marketing ploy to begin with.

[Hollycat]

I like Tina better.

[Greatermaximus]

We humans are possibly with some AI's are not objective. Are exotic means feels like esoteric means. Extra things to smurf about. Everyone knows that right?

Brought to you by the letter EEEE...

[NeoCracker]

We humans are possibly with some AI's are not objective. Are exotic means feels like esoteric means. Extra things to smurf about. Everyone knows that right?

Brought to you by the letter EEEE...

My lack of knowing what the smurf you are talking about leads me to think we should just subscribe to this philosophy.

[ShinGundam]

I just think that if the original author's vision name for the character is Tina, then that is her real name. Terra seems to be used because of marketing reasons.

Got love "marketing reasons", I guess blonde is more marketable than green hair.

[Clo]

Terra is better. SHE'S A SUMMON. I can't imagine a summon named "Tina."

[Shiny]

Well DUH

Terra is Tina
Celes is Cindy
Locke is Luke
Edgar is Edward or "Eddie"
Sabin is Steve
Shadow is Shalinda

Everyone knows that.