I saw a link to this post in someone's sig and it cought my interest, that's how I got here. Through most of the thread I decided to not post. My point of view is that all humans everywhere suck, just to differing degrees, and that blaming one nationality, group, or whatever other section is just lazy(I hate everyone equally).
However, the checking thing got me interested...
After about 40 levels(war 20 twice, mnk 10 twice, thf 10) I found out from a JP whm that it is considered rude by JP players to be checked.
My first run through the game I checked anyone and everyone, I had no ******* clue what I was doing and wanted to see what everyone else was wearing. After that it was me wanting to see what kind of armor that was, or weapon, etc.
Now, when bored, I check people as something to do, finding it entertainign to see what combos of equips some people use(not intended derogatorily).
Now whenever I hear the "don't check me" it translates to me as directly "n00b, keep your grubby newbish fingers off of my gear, and your insolent eyes too".
How are new players supposed to know how and what they should be doing and wearing if not by checking other players. We see the same thing with children, mimicking the actions and garb of their parents. It's how the world works, and helps people learn.
I also saw early on lots of peopel had cute things and info in their bazaar comments, so I will check you jsut to see if you have any. Again, it entertains me.
Also, if you have a bazaar, I *will* check you. If I have anything even remotely resembling free time, I check all bazaars I come by. If you have your bazaar up you're begging me to check you. (The only complaint I have here is that I got annoyed for the longest time by people having just like 1 rose up for 99million gil, seemed bazaar flag was false advertising.)
Also, if youare in my party, the first second I have downtime, I will check you. Not jsut curiosity, but because I am relying on you and want to know how well you're equipped.
The game has a filter for checks, if checks bother you, turn it on. if I could put such a thing into autotranslator, I would wave it about all the time.
I would also liek to have a {Find anything interesting?}one, for the peopel that get all insulted and check me 8-12 times in a row. Doesn't bother me.
Now as for the meat of the topic...
I have partied with a JP party before and we succeeded greatly, and everyone got many levels. They talked in Japanese a lot, and i understood none of it, but they would use autotranslator for party related business to include me.
Later I have partied with an all ES party except for one guy, and I extended the same courtesy to him as that JS party did for me.
The only time I have been bothered by th language barrier was when I joined a party that was... some language, french or german, I honestly forget, they all spoke impeccable english, and yet spoke... whatever that was, solely in party, and I know they were talking about me because I could see when they referred to me by name, or as warrior or tank.
Was it rude? Yes, I believe so. So they were more comfortable speakign their native language, ok fine, so am I, I understand that. But they made no effort to include me at all, except as related directly to party business.
My view on languages in games and online is thus...
I like interactign with people, I enjoy it greatly, and especially people from distant lands, it intrigues me to no end learning about foreign cultures. But I am not very multilingual at all... I struggle with other languages, and can barely muddle my way through a little spanish, which is at least in the same language family as english, and the languages from other groups are so alien to me that I cannot even begin to start learning them.
However, I am fairly fluent in translation. Everyone knows how badly translation programs maul anything you say in them, but I can meet a person halfway. Use a translator and I can dissasemble it enough to get the idea of what you want, just be prepared to do the same for me. I have had some great fun and interestign debates with diverse peoples through such means, so I recon we can at least get enough by to function together in a game.
Hell, I would find it an interesting and unique roleplaying experience to try to learn to communicate with a JP player or party solely through the use of emotes and AT(the eequivelant of common trade language terms). I have made do with such on several occasions, and it worked well.
Some JP players with poor(by their seemingly grandiose expectations) english have been among some of my closest allies, and wit ha mix of AT and their english we can party extremely well. And even wit hsomeoen that will just play ball and work with the very limited AT here we can get by and get some things done.
Hmm, it seems I did end up commenting on the heart of the issue as well... oh well.
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Thondarr: Galka Warrior, Midgarsormr