I've always wondered why the Imm staff hasn't created languages for each race. I've played muds in the past where each race could speak its own language plus have a seperate 'common' language which every race knows. Always thought that was a nice option for RP as it solidifies the connection as well as opening up other ideas/mechanics that could be tied into the institution of languages. I'd have it so there were major 'language families' such as Dwarvish (dwarves and duergar), Elvish (elves, dark-elves, wood-elves) Gnomish (gnomes and svirfs), Giant (fire, storm, cloud, frost) and Trollkin (orcs and goblins)that members of that family can understand.

Is it because of a coding issue? Too hard to code? OR just not seeing the benefits?

If its the latter here are some ideas that tie into each race having its own language:

* Quests that require the participant to know the language.

* Languages as a learnable skill for bards allowing them to speak/understand multiple languages. Giving bards a boost to their usefulness outisde of combat for intepreting mobs that only speak a certain language.

I'm sure lots of cool ideas can come out of the mechanical feature of languages besides this.

I've seen it implemented elsewhere, and in my opinion the few cool situations where it's relevant and makes a difference for the better are dwarfed by the situations where it's an excuse to not interact meaningfully with other players.

Can you give an example(s) of the cool implementations of language?

Thief cant was a neat addition to the thief class that allows thieves to talk to teach other and communicate in the same room as others who don't know the skill.

Shapeshifters of the same form race do it too.

I just don't think you've got the amount of people playing different races big enough for this to be a neat change.

only to find that all other thieves are powergaming ####tards and haven't practiced it.

Just as you need special passwords for entering Organia and Thar-Acacia, it would make sense to me if the guards at the entrances to Delar Tol, Eil Sharei, Arangird, and Teth Azleth would challenge someone in racial languages. Similarly, ancient languages could be implemented for quests.

They didn't want fewer players being involved in conversations, or something like that?

I think it could be a cool idea ESPECIALLY if you could use edge points to learn a language.

That way, a couple of duergar might be talking about how to kill you, without realising you know their language.

Conversations like that almost exclusively happen via "tell."

Which is really the whole problem with languages and all the cool reasons to implement them.

nt