Whacky terminology

[Asymptotic]

So, are we expecting Quetzelcoatl?

There is a thunderbird in the art! ZAPDOS I CHOOSE YOU!

[Losie]

At least something is expanding our vocabulary these days. Text messages and Facebook definitely aren't. Still, Bivouac is a pain to spell and Prankration and Brenner sound stupid.

This is a good point - and, in fact, I find it funny that a localized Japanese-based game has vocabulary that immensely outpaces any US based game. Furthermore, I'm amazed that people take any issue with it.. It's a freakin' fantasy game people. Not every fantasy game is comprised of the same boring and unoriginal terminology - in fact, we've moved to a different continent full of people from another society, why is it so crazy to imagine they might have different or weird names? Does it really have to be boring and standardized? Geesh.

[Horadrim]

There is a thunderbird in the art! ZAPDOS I CHOOSE YOU!

I thought I was the only person who noticed that. I totally joked with my LS about it and no one even flinched.

This is a good point - and, in fact, I find it funny that a localized Japanese-based game has vocabulary that immensely outpaces any US based game. Furthermore, I'm amazed that people take any issue with it.. It's a freakin' fantasy game people. Not every fantasy game is comprised of the same boring and unoriginal terminology - in fact, we've moved to a different continent full of people from another society, why is it so crazy to imagine they might have different or weird names? Does it really have to be boring and standardized? Geesh.

Not really a good point, unless you're lazy and never read...

I'm a novelist in my free time, and I also read a lot of science journals, do research for myself and for work, and generally just enjoy learning. I feel like if a game has to be your source of vocabulary strengthening you're severely lacking in your efforts towards self improvement.

Granted, Square has always been amazing at introducing concepts, referencing lore and mythology, as well as using the most unorthodox words for things such that you learn something new anytime you look up their origins (I was sad when they added 'Memento Mori' though, because I hated that everyone would know what it meant, haha. Same effect when Flyleaf named their album that... -__- ).

Maybe I'm biased, though.

As a side note, if your text messages are shitty, your hand written letters would have been just as shitty. Stop dogging technology and the advancement of language.

Why does everyone hate Prankration...?

[Imakun]

Beyond standard english, all the "whacky terminology" SE is using is a huge advantage for someone like me. I'm studying english at the university, along with german as a second language.
I also studied a bit of french and spanish in the past, with my native languange being italian.

You have no idea how much playing XI helped me, and I'm very happy that sometimes I have to open up my english dictionary (or google if it's some other language) to look something up.

[Kaisha]

as well as using the most unorthodox words for things such that you learn something new anytime you look up their origins

I wonder how many folks knew the salvage cells were all named after different types of clouds.

For a multi-lingual game, I wonder where the Japanese crew come up with some of these words, unless the localization groups for the other languages the game supports help brainstorm ideas, or use foreign words.

[Kincard]

Speaking of flavor text, I find it amusing they're running out of things to call the areas, personally- you notice that as a general rule, they try very hard not to repeat the same environment in the name of the area.

For example, both Jugner and Zitah are forests but one is called a Forest while the other is called Sanctuary, when it could've just as easily been called "Forest of Zi'tah". There are exceptions, of course, but they do try to avoid it.

Now they have to call places things like "Battlegrounds" and "Hunting Grounds".

[Asymptotic]

I mean, they seem to be doing okay (in that they can find a word if they really want to)

We're still missing

Yorcia Weald* and Kamihir Piedmont

*Woods

From zones currently named.

[Yinnyth]

SE has always had this sort of fetish for uniqueness. Ramuh, Ixion, Adrammelech. Ifrit, Belias, Phoenix. Odin, Diabolos, Fenrir. They borrow from every mythology they can find and create some legends of their own (Shantotto, Raogrimm, Cid). It may take some getting used to at first, but allowing camps to be called outposts, confluxes, and bivouacs helps to strengthen our minds where most video games do little more than indulge us in exactly what we want with no thought required (DIE PIGS DIE!!!).

[SpankWustler]

Piedmont

Foothills, more or less. Also, a region in Italy or a city in Alabama.

So, the zone will either be hilly, full of pizzas with delicious greasy-gooey centers, extraordinarily racist, or some combination of the three.