Your Most Random Thoughts and Ideas

**AddleBoy** · 11-12-2009, 03:34 AM

So, yesterday, I was walking around campus and the strangest thought came to mind: What if there was a language where people communicated through music? Not exactly lyrical music, but two people being able to have a conversation with each other using instruments. Words would be formed based on pitch, note length, slurs, staccatos, etc. I think I'd keep volume as something optional, and would main be based on emotion.

The alphabet consists of A-G with all the sharps and flats in between. The written language will be based on music composition with a staff, bass clef or treble clef, and such. Of course, somethings would need to be added like punctuation. Something to indicate quotes, a statement, and a question would be most needed.

There are a few problems with this idea. For instance, it's not very practical. In order to speak this language, you would need to know either how to play an instrument or know how to sing at least well enough to keep in key. But, we all know that one person who can't sing for crap.

A few questions also sprang to mind while I was thinking about this idea. Which key should most normal conversations be in? Should the instigator of the conversation choose a key and the others follow suit? If there's normally one key used, what significance would changing the key bring?

What time signature should be used in normal conversation? I was thinking of common time as the standard, but if the time signature is changed, what significance does it bring to the conversation?

One of the biggest problems I have is one of aesthetics. This being a musical language, I would want conversations to sound beautiful and sound like, well music. I would like the conversation to sound like more than just noise. This is a very complicated issue.

The last few problems are syntactic issues, like word placement. Nouns go here? Verbs go there? I don't want to base the structure of the language completely off of English. I want to try and use ideas from other languages.

Taking a few courses on music theory and composition would definitely aid me in this task, but I'll think about it later. I'm starting to ramble...

The main purpose of this thread was to talk about your random thoughts and ideas that you get out of no where. That was mine. What are some of yours? Could be anything, really.

**BlackJack** · 11-12-2009, 04:31 AM

While that sounds cool. I admit it has its issues. :/
Keep us posted if you work it out.

As for me, I always wondered what it would be like if the world was really just a virtual reality. Our physical bodies would be kept in a regular health cycle, while "the world" was all in our heads. Movies like The Matrix and Surrogates have both reinforced the idea in my head and put doubts on it. Namely since those films are about the idea gone wrong. It's a simultaneously intriguing and horrifying idea. At least to me. >_>

**Fatal Impurity** · 11-12-2009, 05:45 PM

I had the strangest thought on what would constitute the world's worst Sin. It came up from a conversation about "Once upon a time in China 3" with Jet Li, where he and his cousin have this whole romantic thing going on which obviously repulsed me and my friend.

So yeah we started talking on what you would have to do, and in which order you would have to do it, in order to commit the single most evil/morally irreprehensible act imaginable.

**BlackJack** · 11-12-2009, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by Fatal Impurity

I had the strangest thought on what would constitute the world's worst Sin. It came up from a conversation about "Once upon a time in China 3" with Jet Li, where he and his cousin have this whole romantic thing going on which obviously repulsed me and my friend.

So yeah we started talking on what you would have to do, and in which order you would have to do it, in order to commit the single most evil/morally irreprehensible act imaginable.

What were your conclusions? I'm intrigued.

**AddleBoy** · 11-12-2009, 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by BlackJack

What were your conclusions? I'm intrigued.

I'm pretty interested, too actually.

About my musical language, I remembered that something a little similar to my idea in the movie, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, where at the end of the movie the people communicate with the aliens through musical notes of different length and pitch. I don't really know how their version worked, though...

And after searching for musical languages in Wikipedia, I found at least two other musical languages that have been made, so I can read more about them to help me along....

I haven't really had any interesting thoughts other than that lately. <__<

**Fatal Impurity** · 11-12-2009, 08:02 PM

Originally Posted by BlackJack

What were your conclusions? I'm intrigued.

Needless to say it was a strange but wierdly interesting conversation and it still somewhat sends chills of disgust down our spines sometimes.

**Inu** · 11-12-2009, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by Fatal Impurity

Needless to say it was a strange but wierdly interesting conversation and it still somewhat sends chills of disgust down our spines sometimes.

congratulations. you're now the sick fuck of RSF.

**Aleister Black** · 11-12-2009, 08:58 PM

Should I be glad that the spoiler tag won't open for me?

**BlackJack** · 11-12-2009, 09:06 PM

Originally Posted by Fatal Impurity

Needless to say it was a strange but wierdly interesting conversation and it still somewhat sends chills of disgust down our spines sometimes.

**Fatal Impurity** · 11-12-2009, 09:18 PM

Originally Posted by Inu

congratulations. you're now the sick fuck of RSF.

Theres Spoiler tags for a reason...also thankyou, thankyou very much :3

**Mellusia** · 11-12-2009, 10:02 PM

Oi, oi, c'mon now, this is a post count area. Please mind the posting rules D=

I think the idea of using music as language seems very whimsical, but as you already mentioned, there seems to be too many snags in the idea.

Maybe one thing could be using those piano keyboards instead of a broad variety of instruments?

As for my own random ideas...

I've got an idea for a silent hero RPG game in my head. It first came from the idea of having a female lead because there's a lack of females leads in RPG games specifically. I think I've only played one or two. Then for some reason I gave her a blindfold, because from what I've seen, characters with blindfolds are friggin' kewl. So you got a silent female lead with a blindfold. There is a symbolic reason for the blindfold, but that's as far as I've gone. How do you create a good story with a silent hero?

**BlackJack** · 11-12-2009, 10:17 PM

Originally Posted by Mellusia

How do you create a good story with a silent hero?

Have a princess get kidnapped by the leader of some desert gypsies because he wants a three-part artifact of ultimate power. Only the protagonist can save her!

**AddleBoy** · 11-12-2009, 11:04 PM

Originally Posted by Mellusia

I think the idea of using music as language seems very whimsical, but as you already mentioned, there seems to be too many snags in the idea.

Maybe one thing could be using those piano keyboards instead of a broad variety of instruments?

Actually, that's not even my biggest problem. It is possible to make the language so that every instrument can use it. My biggest problem is that it's already been done before. =/

http://www.eaiea.com/ It's pretty interesting, though. If the music is composed using this language, it's possible for one person to sing a song with lyrics and tell one story, while telling a different story in Eaiea.

I guess my idea wasn't as original as I thought it was. I hate it when that happens. <_<

As for my own random ideas...

I've got an idea for a silent hero RPG game in my head. It first came from the idea of having a female lead because there's a lack of females leads in RPG games specifically. I think I've only played one or two. Then for some reason I gave her a blindfold, because from what I've seen, characters with blindfolds are friggin' kewl. So you got a silent female lead with a blindfold. There is a symbolic reason for the blindfold, but that's as far as I've gone. How do you create a good story with a silent hero?

Well, normally the main purpose of silent heroes is for the player to feel a greater connection with them because they don't talk except for some instances where the player chooses what the character says. It sort of makes them feel like they are the character. In cases like this, the story is told through the supporting characters and the actions of the main character. The problem with silent heroes is that they don't have much character development, and usually lack personality. This can be helped a little bit by having a supporting character who is very close to the silent hero (most likely a childhood friend) who can talk about their past and such. Or you could have a narrator who talks about the silent hero and what they're thinking.

I'm trying to think of games that have silent heroes.... Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, Golden Sun 1 and 2, Legend of Zelda.... That's all I can think of right now.

What's the symbolic reason for the blindfold? Is she blind or can she see through other means?

**Mellusia** · 11-12-2009, 11:43 PM

Originally Posted by AddleBoy

Well, normally the main purpose of silent heroes is for the player to feel a greater connection with them because they don't talk except for some instances where the player chooses what the character says. It sort of makes them feel like they are the character. In cases like this, the story is told through the supporting characters and the actions of the main character. The problem with silent heroes is that they don't have much character development, and usually lack personality. This can be helped a little bit by having a supporting character who is very close to the silent hero (most likely a childhood friend) who can talk about their past and such. Or you could have a narrator who talks about the silent hero and what they're thinking.

I'm trying to think of games that have silent heroes.... Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, Golden Sun 1 and 2, Legend of Zelda.... That's all I can think of right now.

What's the symbolic reason for the blindfold? Is she blind or can she see through other means?

Hmm, I guess that makes sense. At the very least there has to be another person to do some talking. I was thinking she could have her own "Basil" or "Otacon" or wheover to to chat at her. I wanna avoid tech-ish, but I admit I'm stealing a lot of ideas from the game Devil Summoner (in particular #2...since it's the only one I played, teehee ;D).

Reasons being that 1) Shin Megami Tensei is primarily made up of silent heros, and 2) I found a translation of a fanbook of the game story and some info about the hero Raidou that had a reasoning for being a silent hero.

"His silentness, holds roots to loneliness."

"He had no one whom he can share his feelings and thoughts which are held in every day."

"Consequently, he has become silent."

As a storyline reason for being a silent hero, I think it's pretty kewl.

And why she has a blindfold? The statue of justice is that woman holding scales and...has a blindfold! The character is the manifestation of justice! Zomg, epik premise!!1

As for her being able to see...I'm still figuring that out. How the heck does Riku see with a blindfold in Kingdom Hearts? O.o

I seriously thought of calling her "Justice", but that was too boring. I kind of want to go on the more "cyborg" route, but at the same time, it feels..bleh. Because I want her to have interactions with humans and have her (i.e. you) have doubts about what is justice. I wanna have the game with optional endings based on what you decide during the game. Either fight along the Law, or losing hope with the ugliness of the world align yourself with the underworld and deal with justice in your own special way...

Or something to that effect

But I can't figure out what the over-all story/mission would be. I'm thinking it has to be something that's in the very gray area, thus creating the difficult choice that ultimately determines what ending you'd get.

**dippindotty** · 11-13-2009, 02:10 AM

The musical language idea sounds beautiful! XD
However, like you said, having musical quality in a language might be hard. But I'm sure if it ever gets developed, I will try to learn it!

Originally Posted by BlackJack

As for me, I always wondered what it would be like if the world was really just a virtual reality. Our physical bodies would be kept in a regular health cycle, while "the world" was all in our heads. Movies like The Matrix and Surrogates have both reinforced the idea in my head and put doubts on it. Namely since those films are about the idea gone wrong. It's a simultaneously intriguing and horrifying idea. At least to me. >_>

I WAS THINKING THAT TOO MAN!

There is one thing that has always been stuck on my mind.
What are the chances of us being born as humans? I mean, we are just as prone to be born as other species right? RIGHT? For all we know, we could have been a horde of roaches! *o* Is being born as humans like winning the biggest lottery ever? DAANNGG...Then again, our conscious mind is developed because we were born as humans? or would I be like this if I was born as an insignificant organism? I'm sure I won't have much of a conscience if I am a simple organism...

**BlackJack** · 11-13-2009, 03:18 AM

Other thoughts I've had:
How do we know colors?
what if what I see as "Red" is what you see as "Green"?
We can't describe a color. We get taught from an early age that "Red is Red".
We begin identifying colors by identifying objects that are that color.
So what if what was red to me was actually green to Kendra (for example)?
We'd never know the difference.

**Aleister Black** · 11-13-2009, 04:06 AM

Exactly Blackjack! That's why I always wonder how the hell people figure out that they are colourblind. I mean, how do you figure out that the colour you see is different fromt he colour other people see?

**dthc** · 11-13-2009, 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by Aleister Black

Exactly Blackjack! That's why I always wonder how the hell people figure out that they are colourblind. I mean, how do you figure out that the colour you see is different fromt he colour other people see?

Other people make fun of you because your clothes don't match.

**Doaj** · 11-13-2009, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by BlackJack

Other thoughts I've had:
How do we know colors?
what if what I see as "Red" is what you see as "Green"?
We can't describe a color. We get taught from an early age that "Red is Red".
We begin identifying colors by identifying objects that are that color.
So what if what was red to me was actually green to Kendra (for example)?
We'd never know the difference.

Originally Posted by Aleister Black

Exactly Blackjack! That's why I always wonder how the hell people figure out that they are colourblind. I mean, how do you figure out that the colour you see is different fromt he colour other people see?

Originally Posted by dthc

Other people make fun of you because your clothes don't match.

Colors are not as abstract as people think. There is a spectrum of what is visible, to the human eye, to mechanisms built to see, to animals. We can see every color we know. Colors we can't see are ultraviolet, infrared, x-rays, gammarays, etc, as they all fall into the spectrum. If our range of vision were wider, these would appear as colors that nobody has seen.

On that note, the colors all look the same because everyone is built the same. What I see as a circle, nobody else will see as a triangle. What I see as a 'W' nobody else will see as an 'X'. Nobody has special privileges, as the case turns out (Nobody can see helium, everyone sees water), so why would we see colors as something different?

**BlackJack** · 11-13-2009, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by Doaj

Colors are not as abstract as people think. There is a spectrum of what is visible, to the human eye, to mechanisms built to see, to animals. We can see every color we know. Colors we can't see are ultraviolet, infrared, x-rays, gammarays, etc, as they all fall into the spectrum. If our range of vision were wider, these would appear as colors that nobody has seen.

On that note, the colors all look the same because everyone is built the same. What I see as a circle, nobody else will see as a triangle. What I see as a 'W' nobody else will see as an 'X'. Nobody has special privileges, as the case turns out (Nobody can see helium, everyone sees water), so why would we see colors as something different?

While all of that is true, you must admit that colors are quite a bit different than circles/triangles or w's/x's. It has to do with how your eyes and your brain process the light that you take in. For one thing, no, not everyone's eyes work the same. Some people have better vision than others. And it stands to reason that since the eyes can vary in functionality, then it is possible that they filter things differently. And then there's the most important part, how the brain processes the information fed to it by the eyes. I think it goes without saying that anything and everything could go wrong at this step.

But basically, my main point was that we have the concept of color, but no real way to define it. This opens the possibility for such a scenario as previously discussed.

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