modified spelling in a game

[prowler]

my game is set on another world, and i was thinking of having some pattern of word(s) that are spelled otherwise...

it wouldn't be l33tsp33k or smth, the only examples i can think of is beneath a steel sky (i LOVED the speech style in that one ) and mortal kombat (where every 'c' was replaced with a 'k')

would this become annoying? of, if done with taste, would it add a new dimension to the game, making it more enjoyable?

[Babar]

I think Tolkien did that a bit in Lord of the Rings (the book ). I am sure he used Dwarfs instead of Dwarves, and there might have been others.

[Snarky]

Nah, it's the other way around: Tolkien spelled it "dwarves" when the usual spelling is "dwarfs".

I think if done with taste it would be cool. Just don't use "magick".

You should check out 'Riddley Walker' by Russel Hoban. That's got some of the most crazy messed-up spelling I've ever read (outside of the Internet).

[modgeulator]

The k in magick comes from Aleister Crowley, in order to distinguish his "real magick" from the "magic" tricks of magicians. It is supposedly the "old" spelling of the word. I'm just saying, because it isn't just spelled that way to make it look wacky. Generally I find weird spellings annoying, unless they have a good reason behind them. Like the example of magic and magick.
So if you were to use it in a game, I think there should be a reason behind these modified spellings.

[Snarky]

And using a spelling that was invented by Aleister Crowley is only done by pretentious wankers who've read too much Sandman. It's the exactly the preciousness of the spelling that annoys me.

[Ozwalled]

I think that it's something that's pretty hard to pull off well, and without getting criticized for, for the record. Unless you have a really good explanation for it or something, you'll have people who are put off by it, or just plain think its dumb, pretty mch no matter what.

If you DO decide on doing it though, PLEASE don't use Z instead of S for plural forms. I think that's one of the dumbest "I want to look cool" things ever.

[Ali]

I think this is a great idea, but you probably have to know quite bit about linguistics to create a convincing style of writing/speech. Look to the work of linguist authors like Anthony Burgess (A Clockwork Orange) and *shudder* Tolkien.

Also:

Tolkien spelled it "dwarves" when the usual spelling is "dwarfs".

Is 'dwarfs' really the usual spelling? I've never seen it, just like I've never seen 'knifes'.

[Andail]

Whenever the word "hypodermic" appears, you can spell it "hypodermick", just to be special.

Seriously though; I've never heard of the dwarves/dwarfs issue in Tolkien, but I know he sort of invented the usage of "elven", instead of "elfin", or something like that. I'm not geeky enough to be certain, though

[Radiant]

While certain idioms are ok and add atmosphere (i.e. Mercedes Lackey uses 'candlemarks' as a measure of time) in general this is very difficult to pull off in a believable fashion. Isaac Asimov has written an essay (in the beginning of Nightfall) to point out that using strange words (like 'drumdik') in a story only serves in making said story more confusing and less legible.

[Kinoko]

I agree with most people here... don't be discouraged from thinking about it, it CAN work. It just has to be done well. The candlemarks thing for example is, I think, in good taste. Like everyone else has said though, there has to be a good reason behind it, and it HAS to fit very naturally into the feel of the game.

[BerserkerTails]

Read a Clockwork Orange. There's a good example of a made up language that is amazing. (Try to get a copy without the dictionary in the back, it makes the book ten million times better).

[Shattered Sponge]

And using a spelling that was invented by Aleister Crowley is only done by pretentious wankers who've read too much Sandman. It's the exactly the preciousness of the spelling that annoys me.

I'll have you know that I on occassion use Crowley's spelling and am in fact a pretentious wanker who's read too much Invisibles!

Maybe, in future, you'll think for while before you make such sweeping generalisations!

[modgeulator]

And using a spelling that was invented by Aleister Crowley is only done by pretentious wankers who've read too much Sandman. It's the exactly the preciousness of the spelling that annoys me.

I'll have you know that I on occassion use Crowley's spelling and am in fact a pretentious wanker who's read too much Invisibles!

Maybe, in future, you'll think for while before you make such sweeping generalisations!

As a recreational self-stimulator I also take offence to this generalisation.

[Mr Flibble]

What you could do, this instead of changing spelling (magick makes me wretch) change some of the words.

Candlemarks is the only replacement that comes to mind.
You could say 'moon' instead of month.

Stuff like that, but more innovative.

[Cerulean]

If you the change the spelling, people will just think you can't spell. The way to create exotic speech is to leave the words intact but mess with the grammar. Look at the word order of other languages, and make up a rule or two like always putting an adjective after the noun it modifies, or always putting the verb before the subject, or never using pronouns.

[BerserkerTails]

If you the change the spelling, people will just think you can't spell.

Very true. In my game, the opening involves a flashback to a witch burning in the 1690s, and I researched old transcripts of the salem witch trials to have the dialog right. One thing I noticed was that there were alot of different spellings of words back then, so I incorporated that into the dialog during that scene. Unfortunatley everyone I've showed it to just thinks I'm a terrible speller.

Oh well, hahaha.

[Pesty]

Whenever the word "hypodermic" appears, you can spell it "hypodermick", just to be special.

And then you can make the game about innoculation!

"Check it, I'ma jab this hypadermick into your arm an' fill you with the polio-lio vaccinariffic!"