Cherie Heiberg · Writer and Archivist

Yeah, it's just the same answer. Like Will said, it depends on a lot of factors related to development and related to the different teams working together to make the best aliens that we can make. But down the line, we really want not just Tevarin and Tawai walking around, but Xi'an and Banu. And Banu kiosks, little stands where Banu are selling things, various Banu and Xi'an signs. Ideally, we would also have Tevarin language signs, although that would be contentious itself within the Tevarin community. Some of them would hate to see stuff in Tevarin language, and some of them would say, no, no, no, it's time for us to embrace the culture that we threw away. And there might be fights over it. Who knows?

Jared Huckaby · Host, Community

Did you write that just to excuse not having the Tevarin signs?

Cherie Heiberg · Writer and Archivist

No, I mean, even with the contentious cultural revival going on, there would still be some different language signs around.

Adam Wieser · Writer

And different locations that would embrace those signs too, or want to maybe convert some of the human standard stuff into their language as a way to kind of reclaim their history. So it's a fun little balance for the aliens, for them to have to kind of see that played out through the environment.

Cherie Heiberg · Writer and Archivist

I think it would be interesting to see Tevarin language signs vandalized by other Tevarin. "No, we threw this away for a reason. Stop it."

Jared Huckaby · Host, Community

Folks are aware of our budding studio up in Montreal with our partners at Turbulent. One of the teams that is currently being built out there right now is a branding team, specifically designed to help unify and explore and exploit all the opportunities for in-game branding. That includes things like graffiti and stuff like that. So I was just talking to them the other day, and they've got their work cut out for them. But when they get up and running, there's going to be a lot more immersive decor to the environments that you see. A lot more branding that seems genuine and in place and proper for the location. I'm excited for it.

Will Weissbaum · Lead Writer

Yeah, they were just asking about some Banu language the other day, which I think I pointed them correctly to you, Cherie. Cherie's our in-house xenolinguistic expert, who works with our external xenolinguistic expert. He's our true expert. So for eagle-eyed players out there, there is Banu and Xi'an text already in the game that you can find around our different locations. Do you want to give an example, Cherie, that comes to mind?

Cherie Heiberg · Writer and Archivist

I don't remember.

Will Weissbaum · Lead Writer

For the Luminalia holiday stuff, we often have Banu text on that. I think last year's holiday-themed items for Luminalia.

Cherie Heiberg · Writer and Archivist

Yeah, there was a Luminalia greeting on that cool sweater. It was the fan design sweater last year, wasn't it? We loved that. And we loved how the fan made sure to include accurate Banu text on it. That was a really nice touch.

Will Weissbaum · Lead Writer

So it's pretty neat. And then Tevarin, just to clarify, we're still in the process of developing that with Britton. It was a lower priority language because it's not as in active use as Banu and Xi'an were going to be in the game, though it's still coming and we're going to have it.

Cherie Heiberg · Writer and Archivist

Oh, yeah. And we're having a lot of interesting discussions about how we're going to develop it. Britton favors a two-pronged approach where he develops the bones of the language as it actually was before the purge, and then he develops a modern version of the language that's mixed with UEE standard to create kind of a newish language, like what happened with English when the French invaded.

Adam Wieser · Writer

Yeah, it's very extra. We love it. Britton takes it next level. I've seen some of the docs. He will send Cherie a doc 100 pages long with questions about a certain species to be like, give me an idea about this. And he's all in and he's very into the details. It's incredible.

Cherie Heiberg · Writer and Archivist

Yeah, that's why he's our perfect match.