Newsgroups: rec.arts.int-fiction
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From: sonix@schunix.dmc.com (Duane Morin)
Subject: Foreign Languages in IF
Message-ID: <1994Feb25.140622.3424@schunix.dmc.com>
Organization: SCHUNIX Public Access Unix for Worcester County, MA, USA
Date: Fri, 25 Feb 94 14:06:22 GMT
Lines: 33

Here's a question.  I think I posed this once on rec.games.programmer, and
was met with lukewarm response.

How interesting would it be to set up a world where, in order to speak to
the NPCs, you had to use a different language (than the typical English)?
You could still enter commands, etc, in English, but when the time came
to talk to a dwarf or something, you'd have to speak to him in his own
language for him to understand.  He would, of course, respond in his own
language.  The reason I thought of this was that English s*cks to parse,
I'm pretty sure everyone will agree to that.  Other than doing some simple
things like:

>Dwarf, Hello
>Ask dwarf about treasure

You can't really have a conversation.  But other languages are MUCH easier
to parse, particularly if you've created a language solely for the sake
of the game.  Some variant of Esperanto or Loglan might make it possible
for you to hold a relatively deep conversation with the NPCs, rather than
just experimenting until you hit the right keyword.  (I remember one
game where that's exactly what it was, keywords:
>Ask guard about his job.
"I guard the Prince of the castle!"
>Ask guard for a job
"I guard the Prince of the castle!"
etc...

Anyway.  Suggestions?  My main point of interest is "conversational" AI,
much like the original Eliza syndrome.  IF has the potential to provide
some very fun experiments in this field.

Duane

