An Honest but Harsh Review on the Setting

[fgalkin]

 

 

How did nations in Eora come to be? And why is race irrelevant?

 

That is the biggest problem with this setting.

 

Just about the only thing well done is the whole soul thing and pantheon of gods.

Hm? They tell you how Dyrwood, the Vailian Republics, and Readceras came to be. The rest is outside of the game's scope.

 

Have a very nice day.

-fgalkin

I'm not talking about countries and their fairly basic and boring origins. I'm talking about nations. Where is the french revolution, enlighment and similar stuff that would enable this people to overcome racial, tribal and feudal obstacles and form "nations"?

 

Too early for that. Eora seems to be late Renaissance at best.

 

The Rauatai seem to be developing an early form of nationalism, and Dyrwood has a national identity by virtue of it's shared identity (and because it's based on the USA).

 

Have a very nice day.

-fgalkin

[FlintlockJazz]

 

How did nations in Eora come to be? And why is race irrelevant?

That is the biggest problem with this setting.

Just about the only thing well done is the whole soul thing and pantheon of gods.

Race isn't irrelevant, Orlans for instance tend to be stigmatised, treated as savage and used as slaves in many countries according to the lore.  Elves and Folk are indistinguishable in Aedyr due to their shared heritage culturally speaking and yet they still also have certain marriage 'traditions' involving cross-species marriage that shows they treat it as something different to same-race marriage.  In Rauatai from the way Kana speaks the Amuna there treat the other races as 'client races', he makes a big deal of 'everyone is equal' but it comes across as more dogma than actually true.

 

As fgalkin said, it's too early.  I wouldn't even put their stage at late Renaissance, they don't even have the printing press yet and still use aquebuses.  I'd put them on the cusp between Late Middle Ages and Early Renaissance, though it depends on which part of the world you are from as to whether there was a Late Middle Ages or not (Italy considers the Renaissance to have started right after the High Middle Ages, and for them it arguably did).  The reason why I put it there is because while it seems to have some Renaissance era stuff (blunderbusses and wheellocks) it lacks the aforementioned printing press which our world had before wheellocks, but then it's not our world so naturally some things have developed faster and other things slower.

[abaris]

I wouldn't even put their stage at late Renaissance, they don't even have the printing press yet and still use aquebuses.  I'd put them on the cusp between Late Middle Ages and Early Renaissance, though it depends on which part of the world you are from as to whether there was a Late Middle Ages or not (Italy considers the Renaissance to have started right after the High Middle Ages, and for them it arguably did).  The reason why I put it there is because while it seems to have some Renaissance era stuff (blunderbusses and wheellocks) it lacks the aforementioned printing press which our world had before wheellocks, but then it's not our world so naturally some things have developed faster and other things slower.

 

 

Well, the Rennaissance was a rather long period. Some say, it started in the late 14th century. As with every historical period, the borders are fleeting. The fashion festures items of the 15th, 16th and 17th century, at least as far as headware is concerned. And there's still plate armor, which proved it's uselessness in the battle of Crecy in 1346 against long bows. The pistols are somewhere between 16th and even 18th century. So it's good to remember we're dealing with fantasy and a fantasy world here.

 

And we don't know if they have printing presses. There's no mention of it one way or the other. Just books.

Edited May 12, 2015 by abaris

[Grinch]

 

 

The point I'm trying to make is that it doesn't have to be there in the first place. It adds absolutely nothing to the game. What's the point? It doesn't make the game any more immersive.

 

 

Hmm, let's see. A drunken brawl?

 

I definitely wouldn't expect polite tea party conversation. Can't speak for DA:I though. I haven't played it, nor will I ever play it.

 

I don't believe Aloth was drunk. Just the villagers and yet they said nothing profane at all. The first time I played through, I thought Aloth had some type of split personality or something. One minute he was talking peace and misunderstandings. The next he was insulting the villagers and their families. He also didn't directly say 'Go f*** your sister' which is what your character is supposed to claim  to hear him say. There's a reference made but nothing said literally. That's what I mean about the profanity not fitting. Then it wasn't expanded on. Aloth claimed they misunderstood but when your character says he heard the same thing the conversation ends. It's a dead end. It makes it seems as if the profanity was just added for the sake of adding it.

[abaris]

 

The next he was insulting the villagers and their families. He also didn't directly say 'Go f*** your sister' which is what your character is supposed to claim  to hear him say. There's a reference made but nothing said literally. That's what I mean about the profanity not fitting. Then it wasn't expanded on. Aloth claimed they misunderstood but when your character says he heard the same thing the conversation ends. It's a dead end. It makes it seems as if the profanity was just added for the sake of adding it.

 

You did play the game, right? So does the name Iselmyr ring any bells?

[Grinch]

They give you the opportunity to play a character who swears. How is that wrong? If you don't choose that option, the line will never have appeared in your game world. If you choose that option, it is because the character you're playing would say such things. They give you, the player, the choice to consciously introduce this kind of language in that situation into your game. If you don't think your character would say something like that, choose one of the others.

 

Also, as previously noted: They didn't change "duke" to "duc". They created a language (or parts of a language) that is based on the Romance languages (Italian/Catalan/various others), and the perfectly Italian word "duce" (leader) transforms into a Vailian "duc".

That English happened to borrow the exact same word as "duke", is a nice bonus that ensures understanding of the term, but it is not the source of it.

Similarly, Engwithan is based on Welsh. In Welsh, you write a V as F, so "vampire" becomes "fampyr". It's not necessarily because "we want to be different" but because of "our language would write this word that way".

I understand they created a language. That's my point. They went through all the trouble to create a language but used contemporary profanity that can be heard on any street corner or locker room. I'm not against profanity in games when it makes sense but to me it doesn't make any sense the way it's used in this game. It's as if it was added just for the sake of adding it. DA:I has the same problem. One other thing I'd like to point out is that good games don't need it. It doesn't make them any more mature, hard core or immersive.I can't think of one older cRPG that had profanity in it. I'm sure somebody will prove me wrong but I don't believe any of the IE games had it. Arcanum didn't. I don't recall DA:O, Mass Effect or the NWN series having it either. Some of the mods for NWN did but not the game itself. It's only with the modern cRPGs. Developers, writers or whoever is making these modern games need to grow up and put their resources towards other aspects of the game instead of trying to be clever. The way they're doing it, it just makes them look juvenile pretty much the way those romance scenes in modern Bioware games do.  

[Grinch]

 

 

The next he was insulting the villagers and their families. He also didn't directly say 'Go f*** your sister' which is what your character is supposed to claim  to hear him say. There's a reference made but nothing said literally. That's what I mean about the profanity not fitting. Then it wasn't expanded on. Aloth claimed they misunderstood but when your character says he heard the same thing the conversation ends. It's a dead end. It makes it seems as if the profanity was just added for the sake of adding it.

 

You did play the game, right? So does the name Iselmyr ring any bells?

 

Yeah. So? That explains Aloth insulting the villagers. It doesn't explain the whole conversation being dropped when your character tells Aloth he heard the same thing the villagers did. It doesn't explain the need for profanity in the conversation. Aloth didn't use it. Your character did. Why would your character walk up to somebody they don't know and start using it. I can see your character helping Aloth out of trouble with the villagers. People help strangers all the time. But most people I know don't walk up to strangers and just start swearing. Not unless they have a mental problem. That's what doesn't make sense to me. That and the fact that they went out of their way to change parts of the language but used contemporary profanity that you can hear on a street corner or a locker room. It's nice to know that f*** still means f*** and s*** still means s*** though. Heaven forbid those words might change in another language in a fantasy setting. 

[abaris]

Yeah. So? That explains Aloth insulting the villagers. It doesn't explain the whole conversation being dropped when your character tells Aloth he heard the same thing the villagers did. It doesn't explain the need for profanity in the conversation. Aloth didn't use it. Your character did. Why would your character walk up to somebody they don't know and start using it. I can see your character helping Aloth out of trouble with the villagers.

 

 

 

As has been said repeatedly. You don't have to use it either. It's up to you to choose a different option. From my perspective, it makes sense for certain characters and I did use it.

 

Does it make any more sense for the player character to provoke the fight or say that it was actually fun to get rid of the villagers? These are options too, and fitting options for certain characters. That's not an elementary school play, but a roll playing game where you can evolve the character of your player and get the traits to show for your efforts.

[Kaylon]

I guess new and original isn't always better. Some people like it, some don't. Personally I think there are bigger problems with the game than the language. 

[Varana]

Your character did. Why would your character walk up to somebody they don't know and start using it. I can see your character helping Aloth out of trouble with the villagers. People help strangers all the time. But most people I know don't walk up to strangers and just start swearing. Not unless they have a mental problem. That's what doesn't make sense to me. That and the fact that they went out of their way to change parts of the language but used contemporary profanity that you can hear on a street corner or a locker room. It's nice to know that f*** still means f*** and s*** still means s*** though. Heaven forbid those words might change in another language in a fantasy setting. 

 

 

a) No, "your" character didn't. He had the *option* to do it, if you, the player, found it in-character for him. If your character did swear in that situation, it is nobody's but your own fault. Yours alone, because you chose that dialogue option. Don't complain about your own decisions.

If you didn't choose that option, then no one in that scene used swear words (apart from Iselmyr, of course). Why complaining?

 

b) You did notice that the game's language is usually contemporary American English?

They use certain terms from the invented languages for things that don't exactly correspond to English words - a Vailian duc is not the same as an English duke, and a fampyr is not Robert Pattinson.

The action of having sexual intercourse with your closer relatives, however, is a concept that is well-known to English-speakers (in theory, one hopes), and basically the same on both Eora and Earth. There is no need for using foreign languages.

 

c) We get it, you don't like swear words.

[Grinch]

 

Your character did. Why would your character walk up to somebody they don't know and start using it. I can see your character helping Aloth out of trouble with the villagers. People help strangers all the time. But most people I know don't walk up to strangers and just start swearing. Not unless they have a mental problem. That's what doesn't make sense to me. That and the fact that they went out of their way to change parts of the language but used contemporary profanity that you can hear on a street corner or a locker room. It's nice to know that f*** still means f*** and s*** still means s*** though. Heaven forbid those words might change in another language in a fantasy setting. 

 

 

a) No, "your" character didn't. He had the *option* to do it, if you, the player, found it in-character for him. If your character did swear in that situation, it is nobody's but your own fault. Yours alone, because you chose that dialogue option. Don't complain about your own decisions.

If you didn't choose that option, then no one in that scene used swear words (apart from Iselmyr, of course). Why complaining?

 

b) You did notice that the game's language is usually contemporary American English?

They use certain terms from the invented languages for things that don't exactly correspond to English words - a Vailian duc is not the same as an English duke, and a fampyr is not Robert Pattinson.

The action of having sexual intercourse with your closer relatives, however, is a concept that is well-known to English-speakers (in theory, one hopes), and basically the same on both Eora and Earth. There is no need for using foreign languages.

 

c) We get it, you don't like swear words.

 

It doesn't matter about the stinking options. What part of that don't you get? The problem I have is that the profanity doesn't fit. It has nothing to do with me liking swear words. I've heard them and I've used them. I play games that has profanity in them. It has to do with the fact that it doesn't fit. They changed some of the language in the game to give it more of a fantasy type feel but then used contemporary profanity. Why? Because all the adolescent kids playing wouldn't know what the 'swear' words were if they changed them. Then the way they used them in conversation doesn't make sense. The official at Hanging Tree is one example. He's all business and then all of sudden when your character asks for help makes a comment about 'digging for sh*t'. How many times have you been to the DMV and had the clerk taking your picture say something like 'Good morning. Look at the camera. Now don't you f*cking move'. It doesn't happen.

 

Then take the whole Aloth thing. It would be like coming up on a complete stranger who's car is broke down. You help them fix it and then say 'There you go. I got you f*cking car fixed'. People just don't do that. It may only be a game option but it doesn't fit. You character doesn't swear anytime before that. How many times do you come upon a complete stranger and just start swearing? I know somebody will claim they do it but it's a good way to get punched in the mouth. The point is that it doesn't fit. Having profanity in those instances doesn't make any sense. It doesn't add to the gameplay, immersion or roleplaying of your character. It's just there.

Edited May 14, 2015 by Grinch

[abaris]

 

It doesn't matter about the stinking options. What part of that don't you get? The problem I have is that the profanity doesn't fit.

 

 

For you it doesn't. Period.

 

We have said again and again, that it depends on the character you're playing. If you can only imagine a noble character, who blushes when hearing swear words, then you probably don't roll a slave, a laborer or a mercenary either.

 

Sorry, this is getting ridiculous. I can't imagine anyone, who hasn't called a total strange ****. Not even in road rage.

Edited May 13, 2015 by abaris

[Elerond]

It doesn't matter about the stinking options. What part of that don't you get? The problem I have is that the profanity doesn't fit.

Profanity fits fine. It is consistent with style that they use in other conversations around the game. I don't see how it don't fit in game's setting.

[Grinch]

 

Yeah. So? That explains Aloth insulting the villagers. It doesn't explain the whole conversation being dropped when your character tells Aloth he heard the same thing the villagers did. It doesn't explain the need for profanity in the conversation. Aloth didn't use it. Your character did. Why would your character walk up to somebody they don't know and start using it. I can see your character helping Aloth out of trouble with the villagers.

 

 

 

As has been said repeatedly. You don't have to use it either. It's up to you to choose a different option. From my perspective, it makes sense for certain characters and I did use it.

 

Does it make any more sense for the player character to provoke the fight or say that it was actually fun to get rid of the villagers? These are options too, and fitting options for certain characters. That's not an elementary school play, but a roll playing game where you can evolve the character of your player and get the traits to show for your efforts.

 

The point is the opition doesn't need to be there. How many times do you want up to a complete stranger and start swearing? I got no problem with profanity being in the game. I'm saying that it doesn't make sense with the way it's used. The official at the Hanging Tree is all business then all of a sudden responds with a comment about 'digging for sh*t'. Your character walks up on a complete stranger (Aloth) arguing with villagers. After the villagers are chased off or killed one of the dialogue options is to tell Aloth that he did tell a villager to 'go f*ck his sister'. Aloth claims a misunderstanding, your character states he heard the same thing and the whole issue is dropped. It was pointless. It was as if that option was written to sqeeze the F-word into the dialogue. It didn't fit. And you character and Aloth don't know each other. People just don't walk up to strangers and start swearing. It doesn't make sense.

[Elerond]

 

 

Yeah. So? That explains Aloth insulting the villagers. It doesn't explain the whole conversation being dropped when your character tells Aloth he heard the same thing the villagers did. It doesn't explain the need for profanity in the conversation. Aloth didn't use it. Your character did. Why would your character walk up to somebody they don't know and start using it. I can see your character helping Aloth out of trouble with the villagers.

 

As has been said repeatedly. You don't have to use it either. It's up to you to choose a different option. From my perspective, it makes sense for certain characters and I did use it.

 

Does it make any more sense for the player character to provoke the fight or say that it was actually fun to get rid of the villagers? These are options too, and fitting options for certain characters. That's not an elementary school play, but a roll playing game where you can evolve the character of your player and get the traits to show for your efforts.

 

The point is the opition doesn't need to be there. How many times do you want up to a complete stranger and start swearing?

 

It don't "need" to be there but that don't mean that it isn't good option to be there. As most conversation options that you can select through the game are there just for the flavor, meaning that most conversation options in the game aren't "needed", but removing them would remove lot of players ability to play character that they want to play.

 

And I know lots of people that start to talk to strangers and friends using swear words, because it is habit that they have developed in their social circles.

[Varana]

In the scene with Aloth, your character doesn't suddenly start swearing. He/she just repeats what Aloth/Iselmyr has been saying earlier. Aloth says {rude stuff}, and you can call him out on it saying "you just said {rude stuff}". You can do that in a straightforward way, or you can sugar coat it.

 

Aloth insults the villagers, they're about to attack him because of that; you can intervene and either help him kill the villagers, or drive them away. Afterwards, you're talking with the guy who just got attacked, and you've probably just killed three otherwise quite innocent people for him, and talk about exactly that situation. It's not you suddenly swearing at a complete stranger; it's you discussing what just happened, which started with a quite rude insult.

 

And it's modern language because the game uses modern language. Replacing perfectly normal words for some made-up fantasy equivalent is, imho, as ridiculous as unnecessary bleeping on TV. There's no need for it.

 

"I think it doesn't fit" is all well; "it's a fact" is not. With the steward suddenly bursting into swearing, I even tend to agree with you - it came somewhat out of the blue, and the only reason I could think of was him being affected by the whole situation in the village.

But it's not about whether he uses English, Aedyran, or Cantonese or whatever. Replacing his "sh*t" with a made-up fantasy word, wouldn't change that he's suddenly swearing without you expecting him to.

But the Aloth scene is, in my opinion, perfectly fine and appropriate.

Edited May 13, 2015 by Varana

[abaris]

"I think it doesn't fit" is all well; "it's a fact" is not. With the steward suddenly bursting into swearing, I even tend to agree with you - it came somewhat out of the blue, and the only reason I could think of was him being affected by the whole situation in the village.

 

I see it as being so full of himself that he reagrds any newcomer as dirt under his nails.

[Sannom]

The point is the opition doesn't need to be there. How many times do you want up to a complete stranger and start swearing?

If you're talking about the Aloth thing, your character didn't swear, he used a crude, vulgar word for "having sex with". But I understand your confusion, I have the same problem with a common swear word in my language when it's used in its original meaning as a nickname/common word for an intimate part of a woman's anatomy.

[Rosveen]

your character didn't swear, he used a crude, vulgar word for "having sex with".

That's swearing. A profanity is a word considered vulgar, obscene or offensive - even when it has a very specific meaning instead of being just a disconnected expression of strong emotions.

 

You could make a case for the other word you describe not being a swear word if used in a historical context. For example, if you find it in a book written back when it wasn't considered vulgar. And in fact, there are such words in the English language. But Eora isn't England, so when modern English is used, we read as just that: modern, where "****" is a profanity.

 

edit: See, even the forum censor considers it offensive.

Edited May 14, 2015 by Rosveen

[FlintlockJazz]

 

I wouldn't even put their stage at late Renaissance, they don't even have the printing press yet and still use aquebuses.  I'd put them on the cusp between Late Middle Ages and Early Renaissance, though it depends on which part of the world you are from as to whether there was a Late Middle Ages or not (Italy considers the Renaissance to have started right after the High Middle Ages, and for them it arguably did).  The reason why I put it there is because while it seems to have some Renaissance era stuff (blunderbusses and wheellocks) it lacks the aforementioned printing press which our world had before wheellocks, but then it's not our world so naturally some things have developed faster and other things slower.

 

 

Well, the Rennaissance was a rather long period. Some say, it started in the late 14th century. As with every historical period, the borders are fleeting. The fashion festures items of the 15th, 16th and 17th century, at least as far as headware is concerned. And there's still plate armor, which proved it's uselessness in the battle of Crecy in 1346 against long bows. The pistols are somewhere between 16th and even 18th century. So it's good to remember we're dealing with fantasy and a fantasy world here.

 

And we don't know if they have printing presses. There's no mention of it one way or the other. Just books.

 

As I said in my original post different places place it at different times, technically places like China and eastern countries never had a renaissance because they never slowed in their learning, and in fact it was when learning from those countries passed into Western Europe that the renaissance took off.  Hate to tell you this, but you are wrong about plate armour, it never 'proved' it's uselessness, especially not in 1346 which was actually when it was first being developed (full development of plate armour occurred in the 1400s in fact, and longbows were never that good against it, they could not penetrate the plate and they only worked in very specific places like Agincourt where the knights got stuck in mud and they were able to rain arrows on them until eventually one or two would find **** in the armour to slip through). 

 

The pistols in Pillars are wheellocks which were first recorded at the beginning of the 1500s, and were not used in the 1700s where flintlocks would have been used instead (there are no flintlocks in the game I believe).  They are quite a bit later, but then that was my point about there being different advances in different areas to the real world.  The developers have stated there were no printing presses when releasing information about the world in development.

 

http://jesawyer.tumblr.com/post/45754397498/are-you-able-to-elaborate-on-why-exactly-the

 

They wouldn't mention it if it doesn't exist, after all.

 

EDIT:  Hmm apparently **** is a swear word?

Edited May 14, 2015 by FlintlockJazz

[Grinch]

 

 

It doesn't matter about the stinking options. What part of that don't you get? The problem I have is that the profanity doesn't fit.

 

 

For you it doesn't. Period.

 

We have said again and again, that it depends on the character you're playing. If you can only imagine a noble character, who blushes when hearing swear words, then you probably don't roll a slave, a laborer or a mercenary either.

 

Sorry, this is getting ridiculous. I can't imagine anyone, who hasn't called a total strange ****. Not even in road rage.

 

Walking up to somebody you don't know, carrying a conversation with them and then all of sudden starting to swear just doesn't make sense. Nobody does that unless they're looking for a fight or they have a mental problem. The dialogue option makes no sense at all. if you use that option and then tell Aloth that you heard the same thing when he claims a misunderstanding, the conversation dies. Instead of being expanded on it goes nowhere. Why doesn't Aloth explain why it was a misunderstanding? Or why he would say something like that? Why would your character walk up to a complete stranger and start using profanity when there are other ways to say the same thing. It has nothing to do with roleplaying a character who swears. Your character goes from swearing right back to a decent conversation with Aloth and the decision to either join up or go their own separate ways. Your character goes to the inn and talks with the innkeeper. No swearing there. He doesn't say 'Give me a f***ing room'. It doesn't fit. I agree it is getting ridiculous trying to convince people who are too blind to see what I'm talking about.

[abaris]

Walking up to somebody you don't know, carrying a conversation with them and then all of sudden starting to swear just doesn't make sense. Nobody does that unless they're looking for a fight or they have a mental problem.

 

 

And nevermind that they either just fought together or the player character just saved Aloth's hinparts by talking the brawlers out of a fight.

 

Strawman after strawman after strawman. If you just said, you don't like swearing in games, fine. One doesn't have to like everything. But as I said, this is getting ridiculous.

[Grinch]

 

 

 

Yeah. So? That explains Aloth insulting the villagers. It doesn't explain the whole conversation being dropped when your character tells Aloth he heard the same thing the villagers did. It doesn't explain the need for profanity in the conversation. Aloth didn't use it. Your character did. Why would your character walk up to somebody they don't know and start using it. I can see your character helping Aloth out of trouble with the villagers.

 

As has been said repeatedly. You don't have to use it either. It's up to you to choose a different option. From my perspective, it makes sense for certain characters and I did use it.

 

Does it make any more sense for the player character to provoke the fight or say that it was actually fun to get rid of the villagers? These are options too, and fitting options for certain characters. That's not an elementary school play, but a roll playing game where you can evolve the character of your player and get the traits to show for your efforts.

 

The point is the opition doesn't need to be there. How many times do you want up to a complete stranger and start swearing?

 

It don't "need" to be there but that don't mean that it isn't good option to be there. As most conversation options that you can select through the game are there just for the flavor, meaning that most conversation options in the game aren't "needed", but removing them would remove lot of players ability to play character that they want to play.

 

And I know lots of people that start to talk to strangers and friends using swear words, because it is habit that they have developed in their social circles.

 

Tell me something. How does swearing in that situation enhance the roleplaying of your character? The option doesn't fit. Up until that point your character doesn't swear at all. He could have swore at Calisca or Heodan or the tribesmen who killed all the travelers. But he/she didn't.  So how does one option allow you to roleplay a swearing character. They don't go to the inn swearing, telling the innkeeper to give them a 'f***ing' room. They doesn't swear when dealing with the miller and the villager dispute. They doesn't swear in the temple ruins. That's all just in Gilded Vale in the first part of the game. So except for that one option there isn't a lot of opportunity for your character to swear at all.

 

As for people talking to strangers and swearing, I know if somebody came up to me swearing I'd probably punch them in the mouth. Swearing around friends, co- workers or in locker room is different. It's people you're familiar with and around on a daily basis. You wouldn't help a complete stranger fix a flat tire then say 'There you go. I fixed your f***ing tire'. You would say something like 'There you go. I fixed your tire'. The point is the swearing doesn't fit and the conversation option is a dead end. It's not expanded on. It's poor writing.

[Grinch]

 

Walking up to somebody you don't know, carrying a conversation with them and then all of sudden starting to swear just doesn't make sense. Nobody does that unless they're looking for a fight or they have a mental problem.

 

 

And nevermind that they either just fought together or the player character just saved Aloth's hinparts by talking the brawlers out of a fight.

 

Strawman after strawman after strawman. If you just said, you don't like swearing in games, fine. One doesn't have to like everything. But as I said, this is getting ridiculous.

 

Doesn't matter if they just fought together or the character saved Aloth. Do you always start swearing when you help a complete stranger? It's not strawman after strawman. It's poor writing. It has nothing to do with me liking swearing. It has to do with whether or not it fits in the context of the situation and conversation. It doesn't fit. The whole conversation option is a dead end too. It's not expanded on. At first I didn't like this game but after a 4th attempt at playing, I've grown to like it. That doesn't mean that I'm going to praise everything about it. I think some of the writing is poor and this is just one example. A normal person wouldn't say what your character has the option of saying. Maybe to a friend but not to a complete stranger.

 

You can claim this is ridiculous all you want. But you keep responding. Why? I'm not one who is against profanity in games, books or movies. But the situation and dialogue has to make sense. To me it doesn't make sense for your character to say something like that to a complete stranger. Maybe in your part of the world they do that. Not where I live though. Profanity is sometimes used to show anger or in a joking manner with family, friends or co-workers. It's not something used when talking to complete strangers. Think that's ridiculous? Then don't respond.

[Grinch]

 

It doesn't matter about the stinking options. What part of that don't you get? The problem I have is that the profanity doesn't fit.

Profanity fits fine. It is consistent with style that they use in other conversations around the game. I don't see how it don't fit in game's setting.

 

If you're playing the game for the first time, how would you know what that style is? I've got no problem with profanity in the game. Just with the way it's used. At least let it make some sense. Complete strangers don't walk up to each other, start talking then all of a sudden start swearing. That's poor writing. It's also poor writing that the whole option isn't expanded on. Aloth claims a misunderstanding, you choose that option for your character and then the whole conversation dies. Nothing more is said about it. Then it's back to normal conversation and either having Aloth join up with you or going your separate ways. When your character doesn't swear at all before that situation and swears very little after it then that one conversation is out of place. You can't roleplay a character who constantly swears if he isn't constantly swearing.