Spell Checking

[Sangwa]

"A new idea that could be used in the game mechanics"

I was thinking that it could be nice to have a real time spell checking system in PS.

Why?

Because I think it would help me, and other players, learn their English better and have cleaner, more comprehensible conversations. It is also advisable in a game where you have to speak with NPCs...

How do I think it should be done?

I'm not sure how the way things work with game mechanics. I'm not too keen on computery stuff. But I have some ideas on how things should look: instead of having words underlined in red, there could be just a small dot placed in the top right or left corner of a word when it is not right. Underlining is annoying, specially when it is red. Makes you feel uncomfortable with writing words that are not English or that are misspelled on purpose.
 
So it would look like: "/me 'writtes" but it wouldn't be a ', it would be a small dot.


The Problems People Might Pose:

What if I play a Klyros that prolongates Ss and Zz? (Example: Sssneaky little hobbitssss!)
That wouldn't be a problem. You would have a little spot there, or whatever, marking a word you already know is wrong. So you'd just check to see if that's what you really wanted and get on with it. Seeing some small dots or other subtle marks wouldn't be as annoying has having your whole text underlined in red.

What if I don't speak English?
Well. You shouldn't be able to read this and most of what is told in PS anyway. So why should it bother you anymore?

What if... Hey! I like that idea.
Great!

[John80sk]

It might be a nice option to have, especially for people who aren't native English speakers.  I'd definately have to click it off though with the way my characters speak.

[ThomPhoenix]

Well, there already are open-source spell-check dictionaries for dozens and dozens of languages, just look at Firefox's spell-checker add-on. The hard part is implementing it of course. Anyway, this is to be preferred over other suggestions like full translations or keyword systems like FFXI's (Weapon) (Do you have it?) where you choose the key-sentences from a pre-made list which then directly translates to the list in your language.

[lordraleigh]

For me spell-checkers are not much different from online translators and may be prone to commit ridiculous errors, besides the fact of restricting character choices(Do you think all characters speak perfectly and fluently Yliakum common language? What about simulating the effect of drunkeness on speech? Is the way a klyros speak equal to the way an enkidukai does?). Do we have to nitpick every single word and to presume all characters speak perfectly? In the end, dealing with grammar checking may end in the mediocrity of the example below(Spanish to English) and as an utter waste of time(and wasting time something PS devs should not do as they are volunteers).

Another one(Spanish)

Hola! Tengo que hacer una pregunta: Usted sabes donde estás el grifo del fuego? Soy un mago con experiencia en las magias del camino rojo.

Translation from Babelfish

Hello! I must make a question: You know where you are the fire faucet? I am a magician with experience in the magic of the red way

Better translation:

Hello! I have to ask you a question: Do you know where is the fire glyph? I am a magician with experience in the magics of the red way

[bilbous]

The way most spell checkers work these days is to underline unrecognized spellings and present a context menu with a list of choices when right-clicked, if you don't click it it doesn't change anything. i think it is a good idea but may not be easy to integrate.

[Sangwa]

Lordraleigh the spell check system could be turned off... I thought I had already done a reference on the issue you posted. If you see a word marked, then you simply know it's not present in English. You check it, make sure it's what you want and then press enter at the end.

[bilbous]

Actually, you do not know that, all you really know is that it is not in the spell-checkers word list. One thing that would need to be done from the start is to input into the list all the PS specific words that do not exist elsewhere as you don't need tefusang to be highlighted all the time, for example. It would also be useful to have an 'add to dictionary' function with local storage.

[Sangwa]

Aye, that would be completely necessary.

[ThomPhoenix]

Yup, just like in Firefox

[Sangwa]

That's actually how I got the idea. In case you haven't noticed, my spelling has improved!

[ThomPhoenix]

I thought you hired a typist

[drah]

I've seen people use the wrong words ("wait" instead "weight") ("their" instead of "they're" or "there") which unforunately this wouldn't help against, although the idea itself has it's merits, it does seem unnecessary for a lot of people. (Then again, I'm English... so I'm not really seeing it from the point of view of those who don't speak the language!)

As for dialog with NPCs... I'm strictly with the multiple-choice-crowd, it works so well in other games and makes the whole questing process a hell of a lot smoother. --- Standard questions like "Who are you","What do you do","Can I help you","Tell me about Hydlaa", etc. could all be provided for most characters too so that all the superfluous dialog can still be incorporated into the dialog system.  Anyway, I'll stop right there as I'm heading off-topic.

[Seytra]

I think it's one of the better ideas in here. Ideally, one should spellcheck before sending, but in reality, and especially in a flowing conversation, it's taking too much time to do so people just don't and instead send amendments and corrections. I'm not sure which is more annoying: longer delays or occasional corrections. As for the language learning benefit, I suppose that for those wishing to learn, this indeed could be rather convenient.

Maybe instead of having such dots, one could make the word, or possibly even the appropriate section of the word with the presumed typo, in some other color? Or make this selectable as well. The same code might also be used to mark "unwanted" words / phrases in a different way, so that the typer is alerted to it before it ever gets sent (at least the incoming the filter must remain though), and maybe have the same system (menu: "remove / add") for editing the banlist.

[bilbous]

Personally I do not bother with corrections unless the person I am talking to indicates they do not understand. I find it kind of annoying when others do it. If people want to do that it is their business; I suppose I can live with it.