Request for tutorial translation.

[Gaian]

I don't think people should be allowed to speak English in game. They should speak Spanish or Chinese instead.
All of the npc interaction and quests should be in Spansh or Chinese too, to help encourage people to drop English.
English is passe'.
 

Ehrm, I think that this will be another stab in RP body....
I mean, if npc will speak in more languages, then all the players will start speaking different languages in RP, too. And then RP will not RP, it will RIP  .
I used to hate RP, but this changes all.
And anyways English PS is more helpful: people will learn English playing (I'm doing this too... When I joined PS the first time I barely knew how to greet and how to say "How're you?".)
I hope that I haven't wrote lots of helpless words, maybe because I misunderstood something. 

[CadRipper]

I don't think people should be allowed to speak English in game. They should speak Spanish or Chinese instead.
All of the npc interaction and quests should be in Spansh or Chinese too, to help encourage people to drop English.
English is passe'.
 

Two remarks, firstly IMHO you shouldn't look at how many people on Earth speak each language to decide which should be chosen as a common ground. I'd rather base the statistics on how many are likely to play PlaneShift, it could bias the numbers significantly.

Secondly, put aside the difficulty to learn the chosen "common language", there is also the matter of re-usability for other purposes (communication in business, commerce, tourism, ...).

But I guess you were kidding

Back on to the topic of translating the walkthrough: I'm a bit puzzled, if that's not translated in the game(*), then your translation should look like each translated reply next to the orginial one so that the people could follow while doing the tutorial I guess.

But once passed the tutorial those people will be left on their own, will they go further or will they simply give up? Maybe I'm just echoing what has been said - won't they gather into isolated groups speaking French, Dutch, Spanish instead of trying to mingle and roleplay with everyone? I do think that playing this kind of game and posting in the forums will encourage you to improve your English but you need a base to start with, even if you're not fluent at the beginning. And you have to be willing to improve. You may as well have the required level before doing the tutorial... which doesn't mean there shouldn't be a translation of the guide as support of course, because it's "offline" reading, I'm just a little sceptical about the tutorial part and as to how present things so that they are really helpful.


(*) Of course the game shouldn't be translated! Not unless it has to become an MMOFPS
There have been attempts, for example Disney (I think) did something for kids a few years ago - a mini-MMORPG - where you could choose simple replies like "Hello", "Yes"/"No", "How are you?", ... in your native language, and everyone else would see it translated in theirs. But that's just pre-defined replies and it can't really work when users are typing the text in a chat box (no I'm not a Babelfish believer). You wouldn't want PS to get there.

[Vonor]

This request is meant to support people who have difficulties with understanding the tutorial.
Ask yourself, how many times - when you have been an advisor - someone with poor english knowledge has asked for help?

Is poor english a reason to exclude people from playing? NO it isn't. PlaneShift is meant for everyone and not for those who are fluent in english.
All beginning is hard, think back, if there had been a tutorial level when you started playing PS, would you have passed it or would you have given up, because you lacked the language skills?

We have as far as I know 2 or 3 german speaking guilds, we also have a french speaking guild and I think I have heard of an italian or spanish speaking guild too...

Does that mean
a) All german/french/spanish/italian speaking players are in those guilds? - NO, a lot of non native speakers are in international guilds, because those fit their RP more or for whatever reason
b) Those people speak their native language in mainchat? - Maybe, it has happened in the past that some french people spoke french in main chat, but after a polite nudge they at least tried to speak english.
c) Those people get excluded from RP's and GM events? - Heck NO! As far as GM events go, they are meant for everyone, not only for those who are fluent in english (lets take Kezar as an example. At the court he was a witness and even tho he apologized for his not so good english he was very well understandable!  ). Keep supporting those who are not good at English and you eventually will have a good time with them too.

So, all in all the translations are meant to
a) Support people to get started.
b) Not exclude people from the game because of their language skills.
c) Help them learn english

And anyways English PS is more helpful: people will learn English playing (I'm doing this too... When I joined PS the first time I barely knew how to greet and how to say "How're you?".)

 , Gaian


Vonor

PS: If you find typos, keep them - they may be worth something, some day

[Donari Tyndale]

Erm...Some people like Kezar are NOT a good example. He is one of these guys that destroy roleplay on showing up anywhere. German/Spanish guilds are a plight, in my eyes. They stick to themselves and rarely involve with the community. I was part of one of these guilds once. I think that if they were involved with the English speaking community, they would open up and involve themselves more. However, most just stick to themselves as long as they have the chance to do so.

[Morla Phlint]

Erm...Some people like Kezar are NOT a good example. He is one of these guys that destroy roleplay on showing up anywhere. German/Spanish guilds are a plight, in my eyes. They stick to themselves and rarely involve with the community. I was part of one of these guilds once. I think that if they were involved with the English speaking community, they would open up and involve themselves more. However, most just stick to themselves as long as they have the chance to do so.

You were part of such a guild once? Well, that's exactly the way to do it imo: open them to the rest of the game world from the inside.
Somebody just has to try, no?

[Dajoji]

Erm...Some people like Kezar are NOT a good example. He is one of these guys that destroy roleplay on showing up anywhere (...)

Kezar joined the event and he was great. And if we're talking about guys that destroy roleplay, how about we stop discriminating? You don't need a license to RP, it's a learning process and everyone can be good at it if given a chance.

[CadRipper]

Ask yourself, how many times - when you have been an advisor - someone with poor english knowledge has asked for help?

At the time they just had to know a few words like "can you respawn me in the world please", and that was easy since it was written all over the place

But yes it happens, of course, and in no way did I mean to exclude people who are not at ease with English. I'm just saying that translating the tutorial is worth the exercise for someone willing to learn, and it's not that difficult. That being said, if there's a general feeling translations should be available, I'm happy to help translate bits to French, if there's any left (or when this major overhaul is made I suppose).

We have as far as I know 2 or 3 german speaking guilds, we also have a french speaking guild and I think I have heard of an italian or spanish speaking guild too...

Does that mean
a) All german/french/spanish/italian speaking players are in those guilds? - NO, a lot of non native speakers are in international guilds, because those fit their RP more or for whatever reason
b) Those people speak their native language in mainchat? - Maybe, it has happened in the past that some french people spoke french in main chat, but after a polite nudge they at least tried to speak english.
c) Those people get excluded from RP's and GM events? - Heck NO! As far as GM events go, they are meant for everyone, not only for those who are fluent in english (lets take Kezar as an example. At the court he was a witness and even tho he apologized for his not so good english he was very well understandable!  ). Keep supporting those who are not good at English and you eventually will have a good time with them too.

Actually I've seen such cases before. For example a French guild was behaving that way, it happens naturally so I can hardly blame them, yet it was badly perceived by the rest of the community. They were not aware of that general resentment and kept to themselves, only posting in their forums and so on, and the rest of the community played along the same rules, isolating them further. Once they were told, they did make an effort though, but it was almost too late.

Now that there are many more players this scenario could happen even more easily, so I would definitely try to involve anyone new as soon as possible.

[zarre]

When I first arrived to PlaneShift the leader of The Woiperdinger guild, whose name was Isaak at the time was very helpful to me many times. This is a mostly German speaking guild and I only speak English.

Kezar is fun to roleplay with at the mines too, by the way.

Vonor, your idea to have the tutorial walkthru translated to other languages is an excellent one. At least this may help learning the basic commands and functions in PlaneShift easier.

[Donari Tyndale]

Licenses! Anyone?

[Vonor]

I'm not sure what you mean with that...tho I even understand it _with_ your typo

[Donari Tyndale]

. No more typo now. Anyway, I think certain people should be HEAVILY encouraged to roleplay (aka forced). This is a roleplay game after all.

[Dajoji]

. No more typo now. Anyway, I think certain people should be HEAVILY encouraged to roleplay (aka forced). This is a roleplay game after all.

Certain people? Why not all? Why not make them have fun too? Or make them play at least 6 hours a day? Oh, I know! Let's make them bring new players every week too! And let's make them hunt down those who leave and spam them until they come back! With more players!!! Yay! That would make the game so much fun... not.

How about we just stop policing others and let them enjoy the game if they are not breaking any of the game rules and policies?

[freeharte]

. No more typo now. Anyway, I think certain people should be HEAVILY encouraged to roleplay (aka forced). This is a roleplay game after all.

Forced to roleplay what?  My characters don't have copies of the script.

[Donari Tyndale]

Well, you may have a game for everyone to play and enjoy. But there are thousands games alike. R* and WoW, for example. These got roleplay, roleplay servers to be specific. So let's target a roleplay server of these games to view how PS could evolve. One or two roleplayers, the rest a bunch of morons who have server down or something. The density of roleplayers is about the same as in PS. You got a lot of below average roleplayers, people who think that making friends and having cyber sex is roleplay. A few people realize that there is more to roleplay than just that, and these people produce quality roleplay. If PS wants to be a roleplay game, they should target these players and make a statement, not encourage a game for everyone.

P.S. PS isn't for everyone, I see no way to make blind cripples without arms play. So drop that phrase