Friday, 19 March 2010
My Polish is a Joke
I'm not Polish. And if you ever play Twilight:2000 with me you immediately know that I'm not Polish. I become the Polish joke.
Generally, I find with many RPGs, whether completely fanciful, or based in the past, present, or future Earth fail in the area of assisting players with immersion into the locales presented when words rise against them. Allow me to provide an example and to pick on WFRP, so you know I'm not being biased:
Tzenntch. The Chaos God of Magic and Change. Is that 'T' silent? How do you pronounce 'tch'? Is it T-zen-T-ch? or Zeen-ch? It's likely the later, Zeen-ch, silent Ts all around. Eleven names anyone? How about some apostrophes folks?
Twilight:2000 is throughout a study in words that have consonants, as an English--some limited German--speaker, in places one does not expect them. And sounds that don't match the spellings. For example, take the city of Lodz. Lodz is central to PCs in the opening deus ex machina presented to them by the referee. Flashback to my introductions to Twilight:2000 in 1984, I recall saying it like it's spelled: L-ODDs, rhymes with "odd." But Wikipedia, tells me it's more like "Wud-g." That's a "W." Not an L ("ell").
Services like Wikipedia, or Forvo, did not exist in 1984. The friends I had did not have access to Polish teachers, parents, or friends. Correctly pronouncing the plethora of Polish places and names was not within our grasp. GDW did not help us either. We were left to fend for ourselves, butchering the Polish in every game.
Basically, I believe it is a requirement of game publishers to provide phonetic guides to names and places, at every new word or name, or provide a table in the back summarizing them. It is my argument that the spirit of the game, the very mood the publisher or the author's imagination birthed, is ruined. Worse even, pronunciation becomes a barrier to play as everyone stares crossed-eyed at words, mouthing the sounds, then embarrassing him or herself on sounding it out.
Just venting. ~o)
Generally, I find with many RPGs, whether completely fanciful, or based in the past, present, or future Earth fail in the area of assisting players with immersion into the locales presented when words rise against them. Allow me to provide an example and to pick on WFRP, so you know I'm not being biased:
Tzenntch. The Chaos God of Magic and Change. Is that 'T' silent? How do you pronounce 'tch'? Is it T-zen-T-ch? or Zeen-ch? It's likely the later, Zeen-ch, silent Ts all around. Eleven names anyone? How about some apostrophes folks?
Twilight:2000 is throughout a study in words that have consonants, as an English--some limited German--speaker, in places one does not expect them. And sounds that don't match the spellings. For example, take the city of Lodz. Lodz is central to PCs in the opening deus ex machina presented to them by the referee. Flashback to my introductions to Twilight:2000 in 1984, I recall saying it like it's spelled: L-ODDs, rhymes with "odd." But Wikipedia, tells me it's more like "Wud-g." That's a "W." Not an L ("ell").
Services like Wikipedia, or Forvo, did not exist in 1984. The friends I had did not have access to Polish teachers, parents, or friends. Correctly pronouncing the plethora of Polish places and names was not within our grasp. GDW did not help us either. We were left to fend for ourselves, butchering the Polish in every game.
Basically, I believe it is a requirement of game publishers to provide phonetic guides to names and places, at every new word or name, or provide a table in the back summarizing them. It is my argument that the spirit of the game, the very mood the publisher or the author's imagination birthed, is ruined. Worse even, pronunciation becomes a barrier to play as everyone stares crossed-eyed at words, mouthing the sounds, then embarrassing him or herself on sounding it out.
Just venting. ~o)
Posted by at 2:38 AM in d10
