Ok so i read most of the posts on this apparently controversial issue of names.
Couldn't you satisfy both parties with a "translation" trick ?
The names could appear in something that sounds more fantasy-like (to everyone who doesn't understand elven Lorien is mystical), but their description, or the way some people call it IN ENGLISH could include their translation (just like non elven would translate Lorien as Dreamland).
Take Goznor: you could keep it as is, and somehow explain that it means "Gemsand" in the language of the first people who erected this town, but whose civilization has declined/be assimilated or such. So it's still Goznor because of its history, and it's named so in ancient records, but nowadays people just nickname it Gemsand (for the earth to earth reasons you described).
How many people actually call the town they live in by its full name ?
Also, putting meaning behind every single little thing kills imagination for the player: true, most my say "aha, i see what he did there", but they will hardly ever be room for imagination. Everyone will have the same game experience, and not live the adventure on a subjective level.
Cause you know, Mardek Honeyblood only means what you make it mean, whereas a random surname means whatever the player puts behind it.
If you give your world a sense, it only has one. If you don't give it one, than anyone can give it theirs.
So of course, it's YOUR game, and your universe, and i understand that you like to plan things ahead and give it a comprehensive consistency. That sure makes us go "wow, that"s some crazy amount of work and planning ahead". But not 100% down to the smallest detail has to be meaningfull. Sometimes in life, you can't make heads or tail of some stuff: is that a such a bad thing ? And if you really want to make anything meaningful, it doesn't all have to be in the same level: you could include explanations in random non compulsive places, like clicking on a bookshelf in a kingdom's official library would help you understand the why's behind stuff, but you don't have to read it to finish the game.
Or make it rewarding: unraveling the mysteries behind a name could help you understand that the "secret Malkraizon treasury" is in fact some underground cave in your home town that's been banned for centuries for being haunted. How many times do people live near locations they have no clue about ?
Anyhow, you'll do whatever you want in the end, but be aware that whenever you start getting the feeling "now i know where this is headed and what I want to do", you tend to just impose it on others not-so-subtly and dismiss any opposition just because they don't fit. You've done it in the past, and i'm not saying it's wrong in itself, just that it will upset many of your followers who will be under the impression you think shit about them (doesn't matter if it's true or not it's an impression, subjective per se). You said you wanted to recreate a real fan base: that's not really consistent with it, unless your planning to select its happy few members based on who only shows exuberant enthusiasm whenever you share what you've been working on.
Tl; Dr: not following suggestions or advices is fine, but be carefull about HOW you dismiss people's opinion.
Couldn't you satisfy both parties with a "translation" trick ?
The names could appear in something that sounds more fantasy-like (to everyone who doesn't understand elven Lorien is mystical), but their description, or the way some people call it IN ENGLISH could include their translation (just like non elven would translate Lorien as Dreamland).
Take Goznor: you could keep it as is, and somehow explain that it means "Gemsand" in the language of the first people who erected this town, but whose civilization has declined/be assimilated or such. So it's still Goznor because of its history, and it's named so in ancient records, but nowadays people just nickname it Gemsand (for the earth to earth reasons you described).
How many people actually call the town they live in by its full name ?
Also, putting meaning behind every single little thing kills imagination for the player: true, most my say "aha, i see what he did there", but they will hardly ever be room for imagination. Everyone will have the same game experience, and not live the adventure on a subjective level.
Cause you know, Mardek Honeyblood only means what you make it mean, whereas a random surname means whatever the player puts behind it.
If you give your world a sense, it only has one. If you don't give it one, than anyone can give it theirs.
So of course, it's YOUR game, and your universe, and i understand that you like to plan things ahead and give it a comprehensive consistency. That sure makes us go "wow, that"s some crazy amount of work and planning ahead". But not 100% down to the smallest detail has to be meaningfull. Sometimes in life, you can't make heads or tail of some stuff: is that a such a bad thing ? And if you really want to make anything meaningful, it doesn't all have to be in the same level: you could include explanations in random non compulsive places, like clicking on a bookshelf in a kingdom's official library would help you understand the why's behind stuff, but you don't have to read it to finish the game.
Or make it rewarding: unraveling the mysteries behind a name could help you understand that the "secret Malkraizon treasury" is in fact some underground cave in your home town that's been banned for centuries for being haunted. How many times do people live near locations they have no clue about ?
Anyhow, you'll do whatever you want in the end, but be aware that whenever you start getting the feeling "now i know where this is headed and what I want to do", you tend to just impose it on others not-so-subtly and dismiss any opposition just because they don't fit. You've done it in the past, and i'm not saying it's wrong in itself, just that it will upset many of your followers who will be under the impression you think shit about them (doesn't matter if it's true or not it's an impression, subjective per se). You said you wanted to recreate a real fan base: that's not really consistent with it, unless your planning to select its happy few members based on who only shows exuberant enthusiasm whenever you share what you've been working on.
Tl; Dr: not following suggestions or advices is fine, but be carefull about HOW you dismiss people's opinion.