"Must needs" - Major localization issue plz fix

Tons of NPCs in the game say "Must needs" instead of just "must" or "needs to" to the player. And apparently these lines were given to the English voice actors, who spoke "must needs" because that is what they were given to say.

At first I thought, after hearing a voiced character say it, that maybe it was just some weird style of speaking, but I'm convinced now that this is a major, recurring localization error. "Must needs" never makes sense in any of the lines where I see it.

You see this basically anywhere the word "must" would be used. The word needs gets thrown in there like some kind of tag-a-long.

It's technically correct English, but I agree in that it's a bit overused and doesn't really add to the text. Once or twice on occasion is fine, but it's widely overused.

What I think they are trying to do is colloquiall refered to by old gamers as "Queen's English by way of Yokohama." Heavily prevailant in old console RPGs like Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. If it is that then it's a hilarious little nod. If not then... it's a hilarious little nod.

It just strikes me as hugely redundant. You only really need one of those words.

Working as intended, for better or worse.

Honestly it's not the words "must needs" which feel out of place by themselves, it's the juxtaposition of a person with a modern accent speaking them. Technically the "s" is an archaic suffix used with the adverb "need."

If it were Gandalf doing the voices it would definitely sound right as rain. As it stands it's straight up camp.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/must+needs+do

Wouldn't it be strange if it only happened once or twice? The fact that it happens all the time shows that it's a common feature of the dialect of Eorzea. They also like to say "anyroad" and "much and more". It's just there to add flavor, not any major issue.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kimoi

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/must+needs+do

Wouldn't it be strange if it only happened once or twice? The fact that it happens all the time shows that it's a common feature of the dialect of Eorzea. They also like to say "anyroad" and "much and more". It's just there to add flavor, not any major issue.

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I think "anyroad" is the first bit of...slang(?) you encounter in the game. Took me a while to realize what they were using it in place of, but I certainly enjoy it now that I understand.

And "selfsame"

Gods forfend.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Alhanelem

Tons of NPCs in the game say "Must needs" instead of just "must" or "needs to" to the player. And apparently these lines were given to the English voice actors, who spoke "must needs" because that is what they were given to say.

At first I thought, after hearing a voiced character say it, that maybe it was just some weird style of speaking, but I'm convinced now that this is a major, recurring localization error. "Must needs" never makes sense in any of the lines where I see it.

You see this basically anywhere the word "must" would be used. The word needs gets thrown in there like some kind of tag-a-long.

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This is a common usage found in Elizabethan English, Shakespeare used it a few times. I suggest my old Yuke, that you read some more of the old English man and text from his time to grasp a better understanding of the usage. I've done this quest and it is used quite correctly.

Must needs is still common in the UK. It doesn't sound even slightly wrong to my ear. It's not a major localisation issue. You just need to learn to embrace how English is used elsewhere too.

Edit: Also, trust the localisation team. They are really, really great in this game. They know a lot more about English than you or I.

As soon as I saw my second "must needs," I knew that these reports would be flying in all over the place. . .

Anyway, it's correct English, if a little archaic. There's nothing wrong with their saying it, except that people find it weird to say. . .

Now to wait for the reports about "Well come!"

Must needs doesn't bother me so much as the ridiculous use of cod medieval English - please stop using thee and thou (and even thoust) just to make a sentence sound olde worlde - some of the sentences sound like they're being spoken by a late 20th century teen then all of a sudden there's a thou thrown in for no apparent reason - do one or the other not both and yes I noticed Well come! :)

The stylistic objections voiced in this thread might (or might not) have some validity. Those made by people unfamiliar with an age-old expression most definitely have none.

I should add I see the intention of the localization team, and I find the use of the expression (and many others of the same non-colloquial ilk) consequential with those intentions: They are trying to create a language that does not sound "of our time and place" but at the same time is rooted in tradition, something that sounds familiar, yet is old and remote. Don't blame their work for the mediocre quality of the voice-overs.

It's been a few months but just a tad of trivia: the phrase "must needs" has been used in almost every Final Fantasy title to date.