BS Foreign Languages

[GomuGomu64]

After changing the NPC's language in Skyrim to Japanese, an idea crossed my mind.

 

If I were to make an npc/a few npcs/an entire god-damn city of npcs, and made them have unique dialogue but have foreign language dialogue files that had absolutely nothing to do wih the written text, would people play it?

 

Personally, I can't understand a single word of Japanese. I don't know their tenses, their verb-endings, the such, so it's not such a biggie for me, but would it be for others?

 

Discuss.

[TheElderInfinity]

Yes it would, even the most obscure languages have people who speak them and will get pissed if you use it wrong.

[Jakisthe]

Yeah, unless you choose, say, TerSami, there will be someone who can speak it. Edited February 6, 2012 by Jakisthe

[Ashven]

I like the idea of mixing up languages. It'd be neat if people spoke German or Dutch, and you could get a perk that'd switch their dialogue back to English, once you "learned" the language, or if you carried a "dictionary" for that language. It'd be more atmospheric if you didn't always understand what was being said.

 

Come to think of it, how can you switch the voice files to a different language? I'd like to switch mine to German and keep my English subtitles. I know some bare bones German, and it'd be a great way to learn some more.

[ResolveThatChord]

The neat thing about languages I don't understand is that I can't recognise horrible voice acting. It can also be used to great effect: look at Star Wars, or Shadow of the Collossus, where they used made up languages to characterise the world.

[noae86]

i think its a great idea, it would be good if the main languages could be correct.

i'm sure the skyrim commune is big enough that you could find voice actors for the mainstream correct dialogue,

in some scenarios it could work to have gibberish spoken,

eg.

i have this thought of finding a camp of moguls and speaking/trading with them, and animal hides/cheese being more valuable thus better prices.(i collect a lot of hide's and cheese wheels :D )

it might be hard to find people who could voice act tho.

[Alithinos]

You mean that you are not Japanese or have Japanese friends to record the required dialogue,but you would use random audio files with Japanese dialogue ?

Hm.. Don't know about that.

I think it would be interesting to see some npcs talk another language,like Japanese for example,but if what they are saying has nothing to do with what is written and means something completely different I think it would be strange.

I mean you might learn a language wrong that way.

[Vohcaz]

Personally I'd find it annoying that they're saying something else. I'd rather just have them not speak at all.

 

I do understand some small parts of Japanese, so that would make it even worse for me. I know some basic grammar, words, phrases and the number system.

[Esteris]

Absolutely excruciating to the point I'd never install a mod doing such a thing.

 

Foreign languages can work only two ways for me in a game:

 

1. NPC speaks it, subtitles transcribe their words, but I don't need to understand it.

2. NPC speaks it, but subtitles are in English.

 

Both cases, what they speak and what subtitles say MUST be the same. I can't speak all the languages, but even knowing bits and pieces from several makes me able to "feel" some grammar and meanings and I would hear something is wrong (not to mention if I actually knew it).

 

 

 

 

Though this is a weirdest idea I've seen on these forums ever. Whatever made you think making such a thing would be a good idea? In the very best case (where it wouldn't bother too many people), it's just completely unprofessional to do something like that. And by that I mean unreasonably unprofessional level which is weird even for a game mod :psyduck:

 

 

 

Don't mean to be offensive, by no means, just giving my opinion :psyduck:

[Susurruss]

While I understand the effect you are going for, you are going about it the wrong way. The long hard way to do it is to find voice actors - and it's the only right way to do what you want. Otherwise, no audio would be much better, considering the world-wide community of Skyrim players. Trust me dude, the Japanese, for the most part, can speak plenty enough English to be able to help you out. You may even be able to find some enterprising soul who can record the proper phrases from uncopyrighted sources rather than voice acting.

 

Just know that you will offend people who don't speak Japanese (or even English for that matter) if you proceed with this. English-speaking countries (especially the USA) have a bit of an arrogance when it comes to other languages, and those whose native tongue is not English know it and resent it. Don't feed into that.

 

In the end, it's not really a TERRIBLE idea - like I said, I know what effect you were going for, it's an interesting scenario. It's just not going to go over well.

 

Shortcuts always make for bad endings.