Cantr II Discussion Forum

Okay, I've gone through a number of forum threads on the topic of OOC vs IC language knowledge. Being the geeky linguist/roleplayer that I am, I would love the opportunity to play a foreigner abroad but will probably never be (un)lucky enough to get myself spawned into the wrong language region.

So for those of us who like muddling around in foreign lingos, are any/all of the following character setups acceptable in Cantr?

1. A bilingual player signs up for a character in one language (let's say English), but roleplays the character as speaking another language (let's say Spanish). Emotes etc are done in English so as not to annoy other players. The character may eventually "learn" English over time or teach others Spanish in-game.

2. A player signs up for a character (again, let's say in English) but roleplays not being able to speak the local language. All communication is through emotes/gestures while the character attempts to learn a rudimentary vocabulary. (Obviously nobody ever figures out the character's original "language".)

3. The same as option #1 but the player signs up for a character in a language s/he barely speaks[1] (let's say German). The character is roleplayed as speaking the player's native language (let's say, again, Spanish). The character "learns" German in-game (as does the player) and may teach others Spanish in-game as well.

AFAIK, none of these break the Capital Rule. They're more along the lines of being "handicapped" characters (since they lack what would be a normal skill for others). But I wanted to get a second opinion before doing something that would potentially annoy the neighbors. What do you think? (I personally like #3 best.)

Thanks in advance!
-KP


[1] Let's assume for the sake of argument that the player is fairly experienced with Cantr and undaunted by the thought of navigating the game in a foreign-language interface!

1. No.
2. ...maybe.
3. No.

Linguists represent, though

You could start a mentally retarded character, or just a blank slate character who is potentially intelligent but only knows words he has learned ingame. Or a deaf character that learns to speak by imitating how people move their lips (that would require some research since there are some letters that are "invisible" while reading lips).

Personally find it annoying if someone is speaking a foreign language in an English town even if the person was legitimately spawned in another language group. Others might feel the same so foreigners are often ignored.

Personally find it annoying if someone is speaking a foreign language in an English town even if the person was legitimately spawned in another language group. Others might feel the same so foreigners are often ignored.

I had a decent character starve out in Zuzi when there was a load of spanish characters there. As a player, I just can't stand it. I'd even go so far as to say each language group should have it's own world. My first contact with a foreign language character in game was exciting for about two minutes. Ever since then, I've avoided wasting my time with it all.

It takes up a ridiculous amount of event screen space. It distracts towns from much more worthwhile goals. And most of all, it's cross-language interactions are so infested with cheating, it's not even funny.

I have to agree with frechfisher. Being able to speak a language other than the one you spawned in is considered a CRB. Version 2 is possible though. I have met a charrie myself who talked only in an invented language.

My advice would be to spawn a character in a language you know and let him or her travel into another languages region. Especially when playing Dutch, German or Spanish you will hardly be able to avoid contact with the other groups.

Of course you can spawn a character in a language you barely know, too, as long as that's the only language they speak. You could use an online-translator in this case too. (As far as that's useful) Many of the smaller language groups (French, German...) would be happy about any newspawn, if they speak the language well or not.

One of my dutch characters spoke with some german people and three of them are in a place with spanish people at the moment.

And inventing your own languages is fun. One of my characters uses really cute made up words.

Your chars should have some competence in their spawn language. Many players are very helpful for language learners who are clearly making a sincere effort. But, it can be annoying and distracting for native speakers trying to seriously play in the language if you are just experimenting or expecting to get by with the word salad generated by online translators alone.

Any language other than the language your char spawns in is considered OOC knowledge. Speaking a language your char did not spawn with and has not learned in-game is a CRB. Multilingual players have an unfair advantage over monolinguals, so you are asked to RP language learning for your chars for a minimum of 3 cantr years before they can achieve fluency in a second language in game. You may of course emote in any language. I would like to see the possibility of multilingual spawns in cantr, but currently they are not allowed. Your chars must learn new languages in game, even if you as a player know them already. Please RP an active language-learning process for new languages from chars who legitimately spawned with it. Only spawn your chars in languages you actually intend to play in. If you want your chars to learn more languages, move them to coastal towns, trade hubs, etc, or get a boat and explore. The world is getting smaller. There do exist towns where three or four languages are spoken together.

Cantr chars spawn by language Zone. The language you choose for each char is important. Please respect this feature of the game, though if you have suggestions for improvement you are welcome to post them in the Suggestions forum.

Cantr is great for language learning. I spawned 15 English chars, and more than half now live in other language zones. As a player, I'm trying to learn Polish, just based on the experiences of my chars and with help from people I've met through Cantr. My English sailors interact with chars speaking Spanish, Swedish, Lithuanian, Portuguese, Dutch, German, Esperanto, etc. In my experience players are very generous with travelling chars who make an effort to learn. However, this is not a choice for everyone, and there are native speakers who reasonably expect some fluency from newspawns.

Okay, so it is 3 year now? Just making sure, but yeah it is sometimes fun to have multicultural towns. i know one town that currently is dealing with quite a few polish newspawns, so i am starting to learn a few polish words.
Ja Jestum trexdino

The three-year minimum was set a while ago and meant for multilingual players whose chars encounter a second language in game that the player already knows. It's a way to make it more fair for monolingual players in the same environment. If you know Polish, and Polish visitors come to your English char's town, you should RP learning Polish for at least 60 days before your char starts speaking well.

You'll find that many Polish players emote very well in English, and you can get pretty far with that. As a courtesy, if you are able, bilingual emotes are appreciated by many. In PZ, it's preferred for all players who can when interacting with English chars to use bilingual emotes to include as many players as possible in the events.

trexdino wrote:Okay, so it is 3 year now? Just making sure, but yeah it is sometimes fun to have multicultural towns. i know one town that currently is dealing with quite a few polish newspawns, so i am starting to learn a few polish words.
Ja Jestum trexdino

Yes trexdino I know exactally what your talking about.


I have a small problem tho being monolinguel, heck I barly speak english. When people are speaking in another language I'm at a sever disadvantage. Especially if words are spelt wrong or they are slang and the translator can't quite intrerpret what the heck was said.

Also I'd have to copy paste the whoal event page just to figure who's doing what. Then again a dictionary or translation device may be droped on the ground and for the character and player this helps A LOT. It is still a real pain in the a** to learn a language so I think that the 3 year thing is only if they are around chars of the same language <b>EVERY DAY!</b> There must also be an obvious effort by the player/char to learn the language. Like mixing in words they know in thier native language when they just don't know the other word for it.

I am sadly guilty of ignoring foreign players/characters mainly because its way difficult for me as the player to play with them. Makes my generally intelligent char seem almost retarded and myself as the player not very bright eithor.

That being said however I think I could maybe get away with spanish if I gave forth the effort.

So I think the answer is I agree with frenchfisher on this one.

As a foreigner who speaks a foreign non-englishlike language in english lands I'm most offended by those who ignore foreigners.

I still get the fun out of interacting with other players who don't speak the same language as me, trying to exchange some words and mymics. Since I have been quite obligated to lear how to talk to those who cant understand my words, I at least try to enjoy it except of they get pissed off and start a ravenous killing spree.

Interacting with foreigners *may* be a pain, but all you need is creativity to deal with the situation. It shouldn't be a big problem. And about foreing people spamming, I find the movement they cause in the events page much more annoying that their dialogues. However, I feel the same when I stay in San D'Oria in its busy days.

GranAttacker wrote:As a foreigner who speaks a foreign non-englishlike language in english lands I'm most offended by those who ignore foreigners.

I still get the fun out of interacting with other players who don't speak the same language as me, trying to exchange some words and mymics. Since I have been quite obligated to lear how to talk to those who cant understand my words, I at least try to enjoy it except of they get pissed off and start a ravenous killing spree.

Interacting with foreigners *may* be a pain, but all you need is creativity to deal with the situation. It shouldn't be a big problem. And about foreing people spamming, I find the movement they cause in the events page much more annoying that their dialogues. However, I feel the same when I stay in San D'Oria in its busy days.

Again Dudel should make his statements more clear.


If my char is directally being spoken to I don't ignore thats diffrent. I do not shun or give foreigners the cold shoulder when spoken too. I make the effort to great myself in their native toung or at least emote what the heck I'm trying to do. I don't however see a long strech of speach and respond all the time. If the char points at me or *looks at me* I'll respond but if its just random event speaking I ignore it like its happening somewhere else in the town where I can only barly hear them.

I would like to ask the 'foreigners' to emote in the language of the zone they are in if at all possible. That would discourage people from ignoring you completely because then they can at least know what your doing.

I quote foreigners because its dependent on whom you are and what is indeed foreign.

Note: Translators I find seem to mostly fail on what people are saying. Does anyone know a good one that is free to use and would work for all langage groups without having to translate each word individually? (If I find an awsome free tanslator then I'll be less worried about spending frivilous ticks over simple cut and paste options.)

Dudel is sorry if he upset anyone. That is indeed the very last thing I wan't to do. Everyone here is too awsome to be mad at Dudel. (Really its a waste of energy.)

The post wasn't directed at you erm... directly But hey, no problem. And I don't care about a foreigner being ignored, two people interact when they want. Now the negative view mixed with it is what I didn't receive well.
Oh well.

About translators I have only this to say: hard to find. As hell. It requires a lot of googlin' to find some nice translators, but its easier when the language is very near some other or is a pop language.

Now about emoting in the language which the people in it speak is a work between the two communities and requires a fair ammount of goodwill between the two. When not possible, using english would be nice or... you know, esperanto.

GranAttacker wrote:The post wasn't directed at you erm... directly But hey, no problem. And I don't care about a foreigner being ignored, two people interact when they want. Now the negative view mixed with it is what I didn't receive well.
Oh well.

What negative view? What did I say? I don't like the word foreigner can we use something else? Now I'm confused and I think I insulted someone. Waste of energy comment ment it would be a waste of your energy cause I'll just ignore any violance tword my person.

Look at first Dudeism and you'll know why.

I wrote:The post wasn't directed at you erm... directly

And that means not you, Dudel. I was not insulted, I am not easily. However my comment still is a general post, not directed to anyone.