Our toons know alien languages?

[plotenox]

I think this is the right forum for this so here goes...

Have you guys notice when our toons talk with random NPCs that speak alien languages our toons can somehow be able to understand what they're saying? No matter who we talk to our toons somehow know what they're talking about,even if its from an ancient alien race. Like for example on Tatooine one of the side missions there would lead up to a Rakata thats been locked away and we would eventually speak with it at the end of the mission.

This is one of examples that make me think,how the hell can our characters understand every language in this game,no matter what or how old the language may be?

 

Do you guys know how this is possible?

Edited October 14, 2013 by plotenox

[Sinapus]

Our toons read the subtitles?

[ZirusZero]

You would think they would be trained considering the PCs are at least in their 20s.

[haveatya]

I always pictured the pc having an ear stud in, if they aren't s force user, that acts like the translator from Star Trek. I feel force users would have learned it or they just "know" through the force.

[Darkelefantos]

Well, the OP has a point, I see no reason why someone would be able to fluently understand Rakatan. Force users? Meh, OK. But unless Revan made a dictionary before forever leaving into the darkness of space, I just don't see it for all the others.

[chuixupu]

We all have the Babelfish.

 

Or maybe a IUniversal Translator.

 

It's a common thing to see in fantasy/sci fi, because it would just make things too complicated to have to constantly translate the dialogue, or have the main characters switch languages themselves.

 

I do recall in, I think the Jedi Knight story, your character does say something about having trained in many languages.

 

The only time it breaks for me is when it's some ancient or unknown species, like the Rakata or the Esh-kha. Then you have to fall back on "universal translator".

[psandak]

Plain and simple, it is called suspension of disbelief. As a gamer you need to make up something to allow you to believe that you character who speaks Galactic Basic also understands a myriad of other languages.

 

- Universal Translator

- open comlink to your ship droid who (like C-3PO) is fluent is over six million forms of communication and is translating the conversation as you go.

- your character knows many languages

 

Let me ask you this: would you prefer that ALL species speak Galactic Basic even ancient species like the Rakata? Does that make any more sense?

 

Or would you rather conversations go something like this:

 

NPC: Shalom

PC: what did you just say?

NPC: Baruch hashem colainu melech

PC: HUH?

ad infinitum until you and that NPC can learn each others' languages

[eartharioch]

Lol, based on what I've seen the Rakatans say, I'd go with one (or more) of the following options:

 

1) The Rakatan ego directed their language to evolve so that *anybody* they would ever *possibly* want to speak with would be able to understand them.

 

2) Rakatans actually implanted the ability to understand their language into common ancestors to humans (and other sapient species).

 

3) Characters only understand Rakatan while being spoken to by a Rakatan due to some telepathic component of the language.

 

Interestingly, however, not only do we appear to be able to understand Rakatan and most other languages, the speakers of the other languages understand Galactic Basic, since we reply to them in GB and not their own language.