Topic: Is it common knowledge why the guy sez 'I am Error' in ZLDII?

[P/\/\\/o]

I think I know the answer, but is it still a mystery? 

[TheCruelAngel]

I have a guess, based purely on my CS background and previous history at the big N (though not that far back).

My guess is the line "I am error" is a default string value for when a message appears to help prevent the title from freaking out and crashing when the intended value the message is looking for doesn't exist. This is double handy since it shows testers that there is an issue with the text/messaging system and they can point it out to developers to get this fixed. So what probably happened is that this was never caught (if memory serves NOA didn't really have a debug team back then) and thus made it into market.

I believe others that are more familiar with NES programming can vouch for this guess or disprove it. Regardless that's what makes the most sense to me.

[Phoenix7786]

The answer plain and simple a townperson says to find and talk to Error for a vital clue. When you talk to Error after that he gives you the necessary clue.
Of course it IS still fully possible that his name bugged, and wasn't supposed to be Error but something else entirely. The again the Zelda series is full of eclectic names.

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

Haha, funny you say bug.

No his name is Error.
He's got a brother named Bagu (Bug) near Midoro Swamp.

The developers had some fun with the names.

[Phoenix7786]

Oh damn that's right I forgot about Bagu! In that case their names are probably intentional.

[Lelygax]

Exact, since they translated Bug as Bagu its difficult to understand the joke xD

[P/\/\\/o]

My theory is boring, because it is so obvious: Lost in translation. Now, the original name of Error is Eraa or Erroru, in Japanese. While you can translate this into Error, you can also translate it into Errol,too. And Errol sounds like a medieval name, so the guy's name is probably 'Errol'. But the translators had a brainfart on this one. 

[TheCruelAngel]

His name is actually suppose to be error? Well color me surprised, (and woefully obvious I haven't played through Zelda II) but a lost in translation does make sense.

I mean, we are talking about the company that went from Monkey Kong to Donkey Kong.

Also Errol would be a pretty sweet name, but could also be Ellol or Ellor (yay ambiguous r/l phonemes!). Shame it ended up being Error and no one questioned it. o_O

[A-Yty]

My theory is boring, because it is so obvious: Lost in translation. Now, the original name of Error is Eraa or Erroru, in Japanese. While you can translate this into Error, you can also translate it into Errol,too. And Errol sounds like a medieval name, so the guy's name is probably 'Errol'. But the translators had a brainfart on this one. 

This would have been my guess too.

But the more you know. This kind of a findmuck. Who would have guessed that with all those games being full of engrish, one of them had a clever wordplay disguised like another messed up translation.

[Claimh Solais]

Also Errol would be a pretty sweet name, but could also be Ellol or Ellor (yay ambiguous r/l phonemes!). Shame it ended up being Error and no one questioned it. o_O

There's actually a character named Errol in the Jak & Daxter series, though it was spelled "Erol" in Jak II and then as "Errol" in Jak 3. I did like the name after I first heard it.

I always just thought the character of Error was a character giving you useless information a la Simon's Quest NPCs.

[Aridale]

There's actually a character named Errol in the Jak & Daxter series, though it was spelled "Erol" in Jak II and then as "Errol" in Jak 3. I did like the name after I first heard it.

I always just thought the character of Error was a character giving you useless information a la Simon's Quest NPCs.

Never thought it coulda just been after Errol Flynn?

[Claimh Solais]

Never thought it coulda just been after Errol Flynn?

I never said it was named after anyone.