Curse

A R I A N · May 01, 2006, 07:48 PM // 19:48

"WORD HISTORY At first glance, one would be hard-pressed to find a link between pleasure and the acts of assassins. Such was not the case, however, with those who gave us the word assassin. They were members of a secret Islamic order originating in the 11th century who believed it was a religious duty to harass and murder their enemies. The most important members of the order were those who actually did the killing. Having been promised paradise in return for dying in action, the killers, it is said, were made to yearn for paradise by being given a life of pleasure that included the use of hashish. From this came the name for the secret order as a whole, haššašin, “hashish users.” After passing through French or Italian, the word came into English and is recorded in 1603 with reference to the Muslim Assassins."

The term Assassin in game is completly wrong...
We have bisness with ninja`s....
I dont know how arena net mixed two diffrent things in history.... but it is big mistake.

Ctb · May 01, 2006, 07:53 PM // 19:53

I don't recall ANet ever linking the design of the in-game character to any historical group, and the term "assassin" is an extension of the original fighters, not a literal reference to them in most contexts.

Regardless, given the storyline revolving around the battle between the Luxons and Kurzicks, I feel that you may not know of what you are speaking.

Thom · May 01, 2006, 07:57 PM // 19:57

Regardless of the origins "assassin" has a broader meaning in modern English. The sentence "Who was JFK's assassin?" is appropriate, but has noth to do with medieval muslims.

"Ninja" still refers almost exclusively to a specific historical training which is at the very least culturally specific. You could say that the GW's characters are Assassins in the style of Ninjas, but anet was smart for using a broader term.

actionjack · May 01, 2006, 08:13 PM // 20:13

As said above.

Note that A.net did not use a more specific word like "haššašin" or "Ninja".

From dictionary .com, there are two meaning...

1.One who murders by surprise attack, especially one who carries out a plot to kill a prominent person.
2.Assassin A member of a secret order of Muslims who terrorized and killed Christian Crusaders and others.

Therefore, A.net use the more commonly use defination of Assassin. Not to mention how Assassin is being use in the pop-cultur or Fantasy-Thems.

Also Ninja, being a multi functional group of people (villagers who are more trained in gathering infomations), deal less with killing (which is not what A.net's Assassin do). But again, that is not alway true with the cultural-understanding of Ninjas.

lyra_song · May 01, 2006, 08:15 PM // 20:15

and this is in sardelac sanitarium because.....?

Lasher Dragon · May 01, 2006, 08:42 PM // 20:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by lyra_song

and this is in sardelac sanitarium because.....?

I figured he was suggesting Anet change Assassins to Ninjas.

Desbreko · May 01, 2006, 09:11 PM // 21:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lasher Dragon

I figured he was suggesting Anet change Assassins to Ninjas.

I'd only agree to that if they also changed Ritualist headpieces to only cover one eye and changed their class name to Pirate.