learning languages

Discussion in 'Arcanum 2 Suggestion Forum' started by legolas, Jun 9, 2002.

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  1. legolas

    legolas New Member

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    i think it would be cool, to be able to learn the languages made up my j.r.r. tolkien, such as elvish and dwarvish, and in a dwarven mine or an elven city, at altars their could be elvish writing, and say you need to figure it out for a quest you can either decipher it yourself , or get someone to do it for you. this would make the game seem pretty real
     
  2. Vyaas

    Vyaas New Member

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    I think that everyone in Arcanum currently speaks Common, in other words, they all speak the same language, though having to decipher ancient tongues is not out of the question...
     
  3. legolas

    legolas New Member

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    ok then, the deciphering of ancient languages sounds cool
     
  4. Dragoon

    Dragoon New Member

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    Sounds good, especially if it were hard enough to learn some languages (for example only a dwarf could learn some secret dwarven dialect) and provided some great rewards inaccessible for characters who have not learned given language.
     
  5. xento

    xento New Member

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    Sounds good! Besides, what is the possiblility that Vendigroth spoke in common tongue? Wouldnt they have a language of their own?
    :thinkof:
     
  6. Dragoon

    Dragoon New Member

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    How about newspapers you find in Vendigroth?
     
  7. xento

    xento New Member

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    That is just what I am asking: What is the chance that Vendigroth spoke in common tongue..... it's like saying Noah spoke in English, what's the chance of it happening? I guess what I am suggesting is maybe Vendigroth should have some schematics or something for some great invention that has a strange language that you must decifer.
     
  8. Dragoon

    Dragoon New Member

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    There should be also something like that in Iron Clan. Anyway the whole learning languages idea is good as it gives possibility to put LARGE side-plots in game.
     
  9. Quethim

    Quethim New Member

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    The writing would come out in common on your screen though, but say yo uare talking to a dwarf or something, it would come out in jiberish, how does that sound?
     
  10. Ferret

    Ferret New Member

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    Like gibberish! How would you know what the dwarf is saying?!
     
  11. xento

    xento New Member

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    You would read the words. Maybe, before you know how to decifer the language, it would sound like gibberish, and the words would look like gibberish too, but when you learned how to decifer them, it would sound and look like normal english (common).
     
  12. Quethim

    Quethim New Member

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    Yeah, that is what I was trying to say. And the gibberish would not be like %#$%$# and stuff like that, it will actually be a made up language actually taken time to make. Sounds interesting...
     
  13. Ferret

    Ferret New Member

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    Perhaps you can have a form of runic or something in the Dwarven caverns. It's a fairly easy language to learn and read/write, but it means absolutely nothing if you don't know the symbols. That way, you wouldn't have to invent a whole new language - just a new alphabet.
     
  14. xento

    xento New Member

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    Perhapse.... Also, that Durin's Truth that you find in the Iron Clan's mines (which, I daresay, where quite a dissoppointment as far as size goes) should be able to be found again (maybe bought off the black market, if it got there somehow) and desiphered, and would tell you some secret and very valuble information (maybe a schematic or something that will make the game easier, like some super-sword or something)
     
  15. Ferret

    Ferret New Member

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    If you're talking about the stone tablet from the iron clan, then it's written in a Dwarven language and is already readable (just not by you). It contains the history of the iron clan.
     
  16. Ct0fDiscord

    Ct0fDiscord New Member

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    And that would make even more interesting seperations between the races. Sounds good.
     
  17. xento

    xento New Member

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    Ya, like maybe there could be some ancient Elven Runes that only an elf could decifer, and dwarven tablets (like the Durin's Truth) that only dwarves could decifer, and also, like in Vendigroth, a language that only humans could understand.

    Maybe you could be required to read (or hold) a certain decifer note/tablet that will let you see the information as it really is. Or, maybe you would have to make an offering to that group's god and that would 'enlighten' you so that you would understand their language.
     
  18. Ferret

    Ferret New Member

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    I think you're right about the race differences. It would be really good if each race had an inate language ability unique to them. For half-elves, you'd have to make a choice at the beginning about whether you could read elven writing or the ancient human writing. Half-orcs and Half-ogres would be able to read their respective orc and ogre languages (because there are no playable purebreeds).

    This means that, depending on the race you choose, rather than just your playing style, you would get to play different aspects of the game, or have extra routes and items/weapons etc. available to you as bonuses. This would give the game more versatility and means that each race would have a different experience throughout the game, even if the main story was consistant.
     
  19. xento

    xento New Member

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    Maybe there could even be a background that allows you to decipher a special language.... or maybe one that lets you decipher more then one.

    Like this:

    Decipher Child - Your parents taught you a special language when you were just a child. They never told you what it was for, but they assured you that it would be important to remember it. You did as they asked and now know one of the most secret ancient languages of Arcanum.
    (this would let you know a special language that you can only understand through this)

    Literature Professor - You had a love for the special languages of the races and studied it all through your schooling and collage years. You have now become an expert (you can read all of the race's special languages) and know two of the ancient languages of Arcanum.
    (this one would allow you to understand all of Arcanum's race's special languages, plus, two special ones.)
     
  20. legolas

    legolas New Member

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    for the language, one of jrr tolkiens languages could be adopted. jrr tolkien rawks!!!!!!!!!
     
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