Language Skill Suggestions

Ok, we know that at some time or another, Jeff, you intend to make shout chat zone-type restricted. You also have mentioned making PK's not understand shouts from non-PK's and vice versa. So here are my suggestions for a language skill.
In order to speak in a zone-type you are not currently in, you must have a gem in your currently selected gem bag that corresponds to that particular zone-type/town. In order to equip or even buy such a gem, you must have a specific rank in language to do so.
Every 5 levels of Language allows you to equip 1 Language gem, and every zone-type requires a different level in language in order to use that particular gem that corresponds to that zone-type. For example, at 5, you can equip your first language gem, but you need a seven to equip the one that correspnds to Fenelia.
However, you may only hear/speak to zone-types that are adjacent to the one you are currently in, until your language skill is such that you may reach out 2 zone-types, Language level 20, or so.
In addition, at a certain rank, 50+ or so, you are able to use a gem that allows translation between PK/non-PK speech.
These gems will all be non-drawable during combat as well.

What do you think, Jeff?

[doctor-warlord]

or he could just make it so that it just requires higher lvl in the language skill

The purpose of the gems is to turn on and off individual zone-types.

[doctor-warlord]

well basically that would 50+gems if there is to be on for each zone i think if its gonna be gems then it should be for a lvl range of zones for instance the first could be 1+ to 5+ zone so there arent like 100 of them

I think the best idea in the OP is the idea of using gems for something other than battle, an idea definitely worth exploring further. Though I wouldn't like gems that were completely non-battle related (and I think they'd screw up the difficulty that's suppose to exist in managing your pouch). But I think gems having additional effects outside of battle would be interesting.

And hey...what about rare gems that drop from mobs that have bonus stats or epic gems with cool battle effects?

I was hoping it would be another mini-game. Travelling Tool the babelfish. Mini-game drag the foreign word over its English counterpart. 6 or so words pair on screen. Benefits higher resale prices to vendor, able to elude humanoid grays more often (talking your way out of fight.)

i support any idea that gives me gems in my gem bag that i dont have to draw in combat... not all of us need 50 slots of gems i need 5-6 the rest of my bag is fine filled with non combat gems as far as i'm concerned

Walstib has a great idea there about how to raise the language skill, and I like the idea of "talking your way out" of certain combats.

But also the idea of non combat gems is amazing and I would love this.

I had to read Walstib's suggestion several times before I understood what he was getting at, but now that I think I understand it, I think it would be an awesome mini-game, actually puzzling out foreign in-game languages to raise the language skill. Fun stuff.

Maybe every 10 levels would give you access to a new dialect to learn?

Not only would it be fun, it would be EDUCATIONAL!

JEFF! JUMP ON THE EDUTAINMENT BANDWAGON NOW!

[Hopilus]

lawl

maybe tie this skill to adventuring, the more u travel to different places the more "dialects" u can learn

I like that idea.