Changing your accents

[grog]

I'm not sure how difficult this is to do, but it would be cool if a linguist or someone who else who is very skilled at a language, would be able to change their accent.  Though they would have to learn the accent first of course, maybe much like you currently learn languages?

[SpyGuy]

This has been discussed before.  I think it would be a GREAT skill to implement for linguists and con artists (2 subguilds that probably arent too popular).  Realistically a good con man or linguist should be able to change the way they speak to sound like a native speaker, a way to dodge cultural issues like being a 'rinther or 'nakki in Tuluk.

Would be a great addition to the game.

[Oh, some sneaky bastard]

It is certainly possible as it is, by e-mailing the mud account and/or clan imm about it. Include some lines explaining why your character would have learnt the pronounciation, phrases, and mannerisms, and you also might want to send along some logs of your character studying the new accent.

It's a roundabout way of going about it, and might take some time to go through, but I myself like it that way. Makes it just rare enough.

[John]

It's a roundabout way of going about it, and might take some time to go through, but I myself like it that way. Makes it just rare enough.

A problem is though, that there isn't the risk of falling back to your native accent by accident, or on purpose. Yup, it's a good way to do it without hard-code support, but I think hard-code support should be added.

I personally think the subguild system should be re-thought. Right now, it gives you X amount of skills when you first start and that's all you'll ever get from the subguild.  But I think an "accent" skill would become over-saturated (much like listen) if it was given to a subguild with this set up.

I think accent should be a subguild skill for sure. But one that you branch, not one you start with. Unfortunately subguilds aren't set up that way.

[Marauder Moe]

Perhaps instead of being a subguild skill it just branches from listen.  Or, maybe it only branches from listen if you are linguist, con artist, or bard?  Just a thought.

EDIT: or another idea- have it be a hidden language-like skill.  Once you've heard the accent spoken enough it appears on your list and you can change accents.

[ShaLeah]

In my opinion, a linguist would know how to mimick accents, even if it's not their native twang. I speak spanish and when I speak to puertorricans my twang is natural, when I speak to mexicans I adopt their ennunciation, I do the same thing with any other spanish speaking person. I don't do it often enough to sound precisely like them  but I have been asked many times where I am from because they can't pin it.


I'd love to see spies be given this advantage.  :twisted:

[gfair]

Wouldn't awareness have a lot to do with it? The Linguist Sub doesn't have anything to do with the modern-day role, it simply means they speak multiple languages.

But changing accents - accents are sometimes seen as dirty, as socially unpopular as the people that use them. People who understand the importance of communication, who want to blend in, we adapt, but I'm not so sure people who think a Rinthi accent is dirty would have ever paid much attention to learning it, nor a Rinthi wish to speak like the rich folks.

The Rinth and Allanak is a class division, just like nobles versus commoners, and I don't recall many accounts of Nobles out on the town taking on the accent of commoners.

Something to think about.

[Larrath]

No, but a 'rinthi might want to sound like a regular Nakki if he was trying to get a job somewhere, or to spy on someone.

A filthy, tree-humping northerner might want to sound like a southerner if he was in Allanak, or somone might want to sound like a Muarki...

[jmordetsky]

I think you could probably code this so that an unpracticed linguist or con artist was bad at it as well. Where their natural accent had a chance to slip through.

Code Select Expand


>change accent Southern_Common
>say Hello there Bill!

x = random number from 1 to 100

if (skill_accent_southern_common > x) then
    response = you say in southern common accented sihirish: "Hello there Bill!"

else
     response = you say in Rinthi accented sihirish: "Hello there Bill!"
end if



This creates some really cool RP possibilities like:

PC1 (south common accent): Hey, hows it?
PC2 (south common accent): Doing well you
PC1 (Rinthi Accent): Not to bad thanks....
PC2: (pauses curiously looking over PC1)

Where PC1 is unaware that their accent has bled through. Later...

PC2: That PC1 fellow, he has gotta strange twang in his tongue sometimes. Have you caught that?

PC3 (shaking his head): Nah...why?

[Marauder Moe]

I think having a chance of failure is a bad idea.  Failing an 'accent skill' check would probably get you killed in many of the situations one might want to use it for.

[grog]

I think having a chance of failure is a bad idea.  Failing an 'accent skill' check would probably get you killed in many of the situations one might want to use it for.

That's exactly why it would be a good idea!!!

[SpyGuy]

Personally I like the idea of each accent you try to change into having a different difficulty depending on what your native accent is and then some randomization.

So it'd be easy to slip from 'nakki to 'rinth, harder to switch to a northern accent and then you'd have a really rough time taking on a tribal accent.  Now once someone gets the skill up enough they wouldnt have to worry much about failure for some of the accents but itd still give them a chance to fail on harder ones to mimick.

That and if its a skill you almost need to fail it to raise it, and it makes sense that this is something your character will have to learn over time.

[Carida]

-Agrees with Grog- That sounds like fun!

[Lazloth]

http://www.zalanthas.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1947