operate? native speakers, hilfe!

Goldmund · Sun 23/07/2006 15:25:48

Dear native speakers,

the gui in my game has - among plethora of others - two buttons: one is "use", second is "operate".

"Use" is reserved for using inventory items on other items, hotspots, NPCs, et caetera.

Now, "Operate" is for acting upon an item, hotspot, and so on. For example - turning on a machine, opening a door, reading a book, pushing something.

Recently a terrible doubt has surfaced in my mind - is the word "operate" proper for this functions? Doesn't it only refer to operating machinery?

Haddas · Sun 23/07/2006 15:40:22

It's good, as long as you include people that you can operate

MrColossal · Sun 23/07/2006 16:30:49

"Interact" might work too?

Ali · Sun 23/07/2006 16:42:48

I think the problem you will find is that any alternative to operate will, in the mind of the adventure gamer, be synonymous with 'Use'. I would suggest you go with MrCollossal's suggestion of 'Interact', it's certainly more flexible than 'Operate'.

I'd also that you replace 'Use' with something like 'Use Inv' or 'Use Item' so that players don't forget that it only relates to inventory items. Another possibility would be to allow users to pick up inventory items by left-clicking and make 'Use Inv' unneccessary.

AGA · Sun 23/07/2006 16:45:27

Use could be 'combine', and the other 'use' or 'interact with', perhaps.

Helm · Sun 23/07/2006 17:12:09

This is tex murphy style, almost.

I say go with 'USE' for item on hotspot, and MANIPULATE.

dasjoe · Sun 23/07/2006 18:23:15

FIDDLE!

AGA · Sun 23/07/2006 20:05:07

You're not native speakers, BEGONE!

Ashen · Sun 23/07/2006 20:39:18

'Use Item' and 'Fiddle with' (or 'Interact').

dasjoe · Mon 24/07/2006 03:36:54

"native speakers, hilfe!" - i am a native speaker in german!

deadsuperhero · Mon 24/07/2006 04:07:50

Ich kann sprechen ein bisschen Deutch. Mein Grammatish ist nicht sehr gut!
(I can speak a bit of German. My grammer isn't very good!)

Hmm...how about "MAG" for when you want to interact with anything that's not an inventory item? (It can mean anything from USE to open the door in German.)
I don't know what it would be for the other one, though, my German vocabulary is a bit rusty.

Tiki · Mon 24/07/2006 04:51:10

Immensely helpful, Alliance. I suggest you work on your English (particularly reading this thread) before you pretend to know German.

"Fiddling" aside, I think "Interact" and "Use" would be clear enough. As you suggested, I would associate "Operate" with machinery much more than reading a book or opening a door.

"

"

deadsuperhero · Mon 24/07/2006 05:17:34

Tiki, I'm an Honors English student, chill. And it's not like I was posting n00bspeak.
(And yes, I DO know German, but enough of that)

LGM · Mon 24/07/2006 05:39:16

Ich kann Deutsch ein bisschen sprechen, sondern meine Grammatik nicht so gut ist.

deadsuperhero · Mon 24/07/2006 05:55:53

Quote from: [lgm] on Mon 24/07/2006 05:39:16
Ich kann Deutsch ein bisschen sprechen, sondern meine Grammatik nicht so gut ist.

See? I told you my grammer is bad.
That's what I get for only taking one year and passing with a "C".

Helm · Mon 24/07/2006 06:16:11

grammer

I'm sorry, you're a Honors English student and you don't know how to spell grammar?

deadsuperhero · Mon 24/07/2006 06:17:55

No, it's 3 in the morning here, and I'm just tired...

Helm · Mon 24/07/2006 06:18:59

D'oh! I got you!

deadsuperhero · Mon 24/07/2006 06:20:19

Pssh... Helm, you silly, clever man.
But, let's get back on subject.

dasjoe · Mon 24/07/2006 17:16:09

"mag" is actually "like" in german. anyway, this thread is about native english speakers, i was fooling around.

oh, and a small sidenote: all german (all but mine, that is) in this thread is wrong. wrong i say.