Anne Radcliffe on Sep 2, 2013 wrote:

So often in Pirate101, the way characters speak puts you right in the 'reality' of the place, such as the deliberately 'pirate-y' language many characters use in Skull Island, or the way the watermoles always refer to themselves in third person. But what I would particularly like to address now is the evocative language of Aquila.

In Aquila, you are not told "Go sink some enemy ships" but rather to "Fall upon the Ophidian Ships." You are not asked "So, what are you doing here?" but instead "What does a stranger from afar seek?" Nor are we answered regretfully "Sorry, kid, I can't help you," rather, "But aid you I can not." Characters are described for their major personality trait -- "stern Eaglememnon" or notable physical characteristics, such as "mighty thews". And when Homer begins his tale, he does it in the beloved classical fashion -- "Sing, O Muses..."

All of this use of language adds splendidly to the feeling that you have entered a place of myth and legend. I must express my admiration for a job so very well done, in so many ways.

Virtuous Anne Radcliffe

Well said Anne and I couldn't agree with you more. I have been a lover of books since I learned to read and my love affair with words has never stopped. The wonderful moods KingsIsle's writers paint with their delightfully placed words are savory foods for the imagination's eye or ear as it be. There is so much treasure in the writing here that I just love. It is the very reason I have posted about count down timers stopping you from enjoying the wonderful voiceovers in the game. A lot of work went into those lines from the word choices to the way the words are said. It is a delight to read and to hear them. It is a great part of what makes this game great. Not to downplay the graphics or all the beautiful animation work that has been done, I just want to echo my wondrous appreciation for all the hard work that has been done to show just how much can be done with the power of the word. Well done Blind Mew & Crew, extremely very well done.

Slick Sebastian on Sep 3, 2013 wrote:

i believe kingsisle wouldn't do that because if there were younger kids on here, they wouldn't know what they are talking about or whats going to happen.

Hmm, Derrick, I merely posted some examples of language that KI already uses in their writing, but since this game is for ages 10+, I don't think there would be any problem with the intended audience understanding, even if the words are organized in an elegant or perhaps somewhat archaic way. After all, in the Waldorf philosophy of teaching, 4th and 5th graders have already experienced many of the Greek and Roman myths including perhaps the Iliad and Odyssey arranged for younger readers, and are now going onto the darker Norse myths and some of the more somber stories of the saints. And a lot of 4th graders are reading Harry Potter or similarly complex novels.

When I was in second grade, I continually begged my mother to be allowed to get my hands on Andrew Lang's Fairy books. I had been slow to learn to read, but once I started, the ability really took ahold. My mother felt the books were too complicated for a 7-year-old, but finally my pestering wore her down. The first one I chose was The Purple Fairy Book (because I love purple, of course), and the first story I read was The Tale of Tontlawald. That was a word that was pretty hard for me to grasp (now I realize it is not even an English word, but a German place word), but I eagerly plowed away into the story, the story of a mistreated girl who finds refuge in the fairy world, but must be returned to her own world as she grows up...

My point is that an unfamiliar word or two is truly no hindrance to one who wants to read the story, or in the case of Pirate101, be part of that story.

Anne, I've read your fan fiction and I must say that you are eloquent! I hope you take up professional writing, be it novels or short stories. I know you can get published. If you get rejection letters for your first efforts, I'm sure a good publisher will think they are good enough to give you feedback. Just don't quit, and don't throw away anything you ever thought was good enough to submit. Time and your inevitable fame have ways to make a rewritten piece marketable.

Row4n412 on Oct 25, 2013 wrote:

Anne, I've read your fan fiction and I must say that you are eloquent! I hope you take up professional writing, be it novels or short stories. I know you can get published. If you get rejection letters for your first efforts, I'm sure a good publisher will think they are good enough to give you feedback. Just don't quit, and don't throw away anything you ever thought was good enough to submit. Time and your inevitable fame have ways to make a rewritten piece marketable.

Wow, that is such a nice thing to say! Thank you so much! I don't think I have enough original ideas to actually write a novel for real, but your words are very heartening indeed. Just submitting my fan fiction stories to our very kind One Eyed Jack is nerve-wracking (I'm afraid that in real life, I'm not the bold spirit Anne is). But kindness gives me courage, and I am treasuring your kind words.

Virtuous Anne Radcliffe

Anne Radcliffe on Sep 2, 2013 wrote:

So often in Pirate101, the way characters speak puts you right in the 'reality' of the place, such as the deliberately 'pirate-y' language many characters use in Skull Island, or the way the watermoles always refer to themselves in third person. But what I would particularly like to address now is the evocative language of Aquila.

In Aquila, you are not told "Go sink some enemy ships" but rather to "Fall upon the Ophidian Ships." You are not asked "So, what are you doing here?" but instead "What does a stranger from afar seek?" Nor are we answered regretfully "Sorry, kid, I can't help you," rather, "But aid you I can not." Characters are described for their major personality trait -- "stern Eaglememnon" or notable physical characteristics, such as "mighty thews". And when Homer begins his tale, he does it in the beloved classical fashion -- "Sing, O Muses..."

All of this use of language adds splendidly to the feeling that you have entered a place of myth and legend. I must express my admiration for a job so very well done, in so many ways.

Virtuous Anne Radcliffe

But aid you I cannot sounds like yoda