Read/Write

Kalphoenix · Post by **Kalphoenix** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 7:46 pm

Re-posting this from the sage thread, since I didn't want to derail it:

Read/Write really is a boner skill in ANY class as well. It's fun from a roleplaying angle to say you can write six languages, but not very useful otherwise. I think it might actually be somewhat helpful if we just made it "Know Language" and included speaking it as well, since I've seen THAT come up more often than written, and there really is NO mechanic for speaking a language, or knowing what languages you actually speak in-game, even though NPCs (and PCs) speaking other languages DOES happen occasionally.

cole45 · Post by **cole45** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 8:12 pm

i would like to see it go away. all reading/writing. It's overly complicated, hard to enforce in a larp.

basically, you can read what every unless it is a plot code then it has a decipher script time, or you have to solve a puzzle.

Rhul · Post by **Rhul** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 8:15 pm

All things being equal (this of course being the important part) you can use read/write to code someting into say, Guthrie Tradespeak, and then at least among the players that are playing fair, vary few people can make sense of your stuff.

My theory if read/write factored into game situations more, the skill would be worth more. At WH the crazy treasure map plot that Jared made as Bard (the one I played with Durgan, it had about 5 miles of walking), had it's opener with a note written in Elven. We actually had to search through the players base to find someone that could read Elven.

Read/Write can easily be cheated, but.... so can all the skills.

Ark · Post by **Ark** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 11:10 pm

bought common with 10 points at character creation, nice to have the ability, but it never comes up, maybe if plot stuff was just written in runes and designs, then someone actually had to go to NPC camp with the skill to read it it would be better, but i agree that its everything we dont want:
-easy to cheat
-barely usefull
-hard to enforce

Post by **Zydana** » Tue Jan 19, 2010 12:16 am

Personally, I'd like to see stuff in an array of different PC languages.

Also, I might be hated for it - I'd like to see decipher script go back to a one hour time. Five minutes feels like it cheapens the skill.. or the read/write skill.

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Tue Jan 19, 2010 12:22 am

Actually, since Decipher Script usually used on a found document, it would be easy to put said decipher time on said document, depending on the length of the document/difficulty of the code, as determined by the GM's.

Five minutes for somthing short/easy. Hour plus for longer/more difficult.

Post by **GM-Mike** » Tue Jan 19, 2010 7:35 am

That is how it works--five minutes is the base time but it could take longer based upon the length/difficulty.

Crist0 · Post by **Crist0** » Tue Jan 19, 2010 9:38 am

I would also like read/write taken out. Sooo useless.

Rhul · Post by **Rhul** » Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:04 am

I'm in support of making plot hints that are found in the field written in something other than English, with a tag saying what language it's in, to be exchanged at NPC camp.

Hell, go to 'fonts' on the laptop, and use "Wingdings" if that's what it takes, lol.

Skills are only useless when they aren't used. Up till this last one-day, Rhul's immunity to disease has come in handy ONCE. Against a werewolf swinging disease. This one day added two more times I have used it, all in the same sort of combat situation. And that's a racial boon, not even a skill, and I have been playing him for two years.

Esmerelda · Post by **Esmerelda** » Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:04 am

I like the fact that some characters cannot read- it provides for some interesting character interactions whenever anything written comes into game. All the different languages? Maybe not so much since I've rarely seen it come into play. Would be neat if it did but I'm speaking from what I've personally seen.

And of boy does decipher script take more than 5 minutes! Ask anyone who sat up with me the first event of this past year when I was working on and hour plus decipher until 5 a.m.

cole45 · Post by **cole45** » Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:23 am

people can roleplay being illiterate the same as they roleplay being blind or having one leg. There does not need to be a mechanic.

We have english tags that people have to read anyway, setting up annoying metagaming issues.

but if the majrity want reading, then cool.

Atrum Draconus · Post by **Atrum Draconus** » Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:41 am

An idea for the GM's, actually write notes in gobleygook, runes or symbols and have a copy of what it actually says at npc camp. Then you don't have the metagaming thing for languages.

Zeira · Post by **Zeira** » Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:49 am

Read write is a weird skill for sure. It is really hard to roleplay you can't read something unless you actually code it, whitch is a pain.

You could make it so that after the cataclysm that the only the common language survived. That way there is only 1 real common language, you could call it phantaren or something. Everthing else requires Decipher Script. The true language of the elves and dwarves were lost when cataclysm happened. When magic snapped back together so did the languages.

The read/write skill would only provide you with the ability to read common. You could lower decipher script times based on race, like if you had an book written in elven it would take an hour for a dwarf to decipher it but an elf 30 min. Swap out first level diplomat for...something else, maybe for an ability that up's their money multiplier based on support points rather than level. Sages would read/write first and research second on their basic list.

Just a thought.

Crist0 · Post by **Crist0** » Tue Jan 19, 2010 11:33 am

Read write is a weird skill for sure. It is really hard to roleplay you can't read something unless you actually code it, whitch is a pain.

You could make it so that after the cataclysm that the only the common language survived. That way there is only 1 real common language, you could call it phantaren or something. Everthing else requires Decipher Script. The true language of the elves and dwarves were lost when cataclysm happened. When magic snapped back together so did the languages.

The read/write skill would only provide you with the ability to read common. You could lower decipher script times based on race, like if you had an book written in elven it would take an hour for a dwarf to decipher it but an elf 30 min. Swap out first level diplomat for...something else, maybe for an ability that up's their money multiplier based on support points rather than level. Sages would read/write first and research second on their basic list.

Just a thought.

Me Likey

Post by **GM_Chris** » Tue Jan 19, 2010 12:07 pm

An idea for the GM's, actually write notes in gobleygook, runes or symbols and have a copy of what it actually says at npc camp. Then you don't have the metagaming thing for languages.

Not a bad idea, and might be used. Problem is EVERYTHING that can be, must be moved away from NPC camp