If you have played a half-giant...

[EvilRoeSlade]

I told you not to have your half-giant talk that way, ShaLeah.

[X-D]

I've seen well spoken multi-lingual half-giants in game, ones that have been around well spoken people of different languages of course.

And I have no problem with it. But I'm not going to go with the arguement of how he/she is raised, but who he/she is around and considers friends, the half-giant docs say they adopt cultures quickly, language is part of the culture and there is no reason why they would not adopt the language and the style of speaking rather quickly.

The only time I really see a half-giant having a tarzan like speach is if he is alone for an extended period of time, in which case he is likly to lapse into a more simplistic mode of speech...at least until they were around people again for a period of time.

When I'm playing a half-giant I pay great attention to the way his "friends" Speak and make him adopt the same patterns over time.

[ShaLeah]

As a player, if I want to portray my HG's stupidity by using me instead of I or believing the word for kank is templar then I do it.  Player's perogative.  It doesn't say it's wrong to do so, it's says it's not terribly accurate or the most accurate way to portray them. That wasn't a black and white, don't do this it's wrong, that was a consider other ways to show half giant mentality. *shrug*

I won't roll my eyes at the me giants or the child like giants, I think they're fun to train.  

[SpyGuy]

I agree, player's choice in the matter.  But have some reason for them to talk that way.  I think the mimic aspects of the half-giant are key, if he was raised and trained to guard spoiled Borsail noble children he'll probably talk like a child.  If he was raised with dumb as fuck commoners that used me instead of I, he'll probably say me instead of I.

Give it a reason.  If the halfgiant Bobo never hears another soul say "Me get booboo, me tummy hurt after mean man hit Bobo" then he probably will never say it.  Assuming he's around mercenaries though, something like this would be appropriate (off the top of my head and to me): "I jes' got cutted in me stomach, nasty fecker!"

HGs seem like one of the hardest parts to play.  They likely wouldnt understand proper grammar or complex word usage, but the I/me thing seems out of place for the majority.  If you have a reason IG though, I say do it.

X-D:  Awesome tip to watch your friends closely.  If I ever play a HG that will be on the top of my list of things to do.

[Anonymous]

As a player, if I want to portray my HG's stupidity by using me instead of I or believing the word for kank is templar then I do it.  Player's perogative.  It doesn't say it's wrong to do so, it's says it's not terribly accurate or the most accurate way to portray them. That wasn't a black and white, don't do this it's wrong, that was a consider other ways to show half giant mentality. *shrug*

I won't roll my eyes at the me giants or the child like giants, I think they're fun to train.  

It's also the player prerogative to play a homophobe.  Just not terribly accurate.

The way half-giants learn is from observing and repeating/mimicing, if my understanding of the docs isn't completely wrong.  So, logically, it follows that in order for a half-giant to go around talking like Bam-bam, he'd have to have spent a very large and very recent portion of his or her waking hours hanging out around people that speak in that manner.

Not to mention that baby-talk half-giants often lead to a very stilted and cliched brand of 'comedy' that detracts from instead of adds to a scene.  IMHO.

[Anonymous]

Give it a reason.  If the halfgiant Bobo never hears another soul say "Me get booboo, me tummy hurt after mean man hit Bobo" then he probably will never say it.  Assuming he's around mercenaries though, something like this would be appropriate (off the top of my head and to me): "I jes' got cutted in me stomach, nasty fecker!"

I love this example.  Thanks.  It's exactly the way I picture things and it coalesces nicely with the picture that the documentation paints that a half-giant would keep a decent grasp on the major grammar rules but might get tripped up on some of the more complex ones.

[ShaLeah]

Not to mention that baby-talk half-giants often lead to a very stilted and cliched brand of 'comedy' that detracts from instead of adds to a scene.  IMHO.

Your last letters said it all and we all know about opinions.  Next thing you know we'll be saying "I know plenty of people who hate/love that too so I'm right!"ing. I vote for let's not. Heh.
If every HG was a comedy relief it would get tiresome, I can't disagree with that but I for one like the comic relief provided by a funny and well played HG. IMHO there's nothing funnier than two HG best friends and to me it's not stilted or cliched, it's funny.
It's clear we disagree so how about, since we both know how we feel, we take this off the board and stop throwing more opinions at each other? Go figure, people disagree.  :shock:

[Bestatte]

It's also the player's prerogative for their character to think monogamy is the most appropriate behavior for them, and to think that characters who disagree are immoral. It's also the player's prerogative to RP a half-elf who doesn't understand why no one likes him. It's also the player's prerogative to roll up a dwarf whose focus is to grow hair.

It is -also- the OTHER players' prerogative to snicker at RP that flies in the face of the docs (including that quickstart), and to RP their characters' reactions accordingly.

If I saw a HG talking in baby talk, while surrounded by characters who speak in complete sentences or who use the stereotypical "Byn speak" or "Rinth speak" or "Noble speak" - you can bet your ass I'm gonna think it's piss-poor RP on the HG players' part.

The official docs (not the ones submitted by a player - the ones created by the staff) state very clearly that HGs tend to pick up the quirks and behaviors and speech patterns of people he is exposed to, and does so very quickly.

This is a "fact" of the game, just as much as it is a "fact" that desert elves do not ride mounts.

If you want to RP contrary to the official docs, then you should -expect- criticism unless you have a damned good explanation for it.

[Malifaxis]

I played a half-giant for a goodly amount of time.  Not an extensive tenure, granted, but more than a few months.

Listen?  Listen was important when I first started the PC.  I didn't have Listen.  I was bored as hell when everyone would go to the bar.  I'd sit there and do things, or go out away from everyone else.  I found ways to amuse myself.

You are a half-giant.  You can do damn near anything, and no one will really try to stop you.  So enjoy that part of it, instead of bemoaning the fact that you don't have listen.

Or, think of a way around it.  By the end of my first month, needing listen was no longer an issue, because people knew I was bored, but liked the PC and were supportive of my cause.

I'd put listen at about a 30% 'need' rate.  Follow your PC and background.  Any obstacle can be overcome with ingenuity.

[Malifaxis]

And just for the record, I will gleefully bitchslap the fuck out of anyone who does a baby-talking HG.

It's so fucking unnecessary.

[kiddgoth]

The bright-eyed, diaper wearing half-giant smiles over to Malifaxis and says playfully holding up four fingers...I am just fhree years ole!

[Anonymous]

Heh.

[EvilRoeSlade]

I did have one half-giant that didn't know how to talk.

He was only sixteen years old and I figured he just wasn't smart enough to have properly learned yet, although as I played him he slowly got better.

It wasn't baby-talk though, it was just a poor grasp of grammer combined with a tendency to blur words together.

I'm going to the store, would sound like "Imma go thstore!"

[UnderSeven]

This is a touchy issue.  No one wants to be told how to play their char.  As far as what the docs were saying, I don't think it was so much saying DON'T do this, as try and consider this.  Tarzan style speach would happen if a half giant heard it, or had some sort of mental problem.  Child like speach would fit the mental problem.  Who wants to play a half giant with a mental problem though?

Ultimately HG is a role play race.  There is no other reason to play one, unless you want to be a pk machine.  Personally I don't think that would last long, due to racial limitations.  Sure you COULD play a independant and brilliant half giant, but it might be the last one you play for a while.

As far as big ears go, they would have bigger insides too, thus bigger ear drums which would take bigger sounds to vibrate and would therefore make it so softer sounds weren't picked up easily, therefore I don't think that's a solid arguement for them starting with listen as a race.  The table idea is good, but untill it's there listen would be best.

One thing I might mention is people often play stuff that is against the docs, it's not rare..  But when I see it, unless it's really well done my first thought oocly is they are probably new to the game.