Player Titles

[Xiaolendrahl]

Started this thread to see if anyone could confirm whether "count" is a possible title that could be aquired. If not, who agrees it would make a sweet title for inquisitors. Also feel free to post any other titles you think would be appropriate in the game.

[Deshiel]

inquisitors should get the Inquisitor title

[Poimandres]

Mandalorian for Bounty Hunters, please!

 

I do love the Lord title on my inquisitor, and the default Captain for my smuggler -- despite losing his ship -- is awesome.

 

Tangent --

One of the deal-breakers for me on the Republic Trooper was having someone call her "sir" and referring to her as an officer... She's a bleeding Sergeant and WORKS FOR A LIVING, for crying out loud. And anyone who calls a non-commissioned officer (NCO) an "officer" has likely never worn a uniform in one of the (U.S.) armed services, I'm betting.

 

I guess that my feelings are that if the "translation" of the Republic is going to use variants of U.S. ranks, I'd like to see recognizable variants of military courtesies.

 

Did I say "Mandalorian" for Bounty Hunters, please?

[Rohanshot]

Mandalorian for Bounty Hunters, please!

 

I do love the Lord title on my inquisitor, and the default Captain for my smuggler -- despite losing his ship -- is awesome.

 

Tangent --

One of the deal-breakers for me on the Republic Trooper was having someone call her "sir" and referring to her as an officer... She's a bleeding Sergeant and WORKS FOR A LIVING, for crying out loud. And anyone who calls a non-commissioned officer (NCO) an "officer" has likely never worn a uniform in one of the (U.S.) armed services, I'm betting.

 

I guess that my feelings are that if the "translation" of the Republic is going to use variants of U.S. ranks, I'd like to see recognizable variants of military courtesies.

 

Did I say "Mandalorian" for Bounty Hunters, please?

The NPC's are the normal grunts, while you're Special Forces. (Equivalent to SEAL's or Delta Force). My brothers are in the Army, but I'm not exactly sure. If anyone here is in the US army, do normal soldiers salute say, Rangers?

[Poimandres]

The NPC's are the normal grunts, while you're Special Forces. (Equivalent to SEAL's or Delta Force). My brothers are in the Army, but I'm not exactly sure. If anyone here is in the US army, do normal soldiers salute say, Rangers?

 

No; it's pretty much based on rank -- everyone salutes officers of a higher rank (enlisted and officer), and enlisted service members, including non-commissioned officers like sergeants and petty officers, don't receive salutes or get called sir (they'll often respond "I work for a living!"). Doesn't mean they're not respected; any officer who frequently ignores advice from experienced NCOs is an idiot and likely to make dumb career-ending mistakes.

 

One exception to the above would be those soldiers and sailors who have been awarded the Medal of Honor: EVERYONE salutes the Medal of Honor. ^_^

 

Caveat lictor:

U.S. armed forces only, YMMV.

[ClayPeopleCry]

Is there a Darth title?

[Ruliya]

Military ranking aside (where I believe Sir is to either gender - such as Lord is to a Sith regardless of gender also)

 

As to Mandalorian for a title? Well, to my knowledge Mandalorian is what you are, and as any race can be a Mandalorian, I don't see how it would be a title? Are you Jack the Human? Padme the Naboo?

 

Plus Mandalorians are more Clan based, so it would make more sense to be Canderous of the Ordo Clan (as it were)

[PacoSantos]

Is there a Darth title?

 

Yes there is a Darth title. I've seen people running around with that title

[Bgiffo]

"Sir" is gender neutral, as it is in some armed forces irl. "Lord" is also used as a gender neutral term.

[Poimandres]

Military ranking aside (where I believe Sir is to either gender - such as Lord is to a Sith regardless of gender also)

 

LOL --

I see that I failed at explaining what's cutting the strings on my suspension of disbelief. I'm perfectly OK with "Sir" being gender neutral (ditto on "Lord"). It's just that SWTOR borrows U.S.-style rank names but not one of the BIG conventions found in military customs.

 

If you know any Army, USMC, or USAF sergeants (or Navy petty officers), try calling them "Sir" (or "Ma'am," as U.S. military courtesies are gender-based). They will VERY quickly inform you that "Sir" (or "Ma'am") is what you call commissioned officers or warrant officers, and it's NOT what you call non-commissioned officers (NCOs, noncoms) or other enlisted ranks.

 

I alluded to a common stereotypical response above: "Don't call me Sir, I work for a living" (or "Don't call me Ma'am, I work for a living," as appropriate). NCOs are the backbone of the military services, as well as the front line leaders; this custom is actually a form of recognizing that. It's a VERY big distinction you learn early on, and that's why it's so jarring that I can't quite enjoy the storyline.

 

Since several people responded as if this were a gender issue rather than a rank issue, I'm guessing that this is a "Who cares?" issue to those without the background. Maybe my explanation will help explain why some of us recoil from it when we encounter this oddity in the script.

 

As to Mandalorian for a title? Well, to my knowledge Mandalorian is what you are, and as any race can be a Mandalorian, I don't see how it would be a title? Are you Jack the Human? Padme the Naboo?

 

Plus Mandalorians are more Clan based, so it would make more sense to be Canderous of the Ordo Clan (as it were)

 

I'd be cool with that after Chapter 1! ^_^

[DarkestDaemon]

LOL --

I see that I failed at explaining what's cutting the strings on my suspension of disbelief. I'm perfectly OK with "Sir" being gender neutral (ditto on "Lord"). It's just that SWTOR borrows U.S.-style rank names but not one of the BIG conventions found in military customs.

 

If you know any Army, USMC, or USAF sergeants (or Navy petty officers), try calling them "Sir" (or "Ma'am," as U.S. military courtesies are gender-based). They will VERY quickly inform you that "Sir" (or "Ma'am") is what you call commissioned officers or warrant officers, and it's NOT what you call non-commissioned officers (NCOs, noncoms) or other enlisted ranks.

 

I alluded to a common stereotypical response above: "Don't call me Sir, I work for a living" (or "Don't call me Ma'am, I work for a living," as appropriate). NCOs are the backbone of the military services, as well as the front line leaders; this custom is actually a form of recognizing that. It's a VERY big distinction you learn early on, and that's why it's so jarring that I can't quite enjoy the storyline.

 

Since several people responded as if this were a gender issue rather than a rank issue, I'm guessing that this is a "Who cares?" issue to those without the background. Maybe my explanation will help explain why some of us recoil from it when we encounter this oddity in the script.

 

 

 

I'd be cool with that after Chapter 1! ^_^

 

It could just be a preference of the NCOs if you think about it. That formally they would be called Sir/Ma'am, but since they go into the battles like ya said they prefer to cut the formality. It'd also more than likely be by choice so they could have an easier time with the men and women they lead in.

[Poimandres]

It could just be a preference of the NCOs if you think about it. That formally they would be called Sir/Ma'am, but since they go into the battles like ya said they prefer to cut the formality. It'd also more than likely be by choice so they could have an easier time with the men and women they lead in.

 

Yah -- but that's far too different from the real world rank titles and military customs. Like I said, in the real world you don't call a noncom "Sir" or "Ma'am" unless you want to provoke them.

 

As a kid I did sometimes call my Chief Petty Officer dad "Sir"; he broke me of that habit after his retirement when I graduated from university and he subsequently helped pin the gold bar on my Army Class As... Afterward he said something I didn't catch, I said "Sir?," and he added "Sir" to the end of his reply. We agreed at that point to NOT call each other "Sir."

 

There IS an easy dialog fix in the SWTOR Trooper storyline: start the Trooper out as a Lieutenant (with the assumption it's corresponding to 1st or 2nd Lieutenant in the Army, USAF, or USMC, and Ensign in the Navy... and NOT corresponding to a Navy Lieutenant). Then calling him or her "Sir" and "officer" would make sense, as would their noobness newness to the unit and the Republic's forces. Somehow, though, I doubt anyone would want to skip being a sergeant... and that's where "Sir" is jarring and attention-shattering.

[DarkestDaemon]

Yah -- but that's far too different from the real world rank titles and military customs. Like I said, in the real world you don't call a noncom "Sir" or "Ma'am" unless you want to provoke them.

 

As a kid I did sometimes call my Chief Petty Officer dad "Sir"; he broke me of that habit after his retirement when I graduated from university and he subsequently helped pin the gold bar on my Army Class As... Afterward he said something I didn't catch, I said "Sir?," and he added "Sir" to the end of his reply. We agreed at that point to NOT call each other "Sir."

 

There IS an easy dialog fix in the SWTOR Trooper storyline: start the Trooper out as a Lieutenant (with the assumption it's corresponding to 1st or 2nd Lieutenant in the Army, USAF, or USMC, and Ensign in the Navy... and NOT corresponding to a Navy Lieutenant). Then calling him or her "Sir" and "officer" would make sense, as would their noobness newness to the unit and the Republic's forces. Somehow, though, I doubt anyone would want to skip being a sergeant... and that's where "Sir" is jarring and attention-shattering.

 

What I was saying was, the NCOs in the IRL military probably prefer not to be called 'Sir/Ma'am' and it's to cut the formality from the battlefield. It's hard to say what I'm thinking, I'm beginning to realize ><

[Poimandres]

What I was saying was, the NCOs in the IRL military probably prefer not to be called 'Sir/Ma'am' and it's to cut the formality from the battlefield. It's hard to say what I'm thinking, I'm beginning to realize ><

 

Ah.

 

In real life (in the U.S. services) the only time that is proper to call an NCO "Sir" or "Ma'am" is during basic training, when a recruit addresses an NCO. At no other time is is proper to call an NCO "Sir" or "Ma'am." The same is true (or so I read, though I do not know about UK forces from experience) for British forces, with another exception: when an NCO is "on parade."

 

I should mention that it's Army and USMC NCOs that bit... er, complain the most about being called Sir or Ma'am. Informal usage in the USAF sometimes has people calling NCOs "Sir," but even their NCOs get bent out of shape over it.

 

Let me know if I ought to Google any references for ya. I was amused that one of the most succinct references I've seen on military protocol was from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website (the Public Health Service officers aren't military, but are a U.S. uniformed service):

http://www.cdc.gov/od/occp/officership/military_protocol.htm

 

 

CAVEAT LICTOR:

While this is a deal breaker for me, it likely ought not be for others. Your Republic Trooper gets his commission (I don't know if it's right after leaving Ord Mantell or at the conclusion of Chapter 1), at which point the point is moot.