I've been trawling through the FAQs looking for a 'How To' on language groups, but I'm just not seeing it.

How do I set up language groups for my players and how do players use them?

I believe when these groups are set up, they serve the twin purposes of hiding the content from non-speakers, and identifying text as a foreign language.

But I can't figure out how to do it. :(

I've seen the Private Groups Section in the GM Menu. Presumably, I can Label PLG01 as 'French', for example, and then check off several characters who speak French.

But how do players use the feature, and what will they see? (Rpol is notorious for not letting a GM see what players see). I've never used language groups as a player or GM.

Thanks.

If you've set which language(s) people have access to in the GM menu, they will be able to use said language(s) in the same way they would insert private text into a post - in the "Insert a private line" drop-down menu to the bottom right of the text box when composing a post, if they scroll to the bottom there should be a section called "The langauge group..." with a list of all the languages they have access to.

When the post is made, any text in any of those languages will show as a random jumble of letters to anyone who doesn't also have access to that same language :).

Note that there is an option called "Private To Language Group". That works like a combination of the private function and the language function. If you want everyone to see it, you have to pick the "The Language Group" option.

First you will create the language group.

[GM Menu > Edit Private Groups > Name the group and assign who is a member > Update]

Thereafter, when crafting a post, you can assign text to a language group if you want.

[Insert a Private Line > scroll down to 'The Language Group...']

Note:  You can also 'Private to' and 'Secret to' with language groups as well.

If you want a certain word (or groups of words) to appear to everyone, regardless if they speak the language or not, enclose the text within {curvy brackets}.

This is how it might look:

If the PC speaks Vaasi, they would see:

Language Vaasi: "My business is my own, {Alanik Ray}, you would do well to remember that.  If you make light of my situation again ... I will see your blood upon the floor.")

If the PC does not speak Vaasi, they would see:

Language unknown:  "Tr iobeis whhonten ar of iv, Alanik Ray, mi sanromany o hentweas iouin nolat. Te ouswershe comyincon ... iongtr omany o hent."
This message was last edited by the user at 13:03, Sun 28 July 2019.

Have a look at the FAQ for RuBB Code Tips & Tricks, the four entries in the section on Private Lines to Groups (Language Groups)..: RuBB Code Tips & Tricks.
This message was last edited by the user at 13:02, Sun 28 July 2019.

In general the private line version is best used for things like telepathy, or private radio channels, that others simply can not detect, or thieves cant which doesn't seem language like.

The language group is best for when the communication can be heard or otherwise detected, but not understood or decrypted.

Also (particularly if you're using a non-fantasy language the player doesn't speak) if you want the whole party to know the word that was gasped by the dying messenger or what have you, but allow characters that speak the language the option to translate when it's relayed to them later, e.g.

"The courier's last words were c'était un alligator du ciel!"

(Private to group French: 'it was a sky alligator')


...this function's also useful for explaining untranslateable cultural concepts and summarising long speeches etc. that it'd be boring for non-speakers to sit through, letting the PC use their skills to work out how they're going to try and get that information across to those who don't understand.

Thanks folks, that gives me a handle on how the feature works. I've set it up, I'll just wait for the players to converse now, and see how it goes. :)

Hah, thanks for asking those questions so others don't have to. ;)

And please do jot back with any significant findings as you play!