Stargate: Traditions, OOC Discussion.

[Kemrain]

Glad we could bring it up before we even get through the Gate, then. I hope something useful comes of this. I wonder how many virtual ranks this thing will give you for Languages, or how it would work mechanically. Or how it would work in game, for that matter. Very cool idea. I hope it goes places.

- Kemrain the Pleased.

 

[RandomUsernamehmimo71]

When I started reading that, my first thought was "Impossible. I don't care HOW good Julian is, he couldn't do a decent job.. Maybe dictionary lokup, but that would require a huge codex.. We can't even do earth languages well now.... Translation software is still primative, and requires HUGE cpu and disk requirements, as well as months of manual training on code books. Then, I sat down, and thought about it. This is a TV show. That means that we need to abstract a bit.
Movie Logic.
Right.

Sometimes, you know too much about a subject, and over-think things. So it should be possible. The thing to worry abotu is the game-stats.

If we wanted to argue it worked by using a genetic algorithm to translate works, by automatically growing mapps between them, you could do it. You'd need decent CPU and Disk requirements, and you'd need a decent sized block of text that's teh same in both languages. A sort of Rosetta text.
I thought about it, and decided that 1 gear pick would be reasonable, and it could give a +4 to a language check to one language, as well as letting you make a check untrained.
It's not perfect translation, but it can guess enough to help you get the idea.

Then, I thought, this might already be in the book

Software, Translation-
This program compares a piece of text provided by the character to a vast array of known languages, comparing indivual words, and trying to match grammar. This grants the chracter a +4 software bonus will all language checks made to recognize a language, and a +2 software bonus will all language checks made to translate the text. When dealing with text for an alien language, all bonuses are reduced to 1/2. Rounded down.
Cost: 2 gear picks

So what that says, is that Hinda maywant to make him aware of the aide that's out there.
If he wants to work from there, to build one that's dedicated to a specific language, he can move it from a +2, to a +4, and bring the cost to one gear pick.

 

[Jaeden]

When I started reading that, my first thought was "Impossible. I don't care HOW good Julian is, he couldn't do a decent job.. Maybe dictionary lokup, but that would require a huge codex.. We can't even do earth languages well now.... Translation software is still primative, and requires HUGE cpu and disk requirements, as well as months of manual training on code books. Then, I sat down, and thought about it. This is a TV show. That means that we need to abstract a bit.
Movie Logic.
Right.

Sometimes, you know too much about a subject, and over-think things. So it should be possible. The thing to worry abotu is the game-stats.

If we wanted to argue it worked by using a genetic algorithm to translate works, by automatically growing mapps between them, you could do it. You'd need decent CPU and Disk requirements, and you'd need a decent sized block of text that's teh same in both languages. A sort of Rosetta text.
I thought about it, and decided that 1 gear pick would be reasonable, and it could give a +4 to a language check to one language, as well as letting you make a check untrained.
It's not perfect translation, but it can guess enough to help you get the idea.

Then, I thought, this might already be in the book



So what that says, is that Hinda maywant to make him aware of the aide that's out there.
If he wants to work from there, to build one that's dedicated to a specific language, he can move it from a +2, to a +4, and bring the cost to one gear pick.

-Colin

Entirely not the same device. Julian intends to build either a Goa'uld speech <=> english speech, or at the very worst, Goa'uld speech <=> English text.

Literally, the device makes the speak language check. It's the one speaking. It's vocabulary will be as good in Goa'uld as Ashley's + Hinda's, + anybody else's who contributes.

If it were me DMing (and I'm not), I'd say, anytime somebody wants to use the device, roll Julian's computer use. (Or, check against whatever Julian's Computer roll is when he builds it, to reflect the quality of the code). Then, if the check passes, the code is capable of translating the language, if the vocab is there. And if it is, then the device should check as if it were Ashley's Speak Goa'uld rank, plus Hinda's, since it's as good as both of them.

Essentially, check Julian's computer skill for the "skill" of the AI, and then Hinda + Ashley's Languages, for the vocabulary of the device.

 

[RandomUsernamehmimo71]

Computers aren't good enough to do that with English and Spanish now.
Even though it's a TV show, the tech isn't there yet. I understand Julian is
good, but an item like that isn't feasible, not to mention that it would be
entirely unbalanced, almost eliminating the need for a translater.

Right now, we don't have the computer tech to do that. You can build a translation device. Hell, if you want, I can say that the one in the book doesn't exist yet, and YOU created it.
But you can't one that translates automatically.

 

[RandomUsernamehmimo71]

If you really want it to make the check for you, what about if it made a Speak Languages equal to 8 + the power rating of the comptuer it's running on.

The way I look at it, Bablefish can translate to Spanish.. But someone with a year of Spanish 1 could translate better... And Bablefish has a huge computer bank to work with.

I'm willing to compromise. The character is brilliant. He's smarter than most of the people int he world. He's smarter than a lot of the people at the SGC. Not all of them, but a decent number
.
But he's still bounded by reason.

The character can build a device for translation, even the device that exists in the book. We can say that you're the first person to make work-able version.

I just don't want you to make an over-powered version. I don't want to disrupt the Game, or the Show, because your have a Startrek-style translator.
I want it to work with the existing skills, not replace them.

 

[Keryn]

This translator could be terribly helpful for us, given that unlike in the show, most aliens won't spontaneously speak english. It might help even the odds a little.

- Kemrain the Lingual.

Hold up...I'm a human translator...that's my job. Other than my cultural and anthropological expertise, I've got nothing else to offer the team. And to be dreadfully honest, I suspect my linguistic talent will be used far more than my other skills...

 

[RandomUsernamehmimo71]

Exactly!

That's why I don't like the idea of Julian being able to make a magic translation device. That would undermine your ability, and disrupt the game. I understand why he wants it, but I think it's too powerful right now.



I want this to work for everyone, if it happens. That said, a device which gave you a +4 bonus, would make him look good for designing it, and you look cooler when you use it.

As an alternative, Something which made a DC 10 check would look pitiful in comparison to your DC21. But I'd rather not go that direction.

I'm not interested in something which replaces Hinda. At all. I'm on your side there.
Something that makes her better at her job, while still letting Julian look cool for designing, I could accept, and even like.
That's why something that gives a +X bonus, like the book suggests, makes sense.

Fair?

 

[Kemrain]

Yes, and a +4 bonus to her skill checks would be great. What I mean is that it might help us overcome the constant language barrier even when a linguist is off talking to someone else. Hinda won't ever become less useful, trust me. Hinda has lots to offer the team in the form of her knowledge and a fresh perspective even when we're not talking to anyone. Worry not.

- Kemrain the

 

[Kemrain]

Wow. this is the first time I've ever seen an OOC thread have fewer posts than an IC thread. Hopefully things in here will pick up a bit when we get throug hthe gate, which is looking to be soon.

- Kemrain the Hopeful.

 

[RandomUsernamehmimo71]

Reveal, I've sent your an e-mail through the forum. My e-mail address is xxx