[MUD-Dev] Spoken Languages & Food [was RP thesis...]

[Marian Griffith]

On Mon 26 May, Matt Chatterley wrote:

> On Mon, 26 May 1997, Marian Griffith wrote:

> > On Sun 18 May, Matt Chatterley wrote:

[language talk snipped]

> My current approach will probably be to assign one 'general' language,
> plus racial (or geographical) orientated languages (ie elvish, or
> midlandish). Hmm.

I wonder what is the point of having racial languages if there is a
general language that everybody speaks. In a typical game there is
no reason to use a different language, and in fact every reason not
to. Players talk to either gossip, or to communicate during combat.
Neither is helped when players use an uncommon language so you can
expect players to use the general language almost exclusively.
If you intend to have several languages you must, somehow, root them
in the game. And for more than the occasional scroll or scribbling on
the wall I think.
 
> > Not to mention the fact that adventurers usually are the misfits who were
> > forced to taking to adventuring for fear of meeting the gallow at home.

> Heh. Whatever the circumstances, the 'adventurer' (clasically the central
> PCs in a pen&paper RPG.. this is not so true in all MUSHes for instance),
> is exceptional compared to everyone else. This makes it slightly more
> reasonable to assume that adventurers can all communicate via a 'trade
> tongue'. Only slightly though. :P

<grin> Let's not get into details of what is and what should be.
It is easier for the players to have them be the exceptional characters,
and in general it makes more sense that way too. It's just that the kind
of people who live by the sword aren't usually considered special. Quite
the contrary in fact. But that's a roleplaying consideration and it need
not bother players of a combat oriented game.

Marian
--
Yes - at last - You. I Choose you. Out of all the world,
out of all the seeking, I have found you, young sister of
my heart! You are mine and I am yours - and never again
will there be loneliness ...

Rolan Choosing Talia,
Arrows of the Queen, by Mercedes Lackey