Everyone speaks Basic (English) in Star Wars anyway. That's a non-issue. Nearly all of them understand it. But going by the movies, KotOR, and the some of the RPGs, comparatively few speak it.
I love this about SW, as it is pretty realistic. I worked at Club Med for 18 months as a DJ, waaaaaaaaaay back in the day. You get to meet a lot of different nationalities and cultures. And you often had people listening to one language and replying in another.
For some, comprehending the basics of a language is easier than speaking. Also it becomes a cultural pride thing. If someone realizes you understand their mother tongue, they go out of their way to speak it, especially if they realize you are there, primarily to service them, or accommodate them or need to understand them to get something.
And given SW's history of racial conflict and tension, I imagine some aliens speak their tongue on principle to demonstrate their pride and heritage.
Each alien that doesn't speak English in SW made some sense (that I can think of anyway).
For example, Greedo was in a position of power over Han and had contempt for him, there's no way he'd bother to reduce himself to a secondary language when he knew Han understood his native tongue perfectly. I imagine if Greedo were ever caught by Imperials, he'd switch to English to plead his innocence.
The Ewoks were culturally isolated and had no exposure to English.
The Wookie is physically incapable of speaking the language.
And of course, it gives you a reason to have Protocol Droids around. And thus we had the first neurotic, gay robot in cinematic history.
Understanding a language is often easier than speaking it. Because often if you just get 50% of a sentence understood, you can use gestures, eye contact and context to fill in the rest. But speaking is a creative act that requires you to conjugate on the fly and draw from your limited vocabulary. But listening is passive, while speaking is active, meaning you feel more like a fool when you speak poorly, but if you listen poorly it isn't as obvious or humiliating.
It happens in the real world all the time. The French, in fact, are famous for it.
On topic, I agree with you. It makes sense in the context of a living universe. It also makes me wish that text-to-speech has grown further as a technology. I feel like almost no advancement has been made in this area for a decade.
Eh, Microsoft Sam gives it a bad rep. The OS X stuff is way better.
I actually recall one of the kotor games (2, probably) addressing this exact issue. Except I think it was actually a human who spoke the twi'lek language, though he could understand basic, because he was raised on their home planet or something.
The constant repetition of what felt like a handful of alien dialog options was easily the worst part of KotOR. If you could dynamically generate it instead...
I spent most of both KotOR and KotOR II reading the alien dialogue and hitting the button as fast as I could to bypass the wwRWRRWAAAwrARRWAwwrrr soundclips, which got really old really fast.
Having said that, it'd be interesting if they had some kind of mechanism by which if you meet a player who doesn't understand your spoken language, they don't let you voice chat directly with that player.
Not saying it'd be good or fun; just . . . interesting. And an excuse for playable protocol droids?
i enjoyed in swg that you could not understand wookies or any other race until you learned their language, however every other race could choose to speak basic, except for wookies, which makes sense.
I wish! But thanks! Working at Club Med as DJ was one of only two "interesting" things I've ever done with my life. The other was I produced a heavy metal record and worked with guys from bands like KISS, LA Guns, Soundgarden and Guns n Roses. Which sounds glamorous, but it wasn't and I wound up losing a lot of money and walking with away with a permanent distaste for the music industry.
But after those two things, I am just a pompous nerd, a married, middle-aged putz who plays video games, and soccer and pontificates endlessly on forums like this.
Anyway, I am not the least bit cool, I assure you. I'd be the first one voted off the boat in a reality show.
As for text-to-speech, I think it is getting better. I use the free AT&T text-to-speech to add voice overs, or even to send creepy (but humorous) voice mails to friends. One of the keys is to sometimes type things phonetically, especially names or obscure words.
Inflection is hard, you need symbols to help the text-to-speech denote how to inflect, emphasize or diminish certain words. So far, I haven't seen a text-to-speech tool that does that, but then again, I only use free stuff found on the googles.
But I hope it doesn't get too pervasive. That ad where the guy drops his girlfriend off and immediately his car starts reading his facebook profile about his girlfriend's status update, creeps me out. For one thing, why would I date a girl who is so self-centered she rushes to tell the entire universe she got laid on her first date?
I liked the languages in KOTOR, but I agree, after a while, you'd skip them. For one thing, they were very repetitive. I would have kept them in, because initially they are good flavor. But I will also admit I skipped over them after a while.
How did I miss the news but the bounty hunter (class I am going to play) is getting an exclusive Jawa companion named blizz... you better believe I fitting that motherfucker with rocket launchers under his robes as he utinis my enemies
While Origin will be the exclusive digital retailer for Star Wars: The Old Republic (in other words, if you want to buy it online and download it, you’ll do so through Origin) that does not mean that Origin is required for you to access or play The Old Republic.
Origin is a digital storefront, and the desktop application is there to give you quick access to Origin exclusives and deals.
However, you won’t need to launch the Origin application to run The Old Republic, nor will you patch the game via Origin. Once the game is on your hard disk, you’ll be connecting to our servers to patch and launch the game, and Origin does not have to be running to do that.
To answer another question - boxed versions of the game will include the client on DVD(s).
But after those two things, I am just a pompous nerd, a married, middle-aged putz who plays video games, and soccer and pontificates endlessly on forums like this.
Old age makes almost everyone interesting. I'm a little younger than you, but I've been around long enough to watch the sun rise and set on the ocean, set foot on five continents, start a church, become an agnostic, and watch the Star Wars Holiday Special on TV. The downside is I've seen more than enough tragedy and heartache for my tolerance level. And I'm an introverted nerd.
By the way, Chaos, I don't mind your long posts.
Personally, I don't give a rip about languages and races. I mean, I suppose the language stuff would be cool for immersion, but really I just want to play the game. Having to wade through what languages I know and don't know would get tedious. I just want to play a Miraluka Jedi.
While Origin will be the exclusive digital retailer for Star Wars: The Old Republic (in other words, if you want to buy it online and download it, you’ll do so through Origin) that does not mean that Origin is required for you to access or play The Old Republic.
Origin is a digital storefront, and the desktop application is there to give you quick access to Origin exclusives and deals.
However, you won’t need to launch the Origin application to run The Old Republic, nor will you patch the game via Origin. Once the game is on your hard disk, you’ll be connecting to our servers to patch and launch the game, and Origin does not have to be running to do that.
To answer another question - boxed versions of the game will include the client on DVD(s).
Yes but see I still have to buy the game from EA's shitty glorified download manager.
Also in regards to Blizz the Jawa Companion. I would be SO giddy if when he fired something like a rocket blaster, he'd fall on his little ass.
While Origin will be the exclusive digital retailer for Star Wars: The Old Republic (in other words, if you want to buy it online and download it, you’ll do so through Origin) that does not mean that Origin is required for you to access or play The Old Republic.
Origin is a digital storefront, and the desktop application is there to give you quick access to Origin exclusives and deals.
However, you won’t need to launch the Origin application to run The Old Republic, nor will you patch the game via Origin. Once the game is on your hard disk, you’ll be connecting to our servers to patch and launch the game, and Origin does not have to be running to do that.
To answer another question - boxed versions of the game will include the client on DVD(s).
Yes but see I still have to buy the game from EA's shitty glorified download manager.
Im still hoping that Origin takes a shit and they decide that releasing games on Steam actually is profitable for them before BF3/The Old Republic releases. Otherwise Im buying these games via Amazon.
Yes but see I still have to buy the game from EA's shitty glorified download manager.
I mean this as a serious question. Why is that a problem? Is there a chance it can adversely affect our systems in some way even if it's unused? The only download client I'm familiar with is Steam, and barely at that.
I'm a little younger than you, but I've been around long enough to watch the sun rise and set on the ocean, set foot on five continents, start a church, become an agnostic, and watch the Star Wars Holiday Special on TV. The downside is I've seen more than enough tragedy and heartache for my tolerance level. And I'm an introverted nerd.
That was really interesting to read, cheers. Five continents! Amazing! Star Wars Holiday Special? I think I'm still wounded psychologically from having watched that. The journey of starting a church to becoming agnostic sounds very interesting, like there's almost a novel in it.
To continue the thread's current topic: Jawa companions? Sure. I'd prefer to actually just play a Jawa. I also really want to play a Rodian Smuggler (Greedo might be my favorite SW character), but apparently, I can't. Hey, that's what expansion packs are for right?
Some of you people are really averse to going to a store to buy a game it seems. I occasionally buy games from Steam, and I will even buy them from Amazon and just get release day shipping, but from the tone of some of the posts in here it actually sounds like some of you are unaware that you can just walk into like a Best Buy or some place and buy video games.
Yes but see I still have to buy the game from EA's shitty glorified download manager.
I mean this as a serious question. Why is that a problem? Is there a chance it can adversely affect our systems in some way even if it's unused? The only download client I'm familiar with is Steam, and barely at that.
It's the principle of the thing I think. Origin isn't in any way EA trying to compete with Steam directly, because all it is is an online platform for EA to sell THEIR games digitally. If they choose to price their games fairly, begin to also sell games made by other companies AND can offer me nice juicy deals I'll actually consider giving it a real shot.
Until then it's EA throwing a metaphorical temper tantrum on the playground because they want a piece of the Digital Distribution pie but don't even understand why it works.
Yes but see I still have to buy the game from EA's shitty glorified download manager.
I mean this as a serious question. Why is that a problem? Is there a chance it can adversely affect our systems in some way even if it's unused? The only download client I'm familiar with is Steam, and barely at that.
It's the principle of the thing I think. Origin isn't in any way EA trying to compete with Steam directly, because all it is is an online platform for EA to sell THEIR games digitally. If they choose to price their games fairly, begin to also sell games made by other companies AND can offer me nice juicy deals I'll actually consider giving it a real shot.
Until then it's EA throwing a metaphorical temper tantrum on the playground because they want a piece of the Digital Distribution pie but don't even understand why it works.
I think it's much more likely that they understand how it works but are unhappy with the way it currently does. Stuff goes on sale through Steam for what anyone must accept is pretty unreasonably low amounts considering the content in many games.
Now as a consumer I love that but as a developer it scares the shit out of me in exactly the same way Apple's app store does.
EDIT: also you mention "price their games fairly". Unfortunately a consumer and publishers idea of fair are two different things and are the reason for RRP. It's a bit funny to get bent out of shape for someone trying to maintain the value of their product even if we would all appreciate getting our games for cheaper.
Some of you people are really averse to going to a store to buy a game it seems. I occasionally buy games from Steam, and I will even buy them from Amazon and just get release day shipping, but from the tone of some of the posts in here it actually sounds like some of you are unaware that you can just walk into like a Best Buy or some place and buy video games.
what is this 'store' you speak of, I only know of the intertrons!
Yes but see I still have to buy the game from EA's shitty glorified download manager.
I mean this as a serious question. Why is that a problem? Is there a chance it can adversely affect our systems in some way even if it's unused? The only download client I'm familiar with is Steam, and barely at that.
It's the principle of the thing I think. Origin isn't in any way EA trying to compete with Steam directly, because all it is is an online platform for EA to sell THEIR games digitally. If they choose to price their games fairly, begin to also sell games made by other companies AND can offer me nice juicy deals I'll actually consider giving it a real shot.
Until then it's EA throwing a metaphorical temper tantrum on the playground because they want a piece of the Digital Distribution pie but don't even understand why it works.
I think it's much more likely that they understand how it works but are unhappy with the way it currently does. Stuff goes on sale through Steam for what anyone must accept is pretty unreasonably low amounts considering the content in many games.
Now as a consumer I love that but as a developer it scares the shit out of me in exactly the same way Apple's app store does.
EDIT: also you mention "price their games fairly". Unfortunately a consumer and publishers idea of fair are two different things and are the reason for RRP. It's a bit funny to get bent out of shape for someone trying to maintain the value of their product even if we would all appreciate getting our games for cheaper.
I am almost 100% certain that every sale on Steam must be agreed upon by the publisher. Whether in contract or per sale.
As for the 'fairly' part, maybe if they told places like Gamestop to shove it and priced it down to something that didn't add everything about physically printing the disks and having the boxes etc made. That would be fair, selling older games at cheaper prices is also fair though I see they have done that for a couple of things. A good step in the right direction.
Regardless I'm just a little annoyed at not being able to buy it off of Steam, or even Direct2Drive actually which tends to have deals for MMOs.
I think the main complaint is that Steam is stable and fast, while other digital download mechanisms, often aren't.
I still like visiting the brick and mortar game store. Not because I'm adverse to digital downloads, but there's something nice about having a physical box with art work and there's something even nicer about walking into a store on a release day to buy it. There's something about it that makes it feel like Christmas, even if I don't actually play much at first because I tend to avoid playing MMOs in their first 30 days of launch.
I'm the same way with music. I still visit record stores. I love having the art work, liner notes and a beautifully packaged archive copy on CD. And these days, record stores are so desperate for your business, you often get a better price too.
I am a fan of the digital world. I've been hacking around on these intertubes since 1994. But I like supporting my local retail store too. The local table-top gaming store we have is awesome, so awesome Penny Arcade touted it recently. I have a Android Tab too, fully stocked with all digital readers, but I'll be god damned if I don't prefer opening a genuine book. The Tab is useful for video, email, presentations at work, memos and keeping a calendar, but hefty reading material I like parking on my actual shelf and thumbing it through it, earmarks and all.
I worry about the speed at which the game will update itself. There's nothing more laborious than watching a slow data connection crawl along while it patches and updates your game.
I'm relieved to find that Origin is not necessary to patch or play the game. I'll probably just buy a physical copy, or maybe I'll just deal with it and get it via Origin anyway. I mean, unless it proves to be exceptionally shitty (and it could), it seems like no harm and a minor inconvenience.
Yes but see I still have to buy the game from EA's shitty glorified download manager.
I mean this as a serious question. Why is that a problem? Is there a chance it can adversely affect our systems in some way even if it's unused? The only download client I'm familiar with is Steam, and barely at that.
It's the principle of the thing I think. Origin isn't in any way EA trying to compete with Steam directly, because all it is is an online platform for EA to sell THEIR games digitally. If they choose to price their games fairly, begin to also sell games made by other companies AND can offer me nice juicy deals I'll actually consider giving it a real shot.
Until then it's EA throwing a metaphorical temper tantrum on the playground because they want a piece of the Digital Distribution pie but don't even understand why it works.
I think it's much more likely that they understand how it works but are unhappy with the way it currently does. Stuff goes on sale through Steam for what anyone must accept is pretty unreasonably low amounts considering the content in many games.
Now as a consumer I love that but as a developer it scares the shit out of me in exactly the same way Apple's app store does.
EDIT: also you mention "price their games fairly". Unfortunately a consumer and publishers idea of fair are two different things and are the reason for RRP. It's a bit funny to get bent out of shape for someone trying to maintain the value of their product even if we would all appreciate getting our games for cheaper.
I am almost 100% certain that every sale on Steam must be agreed upon by the publisher. Whether in contract or per sale.
As for the 'fairly' part, maybe if they told places like Gamestop to shove it and priced it down to something that didn't add everything about physically printing the disks and having the boxes etc made. That would be fair, selling older games at cheaper prices is also fair though I see they have done that for a couple of things. A good step in the right direction.
Regardless I'm just a little annoyed at not being able to buy it off of Steam, or even Direct2Drive actually which tends to have deals for MMOs.
Yeah, Im like 99% sure the publisher needs to agree to the sale price, otherwise MW and MW2 would be on sale for $20 a piece.
Plus, Steam often lets you pre-load games so when the game "launches" its already installed so you can just load it up and join the 10 hour queue. Amazon launch day shipping is nice, but it sucks paying for it and then not getting it launch day.
EDIT: And since Origin isnt necessary, I'll probably be ordering this thing off Amazon, although I think I still have $20 at Gamestop so maybe I'll just pick it up there.
Depends on the timing of release for me. Due to my current address, I'm unable to get wired high speed, and I have to resort to Verizon 3G bullshit internet. I have a cap on my bandwidth. I'll be moving in December/January though so if it comes out after then I may download it. I do like the idea of downloading, for convenience, as well as saving the cardboard and plastic.
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JacobkoshGamble a stamp.I can show you how to be a real man!Moderatormod
Well, the third and last step in their guild launch program is to get the guilds actually into the game and onto the servers shortly before release. So even though they said there wouldn't be an open beta, people have to access the game somehow, so I'm guessing they'll make the client available for download before the actual release.
That should save people some time on launch day downloading the client / waiting in line at the store / waiting for Amazon to ship.
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I love this about SW, as it is pretty realistic. I worked at Club Med for 18 months as a DJ, waaaaaaaaaay back in the day. You get to meet a lot of different nationalities and cultures. And you often had people listening to one language and replying in another.
For some, comprehending the basics of a language is easier than speaking. Also it becomes a cultural pride thing. If someone realizes you understand their mother tongue, they go out of their way to speak it, especially if they realize you are there, primarily to service them, or accommodate them or need to understand them to get something.
And given SW's history of racial conflict and tension, I imagine some aliens speak their tongue on principle to demonstrate their pride and heritage.
Each alien that doesn't speak English in SW made some sense (that I can think of anyway).
For example, Greedo was in a position of power over Han and had contempt for him, there's no way he'd bother to reduce himself to a secondary language when he knew Han understood his native tongue perfectly. I imagine if Greedo were ever caught by Imperials, he'd switch to English to plead his innocence.
The Ewoks were culturally isolated and had no exposure to English.
The Wookie is physically incapable of speaking the language.
And of course, it gives you a reason to have Protocol Droids around. And thus we had the first neurotic, gay robot in cinematic history.
Understanding a language is often easier than speaking it. Because often if you just get 50% of a sentence understood, you can use gestures, eye contact and context to fill in the rest. But speaking is a creative act that requires you to conjugate on the fly and draw from your limited vocabulary. But listening is passive, while speaking is active, meaning you feel more like a fool when you speak poorly, but if you listen poorly it isn't as obvious or humiliating.
It happens in the real world all the time. The French, in fact, are famous for it.
Eh, Microsoft Sam gives it a bad rep. The OS X stuff is way better.
I spent most of both KotOR and KotOR II reading the alien dialogue and hitting the button as fast as I could to bypass the wwRWRRWAAAwrARRWAwwrrr soundclips, which got really old really fast.
Having said that, it'd be interesting if they had some kind of mechanism by which if you meet a player who doesn't understand your spoken language, they don't let you voice chat directly with that player.
Not saying it'd be good or fun; just . . . interesting. And an excuse for playable protocol droids?
I wish! But thanks! Working at Club Med as DJ was one of only two "interesting" things I've ever done with my life. The other was I produced a heavy metal record and worked with guys from bands like KISS, LA Guns, Soundgarden and Guns n Roses. Which sounds glamorous, but it wasn't and I wound up losing a lot of money and walking with away with a permanent distaste for the music industry.
But after those two things, I am just a pompous nerd, a married, middle-aged putz who plays video games, and soccer and pontificates endlessly on forums like this.
Anyway, I am not the least bit cool, I assure you. I'd be the first one voted off the boat in a reality show.
As for text-to-speech, I think it is getting better. I use the free AT&T text-to-speech to add voice overs, or even to send creepy (but humorous) voice mails to friends. One of the keys is to sometimes type things phonetically, especially names or obscure words.
Inflection is hard, you need symbols to help the text-to-speech denote how to inflect, emphasize or diminish certain words. So far, I haven't seen a text-to-speech tool that does that, but then again, I only use free stuff found on the googles.
But I hope it doesn't get too pervasive. That ad where the guy drops his girlfriend off and immediately his car starts reading his facebook profile about his girlfriend's status update, creeps me out. For one thing, why would I date a girl who is so self-centered she rushes to tell the entire universe she got laid on her first date?
I liked the languages in KOTOR, but I agree, after a while, you'd skip them. For one thing, they were very repetitive. I would have kept them in, because initially they are good flavor. But I will also admit I skipped over them after a while.
I want to know more PA people on Twitter.
Old age makes almost everyone interesting. I'm a little younger than you, but I've been around long enough to watch the sun rise and set on the ocean, set foot on five continents, start a church, become an agnostic, and watch the Star Wars Holiday Special on TV. The downside is I've seen more than enough tragedy and heartache for my tolerance level. And I'm an introverted nerd.
By the way, Chaos, I don't mind your long posts.
Personally, I don't give a rip about languages and races. I mean, I suppose the language stuff would be cool for immersion, but really I just want to play the game. Having to wade through what languages I know and don't know would get tedious. I just want to play a Miraluka Jedi.
Yes but see I still have to buy the game from EA's shitty glorified download manager.
Also in regards to Blizz the Jawa Companion. I would be SO giddy if when he fired something like a rocket blaster, he'd fall on his little ass.
Sadly I think he only uses single hand blasters.
Im still hoping that Origin takes a shit and they decide that releasing games on Steam actually is profitable for them before BF3/The Old Republic releases. Otherwise Im buying these games via Amazon.
I'm fully planning on buying the Collector's Edition..I'm really looking forward to when they reveal its contents.
Daddy needs a new mousepad.
And a lightsaber cheeseknife.
I mean this as a serious question. Why is that a problem? Is there a chance it can adversely affect our systems in some way even if it's unused? The only download client I'm familiar with is Steam, and barely at that.
That was really interesting to read, cheers. Five continents! Amazing! Star Wars Holiday Special? I think I'm still wounded psychologically from having watched that. The journey of starting a church to becoming agnostic sounds very interesting, like there's almost a novel in it.
To continue the thread's current topic: Jawa companions? Sure. I'd prefer to actually just play a Jawa. I also really want to play a Rodian Smuggler (Greedo might be my favorite SW character), but apparently, I can't. Hey, that's what expansion packs are for right?
It's the principle of the thing I think. Origin isn't in any way EA trying to compete with Steam directly, because all it is is an online platform for EA to sell THEIR games digitally. If they choose to price their games fairly, begin to also sell games made by other companies AND can offer me nice juicy deals I'll actually consider giving it a real shot.
Until then it's EA throwing a metaphorical temper tantrum on the playground because they want a piece of the Digital Distribution pie but don't even understand why it works.
I think it's much more likely that they understand how it works but are unhappy with the way it currently does. Stuff goes on sale through Steam for what anyone must accept is pretty unreasonably low amounts considering the content in many games.
Now as a consumer I love that but as a developer it scares the shit out of me in exactly the same way Apple's app store does.
EDIT: also you mention "price their games fairly". Unfortunately a consumer and publishers idea of fair are two different things and are the reason for RRP. It's a bit funny to get bent out of shape for someone trying to maintain the value of their product even if we would all appreciate getting our games for cheaper.
I want to know more PA people on Twitter.
what is this 'store' you speak of, I only know of the intertrons!
This concept of 'stores' confuses and enrages me!
I am almost 100% certain that every sale on Steam must be agreed upon by the publisher. Whether in contract or per sale.
As for the 'fairly' part, maybe if they told places like Gamestop to shove it and priced it down to something that didn't add everything about physically printing the disks and having the boxes etc made. That would be fair, selling older games at cheaper prices is also fair though I see they have done that for a couple of things. A good step in the right direction.
Regardless I'm just a little annoyed at not being able to buy it off of Steam, or even Direct2Drive actually which tends to have deals for MMOs.
I still like visiting the brick and mortar game store. Not because I'm adverse to digital downloads, but there's something nice about having a physical box with art work and there's something even nicer about walking into a store on a release day to buy it. There's something about it that makes it feel like Christmas, even if I don't actually play much at first because I tend to avoid playing MMOs in their first 30 days of launch.
I'm the same way with music. I still visit record stores. I love having the art work, liner notes and a beautifully packaged archive copy on CD. And these days, record stores are so desperate for your business, you often get a better price too.
I am a fan of the digital world. I've been hacking around on these intertubes since 1994. But I like supporting my local retail store too. The local table-top gaming store we have is awesome, so awesome Penny Arcade touted it recently. I have a Android Tab too, fully stocked with all digital readers, but I'll be god damned if I don't prefer opening a genuine book. The Tab is useful for video, email, presentations at work, memos and keeping a calendar, but hefty reading material I like parking on my actual shelf and thumbing it through it, earmarks and all.
I worry about the speed at which the game will update itself. There's nothing more laborious than watching a slow data connection crawl along while it patches and updates your game.
The only CE I ever bought was for Jedi Knight 2, which came with a bitching light up lightsaber keychain.
Yeah, Im like 99% sure the publisher needs to agree to the sale price, otherwise MW and MW2 would be on sale for $20 a piece.
Plus, Steam often lets you pre-load games so when the game "launches" its already installed so you can just load it up and join the 10 hour queue. Amazon launch day shipping is nice, but it sucks paying for it and then not getting it launch day.
EDIT: And since Origin isnt necessary, I'll probably be ordering this thing off Amazon, although I think I still have $20 at Gamestop so maybe I'll just pick it up there.
That should save people some time on launch day downloading the client / waiting in line at the store / waiting for Amazon to ship.
And yes, new thread time.