PlaneShift

Gameplay => Wish list => Topic started by: Zazhia on March 03, 2013, 02:51:11 am

Title: Language help for non-native English speakers
Post by: Zazhia on March 03, 2013, 02:51:11 am
I have met confused newbies around the plaza speaking Spanish, German and something else during the short time I have been around; and one of the times it seemed to be somewhat impossible to get the person to understand, that it's a requirement for people to speak English in main. To help with even the simplest technical issues can be a bit challenging as well, and that’s a shame, and it must be very frustrating for the new players too.

What about making a list of experienced player's names and mother tongues/spoken languages? Persons who would be willing to help the new players finding their way around in the game?

I write Danish and English and understand Swedish and Norwegian as well.

[I hope this is the right place for this topic]
Title: Re: Language help for non-native English speakers
Post by: LigH on March 03, 2013, 10:58:03 am
Such a thread may survive longer than even some of the more patient and helpful players in game ... but indeed, knowing who to ask is a prerequisite to ask and learn.

Many players may not know this forum, so I believe a source in game would be the safest; I just doubt that it can be established in a convenient and safe way. You know ... "public books" can be edited by anyone, but must be taken, so any noob can steal it, not knowing what he does.
__

This may be the right place to discuss it, but not to publish the list itself.
Title: Re: Language help for non-native English speakers
Post by: Zazhia on March 03, 2013, 01:29:17 pm
Oh, yes I agree with you.

I was thinking something like an OOC-poster (private book) on the "billboards" ingame. One administrator updating it after a forum post (I would happily do that).

But yes, putting the list here wouldn't make sense, given that I rarely see new names on here. Sort of ruins the point.

Any other ideas/opinion, people?  :)
Title: Re: Language help for non-native English speakers
Post by: Daevaorn on April 03, 2013, 08:01:44 pm
How about encouraging people to use the help channel using their native language? This could be easily done with the initial message in the help tab.
Title: Re: Language help for non-native English speakers
Post by: BoevenF on April 03, 2013, 11:31:12 pm
I agree with Daevaorn, could be more a natural step for a newcomer, that in my experience doesn't know the meaning of many words, especially "patience".
It has to be somehow explained clearly in the tutorial, I guess.
Title: Re: Language help for non-native English speakers
Post by: Zazhia on April 06, 2013, 12:05:39 am
Great idea!

Because of a lot of things going on in RL I don't have much time to play these days, but I would be happy if it worked like that in the future. I am an advisor already, so no change there.

Enjoy the weekend everyone.
Title: Re: Language help for non-native English speakers
Post by: gonger on April 06, 2013, 11:44:14 am
Hello,

I like the idea, and maybe we should do it both here and inside the game. But with all the help we can give, it is up to the players to improve their English. Chatting and RPing can certainly help there, and maybe those of us who speak a decent English can "/tell" them about some mistakes they make.
I speak German (native language), English and French, and can understand Italian, Spanish, Luxembourgish (yes, that IS a language!  ;D), some Russian, and most of Dutch and the Nordic Languages (except for Finnish which is not really related to anything else).

Gonger
Title: Re: Language help for non-native English speakers
Post by: LigH on April 06, 2013, 12:03:51 pm
(except for Finnish which is not really related to anything else).

Years before this prank, he already taught us Danish in his stage shows, and appeared as Beatrix, Queen of the Netherlands...

This is Finnish, but not the end (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXxJKNEUGmE) ;D

HaPe Kerkeling & "R.I.P.ULI — Helsinki Is Hell" live at VIVA Interaktiv with Milka (german watchers of this german TV event may have to use the ProxTube plugin for Firefox)