Interesting thought, would it be possible to disguise the lack of subtlety in conversation trees / engines by using a Universal Translator device that doesn't work 100 percent correctly. Ie. A screen with important keywords job? name? etc. and some questions. The game could pretend that the aliens were more clever than they are, by having them not understand what the player is talking about fully. As a U.I this would be help suspend disbelief, by explaining why you are choosing conversation topics by clicking on words. The not-understanding element isn't totally necessary.

If someone asks a directed question, often they will focus on one or two words in the response and ignore everything else. Positions that don't require a lot of discussion can get by with less grammar.

Alien: What do you think of our planet?

Space Traveller: It would be perfect for total enslavement to my wicked designs, so I like it.

Alien: Oh, well I'm glad you like it.

Huh, that's a neat idea. The translator can only translate certain phrases or types of phrases. I've never been a big fan of the 'pick an option' speeches, and this would at least give it some meaning.

I recently read a Post Mortem about the Disney Toon MMO game, and apparently, to prevent abuse and generally allow a safe environment, they use a system of icons to allow players to communicate with each other. They weren't really getting into the details, but this might be interesting to look into?

Yes, but how can you get a fair translation of an emoticon? same problem as with words, isn't it?

As with emotes in MMOs, this is even worse. Are you REALLY sure that, as the corners of its mouth are going up and it is baring its teeth, this alien is smilin? Or being friendly?

To be honest, I would probably back from a Tiger or a shark showing its teeth. So if an alien I knew nothing of did the same, I would just assume that it is a threatening posture (because I knew of other animals who used it as a threatening posture) and would react aggressively. And if the Alien was INDEED being friendly after analysing human behavior, then the alien bystanders who might survive the following slaughter would deduce from the incident that humans are crazy and dangerous.

And they would be right about it.

But all considerations set apart, YES!! I am dreaming of having to conduce a dialogue not knowing what the other one is answering. It's like blind negotiation. Ever tried to bargain with someone who doesn't speak your language? Approximately the same, only, this time, you might be bargaining for your life and you don't know. Or half an orange, or your shirt, your wife, your pen and tooth-brush. Or maybe world domination. And to (badly) quote Terry Pratchett "It's like playing Poker in a dark room, with blank cards, without knowing the rules, for infinite amounts. And the bank is grinning."

Yours faithfully,
Nicolas FOURNIALS

Quote: Original post by Anonymous Poster

As with emotes in MMOs, this is even worse. Are you REALLY sure that, as the corners of its mouth are going up and it is baring its teeth, this alien is smilin? Or being friendly?

What you need is a protocol computer (ie. like C3P0 in star wars) that can interpret such things and maybe give you some hints.
Just not to a very sophisticated level.

Ie. The drink sign "hand to mouth and glugging" could translate to a terrible insult for an alien, which is EXACTLY why you need a Universal Translator.

Perhaps you would like to look at this game: http://www.abc.net.au/gameon/tork/torkgame.htm

The game is based on translation, and it might give you some ideas...