Just cancelled my preorder of Civilization 5

[Exoma]

What I find most revealing is that he targets Civ V specifically, and only on the Persian language.

This isn't about historical accuracy, this is about your prejudices (or your misplaced national pride). If it weren't, you'd be angry about Civ 4. After all, don't all leaders speak English in that game? The level of historical inaccuracy is FAR greater in Civ 4.

All the voice acting for the Persians in civ 4 is in Persian, not English.

 

[bernlin2000]

Civilization is an epic game (very few games are), and for your culture to be included in the game is big. For you to play as your culture and to simulate their growth and fantasize about "what-ifs" and at the same time to know that your 'leader" you are playing with does not speak the language of your culture (the culture the leader is meant to represent) takes away from the pleasure. Now, more doubly given that there is animosity between your culture and the culture of the language your leader speaks.

Yes, I would be insulted as well.

You are only allowed to be insulted if the language wasn't spoken at the time. Aramaic was a bridge language used in Darius' time, since the area had a number of different languages (Old Persian, Elamite, Akkadian). Obviously, any of these could have been used in-game, but I think Aramaic is the best choice, since it is the language that would have been most likely used between different leaders of the time. I got all this from reading wikipedia for 5 minutes (link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Aramaic#Imperial_Aramaic). Why get insulted by historical fact?

 

[parabellum9x19]

in Rome Total War, the little bit of Latin that's even in the game is pronounced completely wrong for Classical Latin. the way the soldier stacks say "imperator" is totally wrong (i.e "imperitor" instead of "imperAtor"). and that's a game that's about ROME! but there's no reason to RAGE over it.

 

[bernlin2000]

Which is bizarre. Your national pride is tied up in whether you're represented in a computer game or not?

[I'll say this thing, if they ever put my country - New Zealand - into a Civ game, I would just laugh.]

I would love to have a New Zealand leader, if only because it's the coolest accent in the world. Until I saw Flight of the Conchords, though, I knew nothing about the country. Now I know next to nothing

 

[Exoma]

I also feel inclined to point out, for the benefit of the discussion as a whole, that not all Arabs are Muslims.

I'm merely sayingthat Arabic is the language of the Quran, and that Islam cannot be used as an explanation for him speaking Arabic.

 

[GeoModder]

I'm merely saying that Arabic is the language of the Quran, and that Islam cannot be used as an explanation for him speaking Arabic.

Exoma, have you read your opening post again? It appears Greg 2K responded and one of the mods was so kind to put his response in your OP.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

All the voice acting for the Persians in civ 4 is in Persian, not English.

You're absolutely right. All Cyrus' and Darius' voice acting in Civ IV was done in Persian. All none of it. Unless you count the facial expressions. The only voice in Civ IV is Leonard Nemoy's.

 

[GeoModder]

The only voice in Civ IV is Leonard Nemoy's.

Unit activation voices were done in local languages.

 

[Exoma]

Thank you for the response, Greg! But unfortunately, I won't be pre-ordering this game due to Darius speaking Aramaic. I really wouldn't be able to stand the Persians speaking Aramaic once they reach the modern age. It's unfortunate that you guys chose not to get Persian speaking actors for the Persian Empire. Aramaic was the lingua Franca at the time, but that doesn't mean it was the official language for most of jeans history. I'm really disappointed about this, as I was hoping to hear authentic Persian being spoken instead of Semitic Aramaic that was spoken purely for political reasons. The citizens of Persia at the time spoke Old Persian to each other. English is the lingua Franca now, but you guys don't have everybody speaking English. Thanks to firaxis for their work on this game, but I think I'll wait until civilization 6! Sorry if anybody felt offended by the thread. I meant no harm.

 

[Dearmad]

It's all Greek to me. Who cares.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

You know. Darius isn't the current leader of the Persians either. So it wouldn't make sense to have him suddenly switch to Farsi once it hits whatever age Farsi started to be spoken in what is now Iran.

I doubt you'll see ancient Persian in Civ VI either. So long and thanks for all the fish.

 

[rastak]

Thank you for the response, Greg! But unfortunately, I won't be pre-ordering this game due to Darius speaking Aramaic. I really wouldn't be able to stand the Persians speaking Aramaic once they reach the modern age. It's unfortunate that you guys chose not to get Persian speaking actors for the Persian Empire. Aramaic was the lingua Franca at the time, but that doesn't mean it was the official language for most of jeans history. I'm really disappointed about this, as I was hoping to hear authentic Persian being spoken instead of Semitic Aramaic that was spoken purely for political reasons. The citizens of Persia at the time spoke Old Persian to each other. English is the lingua Franca now, but you guys don't have everybody speaking English. Thanks to firaxis for their work on this game, but I think I'll wait until civilization 6! Sorry if anybody felt offended by the thread. I meant no harm.

Not a problem. See you in the civ 6 forums in a few years.

Happy gaming.

 

[parabellum9x19]

Thank you for the response, Greg! But unfortunately, I won't be pre-ordering this game due to Darius speaking Aramaic. I really wouldn't be able to stand the Persians speaking Aramaic once they reach the modern age. It's unfortunate that you guys chose not to get Persian speaking actors for the Persian Empire. Aramaic was the lingua Franca at the time, but that doesn't mean it was the official language for most of jeans history. I'm really disappointed about this, as I was hoping to hear authentic Persian being spoken instead of Semitic Aramaic that was spoken purely for political reasons. The citizens of Persia at the time spoke Old Persian to each other. English is the lingua Franca now, but you guys don't have everybody speaking English. Thanks to firaxis for their work on this game, but I think I'll wait until civilization 6! Sorry if anybody felt offended by the thread. I meant no harm.

buy the game, meng

you'll only be missing out....or yr a troll. either way.

if you feel that strongly about it, why not mod the game so Darius speaks ancient Persian. it shouldn't be that hard.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

We are of course assuming that he knows a dead dialect when he hears it when he is as unable as anyone to tell Arabic from Aramaic.

 

[SomGuy]

Definition of overreaction?

Your loss OP, but I bet you'll be buying it anyway

 

[parabellum9x19]

We are of course assuming that he knows a dead dialect when he hears it when he is as unable as anyone to tell Arabic from Aramaic.

i know a dead language as well as a little bit of a semetic resurrected language and i sure as hell wouldn't be able tell the difference.

 

[Exoma]

We are of course assuming that he knows a dead dialect when he hears it when he is as unable as anyone to tell Arabic from Aramaic.

Arabic and Aramaic are cousin languages.

 

[Exoma]

buy the game, meng

you'll only be missing out....or yr a troll. either way.

if you feel that strongly about it, why not mod the game so Darius speaks ancient Persian. it shouldn't be that hard.

To be honest, as great as a voice actor I think I'd be, I'm incapable of modding anything!

 

[AriochIV]

Having Darius speaking modern Persian wouldn't make any more sense than having him speak English.

Hope you get some self-esteem for Christmas. Oh, wait... nevermind. Do they give gifts for Ramadan?

 

[Exoma]

Having Darius speaking modern Persian wouldn't make any more sense than having him speak English.

Hope you get some self-esteem for Christmas. Oh, wait... Do they give gifts for Ramadan?

Who said I was Muslim?