Unpopular opinions go here

[Emberashh]

I always put that down to each show being only an hour long; they had to skip all that stuff but the assumption was it still happened, as even with a universal translator there's going to be misunderstandings before communication becomes smooth

Actually the UT is depicted as being capable of directly translating most languages perfectly, even if they haven't been encountered before.

Species like Darmoks are said, or at least implied, to be rare in the galaxy, where translating their language (which the UT still does) doesn't result in clear communication.

Cultural differences still matter and are shown to be big-time issues across the galaxy, but it almost never has to do with the languages they speak.

 

[Jd Smith1]

What if the PCs ask about the economy? I want an answer, and I don't want to make it up on the spot, because that means the answer is meaningless, and the players lose agency.

Exactly. I have always had players who asked things like that. They're interested in how the locals make money, because they like money, too.

 

[Jd Smith1]

The thing about languages, is that you don't have to be able to recite the national sonnet flawlessly. Nor does everyone in the group need to know everything; just as long as one PC knows enough to ask 'where is Bridgetown' and understand the answer, 'how much, and a reasonable range of numbers, you can get by. I tramped across most of Europe for years with less than that. With time you pick up a little, often the natives know a word or two, and you get by. Most regions will use the same written numbers even with different languages.

Simple gestures and the ability to read numbers will get you through most simple transactions.

 

[Hussar]

What if the PCs ask about the economy? I want an answer, and I don't want to make it up on the spot, because that means the answer is meaningless, and the players lose agency.

Rotflmao.

I’m sorry but no version of DnD had ever made the slightest sense when it comes to economy.

 

[aramis erak]

I'm a bit confused as to how a fighter could kill a giant in one blow. <pulls out 1e stuff>

OK, let's assume a completely average hill giant (HD 8 + 1-2--I'm assuming that means 8 HD + 1-2 hp, not 8 HD + 1-2 HD; it's just written weirdly), so... 37 hit points.

Let's also assume a fighter with 18/100 Strength, who does +6 damage, wielding a bastard sword +5 (2d8 damage). So... a maximum of 27 damage per round. Which rather suggests that it's only possible to kill a very weak, below-average hill giant in one blow, if your Strength and weapon are both maxed to the gills and you roll max damage. Were critical hits even a thing in RAW 1e?

RAW 1E? No. 2E: double damage as official option. As played, usually double damage which makes that into 54 damage - 8HD averages 36 HP, 10 HD averages 45. Easily in reach on a crit.

I don't know. Plenty of fantasy and science fiction settings have a lot of languages and seem to make it work.

Many sci-fi settings use some flavor of universal translator system to make their multitude of discrete languages irrelevant 90% of the time.

I hadn’t heard that, but it doesn’t surprise me. Tight control over ingredients & supplies is common in franchising, and helps ensure the product remains consistent at hundreds of locations scattered over thousands of miles. But it can just an easily be abused.

If true, that’s a shame- hurting your franchisees will ultimately blow up in your face. And the Schlotzky’s Original is a really good variant on the mufaletta.

Not just Schlotzky's...
McDonalds requires use of only approved hardware in the stores. This results in some seriously overpriced under-reliable shake and ice cream machines... which has broken more than a few franchisees, especially since the provider doesn't believe in right to repair, and has specific anit-repair features....

 

[aramis erak]

We should all be happy that Superman isn't turning himself into geese and having sex with women doing their laundry by the river.

Damnit man, unfair. Plus, it triggered Sugarhill Gang's Rappers' Delight. Specifically the section about Superman, which lyrics cannot be posted here.

All it requires is having a group with limited languages who travel to an area where they're not commonly spoken. At that point it can come up constantly.

Constantly and disruptively.

That said, in fairness in a typical D&D setting there's a few mitigators:

--- trade languages, for which we have real-world precedent; Common is just a jumped-up version of just this
--- active-in-setting deities who might find it in their better interests if their followers can all communicate with each other no matter where they live (e.g. Gruumsh probably makes good and sure that twenty or so key words such as "kill" "war" "food" "boss" "home" "friend" "water" etc. are exactly the same in every Orcish dialect in existence, such that his Orcs can communicate on a basic level no matter where they are)
--- a few geographically widespread shared cultures (mostly species-based e.g. Elves, Dwarves) who may all use the same language, or close enough (this might also be divinely driven in part)
--- the possibility of almost an adventurers' subculture which might take Common as the equivalent of their trade language.

I take the lazy approach with most non-Human languages and make them species-based; so each type of Giant has its own language but all Frost Giants speak Frost Giant, all Fire Giants speak Fire Giant, etc. Elves have about seven languages, mostly tied to Elvish sub-species. And so on. Humans have lots of languages; and while they're not always as cheek-by-jowl as your England example, you can usually expect a change of local language when you go from one realm to the next.

It's worth noting that linguistic drift isn't uniform. Places with a strongly used liturgical language and writing related to the local vernacular tend to retain access to older literature for longer.

Many American English speakers cannot understand Mallory (mid 14th C) and Shakespear (late 16th) has a lot of idiom used that doth not survive.

I'm told most Spaniards can still understand El Cantar de mio Cid from the 12th C... and many can grasp Latin and Italian without separate study.

Likewise, after a year of Russian, most of the classic Russian literature going back 400 years was intelligible by just learning 4 more letters, and a few dozen words. (and ignoring that the pronunciations have shifted).

 

[Reynard]

Unpopular Opinion AND a hill I will die on: running a pre-written adventure, especially an adventure path or campaign length adventure, is significantly more work that homebrewing. Adventures don't save time or work and a 10 page campaign overview would be of more use than a 200 page adventure.

Related: "prep" is far less important than familiarity with the system for the GM to run an enjoyable game.

 

[Shardstone]

What if the PCs ask about the economy? I want an answer, and I don't want to make it up on the spot, because that means the answer is meaningless, and the players lose agency.

Then you dont want to play dnd

 

[Shardstone]

Unpopular Opinion AND a hill I will die on: running a pre-written adventure, especially an adventure path or campaign length adventure, is significantly more work that homebrewing. Adventures don't save time or work and a 10 page campaign overview would be of more use than a 200 page adventure.

Related: "prep" is far less important than familiarity with the system for the GM to run an enjoyable game.

Only 5e ones. Many osr or free league adventures take little prep

 

[Reynard]

Then you dont want to play dnd

That's a perfectly valid way to play D&D. Why are you badwrongfunning?